Self care for you and your Family
Self-care is important to our functioning,as it is what we do for ourselves to establish and maintain health, and prevent and deal with illness. Self-care is about becoming active participants in our own health and health careand that of our families. Self-care can include both physical and emotional/psychological aspects.
Healthy Eating
Healthy Eating is making sure your body gets all the nutrients you need throughout the day.
- We all know that breakfast is important so if you struggle to eat breakfast grab something you can eat on the way or at work/school.
- Think of food in terms of ‘everyday foods’ that include fruits, vegetables, lean meat, grains, dairy, good fats and ‘sometimes foods’ including processed, fatty and fried foods.
- Getting children involved in cooking meals and even growing fresh herbs and vegies in the garden will help them create their own balance and healthy attitude towards food.
- Look at moderating your intake of things such as caffeine, fatty foods, and prescription medications,and more harmful substances such as alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs.
Sleeping
Sleeping wellhelps our brainto function and get the rest we need after each day. While you are sleeping, your brain is forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information.
- Our body sometimes goes through stages of not sleeping well because of stress, hormones, lifestyle factors, obesity as so forth. Accept this is quite normal, but do look at the reasons why you may not be sleeping well to help resolve them.
- Make sure you have a comfortable space to sleep, limit your alcohol and caffeine intake, try not to nap during the day and limit the use of technology in the bedroom.
- You can also try natural sleep remedies, lavender essential oil, having a warm bath, drinking herbal tea, and hot milk to help relax you before bed.
Exercise
Exercisedoesn’t mean going to the gym everyday. If the gym is not for you, then find another way to get your body moving.
- Going for a walk is the easiest and cheapest way to get exercise, even if it is just for 15 minutes a day.
- Doing some housework or gardening is also a way to get your body moving.
- If you have children, getting outside with them playing games, ball games, riding bikes, hiking etc. is a good way to promote healthy living for them also.
Relaxation
Relaxation is finding some time each day to rest your body and mind and to promote balance in your life. Find the activities that fit with your life and interests and give both your body and mind time out.
- Activities such as walking, bike riding, gardening, reading, meditation, yoga, watching a movie, arts and crafts, building something, taking a bath are all good ways to take some time out.
Stress management
Stress management is learning ways to deal with stress when it arises. Stress is a normal part of life and it is okay to feel stressed in certain situations. Knowing how to deal with stress can help you to accept stress and therefore lessen the negative effects.
- Some basic strategies can be practising deep breathing, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, mindfulness (being present in the moment), challenging your negative thoughts, and problem solving.
Knowing how to identify when your stress levels are too high is an important life skill. Knowing your limitations is also an important factor in managing the stressful issues in your life. Chronic stress can be damaging to your overall health and so seeking help from your doctor or health practitioner can be useful.
Psychologists can assist in establishing new, healthier behaviours to improve sleep, diet and exercise. Exploring attitudes and beliefs that might interfere with establishing new behaviours can also be utilized. Various interventions can be used including trialling progressive muscle relaxation, hypnotic relaxation, visualization and mindfulness techniques.