On October 13, women across the world celebrated the #NoBraDay. Forget how sensational it sounds, it is actually a commemoration and of our brave sisters who battled breast cancer. More than that, it is also a social strategy to create awareness.
This means that if you have not been conscious of it, you might want to check for lumps or discolourations of any kind. Of course, checking your breast should not be an annual event. We should have a breast examination as frequently as we can. And most importantly, when you find something that doesn’t feel right, do not keep it to yourself. Please, I beg you.
The thing is, beyond breast cancer, we as Africans have to be more intentional about our health and lifestyle. Many conditions are manageable when detected early. So, slow down. Get checked. Stay alive, people.
Here are a few other ways to commit to your best breast and other aspects of your health.
Go For Routine Check-ups
Be your own health insurance. Go for the pap smear for cervical cancer, mammogram for breast cancer and HIV tests, make it as regular as grocery shopping trips, not something you do once in a while. Your health should be your first priority.
Do not Self medicate
Someone just gave you a herbal concoction for itching down there or it’s a friend that has similar symptoms and is prescribing the same drugs that she used when she was sick. It is advisable not to take any of it as you might just be treating the symptoms but not the sickness itself. Self-medication is a risky two-way street that you as a novice driver have no business entering.
Tell A Friend
Drag your friends and family to these checkups, make the trip exciting and add it on the general to-do lists. If you forget to do any in a busy time, your sister, friend or mother would remind you.
Make Time for You
In busy schedules and working days, it’s very easy to forget who the work and the money and the hustling are meant for. It’s all for you. So what happens when you suddenly break down because you’ve been pushing yourself too hard? Take time out for yourself and remember to breathe.
Detox, love life and live fully. Cheers on the journey to a healthier you.