Category / Health

by jo

Quiet.

Things are a bit quiet around here, and there are reasons. I’m in week five of an evil cold which has put my back out twice (by coughing). This has meant more trips to the Osteo, but I’m slowly being pieced back together like some crazy mass of Lego with instructions.

Which has meant limited time on the laptop and more iPad and mobile time. So the blogs are suffering.

So I’m just popping in to say why. Things will pick up again. I’m getting better, even though I’m a bit more skint (good Osteopaths don’t come cheap!). I have many posts in draft I haven’t been able to finish, so they’ll appear first. See you in a week or so…!

by jo

A Healthy Me? November

I think as far as November and health goes, it’s a big fat FAIL.

Last week I developed a cough, similar to the one most of my friends have had with the flu – looks like the jab worked, but I’m just not immune from the cough at the end. So far I’m eight days in with around one to three hours worth of sleep every night – I am not a pretty sight. I even had four days off sick last week which I haven’t done in a very long time. I felt rough.

Add to that a rather violent cough which then put my back out – you couldn’t make it up. I have a new Osteopath who looks on the body as a whole rather than just sorting out the back, so I’m currently taking her advice. One of the things I said was how annoyed at myself I am for giving in to easy food and putting my weight back on so easily. She suggested eating apple and pineapple for lunch every day, and from making that change I now weigh 13 stone 2 – which isn’t too far off the 12 stone 11 I hit initially. I haven’t tried the dress recently either – too tired.

So, let’s break it down.

Swimming. Sadly, nothing. I have to stop doing breast stroke because of my back – it isn’t any good. I can’t do front crawl (I need to learn), so I’m going to take an induction for the gym and do cycling and cross training which are both okay for my back, as well as some gentle weights.

Being Active. I wish. We’ve been out and about but when the cough started I’ve pretty much stayed at home, weekends in my pyjamas. See also – getting out.

photo-3-1-300x225

Food. I’m making improvements. At Blogfest we did the Unilever plate to eat all our food, and I’m thinking of ways to make sure all our food is used and we don’t throw things away needlessly, which seems to be working. I’m still not sure how showing an empty plate helps spread the word, but I did it anyway. I’m eating better for breakfast and really letting this cold get out of my system. Apparently my immune system isn’t that good, and seeing as I’ve been keeping myself awake for the last week coughing I invested in a Vicks Humidifier which will hopefully help. In turn, I’ll probably eat even better as I’ll get my energy back. I have not had a scrap of energy to prepare a Yumbox the night before work.

Weight. Pretty happy with that, could lose a bit more, that’ll come once I’ve picked myself up and we’re back on track. Next month? Eek. This time next month it’s CHRISTMAS EVE. Cripes.

So yes, a week and a bit of poorly time, and now I’ve a billion and one blog posts to catch up on….

by jo

A Healthy Me? October

I realise I’ve not updated in ages on my weightloss attempts, and actually, I’m doing terribly. I tried really hard to eat well but in the last month tiredness and illness got the better of us all – and more often than not, food wasn’t as fresh as I’d have liked.

Add to that a week we’ve just had in North Yorkshire with far too many meals involving chips, and I’m stepping away from the scales for a few days – my clothes are telling me everything I need to know.

Having said that, I got the dress to fit! So I’m doing something right somewhere – I did read that travelling to a different time zone can play havoc with your weight as you eat more (I know I do) to compensate for the mealtimes you’re missing that you’re used to.

With illness I haven’t been swimming, though we did lots of walking around Yorkshire when we were there which has hopefully worked off some of the chips and fat! I’ve had the flu jab, so I’m going to see if that makes a difference to my overall resistance to being ill. Shaun has had it too and has been constantly unwell.

So let’s get back to each section I’m working on.

Swimming – could do better. I feel a lot better and ready to restart. Revisit – although I am thinking about doing cycling in the gym upstairs for the days I don’t feel like swimming – then I don’t need to wait before I eat.

