Tag: Health and wellbeing

Healthy Heart Tip: Forming good habits

As we enter this third week of the new year, many of us will be considering how we can maintain the heart-healthy habits we started at the beginning of 2022.

Staying motivated can be particularly challenging, especially during the winter months, however research indicates that if we are able to maintain a habit for around 66 days, it can turn from a short-term to a long-term habit.

To help you reach your goals over the coming months, here are some tips for increasing success:

Set a Goal

One of the most important things we can do for our motivation is set a goal. It helps us to focus on the future and gives us something to aim for. Remember to make your goals Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART).

Challenge Your Thinking

Next time you find yourself shying away from a positive habit such as exercising or cooking a healthy meal, consider if the thoughts you are having about the task are logical or helpful.

For example, instead of saying “I don’t have time to cook”, you may say to yourself “I don’t have as much time as I would like, but I can still make something quick and healthy”.

Set Cues

Setting reminders or cues for ourselves can increase our chances of success.

Try taking out your sports kit the night before a run or setting an alarm to move once per hour.

Track your Progress

Tracking progress can be a great way to see the improvements we make, which can increase our motivation to continue.

You can use apps such as MyFitnessPal, or even a simple spreadsheet to track weight loss, running times or the number of vegetables you eat per day!

Pair Up

Forming a habit with a friend or family member can be a great way to increase accountability and share success!

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/

40% of children leave primary school education unable to swim

Labour list MSP for Lothian region Foysol Choudhury returned to the Public Petitions Committee yesterday to continue his support for a local constituent, Lewis Condy, who is highlighting the importance of children having access to swimming lessons.

His petition was last discussed in November last year when the Committee decided to write to key write to key sector organisations to gather more information. 

The Committee heard evidence that over 40% of children leave primary education unable to swim and that there is a direct correlation between a child’s social and economic background and their opportunity to learn to swim.

Mr Choudhury said: “We know that having access to swimming lessons gives people a benefit to their safety in and around water, and to their health, fitness and wellbeing.

“The Committee has heard that there are significant gaps in the provision of swimming lessons with the availability of facilities and the cost of lessons being significant factors driving unequal access.

“Resolving these inequalities is a matter of equality opportunity.

“Currently, there is no statutory curriculum for learning to swim in Scotland.

“We have seen from the responses to my constituent’s petition, there is widespread support within the sector and from the public for doing more on this issue.

“I am delighted that the Committee has agreed to keep this petition open and write to Scottish Government to find out how they intend to proceed.

Fellow Labour committee member Paul Sweeney MSP said: “Teaching kids to swim is a fundamental lifesaving exercise. 

“It is not a recreational activity, necessarily.  I think it’s important to consider it as a public safety matter rather than a sporting matter”. 

To see a video of the discussion please click here

To access the petition information click here

Gynaecologist reveals her top 10 tips for making pap smears more comfortable

 Expert advice released for Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (17th – 23rd) aims to raise awareness of the importance of regular smear tests to help prevent cervical cancer, as there are over 3,000 new cases of each year.

Pap smears are one of the best ways to detect cervical cancer, however, the pandemic has seen less people attend their appointment, which could potentially have life-changing impacts.

To encourage people to get their pap smear, intimate wellbeing brand INTIMINA’s in-house gynaecologist, Dr Shree Datta, shares her top tips on how to make your pap smear test more comfortable.

  1. Time your appointment around your period

If you have painful or heavy periods, having a smear test during your period may be more uncomfortable, so it’s worth considering booking a test when you’re not scheduled to be on your period. Additionally, heavy bleeding can affect your smear test results and we may not be able to see your cervix clearly, so you may have to have the smear repeated. It can be normal to bleed after a smear, but if you experience bleeding after sex or in between periods, do tell your doctor.

  1. Make sure you’re comfortable with your doctor 

It’s important to feel relaxed, so make sure you are comfortable with the person who is taking your smear. Tell your doctor beforehand if you have had problems with examinations previously or if this is your first smear test. Remember, your doctor has taken many smears before so there is no need to feel embarrassed, or worry about the type of underwear you are wearing. As a gynaecologist, I don’t notice whether you have shaved your legs, I’m simply glad you have attended your smear test given it’s an important health check. 

  1. Don’t rush 

Make sure you’re not in a hurry, as this can make you feel more tense. Try to schedule enough time for your appointment so you don’t feel rushed. 

  1. Wear something comfortable

It’s more convenient to have a smear taken when wearing a skirt or a dress, as you only need to take off your underwear and you may feel less self conscious.

