A broadly used term nowadays, Self-Care involves making a conscious effort to promote and protect one's physical, mental and emotional health. Simply put, it is what you do to maintain your health and prevent illnesses and diseases.

Focusing on ourselves and what makes us happy is one of the most important aspects of our lives. If you want to achieve your goals, avoid risk and succeed in life, taking care of yourself is the way to begin your journey towards triumph.

Self-Care is important because the way we look after our mind, body and soul affects our choices and decisions in life resulting in positive or negative outcomes. If we do not find time for Self-Care it could have negative outcomes such as anxiety, stress, and loss of focus, trauma, distress or even burning out. Read on to find out the seven pillars of Self Care and see what areas you think you could improve on. Check out our list of simple risk avoidance behavior and do let us know what more we could add to the list!

There are seven pillars of Self Care which include:

• Knowledge and Health Literacy: The capacity to which you understand and process information regarding your health in order to make the correct and needed health decisions.
• Mental Wellbeing, Self-Awareness: The ability to know your BMI (Body mass index),blood pressure & cholesterol levels etc. and taking appropriate measures to maintain healthy levels.
• Physical Activity: Engaging in physical activities such as walking, swimming, jogging, cycling etc. as frequently as possible in order to maintain good health and fitness levels.
• Healthy Eating: Indulging in a well-balanced, wholesome diet that includes essential nutrients, vitamins and calories.
• Good Hygiene: This includes engaging in good hygiene practices such as washing hands regularly, showering, brushing your teeth etc.
• Rationale using of products and services: Using products and services according to instructions and when needed.
• Risk Avoidance or Mitigation: This includes avoiding or reducing behaviors that increase the risk of death, disease or injury.

Risk Avoidance is one of the most important pillars of Self Care as it helps reduce or delay mortality rates while aiding with leading a safe and healthy life. Behaviors that reduce health risks are easy to practice: Making sure you have all the necessary vaccines, consuming alcohol in moderation, wearing a seat belt while driving, and practicing safe sex, quitting smoking, apply sunscreen when outdoors etc.

In contrast with the other pillars of Self Care, negligent behavior that leads to risk can affect others who are around you. For example, if you smoke cigarettes, second hand smoke can affect another person around you causing harm to their lungs, if you drive recklessly, you could meet with an accident causing harm to others on the road. Therefore it is extremely crucial that we be mindful and practice risk mitigation every single day.