Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Exercise and Menstruation
In the UK there are 15 million women of menstrual age. The average woman will menstruate around 500 times throughout her lifetime. We know that exercising can improve our cardiovascular health, but should you exercise during your period, and is it beneficial?
We cover some FAQs here:
Can exercise reduce menstrual cramps?
More research is needed in this area to give us a definite answer on how exercise can reduce period pain. Given the overall health benefits of exercise, and the relatively low risk of side effects reported in the general population, women may consider using exercise, either alone or in conjunction with other modalities to manage menstrual pain.
Do my iron levels change during my period?
Iron is important in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Exercise can lower the iron levels in your blood, especially if you exercise at a high intensity or for long periods of time. Heavy menstrual bleeding can make you more susceptible to iron deficiency anaemia.
In order to keep exercising, and maintain normal iron levels during your period, we recommend you look to consume iron rich foods (red meat, beans, nuts, dried fruit, fortified breakfast cereals) during menstruation.
Can over-exercising cause irregular or missed periods?
If you are over-training, and you’re burning far more calories than you are consuming, this can cause either irregular or missed periods. A regular period is a sign of good health. If you experience irregular or missed periods this can cause other serious health conditions, and therefore you are advised to speak to a nurse or doctor.
Exercise has many health benefits, and researchers have not been able to find any differences during the menstrual cycle in a woman’s ability to exercise. Consequently, it’s important to continue aiming to achieve 150 minutes of physical activity per week, even during your period.
To coincide with Restart a Heart Day 2022, the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has rolled out the use of a life-saving app to the whole of Scotland, which can alert those with CPR knowledge to attend a nearby cardiac arrest.
Every year about 3,200 people in Scotland are treated by the Ambulance Service after having a cardiac arrest. Every second counts when someone has had a cardiac arrest and by equipping bystanders with the tools to help, through dialling 999, starting CPR and using a defibrillator, those suffering a cardiac arrest have a greater chance of survival.
The GoodSAM smartphone app is a mechanism that allows the ambulance service to alert responders in the community to the location of someone suffering a cardiac arrest. Once alerted, and the alert is accepted, it instantly shares the location of a 999 call, to notify those who are registered with the app and are within 1000m of the incident, so that they can quickly respond to provide potentially lifesaving cardio-pulmonary life support (CPR).
SAS first began using the app in 2020 to alert off-duty ambulance service staff to a nearby out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The app has also been successfully trialled with Community Cardiac Responders in the Grampian region since 2021, and now it will be used by SAS across Scotland.
GoodSAM has been adopted by other ambulance services around the world, including ambulance services in the UK and in Australia. There are currently 1,500,000 users worldwide and since the app was launched there have been over 3,000,000 alerts globally.
The use of the GoodSAM app is supported by The Save a Life for Scotland campaign, to help everyone living in Scotland learn how they can help save a life when someone suffers an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). They can do this by recognising there is a problem, calling 999 and starting CPR with the support of an ambulance service call handler.
Programme Lead for Out-of-Hospital-Cardiac Arrest, Steven Short, who is leading the campaign, says: “With this roll-out of the GoodSAM app, anyone who has CPR knowledge can be a life-saver. When someone is in cardiac-arrest, immediate bystander action can mean the difference between life and death.
“By alerting those who are closest, they can begin CPR while waiting for help from the ambulance service to arrive. This may mean that people from all walks of life will turn up to an incident, and with their knowledge, they can begin the CPR, vital in keeping someone alive until help arrives.”
The GoodSAM app can be downloaded from a smartphone app store by anyone with CPR knowledge, and once registered and validated, the user will be sent alert if there has been a 999 call to a cardiac arrest within 1000 metres.
Ian Hendry is a SAS Wildcat Cardiac Responder, who uses the GoodSAM app to respond to emergency calls across North East Scotland.
