Health Advice

There are a number of risk factors that increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) some of which you can change and some you can’t. Risk factors that you can change are called modifiable risk factors and include things like smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, being overweight and physical inactivity. Risk factors that you don’t have control over include diabetes, a family history of heart disease, age and ethnic group. To prevent cardiovascular disease you need to reduce the risk and keep your heart healthy. Eating a healthy balanced diet, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol and taking regular physical activity will also help to keep your heart healthy. Current guidelines suggest that if you are at high risk you may need to be treated with medicines such as statins which can help to lower cholesterol levels.

Share Bookmark

Good oral hygiene can protect your gums from gingivitis and periodontitis. Regular visits to a dentist and oral hygienist are vital as they can spot early signs of gum disease and tooth decay. Additionally things you can do are:

Brushing your teeth morning and night for about two minutes a time to remove plaque and food residues. Using fluoride toothpaste will help strengthen tooth enamel and protecting them against teeth from decay.

Rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash and should form part of your daily programme. Dental floss or tape can reach the areas between your teeth and gum line that a brush can’t.

Share Bookmark

Closely related to onions, leeks share a similar favour. An 80g serving of cooked leeks contains just 17 calories but a healthy 1.5g of fibre. They are also a good source of vitamin C, folic acid and iron and contain many beneficial compounds that may offer protection against stomach, colon, prostate and ovarian cancer and they may also help lower cholesterol levels. For this reason leeks can be classed as a super food. Being a very versatile vegetable they can be used as steamed or stir-fried and added to soups or served with roasted meats.

Share Bookmark

Brittle bone disease affects one in three women and one in five men over 50 in the UK. To reduce your risk there is a lot that you can do - childhood and early adulthood are the most important times for building strong bones. Eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D and along with weight bearing exercise are the best ways young people can protect their bone for the future. After the age of 40 the bone mass starts to decline but diet and exercise can help to slow this loss. People who smoke, drink excessively have a very low body weight or don’t exercise have an increased risk of osteoporosis as do people who don’t get enough vitamin D and Calcium in their diet. Green leafy vegetable, low fat dairy products as well as nuts and seeds are all rich in calcium while sunlight and oily fish are good source of vitamin D.

Share Bookmark

Gum disease is something we all need to be aware of because at some time in our life 90% of us will suffer from it. We need to spot the signs and help prevent them.The first stage is known as gingivitis - an inflammation of the gums generally caused by a buildup of plaque on the teeth. If left untreated bacteria released by the plaque can produce toxins that aggravate the gums.

Gum disease is a significant cause of tooth loss. It can also lead to serious health conditions including heart disease and stroke. We are all at risk but those more prone tend to be, teenage girls and women, those suffering from stress, people with diabetes, and smokers as smoking increases bacterial plaque and limits oxygen and nutrient supply to the gums.

Share Bookmark

Gout is caused by uric acid building up in the blood. This forms when the body breaks down substances called purines so avoiding food and drinks high in purines will help reduce the risk such as turkey, liver, anchovies, spinach, kidney beans, lentils and marmite. You may also have to cut down on your favourite drink particularly if you like beer, stout and port. Stick to the recommended guidelines - a maximum of four units per day for men and three units per day for women. Being overweight also increases uric acid levels in the blood so if you need to lose weight follow a sensible calorie controlled diet and if necessary ask your doctor to refer you to a registered dietician.

Share Bookmark

The use of stones as a therapy goes back many thousands of year and has over the last ten years become one of the most popular ‘alternative’ treatments. Working in harmony with manual massage, stone massage uses hot and cold stones allowing the person to be transported into a deep hypnotic state of pure relaxation. American Indians, native tribes of Hawaii and Tibet have used hot stone therapy to treat medical problems and help ease tensions of the body and mind. The warming effects from the volcanic or sedimentary stones can penetrate the muscle fibres to depths of 4 cm. this means stone therapy can be more effective than manual massage alone. They can also be used to decongest specific areas such as the sinuses and orbits of the eyes. The cooling action has a soothing anti irritant effect helping the client relax and feel calm.

Share Bookmark