Looking after ourselves now, to keep well in the future

Our whānau is the best place to start when it comes to making plans to look after our wellbeing - our aunties, grandparents and others may tell you what they have learnt, and have good advice on how to stay well.

Embracing healthy habits that build our strength, fitness and overall wellbeing can definitely help us to get well, and stay well.

One of the most effective protections against future disease is to take up offers of cancer screening. This offers the best defence against a range of cancers including cervical, bowel and breast.

Other tips to help stay healthy and well

Book a health check - speaking to a member of your general practice team about your overall health can help identify what you could do now to help prevent developing long term health conditions.

Consider using your whole clinical team - there's a wide range of people working in primary care who can help with treatment, advice and support, including nurse practitioners, pharmacists, Whānau Ora Navigators, dietitians and mental health navigators.

Have a whānau kōrero - what can you do to support each other to improve your collective wellbeing?

Connect with community-based health programmes - these are great for supporting people living with long-term conditions to feel more confident in managing their health

Access immunisations to protect the whole whānau - they're free and easily available from GPs, some pharmacies, Māori health providers and pop-up clinics