Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written and by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Healthy Eating in Older Age
It is sometimes believed that older adults (65 years or over) do not need to eat as much because they may be less physically active than younger adults. However, eating a healthy and well-balanced diet is important for maintaining good health at all ages. Older adults are vulnerable to malnutrition and it is recommended that they eat the same amount as younger adults. We have some tips for eating well and looking after your heart in older age.
Keep an eye on your weight
The best way to know if you are eating too much or too little is to monitor your weight over time and check if your weight is stable. If you are losing weight without trying, you should speak to your GP.
Stay hydrated
Dehydration can occur when you lose more fluid through sweating and urination than you consume. Dehydration is a common problem in older adults. Try to drink 6 to 8 glasses or cups of non-alcoholic fluid every day, such as water, tea and coffee. Keeping hydrated can reduce your risk of a heart attack, while helping you to maintain your cognitive ability.
Get enough fibre
Constipation is a problem for many people in later life. Try to prevent constipation by staying physically active, keeping hydrated and eating foods that are high in fibre. Foods that are high in fibre, such as fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread, wholemeal breakfast cereals and brown rice, play an important role in reducing your cholesterol and keeping your heart healthy.
Include good sources of protein every day
Eating adequate amounts of foods that are high in protein, as well as getting plenty of physical activity, can help to prevent muscle loss in older age. Good sources of protein include chicken or turkey, canned tuna, soybeans, tofu, eggs and dairy products. If you eat fish, try to eat two portions each week, one of which should be an oily fish, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.
Include plenty of fruit and veg
Aim to have at least five portions of fruit and veg every day. Fruit and veg are packed with nutrients and fibre to help keep your heart healthy. Fresh, tinned, frozen and dried fruit and veg all count towards your five a day and you can count one glass of fresh juice as a portion.
Aldi has partnered with Edinburgh-based The Old Curiosity Distillery to launch a new small-batch premium gin which will be available from all 92 Aldi stores across Scotland.
The luxury spirit is set to delight aficionados across the country, who can now enjoy a deliciously pure, premium gin at the excellent price of just £19.99 (70cl, 40% ABV).
Eidyn (pronounced ee-din), named after the Scottish Gaelic for Edinburgh, has been developed exclusively for Aldi by The Old Curiosity Distillery, which is nestled in the lowlands below the Pentland Hills, just to the south of Edinburgh.
Famed for its captivating ‘Secret Garden’, home to over a thousand juniper bushes and more than five hundred different botanicals, The Old Curiosity Distillery was founded by renowned Scottish herbologist Hamish Martin.
The distillery uses a base spirit, which is then carefully blended with botanicals that are grown, picked and dried by hand, from their Secret Herb Garden, to create this outstanding natural product.
The exceptional quality and purity of this gin will shine through and is best served with a light tonic, a slice of lemon and a sprig of lemon thyme.
Eidyn has been lovingly blended with lemon thyme and lemon balm botanicals which produce fresh citrus notes followed by a crisp juniper finish. The stunning bottle, sure to take pride of place in any gin lover’s collection, features a striking turquoise and gold label, with the clear glass bottle etched with key herbs and botanicals featured in the liquid.
Hamish Martin, Director at The Old Curiosity Distillery, commented:“We’re thrilled to be working with Aldi to create a new and truly unique, premium gin. We are a family business and we put our passion and love into everything that we do, and we believe that comes through in the quality of the products that we create”.
“What makes Eidyn so special is the unique blend of fresh lemon thyme and dried lemon balm, juniper, angelica, winter savory and coriander, all of which are grown right here in our Secret Herb Garden using no chemicals what-so-ever to ensure the true essence of these fantastic botanicals are infused into every bottle”.
“I love growing the botanics with all my heart, and I’ve loved creating this new gin for Aldi. I truly hope their customers enjoy it.”
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said:“It has been a long-term ambition of ours to partner with a leading Scottish distillery to develop a new, premium gin that will form part of our core range across Scotland.
