LOOKING GOOD A New Look for Spring

Family Health with

Jenna Evans

CONTINUING THE TOUR of our marvellous heads, this month we're popping by the ears. Now, I'm sure we all know where to find our ears so let's pretend we're a sound wave bouncing around merrily. We'll find ourselves caught and amplified by the outer (visible) portion aka the pinna or auricle. Channelled into the external auditory canal, the tube that connects the outer ear to the middle ear, we'll bump into the tympanic membrane (eardrum). While we're in the middle ear, let's say hello to the eustachian tube which connects to the back of the nose. The eustachian tube is lined with mucus and helps maintain equilibrium of pressure in this delicate area, which in turn aids the transfer of sound. In the middle ear , we'll be amplified by the three small bones or ossicles – malleus (hammer), incus (anvil) and stapes (stirrup). And then it's onwards to the inner ear. There's lots of fluid to slosh around in here, inside the structures of the cochlea (with the cochlear nerve which sends audio sensory information to the brain), vestibule and semicircular canals (labyrinthine) both of which are involved in balance and movement. At the end of our journey we'll be converted to electrical impulses and sent off to the brain.

Before we move to the pathology portion, lets have a moment of wonder as we consider some ear facts. The ears are self cleaning. The outer third of the ear canal produces cerumen (earwax), which works it's way outwards as we move the jaw to talk or eat. The 6 smallest bones of the body are found in our ears with the tiniest being the stapes. There are thousands of miniscule hairs in the inner ear busily bringing sound and balance to our beings. It's no wonder that things may go a little awry sometimes! Let's have a look at two of the most common issues I see – tinnitus and congestion.

Tinnitus, which involves noises such as ringing and buzzing in the ears can be a very debilitating problem. There are a few causes and it is wise to get a diagnosis from your GP before self treating. Sufferers may find that white noise machines or even having the radio on, can be helpful,

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especially at night when these noises can be unbearable and prohibitive of sleep. Certain supplements have proven useful in some cases including zinc, magnesium, vitamin B12, ginkgo biloba and coenzyme Q10. These supplements can also be helpful with some causes of hearing loss and vertigo. For catarrhal issues in the ears and sinuses it is also useful to get to the root of the problem. This may be environmental, due to infection or food intolerances. I have found the herb plantago helpful for drying up chronic catarrh and the tissue salt combination Q as a useful all rounder. Food intolerance can be addressed by keeping a food diary or following a food elimination diet. At Ceres we also have a lady who comes into the shop regularly to provide intolerance tests. Hopi ear candling is popular. They provide a gentle vacuum to suck out blocked earwax and you can see a therapist or self treat at home – do not use if you have a perforated eardrum. There are some wonderful drops made from

Sweat - Sculpt - Rock - with Pound. Classes are at Wincanton Memorial Hall 7pm on Mondays, Broadstone conservative club 7pm on Tuesdays, Marnhull British Legion 7pm on Wednesdays, Okeford Fitzpaine Village Hall 5.45pm Thursdays and Motcombe Village Hall 9am on Wednesdays. MSM & Silver that can be used to clear earwax and soothe inflammation in the ears. I always have a bottle of these at home in the first aid chest and they can also be used in the eyes. For more information on any of the above, do pop in and have a chat with us! Happy Easter everyone, see you all next month. © Jenna Evans 2022

Anytime Fitness Yeovil celebrates 4th anniversary

Popular gym located on Frederick Place to mark 4th anniversary with special open event including challenges, giveaways, tasters and more!

Anytime Fitness Yeovil is celebrating its 4th anniversary since opening its doors in Yeovil!

The popular gym, located on Frederick Place, will mark the anniversary with a special event at the gym on the 22nd-24th of April which will include challenges, giveaways, class tasters and more!

Since opening in 2018, Anytime Fitness Yeovil has totalled over 166,574 gym visits from people in the local community whilst providing welcoming facilities for them to achieve their health and fitness goals.

“We’re delighted to celebrate our 4th anniversary with the local community,” said Anytime Fitness Yeovil owner William Arnstein. “Without our members, this wouldn’t be possible, and we’d like to thank them for all of their support since we opened.”

“Our celebration event is a great chance to give something back to both our members and the wider community, with challenges, tasters and offers which are not to be missed! We look forward to many more anniversaries in the future and continuing to provide guidance and support to everyone in achieving their health and fitness goals.”

To try Anytime Fitness Yeovil, claim a free one-day pass at https://www.anytimefitness.co.uk/ gyms/uk-0300/yeovil-south-westba20-1ld.

Needful Things, Castle Cary

The team at Needful Things want to do something to help the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal and have decided on a simple idea; they are asking you to 'Light a Candle for Ukraine'. In times of great darkness, the smallest flicker of light has always been a powerful symbol of hope.

So Needful Things will donate 10% of all their candle sales from now to the end of April to the DEC Appeal. It doesn't matter if you simply buy a mini church candle for £1.50, or a beautifully boxed gift-candle for £34.99, or any candle in between ... whichever you choose, they will give 10% of each and every candle purchase to this vital and urgent cause.

