Quit smoking with Boots

Boots is offering participants in this new programme up to €75 worth of Boots goods/vouchers if they Stop for Good.

One-to-one sessions with a fully trained adviser will also be available during the quit programme. If they meet their goals over 12 weeks they will be rewarded with products, money-off vouchers and an in-store makeover or skincare consultation.

Boots asked smokers to nominate the “good” that is encouraging them to Stop For Good and draw on that to fuel their journey towards a healthier lifestyle. For some, it is health or financial reasons, for others it’s because of medical advice, pregnancy or because they’re doing it for a loved one or friend.

“We understand that stopping smoking isn’t easy,” says Caoimhe McCauley, director of pharmacy at Boots.

That’s why we’ve created this rewards programme. There is evidence to suggest that incentives for smoking cessation boost success rates.

Stopping smoking can save at least €2,000 per annum and remember that your heart rate and blood pressure can drop within 20 minutes of stubbing out your last cigarette.

Rare diseases identifiable by smell

Some rare diseases can be detected because of strong body odours. If you have the metabolic diseasetrimethylaminuria (TMAU), for example, you may smell of rotten fish. This is because your body can’t metabolize a by-product of gut metabolism called trimethylamine. Very bad breath can also indicate advanced kidney and liver disorders.

Tight clothing may damage your health

Skinny jeans anyone? Maybe they are not a good idea to wear all the time based on some people’s health experiences around them.

In Australia, a rare case was featured in the Journal of Neurology and Neurosurgery of a woman who had developed compartment syndrome, a condition caused by bleeding or swelling within muscles and that was exacerbated by wearing skinny jeans.

Pain and tingling in thighs can also be a side-effect. Medical advice suggests not wearing them for too long at a time and giving them a miss if you’re exercising or if you have a urinary tract infection.

Men are warned to give tight, skinny jeans a miss also if they are planning a family as skinny jeans can lead to twisted testicles.

Shapewear worn too long is not good either

These undergarments are popular for providing smooth lines and for flattening stomachs but they come at a cost. According to doctors, modern-day corsets are so tight they can compress your stomach and colon, which can lead to acid reflux and heartburn. You can’t really breathe properly either because the pressure prevents your stomach from moving out the way it should so you end up breathing shallowly.

Wearing shapewear can also press on your bladder and because it is difficult to get on and off, can lead to you putting off going to the toilet which, in the long run, may lead to stress incontinence.

Sitting as you wear shapewear can lead to tingling and numbness in your thighs as nerves are pressed on. Yeast and bacterial infections can be more likely, too, because the shapewear traps moisture and provides an environment where bacteria can flourish.

The key is wearing the right size – not so tight that it damages you. The clue is that it shouldn’t be cutting in anywhere. The bottom line medical advice is that it’s okay for occasional wear but not day in/day out.

Increase in number of energy drinks for sale in last 10 years

The number of energy drinks for sale in Ireland has increased by 290% in the past 10 years, according to Safefood. Safefood considers these drinks unsuitable for children so has welcomed the announcement by Aldi, Waitrose and Asda that they are banning the sale of these products to children.

These stimulant drinks are not suitable for rehydration purposes following sport either, Safefood says, and are not recommended as a mixer for alcoholic beverages. Marketing of these products should be undertaken without ambiguity or association with sport of alcohol, they say.

“It’s staggering how these products are so prevalent in our shops and, together, energy drinks and sports drinks now comprise more than 20% of the soft drinks market in Ireland,” says Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, director, human health and nutrition.

Consumption can have health consequences because of the sugar and caffeine content. A typical 500ml can has sugar levels of 12 teaspoons per can and the same amount of caffeine as in two espressos.

"We hope that all other retailers on the island will follow this significant move by Aldi, Asda and Waitrose,” she said.

Good news for children and teens with diabetes

In the next few months, children and teenagers with diabetes who use the Freestyle Libre blood glucose management system will get the cost reimbursed by the HSE. This innovative device eliminates finger-pricking blood testing that can be challenging for children who may have to be tested many times a day.

Freestyle Libre involves wearing a sensor on your arm that automatically measures and continuously stores blood glucose readings day and night. Users can scan the sensor even through clothing and it can be worn while showering and swimming, minimising inconvenience and discomfort for many. The reimbursement will be made on an individual basis where specific criteria are satisfied.

A mother checking her child's blood glucose level using reader.

Drugs payment scheme threshold

€144 was the figure that you had to pay as a family for medication every month under the Drugs Payment Scheme (DPS). After that, the HSE covered the cost of the rest of the drugs you needed. However, this threshold has now been lowered by €10 to €134 and the HSE covers the cost of the rest.

Have you had your free cervical check?

Cervical cancer often has no symptoms, so regular cervical screening is vital because it detects early changes.

All women aged 25 to 60 are entitled to a free test through the State’s CervicalCheck screening programme. If you would like more information, call CervicalCheck on 1800 45 45 55 or visit www.cervicalcheck.ie

Be aware of the symptoms of cervical cancer including abnormal bleeding, blood-stained discharge and discomfort or pelvic pain.

Breastfeeding is considerable less common among rural women

Breastfeeding rates across the country differ a lot between rural and urban areas, with it being more popular in urban areas.

In Donegal, only 19.6% of new mothers breastfeed while in the Dublin south-east region that figure stands at 84.3%.

Breastfeeding rates in Ireland are among the lowest in the world. A HSE survey in 2017 found that only 55% of Irish babies were being breastfed by mothers when the public health nurse paid her first visit to the house – usually within days of being discharged. In 2016, 59.9% of women breastfed for a while.

In a recent US study, breastfeeding was shown to cut a woman’s chances of developing diabetes by almost half.

“Doctors, nurses, hospitals and policymakers should therefore support women and their families to breastfeed as long as possible,” said Dr Tracy Flanagan, one of the US researchers involved.

New model of care for treatment of eating disorders

The HSE has set about improving the model of care for those with eating disorders. Soon there will be adult and child eating disorder teams at clinic hubs throughout the country, rather than here and there, to deliver care for in-patients and out-patients.

The proposed hub locations include Dublin, Cork and Galway and smaller hubs in Waterford, Limerick, Sligo, Kilkenny and Cavan. Phased recruitment and training will take place during the four-year implementation plan.

Wellness tips this spring

Pharmacist and integrated Wellness Coach working with Irish Life Health, Miriam Kerins-Hussey, has these tips for staying healthy in cooler weather:

• Practice Vitamin H (home cooking) and Vitamin L (cook with Love and Local seasonal fruits and vegetables). Cook at home and make it fun.

• Bulk prep your meals and freeze. Pick one day a week to cook up meals. Handy when you are working.

• Fill up on fresh fruits and vegetables to build immunity and ward off colds and flus. Let your plate resemble the colours of the rainbow.

• Reduce, cut down or avoid processed foods.

• Make meal times special. Food is connection. Food is energy. Food is medicine. Turn off electronic devices during meals.

• Drink plenty of water. Start your day with hot water and lemon to cleanse and detoxify.

• Take exercise

• Reduce stress. Stress drives cortisol and this drives illness. Remember your mobile phone is the biggest time killer and stress driver, driving comparisons, anger and anxiety.

• Breathe to relieve stress. Take 5 deep breaths several times a day e.g. before you eat, before you switch on the computer, before you start your car.

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