Be Healthy Winter 2016

STRESS BUSTING

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH

Live life well

The Magazine for the Benenden Community | Winter 2016 Issue 37

Beat the

big five health risks FOR MEN

Win!

A WEEKEND BREAK and a Fitbit Flex activity tracker

+

How music keeps your mind in tune Get to know your gut

(all 9 metres of it)

+

HEALTH HERO

The woman tackling prejudice in sport

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Welcome

As winter approaches, it is tempting to pack away those shorts, throw the trainers to the back of the wardrobe and schedule some duvet days. If it weren’t for the feel-good effect of exercise – and a pair of spaniels with dreams of catching squirrels – hibernation might be my activity of choice.

Emerge from your We hope this issue of Be Healthy will inspire burrow and embrace you to emerge from your burrow and embrace a a more active lifestyle more active lifestyle. As the UK grapples with childhood obesity, and the food and drink industry faces growing concerns about diet, we offer tips on how to live a healthier life. See page 4 for a report on the government response to the nation’s problem with weight.

Blokes take note – it is particularly important for you to look after yourselves. Our cover story tells you how to limit the risk of five big killers of UK men – cardiovascular DR STUART FARRIMOND and liver disease, respiratory problems, cancer and stress.

After treatment for brain cancer, The story of three generations of one family affected by Dr Farrimond forged a new career prostate cancer illustrates just how crucial it is to open up as a writer and presenter about any concerns you might have. Turn to page 25 for FACT More than 10,000 people our user-friendly guide to men’s health by wellbeing in the UK are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year writer Jim Pollard.

With stress an issue for women as well as men, we suggest eight ways to ease the pressure when the going gets tough.

LILY JENCKS While an active lifestyle boosts your wellbeing, helping The landscape architect helping someone in need can also do the trick. See page 14 for more. shape the surroundings for patients By the time you read this, a team of intrepid cyclists will at Maggie’s Cancer Care centres have completed Cycle GB 2016, a 600-mile sponsored bike FACT Jencks collaborated with ride from Glasgow to Benenden Hospital in Kent. The money acclaimed architect Frank Gehry at the Maggie’s Centre Hong Kong raised will go to the Benenden Charitable Trust and mental health charity SAMH. What a great way to kick-start winter.

Inside this issue

JIM POLLARD Author of The User’s Guide to the Male Body, Pollard is an editor on the Men’s Health Forum website FACT UK men are far more likely than women to die young and one man in five dies before he is 65

COLIN MEARNS; PAUL STUART; SHUTTERSTOCK

Kathleen Morgan Editor, Be Healthy

Step into winter

1 BEST FOOT FORWARD Pair with a friend for the RLSB Blindfold Run on 6 November to fundraise for the Royal London Society for Blind People. www.rlsb.org.uk

2

3

LIGHT UP A LIFE FESTIVE RUN Join a 5k night-time jaunt at Race with more than the Kelpies, two 30m-high 8,000 Father Christmases equine sculptures near on 4 December in the 5k Falkirk, on 13 November.

Liverpool Santa Dash.

Make it count for charity.

Costumes provided. www.supernovarun.com www.btrliverpool.com

Get in touch

We’d love to know what you think about this issue. Email us at behealthy@ benenden.co.uk with your thoughts

www.benenden.co.uk 1

Your peace of mind from only £99 You could get peace of mind from an in-depth understanding of your health and wellbeing. Benenden Health Assessments provide one-to-one time with a qualified healthcare professional, a range of tests, a full health report and expert advice on maintaining and improving your health now and in the future.

Benenden Health Assessments include: • Up to 150 minutes with a healthcare professional • Up to 25% off when you book through Benenden* • A personalised report and recommendations • 12 month plan for healthy living

Win a UK break for two, plus a Fitbit Flex each.

Turn to page 12 to read more.

Book your peace of mind today

0800 414 8486*

www.benenden.co.uk/healthyyou2 Health Assessments from just £129

£99

Please note that your call may be recorded for security and training and quality purposes. Lines are open 8am – 7pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays). *The saving of up to 25% has already been applied to the prices quoted in any literature, online and on the phone and is a reduced rate that is offered exclusively to Benenden through our partnership with Screenetics and BMI Healthcare.

Benenden is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its subsidiaries. Benenden Health Assessments are offered by Benenden Wellbeing Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited. Benenden Wellbeing Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No 08271017). Registered Office: Benenden Wellbeing Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG. Benenden Health assessments are provided by BMI Healthcare Limited and ToHealth Limited. BMI Healthcare Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No 2164270). Registered office: 3 Paris Garden, Southwark, London, SE1 8ND. ToHealth Limited trading as Screenetics is registered in England and Wales (Company No 5107064). Registered office: 33 Cavendish Square, London, W1G 0TT.

behealthy Published for the Benenden Healthcare Society by Think.

This magazine is also available in Braille, large print and on audio CD. Editorial Board Group Marketing Director Lawrence Christensen Clinical Director Jane Abbott Head of Communications Paul Keenan Media Relations Manager Neil Barnes Group Head of Marketing Natalie Walker Group Head of Brand Jules Titheridge

s t n e t n o C

YOUR BENENDEN

Produced for Benenden by Think 8th Floor, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH 020 3771 7200 thinkpublishing.co.uk

35 RENÉ FRAIOLI How Benenden members can help shape their society at branch AGMs 39 CONTACT BENENDEN Key numbers and services

© Benenden Healthcare Society.

Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

The view expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Benenden. All advertising is accepted in good faith and no endorsement should be inferred; neither should the presence of any Benenden business’s logo in a promotion (as part of a commercial arrangement with a selected partner) be construed as an endorsement. Please check any medical or dietary advice with your own doctor.

Something has been stirred up inside these women. They say: ‘This is my time’

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Copy eerwekrhw

PAGE 28

Find us online www.benenden.co.uk PAUL STUART

04 CHILDHOOD OBESITY The debate over how to tackle a weighty issue 08 FOOD FOR THOUGHT The vital statistics behind those late-night snacks 10 MY EXPERIENCE Dr Stuart Farrimond on living with a brain tumour

14 STRESS BUSTING Discover eight ways to take the pressure off 18 CREATIVE THERAPY Can architecture, art and music affect your health?

22 MEN’S TROUBLES How to reduce the risk of the big five health hazards 28 HEALTH HERO The sports campaigner tackling prejudice 32 INSIDE STORY The modern-age matron in charge of Benenden’s new high-tech ward

Editor Kathleen Morgan behealthy@benenden.co.uk Contributing Editors Matthew Rock, Siân Phillips, Fiona Jerome Group Art Director Matthew Ball Designers Vicky Axelson, John Pender Sub-editors Sam Bartlett, Sian Campbell, Kirsty Fortune Editorial Assistant Jonathan McIntosh Advertising Sales Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7247 Partnerships Director Helen Rosemier Group Account Director John Innes john.innes@thinkpublishing.co.uk

*Please note, calls may be recorded for our mutual security and also for training and quality purposes.

HEALTH CHECK

LIFE

Benenden Holgate Park Drive, York YO26 4GG Telephone 0800 414 8100* benenden.co.uk

Circulation 351,831 (July-Dec 2015) ABC

WINTER 2016

Plus keep up to date with all the latest news on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+

COVER STORY PAGE 22 How to combat the top killers of UK men www.benenden.co.uk 3

health check ]News you can use i

FOOD FOR THOUGHT The UK government has unveiled plans it claims will reduce childhood obesity and increase school sports

Government criticised for letting food and drink industry off the hook, says Siân Phillips The food and drink industry has been challenged to reduce sugar in certain products by at least 20% over the next four years following the release of a government report.

Critics said the report – childhood obesity: a plan for 4 Be Healthy Winter 2016

action – is inadequate, though, given national levels of obesity.

Nearly a third of children aged between two and 15 are obese.

The report said: “Reducing obesity levels will save lives as obesity doubles the risk of dying prematurely. Obese adults are seven times more likely to become a type 2 diabetic than adults of a healthy weight.”

Graham MacGregor, chairman of the campaign group Action on

Sugar, criticised the action plan for failing to mention restrictions on advertising high-sugar foods or bans of two-for-one offers on junk food.

He said: “It’s a disgrace that the revised obesity plan has been limited to nine pages of ineffectual recommendations.

We were shocked to see that there’s absolutely no recognition of advertising, marketing and promotions, all of which

would have helped combat the growing obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic.”

John Giles, medical director of Benenden Hospital, Kent, said the responsibility for tackling childhood obesity has to lie with parents too: “You can legislate all you want against the food industry but there’s no substitute for parents raising children to have good eating habits.”

The Benenden National

SHUTTERSTOCK; KEN LENNOX

Debate over UK action on obesity

Weight loss

Specialist unit opens its doors Bariatric surgery now available at Benenden Hospital

ssue Weightureys shiow 19.1% Health Report 2016, published earlier this year, found that 84% of parents feel they have enough information to teach their children to eat healthily.

John added that, with almost a third of children overweight or obese, he would suggest parents are failing in their responsibilities to feed their younger children healthily.

The government’s plan of action pledged school sports will

fig The latest ged 10-11 England a in n re ild h c of er 14.2% and a furth are obese ing ight, accord are overwe ild h C onal to the Nati e. t Programm n e m re Measu M C N P oo.org.uk/ Visit www.n

be increased by half an hour per week and backed an existing scheme to issue fruit and vegetable vouchers to low-income families.

To see the National Health Report 2016 visit www. benenden.co.uk/healthreport

Included in the recent redevelopment at Benenden Hospital, Kent, is a bespoke weight-loss surgery unit.

Overseen by Ahmed Hamouda (pictured), a bariatric – or weight-loss – consultant, the unit works with specialist consultants and nursing staff, including dieticians and counsellors, to help patients find the most appropriate weight-loss treatment. Ahmed said: “Success relies on the patient undergoing a lifestyle change and demands a commitment to pursue weight loss through the agreed pathway.”

After a consultation, some patients with a high bodymass index (BMI), can choose surgical intervention.

Benenden Hospital offers two types of bariatric keyhole surgery. A gastric band procedure involves placing an inflatable loop around the top of the stomach to restrict the amount of food that can be consumed, and gives the

recipient the feeling of being full. Alternatively, a sleeve gastrectomy removes around 75 to 80% of the stomach, restricting the amount that can be consumed and quickly giving a feeling of being full.

While a gastric band can be reversed, a gastrectomy cannot. Ahmed said: “If you are considering weight-loss surgery, it is important to discuss all aspects of the surgery and your expectations with the team. The best outcomes are achieved when your medical history, lifestyle and needs are taken into consideration for a tailored approach.”