Every little helps and so they ask you: “please, help us to help them and next time you're in town, pop in and choose a candle. We will confirm the total donated on our facebook and instagram social media on 30.04.22 (find us @needfulthingsofcastlecary) THANKYOU!”

Ward & Sibley - the jewellers of Yeovil.

The Jewellers of Yeovil

AS GOOD AS NEW! Our repair section of the business is pleased to offer:  Complete refurbishment of jewellery –soldering charms onto bracelets, sizing rings, repairing chains, jewellery cleaning  Watch repairs including battery replacements  Jewellery handmade to your own design  Seal, hand, and machine engraving  Valuations for insurance and probate  Pearl and bead re-threading THE CASKET, 103 MIDDLE STREET, YEOVIL Tel: 01935 474065 “ Where customer care comes first”

Customer parking at rear of shop

The health benefits of being outdoors

Spending time outdoors or bringing nature into your everyday life will greatly benefit your wellbeing. For example, doing things like growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors, watching birds and being around animals can have lots of positive effects. It can: •Improve your mood & reduce feelings of stress or anger •Lower blood pressure •Help you feel more relaxed •Aid better sleep •Improve focus – the natural world allows our brains to take a break from all that mentally drains us •Improve physical fitness levels because you are more active •Help us heal quicker – following illness or surgery people who have spent time outdoors during their recovery needed

fewer pain killers and recovered more quickly •Boost our intake of Vitamin D which comes from sunlight –it is essential for bone growth and helps regulate our immune system •Support aging - adults over 70 who spent time outdoors experienced fewer sleep difficulties, complained less about aches and pains, and enjoyed improved mobility and ability to perform daily activities •Connect you with other people as you pass by and say hello

There are many walking groups and regular organised Health Walks where you can meet with others and have a guided walk led by a trained leader. These are a great opportunity to be outdoors, connecting with other people and making new friends. To find out where your local health and walking groups are in South Somerset you can call South Somerset District Council on 01935 462462, visit https:// www.southsomerset.gov.uk /media/5354/step-out-and-joinour-health-walks-19.pdf or you can call Somerset Activities and Sports Partnership on 01823 653990, https://www.sasp. co.uk/health-walks.

As a rural county, we are blessed to have some wonderful places to visit such as nature reserves - Somerset Wildlife Trust – for information about wildlife reserves call 01823 652400 or email enquiries@somersetwildlife .org or go to their website: https://www.somersetwildlife.org/ wildlife/nature-reserves.

RSPB reserves – for information about RSPB reserves call 01767 680551 or go to https://www.rspb.org.uk/reservesand-events.

Carymoor Environmental Centre is a nature conservation and environmental education charity based near Castle Cary. Over 25 years, Carymoor has transformed 80 acres of capped landfill into a species-rich nature reserve with woodland, ponds, and meadows. Carymoor runs regular volunteer days enabling people to get outside to connect with nature and take part in a range of traditional conservation activities. From hedge-laying and coppicing in the winter, to planting trees and managing the wildflower meadows in the summer; there is something suitable for all ages and abilities. Get in touch if you’d like to join the friendly team, help wildlife and improve your own health and wellbeing too. To find out more visit www.carymoor.org.uk or email info@carymoor.org.uk or call 01963 350143.

Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) is a land-based facility at Egwood, near the village of Merriott in South Somerset. It’s on 12 acres of land and comprises animals, horticulture and communal buildings and offers a range of activities, experiences and support services to improve health, wellbeing and opportunities for all. To find out more visit www.arkategwood.com or email office@arkategwood.com or call 01460 391974. For more information about Wellbeing in South Somerset visit www. wellbeingsouthsomerset.org.

Healthy Heart Tips

from the Health Promotion & Education Team at Heart Research UK

Getting Active

Regular physical activity is strongly associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as improving mental health. Even small increases in physical activity can positively impact on health. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you keep active.

Avoid long periods of inactivity

Set a timer to go off at specific times throughout the day to prompt you to do ten (or more) minutes of physical activity. Any activity is better than none.

You can include a variety of light, moderate and vigorous activities. E.g. a brisk walk, situps, weight-lifting, gardening or housework.

Reduce screen time for kids

It is common for children and young people to spend too much time sitting in front of a screen. Why not talk to your children about the importance of staying active and agree on a set amount of screen time each day/week and schedule in some time for getting active.

Don’t be a couch potato

Rather than spending your evenings sitting on the sofa without moving much, why not try a few gentle exercises, such as leg raises, while watching your favourite TV show. Try opening YouTube and searching for a quick 10 or 20 minute workout video. Change your daily commute

Now that many of us are heading back to the workplace, try not to jump straight for the car as the main choice of travel. If you do need to drive to work, then why not park a little further away once you arrive in order to get some valuable steps in.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heart research.org.uk/healthy-tips.

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch .org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes2 or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers at https://heartresearch.org.uk/he art-research-uk-cookbook.