WHY SELF-CARE IS HEALTH CARE

• What is self-care?

  Generally speaking, self-care is taking steps to stay healthy, as well as cope with illness without the support of a health professional. It can take a lot of forms, from knowing when to rest to managing minor ailments like colds and muscle pain using over-the-counter medication to knowing when to seek medical attention.

• How can self-care help?

  Canada had over 15 million unscheduled emergency room (ER) visits in 2024 alone, many for non-urgent issues. The more minor health issues people are able to manage themselves, the greater healthcare capacity there could be. In fact, research cited in a report from Food, Health and Consumer Products of Canada suggests that 500,000 more Canadians could have access to a family doctor if just two per cent of patients who describe their cold symptoms as mild or minor implemented self-care.

• How can I practice self-care?

  According to a recent survey, 93 per cent of Canadians now see self-care as a necessity. This includes taking small, actionable steps to take a proactive approach to your health. This can look like reaching for trusted over-the-counter solutions to ease symptoms, treating minor health concerns before they disrupt your day and building sustainable routines that support long-term wellbeing. Some consumer platforms, like Get Well, Stay Well, offer health and wellness information, as well as savings on many over-the-counter self-care products.

Practicing good self-care comes down to building simple habits and making sure you have the supplies you need on hand. By implementing it, you can deal with many issues more easily at home, potentially need care less often and even avoid some trips to the ER altogether. You can learn more about self-care at getwellstaywell.ca