  1. Ask for a small speculum to be used with lubricant

It’s worth asking for a small speculum with lubricant applied before it’s inserted into your vagina, as this reduces the uncomfortable sensation of stretching when we take a smear. However, be aware that we may need to change the speculum size if we cannot get a clear view of your cervix using a small speculum because this may otherwise impact on the quality of the smear obtained and you may need to get it repeated. Getting a clear view of your cervix at the time of the smear taking enables us to inspect the cervix as well as taking a full smear so we can visualise any abnormalities.

  1. Change your position during smear taking

Some people find lying flat on their back for smear-taking very uncomfortable and we may not always get good views. An alternative position may be sitting on a gynaecologist couch or popping your fists under your bottom to tilt your cervix forward. If your doctor has had problems visualising or obtaining a smear previously let the person taking your smear know this, so we can prepare accordingly.

  1. Focus on your breathing 

Use deep breathing techniques during your smear test to relax your pelvic muscles so that we can obtain a full smear. 

  1. Empty your bladder

Going to the toilet to empty your bladder before your appointment may also be helpful to help you feel more relaxed. 

  1. Consider taking  pain relief beforehand

Consider taking some pain relief half an hour to an hour before your smear test if you find it uncomfortable. 

  1. Bring a friend or family member

Previously you may have been able to bring a friend to your appointment to talk to you whilst you have a smear taken, check if you are able to do so but please note that  this option may not be available due to COVID-19 currently.

INTIMINA’s UK Marketing and Communications Manager Marcella Zanchi said: “As an intimate wellbeing brand, we hope that with the help of Dr Shree, we can reassure and encourage women to get their pap smear test and feel comfortable and confident to do so.”

RCOT announce new strategy for championing the occupational therapy profession

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has announced a new strategy and rebrand, crucial to achieving its vision that people everywhere will value the life-changing power of occupational therapy.

The vision purposefully focuses on occupational therapy’s wider impact on society – enhancing the profession’s profile and positioning the role of occupational therapy for the future. 

The five-year strategy details what RCOT will do to make its vision a reality. It guides RCOT to rise up to be bold, progressive advocates and champions, open up to new opportunities and people, lift up every occupational therapist to be the best they can be.  RCOT has also adopted new organisational values that define how it’ll act and make decisions to reach its vision.

The new brand signals a major change and is essential to achieving RCOT’s ambitions. It has ‘occupation’ and inclusivity at its heart to capture the positive, dynamic and deeply human spirit of occupational therapy.   

Commenting on this, RCOT Chief Executive Steve Ford said: “I’m hugely excited to be announcing our strategic plans and revealing our new brand which is critical to achieving our ambitions for the organisation and profession.

“At RCOT, everything we do is so that one day people everywhere value the life-changing power of occupational therapy. Our vision purposefully focuses on our wider impact on society – enhancing our profession’s profile and positioning the role of occupational therapy for the future.

“We listened to our members to find out how we can best support them as individuals, to enable and grow the profession, and to boost awareness so that more people want to get involved with occupational therapy – and choose it as a solution, or as their profession.

“To reach our ambitious goals we must improve and change how we work to become a more forward-looking organisation. We will boldly lead the profession forward with a stronger voice than ever before.

“We will be the advocate and champion that occupational therapists deserve, sharing and celebrating the life-changing outcomes they help to achieve for people and society. We will be proudly inclusive – welcoming and supporting new generations of occupational therapists to join the profession so we reflect the diverse society that we represent and work with.

“It’s time to show the world the true power of what we do.”

Blue Monday: GP explains why it could be harmful for nation’s mental health

Known as ‘Blue Monday’, the third Monday of every January is said to be the ‘saddest day of the year’ based on a number of factors, including debt levels, weather and post-Christmas gloom.  

However, not all the evidence behind the day is accurate and the annual event could actually have a negative impact on those struggling with their mental health, argues Christina Papadopoulos, GP at digital healthcare provider, Livi.  

The origins of Blue Monday: 

“The concept originally appeared in a travel firm’s press release to sell holidays in 2005. It was supported by Cliff Arnold, psychologist and life coach, who supposedly developed an algorithm for when the saddest day of the year would occur.  It was said to be based on the weather, levels of debt and time since Christmas, among other contributors.” 

Scientific research to support Blue Monday:  

“It is important to remember that there is no scientific research to support Blue Monday. It originated as a PR stunt and many marketers continue to use the term in order to boost sales of items like holidays or health and wellbeing products.” 