Weight-loss treatment is not covered under Benenden membership. However, members receive an exclusive preferential rate equivalent to a 10% discount on the full selfpaying price when using this service at Benenden Hospital.

Visit www.benendenhospital. org.uk/TreatmentAndServices/ Weight-Loss-Surgery or call 01580 242521

The Benenden Hospital development includes a weight-loss surgery unit

Factoid

More than 125 weight-loss operations are performed each week in the UK

www.benenden.co.uk 5

healthcheck Food for thought

Late-night snacks Check the figures when you reach for a bite to eat before bedtime

Berwick Kaler will go to the ball

Show goes on for dame Veteran pantomime star recovers A well-loved pantomime dame who needed emergency treatment for a heart condition will be back on stage this Christmas – thanks to a vigilant nurse.

Berwick Kaler had mentioned to the nurse at a routine health appointment that he was suffering from lethargy and dizziness. She insisted he see a doctor and he was rushed to York

COOKIES AND MILK Calories................ 153kcal Sugar.......................... 13.7g Salt............................... 0.3g Protein ......................... 7.7g Fat ................................. 5.8g A comforting finale to the day for those with a craving for America

HOT CHOCOLATE WITH MARSHMALLOWS Calories ............... 200kcal Sugar.......................... 28.5g Salt............................. 0.38g Protein .......................... 7.7g Fat ................................. 4.1g

BEANS ON TOAST Calories................ 398kcal Sugar.......................... 11.1g Salt............................... 2.0g Protein ...................... 13.2g Fat ............................... 19.5g

The ultimate nightcap – but beware the sugar content

More of a mini-meal, for when you feel like something substantial

ICE CREAM Calories................ 230kcal Sugar............................. 21g Salt............................. 0.14g Protein ........................ 3.5g Fat .................................. 13g

OLIVES Calories.................. 83kcal Sugar........................... 0.1g Salt................................ 1.1g Protein ........................ 0.6g Fat ................................ 8.6g

Naughty but nice.

Just remember to do the sugar arithmetic before this one

Traditionally regarded as healthy, but olives are often stored in salty brine

Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a complete heart block and given emergency surgery to fit a pacemaker.

This year’s production of Cinderella is the 38th consecutive year for Kaler as dame of the York Theatre Royal panto.

Sponsored by Benenden, the show is written by the actor, and is on at York Theatre Royal, 8 December 2016– 28 January 2017.

The poetry of recovery A breast cancer survivor who wrote poetry to help her cope has published a book for others with the disease.

Be With Me, It’s C, by IT director Avril Chester, 38, gives the reader space to scribble their own thoughts beside the author’s verse. Chester, who is donating part of the cover price to charity, says: “I was driven by the desire to share.”

Avril Chester found poetry therapeutic

6 Be Healthy Winter 2016

HOUMOUS AND BREADSTICKS Calories................ 412kcal Sugar............................ 1.4g Salt................................ 1.5g Protein ....................... 10.1g Fat ............................... 28.8g A quick fix if you want a snack packed with protein – and calories

Figures stated above were sourced from tesco.com. Statistics relate to the following servings: 11g Oreo Vanilla Biscuit and 200ml semi-skimmed milk, 18g Cadbury Hot Chocolate with 200ml semi-skimmed milk and 10g Cake Angels Mini Marshmallows, 207g Heinz Baked Beans on 29.9g slice of Warburton’s Seeded Batch Bread with 20g of Tesco Salted Butter; 100g Tesco Houmous with four Tesco Italian Original Breadsticks, 100ml Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough Ice Cream, 40g Tesco Marinated Greek Olives

ALAN DONALDSON

Visit www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/event/ cinderella

HOLIDAY COTTAGES

CHECKED OUT BEFORE YOU CHECK IN

WIN

a week’s holiday on Cornwall’s ‘Med’ Just enter your details online at www.helpfulholidays.co.uk⁄benenden

01647 434398 helpfulholidays.co.uk

Feefo Gold Trusted Merchant 2015 Sunday Times Editor’s Award Winner 2013

healthcheck

Stand up for your back Give your spine a chance with some easy steps

Health myths

Can green tea help prevent cancer?

WHAT IS IT? Whether green or black, tea is produced from the Camellia sinensis plant. Green tea is made by steaming fresh leaves, while black tea involves a process of fermentation.

TRADITION Green tea has long been used in Chinese traditional medicine to treat ailments such as depression and headaches.

SECRET INGREDIENT Green tea contains a high level of catechins, chemicals which laboratory studies show could be effective in blocking the growth of cancer cells.

If you think no harm can come from sitting down, think again, says Shinu Varghese, physiotherapy manager at Benenden Hospital.

“The normal curve of the spine is an S shape,” he says.

“If you are stooping forward your spine goes into a C shape.

When that happens there’s a lot

of compression on the disks at the front, and the muscles at the back of the spine are stressed.”

Along with good posture, movement is vital to back health.

“Even the right position is not good for more than half an hour,” adds Shinu. “The human body is primarily designed for running, not sitting down.”

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY? Shinu Varghese’s top tips for better posture Chair 1 Ensure you have an adjustable chair that can be moved to support your lower back.

Knees 2 Your knees should be very

THE EVIDENCE Cancer Research UK stated: “While studies have found that catechins could block the growth of cancer cells, and stop cancer-causing chemicals being activated, human studies have not shown any strong evidence linking green tea and cancer risk.”

A review of 51 studies with more than 1.6 million participants concluded: “The evidence that the consumption of green tea might reduce the risk of cancer was conflicting. Drinking green tea remains unproven in cancer prevention.”

slightly lower than your hips, but not much.

height, get a footrest.

Footrest 3 If you can’t lower your seat and desk height to make sure your knees are at the right angle and

Feet 4 Rest your feet flat, not crossed, on the footrest or the floor.

Don’t stretch out your legs.

Arms 5 Your forearms should be straight in line with the floor, and elbows tucked into your body, otherwise you risk repetitive strain injuries.

Keyboard 6 It should be 4-6in from the edge of the desk, leaving room to rest your wrists.

7 6

5

2

3

4

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Typing 7 When typing, your wrists should be straight. A wrist rest could help keep them in the right position. Also, make sure your screen is right in front of you, and you’re not looking up or down at it.

Member benefits Cover is available for all ages

Discounted travel insurance

8 Be Healthy Winter 2016

Whether you are looking for a single-trip policy, or annual multitrip cover for several getaways, you can choose the right policy to suit your needs. Cover is

available for all ages, and for individuals, families or groups.

Find out more at www.benenden. co.uk/healthytravel

SHUTTERSTOCK

You could holiday with peace of mind and save up to 15% by taking out comprehensive travel insurance with a brand you already trust.

Enjoy an active life without hip or knee problems Members all-inclusive package price

£7,785*

Get on and enjoy life with a hip or knee replacement Your busy life is put on hold when you need a hip or knee replacement.

you back on your feet as quickly as possible, you’ll be supported by a rapid recovery programme.

Everyday activities you enjoy, such as walking, driving, weekends away, golf and sports, can quickly become a thing of the past.

You can also rest assured that we have rigorous infection control systems in place to keep you safe from hospital acquired Bacteraemia or Septicaemia MRSA or C-diff** – we’ve had no cases since 2002.

At Benenden Hospital you can see an experienced specialist consultant right away. Your operation is performed in a state-of-the-art theatre. Your stay is in a comfortable en-suite room. Your care is in the hands of highly trained and compassionate staff. And, to get

* Hip or knee replacement is not available as part of Benenden membership, members do however receive an exclusive discount off the full private patient price. This offer is only available for treatment undertaken at Benenden Hospital in Kent.

See www.benendenhospital.org.uk for the latest information on discounts for Benenden members. **As specified by the Department of Health. The Benenden Hospital Trust is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England, number 3454120.

Registered charity number 1065995. Registered office, The Benenden Hospital Trust, Goddard’s Green Road, Benenden, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 4AX

And, just yards away, Peek Lodge Hotel, offers comfortable accommodation for your visitors.

All of which means that you’ll be back, doing what you enjoy with family and friends in no time at all.

Find out more today 01580 242 521 www.benendenhospital.org.uk

healthcheck

‘LIFE BECAME A FOG OF SCANS AND SURGERY’ My experience A brain tumour diagnosis rocked the world of Dr Stuart Farrimond – then renewed his passion for life. He explains why When you are 25, you think you’re invincible.

For me, that illusion was shattered nine years ago when I first saw an MRI scan of my brain.

On it was a fluffy white smudge in the upper-right portion of my brain where smooth grey curves should have been.

It was as if an artist had hastily tried to rub out a mistake, and as a medic I knew that it was a brain tumour. I was working as a hospital doctor in Bath and it wasn’t long before a consultant colleague sat me down to confirm my worst fears – it was cancer.

No-one can say how long the tumour had been silently burrowing into my grey matter.

The cancer was discovered by a stroke of luck during routine tests for low hormone levels. It needed

treatment and my life soon became a fog of surgery, brain scans and cocktails of energysapping drugs. The operation to remove the tumour was a success but it left me with epilepsy, a condition that would ultimately end my career as a doctor.

Like so many people who receive such a devastating diagnosis, I set out to cast a silver lining on the dark cloud that loomed over my every day. In the UK brain tumours are the leading cause of cancer deaths in the under-40s, yet less than 2% of government cancer research spending goes on trying to find a cure. As a keen cyclist, I rode from Bath to

Dr Farrimond and his wife Grace celebrate Burns night

WHAT IS A BRAIN TUMOUR?

10 Be Healthy Winter 2016

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A brain tumour is an abnormal growth within the brain and can affect anyone at any age There are about 130 types of brain tumour, most cancerous

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The most common symptoms are headache, loss of mental abilities, seizures and personality changes Brain tumours can be treated with

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surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy but cancerous tumours will often eventually return after treatment The life expectancy for people with the

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most common and aggressive type of brain tumours (glioblastoma) is 12–18 months. For a slower-growing tumour, such as the ‘low-grade’ astrocytoma which

At a glance

Gut instinct

Nine facts about the body’s most underrated organ MAGIC NUMBERS l The gut has more than 100bn bacteria to every gram of intestinal content MEASURE UP l A 9m-long organ with 800 to 900 folds, the gut would cover an entire tennis court if laid out flat

Dr Stuart Farrimond, left, was diagnosed with a brain tumour after an MRI scan

SHUTTERSTOCK

the Isle of Wight to raise money for brain tumour research.

