Promoting Self Care

Take care of yourself so you can look after the important people in your life. You’re never too young or too old to look after yourself.

Self-care is all about you. It includes knowing about your health and taking simple lifestyle steps to being healthier, including eating healthily, taking regular exercise and dealing with common conditions as well as managing long term conditions effectively.

Self-care is the best choice to treat minor illnesses and injuries. A large range of common illnesses and injuries can be treated at home simply with over-the-counter medicines and plenty of rest.

What is self-care?

Self-care means looking after yourself in a healthy way, whether it’s eating healthily, taking medicine when you have a cold, or doing some exercise.

How can I self-care?

Self-care includes the actions you take every day in order to stay fit and maintain good physical and mental health, meet your social and emotional needs, prevent and treat illness, and care more effectively for minor ailments.

Can anyone help me to self-care?

Your pharmacist can help you to stock up your medicine cabinet with remedies for minor ailments and illnesses. Some useful additions to your home first-aid kit include:

  • Painkillers for adults and children
  • Medicines to help with all kinds of tummy upsets
  • Tweezers and sharp scissors to remove splinters or cut bandages
  • A thermometer to check for fever
  • Antiseptic cream
  • Antiseptic wipes
  • A range of bandages, plasters, and dressings for minor cuts, sprains and bruises

Why should I self-care?

Keeping yourself fit and healthy can help protect you from illnesses like colds, flu and infections. Making lifestyle changes like quitting smoking or losing weight can also decrease your chances of getting a serious illness like cancer or heart disease.

By caring for yourself, you’re helping to make sure NHS services are available for those that really need them.

What if I don’t know if I can self-care?

Advice is available free 24/7 on 111 and your pharmacist can also provide support and guidance.

For further information please visit the Milton Keynes CCG webpage on self-care.