Ashwell Surgery Website

Tips For Healthy Living

• Stop smoking
• Exercise regularly
• Eat a healthy diet
• Avoid being overweight or underweight
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• Protect against the sun
• Attend health screening when invited

SMOKING

• Smoking is the most important cause of avoidable illness and death in the U.K. It can particularly cause lung cancer, heart disease and strokes.
• Passive smoking can be harmful particularly to babies and young children.
• Smoking in pregnancy can cause miscarriage, stillbirth and growth retardation.

Benefits of stopping smoking:

Within days the body starts to benefit from the cessation of smoking, and over 5 years the risk of stroke returns to normal, over 10 years the risk of heart disease returns to normal,and over 15 years the risk of lung cancer returns to that of a non smoker.

For further advice about stopping smoking see the practice nurse, health visitor, or doctor.

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EXERCISE

• Regular physical activity is a major factor in the prevention of heart attack and stroke. It can also help maintain a healthy body weight, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, reduce respiratory problems and help prevent cancer.
• 70% of men and women do not take enough exercise.
• Otherwise heathy young and middle aged adults should aim at three 20 minute sessions of activity, vigorous enough to cause hard breathing and perspiration, per week. Shorter less intense sessions will be more appropriate for older people.
• Build up levels of activity and stamina gradually.

MAKE ACTIVITY A WAY OF LIFE.

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DIET

Eating a healthy diet will help protect you against heart disease, stroke and cancer.

• Eat at least FIVE portions of fruit or vegetables a day.
• Eat less fat , especially saturated fat such as butter and cream.
• Grill rather than fry your food.
• Eat lean meat and chicken without the skin.
• Choose low fat spreads and oil “high in polyunsaturates” such as sunflower oil, or “monosaturates” such as olive oil.
• Eat plenty of fish, especially oily fish such as herring, mackerel, pilchards, tuna, trout and salmon.
• Eat more fibre - Choose wholemeal and brown varieties of bread, pasta and rice. Pulses such as lentils, chick-peas and dried beans are a good source of protein and fibre.
• Eat less salt.
• Eat less added sugar, such as in tea or coffee, cakes, sweets and biscuits.

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WEIGHT

It is important to try and maintain your weight at the right level for your height.
Body mass index (BMI) is a ratio of your height and weight measurement and can be used to see if your weight is right for you.

Click here for a body mass index ready reckoner

• A BMI between 20 and 25 is acceptable.
• A BMI below 20 is underweight.
• A BMI above 25 is overweight, and above 30 is obese.

Our Practice Nurses will be happy to advise about weight reduction if you think you are overweight.

Waist/Height Ratio (Apples and Pears)

This is another useful indicator of health risk associated with overweight. A high waist/height ratio gives an apple shape which is associated with more heart disease and diabetes, whereas a low ratio gives a pear shape, a healthier shape.

Dr Margaret Ashwell has devised THE ASHWELL SHAPE CHART.
Click to see if you have a healthy shape.

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ALCOHOL

Drinking alcohol in excess can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, and some cancers. It is also associated with a higher number of accidents and violent behaviour.
A small amount of alcohol each day is probably beneficial to health, especially if the alcohol drunk is 1 to 2 glasses of red wine.

Sensible Drinking Levels

• Men — not more than 3 to 4 units per day.
• Women — not more than 2 to 3 units per day.

1 unit of alcohol is approximately equal to:

• half a pint of beer
• one measure of spirits
• one small glass of wine

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SUN

Exessive exposure to the sun can sometimes cause skin cancer.

• Protect yourself and your children against sun.
• Don’t get burnt. Cover up with loose light clothing. Stay in the shade.
• Avoid the hottest part of the day: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Use a high factor sunscreen, SPF 15 or above (a waterproof one when swimming.)

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HEALTH SCREENING

• Anyone is welcome to ask for an appointment for a health check. This includes blood pressure measurement, assessment of weight, urine analysis and cholesterol measurement if necessary.

• There is a national programme to invite women under 65 years to attend for a cervical smear test every three or five years. This is to detect early signs which might lead to cancer of the cervix if not treated.

• There is a similar programme inviting women from 50 years to 65 years to attend for a mammogram, for the early detection of breast cancer.