Being Active – I am going to wear the Fitbug Orb again and start tracking again. We’ve definitely got an active life – most weekends are booked up now until the end of the year so I need to find ways which involve walking to get there where applicable rather than driving.

Getting Out – we do plenty of that.

Food – needs some work, although right now Shaun is dairy-free so our diet has been adjusted a little bit where we all eat. Sandwiches at work have been a bit hit and miss, and with being so tired and ill I haven’t used the Yumbox as much as I should. That is going to change next week. We’ve had lots of nice vegetable curries though!

veg-curry

Weight – I think the 12 stone 11 was a freak measurement as I’ve never hit it since (and I did try twice when it came up)  so we’ll revisit that at the end of this month.

The chips tasted good though. I’m now looking for good Air Fryer deals as I think that’s the way to go. Don’t deny myself, just make them healthier (and use other vegetables).

by jo

A Healthy Me?

I’m overweight, probably borderline obese again since we got back from Australia where I ate to my heart’s content (and the seven hour time difference threw things a bit as well). I need to lose that weight, so I’ve been doing little things here and there to make a difference – while in the back of my mind knowing that one day I will fit into THE dress I bought out there (for approximately £5).

fremantle dress

So here’s my plan:

Swimming – I keep clicking my back out, and I’ve had a stinky cold so I haven’t been as much as I should do. I intend to go back this week though and get kicking up and down the pool again. Because of the lack of swimming I’ve been trying to walk more and make sure I do a certain number of steps a day. The Fitbug hasn’t been used since I hurt my back, so I need to get back into that again.

Being Active – I like to think I’ve an active life, in fact I get told off sometimes that I never stop. Now school is back we’re into the regular routine, Rainbows (with me helping) on a Monday – this week I showed them how to skip… Tuesday is Football with my pilates class an hour afterwards. Wednesday H has swimming and it isn’t convenient to watch her without running over half of the gym to get a decent seat. Thursday and Friday I collapse…

Getting Out – on the weekend we’ve been trying to do trips and walks around a bit more. Last Saturday we went into Central London to visit the British Museum, and on Sunday after a party we had time to go to Nonsuch Park to finish H’s home learning for school.

Yumbox Panino

Food – I’m one of those meal deal people a few times a week and it has to stop. On the other days I’ve been buying a sandwich from M&S, a low calorie one with vegetables, however, I’ve had it so much now that I’m at the point of feeling sick if I see it again, and I’m bored of egg. The low calorie sandwich options are not great out there. So I’m taking things in hand – and have bought myself a Yumbox Panino. Two or three days a week I’m taking my own lunch in, on the busiest days so I’ve had some food beforehand. After a couple of weeks the Yumbox will have paid for itself. I was mocked today for having one, then praised at the layout and how ingenious the silicone seal on the lid is, so that was good! Today’s lunch was a sandwich and some vegetables and hummous – something I’d have probably paid up to a fiver for before now. How silly is that? Add some fruit and it’s all good.

I’m also on the lookout for an air fryer, or one of the kind of fryers which uses no oil at all and makes chips from scratch in no time at all.

So that’s the plan so far. Every few days I get an urge to start running, but then my back gets a bit clicky so it’s put to one side – I’ll concentrate on the swimming for now I think!

I weighed myself this morning, and after coming in around 13 stone 4 when we got back, I’m now weighing 12 stone 11 – so something is working somewhere. I have to add, the difference moving around when your back doesn’t constantly hurts is a big one too.

So this is my September update – back in October. Maybe I’ll try get the dress on….

by jo

Back to School – A Digit-ill Guide

I am a firm believer in your child getting as many of the illnesses you can out of the way as young as possible – if only to build up their immunity for school. However, there are still things you can catch repeatedly, and I’m here to tell you more. Boots UK have put together a Digit-ill Healthy Guide which has some handy hints and tips for anyone starting out at school.

