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News
26 Oct 2012
At risk! Get the flu jab now!
Seasonal flu occurs every year, usually in the winter. It’s a highly infectious disease caused by a number of flu viruses. It is more dangerous than just a cold. A flu jab (vaccination) is a quick way to protect yourself against flu.
12 Jul 2012
Protect your skin from the sun this summer
Sun damage happens when the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays penetrate into the skin and damage cells. You can’t feel this happening, and it can occur even when the sun doesn’t feel very hot. To protect your skin use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more and be liberal with your sunscreen. According to Cancer Research UK, people don't apply as much sunscreen as they need to. If you don't apply enough, you won't get the protection that is claimed on the bottle. Make sure you cover all exposed skin, including the tops of feet, ears and the back of the neck.
08 Jun 2012
10 things you can do today to improve your health.
1. Check your weight
Nearly one in three women and four out of 10 men in England are overweight. Obesity causes 9,000 premature deaths every year and, on average, reduces life expectancy by nine years.
2. Drink less
Most people are unaware that regularly drinking more alcohol than is advised by the NHS can lead to a wide range of long-term health problems, including cancers, strokes and heart attacks.
3. Eat less salt and fat
Excessive salt and fat in our diets are a major cause of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Too much salt in your food can cause high blood pressure and make you three times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke.
4. Exercise regularly
There’s more to exercise than losing weight. Even if you’re slim, you’ll still get health benefits from exercising. Even a little regular activity can lower the risk of developing major chronic diseases, such as coronary heart disease, stroke and type two diabetes, by up to 50%.
5. Eat more fruit and veg
For a healthy and balanced diet, try to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Research shows that eating at least 400g of fruit and vegetables a day can lower your risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
6. Keep stress in check
In 2008/09 some 415,000 people in the UK reported work-related stress at a level they believed was making them ill. Psychological problems, including stress, are the underlying reason for one in five visits to a GP. If left unchecked, stress can lead to further health problems such as high blood pressure, anxiety and depression.
7. Improve your sleep
Nearly everyone has problems sleeping at some point in their life. It's thought that a third of people in the UK have bouts of insomnia. Most healthy adults sleep for an average of seven to nine hours a night. If you’re not getting enough sleep, it can affect relationships, your performance at work, and it can delay recovery from illness.
8. Quit smoking
The health benefits of quitting smoking are immediate. After 20 minutes, your blood pressure and pulse return to normal. After 24 hours, your lungs start to clear. After three days you can breathe more easily, and your energy increases. Keep it up and you’re adding years to your life.
9. Get a sexual health test
Many people don’t notice any symptoms when they have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), such as chlamydia or gonorrhoea. If left untreated, chlamydia can affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant. You can’t tell by looking at someone whether they’ve got an infection, so it’s important to get a check-up if you’ve ever had unprotected sex.
10. Check that lump
One in three people in England is diagnosed with cancer at some time in their life. Cancer usually affects older people, but it can occur at any age. Detecting most cancers early means that treatment is more likely to be successful. Sometimes, noticing a small change, like a lump, changes to a mole or unexplained weight loss, can make a big difference to your health.
24 May 2012
Move away from sedentary lifestyles
Inactivity is described by the Department of Health as a “silent killer”. Evidence is emerging that sedentary behaviour, such as sitting or lying down for long periods, is bad for your health. Spending hours sitting down watching TV or playing computer games is thought to increase your risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes, as well as weight gain and obesity.
Not only should you try to raise your activity levels, but you should also reduce the amount of time you and your family spend sitting down. Common examples of sedentary behaviour include watching TV, using a computer, using the car for short journeys and sitting down to read, talk or listen to music.
Whether it's limiting the time babies spend strapped in their buggies to encouraging adults to stand up and move frequently, people of all ages need to reduce their sedentary behaviour.
Crucially, you can hit your weekly activity target but still be at risk of ill health if you spend the rest of the time sitting or lying down. For tips on building physical activity and exercise into your day whatever your age, visit NHS Choice for more advice on getting active your way.
Source: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/whybeactive.aspx