Practice Self-Care

Most people are fairly healthy, but as we age, we are faced with challenges, choices and risks specifically in relation to food, alcohol, tobacco and inactive lifestyles.  Unfortunately, the common result of these choices is obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use, alcohol abuse and unhealthy diets.  All of these things contribute to today’s epidemic of heart attacks and strokes, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and other diseases.
 
The good news is that it’s possible to reduce your risk by adjusting your lifestyle and taking better care of yourself.
 
Self-Care includes:

• Knowledge & Health Literacy – the ability to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make the right decisions about your health.
• Mental wellbeing, self-awareness and prevention – being more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you (also known as mindfulness), can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges; In terms of prevention, know your body mass index (BMI), cholesterol level, blood pressure and participate in health screening.
• Physical Activity – The World Health Organization defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure – including activities you do while working, playing, carrying out household chores, travelling, and engaging in recreational pursuits. Adults aged 18-64 should try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week.
• Risk avoidance – quitting tobacco, limiting alcohol use, getting immunized, practicing safe sex and using sunscreen.
• Good Hygiene – hand washing, brushing your teeth and washing your food, e.g. fruits and vegetables
• Rational and responsible use of products and services (diagnostic testing and medication) –  being aware of dangers and using as prescribed.

Is self-care hard to do?  Absolutely – some elements definitely are, such as quitting smoking.  Small steps in a positive direction are the best way to achieve long-lasting results.

If you are a patient of the Temagami Family Health Team and would like to see our dietitian, our mental health worker, our respiratory therapist or one of our primary care providers, please feel free to call the office at (705) 569-3244 to schedule an appointment. 
 
Preventative Health Care – the Easiest Way to Protect Your Future!