“We are extremely proud to launch Eidyn Gin, which we know can happily hold its own amongst the leading gins across the country, while carrying an exceptionally competitive price. It’s been a real privilege working alongside The Old Curiosity Gin on this project, and witness the skill, care and passion that has gone into crafting this delicious gin.”
Eidyn perfect serves
G&T
– 50ml Eidyn Gin
– Low sugar tonic
Garnish: lemon slice and lemon thyme
Cocktail: ‘The South Eidyn Fizz’
– 50ml Eidyn Gin
– 25ml fresh lemon juice
– 12.5ml Elderflower cordial
– Club soda
– 8 mint leaves
Method: Place the mint leaves in the bottom of the shaker and lightly muddle. Add the gin, lemon juice and Elderflower cordial into the shaker and shake for 10 seconds until chilled. Double strain the liquid into a highball glass over cubed ice and garnish with mint sprig.
Scotland’s largest pro-EU organisation, the European Movement in Scotland, has today launched a campaign calling on the UK government to reverse changes to its rules about how EU citizens living in this country can become British citizens.
It has urged that it extend to EU citizens the same rights as it proposes to those British ‘overseas citizens’ in the UK.
Under UK nationality law, EU citizens can normally apply to become British after they have lived in the UK for a total of 5 or 6 years (depending on whether or not they were married to a UK citizen).
Many EU citizens who have made their home in the UK have decided after Brexit that they wish to apply for UK nationality. This will give them the full range of rights and duties which apply to all UK citizens.
EU citizens who have lived in the UK for 5 years can currently apply for ‘settled status’, which gives them broadly the same rights which they had as EU citizens before Brexit, although it does not give them the full rights enjoyed by citizens. Until recently, if EU citizens had settled status, the process of acquiring UK nationality was relatively straightforward in most cases.
However, the UK Home Office has now changed the way it deals with applications by EU citizens to become British citizens, even if they have lived here for more than five years and have ‘settled status’. The main change is that in many cases, they may have been asked to show they have had ‘comprehensive sickness insurance’ (CSI) for that period. Paying national insurance does not count as comprehensive sickness insurance.
Like everyone else, most EU citizens living in the UK work and therefore pay income tax and national insurance (our payment into a national system for sickness insurance). But, also like everyone else, few have taken out ‘comprehensive sickness insurance’. Even payments into private medical insurance may not count.
If the UK government enforces this requirement rigorously, many EU citizens who have resided in the UK for more than 5 years will now have to wait another 5 years before they can apply to become British citizens. This requirement to have had comprehensive sickness insurance is not imposed on other foreign nationals who wish to apply to become British citizens.
These new rules have caused many EU citizens in the UK a great deal of concern.
She said: “Many of those EU citizens who have made their home in the UK, decided after Brexit that they wanted to apply for UK nationality. This provides the full range of rights and duties that apply to all UK citizens and is the only way to escape the uncertainties Brexit has caused for us.
“Many of us have British spouses and children and we therefore want to ensure our right to stay here beyond any doubt and without having to constantly worry about our rights.
“The application process should be straightforward and many EU citizens applied in good faith, just to be surprised by a new Comprehensive Sickness Insurance rule introduced by the Home Office in May 2020. The guidance did not clarify whether this would be applicable only to new applications and EU citizens began to worry that this new rule would be applied in retrospect to applications pending.
“They were right to worry as recently cases of applicants who submitted before May and have now been asked to provide proof of CSI have emerged. This is not okay. The CSI rule in itself is questionable and the fact that voluntary National Insurance contributions are not accepted as such makes no sense. But to apply a rule in retrospect to applications pending, for which people have paid a non-refundable fee of £1349.20 (plus fees for language and Life in the UK tests) in good faith is completely unacceptable.
“In addition, many of us have been waiting for more than the six months promised processing time by the Home Office (waiting times of up to 15 months have been recorded), which means that we should have received a decision before the introduction of the CSI rule in May 2020.
