22 May 2018
Health and Wellbeing HEALTHY KNOWSLEY with Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health for Knowsley and Sefton
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
NHS Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) are supporting the first ever Diabetes Prevention Week NHS Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have been supporting the first ever Diabetes Prevention Week to raise awareness of Type 2 diabetes and the complications that come with the condition. In partnership with Public Health England and NHS England; it’s estimated that more than five million people in England are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but it can still be preventable with simple lifestyle changes. Dr Mike Merriman, Knowsley GP and Diabetes CRG Chair said: “Knowsley CCG is proud to support and promote the National Diabetes Prevention Campaign and is working closely with its stakeholder to support the campaign locally. “Within Knowsley, diabetes diagnosis is above the national average, to ensure the continued management of this we have a range of services in place to support the prevention, diagnosis, education and care management of
diabetes. “If you are high risk of developing type 2 diabetes the CCG encourages its community to use the resources available to them to help prevent developing type 2 diabetes.” Anyone can develop type 2 diabetes but those in the following groups are at a higher risk: • People who are overweight • Those of South Asian, African-Caribbean or BlackAfrican descent • Men • If there is family history of diabetes • People with high blood pressure If you are concerned about developing diabetes, ask your doctor or practice nurse for a blood test to check your blood sugar levels and make enquiries about local support services. Go to https://riskscore.diabetes.org.uk/start to get an estimate of your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SKIN CANCER? May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month and Macmillan Cancer Support is encouraging people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the disease. There are two main types of skin cancer: non-melanoma and melanoma. Around 136,000 cases of nonmelanoma skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year which makes it the most common type of cancer by far. It is unlikely to spread, very treatable and the earlier it is diagnosed the easier it is to treat. Melanoma is the 5th most common cancer in the UK. Around 15,400 people are diagnosed with melanoma in the UK each year. It is more common in people with fairer or freckly skin. Around 27% of new cases occur in people aged 75 and over. Unlike other cancer types, malignant melanoma also occurs relatively
often in people of younger ages. Most skin cancers are caused by exposure to the sun. This may be long term exposure, or short periods of intense sun exposure and burning. Using sunbeds can also increase your risk. Sue Green, Senior Information Development Nurse at Macmillan, said: “Knowing what changes to look for and when to see your doctor could make a real difference. Know your own body and if you notice any changes get them checked.” You should visit your doctor if you have: • a spot or sore that doesn’t heal within 4 weeks • a spot or sore that hurts, is itching, crusty, scabs over, or bleeds for more than 4 weeks • areas where the skin has broken down (an ulcer) and doesn’t heal within 4 weeks Moles should also be regularly
HEALTHY TIP Eight tips for eating well Base your meals on starchy foods Eat lots of fruit and veg Eat more fish Cut down on saturated fat and sugar Try to eat less salt – not more than 6g a day Get active and try to be a healthy weight Drink plenty of water Don’t skip breakfast
checked. See your doctor straight away if you have a new mole or skin change. Or you have a mole that: • is changing in size, shape or colour • is not symmetrical • has a border with jagged edges • is more than one colour • is wider than 6mm(about the size of the blunt end of a pencil) • tingles or itches • bleeds or is crusty Sue added: “Often people with these symptoms do not have skin cancer. But with the incidence on the increase it is important to be vigilant and aware of your own body and skin so you can notice any changes quickly.” If you need support or just want someone to talk to, call Macmillan Cancer Support free on 0808 808 00 00 or visit macmillan.org.uk