Ian says: “Providing the immediate care required for patients is vital should an out-of-hospital-cardiac arrest occur, and being able to arrive quickly and commence CPR is essential. Upon arrival, the technicians and paramedics will assume the lead, and we’ll focus on supporting the family or loved ones, and 2that aspect is also very rewarding.
“As a responder, it can at times be challenging depending on the situation we are faced with but we receive regular training, have the opportunity to meet other responders where we can share different scenarios and experiences, and we also have great support from the team at the Scottish Ambulance Service.
“It is humbling to witness the amazing care the SAS staff deliver to patients on a daily basis and to be able to support them in a small way is very rewarding.”
Lisa MacInnes, Director of the Save a Life for Scotland campaign said: “Our aim is to equip everyone living in Scotland with CPR and skills and help them be CPR ready, because when someone has a cardiac arrest, every second counts.
“When someone has a cardiac arrest, they need urgent help and with the launch of the GoodSAM app in Scotland, you could be that help.
“We’re asking anyone in Scotland who knows CPR to sign-up and make themselves available to this life saving service. When the minutes are so important you could be the difference in helping a stranger in need who’s just around the corner or a neighbour who needs your help.”
To find out more about the GoodSAM app rollout, refresh your CPR skill and sign up to the app, please visit the Save a Life for Scotland GoodSAM pages at savealife.scot/goodsam
A mum whose daughter fell into a scalding bath when she was just three-years-old has urged other parents to be aware of the dangers of burns.
Little Courtney, now seven, spent years battling back to full health after she suffered devastating burns to more than a quarter of her body.
The schoolgirl, from Kirkcaldy, had to undergo numerous painful procedures and physiotherapy at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) in Edinburgh following the accident.
Now on “Burns Awareness Day” (12th October), her mum, Chloe Abrahams, is warning other parents to be aware of potential burns hazards around the home.
Chloe said: “I would never have thought that tap water could burn so badly.
“The pain Courtney went through just from lifting her into a different position on the hospital bed still breaks my heart when I think about it. Seeing my daughter in that state was the worst thing I’ve ever been through.”
Courtney’s accident happened in 2018. She was reaching for a toy when she tumbled into a bath that was filling with scalding water.
Chloe said: “We heard horrendous screams and found that Courtney had fallen into a scalding hot bath. I quickly scooped her out of the bath, stripped her clothes off and wrapped her in a wet towel.She was covered in massive bulging blisters and we rushed her to hospital. But at this point, I didn’t realise how much damage had already been done.”
Courtney was immediately transferred to the high dependency unit in the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) where she was sent to theatre every few days to get her burns scrubbed and redressed to prevent any infections.
Her little thighs and feet received the worst damage as her socks and pants had held the scalding water close to her skin.
After being released from hospital, Courtney’s feet had to stay bandaged for over a month, meaning that she was struggling to walk for up to two months.
She received regular physiotherapy alongside numerous other appointments for over a year to aid her recovery and to help with the inevitable scarring.
Chloe added: “I honestly can’t thank all the amazing doctors and nurses at the RHCYP enough. Courtney is now seven and is doing great. She has lots of scars but she doesn’t let them define her.
“I would like other families to know that you can turn the water temperature down on your boiler. If we had known that – things might have been different for us.”
According to the Burns and Plastics Clinic at the RHCYP, burns are the most common household injury with over 7,000 children suffering serious burns or scalds in the UK in 2021.
As Halloween and bonfire night approaches Rosie Bainsfair, Burns & Plastics Nurse Specialist at the RHCYP, said: “Many of the children we see at the RHCYP in Edinburgh are injured in accidents around the house, involving very common things like hot drinks, irons or hair straighteners.
“If your child has a burn or scald, follow this simple ‘STOP’ first aid advice:
“Strip clothes, jewellery or nappies off (unless they are stuck to the skin).
“Turn on a cold tap or shower and run the burn under cool water for 20 minutes whilst keeping the child warm. Do not use ice.
“Organise medical assistance – attend A and E or dial 999.
“Protect the burn with cling film, provide painkillers and keep the child warm.”