“Since Brexit, the whole process of having to apply for Settled Status to be allowed to stay in our own homes has been degrading and the new, unnecessary hurdles in terms of British Citizenship create uncertainty and anxiety for many EU citizens and their families. CSI as a requirement for British Citizenship should be abolished.”
The European Movement in Scotland is supporting these EU citizens in their campaign to get this rule change reversed.
It is urging all MPs in Scotland to contact the Home Secretary to ask her to reconsider the decision.
The chair of the European Movement in Scotland, Mark Lazarowicz, said: “This change will mean that many EU citizens residing in the UK who had decided they wished to make the commitment of acquiring British citizenship will be deterred from doing so at this stage.
“Many of them have spent decades in the UK, perhaps almost their entire lives. They will have paid taxes and made a contribution to our community. If, after so many years, they wish to become British citizens, they should be encouraged to do so, and not have new obstacles put in their way.
“The UK government has, rightly, opened up the possibility of full British citizenship and a right to reside in the UK to more than three million British ‘overseas citizens’ in Hong Kong. It is surely right that EU citizens who have made their home in the UK for many years should be made equally welcome”.
The UK Government has secured early access to 90 million vaccine doses from the BioNTech/Pfizer alliance and Valneva with more in the pipeline as part of its strategy to build a portfolio of promising new vaccines to protect the UK from Covid-19
In addition, treatments containing Covid-19-neutralising antibodies have been secured from AstraZeneca to protect those who cannot receive vaccines
UK public encouraged to sign up to a new NHS website to make it quicker and easier for potential volunteers to join vital studies that could help save lives – the aim is to get 500,000 people signed up by October
Millions of people could be vaccinated against coronavirus as the UK secures early access to 90 million doses of promising Covid-19 vaccine candidates.
Announced by Business Secretary Alok Sharma today, the UK Government has agreed significant partnerships with leading pharmaceutical and vaccine companies BioNTech/Pfizer and Valneva that are developing innovative new vaccines to protect people against Covid-19.
The Government has also secured access to treatments containing Covid-19-neutralising antibodies from AstraZeneca to protect those who cannot receive vaccines such as cancer and immunocompromised patients.
As a result of these partnerships, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could have access to enough doses to vaccinate and protect priority groups identified, such as frontline health and social care workers and those at increased health risk.
With today’s announcement, the Government has now secured access to three different types of Covid-19 vaccines that are being developed here and around the world, giving the UK the most likely chance of getting access to a safe and effective vaccine at the quickest speed.
The Government has also today launched the NHS Covid-19 vaccine research registry. This new website will enable people in the UK to play their part by volunteering for future vaccine studies.
The new online service will allow members of the public to register their interest and be contacted to participate in clinical studies. To enable large-scale vaccine studies to take place across the UK, the aim is to get 500,000 people signed up by October, which is considered vital in the fight against coronavirus.
Clinical studies with hundreds of thousands of volunteers will help scientists and researchers better understand the effectiveness of each vaccine candidate and will considerably speed up efforts to discover a safe and workable vaccine.
The Government is also working with ZOE, the health science company using data driven research and behind the popular symptom study app and site, to look at collaborating around vaccine studies and to help their volunteers hear about how to sign up to the NHS registry.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: “The hunt to find a vaccine is a truly global endeavour and we are doing everything we can to ensure the British public get access to a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible.
“This new partnership with some of the world’s foremost pharmaceutical and vaccine companies will ensure the UK has the best chance possible of securing a vaccine that protects those most at risk.
“The public can also play their part in vaccine research through the new NHS vaccine research register. By signing up and participating in important clinical studies, together we can speed up the search for a vaccine and end the pandemic sooner.”
Through its partnership with Valneva, which has a factory in Livingston, the UK Government is expected to contribute to UK clinical studies costs and is negotiating funding to expand Valneva’s Scottish facility.
This increased manufacturing capacity could potentially supply up to 100 million vaccine doses to the UK and internationally. This will create high-skilled jobs in the local area and contribute significantly to the local economy.