Hoping to raise £1,000, my story caught the attention of the media and an outpouring of sympathy resulted in donations totalling £10,000. I became an ambassador for the brain tumour community, working for non-profit organisations and lobbying in parliament for more funding for brain tumour research and care.

Eighteen months after my diagnosis, I began teaching science and biology at a further education college in Wiltshire.

Hanging up your stethoscope is hard,

Dr Farrimond has, life expectancy is typically about seven years. However, with modern surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, nearly

but teaching apathetic teenagers gave me a joy I’d never known in my former life. Misconceptions about ‘stuffy science’ could be eclipsed by a wonder about life. Young adults could be re-energised to experience the world in new ways.

This passion to inspire others now underpins much of what I do. For the last six years I have pursued a career as a freelance science and health writer and communicator. My journey has involved various television appearances, being a presenter for a weekly science segment on local BBC radio, securing a deal for a popular science book, and having my writing and research widely publicised.

It is said that a doctor can never truly understand their patients until they have been one themselves. Knowing that at some point my tumour will return in a more lethal form has shown me that following your passions and spending time with loved ones is infinitely more important than worrying about tomorrow. It’s a lesson I wish I had learned another way, but I now know sunshine can break through even the darkest of storms.

half of the people with these less aggressive tumours will survive for more than 10 years More than 10,000 people

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in the UK are diagnosed with a brain tumour every year For most brain tumours there is no known cause

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A CUT ABOVE l If the vagus nerve connecting the brain and gut were severed, the digestive system would function independently GROW HEALTHY l Plant-based foods, fibre, fruits, vegetables, pulses, wholegrains and olive oil encourage a healthy gut WHAT GOES IN l Populations that frequently eat fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut and miso tend to have better gut health and less bowel disease

CHEMICAL REACTOR l The gut produces considerably more neurotransmitters – which influence our mood and behaviour – than the brain does KEEP CALM l Stress produces an influx of adrenaline, which shuts down digestion and can cause bloating, so take deep breaths and relax while eating STAY HYDRATED l The most effective way to maintain gut health is to drink more water. The gut is essentially a long, slippery tube GET ACTIVE l Exercise stimulates the digestive tract and encourages healthy digestive-transit enzymes FIGURE THIS

100m

The number of neurons contained in the gut – often called the second brain

Drink more water for a healthier gut

www.benenden.co.uk 11

Plus!

Prize draw

EVERY E NTRAN T RECEIV ES A £5 0 Great Li! le Bre vouche aks r With Benend en Healt h Assessm ents

You could be staying at The Queen Hotel, Chester, or The Welcombe, Stratfordupon-Avon (inset)

Win a UK break and a Fitbit Flex We have teamed up with Great Little Breaks to offer you the chance of a great start to 2017.

You can win a relaxing stay at one of three top Hallmark hotels, with state-of-the-art leisure facilities: The Welcombe in Stratford-upon-Avon, The Queen in Chester or Croydon Aerodrome.

The prize also includes two Fitbit Flex activity trackers to help with a healthy start to the year for the winner.

THE PRIZES ○ A two-night break at one of three Hallmark hotels ○ Dinner for two

○ Bottle of wine upon arrival ○ Two Fitbit Flex wristbands PLUS All entrants will receive a £50 voucher that can be used towards any two-night break featured on www.greatlittlebreaks.com

HOW TO ENTER Simply watch the health assessment video and enter the completed form by 30 November 2016 at www.benenden.co.uk/ healthynewyou Terms and conditions apply and can be found at the web address above.

Prize includes

2 x Fitbit Flex 12 Be Healthy Winter 2016

Two-night break

Evening dinner

Bottle of wine

For one wanting to see in the New Year in style

3 night New Year Cruise to Rouen from £129pp Treat yourself to a different new year by saying “Bonjour” to 2017 in style aboard the luxurious Pont-Aven, on a cruise to the beautiful and historic French city of Rouen.

Your New Year Cruise itinerary Day 1 - Thursday 29th December Check-in at Portsmouth from 15.00hrs for the early evening departure to Rouen.

Settle in to your cabin before enjoying your first evening at sea.

Day 2 - Friday 30th December Morning cruise along the river Seine passing riverside villages and under the famous 'Pont de Normandie' arriving at Rouen cruise terminal mid-afternoon.

There will be time to go ashore to explore this beautiful historic city.

Rouen

Day 3 - Saturday 31st December - New Year’s Eve At leisure on board or free to visit Rouen. Alternatively pre-book an excursion to delightful Honfleur. Early evening embarkation for New Year's celebrations and the return cruise to Portsmouth. Pont-Aven is a French ship so we see the New Year in twice – both at French time and then all-over again an hour later at UK time with celebrations into the early hours as the ship cruises back along the Seine.

Pont-Aven

On board, you’ll have the opportunity to indulge in a fabulous gala dinner, enjoy an exclusive entertainment programme, as well as a choice of bars, boutique shopping, and cinemas.

Day 4 – Sunday 1st January - New Year’s Day Rise at leisure to enjoy the remainder of the cruise to Portsmouth, perhaps some last minute onboard shopping. We arrive in Portsmouth at approximately 15.00hrs after what will surely have been a great 3 days New Year break.

From just £129 per person for 3 nights away, it’s superb value – so why not bring your friends and make it a New Year to remember?

Upgrade your cruise Interior cabin from £129pp Outside cabin from £159pp Club Class cabin from £199pp Deluxe cabin from £259pp Commodore cabin from £309pp

Find out more at brittanyferries.com/newyear or call 0330 159 5200 (09:00-17:30 Mon-Fri) Prices shown are per person based on four sharing and include return cruise and programme of live entertainment. Meals, beverages, shore excursions and insurance are not included.

New bookings only. Onboard parking available from £35. Terms and conditions apply - see website for full details.

Commodore 4 berth cabin

WELLBEING

8 STRESS

BUSTING TIPS Take these simple steps to ease the pressure, says Fiona Jerome

A

ll of us experience stress – the feeling of being under excessive mental or emotional pressure. Some people seem able to deal with high levels of stress, and even say they thrive on it, while others buckle under the strain.

Different people react in a variety of ways to stress. Often it’s not how stressful a situation is, it’s how pressurised we perceive it to be.

Stressful events can have a profound effect not just on our minds but also on our bodies and emotional health. Stress can be triggered by the perception we are out of control of the big and small issues in life, or when we feel threatened, physically or mentally. Many of us find new situations difficult to cope with, especially if they are unexpected ones.

So how can we minimise the effect stress has on our wellbeing?

Find a way to focus and calm the mind

Avoid information overload

2 Be positive

SHUTTERSTOCK; GETTY IMAGES; PHOTOSHELTER

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It is easy to slip into negative thinking when you are stressed and wound up; even small problems can cause anxiety. We can all think of situations where a small event tipped us over the edge because we were already overwhelmed by other things.

With an effort, though, you can look at it the other way round.

“Try to be ‘glass half full’ instead of ‘half empty’,” says Professor Cary Cooper, an occupational health expert at Lancaster University.

He suggests writing a list at the end of each day of all that went well or was enjoyable, and taking a moment to consider things for which you should be grateful which you may have forgotten.

The number of people in the UK working more than 48 hours a week has gone up in the last decade to almost four million, according to a recent study commissioned by the TUC. No wonder 440,000 people were diagnosed with workplace-related stress in 2014-2015.

You don’t have to work longer to be a star employee, you just need to be clever.

Graham Allcott, author of How To Be A Productivity Ninja, believes “a big part of workplace stress is the volume of information”.

“For someone doing a management job in

the 1980s, information overload would be six pieces of paper in their pigeonhole, but now it’s emails, texts and messages 24/7. Lack of control over this, and the gnawing self-doubt that somewhere in the mass of information is something that’ll blow up on you, is where a lot of stress comes from,” he adds.

The founder of the training company Think Productive continues: “A lot of people would say stress helps you with deadlines but I don’t think that’s necessarily true.

When you’re on a deadline the stress forces you into a state psychologists call ‘flow’

– you have to work on this one thing, you can’t think of anything else. But through mindfulness you can get that focus and Zen-like calm without the stress.”

Allcott recommends clearing your inbox every day, no matter how long it takes, and focusing on to-do lists to give yourself a sense of priority.

“Take time once a week at least to project plan. Thinking for an hour or two is much better than working like crazy all the time without focus,” he says. ”The more you can have a little boss in your head telling you what to do, the better.” www.benenden.co.uk 15

WELLBEING

Have a cuppa

3

Something as simple as having a cup of tea can lower your stress level, studies have found. Aside from the comforting effects of a strong, hot brew, scientists at University College London found

test subjects who drank black tea four times a day for six weeks had less of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies, and were able to destress twice as quickly as a control group given a placebo.

Black tea can help you unwind

Stress can disrupt sleep

Hit the sack

Make time for you

5

Take some you time. Allocate one or two nights a week for activities you enjoy.

Take up a new hobby, return to an old one, form a quiz team or have a regular ‘date night’ with your partner.

Make this time sacrosanct – recognise you deserve and need time for yourself no matter how busy your life is.

If you are that person at the office who always puts work first, 16 Be Healthy Winter 2016

who everyone knows can be relied upon to stay late and perform the urgent tasks, make it clear this will not happen on the nights you have chosen.

“Learn to say no to your boss in a way that’s fine,” advises Susan Leigh, counsellor and hypnotherapist. “Give your boss the choice to prioritise, tell them what you already have on and let them decide which should come first.”

“The dangerous situation appears when stress is causing chronic sleep disturbances,” he says.

“Chronic stress is, in itself, a cause of many diseases, for example coronary heart disease, and poor sleep is believed to be one of the key mechanisms why long-lasting stress is related to severe health problems.”

These include high

blood pressure and a compromised immune system. To counteract stress, Professor Kecklund first suggests looking at your work-life balance.

“Everybody needs time for recovery and relaxation.

The type of activity in itself is probably not important – as long as it is stimulating but not perceived as demanding.”

Carve out time for yourself

SHUTTERSTOCK

4

Stress is one of the most common causes of sleep disruption, according to Göran Kecklund, associate professor at the Stress Research Institute, Stockholm University.

He says stress is part of everyday life and it is normal to experience occasionally disrupted sleep while under pressure.

Take a different view

6

Chris Kresser, a specialist in ancestral health and paleonutrition, advocates looking at stress positively and reframing your attitude to make it work for you.

He emphasises treating threats like challenges, and looking to see if there is an opportunity in something stressful such as losing your job or having a

Chris Kresser takes a longer perspective health scare. Being made redundant can be used to reevaluate whether you are doing what you really want to do and if there are

other business opportunities you would rather pursue.

