NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care (NHS GM) is once again pleased to be supporting the week by empowering and educating people on how to better look after their health, as well as signposting the public to the NHS service that it right for their needs by using NHS 111 online.
This year’s theme for week is exercise. It highlights how regular daily physical activity can have big effects such as decreasing the risk of developing long-term chronic conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, boosting self-esteem, mood and energy and reducing your risk of stress, clinical depression and dementia. More self-care tips include:
- Try to be active every day and aim to do at least 150 minutes of physical activity over a week (adults). This could be through a variety of activities such as walking, swimming or cycling.
- Consider taking an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement during the winter months to prevent deficiency.
- Aim to eat a variety of different foods from the five main food groups to get range of nutrients. You can find more information on eating well on the NHS website.
- Use sleeping tips to improve your sleeping pattern and have more energy. Tips include avoiding naps in the day, going to bed and waking up at the same time and taking time to relax before bed,
- Give yourself the best defence for COVID and flu this winter, by taking up your Autumn booster and flu vaccine if you are eligible, to protect yourself and your loved ones*
Dr Manisha Kumar, chief medical officer at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said:
“Self-care is so important, and we all have a personal responsibility to look after own health. This week gives us the chance to arm people with the knowledge and information, so they are confident when looking after themselves. Whether this be for better day-to-day wellbeing, preventing avoidable illnesses or support for managing a long-term condition, it is about allowing people to feel in control of their health.
“It is also about giving people the information they need to access the right NHS service for them when they need to talk to a healthcare professional. In the coming weeks, we will be sharing messaging that gives the public advice on choosing the most appropriate NHS service for them and highlighting all the available channels, such as NHS 111, pharmacists and urgent care centres.”
More information
- *Link here to check whether you are eligible for the flu vaccination or autumn COVID-19 vaccine – gmintegratedcare.org.uk/get-my-jab/
- Find more tips for on health living such as eating a balanced diet, exercise, sleep, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol – nhs.uk/live-well/
- Advice on choosing the right NHS service for you and getting the treatment you need can be found here – nhs.uk/nhs-services/