The Livingston facility is in addition to the new Vaccines Manufacturing and Innovation Centre (VMIC) which is currently under construction in Oxfordshire thanks to a £93 million investment from the Government. When completed in summer 2021, the facility will have flexible capacity to manufacture vaccine doses at scale.
Chair of the Vaccine Taskforce Kate Bingham said: “The Vaccine Taskforce is investing in a diverse portfolio of vaccine candidates to maximise the chances of finding a vaccine quickly that meets the UK’s rigorous regulatory and safety standards.
“The fact that we have so many promising candidates already shows the unprecedented pace at which we are moving. But I urge against being complacent or over optimistic. The fact remains we may never get a vaccine and if we do get one, we have to be prepared that it may not be a vaccine which prevents getting the virus, but rather one that reduces symptoms.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) head said: “Thanks to COVID-19 patients’ willingness to take part in treatment studies, we’ve been able to identify treatments that work and ones that don’t, which has improved patient care world-wide.
“Now that there are several promising vaccines on the horizon, we need to call again on the generosity of the public to help find out which potential vaccines are the most effective.
“Using a new NHS website developed in partnership between the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and NHS Digital, people across the UK can register their interest to be approached to join a vaccine study. Please go to the website and consider volunteering.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “A safe and effective vaccine is our best hope of defeating coronavirus and returning to life as normal.
We have some of our best scientists and researchers working on this, but members of the public have a vital role to play too. So I urge everyone who can to back the national effort and sign up to the NHS COVID-19 vaccine research registry to help find a vaccine as soon as possible.
“Every volunteer will be doing their bit towards finding a vaccine for COVID-19 that will have the potential to save millions of lives around the world and bring this pandemic to an end.”
Today’s announcement follows an existing global licensing agreement signed with AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford to research, develop and manufacture a Covid-19 vaccine for the UK public. AstraZeneca will work to produce 100 million doses for the UK in total.
As part of a wider £131 million investment by the Government, support has also been given to Imperial College London to develop their vaccine candidate, which started human studies in June.
In addition, the UK Government has committed £250m to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) – the biggest investment of any country – to support equitable and affordable access to new coronavirus vaccines and treatments around the world.
Disabled people and young families risk being inconvenienced by outdoor restaurants as businesses start to take to the footway, says Living Streets Scotland.
Planning law allows for the temporary use of land for up to 28 days without the need to make an application for planning permission, which means an Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs is unlikely to be undertaken. Such an assessment helps to understand and mitigate impacts on people with disabilities.
Penny Morriss, Project Manager, Living Streets Scotland said:“Al fresco dining has the potential to bring our streets to life, creating vibr ant spaces where people want to spend time. However, it must not come at the expense of pedestrians.
“Many of our footways are already too narrow for everyone to be able to practise physical distancing and for people with wheelchairs, buggies or those living with sight loss to manoeuvre safely.
“Town and cities across the Scotland have been investing in trials to create more space for people walking, including widening pavements and closing certain streets to traffic. We should not undo all this great work and investment by crowding pavements with tables and chairs at the expense of the people who need to use them.
“Equality Impact Assessments are incredibly important to ensure the needs of disabled people are considered and recommended in Scottish Government guidance as part of the response to COVID 19. Footways should only be an option where there is at least two metres of space once the furniture and customers are accounted for. Car parks, terraces and parking spaces are great alternatives for temporary beer gardens and eating spaces.”
Corstorphine Community Centre has resumed youth work and from next week the venue will be different: they are moving to Gyle Park, where the Youth Work team will be on Thursday evenings throughout July and August from 6 – 8pm.
This has been posted this as a recurrent event on CCC’s Facebook Page – you might find it and share it from there.
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The green light for hotels reopening came at the perfect time for one couple as they celebrate their 15th anniversary back at their wedding venue.