A health scare is a good motivator to decide to take better care of yourself, for instance.

He also suggests taking a long-term view. “Ask yourself whether what you’re upset about will matter in a month, a year or a decade,” he advises. “Will this event matter?

Will you even remember it?”

Look at life from a fresh angle

Activity boosts positive feelings

Enjoy park life

8

SHUTTERSTOCK; GETTY IMAGES; PHOTOSHELTER

Devote time to helping others

7

When you feel “Helping people down, do some who are often in good. Go to a situations worse than pet rescue centre and yours will take an abandoned dog for a walk – a winwin situation, as being around animals also lowers stress levels – or bag groceries for a food bank near Help your home. someone in need

help you put your problems into perspective,” says Professor Cary Cooper of Lancaster University, on the NHS website.

“The more you give, the happier and more resilient you feel.”

That being active is good for us is hardly news. Keeping fit protects us against a whole raft of diseases, but did you know it also helps our mental wellbeing?

Something as simple as going out for a walk can help ease mild depression and minimise anxiety.

Physical activity causes chemical changes in the body which help bolster positive feelings.

Scientists at the University of

Queensland found visiting a park for just 30 minutes a week reduced the risk of developing heart disease, stress, anxiety and depression.

Dr Danielle Shanahan, a researcher at the university’s ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, revealed: “If everyone visited their local park for half an hour each week there would be 7% fewer cases of depression and 9% fewer cases of high blood pressure.” www.benenden.co.uk 17

THE ARTS FGGHGHGGHG AND HEALTH

Lily Jencks, who has a personal link to shaping how cancer care is delivered

Creative HEALING

Three innovators reveal how art, architecture and music benefit our health. By Jackie McGlone 18 Be Healthy Winter 2016

ARCHITECTURE LILY JENCKS The landscape architect was inspired by her mother’s vision of cancer care in beautiful spaces

I

n a tranquil Glasgow outdoor space you can find a magical sight – the sky reflected in a dark forest floor. It is here, in the Maggie’s Centre garden at Gartnavel General Hospital, that the landscape architect Lily Jencks heard of a 10-year-old leukaemia patient playing happily alone.

“She felt it was her place, where she could just be and not think about being ill for a while,” says the director of Lily Jencks Studio in London. “That’s the point – to give people a moment’s breath away from the oncology unit. It was an escape not only for the child but also her mother. It was very moving for me to hear this story.”

The architect, who designed the courtyard garden and the wooded glades surrounding the centre, explains the mystical effect is “all done with mirrors”.

Jencks is the daughter of the late artist and garden architect Maggie Keswick Jencks, who dreamed up an innovative approach to cancer care as she faced a terminal diagnosis for breast cancer in 1993. Maggie believed the patient should be an informed participant in their care, within a supportive, relaxed, beautiful environment. Her husband, acclaimed architectural theorist Charles Jencks, shared her vision and was determined it should become a reality.

Maggie Jencks died at the age of 53 in 1995, a few months before the launch of the first Maggie’s Centre in Edinburgh. There are now 17 Maggie’s Centres providing cancer care across the UK, and one in the grounds of Tuen Mun Hospital Hong Kong, landscaped by Jencks and designed

by Frank Gehry, a family friend.

Gehry is one of several ‘starchitects’ who have created buildings for the charity. Rem Koolhaas designed the Gartnavel

The garden at Gartnavel in Glasgow, above, and the Maggie’s Centre Hong Kong, designed by Frank Gehry

I believe environment can hinder or help in healthcare. Gardens have a life force, an energy centre, while Norman Foster created the Manchester Maggie’s and Zaha Hadid the Fife building.

Every centre factors in the power of landscape. When Jencks’s mother was drawing up plans for the Edinburgh centre, she wanted peaceful waiting rooms with a view of a garden, natural light and the changing seasons.

“Certainly, I believe that environment can hinder or help in healthcare, although we need more research into the restorative Maggie Keswick Jencks, left

power of nature,” says Jencks.

“We’re aware some buildings can be bad for our health, while gardens have a life force, an energy to them. We’re very good at proving the bad things but it’s hard to prove quantifiably good things.”

Jencks was 15 when her mother died. “It was a very, very difficult time,” she says. “I still find it difficult to talk about, but when I was working on the gardens for the centres I was definitely trying to channel her thinking on landscape.”

Her mother, an expert on Chinese gardens and author of a definitive book on the subject, was “an inspiration” during Jencks’s work in Hong Kong, which uses unusual water features. Current projects range from a sculpture park in Turkey, on which she is collaborating with her father, to “internal gardens” for a pop-up gym in London. “The health thing again,” she exclaims.

“Being in a garden connects you with a wider world,” she says. “One of the reasons we love gardens is that things are always changing, evolving, blossoming, even dying.

In my own garden, I play with notions of time, the cycles of the seasons, and the light.

For me, and I hope for people who use Maggie’s Centres, gardens are places where we can contemplate our own place in nature and our relationship to it. It always helps to take a walk in a garden; it’s like meditation.”

Visit www.maggiescentres.org and www.lilyjencksstudio.com www.benenden.co.uk 19

THE ARTS AND HEALTH

THE POWER OF MUSIC THERAPY l The British Association for Music Therapy says: “Music plays a fundamental role in our identity, culture, heritage and spiritual beliefs. It is a powerful medium which can affect us all deeply … It can stir memories and resonate with our feelings, helping us to express them and communicate with others.”

MUSIC JOSHUA SOFAER The artist believes opera can help boost health and wellbeing

T

he prescription for many emotional problems is call in a great composer. So says Joshua Sofaer – not a medical man, but an artist specialising in social sculpture, performance, installation and collaborative art.

Lonely and depressed? Listen to the Toreador song from Bizet’s Carmen. Missing a loved one? Puccini’s Quando me’n vo’ from La Boheme may help, says Sofaer, who will arrange for an opera singer to make a house call and sing a specially chosen aria while you lounge in your comfiest armchair or recline in bed.

Sofaer, 44, is the creative force behind Opera Helps, an art project he launched in 2012 while working at Folkoperan, a small opera house in Stockholm. At his flat in Soho, London, the artist explains the roots of Opera Helps.

“Folkoperan means ‘people’s opera’, so I had this idea of taking opera out of often intimidating, red-velvet spaces and introducing it to people in the privacy of their homes. I had this hunch they would have an immediate emotional response, that we could help people with problems.”

20 Be Healthy Winter 2016

His UK team of seven singers – sopranos, mezzo-sopranos and baritones – completed their first tour in spring 2016 to positive reactions from audiences across the north of England, who got a dose of Sofaer’s musical “medicine”. Although the half-hour sessions are free, he stresses they are not a substitute for therapy. Rather, it’s “sustenance for the soul, a transformative experience, touching people here,” he says, indicating his heart.

Soprano Caroline Kennedy, who has performed with English National Opera (ENO) and Scottish Opera, is one of the team. “We are not therapists,” she says.

“We’re trained singers, but we give participants a list of counselling services, as well as a menu of other arias they might find helpful.” She adds it has been a revelation to her how music can contribute to emotional health and wellbeing.

“Music just makes you feel better – it’s healing,” agrees Sofaer, who fell for opera while working as a barman at the London Coliseum, when he would catch ENO performances. “I put access to art and culture on a par with the importance of human friendship and love – it’s fundamental to being alive.”

One woman suffering from depression said a weight had li"ed off her

DEMENTIA l Broadcaster Sally Magnusson set up Playlist for Life after noticing the effect of music on her late mother’s dementia. The charity provides an iPod so people with dementia can listen to personally meaningful music.

He admits the institutions surrounding opera are often elitist, but dismisses the idea it is inaccessible.

“Barbers in Italy used to sing while working in their salons,” he remarks, quoting research by neuroscientists at New York University revealing how an intense aesthetic experience, such as listening to music or looking at visual art, activates the emotion and rewards centres of the brain.

“People come to us with deeply personal problems – from feeling lovesick to coping with something as profound as bereavement.

When a singer visits, they listen, then they choose a suitable aria. Operatic singing in a domestic space is amazingly haunting – the space is never the same again.”

Kennedy concurs. She has made more than a dozen house calls, including for someone lately diagnosed with terminal cancer “who was incredibly positive”.

PAUL STUART

Artist Joshua Sofaer and soprano Caroline Kennedy believe in the positive effects of song

CANCER CARE l Music therapy can help adolescents and young people cope better when faced with treatment for cancer, according to a study in Cancer journal.

ART

HUGH TURVEY The artist-photographer reveals the impact of art on demystifying healthcare

A

nd for his next trick, Hugh Turvey will expose the rabbit in a conjuror’s ‘empty’ top hat – only no trickery is involved.

The groundbreaking artist-photographer creates works that are a mix of art, graphic design, pure photography and the appliance of science.

Turvey’s mind-blowing images, known as xograms, fuse visible light and x-ray imagery. His artworks, held in international public and private collections, range from images of his wife’s foot in a vertiginous stiletto heel to flowers, motorbikes and an elephant’s skull. Somewhere between an x-ray and a photogram, his images, always saturated in colour, are made by placing objects on light-sensitive paper.

As for the aforementioned rabbit, he says: “We all know it’s in there and everyone loves magic – the trick of the light, the sleight of hand. It’s letting you in on the gag. I’m fascinated by what lies beneath; the things you can’t see.”

The self-styled ‘x-perimentalist’, 45, is

“You’re a stranger in someone’s home and they can be quite distant as they’re unsure whether to trust you. Suddenly they start to confide, often getting emotional – one couple just cried and cried. You listen carefully, but once you sing there’s a transformation. I do feel emotional afterwards but Joshua is an accredited relational dynamics coach, so he’s trained us in how to distance ourselves, despite the eye-to-eye contact, which we never have in theatres.

“I never realised just how cathartic music can be. I’ve performed for someone with severe cerebral palsy and for a family – wife, husband, three daughters and grandparents – who wanted to discuss womanhood and show their girls how to share. Some people are elated afterwards. One woman suffering from depression said a weight had lifted off her. I felt as if I’d sung to someone’s soul.”

Sofaer concludes: “We get fantastic feedback – ‘I wanted to hug the singer; I felt I had been blessed with a unique gift.’ It’s terribly moving and humbling to feel you’ve made a difference – thanks to the power and beauty of great art and the human voice.”

