Giving up Smoking

It is No Smoking Day on 11^th March 2015, so a great time to give smoking! It’s not easy but here are some tips to help you…..

Write a list of the reasons why you want to stop, and keep them with you. Refer to them when tempted to light up.

Some of the reasons could be….

• Better all-round health: stopping smoking reduces the risk of 50 different illnesses and conditions.
• The risk of a heart attack drops by a half one year after quitting

• The risk of cancer continues to fall with every year of not smoking

• Have lots of money to spend on other things - smoking 10 a day costs around £1460 per year

• Improved fitness and easier breathing – better at sports and getting up stairs

• Better chance of having a healthy baby

• Food tastes better

• Better skin; avoid premature wrinkles

• Fresher breath, hair and clothes, and no more cigarette smells around the house

• Back in control of my life, no more cravings

Health benefits after stopping smoking

Some of the health benefits from stopping smoking can occur quite quickly as the table below shows. Other health improvements are seen over the course of a number of years, depending on how long a person has smoked.

Tell everyone that you are giving up smoking. Friends and family often give support and may help you. Smoking by others in the household makes giving up harder. If appropriate, try to get other household members who smoke, or friends who smoke, to stop smoking at the same time. A team effort may be easier than going it alone.

Get rid of ashtrays, lighters, and all cigarettes.

Be prepared for some withdrawal symptoms. When you stop smoking, you are likely to get symptoms which may include: nausea (feeling sick), headaches, anxiety, irritability, craving, and just feeling awful. These symptoms are caused by the lack of nicotine that your body has been used to. They tend to peak after 12-24 hours, and then gradually ease over 2-4 weeks.

Anticipate a cough. It is normal for a smoker's cough to get worse when you stop smoking (as the airways "come back to life"). Many people say that this makes them feel worse for a while after stopping smoking and makes them tempted to restart smoking. Resist this temptation! The cough usually gradually eases.

Further help & information

ASH - Action on Smoking and Health
http://www.ash.org.uk/

QUIT
http://www.quit.org.uk/

Smokefree - NHS Choices
http://www.nhs.uk/smokefree

Prostate Cancer

This month it is national prostate cancer awareness month, so, in this month’s Healthy Campus blog, we will be looking at the signs and prevention of this disease.

In the UK, approximately 1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Older men (50 years and over), those with family history of prostate cancer and those of Afro-Caribbean origin are regarded as at higher risk.

What are the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer can grow slowly or very quickly. Most prostate cancer is slow-growing to start with and may never cause any symptoms or problems in a man's lifetime. However, some men will have cancer that is more aggressive or 'high risk.' This needs treatment to help prevent or delay it spreading outside the prostate gland.

If a man does have symptoms, such as problems urinating, they might be mild and happen over many years. For some men the first noticeable symptoms are from prostate cancer which has spread to their bones. If this happens, you may notice pain in your back, hips or pelvis that was not there before. These symptoms could be caused by other problems such as general aches and pains or arthritis, but it is still a good idea to get them checked out by your GP if you are worried.

Most men with early prostate cancer do not have any symptoms.

How can prostate cancer be prevented?

We don't know how to prevent prostate cancer, but a healthy diet and lifestyle is likely be important. Eating healthily and being active can help you stay a healthy weight. This may mean that you are less likely to be diagnosed with aggressive or advanced prostate cancer. A healthy lifestyle can also improve your general wellbeing and reduce your risk of other health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and some other cancers. 

More men in Western countries get prostate cancer compared to men in East Asian countries such as China and Japan. But when men from Asian countries move to Western countries they are as likely to get prostate cancer as Western men. This may be because of the Western diet, which contains less fruit, vegetables and fish, and more meat, dairy, sugar, fat and processed foods. 

What is a healthy diet?

Eating a healthy, balanced diet with a wide variety of foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables may help to prevent prostate cancer. A balanced diet should contain all the food groups in the picture below so that your body has all the energy and nutrients it needs, without containing too much fatty and sugary foods which can lead to weight gain.

The picture shows the five main food groups and the proportions that you should eat every day.

Which foods may lower my risk of prostate cancer?

There are some specific foods which might be important in helping to prevent prostate cancer. You might want to eat more of these foods, listed below. Scientists are studying these as we still need more research before we can say for sure whether they protect against prostate cancer, and how much you would need to eat.

Soy foods and pulses. Soy foods include soy milk, tofu, soy beans (you can buy these frozen), soy yoghurt, miso and tempeh. Pulses include beans, peas and lentils.

Green tea. You need to drink around six cups of green tea a day for it to have an effect, and brew the tea for 5 minutes to release the protective nutrients. Try drinking it instead of your usual hot drinks.

