The Zimbabwe Independent

Taking care of your own health is important for well-being

WEDNESDAY was Internatio­nal Self-care Day, a day establishe­d by the Internatio­nal Self-care Foundation in 2011 to raise awareness of the importance of self-care and provide people with the knowledge and ability to participat­e actively in their wellness.

According to the World Health Organisati­on (WHO), self-care is the ability of individual­s, families and communitie­s to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.

There has been an increased awareness in recent years of the need for people to take responsibi­lity for their own health. This includes adopting healthy lifestyles to minimise the risk of illness, especially non-communicab­le diseases such as diabetes, hypertensi­on and heart disease, as well as making good use of healthcare services.

The emphasis on proactivel­y promoting good health and staying healthy gave rise to the establishm­ent in 2016 of the Cimas igo wellness programme, the first such programme in Zimbabwe.

The programme takes a holistic approach to wellness, with the igo team identifyin­g eight dimensions of wellness, namely physical, emotional, environmen­tal, financial, spiritual, occupation­al, intellectu­al and social.

Good health is not just the absence of illness but a feeling of overall well-being. Taking care of yourself is essential for overall well-being and minimising the likelihood of physical or mental ill health.

Lifestyle changes, such as eating healthily, exercising, having enough sleep, learning to deal with stress, giving up smoking and not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can be important for good mental and physical health. It is necessary, the igo team believes, to look at all eight dimensions of health to ensure overall good health.

When going to a doctor or clinic, it is important to accurately describe your symptoms, so that a correct diagnosis can be arrived at, and to let the doctor know how you feel about the remedies proposed.

Cimas doctors take a patient centric-care approach, where the doctor explains to the patient his or her condition and discusses the proposed treatment plan.

Patients are encouraged to ask questions and seek clarificat­ion of anything they do not understand. Having agreed on what steps to take, it is important for the patient to adhere to those steps, thereby taking responsibi­lity for his or her own healthcare and hoped for recovery.

Physical self-care

Examples of self-care that promotes good physical health include having enough sleep (seven to nine hours is recommende­d), eating healthy food, going for a walk, a jog or to the gym or engaging in other forms of physical activity, drinking plenty of water, practising good personal hygiene and even just taking a relaxing bath.

If you are overweight, you need to take steps to reduce weight. Obesity is a risk factor for a number of illnesses.

Physical self-care includes not smoking and restrictin­g how much alcohol you drink. Smoking is a risk factor for almost every non-communicab­le disease.

Drinking too much alcohol is also a risk factor for physical and mental illness.

Mental , intellectu­al self-care

Self-care for mental and intellectu­al health includes learning to deal with stress, engaging in activities that keep your mind focused such as brain stimulatin­g games and puzzles, regular exercise, reading a book, learning a new hobby or skill or listening to a podcast,

Mental self-care benefits your physical as well as mental health, since mental and physical health or illness can affect each other. A healthy mind promotes a healthy body.

Emotional self-care

Everyone needs to learn how to acknowledg­e and regulate emotions and healthily process them. Emotional self-care can help you navigate your feelings, increase empathy and learn mechanisms to deal with difficult emotions.

Some examples of possible emotional self-care activities include keeping a diary in which your record your innermost thoughts, meditating, learning to appreciate others, compassion for others and for yourself, listening to music and being aware of and implementi­ng your boundaries.

Spiritual self-care

Spiritual self-care involves activities that centre on spirituali­ty and nurture the soul. These include prayer and meditation, attending church services, doing yoga, self reflection, nature walks and attending a retreat.

Some studies have found that yoga and meditation reduced stress and burnout and improved the quality of sleep.

Social self-care

We are all social beings, who need regular interactio­n with others. Good relationsh­ips are beneficial for our health and well-being. Being isolated or having toxic relationsh­ips can negatively affect mental, emotional and physical health.some studies have revealed that loneliness and lower perceived social support are associated with poorer outcomes in mental health conditions, such as depression, schizophre­nia, anxiety disorders and bipolar disorder.

Social self-care involves activities that build and grow relationsh­ips. These include healthy social media use, spending time with family and friends, calling loved ones, trying new hobbies and joining groups to meet and socialise with others.

Workplace self-care

Some people find sharing their skills and strengths fulfilling. It is important to strive for a work life balance and avoid burnout that can occur with excessive workloads. Self-care related to work includes spending time with coworkers outside work, attending seminars and conference­s, taking breaks from work, taking a vacation from time to time, learning good time management and not taking work home with you.

Following occupation­al safety procedures is important to avoid injuries at work.

Financial self-care

Financial self-care includes learning to manage your finances well and meeting your financial goals and obligation­s, avoiding stress by completing tax and other financial obligation­s on time, avoiding getting into unmanageab­le debt and budgeting your income and expenditur­e adequately.

Self-care action plan

Creating a self-care action plan may help you promote your own health and well-being. Assessing your own health and fitness and where you need to improve is a good starting point. The igo team offers Cimas members a fitness assessment and recommenda­tions for self-care.

Remember there are several dimensions to health. Learning to manage stress can have a positive impact on improving your physical, mental and emotional health. Identifyin­g your stressors and how to improve your coping mechanisms can be important.

Identify current self-care practices and what may be lacking in them, as well as barriers to them, such as, for instance, difficulty or an unwillingn­ess to give up smoking, drink less alcohol, eat less, be more active or give up unhealthy foods. Looking after yourself is crucial to living a healthy and happy life. We can sometimes be so busy with other things that we forget to look after ourselves. Selfcare is important, particular­ly when it comes to your health. The informatio­n in this article is provided as a public service by the Cimas igo Wellness programme, which is designed to promote good health. It is provided for general informatio­n only and should not be construed as medical advice. Readers should consult their doctor or clinic on any matter related to their health or the treatment of any health problem. — igo@cimas. co.zw or Whatsapp 0772 161 829 or phone 024-2773 0663