To find out more about how you can prevent burns from happening at home, please visit the Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents website here.
A Portobello woman who has been visually impaired since childhood is backing a nationwide campaign by charity RNIB to challenge outdated perceptions and give a voice to some of the hopes and frustrations of blind and partially sighted people.
Sue Marshall (78) was partially sighted in childhood due to the condition Keritecious and became totally blind at 17.
“The strangest thing I’ve found is that when you tell sighted people that can’t see at all they still think you must be able to see something,” she says. “And friends have told me a similar stories. One even took her glass-eyes out and said right, do you understand now!
“I think, in general though, the public are very helpful and kind to the visually impaired. Where I think things haven’t improved is in the workplace. If you’re higher up the chain it seems to be okay, but getting on the first rung of the employment ladder is still difficult.”
RNIB’s ‘See the Person, Not the Sight Loss’ campaign is being launched on World Sight Day today with an emotive short film about Ava, a fictional teenage girl who is coming to terms with losing her sight.
We see the impact this has on many areas of her life, from education to relationships. Most crucially, the film demonstrates how sight loss can impact on mental as well as physical health. With the help of RNIB, Ava’s friends, family and teachers offer their support, while a RNIB Eye Care Liaison Officer counsels her post-diagnosis. Ava starts to find her feet again, accepting her condition and regaining confidence.
David Aldwinckle, director of insight that will run in cinemas, television and online customer voice at RNIB, said: “As someone who’s lived with sight loss for forty years, these findings really resonated with me emotionally.
“When people are diagnosed with sight loss, we know that they often experience a range of emotions including shock, anger and anxiety, and that these can be particularly acute for a young person.
“That’s one of the reasons why we’ve made it a core part of our mission to improve understanding of sight loss. At RNIB, blind and partially sighted people often tell us that they wish other people had a better understanding of what it means to be living with a vision impairment, and we know that by making sometimes small changes to their behaviour, people can help to create a more equitable world for anyone affected by sight loss.
“I’m excited by the launch of our important campaign and with the authenticity of our film, which captures the range of feelings that people go through – the fear, the sense of anxiety, the anger and denial. But really importantly it captures the fact that we also have desire, passion, ambition, skills, abilities, to live full lives and contribute to the world around us just like everybody else.”
In portraying the character of Ava, lead actor Eli London drew upon personal experiences of sight loss, having had retinoblastoma in childhood resulting in monocular vision.
Eli said: “This short film is going to have a tangible, deep impact for a lot of people. Following a young woman, a student, a gamer, through a sight loss journey is overtly a different approach to media that has covered this story before, but it’s important, and necessary. We exist, and it’s been a pleasure to bring her story to screen, to give someone out there their truest representation.”
The two-minute ‘See the Person, Not the Sight Loss’ film is online and in cinemas, along with a 60-second version which has aired on prime-time television, with a 30-second version running throughout the rest of the four-week campaign period. The full three-and-a-half-minute film is available to view online also.
During tomorrow night’s episode of ‘Gogglebox’ on Channel 4 the cast will watch the campaign film, opening up the conversation about sight loss to the whole nation.
The campaign has been supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery through the Postcode Care Trust and other partners.
You can watch the full film here and the 60 second version here.
Being asked whether their guide-dog can read bus-numbers, how they look after their children, know whether their house is clean and tidy, or even when they have their period, are some of the questions blind and partially sighted people have put to them.
RNIB asked what they wished sighted people would stop doing:
Asking ‘How many fingers am I are holding up?’
Assuming that because I can’t see properly, I can’t hear either.
Making hurtful comments such as ‘I couldn’t cope if I was in your shoes’.
Leaving a room or meeting without saying goodbye.
Directing questions to my guide dog, family or friend instead of me.
Asking ‘Would you rather be deaf or blind?’
Assuming I need help without asking.
Assuming I would only date or marry another blind person.
Parking cars on pavements.
What do you wish sighted people knew about sight loss?