Implications of Blue Monday on mental health: 

“Depression can affect people all year round, regardless of the day. Everyone will have good and bad days throughout the year and putting so much emphasis on one day could imply that depression only occurs one day a year, when in fact, many people live with the condition for months or even years. For people living with depression, the concept of Blue Monday can trivialise a serious condition.  

“The build-up to Blue Monday and the day itself can also create anxiety among those living with mental health conditions, creating a sense of pressure to ‘overcome’ the day.  

“Retrospectively, Cliff Arnold himself recognises how his Blue Monday concept is unhelpful and has the potential to become a self-fulfilling prophecy – a sociological term used to describe a prediction that causes itself to become true.” 

“Starting conversations about depression and other mental health conditions is important and Blue Monday can help to prompt these, but we must remember that these conversations are just as important every day.” 

Blue Monday and SAD: 

“Blue Monday is not the same as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). While many people don’t enjoy the winter months, for some the shorter days can have more serious effects. A lack of sunlight has shown a correlation with symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in some people. This is a type of recurring depression with a seasonal pattern. Many of the symptoms of SAD are similar to those of depression:  

·       Persistent low mood and irritability  

·       Loss of interest in everyday activities 

·       Feelings of despair or worthlessness 

·       Lethargy, sleeping for a long time and finding it hard to get up 

·       Craving carbohydrates and putting on weight” 

Identifying depression: 

“Everyone gets low from time to time, but we start to call that feeling depression when it becomes persistent over weeks or months and starts to have a serious impact on your life. When we’re depressed, we may be aware of feelings of sadness, even despair, and we may feel lethargic, have disturbed sleep or eating patterns, and be generally less resilient in the face of normal knock-backs and life events. 

“For very mild symptoms of depression, simple things such as self-help books, regular exercise, a good sleep regime, mindfulness and reduced alcohol intake can help. Sometimes depression symptoms are manageable and pass with time, but sometimes they aren’t, and it’s important to get help – ideally before you reach a crisis point.” 

Seeking help and knowing what’s available: 

“Sometimes, you may need professional support to help manage mental health conditions. If you regularly feel overwhelmed and your symptoms are affecting your day-to-day activities, book an appointment to speak to a doctor or therapist where you feel most comfortable, whether that’s digitally or in-person.  

“Your doctor or therapist may suggest talking therapy or cognitive behavioural therapy to help, as well as medication. Remember your doctor is available to help all year round, not just on Blue Monday.” 

NHS 24 expanded: new call centre opens in Dundee

New call centre to support non-emergency healthcare needs

A new NHS 24 call centre has opened in Dundee – allowing the service to help more people and further alleviate pressures on the rest of NHS and social care.

Funded by the Scottish Government, the new Dundee premises will help facilitate the increase in demand for the NHS 24 service which has been generated by the redesign of urgent care. This means that in non-life threatening situations, people should contact NHS 24 before attending Accident and Emergency or a Minor Injuries Unit.

With the demand from those becoming unwell with COVID-19, this has seen the 111 number move from an out-of-hours number to a round-the-clock service.

Around 140 staff will be in post in Dundee by the end of March, including call handlers, nurses, psychological mental health practitioners and mental health nurses.

Visiting the new centre, Mr Yousaf said: “We are experiencing the toughest winter our health and social care system has ever faced. With the current system pressures, and the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the role of NHS24 in giving support and advice to people who need it has never been more vital.

“I am extremely grateful for the contribution that NHS 24 staff have made during the pandemic, and particularly during these difficult winter months. I would urge everyone to make use of these services, by calling 111 or visiting NHS Inform when needed. Highly trained staff will be happy to give advice and direct you to the best place if you need treatment.

“This new call centre facility in Dundee will allow NHS 24 to further expand their capacity – helping more people and better managing capacity throughout the rest of the healthcare system.

“To help make this possible the Scottish Government has invested more than £20 million additional funding for NHS 24 this year for extra recruitment, and this new facility. All of this builds on the work undertaken as part of our £300 million investment in health and care services as part of our winter preparations.”

NHS 24 Chief Executive Jim Miller said: “NHS 24 has played a crucial role in Scotland’s response to the pandemic and our expansion in Dundee will ensure we are enable to  continue to provide high quality, safe and effective care to public in the    months and years ahead.

“Call handlers, nurses, psychological mental health practitioners and mental health nurses are already working in this key contact centre delivering care. I expect it to be at  full capacity by the end of March.”

