Stomach Infrastructure or Self-care?

By Joy Jaiyesimi

When you hear the word self- care what rightly comes to mind?

I went to the street of Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city to find out how are women practicing self care in this harsh economic conditions that is pushing many to their limits.

How have you been practicing self care? Was the question I asked Angela Bawa. “The main struggle now is to get food to eat and not pampering oneself, things are very difficult now in this Tinubu’s administration, I don’t practice self-care care, in this Tinubu administration we’re talking about food not self-care its food now oooh not pampering body” she said

Blessing Fred a mother, said since she had her baby six months ago, she hasn’t really paid attention to herself  “since I had my baby, I have just visited the Saloon once to get my hair done”.

Self-care according to the World Health Organization, (WHO) is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.

In its 2021 report on self-care interventions, WHO says half of the world population lacks access to essential health services.

WHO recommends self-care interventions for every country and economic setting, as a critical path to reach universal health coverage, promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.

Behavioral therapist Dr. Ada Ikeako,in her response on the importance of self-care to women said “self-care practices like regular exercise, mindfulness, meditation, guided imagery, progressive muscle, realization, deep breathing, maintaining healthy relationships, pursuing hobbies, setting boundaries, can significantly contribute to mental well-being of women.”

On how affordable is self-care, Dr Ikeako said self-care doesn’t have to be expensive “in fact, many self-care practices can be quite affordable or even free. Things like mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing exercises, going for walks, spending time with loved ones, or pursuing hobbies can be incorporated into daily life without significant cost,” she noted.

Additionally, prioritizing preventive measures like maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and staying physically active can actually save money in the long run by reducing the need for costly medical interventions. So “yes, anyone can practice self-care regardless of their financial situation. It’s about prioritizing and making small, sustainable changes that promote overall well-being,” the behavioural therapist said.  

According to 2021 WHO report on self-care interventions, 100 million people globally are plunged into poverty because they have to pay for health care out their own pockets, while more 800 million people spend 10 percent of their household income on health care.

Dr Ikeako said when women practice self-care, it improves their mental and physical well-being “as regards self-care and mental health is that it’s important to assess regularly how good and how well you’re practicing self-care. Eating healthy, prioritizing sleep, getting a massage, going for walks, exercising and enjoying time with family, meditation, expressing yourself and learning about health literacy will inform you and help you to make good decisions about your health. So that’s really an important part of self-care.”

“The way you engage mental health and your physical health, it’s important to have your laboratory investigations checked, at least annually, so that you can detect if you have increases in your blood sugar, increases in your blood pressure, for blood pressure checks, and your preventative cancer screens, it is very, important, part of physical self-care. And for mental health, self-care reduces relapse in addiction for those who are dealing with addiction. It is a very important part of addiction treatment. It prevents you from going back to using substances.” These are very important aspects of well-being.” She stressed

Prioritizing mental and physical well-being, even amidst economic difficulties, is crucial for overall health. The insights from Dr. Ada Ikeako, underscore the importance of accessible self-care practices, which can significantly contribute to resilience and well-being. Joy indeed comes from nurturing ourselves with intentionality and care.