Steven and Sarah Hicks got married at DoubleTree by Hilton Edinburgh City Centre on 15th July 2005 – now 15 years on, the happy couple were the hotel’s first returning guests as doors reopen to the public.
To celebrate the milestone anniversary – traditionally marked with crystal – Mr and Mrs Hicks hired the same vintage car they travelled in 15 years ago for the journey to the hotel, where they were welcomed by a lone piper for a complimentary stay.
Sarah said: “We always try to stay at the hotel to mark our anniversary each year and the fact the hotel is reopening again today, just adds to the special day and makes another amazing memory at the hotel for us.”
A Cornish village with a population of less than 1,000 has triumphed over some of the nation’s most famous seaside resorts in Which?’s annual rankings of the UK’s best coastal destinations.
The survey – carried out before the coronavirus lockdown – shows British holidaymakers favour peace and quiet over crowds, crazy golf and roller coasters. It also highlights some of the lesser-known resorts savvy travellers can escape to if they want to avoid busy beaches, bars and restaurants this summer.
Which? asked thousands of holidaymakers to rate their recent visits to the UK seaside across a range of factors including food and drink, seafront, beach, value for money and peace and quiet.
St Mawes, in Cornwall, came top ahead of better-known beach destinations like Salcombe or St Ives – earning a full five stars for its scenery, seafront and peace and quiet – and a glowing overall customer score of 85 per cent.
Those who visited St Mawes recommended eating crab baguettes at Mr Scorse’s deli and spotting dolphins on the ferry to Falmouth, but admitted that avoiding peak season was the best way to dodge the crowds.
Dartmouth, arguably one of the most famous destinations in the Which? top 10, and home of Agatha Christie, scored 84 per cent. Those who visited drew attention to steam trains and delicious seafood, but advised using the park and ride service as finding a parking spot in town is “near impossible”.
With many people seeking to avoid already oversubscribed hotspots, particularly in Devon and Cornwall that may not be able to cope with the surge in people holidaying at home this year, Which? found that there are still lots of beautiful places which holidaymakers may not have considered.
Coastal Suffolk had two entries in the top five, with both Southwold (84%) and Aldeburgh (83%) scoring top marks for scenery and peace and quiet.
Holidaymakers highlighted the great food and drink on offer in Southwold – earning five stars in this category – as well as the deliberate lack of ‘kiss-me-quick’ gimmickry.
Aldeburgh was praised for its tranquillity, with one person telling Which?: “It’s not got the usual ‘seaside entertainments’”. Another described it as “far from the madding crowd of South East England.”
Bamburgh in Northumberland (83%), which topped last year’s rankings, has not fallen out of favour with visitors this year. It was rated a full five stars in almost every category.
One person summed up Bamburgh as “one of the UK’s top-secret locations,” adding that “Northumberland is outstandingly unspoilt and a UK treasure”.
St Andrews (81%), home of Scotland’s oldest university, also made it into the top 10, with a full five stars for food and drink, beautiful views and its attractions, including the world-renowned golf course.
Those who visited pointed to the West Sands beach, which extends for almost two miles and was made famous in the opening scene of the film Chariots of Fire. Visitors looking for peace and quiet were advised to check term times before travel, as the town is much livelier when the students are around.
For a more easy-going Scottish seaside destination, Oban (74%) could be a better option.
It is best known as the ‘Gateway to the Isles’, thanks to its role as a hub for tourists departing to the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides, but this seaside town has enough to charm to warrant being a holiday spot of its own and also gets top marks for stunning scenery.
In Wales, St Davids (81%), Llandudno (80%), Tenby (79%) and Conwy (78%) all scored highly, with many destinations in Wales getting high ratings for scenery and value for money.
Which? found that crowds can easily be avoided by missing better-known destinations by heading a little further up the coast. For example, instead of Llandudno and Conwy, fewer people will know Criccieth which achieved a respectable 74 per cent customer score. This town was also received a full five-star rating for its stunning views, and being a bit further afield will also mean that hotel rooms are a little cheaper.
