Tag: Health and wellbeing

Scots urged to keep warm this winter

NHS 24 is issuing advice to keep people in Scotland safe and well during the winter period.

As we approach another Scottish winter, the icy cold conditions of the ‘Beast from the East’ are fresh in our minds. Older people and those with particular conditions will need to be prepared for low temperatures. Continue reading Scots urged to keep warm this winter

Top Tips For Winter Zest

Seasonal advice from NHS Lothian

As the temperature drops and daylight becomes shorter, here are some actions you can take to stay healthy during the winter months:

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Get your flu jab

Flu is more than a bad cold and can make you very unwell. Each year 15-20% of the population get flu and, as it is highly infectious, flu can be passed onto others.

Alongside good hand hygiene practices, vaccination is the simplest and most effective way of safeguarding against the spread of flu each winter.
It takes about10 days after you are vaccinated for you to be protected against flu so it is best to get the vaccine as early as possible.
Who else should be vaccinated? In addition to healthcare staff, the flu jab is recommended for those in certain ‘at risk’ groups who are at greater risk of developing complications from flu including pregnant women, people with chronic asthma, diabetes, chronic heart disease and the over 65’s.
What about children and carers? A nasal spray flu vaccine is offered to all children aged 2-5 years at their GP practice and to primary school children at school. Unpaid and young carers are also entitled to a free seasonal vaccination.

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Take your breaks – Take a micro break

Taking your break replenishes your energy level, recharges you physically and mentally and supports your general health and well being. Regularly missing breaks can cause stress and fatigue to creep up on you so it is important that you get away from your work area for a break.

Throughout the day, you could also try a micro break which is a moment’s rest from what you’re doing, which lets you ‘reset’ your mind and re-start fresh.
How long is a micro break?
The answer is in the name – micro – but will also depend on the job you do:
•    Take a 1-2 minute micro break following  20-30 minutes of sitting
•    Change the way you are standing after 30 minutes of static standing
•    If you sit for long periods: get up, move around if you can and stretch
•    If you stand stationary for long periods: sit if you can, rest and stretch
•    If you work in awkward postures or work physically,  rest for a moment and stretch to improve your muscle balance and posture.

Why should I take them?
•    They prevent tiredness and stress building up over your day
•    They take very little time and you can develop them to become a healthy habit.
•    Frequent recovery from low-level fatigue takes only seconds whereas recovery from high levels of fatigue will take up to several hours
•    These tiny pauses give us the extra energy we need to work well throughout the day.

What can I do to take a micro break?
•    Alternate or change the order of your job tasks
•    Make a phone call and stand up if you’re sitting / sit if you’re standing
•    Stretch at your desk or if you’re working with patients, take a moment out to stretch
•    Fill up your water bottle or go to get a drink
•    Step away from your work for a moment and take some deep breaths
•    Walk to ask a nearby colleague a question rather than phoning or emailing
•    Go to the printer that means you have to stand up and walk
•    Break up continuous computer time with other tasks that make you look away from the PC and let go of the mouse

Treat micro breaks as you would an essential job duty and make them part of your daily routine.

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Boost your fruit and vegetable intake

Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a healthy balanced diet. They contain important vitamins and minerals that help to prevent disease as well as fibre which can lower cholesterol and aid digestion. Fresh, frozen, tinned or dried fruit and vegetables all count.

Increase your daily intake by trying the following:
•    Add fruit to your cereal at breakfast
•    Bring chopped fruit in as a mid-morning snack
•    Include a bowl of salad or vegetable soup with your lunch
•    For a mid-afternoon energy boost, snack on a bowl of raw carrots, peppers and cucumbers.
•    Add a portion of vegetables to your evening meal

There are weekly fruit and vegetable outlets from Edinburgh Community Food at the Western General Hospital and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary offering a range of produce including their Take and Make Meal Packs which include everything you need to make delicious nutritious meals.

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Drink plenty of water

Water makes up nearly two thirds of your body. Staying hydrated throughout the day can help reduce tiredness, headaches and mood swings. Other symptoms of dehydration include dry mouth, lack of concentration and dark coloured urine.

The key to staying hydrated is to drink regularly throughout the day. You should aim for 6 to 8 mugs per day. Any fluid, except alcohol, counts although drinking large quantities of drinks containing caffeine can contribute to dehydration.

Use a water bottle:  NHS Lothian supports the use of water bottles by all staff.  To stay hydrated during work, use a lidded water bottle. Avoid confusion by labelling your bottle and store in a sensible but accessible location e.g. office, nurse’s desk. Bottles should be cleaned at the end of each day ready to be refilled with fresh liquid.

Don’t like the taste of plain water? Put fruity flavors into your water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice for a citrusy drink. You can also put your favourite fruits, veggies, and herbs in water.  Get creative – try strawberry and cucumber or orange and blueberry water!
Use thirst as an early warning signal: Usually by the time you feel thirsty you are already slightly dehydrated and your performance will have been affected. Your thirst will usually reduce before you are fully hydrated so don’t stop drinking too soon. Don’t rely on thirst to tell you that you need to drink some fluid.
Pre-shift hydration: Working in a physical job or in hot conditions may mean you struggle to rehydrate during your shift so drink fluids while travelling to or from work for an easy way to boost pre and post-shift hydration.