That sight loss is a spectrum, and everyone’s experience is individual.
It’s tiring! The level of fatigue you feel from the extra concentration you are using all the time.
It is deeply offensive to say, ‘I don’t look blind’.
The fact that I’m blind, doesn’t mean I can’t do it, it just means it takes me a little bit longer or I do it a bit differently.
How nerve-wracking it can be to cope in public environments that are low or brightly lit, cluttered, noisy or busy.
How much flippant and disrespectful comments can hurt.
Most vulnerable protected against COVID-19 and flu
Over a million vaccines have been delivered to protect against the latest strains of flu and COVID-19 in the latest efforts to relieve winter pressure on the NHS.
Frontline healthcare staff and the country’s most vulnerable have been immunised at speed – with 80.2% of all care home residents being fully vaccinated since the rollout began in September.
The next groups in line for their vaccines – over 65s and those at high-risk – are receiving a scheduled appointment and 50-64 year olds will soon be invited to book an appointment. Anyone who has missed an appointment can reschedule through the NHS Inform online booking portal.
The COVID-19 vaccine is being given at the same time as the flu jab where possible, and so far 94% of those invited have had both at the same appointment. Over two million Scots will be offered both vaccines over the next three months – a pace that aims to maintain Scotland’s place as a leading nation on vaccine uptake.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “This impressive uptake is testament to the frontline staff who got us through the pandemic and continue to protect our population and NHS from the threats that winter brings.
“Scotland remains steadfast in the effort to protect everyone – continuing the huge success of the vaccination programme since it was first rolled out in December 2020.
“COVID-19 has not gone away and I call on everyone to take up the offer of a booster as soon as their invitation arrives to protect themselves, their families and the NHS.”
1,369,270 COVID-19 and flu vaccines have been delivered since the winter vaccine programme launched.
Both new bivalent vaccines, which target Omicron and the original variant of COVID-19, are being deployed alongside existing vaccines, though the vaccination individuals receive will depend on age and vaccine availability.
Both the current and new bivalent vaccines provide good protection from severe illness and hospitalisation from known COVID-19 variants.
A 2021 study conducted by The British Heart Foundation revealed that 38% of people in the UK have never undertaken CPR training. For every minute that a person in cardiac arrest doesn’t receive CPR and defibrillation, their chance of survival drops by 10%.
With this in mind, education experts at Skillstg.com have outlined the basic first aid a person should know in case of an emergency. The study details how to differentiate between a heart attack and cardiac arrest, perform CPR, use a defibrillator, and put someone in the recovery position. Acting quickly and confidently using this simple guide could save a stranger or a loved one’s life.
What is CPR?
CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) is a procedure in which a person’s chest is pressed rhythmically to artificially maintain a liveable heart rate and blood circulation during cardiac arrest.
What is the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack?
It is important to note that cardiac arrest and a heart attack differ. A heart attack is a condition where the heart muscle suddenly becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients due to a blockage in one of the coronary arteries. A person having a heart attack may feel pain, pressure and burning in their chest and is usually conscious at the time. In this case, you should immediately call 999 and sit the person down to rest while you wait for an ambulance.
A cardiac arrest is when a person’s heart stops pumping blood around the body, usually due to a heart attack. The brain is starved of oxygen, and the person becomes unconscious. In this instance, you should call 999 immediately and perform CPR to keep the person alive whilst waiting for an ambulance. If the heart cannot pump itself, you must assist.
How to spot symptoms of cardiac arrest?
First of all, it is important to be able to identify when someone is in cardiac arrest. If any of the below symptoms are present, then you should immediately begin to perform CPR:
The person is unconscious or not responding
The skin is pale, cool, and clammy
They are notbreathing, or breathing appears to be abnormal, high-pitched or gasping
The body is limp and unresponsive
Lips and fingernails appear blue-ish
How to perform CPR on an adult
If you spot an unconscious person who appears not to be breathing properly, or at all, shake them at the shoulders and ask if they are okay. Call 999 and immediately start performing CPR. If someone else is nearby, shout for them to find a public access defibrillator (PAD). Put your phone on loudspeaker as soon as you have dialled 999, this will allow you to perform CPR whilst asking for help. Do not leave the patient to look for a defibrillator; the ambulance will bring one when they arrive.