Visit www.operahelps.com

Seeing objects x-rayed helps patients understand the process

Hugh Turvey examines the detail in one of his pioneering artworks artist in residence at the British Institute of Radiology and, in 2014, was awarded an honorary fellowship by the Royal Photographic Society. He is also a pioneering creative practitioner for better healthcare environments. His work, including a giant image of foxgloves, can be seen throughout the new development at Benenden Hospital. His inspiration is the hospital’s century-old archive, which he is busy researching.

But does his artwork improve the patient’s experience? “I think it helps patients understand the process their own bodies are going to go through when they see everyday objects x-rayed,” says Turvey.

“Also, it takes some of the mystique out of the procedure. Even the word x-ray sounds undefined. There’s a mystery about it, which is rather alluring from the artistic and aesthetic point of view.

Obviously, it can be alarming for some people – the unseen danger of it. I hope my work shows how wonderful the mix of photography and radiology can be.”

Turvey describes his artworks as shadow photography. “What you are seeing is the shadow of the density of an object,” he says. “I’m exposing a hidden truth. It’s human curiosity and it’s exciting. Open the lid of the box and find secrets.

“I can get very philosophical about it.

It’s seeing Mother Nature, God, the true structure of the world around you. You’ll see the engineering structure of a flower, say, rather than just its pretty colour. It’s enlightening because it allows us to delve ever deeper.”

Detail from Tulips, an artwork by Turvey at Benenden Hospital

For information vsit www.x-rayartist.com www.benenden.co.uk 21

MEN’S HEALTH

One in eight men will get prostate cancer.

So why aren’t we talking about it?

22 Be Healthy Winter 2016

P

WORDS: JULIE PENFOLD ILLUSTRATIONS: PHIL HACKETT

rostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. More than 42,000 men are diagnosed with it every year and more than 330,000 men are currently living with and after prostate cancer.

Men over the age of 50 are most prone to the disease and the risk increases with age.

The average age for diagnosis is 65 to 69.

Family history is a major risk indicator: you are two and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer if your father or brother have been diagnosed with it, or if you have more than one close relative with the disease. Your risk also increases if your mother or sister were diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 60 and had faults in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2. Ethnicity is another key factor – black men have a one in four risk.

The prostate is a small gland that grows larger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder, surrounds the urethra (the tube through which men urinate and ejaculate) and is responsible for producing semen.

Andy Clarke, a 50-year-old father of two, was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 45. Clarke’s paternal grandfather and father had been diagnosed with the disease.

In the case of his grandfather, Alfred, his prostate cancer was minor and monitored via ‘watchful waiting’. Alfred later died of a heart attack – not as a result of the disease.

Clarke’s father, Derek, was diagnosed in December 2010 after going into hospital for a pre-op check ahead of the removal of a suspected hernia. The hospital believed something else was wrong and, following a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and further scans, Derek was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. This type of cancer spreads from the prostate to other parts of the body – most commonly the bones and lymph nodes. Although it is not possible to cure advanced prostate cancer, treatments can keep it under control. Derek, now 80, is doing well and continues to receive treatment.

Clarke’s story begins soon after his father’s diagnosis. His wife Kathy and his parents were worried that he could be at risk. Although he took on board their concerns, he didn’t immediately see his GP. www.benenden.co.uk 23

Recognise the symptoms

Andy Clarke, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2011

The lowdown on what to look out for Although Andy Clarke had no symptoms, as his cancer was diagnosed early, there are changes to look out for that could indicate a problem with your prostate.

GO WITH THE FLOW If you are urinating more often than usual (particularly at night), struggle to get going, take a long time to finish, have a weak flow or feel you’re not emptying your bladder, ask to see your GP.

CAUSE AND EFFECT Experiencing symptoms doesn’t automatically mean you have prostate cancer, says Ali Rooke, specialist nurse at Prostate Cancer UK. “The symptoms may indicate there is a problem with the prostate, but this could be an enlarged prostate gland, prostatitis (an infection in the prostate) or it could signal that you have a urinary infection.”

TIME WELL SPENT Embarrassment or fear should not stop you from seeing your GP if you are worried about your risk or your symptoms.

“Those few minutes of discomfort with your GP could put years on your life,” says Clarke. “If it’s prostate cancer and it’s caught early, there’s every chance it can be successfully treated.”

DIAGNOSING PROSTATE CANCER A simple blood test measures prostatespecific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the cells of the prostate gland. A small amount of PSA in your blood is normal.

A raised level could indicate an issue, although not necessarily cancer.

GET CHECKED A prostate problem is often diagnosed using a digital rectum exam (DRE). Hard, bumpy areas on the prostate may suggest cancer, but someone with prostate cancer might have a prostate that feels normal.

24 Be Healthy Winter 2016

I kept pu!ing off making that appointment. I had no symptoms of cancer “As men are prone to doing when they’re worried about something, I kept putting off making that appointment,” he says. “I had no signs or symptoms of prostate cancer.”

Having no symptoms in the early stages of prostate cancer is common. In April 2011, Clarke decided to see his GP. Although his digital rectal examination (DRE) proved inconclusive since the surface of his prostate was smooth, his first PSA results revealed a slightly high level. A second test a month later found the level had increased. He was then sent for a biopsy in which 12 samples from various parts of his prostate were taken – his diagnosis was confirmed when all 12 samples were found to be cancerous.

CT and bone scans revealed Clarke’s cancer was caught at an early stage and was contained inside the prostate.

He and Kathy found telling their two sons – Henry, 17, and James, 13 – difficult.

“There were a lot of tears and the boys were asking if this meant I was going to die,” says Clarke. “We were able to put a reassuring arm around them and tell them it is possible to live with prostate cancer, as their grandfather was then doing exactly that.”

When it came to treatment, Clarke opted for combined radiotherapy and hormone therapy, as he didn’t want his sons to see him suffering with the potential side-effects of surgery, including bladder and bowel incontinence. Hormone therapy left him fatigued. He was forced to take time

off work as the fatigue became so severe.

At the time of his diagnosis, he was training for the Great North Run and coaching a children’s football team; those activities also had to be put on hold.

“Life was moving in slow motion during my treatment,” he says.

Five months later, in October 2011, Clarke received some great news: his cancer had gone into remission. A PSA test found that his level had reduced significantly. Fast forward to 2016 and he feels almost back to his best. One matter that does very much concern him is the increased risk his sons have of getting the disease.

“It’s something that regularly crosses our minds,” Clarke continues. “My eldest son Henry is aware of the risk but, with James, we aren’t sure whether he is oblivious to his risk or just prefers not to talk or think about it. When they get older we will be urging them to get tested because of their family history – even if that’s just an annual PSA blood test to monitor their levels.”

More information on prostate cancer can be found at www.nhs.uk/conditions/ Cancer-of-the-prostate

Clarke as a boy with his grandfather Alfred

CHRIS BLOTT

OTHER SIGNS These include needing to rush to the toilet, leaking before you get there or dribbling urine after you finish. Any pain when urinating or ejaculating, or blood in your urine or semen, should be checked.

MEN’S HEALTH

Guys, it’s time to tackle the big 5

Combat the main health risks for UK men by following these tips, writes Jim Pollard

In the UK, men are far more likely than women to die young – 40% of males die before the age of 75 compared with 26% of females. Indeed, one man in five doesn’t make retirement, dying before he is 65.

But what kills us? Most ill health and premature death in men has five main causes: heart and circulation problems, cancer, respiratory problems, liver disease and stress and mental health challenges. Here are ten tips to help you beat the big five.

Help your heart

Recent reports suggest cancer now leads cardiovascular disease (CVD) – which includes heart disease and stroke – as the biggest killer in the UK. Perhaps. But, with obesity on the up, CVD is expected to top the charts again soon. The heart needs five basic fuels to keep it ticking: fresh air, a balanced diet, a healthy weight, regular exercise and a relaxed “don’t take yourself too seriously” attitude to life.

PHIL HACKETT

1

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SCREENING NHS screening is available to keep an eye on your heart. If you are over 40, get an NHS health check. It is easy, quick and painless. The nurse will give you a good idea of your heart attack risk and some personalised tips to reduce it.

If you are over 65, you should be invited to AAA screening. AAA stands for abdominal aortic aneurysm, a swelling of the aorta, the main blood vessel from the heart. A burst AAA kills 80% of people before they get to A&E. There are few symptoms before it bursts, so screening is vital.

Men are six times more likely to have an AAA than women.

USE YOUR DODGY TICKER EARLY-WARNING SYSTEM You know what a balanced diet and regular exercise look like. The challenge is to do them. Well, here’s a little incentive. Everything that is good for your heart is also good for your penis. So by looking after your ticker, you’ll be looking after your erections.

That advice cuts both ways. If you’re having erection problems – erectile dysfunction (ED) – don’t ignore it or put it down to age, as age doesn’t make much difference. ED could be an early sign of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes or other problems. By seeing your GP, you’ll get both the ED and the underlying problem sorted out.

Reduce your cancer risk

At least one-third of us will get cancer in our lives. Analysis by the Men’s Health Forum suggests men are 56% more likely than women to get cancer and 67% more likely to die from it. Cancer Research UK reckons an unhealthy lifestyle is behind around onethird of cancers. The most common cancers in men are prostate, lung and bowel, in that order. Between them, they account for more than half of all cancers in men.

2

KNOW YOUR SYMPTOMS For a disease that is so much a part of our lives, we’re surprisingly poorly informed about the symptoms of cancer. In a Men’s Health Forum survey, only 61% of men said they would go to see their GP if they had blood in a stool, 54% if they were coughing up blood and 28% if they had a persistent cough. The first is the most common symptom of bowel cancer, the other two of lung cancer.

Other symptoms to look out for include any unexplained bleeding, weight loss or pain; a lump/swelling; getting out of breath more easily; blood in urine; changes in moles; feeling bloated; or heartburn for three weeks or more.

If you experience any of these, see your GP. You are not wasting their time.

KEEP ACTIVE The single best thing you can do to reduce your cancer risk is to not smoke. But you knew www.benenden.co.uk 25

MEN’S XXXXX HEALTH

that already. The second best is to keep active.

It is an inexact science, but research on the causes of death suggests being inactive is responsible for twice as many deaths as being overweight.

Ideally, you should aim for two and a half hours of moderately aerobic activity a week. Make sure it’s exercise that leaves you a little breathless, such as brisk walking, cycling or a bit of sport. But anything is better than nothing.

Look after your liver

Liver disease is the only major cause of death still increasing year on year in the UK, with twice as many people dying of it today as in 1991. Men are twice as likely to die as women. There are three main causes: obesity, viral infections such as hepatitis and, most of all, alcohol.

3

KEEP AN EYE ON ALCOHOL The maximum safe level for male drinking was reduced in January 2016 from 21 units a week to 14.

