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Keeping Healthy - Staying Healthy
Sensible Drinking
A small amount of alcohol does you no harm but excessive intake of alcohol over a period of time can seriously damage your health.
Alcohol is measured in units - one unit is 10 grams of alcohol and is found in:
| ½ pint of beer |
Less than ½ pint of export beer |
| Less than ½ pint of cider |
A small glass of wine |
| A small sherry |
A pub single measure of spirits |
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| Bottle of wine, 75cl |
=between 7 and 9 units |
| Bottle of sherry, 75cl |
=13 units |
| Bottle of whiskey, 75cl |
=28 units |
| Can of cider, 440ml |
=2.3 units |
Only you know how many units you drink. Be fair to yourself and your family - stay within healthy limits.
| For men, a sensible limit is up to 21 units per week. |
| For women the limit is 14 units per week. |
Give Up Smoking
Some people smoke because they enjoy it and do not want to stop. However, when we ask most people they say they do not really enjoy it, would like to stop, but cannot manage to.
Some of the risks are:
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Heart and Arterial Disease - heart attack, stroke and amputation. |
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Chronic Bronchitis (coughing up phlegm in morning is an early sign). |
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Cancer (all kinds). |
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Ulcers. |
Ask to speak to a Practice Nurse, Midwife or Health Visitor who can help you join a Smokestop Programme.
Take More Exercise
Go gently at first, and do an activity you enjoy, for example a brisk 15 minute walk twice a day. Join a keep fit class suitable for your age, go dancing or swimming. Gradually, as you get fitter and more lively, consider more active sports or organised games. If you are overweight or unfit it is worthwhile discussing your general condition with the Practice Nurse before you embark on an exercise programme.
Reducing Your Fat Intake
When cooking with oil, use polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower or monounsaturated oil, such as olive oil. Measure with a tablespoon the amount of oil to see how much you use, then you can slowly reduce it to half or maybe less. There are approximately 130 calories per tablespoon of oil.
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When cooking meat trim off the excess fat. |
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Skim off layer of oil that settles on top of food. |
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Eat more vegetables as they can provide more fibre (filling you up) and have fewer calories than meat. |
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Eat less red meat and more chicken or fish. |
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Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk in place of full creamed. |
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Avoid hidden fat in pies, pastries, biscuits, cakes, sausages and burgers, etc. |
Want To Lose Weight?
Take a pen and paper and keep a diet diary for one week. Write down everything you eat or drink - no cheating! Include all nibbles and snacks, tea and coffee (with/without milk and sugar) and alcohol. Take a long hard look at your diet. Are there too many sweets, fried or fatty foods? Not enough fibre or roughage? Hidden fat (see above)? Too much alcohol or junk food?
Your diary will be a good guide as to where you are going wrong. Once you are aware of the problem areas within your diet you can start making changes. Start introducing low fat, low sugar and high fibre foods into your diet.
Top Tips:
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Reduce your alcohol intake. |
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Eat raw fruit and vegetables in place of sugary snacks. |
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If you must take sugar in drinks, replace with artificial sweeteners. |
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Try to avoid snacks between meals. |
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Eating 3 small meals per day is better than 1 big meal in evening. |
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Avoid eating after 6 o’ clock in the evening. |
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