Give chest compressions
Kneel next to the person
Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest. Place your other hand on the top of the first. Interlock your fingers.
Keeping your arms straight, use the heel of your hand to push down on the breastbone firmly and smoothly so that the chest pushes down 5-6cm, and release to allow the chest to rise back up.
Do this at a rate of 100-120 chest compressions per minute. The rhythm of ‘Staying Alive’ by the Bee Gees is the perfect beat to push to.
Keep performing CPR until help arrives
You must keep going until the ambulance and paramedics arrive to take over, or until the person begins to breath normally and demonstrates signs of life. If the patient opens their eyes, starts coughing, speaking, and breathing normally, you can stop.
If there is no sign of improvement to the person’s condition, and you are becoming tired, try and shout for someone nearby to help and take turns with the CPR. If there is a helper, you can swap every one-to-two minutes with minimal disruption to chest compressions.
Use a defibrillator
If a helper returns with a defibrillator, request that it be switched on while you continue to perform CPR. The helper must remove or cut away clothing so that the bare chest is accessible. Any perspiration should also be wiped away. A voice will begin giving instructions from the defibrillator.
To apply the pads, first remove the backing paper. In the spaces indicated, place the pads in the appropriate places. The first pad should be placed on top of the person’s collarbone to the right. The second pad should be placed on the top of the person’s armpit to the left.
The defibrillator will examine the heart’s rhythm. Stop CPR and make sure no one else is handling the patient. It will then provide a series of visual and verbal indicators that must be followed.
If a shock is required, tell any other people around you to stand back. The defibrillator will tell you when it is time to press the shock button. You may then be advised to carry on with CPR if no further shocks are required.
Recovery position – if they become responsive
Put the person in the recovery position if they begin to open their eyes, cough, talk and begin breathing normally. The recovery position ensures that the airways are kept clear and open; it also ensures fluids and vomit won’t cause them to choke.
Extend the nearest arm to you out at a right angle to the person’s body with the palm facing upwards.
Take the other arm and fold it so that the back of their hand rests on their cheek. Hold this hand while carefully rolling the person onto their side. The extended arm will ensure you don’t roll too far, and the bent arm will be supporting the head.
Bend their top leg so that their knee is at a right angle.
Open the airway by tilting their head gently back and lifting their chin. At this point, you can check that nothing is blocking their airway.
Stay with the person until help arrives
A representative from Skillstg.com commented on the study: “Currently, nine in ten people with cardiac arrest outside the hospital die.
“CPR is an essential skill that can improve these odds by saving lives. If CPR is performed in the first few minutes of someone going into cardiac arrest, the person’s chance of survival is doubled.”
Skills Training Group are the UK’s leading first aid training, electrical and heating courses for adults, contractors & companies alike.
Recruitment to Scotland’s ambulance service has hit a record high, helping to boost the service this winter. A record 540 paramedics, ambulance drivers, call handlers, and clinicians have been employed in the last year.
This is driven by a £45 million funding boost announced as part of last week’s NHS winter resilience plan, which will ensure the NHS is working as efficiently as possible.
The increase in staff numbers is already having a tangible impact on response times – with 99% of all serious incidents, such as heart attacks, being dealt with in under 30 minutes.
The investment will increase the number of patients treated in the community, reducing the need for hospital admission and easing pressure on NHS services.
On a visit to an ambulance station in Edinburgh, Health Secretary, Humza Yousaf said: “This winter will be one of the most challenging our NHS has ever faced, and we need to make sure people are getting the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
“We are determined to equip the Scottish Ambulance Service with the resources and staff to continue to deliver a high-quality emergency service to the people of Scotland.
