This week is Carers Week, and before I say anything else, I want to say one thing.
Thank you.
Thank you to the husbands, wives, sons, daughters, friends, neighbours and family members who quietly get on with the job every single day. You take people to appointments, organise medication, cook meals, wash clothes, provide company and offer reassurance when life becomes overwhelming.
You do it because you love someone.
You do it because someone has to.
And so often, nobody asks how you are.
Over the years, I have met many carers, and I have noticed something that worries me.
They spend so much time looking after someone else that they completely forget to look after themselves.
Breakfast becomes a biscuit grabbed on the way out of the door.
Lunch is whatever is quickest.
Dinner is eaten late, standing up in the kitchen.
Exercise disappears.
Sleep becomes broken.
Stress becomes normal.
And little by little, the weight starts to creep on.
I’ve seen carers who are exhausted, overwhelmed and dangerously overweight. Not because they don’t know better, but because they simply have nothing left to give.
The problem is that if you become unwell, who looks after the person who depends on you?
As a Sardinian, I grew up believing that caring for family is one of life’s greatest responsibilities. It is part of who we are. But I also grew up seeing people gather around a table to share a simple meal, take a walk together and support one another. Looking after yourself was never considered selfish. It was part of looking after everyone else.
So this Carers Week, I would like to encourage every carer to make themselves a priority for just a few minutes each day.
It doesn’t have to be complicated.
• Keep a bowl of fruit where you can see it.
• Make a pot of homemade soup or bean stew that lasts for several meals.
• Carry a bottle of water with you.
• Walk around the block or in the garden for ten minutes.
• Accept help when it is offered.
• Sit down to eat instead of eating on the run.
• Go to bed a little earlier whenever you can.
• Talk to someone about how you are feeling.
Most importantly, don’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself.
Your physical and mental health matter just as much as the person you are caring for.
You deserve nourishing food.
You deserve rest.
You deserve fresh air and movement.
You deserve kindness, including the kindness you show yourself.
Carers are some of the most generous people I know. My hope is that this week reminds them that they are not invisible and that looking after themselves is not a luxury, it is an essential part of caring.
If you are a carer reading this, thank you for everything you do. And today, before you make another cup of tea for someone else, make one for yourself too.
Prevention rather than cure.
Milvia Pili
Functional Nutritional Therapist
