The WHO defines self-care as “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 health care provider.” In this sense, we can say that it refers to all those habits and attitudes we take to preserve and improve our health, so take care of yourself every day and be responsible for safeguarding your health!
- Drink a glass of water every day when you wake up.
“Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up,” says Vandana R. Sheth, R.D.N., certified diabetes educator and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “We often wake up after a night’s sleep slightly dehydrated,” which often means starting the day feeling under the weather.
Write down at least five good things that happened.
No matter how bad your day is, we all have something to be thankful for a house, a car, a vision, two legs, etc. Focusing on what you are grateful for can help you put things in perspective and not put so much emphasis on the stressors you might also be dealing with.
- Make a menu for the week
Eating fresh and healthy foods seems effortless enough until we crave chocolate cake or a bag of chips. According to nutrition experts, scheduling solid meals comes into play. “By planning your meals ahead of time, you can often eliminate the urge to time-hurried, impulsive shopping.
- Get enough sleep
It sounds simple enough: 40 percent of people get less than seven hours of sleep per night, according to a 2016 survey. (Healthy adults should get an average of seven to nine hours of sleep per night.) During sleep, your brain removes toxins, consolidates memory, and builds neural highways.
- Try a new route to get to work
It turns out that, like the rest of your body, your brain is subject to the “use it or lose it” theory, says Vernon Williams, MD, founding director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan Jobe Institute. Take care of your brain by challenging it, and no, you don’t need a fancy app. Williams suggests learning a foreign language, trying a new sport, or simply taking a different route to work in the morning.