Tomatoes and lycopene (a compound found in tomatoes).The best sources of lycopene are cooked and processed tomatoes such as tomato sauces, soups, purees and pastes. Try to eat cooked or processed tomatoes regularly at least twice per week.

Selenium.  Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, fish, seafood, liver and kidney. Selenium supplements don't seem to have an effect.

Cruciferous vegetables. These include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, pak choy, spinach and kale.

Supplements

Some people like to take supplements to try and help prevent cancer but the evidence doesn't show that supplements lower your risk. In fact, they might even increase it. For example high doses of Vitamin E supplements have been linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer. Supplements also don't contain all the nutrients found in foods. If you do take supplements, make sure you don't take more than the recommended daily allowance.

How much physical activity should I do?

Exercising regularly throughout your life helps you stay healthy. It can help you keep to a healthy weight and may also help to lower your risk of prostate cancer and other health problems. The more physical activity you do, and the more vigorous the activity, the lower your risk of prostate cancer. But even a little is better than none at all.

What else can I do to help reduce my risk of prostate cancer?

If you smoke, give up!!

Keep your alcohol intake within recommended limits (21 units per week or 3 to 4 units per day for men; 14 units per week or 2 to 3 units per day for women)

Know your body! It is important to recognise any changes or unexplained symptoms and to get medical advice about whether they might be serious.

How to steer clear of cold and flu bugs this winter

Whenever winter comes around, so does the annual onslaught of cold and flu viruses. Out of the two, cold viruses are milder than flu viruses, with typical symptoms including sneezing and a runny or stuffy nose with a sore throat and chesty cough. Flu, on the other hand, is often accompanied by high fever (as opposed to an occasional mild temperature with colds), shivers, headache, aching limbs and a complete lack of energy.

If you feel that you are suffering from a cold or flu, you do not need to go to the doctor/hospital unless you have a chest infection as well or have an underlying respiratory condition. You can usually just self-medicate with over the counter remedies and plenty of fluids.

Here's our guide to battling cold and flu bugs this winter...

Eat an immune-boosting diet 

A balanced diet can help give your immune system the energy it needs to fight off viral attacks. Make sure you get at least five portions of fresh fruit and veg at this time of year, since these are the foods that contain the nutrients your immune system needs to be as strong as possible.

And remember to eat regularly – don't skip meals, especially breakfast, as studies show people who don't eat in the mornings are more likely to catch cold and flu bugs than those who have a healthy breakfast.

Keep things clean

Telephones, computer keyboards, light switches and door handles are all breeding grounds for cold and flu bugs, which can live outside the human body on surfaces for up to 24 hours. So if someone at home or at work has a cold or flu, make sure any surfaces that could become contaminated with their virus droplets are kept clean by using disinfectant wipes on a regular basis.

Also don't share things like cups, mugs or cutlery with someone who has a cold or flu – stick to your own and wash them thoroughly before you use them.

Have the jab

If you're over 65 or you belong to a high-risk group, you can get a free annual vaccine from your GP to protect you against catching flu. Those in high-risk groups include people who have a medical condition such as heart, neurological or respiratory disease, diabetes or a weakened immune system, as well as people who are pregnant.

Even if you're not eligible for a free jab, you can still have one if you're prepared to pay for it. It could be money well spent and is now widely available from your GP, or from high street pharmacies and supermarkets.

Stay warm 

Studies have shown that cold weather can make your body less effective at fighting viruses. When your nose gets cold, your immune system also becomes sluggish – and that leaves you vulnerable to picking up bugs.

So wrap up well when you go outdoors, and keep your home warm too. Turn your central heating thermostat to 21C (70F). Set your heating to come on half an hour before you get up and to go off half an hour before you turn in for the night. When it's very cold, keep your heating on at night at 18C (64F). 

Get regular exercise

The cold weather may not exactly inspire you to go out for a jog, but exercise is a great immunity booster. For instance, a study shows people who take a 30-40-minute walk five times a week have half the risk of catching a cold than those who do no exercise at all. But don't overdo it, as exercising too heavily can weaken your immune system.

Quit smoking 

Smokers are affected by more chest infections every year than non-smokers. Experts believe smoking makes you more susceptible to viruses because it acts as a respiratory irritant that thickens mucus and prevents infected mucus from leaving the body. So if you haven't already done so, now would be a great time to quit.

If you're struggling with giving up, contact Student Health & Wellbeing (if you are a student) or Occupational Health (if you are a member of staff) for advice

New classes!

NEW Exercise Classes!

Every Monday – Beginning January 19th 2015

Stratford Exercises Classes

Every Wednesday – Beginning January 21st 2015

Student Union Dome – University House

Circuit Training: 12:30 – 13:00

All body resistance & cardio workout incorporating different exercise stations

Core Conditioning: 13:15 – 13:45

Improves posture and core strength through stretching and strengthening