Practice Newsletter - Winter Edition

Look after yourself during winter
 
It may be cold outside but winter needn't be the unhealthiest time of year for you and your family.
 
Here are five ways to make sure that even when your body is telling you to hibernate you can keep healthy and fit, no matter what the weather's like:
  
 
1. Eliminate your sleep debt

"On average we sleep six-and-a-half hours a night, much less than the seven to nine hours recommended," says Jessica Alexander, spokesperson at the Sleep Council, a generic body that aims to raise awareness of the importance of a good night's sleep to health and wellbeing. But in winter, we naturally sleep more, due to the longer nights. "It’s perfectly natural to adopt hibernating habits when the weather turns cold," says Jessica. "Use the time to catch up."
 
2. Drink more milk
 
You are 80% more likely to get a cold in winter so making sure your immune system is in tip-top condition is important. Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are great sources of protein and vitamins A and B12. They're also an important source of calcium, which helps keep our bones strong. Try to go for semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, rather than full fat, and low-fat yoghurts.
 
3. Eat more fruit and vegetables

When it’s cold and dark outside it can be tempting to fill up on unhealthy comfort food, but it’s important to ensure that you still keep your diet healthy and include five portions of fruit and veg a day. If you find yourself craving a sugary treat, try a juicy clementine or satsuma instead, or sweet dried fruits such as dates or raisins.
 
Winter vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, swede and turnips can be roasted, mashed or made into soup for a comforting winter meal for the whole family. Explore varieties of fruit and veg that you may not normally eat.
 
4. Try new activities for the whole family
 
Don’t use the cold winter months as an excuse to stay in and lounge. Instead, get out with the whole family to try out a new activity, maybe ice skating or taking a bracing winter walk. Regular exercise helps to control your weight, boost your immune system and is a good way to break the tension that can build if the family is constantly cooped up inside the house.
 
5. Have a hearty breakfast

Winter is the perfect season for porridge. Eating a warm bowlful on a cold morning isn’t just a delicious way to start your day, it also helps you to boost your intake of starchy foods and fibre, which give you energy and help you to feel fuller for longer, stopping the temptation to snack mid-morning. Oats also contain lots of vital vitamins and minerals.
 
Make your porridge with semi-skimmed or skimmed milk or water, and don’t add sugar or salt. Add a few dried apricots, some raisins, a sliced banana or other fruit for extra flavour and to help you hit the five-a-day target.
 
A well stocked medicine cabinet is A MUST this winter!
 
Although a good diet and physical activity are essential for your immune system, you should make sure you have everything you need to treat most ailments at home. For further advice, ask your pharmacist.  
  
 
ROOKSDOWN PHARMACY
 
Pharmacists are highly skilled professionals and can answer questions and provide easy to understand advice on treating everyday illnesses. They are fully trained to give you advice on medicines, flu remedies, painkillers and mild skin conditions.
 

Pharmacists speak to hundreds of people every day about all kinds of problems and can even provide a private area where you can discuss sensitive issues.
 
The following items are useful:
 
Aspirin and Ibuprofen - Remember, you should NEVER give aspirin to children under 16 years unless instructed to do so by a doctor. Asthma sufferers should steer clear.
 
Anti-histamines - These are a vital addition to your medical box. Not only to these help allergies, but they're useful if you've got a runny nose.
 
Paracetamol - Great for a sore throat and relieves pain and fever.
 
Cough Linctus – You will be thankful you have this if your cough is keeping you awake at night.
 
Thermometer - You can check if you have a fever and decide if you need a doctor!
 
Diarrhoea treatments - This bug is usually rife at Christmas so make sure you don't get caught short by not having any in your medicine cabinet.  Don’t give anti-diarrhoeals to children under 12 because they may produce undesirable side-effects. Speak to your GP or pharmacist for advice about a child with these symptoms.
 
Indigestion treatment
 
If you have stomach ache, heartburn or trapped wind, a simple antacid will reduce stomach acidity, and help bring relief. It's ideal to have handy after a celebration or party.
 
Antacids come as chewable tablets, or as tablets that dissolve in water or in liquid form.
 
First aid

• As well as the medicines discussed above, keep a well-prepared f irst aid kit. This can help you treat minor cuts, sprains and bruises, and can reduce the risk of cuts becoming infected. You can get ready made kits or ask your pharmacist for advice. Bandages: can be used to support injured limbs, such as fractures or sprains, and also to apply direct pressure to larger cuts before getting them treated in hospital.
• Plasters: a range of sizes, waterproof if possible.
• Thermometer: digital thermometers that you put in your mouth produce very accurate readings. A thermometer placed under the arm, or a temperature strip placed on the forehead, are the easiest ways to read a baby's temperature.
• Antiseptic: can be used to clean cuts before they're dressed (bandaged). Most can also treat a range of conditions including insect stings, ulcers and pimples. Alcohol-free antiseptic wipes are useful to clean cuts.
• Eyewash solution: will help to wash out grit or dirt that has got into the eyes.
• Sterile dressings: larger injuries should be covered with a sterile dressing to prevent infection, until treatment can be given by a health professional.
• Medical tape: is used to secure dressings, but can also be used to tape an injured finger to an uninjured one, creating a makeshift splint.
• Tweezers: for taking out splinters. If splinters are left in, they can cause great discomfort and become infected.

 
Safer sex
 
Every January sexual health clinics report a rise in sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies. This occurs after the boozed fuelled Christmas party season.   Alcohol changes decision making, judgment and inhibitions.  Research has shown that youngsters are twice as likely to have unprotected sex when drunk rather than sober.  Some infections, such as herpes and genital warts, cannot be cleared up with antibiotics.  Remember, STI’s don’t just affect young people! 
So, if you are looking to pull more than a cracker this Christmas, always use a condom.  Empower yourself by putting some condoms in your wallet or handbag before going out and remember to use them.  Free condoms for the under 25’s are freely available throughout Basingstoke.  To find out where you can obtain some look out for the following sign, or visit  www.getiton.nhs.uk/free-condoms
 
 
Did you know you can order repeat prescriptions from our website?
 
 
Registration is quick and easy and need only be done once. When you are registered the form will remember the details you enter and you can set it to send you email reminders when your repeats are due.   
 
 
NHS DIRECT  
 
Don’t forget you can always obtain advice from NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or online at www..nnhsdirecths.uk for advice.


And finally…..
 
The Rooksdown practice wants to wish all the patients of the practice a very Merry Christmas.  We hope you have a fantastic festive season, without overdoing it too much and putting yourself or others at risk.  If possible, remember your neighbour who may be a bit lonely at this time of year.
 
ALL THE VERY BEST FOR THE NEW YEAR