Self-Care Series for Cancer Patients and Caregivers — Part 1 — How is Self-Care Defined?
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The World Health Organization defines self-care as: “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.” According to this definition, self-care includes everything related to staying physically healthy — including hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical care when needed. It’s all the steps an individual can take to manage stressors in his or her life and take care of his or her own health and well-being.
The team at The International Prostate Cancer Foundation would like to expand on the above idea. Self-care is not only to address the physical bodies needs, but the emotional and mental bodies needs as well. Self-care is the practice of individuals looking after their own health and wellness using the knowledge, information and tools available to them. It is a decision-making process that empowers individuals to look after their own health efficiently and conveniently, in collaboration with health and social care professionals as needed. Simply, self-care is defined as, taking steps to tend to your physical, emotional, and mental health needs to the best of your ability. Self-care is anything that you do for yourself that feels nourishing to your mind, body and soul.
In 2019 researchers published a self-care framework in The BMJ, one of the world's oldest general medical journals, to specifically point out that in addition to self-care being the activities individuals do on their own to promote physical and emotional health, it also includes the ways that individuals interact with clinicians and healthcare systems to tend to physical and emotional health. That means self-care includes things like getting a vaccine, scheduling cancer screenings, or taking prescription medications on schedule — but healthcare providers and organizations play a role, too, in how well individuals engage in these self-care practices.
There is a misconception that exists in the collective consciousness; self-care is selfish and indulgent. The IPCF disagree emphatically. Self-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care is taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, emotionally regulated and well-balanced. The practice of self-care is important so you can show up and be present in your life; you can do your job, you can help and care for friends and family, and so you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in your daily routine. Self-care is a part of the solution of how we can all better cope with daily triggers, the stress and the pace of daily life. When regularly practiced, the benefits of self-care have been linked to positive health outcomes such as reduced stress, improved immune system, increased productivity, and higher self-esteem.
In the next few posts, we will do an in-depth dive into self-care, it’s benefits for both people that are healthy and those who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as caregivers. We will share practical practices and routines to aid you in integrating self-care into your life. Be sure to stay tuned for the additional parts.