Also in the Which? top 10, but may be often overlooked by holidaymakers is Tynemouth (81%), eight miles east-northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne. This coastal town was awarded five-star ratings almost across the board, including for its sandy beach which is popular with walkers and is a nationally recognised watersports hub.
Meanwhile Skegness, the famous home of the original Butlins, only managed a 44 per cent customer score. It achieved one-star ratings in each category, apart from the three stars for its beach.
While some of those who spoke to Which? were scathing in their comments, going as far as to say the Lincolnshire town was “to be avoided,” nature lovers highlighted the seal sanctuary and bird watching at the Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve.
There were also those who spoke fondly of a “typical town that caters for all ages” and one visitor who told Which?: “Don’t be put off by the stereotypical opinions of Skegness. It’s a well maintained, vibrant area.”
Further down the table were other iconic seaside resorts complete with Victorian-era piers, amusement arcades and roller coasters, including Great Yarmouth (48%), Clacton-on-sea (48%), Bognor Regis (49%) and Blackpool (53%).
Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor said:“With many people choosing to holiday in the UK this summer it is a good time to explore parts of the country you may not have considered before and to spread our sandcastles beyond the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. As our survey shows, it’s smaller seaside towns and villages with fewer visitors that holidaymakers love.
“Whether that’s hitting the waves in Tynemouth or camping in Criccieth, there are good options for those of us keen to keep our distance from the crowds this year but still want to combine stunning scenery with sumptuous seafood. Don’t forget, if you book your hotel or accommodation direct and over the phone, you may even get a discount or free bottle of bubbly thrown in.”
Organisers of the Drive-in Movies said: “We are delighted to be able to share with our audiences the first batch of titles to be screened as part of Drive-in Movies next month.
With a broad selection of timeless classics, family favourites and blockbusters, it truly offers something for everyone. We’re already working behind-the-scenes on the programme for the future events, but in the meantime book yourself a wild ride and we’ll see you at Edinburgh Airport for some cinema magic.”
The Drive-in Movies August line-up includes 13 films: classics such as Airplane!, cult titles like The Princess Bride, family-favourites including Up and recent hits like Get Out and MaryPoppins Returns.
Every month from August 2020 until January 2021, Drive-in Movies will welcome up to 250 cars at the Edinburgh Airport car park, offeringfilm fans of all ages a world-class cinematic experience in a safe, controlled environment.
Audiences are encouraged to book now at www.edinburghdrivein.co.uk for 27-30 August, the first weekend of Drive-in Movies.
More titles for the future events, including the second Drive-in Movies weekend (24 – 27 September), are to be announced in due course.
Line-up confirmed so far includes:
Thursday, 27 August
6pm – Sunshine on Leith (2013)
10pm – Get Out (2017)
Friday, 28 August
2pm – Grease (1978)
6pm – Airplane! (1980)
10pm – Con Air (1997)
Saturday, 29 August
10am – Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
2.15pm – Clueless (1995)
6pm – William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996)
10pm – Alien (1979)
Sunday, 30 August
10.30am – Up (2009)
2pm – The Princess Bride (1987)
5.45pm – La La Land (2017)
10pm – Dirty Dancing (1987)
The films will be shown on a state of the art 100sqm LED screen, one of the largest mobile screens in the world with the audio broadcast straight to cars, for audiences to control the soundtrack.
Audiences will be able to arrive up to 1 hour prior to the film’s starting to take part in a car disco with a playlist relating to the screening, along with an interactive on-screen quizwith spot prizes. Food and snacks will be available to purchase from a selection of local food suppliers who will have stalls on site.
With cars suitably distanced apart Drive-In Movies will be a safe environment for families and friends to enjoy an event, in line with government guidelines for outdoor events. Standard tickets priced at £35.00 per vehicle for up to 5 people, with a number of tickets being made available to EIFF’s community partners.
Drive-in Movies offer accessible toilets and food units. Please check listings for captioned screenings.