Nine out of ten stroke survivors would warn their younger self to change their lifestyle

Nine out of ten stroke survivors in Scotland would warn their younger self to change their lifestyle, according to Stroke Association survey

Nine out of ten stroke survivors would go back in time and urge their younger self to make lifestyle changes which may have prevented their stroke, a new UK-wide survey by the Stroke Association has revealed.

More than four out of five people surveyed in Scotland, say they hadn’t realised that they were at risk of a stroke. 

But nine out of ten had since made lifestyle changes. This is important to the two in five people who may go on to have a second stroke.

The charity has released the findings to mark Stroke Prevention Day, on Friday 14 January, and is urging everyone to make one small change to reduce their own risk of stroke. 

Stroke is one of the leading causes of adult disability and the fourth biggest cause of death in the UK.  While some strokes are unavoidable, up to nine out of ten are linked to lifestyle and could be preventable if people are aware of the risks and able to make changes.

Alexander Mackenzie, 61, from Edinburgh had his stroke in Feb 2020.  He was told the stroke had almost definitely been caused by high blood pressure.  

He said: “The stroke affected the right hand side of my body.  I couldn’t use my hand at all – it just ‘froze’, I couldn’t walk and my speech was slurred.  I wasn’t able to write either.  My speech gradually returned to normal within three to four months.  It took two months before I could walk, but my sense of balance is still affected.  

“I knew high blood pressure was something that needed to be watched, but I never suspected it was what had most likely caused my stroke.

“My lifestyle could have been better.  Looking back, I drank too much – nearly every night.  It interfered with my energy levels and mood – it wasn’t good at all.  And now, having gone through the shock of a stroke, I have given up drinking completely and it’s had a major impact on my health. 

“I sleep properly and make better use of my time.  I am more optimistic about the future and believe there are exciting opportunities ahead.

“I regret the amount I drank. My lifestyle was getting in the way of a good life and in a sense, my body ‘gave up’. 

“I wouldn’t wish a stroke on anyone.  It plays havoc with your life.  Knowing what I do now, I wish I’d known just how important managing your blood pressure is and taking steps to reduce your risk of stroke.” 

The leading change survivors would urge their younger self to make, would be to reduce stress levels with 49% saying they would have done this. Other changes stroke survivors would have made include:

  • Monitor blood pressure – 42%
  • Exercise more – 34%
  • Eat more healthily – 32%
  • Lose a set amount of weight (for example one stone or ten kilograms) – 32%
  • Stop smoking – 24%
  • Drink less alcohol – 21 %
  • Reduce salt intake – 20%
  • Monitor high cholesterol – 19%

As a first step, the Stroke Association wants people to make one small change to reduce their risk of stroke, starting on Stroke Prevention Day.

Examples include:

  • Having your blood pressure, cholesterol and pulse checked regularly
  • Stopping smoking
  • Having a number of alcohol-free days each week
  • Changing your diet to include less salt or switching to a reduced sodium alternative such as LoSalt®
  • Eating more fruit and vegetables
  • Getting up and moving regularly during the day, especially if you’re working from home
  • Joining an online exercise or activity group, or better still, taking on the charity’s Stride for Stroke challenge – one step for each of the 1.3 million stroke survivors in the UK.    

John Watson, Associate Director Scotland at the Stroke Association said: “A stroke happens in the brain, the control centre for who we are and what we can do. It can happen at any time and at any age and can be devastating.

“We know not all strokes are avoidable, but as many as nine out of ten strokes could be prevented as they are linked to things you can change or manage.  Many people simply don’t realise they are at risk and that’s something that we as a charity desperately want to put right.  

“The effects of a stroke can be life-changing for you and your family, so why not do all you can to avoid one yourself?

“However, we know that it isn’t always easy, so pick something that’s manageable for you. Aim to stick with it for an initial three months and, if you can do that, you’re more likely to form a regular habit.

“The good news from this research is that almost nine out of ten stroke survivors have already taken steps to reduce their risk of having another stroke.”

The charity’s campaign has been launched in partnership with LoSalt®.Almost a third of stroke survivors said they would exercise more and an ideal way to motivate yourself is to sign up for the Stride for Stroke challenge.

Find out about this and the other things you can do at www.stroke.org.uk/stroke-prevention-day. Money raised will help the charity’s work supporting stroke survivors and carers across the UK.