This reflects the real concern about the damage drink can do.

It breaks down like this: cut down to 14 units and have a few nights off a week. If you can’t cut down, stop for a month. If you can’t stop, get help. Really, it is that simple.

USE A CONDOM There are several types of hepatitis. You can reduce the risk enormously by using a condom during sex, not sharing drug needles, and getting any vaccinations available especially when travelling abroad where the water might be less safe. Using a condom protects against other serious diseases too.

Breathe more easily

Diseases related to breathing include asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. The last two are part of a family of diseases called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). After lung cancer, COPD is the main cause of lung disease death. The UK is in the top 20 countries worldwide for COPD deaths.

In Europe, only Denmark and Hungary have higher COPD death rates.

4

YES, THAT’S THE ONE We all know the primary cause of lung disease – smoking. Stop.

Beat stress

Most mental health problems don’t, by themselves, kill, but they can lead to self-harm and suicide if left unchecked. Three-quarters of all suicides are by men and suicide is the main cause of death in males under 35.

Arguably, good mental health is the most important thing of all. If you’re feeling right between your ears, you’re far more likely to be aware of other changes in your body and get them checked out.

5

TRY A TIME-OUT Good mental health is not about avoiding stress. That would be impossible, and a little stress is good for you anyway. It is about knowing how to deal with it. You first need to know yourself and how you react. What lights your 26 Be Healthy Winter 2016

fuse? Work (or lack of it), money worries, family?

The key thing is: it’s not about someone else. Someone else might annoy or upset you, but you choose how you react. Avoid fixating on whose fault it is; focus on how you react. Do you get angry? Do you get sad? Walk away and figure it out rather than reacting first and asking questions later.

KNOW YOUR STRESS BUSTERS What makes you feel better?

Exercise, a walk, puzzles, sports, games, getting outdoors, dancing, singing, laughing, a good night’s sleep, a hobby, meeting mates, learning something or doing a course, volunteering? There is evidence for all of these.

Consider these five things when looking for a stress buster that works for you: connect (with others), be active, take notice (of what’s around you), keep learning and give. If you

are ticking a few of those boxes, you will feel better soon.

As long as whatever you do isn’t harming you or anyone else, a bit of what you fancy does you good.

TALK ABOUT IT Talking makes you feel better.

You don’t have to talk about anything heavy. Football is fine.

When you do have something more serious on your mind, whether it’s about your physical or mental health, talk to someone who can do something about it.

For a minor problem, that might be your high-street pharmacist.

For something more, it might be your GP. The Men’s Health Forum has an online chat service too (beatstress.uk).

Jim Pollard is editor of the Men’s Health Forum website and author of the award-winning User’s Guide to the Male Body

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Football Association councillor Rimla Akhtar at Wembley Stadium 28 Be Healthy Winter 2016

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HEALTH

THE ULTIMATE GOAL HERO

The beautiful game is the perfect platform to help tackle prejudice in sport, believes Rimla Akhtar WORDS: SIÂN PHILLIPS PHOTOGRAPHS: PAUL STUART

CREDIT IN 3MM BOX ALIGNED TOP

A

lifelong Liverpool fan and member of the Football Association council, Rimla Akhtar says her love of football is down to her brothers.

“Being the only girl and the youngest of three, I was the annoying little sister who wanted to do everything my brothers were doing,” she says, flashing a bright smile.

“From about age four, if they were playing football outside our home with their friends, I’d invite myself along.”

Akhtar exudes a natural calm unshaken by the fact she is fasting. It is Shawwāl, in which six days’ fasting, along with the previous month of Ramadan, are seen as the equivalent of fasting for a year.

She says the early kickabouts led her, aged 10, to join her first formal five-a-side team at primary school. “I won my first medal at a Metropolitan Police tournament.

It was a fantastic experience.”

With the fluent storytelling of a public speaker, Akhtar illustrates a broader point about sport and inclusion. “I was born in the 1980s in north London. At that time it was difficult for people who didn’t look like anyone else, but football was the one area where nobody seemed to care about the colour of my skin, the fact that I was a girl or that I wore a cloth around my head. It was purely about my ability as a player.”

Scroll through Akhtar’s CV and the impact of this positive experience has clearly influenced her career. Besides her role with the FA council, she has been a

member of the Inclusion Advisory Board since 2013, strategically and practically guiding the FA on equality matters. She has been chair of the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation (MWSF) charity for 11 years, earning awards including the Muslim News Awards for Excellence in Sport in 2009, the Sunday Times and Sky Sports Sportswomen of the Year Community Award in 2013, and an MBE last year for her outstanding contribution to equality and diversity.

Akhtar became involved in the MWSF at the start of the millennium as a futsal player.

The MWSF supported the British Muslim women’s futsal team to play at the Women’s Islamic Games in Iran in 2005, with Akhtar as captain. She relished the responsibility.

“I started to get involved in putting a team together and getting us out there www.benenden.co.uk 29

HEALTH HERO

because we didn’t have thousands of pounds behind us,” she says. “It was things like getting our kit sponsored and the organisational work behind the scenes.”

After the event she continued to drive the charity, along with her vice-captain, and became its chair. As she became more experienced in the role, which she did in parallel with her job as a chartered accountant at PwC, the charity grew more ambitious. It focused on increasing the involvement of Muslim women and girls in sport by delivering female-only opportunities at all levels, from grass roots to elite.

Akhtar cites one project, Born to Succeed, which campaigned to get girls into sport as well as delivering courses, leagues and tournaments, reaching around 2,000 women. The project, which ran from 2009 to 2014, was awarded £235,972 by the Football Foundation. It was designed to engage Muslim girls from all over London in football and basketball, giving them the opportunity to improve their skills, practise in a safe environment, and work towards refereeing and coaching qualifications.

Much of the MWSF’s work is about empowering people to own their projects, says Akhtar. “At a basketball club we helped set up in east London, the volunteer involved with making that happen has set up her own organisation based on Muslim women – but open to all women.”

She adjusts her hijab as she speaks. “As well as the basketball sessions that have always been there, they do Pilates, yoga, badminton and, I think, football.

Something has been stirred up inside these women 30 Be Healthy Winter 2016

We don’t see diversity in role models

GETTY IMAGES

“My mother has always encouraged me to excel and be different”

also affected, she says. “Take football: how many Asian guys do we see in the top leagues in our country?”

From a personal perspective, Akhtar’s mother, who came to the UK from Pakistan aged 19, was a huge influence. “Prior to coming here, she was sports captain year after year at her school. She has always encouraged me – possibly more than my brothers – to excel and be different.”

Last year, Akhtar set up RimJhim Consulting, and works with governing bodies such as Badminton England, the Youth Sport Trust and the Amateur Swimming LIFE AND TIMES Association to connect RIMLA AKHTAR people, facilitate projects l Born in north London and share her expertise to to parents who hailed improve diversity and from Pakistan. inclusion in sport. “If you l Began playing football have the right combination aged four. of people at the top level, l Captained the GB futsal that tends to filter down… and they’ve said: ‘Yes, this is team at the 2005 Women’s it says [the organisation] is about us.’ A lot of the group Islamic Games in Iran. engaging absolutely are mothers and they say: l Gaining a degree in everyone it can,” she says.

‘This is my time … I’m around chemistry with Despite her positivity, women like me who get me, management, Akhtar she says inclusiveness has and it’s fun and I feel like I’m then trained as a taken a backward step in part of the sisterhood.’” chartered accountant. recent months. “I spent Another advantage of l An independent member the first half of my life sport is its health benefits. of the FA’s Inclusion dealing with the fact that Research published last year Advisory Board since 2013 the colour of my skin showed girls start to drop off and the first Muslim woman makes people want to be from playing sports as early on the FA council. discriminatory or abusive as eight years old. “As a l Accolades include the towards me and others society, we don’t encourage Sunday Times and Sky like me,” she says. “And our young girls to take part in Sports Sportswomen now I’m dealing with the sport and not concern Community Award 2013 fact that this hijab I wear themselves with what people and an MBE in 2015. creates the exact same might think or say,” says response in people.

Akhtar, “so girls have a lot of Particularly since Brexit, personal issues around not wanting to sweat and with all these attacks happening across in front of boys and things like that.” the world, it’s easy to fall back into that.

Referring to potential hurdles for women Sport has a huge role to play in overcoming from the Muslim, Jewish Orthodox and these prejudices and challenging them.” other communities, Akhtar explains: “There Akhtar’s belief in activism and will be issues when girls reach certain ages community is at the heart of her work. Her where they will feel like they want to be religion also informs her commitment. “My segregated from boys. That can be an issue faith encourages me to recognise and for those from a religious perspective, celebrate diversity. Anything that involves certainly. They might feel there aren’t as recognising and bringing together people many opportunities for them – in an from diverse communities, I love.” all-female environment, say.”

A major problem, says Akhtar is a YOUR HEALTH HERO lack of role models. “We are Tell us about the inspiring people making starting to see fantastic female role Akhtar: a difference in the world of health. models in sports, but we don’t + award HEALTH l Send your nominations to quite see diversity in that group.” winner HERO behealthy@benenden.co.uk Men and boys, particularly from the Asian community, are

17 Nov – 23 Dec 2016

Traditional Christmas Markets

Castle Howard at Christmas

Victorian Christmas at the Castle Museum

Carols at York Minster

Ice Trail 10 & 11 December

Sweet treats at York Chocolate’s Story

Ice Factor & Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland

Santa Specials on North Yorkshire Moors Railway Festive Barley Hall

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INSIDE STORY

‘People can see I’m not too posh to wash’ As acting matron for the new ward at Benenden Hospital, Phil Golding prefers a hands-on approach

‘T

WORDS SIÂN PHILLIPS PHOTOGRAPH ALASTAIR LEVY

his one’s for knitting and this is for country dancing,” chuckles Phil Golding, acting matron for wards and ambulatory care at Benenden Hospital in Kent. He is pointing to the pins on either lapel of his regulation black and grey-striped shirt.

“Actually,” he confesses, “this is my nursing badge which supports my diploma from the University of Brighton. The other says I’m a member of the Royal College of Nursing. I don’t have to wear them but I like to. It shows my pride in my profession.”

Golding has been acting matron at Benenden since February 2016 and was previously ward manager after joining the hospital in 2013. He reclines, stretching out in the desk chair of his bright and airy white office in the hub of the hospital’s new 32-bed Bensan ward, which opened in May. “I’m responsible for the day-to-day running of the ward and care of everyone coming in for an operation that requires a bed, whether just for the day or for a week,” he says. “The ambulatory care unit treats up to 62 patients each day, and encompasses anybody that walks in, has a procedure and walks out again – such as for our cataract service. In total, the areas I cover treat about 700 to 750 patients a month.”

