North Cumbria Health and Care is encouraging everyone to invest in your future self this Self Care Week (18 – 24 November) by making small changes that can make a big difference.
Think Self Care for Life is about making improvements in your life to protect your physical health and mental wellbeing.
Follow these small steps to a healthier you:
Get active; advice is to exercise for at least twenty minutes a day, it’s ideal if you can incorporate this into your day by ditching the car and walking to work, or walking the dog, taking the stairs or even dancing around the kitchen table to your favourite songs!
Eat well. We all know that healthy eating is crucial to our health so we can start by swapping unhealthy snacks for healthy options such as nuts, seeds an
d fruit. Ask your pharmacist for advice on managing your weight.
- Make positive changes!
Take steps to stop those bad habits that don’t serve you well. This Self Care Week make a plan to stop smoking, reduce your alcohol intake and get active! Your pharmacist can help with lifestyle changes such as weight management and stop smoking services.
Rest. A good’s night’s sleep is as essential to our health and wellbeing as eating healthily and exercising so, make sure you get the recommended 7-8 hours a night!
Stop! These days we lead such busy lives that we sometimes forget to slow down and stop. Find time in your day to just quieten your mind. Mindfulness or yoga might be helpful.
Colin Cox, director of public health for Cumbria County Council says “It’s never too early or too late to begin to make small, simple changes that will enhance and protect your health now and, in the future, and often, one small change will make a big difference to your wellbeing.
“For instance, choosing to become more active will not only improve your physical health, it will also boost your mood, particularly if you choose to exercise outdoors in the fresh air.”
Self Care Week is also about safely managing long term conditions and, understanding how to self-treat those common disturbances to normal good health, such as coughs, colds, sore throats etc. and taking advice from the pharmacist if you’re unsure of symptoms. They can also help with lifestyle advice.
During Self Care Week, and everyday Think Self Care for Life and make self care your life-long habit. Take a look at our useful winter health advice page: https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/locations/choosing-right-place-go-it-emergency
Further information
Self Care Week takes place 18 – 24 November 2019 and has the theme “Think Self Care for Life.”
Self Care Week is an annual initiative organised by the Self Care Forum to raise awareness about the benefits of self care and what people can do to take care of their health. It is to promote and encourage more self care across communities, families and generations.
Information Resources:
- http://www.selfcareforum.org/fact-sheets/ (Self Care Forum fact sheets)
- http://antibioticguardian.com/ (Antibiotics Guardian
- https://www.nhs.uk/ (NHS website)
The North Cumbria Health and Care System is made up of health and care commissioners and providers - North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, NHS England, NHS North Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group, NHS Improvement, North West Ambulance Service, primary care - working in partnership with Cumbria County Council and third sector organisations.
This integrated approach to health and care will see much closer working between organisations – it is not a merger or the creation of a new organisation.