Health Emergency: Worst ever four-hour performance “must be a call to action”

“The health service is in the middle of the biggest crisis it has ever faced“

The latest monthly Emergency Department (ED) performance figures published by NHS England for December 2021 show that four-hour performance at major Emergency Departments reached its lowest since records began at 61.2%, meaning nearly two in five patients were delayed by four-hours or more and nearly 1 in 4 admissions experienced a wait of at least four hours from the decision to admit them to admission.

The data also show the highest number of 12 hour waits ever recorded: 12,986 patients spent 12 hours or more from decision to admit to admission. This is a 22% increase on the previous month, November 2021, and it is 250% higher than December 2020.

Responding to the publication of NHS England quarterly and monthly performance figures, Dr Katherine Henderson, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: “The situation on the ground is extremely bleak. Staff are overwhelmed and burned out; it is increasingly challenging to provide timely and safe patient care.”

Latest Quarterly performance figures published by NHS England show that in 2021-2022 there were a total of 43,218 12-hour delays which is more than all the 12-hour delays over the previous ten years put together (39,608).

The data does not paint the full picture as NHS England record 12-hour waits from decision to admit. Our Winter Flow project, which started at the beginning of October 2021, has so far recorded 71,965 12-hour waits from time of arrival.

It is critical that NHS England commit to reporting 12-hour data from time of arrival and implement the Clinical Review of Standards.

Dr Henderson said: “The health service is in the middle of the biggest crisis it has ever faced, and staff are working harder than ever before with fewer staff and fewer beds.

“When the health service is overwhelmed, it does not cease to function, it is the standards and quality of care that fall. The figures published today show the extent to which these standards have fallen already.

“Performance metrics are intended to hold clinical services to account. They are meant to identify areas in which services are failing with the aim of improving them quickly and effectively.

“The consistent and continuous decline of urgent and emergency care performance, standards, patient experience and patient safety show how this intended function is now entirely lost. With each publication around performance, we commentate with shock and dismay at the latest decline, but our comments are, more often than not, met with inaction or short-term fixes. There needs to be acknowledgment that there is a major public health crisis in emergency care.

“It is the core ability and function of the health and social care service to deliver high-quality and effective care to the acutely ill or injured that is at risk.

“We must now see a vision for recovery and a vision for the health service that includes a vital transformation of the urgent and emergency care system. There must be a plan to implement a framework that is centred around patient care, that drives action and improvement.

“The current framework is simply documenting the health system’s failure to deliver a quality service, and the failure of this framework leaves urgent and emergency care in a performance vacuum.

“We need a decision about either a phased implementation of the findings of the Clinical Review of Standards or an honest discussion about how we performance manage urgent and emergency care differently.

“The current challenges facing the health and social care service are the result of years of stagnation and decline, they are made worse by, but are not just a consequence of, the pandemic. Recognising this is vital to any step towards transformation.

“It is time we saw bolder political willingness to engage on these critical issues. Without action, performance will continue to decline, and this would be a disservice to patients and staff.”

More help for unpaid carers

Funding for wellbeing support and services

A £4million funding package will help provide support to unpaid carers, in recognition of the enormous role they play in looking after loved ones, and the added pressure many have faced during the pandemic.

Over the next few weeks, the additional winter funding will allow organisations working with unpaid carers to expand the services they provide to all groups of adult and young carers, including those looking after disabled children and young people and those caring for a friend or relative with dementia.

To help reach as wide a range of carers as possible, the funds will be shared between organisations who are already working with different groups of carers:

  • £3million for local carer centres across Scotland to expand their vital support for adult and young carers
  • £200,000 to expand the Young Carers Package delivered by Young Scot to provide additional break opportunities, support and activities for young carers
  • £377,000 to expand Family Fund support with breaks for parents and families looking after disabled children and young people
  • £590,000 to expand wellbeing support and services for unpaid carers looking after a family member with Dementia, including grants for short breaks

Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care Kevin Stewart said: “Unpaid carers play a vital role in society and I know the pandemic has placed many additional pressures on Scotland’s carers.

“The Scottish Government has always been committed to improving carers’ rights and providing them with the support and extra help they deserve. 

“The local services and third sector organisations that have been supporting carers during the pandemic have been exceptional. I am pleased to be able to announce this additional funding to allow them to continue their essential work.

“This support for carers comes on top of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement, the first payment made by Social Security Scotland, which increased Carer’s Allowance for eligible Scottish carers by around 13% compared to carers in the rest of the UK.

“In addition to this uplift to Carer’s Allowance, we made extra Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments in June 2020 and in December 2021 to support eligible carers.”