32 Be Healthy Winter 2016

Golding, who is supported by a team of around 70 staff, clearly relishes the role. In autumn 2015, he won the ‘Leading and inspiring others’ award at the hospital’s Best of Benenden prize-giving ceremony, for which he was nominated anonymously by colleagues. Watching him glide through the hospital greeting everyone with a smile and a quick hello, it is no surprise to hear he has been nominated again this year.

“It was better than any pay rise or promotion to win and be nominated again this year,” says Golding proudly.

The 37-year-old says he has “absolutely no regrets” about moving to Benenden from the NHS. A local boy from nearby Staplehurst, he now lives in Cranbrook, around five miles from Benenden Hospital, with his partner Ian, a customer services manager for British Airways, his boxer dog Dora and two cats.

Previously, he worked at a community hospital in nearby Tenterden and earlier at “Holby City or Casualty-type hospitals” as he calls them. “I was charge nurse in A&E in Maidstone so I’ve done all the adrenalinefuelled, unpredictable, ‘don’t-know-what’scoming-through-the-door’ stuff and it was good,” he says. “It built me personally and professionally.”

At Benenden, he says, he oversees a mixed specialty ward covering anything from ear, nose and throat, general surgery,

As an A&E charge nurse I did all the adrenalinefuelled, unpredictable stuff and it was good

NB MID-RES ONLY – GO BACK TO LEVY FOR HI-RES Phil Golding in Benenden Hospital’s ambulatory care ward

THREE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY JOB

1

Work-life balance I live nearby but Benenden is flexible and was very supportive when I needed time to help my partner move in recently

2 gynaecology, bariatrics and orthopaedics to urology. “So the staff’s knowledge base and skill set needs to be quite diverse,” explains Golding.

Much of his role is now managerial – setting standards and ensuring the regulations set by the Care Quality Commission are followed, while keeping up with innovation in equipment and nursing practice, human resources and staff recruitment. Even so, he insists on spending time with patients every day.

“At least once a month I do full clinical shifts on the ward so the staff can see how I work, people new into the organisation can see that I’m not ‘too posh to wash’.”

Golding says he can’t imagine leaving Benenden and has a couple of nurses in his team who are about to receive their 30-year awards this year. “Retention isn’t an issue here. Recruitment can be because we’re a bit far from everything, but once they come, people don’t leave. And I have no reason to think I’ll not be here for another 30 years.”

I feel supported My opinion is considered and valued by the organisation. We have a hierarchy but it’s informal so everyone from the top down has an open-door policy

3

We live up to our promises Here we do what we say we’re going to do. If a patient leaves here and we say you’ll have a follow-up in six weeks, that’s when it will happen www.benenden.co.uk 33

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15/08/2016 14:27

YourBenenden i ] Get more from your membership

How to step up and make a difference It is an important time for members of Benenden as we prepare for the society’s annual branch general meetings (AGMs).

Far from sitting on the sidelines, there are signs more and more members are taking part at branch level in helping shape the organisation.

We pride ourselves that part of the reason for our success over the past 111 years is active member involvement.

AGMs are the entry point for members to play a part in how the society functions. Benenden is not run for shareholders or for profit. It is run for the benefit of members.

If you take the opportunity to get involved, you are looking after your own interests as a member – and the future of your society. Each branch elects a number of members to be delegates at conference and vote on behalf of the branch. The delegates are elected at the branch AGM, usually the first branch meeting of the year.

Watch out for an invitation to your local AGM dropping through your letter box. The invitation will contain the usual information about your branch and its activities, but this year it will also encourage you to visit the member area of the Benenden website. It is easy to log on – just go to www.benenden.co.uk/member for information about forthcoming meetings, as well as how to register to attend them. You can even use the website to tell us about any specific needs you might have, from dietary requirements to a hearing loop.

Our branches have been greatly improving the standard of venues used for meetings, with efforts to make them more convenient, interesting and enjoyable for members. It has never been easier to get involved. We look forward to welcoming you to our branch AGMs.

René Fraioli Society secretary

A Cycle GB 2016 training session

The long road to £50,000 Cyclists take on a 600-mile trip for charity

A team of 22 intrepid cyclists has tackled Cycle GB 2016, a 600-mile sponsored bike ride to raise money for charity – and heighten awareness of mental illness.

Novice and accomplished cyclists alike prepared hard for the journey, which involved two stages, from Glasgow to York and on to Benenden Hospital in Kent. Their goal was to raise £50,000 to be

split evenly between Benenden Charitable Trust and the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH).

Taking part was Matthew Ball, a British Cycling level 2 coach and group art director at Think Publishing, which produces Be Healthy.

Before the sponsored bike ride in September he helped train June Pennykid and John Suttie from Keegan

and Pennykid – part of the Benenden Group.

Ball said: “Cycle GB was a mammoth challenge. We worked on more confident cycling, effective braking and

safe cornering, developing skills for consistent and cohesive group riding.”

Find out more at www.benenden. co.uk/cyclegb2016 www.benenden.co.uk 35

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YOUR BENENDEN

URBAN OUTREACH 5 FACTS

Lexie and Dougie from Bolton with their healthy holiday lunches

Care on a number of fronts Urban Outreach was founded in 1990 by former chef Dave Bagley and his wife Chris, a teacher

Mealtime champions

Society backs free packed lunches, writes Jonathan McIntosh An initiative to give children from deprived areas free packed lunches during the summer holidays was given a welcome boost by Benenden.

The Bolton Lunches project, organised by the charity Urban Outreach, targeted families struggling to provide their children with the same quality lunches they might receive during term time at school.

Packed lunches were available at 25 distribution centres across Bolton, thanks to a donation from Benenden and a host of volunteers at the Urban Outreach warehouse.

More than one in five – or 8,600 – pupils are eligible for

free school meals in Bolton due only the funding for the to low incomes. lunches, but the information to Paul Keenan, group head of help the families provide communications at Benenden, nutritious meals on a budget.” said: “It’s so important children After the project was from low-income families launched in response to are given the same community concerns, opportunities for a about 40 volunteers nutritious meal as met at 7.15am each children from other weekday during the backgrounds. summer holidays to “This project make around 1,300 resonated with our lunches. Each child values as a health and received a chicken, Dave wellbeing mutual. It inspired Bagley ham, cheese or tuna us to create a healthymayonnaise roll, orange eating leaflet, given to each or apple juice, a fruit bar, mini family receiving the lunches.” cheese biscuits and an apple.

Dave Bagley, chief executive at Urban Outreach, said: “We For more information visit www.urbanoutreach.co.uk value Benenden’s support – not

The Bolton charity began by providing short-term care for troubled young people, later launching an overnight winter café in response to street homelessness Urban Outreach now offers help in the areas of offender support; health and homelessness; children and families; and food and coldweather provision It provided free packed lunches each day to children and young people on low incomes who receive free school meals during term time Urban Outreach delivered more than 40,000 packed lunches during the summer school holidays

Sophie Anderson

Membership

My journey from couch to 10k

URBAN OUTREACH

Beginner joins race to fundraise for trust A novice runner who joined a band of 60 staff to run the York 10k and fundraise for the Benenden Charitable Trust has described the experience as inspiring.

Sophie Anderson, 21, a member services adviser for Benenden, completed her first 10k in one hour, 19 minutes and 57 seconds.

She said: “I’m only a young ’un but was very unfit. I literally couldn’t run a mile before I started training for the York 10k.

“The fact so many of my colleagues, of all abilities, were teaming together to raise money for Benenden Charitable Trust was inspiring.

I decided that I wanted to challenge myself.”

The trust helps Benenden members experiencing

financial difficulties or distress because of illness, infirmity, disability or any medical condition.

Visit www.benenden.co.uk/ charitable-trust/

www.benenden.co.uk 37

Our special thank you to you as a reader of BE

HEALTHY

8-day 5-star tour Cyprus Ancient advanced culture, holy apostles & world-famous crusaders

For you of r as a readeTHY L A E H BE

£14£99 49 from only

* p. p.

1

INCLUDING

instead of

Kyrenia One of the UK’s most popular cultural tours ! – One of the UK’s most popular cultural tours !

Nicosia

Famagusta

Ancient Salamis

Bellapais

4 and 5-star hotels (example)

INCLUDING

Package includes:

INCLUDING

(Price when booking the following separately)1

Flights to and from Ercan with a reputable airline, incl. airport fees & hotel transfers

£3391

7 nights in selected 4- and 5-star hotels (nat. category) 7x generous breakfast buffet

£3801

Round trip in our modern, air-conditioned coach with qualified, English-speaking guides

£1001

Fascinating cultural tour featuring ancient £1301 advanced culture, holy apostles & world-famous crusaders.

Spectacular range of excursions + admissions (as per itinerary), incl. t /JDPTJB t #FMMBQBJT t "ODJFOU 4PMJ t 'BNBHVTUB t .JOJBUVSF 1BSL t (FDJULÚZ %BN t "ODJFOU 4BMBNJT t ,ZSFOJB t 4U .BNBT $IVSDI 24-hour emergency medical service Total price per person

£9491

Your saving per person

– £8001

Your special rate per person from only £149* Flight Dates Seasonal price p. p.

Including a spectacular range of excursions:

February 2017

February 2017

£0

£40

£70

(04. – 14.02.) #

"MM JO SBUF 4QFDJBM SBUF GPS ZPV BT B reader of BE HEALTHY from only Airports Airport fees p. p.

Departure day

Birmingham £30 £0 Sat

Your SAVING per person

£

HEALTHY

As a customer of BE HEALTHY, you benefit from extremely attractive special rates for optional extras: Gourmet package: This package includes half-board, i.e. sumptuous buffet every evening with international specialties: only £99 per person instead of £1291 (bookable upon arrival).

We recommend securing your gourmet package when you arrive. The individual hotels on the tours are located in idyllic natural settings and therefore a little outside the towns.

