HEALTHY KNOWSLEY

CLEAN AIR DAY TAKES PLACE ON THURSDAY, 21 JUNE

It provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the important issue of air pollution, as well as the steps you can take to improve air quality both in your local area as well as your home.

We know that air pollution impacts on our health and wellbeing, increasing the risk of heart disease, cancer (particularly lung cancer), diabetes and asthma attacks.

There are a number of causes of air pollution including emissions from cars, particularly diesel cars, cars not being well maintained and open fires and stoves.

There are simple steps you can do to help reduce pollution and protect yourself and your family. 

These are:-
•  Use your feet – leave your car at home and walk, cycle, take the bus. As well as cutting down on the amount of pollution you make, you can get some exercise too!

•  Switch your engine off when stationary – you’ll help to make the air cleaner for you, other drivers and pedestrians.

•  When upgrading your car, consider a low polluting alternative such as an electric or LPG model, which will also save you money on road tax too.

•  Save your log burner for the cold winter – consider Defra-approved stoves, use authorised fuel and only light your wood burner when you really have too.

•  BBQs are often an overlooked source of air pollution. Use dry, seasoned wood or smokeless fuels to reduce yours and your neighbours exposure.

•  Open your windows when cooking or using cleaning products.

•  Ensure you have your boiler regularly serviced.

On 21 June (and beyond), residents are being asked to make a pledge to support Clean Air Day.  

This could include pledging to leave your car at home, walking the kids to school and turning off your engine when you’re not moving and consume less energy which will produce less pollution (eg switching off lights that aren’t needed at home, only filling your kettle with water for what you need and only running the washing machine when you have a full load). All of these small steps can make a big difference.

Further information about Clean Air Day and other ideas to help you minimise pollution can be found on www.cleanairday.org.uk or follow the day’s activities on Twitter @cleanairdayuk

HEALTHY KNOWSLEY

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health awareness week runs from 14 to 20 May.  This year’s theme is stress and with the busy lives people now lead, it’s not surprising that approximately 16 million people nationally experience a mental health problem each year and stress is a key factor in this.

Life changes such as moving house, getting married or coping with bereavement can all cause stress. So too can problems such as unemployment, poor housing, noisy neighbours, relationship problems and difficulties at work.

All too often we have too many things on our ‘to do list’, which can make us feel overwhelmed and pressured and this can easily turn into stress.

Everyone’s stress triggers are different, and everyone reacts differently to stress. It can affect how you think, feel, behave and how your body works.

Common signs of stress include sleeping problems, sweating, craving for food or loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, irritability, low self-esteem, constant worry, a bad temper and headaches.

You can’t always stop the stress from happening, but how you react to it is really important.
Everybody has a time when they feel at their best. Identify your best time (you may be a morning or an afternoon person) and use it to carry out important tasks that need the most energy and concentration. Make a list of things you have to do on any given day. These are your priorities – everything else can be left until later. Arrange these priorities in order of importance and try to stick to that order.

Once you’ve finished a task, take some time to relax and remember to reflect on what you’ve achieved that day. Don’t spend time about worrying about what still needs to be done.
Keeping active, such as going for a walk, can also help to have a positive impact on your mood.

To find out more, visit www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Healthy Knowsley

Throughout October, we supporting a number of campaigns aimed at improving your health and wellbeing.

Firstly, we are supporting the national campaign to help people give up smoking – initially for a 28 day challenge throughout October, but hopefully once you’ve given up for 28 days, that could roll on into months and years and ultimately give up for good! As well as saving money, other benefits include a longer life expectancy, increased energy levels, improved sense of taste and smell and better oral health.

One of the biggest challenges of giving up is doing it on your own, but with Knowsley’s Stop Smoking service, you won’t be. Whether its text, phone, online or face-to-face support you need, they can help. Find out more at www.readytostopsmoking.org.uk, call 0800 3247 111 or pop in to your local pharmacy. 

Also in October is World Mental Health Day (on 10 October).  Mental health is about the way you think and feel and your ability to deal with life’s ups and downs.

One in four people will experience a mental health problem each year so looking after your mental health is really important.

