The Importance of Self-Care

Self-care is intentional activities and habits practiced to benefit one’s well-being and bring balance into our lives. Absence of self-care can lead to feeling depleted, increased stress, burnout, and can contribute to dysfunction in life and relationships. When an individual focuses too much on others without practicing self-care, the result can be apathy, isolation, mental or physical fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.

Conscious self-care begins with having compassion for yourself and being willing to treat yourself as well as you treat others. To embrace self-care means you make choices that support you, including setting boundaries. Making mindful choices means that you connect you to yourself and consciously manage your thoughts and emotions.

Practicing self-care helps you stay present (in the here and now), and helps maintain a level of peace and calm, even during challenges.

Simple tenets of self-care include setting boundaries (learn to say ‘no’), healthy mental self-talk, abandoning perfectionism (you are enough) the need for perfect

Self-Care and Self-Healing E-Book — coming soon
This downloadable digital book offers a variety of suggestions to promote the cancer patient's own self-care. Topics include pain reduction techniques, physical activities, ways to reduce stress and anxiety, and comforting self-care ideas.

More Self-Healing Support — coming soon
This video includes simple techniques that individuals can use to reduce pain, reduce stress, and restore the balance and flow of energy that supports the physical body's ability to self-heal. 
Embeded Video Link

Grounding and Centering — coming soon
Restoring the balance and flow of energy is the key tenet of the HPCC’s Healing Partners Program. The Chakra Connection for Self-Care technique  provides an opportunity to be proactive in one's own self-care. This handout provides step-by-step instructions so this technique and can be incorporated in a daily  routine for grounding, relaxing and balancing. 

Healthy Eating
Nutritional problems are sometimes overlooked but can be a often devastating part of cancer treatments and is an important aspect of recovery. There are a variety of options available for healthy eating such as advice from a certified nutritionists or dietitians; and organic meal delivery programs. Consult with your oncologist for nutritional support during cancer treatments.

Suggested Reading
Here are some reading ideas others found which offered solace during their cancer journey.

• Radical Remission by Kelly Turner

• Books for spiritual comfort 

• Poetry 

• Books that make you laugh

Mental Health

• The National Cancer Institute offers a variety of guidance on mental health including dealing with feelings that develop with a cancer diagnosis and other related resources that support mental and emotional health during cancer treatments.

• Establish a sense of purpose. Having a sense of purpose is essential for wellness. When your world turns upside down, purpose gives you stability and a sense of direction. Tips for finding a purpose can be found in this BetterUp Blog.

Symptom Relief 
Often chemotherapy or surgeries affect the hormonal system, the digestive system or cause other physical symptoms. Following are some suggestions that may help address some of the symptoms of treatment.

• ​Psi Bands are Acupressure wrist bands that have been known to help alleviate nausea during chemo treatments. They are available from a variety of online resources and commercial outlets.

• There are lotions that help reduce the symptoms of breast surgery and support healing. They are available online and through commercial outlets. Ask your doctor for a recommendation.