March 2017

149

Famagusta

1

as a customer of BE

(04. – 14.03.) £90

Salamis

£800

March 2017

(18. – 28.02.) #

INCLUDING

t Kyrenia: a gorgeous coastal t Kyrenia: Bellapais Gecitköy town with an old harbour, Kyrenia an impressive fortress Nicosia Ercan (admission included) & historic Soli rus Northern Cyp shipwreck now housing a museum (admission included) t Artisanal tradition in a jewellery and leather factory t Gecitköy Dam: tour & information on the project to combat the scarcity of water in Cyprus t Ancient Soli (admission included): impressive ancient excavation site incl. basilica and theatre

t Nicosia: the last divided capital in Europe with an Ottoman caravanserai (admission included) & the impressive Selimiye Mosque (admission included) t Famagusta: leisure time in the picturesque town t Ancient Salamis (admission included): excavation site of an ancient Roman town including the historical ruins of the gymnasium and thermal baths t Monastery of St. Barnabas (admission included): apostle, martyr and Cyprian national saint t St. Nicholas’ Cathedral (admission included): now known as the Lala Mustafa Pascha Mosque. One of the most outstanding Gothic buildings in Cyprus t Craftsmanship in a traditional carpet-weaving factory t Bellapais Monastery (admission included): a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Breath-taking location in the Pentadaktylos Mountains with a fabulous view of Kyrenia t Miniature Park (admission included): Cyprus’ 15 most important highlights in miniature format t St. Mamas Church (admission included): a beautiful church which is home to some fascinating frescoes

January 2017 (24. – 31.01.)

INCLUDING

April 2017

May 2017

(18. – 28.03.)

(01. – 25.04.) #

(02. – 30.05.)

£120

£150

£180

* Personperson €* pro per

instead of £949

1

London Gatwick

Manchester

£40 £0 Tue

" WJTB JT OPU SFRVJSFE GPS FOUFSJOH /PSUIFSO $ZQSVT 0O BSSJWBM BU UIF CPSEFS B EBZ WJTB JT BVUPNBUJDBMMZ JTTVFE GSFF PG DIBSHF " WBMJE QBTTQPSU PS QFSTPOBM *% DBSE JT SFRVJSFE BOE NVTU CF WBMJE GPS UIF FOUJSF EVSBUJPO PG ZPVS TUBZ :PV BSF SFDPNNFOEFE UP FOTVSF UIBU ZPVS QFSTPOBM *% DBSE PS QBTTQPSU JT WBMJE GPS BOPUIFS NPOUIT BGUFS FOUSZ "EEJUJPOBM information available at: http://mfa.gov.ct.tr/consular-info/visa-regulations/ " EFQPTJU PG PG UIF UPVS QSJDF JT QBZBCMF VQPO SFDFJQU PG XSJUUFO CPPLJOH DPOGJSNBUJPO 5IF SFNBJOJOH BNPVOU NVTU CF QBJE EBZT CFGPSF EFQBSUVSF 5IF QSJDF BQQMJFT GSPN 24 to 31 January 2017. For other travel periods, seasonal price increases apply as listed in the flight schedule. # Holiday price increase p.p.: £49. This tour is exclusively available for individual travellers and is valid only for the booker plus accompanying adults. The travel conditions of RSD Travel Limited apply. These can be requested from the travel hotline or viewed at Subject to misprints and changes. The photos show typical examples of what you can expect from our hotels. This trip requires a minimum number of 15 participants per travel date.

1 Price example was calculated on 03 June 2016 for the travel dates 24 January to 31 January 2017. Flight from London Gatwick to Ercan and Ercan to London Gatwick on www.turkishairlines.com, transfers airport – hotel – airport on www.holidaytransfers.com, Grecian Bay hotel and Hilton Park Nicosia on www.booking.com, coach tour on www.nbktouristic.com, excursions on www.explorecyprus.com. The comparative price for the Culture and Dinner package is based on the standard prices of our Turkish partner (www.nbktouristic.com).

2 RSD Travel Ltd. and RSD Reise Service Deutschland GmbH belong to a European group of tour operators that organises tours for customers from a number of European countries. The survey focused on tourists who travelled with RSD in March 2014. These comments were made by customers who have travelled with our group of companies.

5IF BJS IPMJEBZT TIPXO BSF QSPUFDUFE CZ UIF $JWJM "WJBUJPO "VUIPSJUZ "MM UIF GMJHIUT BOE GMJHIU JODMVTJWF IPMJEBZT JO UIJT CSPDIVSF BSF GJOBODJBMMZ QSPUFDUFE CZ UIF "50- TDIFNF 8IFO ZPV QBZ ZPV XJMM CF TVQQMJFE XJUI BO "50- $FSUJGJDBUF 1MFBTF BTL GPS JU BOE DIFDL UP FOTVSF UIBU FWFSZUIJOH ZPV CPPLFE GMJHIUT IPUFMT BOE PUIFS TFSWJDFT JT MJTUFE PO JU 1MFBTF TFF PVS CPPLJOH DPOEJUJPOT GPS GVSUIFS JOGPSNBUJPO PS GPS NPSF JOGPSNBUJPO BCPVU GJOBODJBM QSPUFDUJPO BOE UIF "50- $FSUJGJDBUF HP UP XXX BUPM PSH VL "50-$FSUJGJDBUF 0VS "50- number is 10396. Please see our terms and conditions for more information. Single room surcharge: £199 per person (subject to availability)

£50 £0 Sat

Your reservation code! HEALTH8304

0800 021 1458

Call now, absolutely free, to secure your preferred travel dates.

The hotline is open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tour operator: RSD Travel Ltd., Regent's Place, 338 Euston Road, London, NW1 3BT, United Kingdom, Registered No. 07507940 (England & Wales).

Checked by us for you!

Customer satisfaction

«

«

INCLUDING

Lluchmayor

Palma

Mallorca

50 km

0

Reliability | Hospitality | Expertise

Interview with 14.719 people conducted

by RSD Travel Ltd./RSD 2, in March 2014

Overall score: A-

YOUR BENENDEN

Contact Benenden Membership and service enquiries 0800 414 8100

Health concern support 0800 414 8100 (Lines open 8am–8pm, Mon–Fri)

(Lines open 8am–8pm, Mon–Fri)

Independent care advice services 0800 414 8100

24/7 GP advice line 0800 414 8247 Round-the-clock medical advice from a qualified, UK-based doctor is just a phone call away

Psychological wellbeing 24/7 helpline 0800 414 8247

If you’re feeling overanxious, a qualified therapist can offer information about local services that can help with issues such as money worries, relationship problems and bereavement

(Lines open 8am–8pm, Mon–Fri)

Add family to your membership 0800 414 8470

Your three-step guide to contacting us when you need help with obtaining a diagnosis or treatment

1 2 3

First of all, you will need a referral from your GP. You will already have explored NHS waiting times.

If you’re unable to wait for the NHS, ask us if Benenden could assist you.

(Lines open 8am–5pm, Mon–Fri)

Registered office

Recommend Benenden

Benenden, Holgate Park Drive, York YO26 4GG

Pass on the recommendation cards included in this edition of Be Healthy

IN FOCUS

Care solutions from independent advisers Deciding to find care for you or a relative can be difficult – and prove a significant financial commitment.

Whether you require long- or short-term, residential or respite care, you need to be confident the option you choose is best for you.

Benenden offers an independent care advice service to help you every step of the way. After an initial telephone discussion, our advisers will review your situation and provide an independent report on the most fitting solutions.

Where appropriate, we will recommend alternative types of care and identify assistance that might be available.

We aim to give you costeffective advice to help you make informed decisions for you and your family.

Call 0800 414 8100 to discuss our independent care advice services www.benenden.co.uk 39

There are endless ways for doctors to nudge people in one direction or another

It’s the way I tell ’em Should there be a prescribed method for how GPs deliver advice?

D

Backchat Dr Phil Hammond ILLUSTRATION: JASON FORD

40 Be Healthy Winter 2016

o doctors give out unbiased information? Of course we don’t.

We’re not like politicians who tell outright lies –£350 million a week for the NHS post-Brexit – but there are endless ways we can frame information to nudge people in one direction or the other.

Ask 12 doctors and you’ll get a dozen different opinions.

Say you have high cholesterol. Here are just some ways your doctor could address the problem. Who’s to say what the best response is during a short consultation with an anxious patient in a small room reeking of the previous patient? You decide …

1. “This statin will probably reduce your risk of a heart attack and stroke. We’ll start you on the cheapest.”

2. “They keep lowering the ‘normal’ cholesterol level to turn us all into patients and make us take drugs of marginal benefit – unless you work for a pharmaceutical company. You’d be much better off with a dog.”

3. “Please take this tablet every day for life. I am incentivised to reduce your cholesterol, and private school fees are increasing 8% year on year.”

4. “If you take this drug every day for five years, your relative risk of death will be reduced by a whopping 40%.”

5. “If you swallowed 1,825 tablets at a rate of one a day for

five years at a prescription cost of £504, your absolute risk of death would fall by a puny 0.03%. The statistically significant side effects are muscle damage, headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, anaemia, depression, nerve damage, hepatitis, jaundice, pancreatitis and hypersensitivity syndrome.

Still want some?”

6. “If 100 people like you are given no treatment for five years, 92 will live and eight will die. Whether you are one of the 92 or one of the eight, I don’t know. But then, if 100 people like you take this drug every day for five years, 95 will live and five will die. Again, I do not know if you are one of the 95 or the five. You decide.”

7. “Look at these pretty little tablets, aren’t they sweet? Little peachy dollops of doctor love, all for you. Please swallow them just for me, why don’t you?”

8. “Come outside and look at this. I’ve made a snake out of all the tablets you’ll be gulping down over the next decade and it goes twice around the surgery and up the herbaceous border.

And guess where I got all the tablets? From the cupboard under the sink of all those patients who died without bothering to open the packets.”

Please let me know which you think is the correct approach and feel free to suggest others. I will forward the results on to the General Medical Council for incorporation in its safe prescribing guidance.

Staying Alive: How to Get the Best From the NHS by Dr Phil Hammond is published

by Quercus

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A Haulfryn holiday resort

FINLAKE

Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, Devon TQ13 0EJ

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Some services have a six month qualifying period. †£10 M&S gift card for every new nominee added to an existing membership, quoting BENOCT16A at the point of join. To qualify for the incentive applications must be received between 4th October 2016 and 16th December 2016 and all new members must remain with Benenden beyond the 14 day cooling off period. Gift cards will be sent via post within 52 days of the new member joining.

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Membership is available to anyone over the age of 16 who is normally resident in the UK. Members can add family and friends to their membership regardless of their age. Benenden is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its subsidiaries. Benenden personal healthcare is offered by The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, which is an incorporated friendly society, registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, registered number 480F. The Society’s contractual business (the provision of tuberculosis benefit) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The remainder of the Society’s business is undertaken on a discretionary basis. The Society is subject to Prudential Regulation Authority requirements for prudential management. Registered Office: The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG. ADV/BENOCT16A/SP10153/08.16