There are simple steps you can take to improve your mental health and boost your mood. These steps, outlined by the Mental Health Foundation, are keeping active, talking about your feelings, learning something new, eating well, keeping in touch with your family or friends, taking a break (allow yourself some ‘me’ time), drinking less alcohol, accepting who you are (we are all different!), asking for help and caring for yourself and others. 

We all lead busy lives so I know it can be hard to make changes, but small changes really can make a difference.  I’ll be taking small steps too so join me and try and incorporate as many of these activities into your daily life as possible and hopefully we will all feel the difference.

There’s lots more advice about improving your health and wellbeing on www.healthyknowsley.co.uk today!

Healthy Knowsley

At this time of year, our priorities tend to be keeping our little ones entertained over the school summer holidays, keeping our family safe from the sun and maybe even trying to lose a bit of weight for our holidays!

Whether you’re at home or abroad, the sun’s rays can be dangerous, particularly when you least expect it.  Walking the dog or being at a park with the children are just a few examples of where the sun’s rays can strike, so always ensure you apply sun cream (at least factor 15 or above), even if you’re only out for a short time.  

Sunhats and loose clothing are also advisable, as well as keeping out of the sun during the hottest parts of the day (between 11am and 3pm) and keep drinking lots of cold drinks such as water – avoid alcohol and caffeine. The sun can cause sunburn, sunstroke and skin cancer, so protect yourself by taking these few simple precautions.  

To keep you and your children moving over the summer, Change4Life has recently launched its 10 minute shake up summer campaign with magical Disney games and activities.  Not only will it keep the kids entertained, but it can help you lose those few pounds too!  

The new 10 Minute Shake Ups are being released each week over the summer holidays with games, featuring characters from Disney Pixar’s latest animation Cars 3, as well as Moana, Frozen Fever, Zootropolis, Beauty and the Beast and The Lodge.  Every 10 minute burst of exercise can make a real difference in helping children reach the 60 minutes they need each day, plus it can help to build their social skills, boost self-confidence, improve bone and heart health and maintain a healthy weight.

You can read more about the 10 minute shake up, as well as other activities taking place throughout the school holidays in Knowsley, on www.knowsleynews.co.uk

I hope you all have a fabulous summer!

HEALTHY KNOWSLEY

Healthy Knowsley with Matthew Ashton, Director  of Public Health for Knowsley and Sefton

Hi and welcome to my first column for The Challenge.  I’m the Director of Public Health for Knowsley and Sefton and each month, I’ll be letting you know about upcoming initiatives as well as tips and advice to boost your health and wellbeing.

Many of us will have set a New Year’s resolution – stop smoking, drink less, exercise more, lose weight – and we can support you to achieve your aims.

Knowsley’s Stop Smoking service offers a range of support to help you quit – online, by text, by phone or in person.  If you haven’t already, find out what support is available by visiting www.readytostopsmoking.org.uk or call 0800 3247 111.

Many of you may already be taking part in Dry January – a 31 day challenge to stay off the booze.  It’s not too late to take part and benefits include more money in your pocket, better sleep, more energy, plus losing a few pounds.  Following the festivities, now is a good time to assess your drinking habits and it’s advisable to have at least two ‘drink-free’ nights a week (the more the better!).

If healthy eating and more exercise is on your ‘to do’ list, then visit www.healthyknowsley.co.uk for useful information on healthy alternatives and advice on portion sizes.  There’s also lots of advice around keeping active and a walking calories counter for you to keep track of calories you’ve burned. 

Healthy eating and being more active will help you to achieve a healthy mind and body, as well as generally feeling better.

Plus, 15 of our parks and green spaces now have fantastic outdoor gym equipment.  Our green gyms provide a range of cardio vascular equipment, fitness trails and exercise circuits meaning you can work out for free!  The full list of what’s available and where can be found on www.knowsleynews.co.uk (search for green gyms).

Remember to set realistic goals and to do something each day, no matter how small, which will become part of your everyday routine.  You’re more likely to succeed with support, so ensure you get the support of your family and friends (and you support them in their goals too).  And finally . . . good luck!