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Keep Active

Being active is essential for good health and it also contributes to positive wellbeing. Even a small amount of exercise can deliver some significant health improvements such as a reduction in the risk of heart disease and stroke, a lower risk of depression and a reduction in the risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
Here are some suggestions for staying active during your working day:
Stretch and strengthen: NHS inform has a number of resources for you to help you stay active throughout the year.
Stand tall: If you sit at a desk most of the day, try standing up every 30 minutes to take a break from sitting.
Use the stairs: Walk up and down stairs instead of waiting for the lift.

Walk more: Go for a walk during your break. A brisk 10 minute walk, either inside or outside, will leave you feeling energized. If you are a patient with us, and would like a longer walk, follow one of the Medal Routes identified across NHS Lothian.

Granton goes to Holyrood: GIC’s pioneering work to be celebrated at Scottish Parliament

Granton Information Centre’s pioneering work is to be celebrated at an event at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood tomorrow. Continue reading Granton goes to Holyrood: GIC’s pioneering work to be celebrated at Scottish Parliament

Doctors in Scotland believe that finances and targets are prioritised above quality of patient care

A substantial majority of doctors in Scotland feel that patient care is being given lower priority in Scotland’s NHS than both finances and national targets, a major BMA survey has found. Continue reading Doctors in Scotland believe that finances and targets are prioritised above quality of patient care

119 people in Lothian diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year

Miles Briggs MSP has pledged his support to Pancreatic Cancer UK’s campaign demanding faster treatment for people with pancreatic cancer – three in four patients with the disease die within a year of diagnosis making it the quickest killing cancer. Continue reading 119 people in Lothian diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year

Air pollution in Edinburgh

How often do you think about the air around you? Chances are if you live in a city, it’s fairly often, and with reports today revealing that the global life expectancy is 1.8 years shorter than it should be, the pollution in our air is causing more than the occasional cough – with air pollution having a widespread effect across Scotland in general, with it causing 2,500 early deaths each year.

7 steps to protect yourself from the effects of smog (Not just for asthmatics) 

We traditionally think of asthma as causing wheezing and shortness of breath, but in young children in particular the main symptom can be coughing. Symptoms can also be brought on by sudden changes in temperature, exercise, having a cold or being exposed to things you’re allergic to (such as dust or pollen).

Factors that make it more likely in a child, are due to having symptoms just at certain situations:

  • after exercise
  • exposure to pets or cold weather
  • having symptoms just at night or in the early mornings
  • having a history of eczema, hay fever or food allergy
  • a family history of asthma or any of these ‘atopic’ conditions

What is smog?

  • Smog is a dense layer of stagnant air which forms near ground level when air pollution is high. It is more common in built-up cities with dense traffic or in areas near industry with high emissions.
  • Smog is made up mainly of ozone but it also contains other harmful substances, such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and PM10s (small molecules which can find their way deep into our lungs).

How does smog affect your health?

According to Asthma UK, about two thirds of people with asthma find that pollution triggers their symptoms. High levels of pollution have been linked to an increased risk of asthma attacks and low peak-flow readings, so it’s important for asthmatics to keep their inhalers at hand during smog attacks.

How can you protect yourself from smog?

  • Keep up to date with weather forecasts and smog throughout the year. You can find a daily update on air quality at the Air Quality website. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) also has the latest information and includes a useful colour-coded summary of the current situation in all areas of the UK. If you’re travelling and want to know about how smog might affect you in Europe, the European Environment Agency maintains an ozone map on its website.
  • If the air quality forecast is poor, where possible, avoid the affected areas. If this is too difficult, stay indoors and keep your windows closed.
  • Avoid exercising in smoggy conditions, particularly at midday when ground ozone levels are at their highest. Try to change the times you exercise to morning or evening (avoiding rush hour), or exercise inside.
  • If you’re asthmatic or have COPD, carry your inhaler at all times. If you notice any rapid deterioration in your condition, consult your doctor.
  • If you have respiratory conditions and need to travel on smoggy days, avoid congested areas where you may get stuck in traffic jams. Road junctions can be a hotbed of exhaust emissions so keep your windows closed.
  • Keep your own emissions to a minimum. Avoid unnecessary car journeys in cities, don’t rev up or leave your engine running for a long time outside your home on cold days or when stuck in traffic jams.

For more information about asthma, please visit AXA PPP healthcare.

Shared knowledge: Accessible research could be the key to a healthier Scotland

A NEW easy-to-read academic research archive will guide planners and policy makers towards transport decisions which improve public health. Professor Adrian Davis (above) will announce the launch of Essential Evidence 4 Scotland at a top-level Transport Planning and Public Health seminar at Edinburgh Napier University today. Continue reading Shared knowledge: Accessible research could be the key to a healthier Scotland