“Ambulance staff have shown remarkable resilience in the face of sustained pressure on services and I would like to thank them for their continued commitment and hard work.”
Pauline Howie, Scottish Ambulance Service Chief Executive said: “The last 12 months have been the busiest ever in terms of recruitment for the Service and this funding announcement is great news as we continue to experience unprecedented pressures on our services alongside the entire NHS.
“With the increased demand for our services, it’s vital we boost our capacity and resilience by introducing extra resources and staffing. These new staff will complement our existing staff who have done an amazing job before and right throughout the pandemic, providing the very best patient care to communities across the country.”
Shannen McLoughlin is a newly qualified paramedic who has graduated from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and started with the Scottish Ambulance Service in October 2021.
She said: “I absolutely love my job and have already been fortunate enough to have worked with a number of fantastic paramedics. I found this really benefited my practice and allowed me to get to grips with the transitional role from a student paramedic to a newly qualified paramedic.
“There is such a wide variety of jobs on a shift, there really is never a dull moment and that is why I am so glad I chose to become a paramedic in Edinburgh.”
Those recruitment figures are good news for our beleaguered NHS, but the Tory opposition are keeping up the pressure on Humzah Yousaf:
Local healthcare workers at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh have been honoured for their exceptional work at a prestigious ceremony.
Sponsored by NHS Lothian Charity, the annual Celebrating Success Awards 2022 are nominated by fellow healthcare workers across the organisation.
Thomas Faulkner, Specialist Biomedical Scientist at the Western General Hospital won the Young Achiever award for going the extra mile in everything he does.
Although in the very early stages of his career, Thomas has played a huge part in the implementation of a new system and training in the laboratory. His team praised him for his dedication, commitment, energy, passion and enthusiasm.
Thomas said: “I’m very grateful to everyone who has nominated me. I was not expecting it so very happy that I’ve won.”
The Visible Haematuria One Stop Clinic Team at the Western General Hospital won the Best Example of Quality Innovation and Productivity Award.
The clinic is a collaboration between the Urology & Radiology department and Quality Improvement Support Team. It has greatly improved the patient experience and significantly reduced the time from referral to diagnosis for patients with urgent suspicion of cancer as well as the number of visits they make.
The Team said: “We’re very surprised but very thankful to have won this award.”
Calum Campbell, Chief Executive, NHS Lothian, said: “It is fantastic seeing staff being able to come together again and celebrate in person.”
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Nutrition and Menopause
The menopause is a natural time in a woman’s life usually occurring between the ages of 45-55 and can last a few months to several years. During this time changes in hormone levels result in the stopping of menstruation. Women may also experience a variety of other symptoms such as weight gain, hot flushes, night sweats and poor concentration. Here we outline some nutrition and lifestyle ideas to support you during this phase of life.
Prioritise calcium rich foods
Loss of calcium from the bones is accelerated during menopause, due to the reduction in the hormone oestrogen. Calcium is a mineral associated with healthy bones and teeth. Aim to eat two to three portions of calcium rich foods daily to support your bones and protect against osteoporosis. Examples include low-fat milk and yoghurt, fortified plant-based milks, cheese, kale and small fish (including the bones).
Spend time outdoors
Vitamin D is also important for bone health. Getting outside in sunlight for 20 minutes daily between the months of April and October will provide you with lots of vitamin D. If you don’t spend very much time outdoors and are rarely exposed to the sun, speak to your GP about a supplement.
Consume heart-healthy fats
Your risk of cardiovascular disease increases as a result of the menopause, again due to lower levels of oestrogen. Support your cardiovascular system by consuming heart-healthy fats from unsalted nuts and seeds, olive oil, avocado and oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout.
The menopause can be an emotional time for some women, as changes in hormones can result in mood changes. Remember to be kind to yourself and get plenty of rest. Doing relaxing activities like walking in nature can be helpful to ease stress.
Try to maintain the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week by doing something you enjoy such as swimming, cycling or dancing.
