Become a Self-Care Champion!
When we don’t feel well, we worry about letting down those who depend on us. We want simple and effective solutions that allow us to get back to normal fast. Here are a few tips and tricks to practice self-care like a pro:
- First things first: prevention. Prevention is always better than cure and it includes daily decisions such as having a healthy lifestyle (exercising, eating properly and getting enough rest), supplementing your diet with vitamins and minerals as needed, having good hygiene, and avoiding smoking or excessive alcohol consumption.
- Going to see a doctor isn’t always necessary. Sometimes, asking advice from your local pharmacist might be just what you need. Many times we can take care of it ourselves, with simple solutions at home that allow us to get back to normal fast. Think twice before using healthcare resources, because they might be needed by someone requiring specialized medical attention.
- Learn to recognize and address symptoms the right way, together with a healthcare professional when necessary. Your health literacy plays a decisive role in your self-care journey. It empowers you to understand your symptoms, know what self-care products you need for it, and decide if/when you should seek professional care. When looking for health information, make sure to choose reliable sources to avoid poor or misleading content. Reliable sources include healthcare professionals in general (your community pharmacist, your family doctor) and official websites (government, health authority, medicines manufacturers).
- Read the information leaflet included in your health product, especially if it is the first time you are using it. When in doubt, seek advice from your pharmacist or doctor.
- Make sure your home pharmacy is up-to-date with the self-care products you might need at the ready. Always check the expiry date of your medicines before using them. Should one of them be expired, dispose of it properly to do your part for the environment and public health. Don’t know where to begin? Consult the map on MedsDisposal.
- Make self-care a lifelong learning and a personal mission. By engaging in self-care, we not only care for ourselves, but also for others. When we decide to look for self-care options first, we give our doctors more time to focus on people who need them the most. The latest evidence suggests that, without self-care and self-care products, we would need 120,000 more general practice doctors in Europe right now! Share your self-care knowledge with family and friends and help guide others in their self-care journey.
- Psst! One last tip before you go: Practicing self-care is good for all of us. But, if despite doing your best, your symptoms do not improve or get worse, please see your doctor.
Quiz: what kind of self-care person are you?
As you can see, self-care is what we do every day to be and stay healthy and it is in our interest as individuals and as a society to understand the main “rules”.
Now that you know more about responsible self-care, why not test your knowledge and find out what kind of self-care person you are?
Take the quizSelf-Care Platforms in Europe
In complement to our tips and tricks, the following platforms supported by our members can help you in your self-care journey: