Your Health
Your Health
The Your Health page has been put together so to make it easier to find details on how to maintain general health and healthy lifestyle. It has been divided into three sections to make it easier to find the required information. Please note that the list is by no means exhaustive.
Healthy Living: This is where you can find information on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy Mind: This is where you can find information on how to maintain a healthy mind.
Healthy Body: This is where you can find information on how to maintain a healthy body.
Healthy Living
Change4Life
What does Change4Life do for you?
The Change4Life advertising campaign will make the subject of weight and physical activity a hot topic and will urge us to make changes to our diet and levels of activity. The campaign talks about ‘fat in the body’ rather than ‘fat bodies’ and makes clear the link between fat and preventable illnesses. It also pins the blame on modern life, which affects all of us, rather than pointing the finger at parents. Free Change4Life materials are now available for you to order or download to use to support the movement.
Who needs Change4Life
We all know it can be hard these days to live a happy, healthy life but Change4Life can help. After all, none of us are perfect. The way we live in modern society means a lot of us, especially our kids, have fallen into unhealthy habits.
Why should I join Change4Life?
Would you like loads of ideas and help to give your family a happier, healthier future? Then you already know why you should join Change4Life. As part of Change4Life, you will receive tons of helpful information, games, tools, tips and a free welcome pack. You can also search for what is happening in your local community. We’ll update Change4Life all the time so don’t miss out – visit our website regularly.
This information is from the change4life website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: www.change4life.co.uk
Carers UK
Carers UK. We help Carers
Carers UK is a charity set up to help the millions of people who care for family or friends.
At
some point in our lives every one of us will be involved in looking
after an older relative, a sick friend or a disabled family member. Six
million people in the UK are caring right now but whilst caring is part
and parcel of life, without the right support the personal costs of
caring can be high.
Caring can take its toll on your finances, your health, your career
and your family and your social life. Carers can fall out of paid work
and many rely on low-level benefits, forcing them into poverty.
Yet
without unpaid carers our NHS would collapse and the country would face
an £119 billion care bill it cannot afford. Carers are contributing so
much to their communities by looking after the people they love, yet in
return they face ignorance, isolation and little or no support. This has
to stop. It cannot be fair that those who contribute so much are valued
so little. Carers UK wants society to respect, value and support
carers.
We help carers
- get the best for the person they care for
- make the most of their income
- stay in paid work
- keep healthy
- get in touch with other carers for support
- find a listening ear
- campaign for change.
Carers UK
Helpline 0808 808 7777
This information is from the Carers UK website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: http://www.carersuk.org/
Healthy Mind
Rethink
About Rethink Mental Illness
Rethink Mental Illness is a charity that believes a better life is possible for millions of people affected by mental illness.
Over 40 years ago, one man bravely spoke about his family’s experiences of mental illness in a letter to the Times and in the process brought together hundreds to talk about their experiences of mental illness and support each other.
Today we directly support almost 60,000 people every year across England to get through crises, to live independently and to realise they are not aloneAdvice and Information
Rethink provide expert, accredited advice and information, including many free factsheets and webpages to everyone affected by mental health problems including people who use services, carers, family and friends, as well as giving help to health professionals, employers and staff. We also provide evidence to the media and government to improve mental health policy.
This information is from the Rethink website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: www.rethink.org
Time To Change
Time to Change is an anti-stigma campaign run by the leading mental health charities Mind and Rethink.
These two charities decided to work together, combining their knowledge, skills and expertise, in the biggest attempt yet in England to end the discrimination that surrounds mental health.
Scotland and New Zealand have led the way with similar campaigns, but this is the first time England has benefited from major, country-wide initiative.
The campaign is funded by the Big Lottery Fund and Comic Relief and is evaluated by the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College, London.
What we hope to achieve
This is the first project in England that aims to change behaviour, rather than just attitudes.
Our aims are to:
- Create a 5% positive shift in public attitudes towards mental health problems
- Achieve a 5% reduction in discrimination by 2012
- Increase the ability of 100,000 people with mental health problems to address discrimination
- Provide opportunities for 274,500 people with a range of mental health experiences to come together
- Produce a powerful evidence base of what works.
For more information contact:
Time To Change
Email: info@time-to-change.org.uk
This information is from the Time To Change website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: http://time-to-chahttp://time-to-change.org.uk/nge.org.uk/
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Alzheimer's Society
What is Dementia
The term 'dementia' is used to describe the symptoms that occur when the brain is affected by specific diseases and conditions. Symptoms of dementia include loss of memory, confusion and problems with speech and understanding.
When a person with dementia finds that their mental abilities are declining, they often feel vulnerable and in need of reassurance and support. The people closest to them - including their carers, friends and family - need to do everything they can to help the person to retain their sense of identity and feelings of self-worth.
For more information contact:
Alzheimer's Society
Helpline 0845 300 0336
This information is from the Alzheimer's Society website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk
Healthy Body
Meningitis
Be aware, be prepared
Meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia (blood poisoning) are serious diseases that can affect anyone at any time. Teenagers and students in particular, are at increased risk. Most young people in the UK have already had the Men C vaccine. If you haven’t or can’t remember, getting vaccinated now is a good way to protect yourself. But remember, vaccines can’t prevent all forms of meningitis and septicaemia. So it is very important that you are aware of the signs and symptoms so that you can get medical help urgently if you become ill.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Many of the early signs – vomiting, fever, aches, general tiredness and headaches – are also signs of less serious illnesses like colds and flu(see Jennifer’s story) but someone with meningitis or septicaemia will usually become seriously ill in a matter of hours. This is why it is very important to lookout for the signs and symptoms and seek medical help urgently if you think you or someone else is developing meningitis or septicaemia.
The main signs and symptoms
Meningitis:
- fever
- very bad headache
- vomiting
- stiff neck
- dislike of bright lights
- rash
- confusion, delirium
- severe sleepiness, losing consciousness
- seizures
Septicaemia:
Not everyone will develop all these symptoms – they can appear in any order and be mixed between the two illnesses. *On dark skin, check inside the eyelids or roof of the mouth where the spots may be more visible.
- fever and shivering
- vomiting
- severe pains and aches in limbs and joints
- very cold hands and feet
- pale or mottled skin
- rapid breathing
- diarrhoea and stomach cramps
- red or purple spots/rash* that do not fade under pressure– do the glass test (see below)
- difficulty walking or standing
- severe sleepiness, losing consciousness
The glass test
Press the side of a glass firmly against the rash so you can see if it fades under pressure. If it doesn’t fade, get medical help immediately. If you are feeling very ill, get help anyway, even if the rash fades or doesn’t appear at all.
It’s important too to look for cold hands and feet, severe limb pain and pale and blotchy skin, as these tend to develop early in the illness. Symptoms such as a rash that doesn’t fade, being confused or delirious, or too sleepy to wake are very serious.
How is meningitis spread?
The bacteria that cause these diseases are spread by coughing, sneezing and intimate kissing. Most cases happen individually but outbreaks tend to occur where people live or work closely together, such as university halls of residence.
If you keep an eye out for your friends, and aren’t afraid to ask them how they’re feeling, you could be saving their life.
For more information contact:
Meningitis Research Foundation
Free 24 hour helpline
080 8800 3344
www.meningitis.org
Meningitis Trust
Free 24 hour helpline
0800 028 1828
www.meningitis-trust.org
This information is from the Meningitis Trust website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: www.Meningitis-trust.org
Asthma UK
What does / can Asthma UK do for you?
Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.4 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways – the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs.When a person with asthma comes into contact with something that irritates their airways (an asthma trigger), the muscles around the walls of the airways tighten so that the airways become narrower and the lining of the airways becomes inflamed and starts to swell. Sometimes, sticky mucus or phlegm builds up, which can further narrow the airways.
These reactions cause the airways to become narrower and irritated - making it difficult to breath and leading to symptoms of asthma.
What do you do in an Asthma attack?
The following guidelines are suitable for both children and adults and are the recommended steps to follow in an asthma attack:
- Take one to two puffs of your reliever inhaler (usually blue), immediately.
- Sit down and try to take slow, steady breaths.
- If you do not start to feel better, take two puffs of your reliever inhaler (one puff at a time) every two minutes. You can take up to ten puffs.
- If you do not feel better after taking your inhaler as above, or if you are worried at any time, call 999.
- If an ambulance does not arrive within 10 minutes and you are still feeling unwell, repeat step 3.
If your symptoms improve and you do not need to call 999, you still need to see a doctor or asthma nurse within 24 hours.
For more information contact:
Asthma UK
Tel: 0800 121 62 44, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
Email: webeditor@asthma.org.uk
Website: www.asthma.org.uk
This information is from the Asthma UK website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: www.asthma.org.uk
British Heart Foundation
Who are the British Heart Foundation
We're the nation's heart charity. Our vision is a world where people don't die prematurely from heart disease.
We'll achieve this through pioneering research, vital prevention activity and ensuring quality care and support for everyone living with heart disease.
Where did the British Heart Foundation Start
We were founded in 1961 by a group of medical professionals wanting to fund extra research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of heart and circulatory disease. Find out what has happened since in our history.
How are the British Heart Foundation structured.
As a UK charity we are governed by a board of trustees who volunteer their time to help direct our work. They oversee our Directors who in turn manage the staff across the whole organisation.
From Directors and Trustees to employees and volunteers based across the UK, there are many people helping us beat heart disease...
The British Heart Foundation Website.
The British Heart Foundation has some great videos such as the one below and the website also has some great advice on how to keep a healthy heart.
It also includes links to how to get involved with the BHP with different events throughout the country and the research which the British Heart Foundation is funding.
For more information contact:
British Heart Foundation
Main Tel No: 02075 540 000
You can contact the British Heart Foundation using this link: Main telephone number: 020 7554 0000
Website: www.bhf.org.uk
Youtube Website: http://www.youtube.com/user/BritishHeartFound?ob=0
This information is from the British Heart Foundation website. For more information and to view, please follow this link: www.bhf.org.uk