Digit-ill – get it? Let’s face it, most of us have touch screen tablet kind of things at the moment – how often do you wipe the screen clean? I know H’s one gets grubby to the point I’m almost ashamed. Those germs! This has certainly made me be a little more conscious where I could be making more of an effort.

Boots Digit-ill guide

Here are our (non digit-ill) additional ones:

Last year at H’s school there were three big things which spread around – headlice, threadworm and verrucas.

Headlice, we’ve covered so many times on here already, but it’s all about being sensible. We’ve found Tea Tree helps keep them away, with various types of creams to get rid of them. A comb through at hairwash time, and a comb through with an electric comb in between helps a lot. They’re horrible little things and anyone who gets them has my sympathy.

Threadworms are awful. Even if you don’t think you have it, if your child catches it (and it’s VERY contagious) you have to take the medicine. This is a medicine which doesn’t agree with me at all, and made me quite ill. One preventative measure is to keep washing your hands at every available opportunity (and of course to wash all clothes and bedding well!) – we bought H a Method Mickey Mouse soap to make sure she remembered, which worked. That and having a scrubbing brush handy, and keeping nails short. Boots also have a great pump for cleaning hands when you don’t have any soap near you (like when you’re out and about).

Verrucas are a less common one, but still crop up. H caught hers at swimming, and we were able to successfully Bazooka it over three months – but it didn’t occur to me that children will do PE barefoot at school occasionally, so I didn’t let them know. If your child has a verruca, make sure you let the teacher know, if only to help prevent it spreading.

With the three I’ve mentioned above, you can still go to school. I know scarlet fever was doing the rounds, and indeed one of her classmates has it at the moment, so we’re not over that one yet… it is easily treated with antibiotics, and the child can go back to school once they feel well enough again.

We were asked if H could have her picture taken to show what she thinks germs look like – with a little help (from me!) this is what she reckons! I had to chant ‘digit-ill! digit-ill! digit-ill!” in the background while it was being taken – and she has never watched Dr Who (I felt quite like a Dalek…)

germs
We were sent a selection of Boots vitamins and cold remedies (already in use…!) for the purpose of this post, all packaged lovingly in a sparkly satchel. 

by jo

A Quick Story About Back Pain

I’m no stranger to back pain, and have spent most of the last two and a half years having the odd flare up – that was until this weekend just gone. I felt like it was a good time to go through my treatments as well as seeing where we go next.

On Saturday morning as I was getting ready to go to BritMums, I sat on my hotel bed. The familiar shooting pain arrived, my back was playing up. I could walk, it was just hurting. As the day progressed  so did my back pain and I knew I couldn’t do much, so cut my losses and left by 11am, gutted. I spent most of Saturday in bed resting before eventually calling the NHS 111 line for more information.

They suggested I try some Co-Codamol which can be bought over the counter. That doesn’t stop the back pain but stops you feeling it, so I went with that.

The following day I headed to my local Walk-In centre and was prescribed stronger Co-Codamol as well as a prescription-only anti-inflammatory. I asked for advice about whether I should be thinking about an operation and was given good advice. I’ve had back pain for long enough and hate the big flare ups.

Today I went to my local Osteopath and had a treatment. £40. One off. If I need another it’s free of charge. My bones were checked, and I have a twisted pelvis – and it has probably been long-term too. My body is telling me that it can’t deal with it right now. Several clicks and twists and though I went into the office almost in tears (as I have most of the weekend, ugh), I came out smiling. While I’m not 100% I’m definitely feeling an improvement.

Which makes me think of the types of back care I’ve received with my problem.

Initially it’s over the counter. When it’s bad it’s call the doctor. The doctor doesn’t do home visits, so it’s dial 999 (honestly, I felt terrible doing that). On being admitted to hospital, I was pretty much looked at like I was wasting time. I felt like I had too. I was given a painkiller which worked and sent home. I kind of wish I’d had an ambulance car do that for me at home rather than being blue-lighted to hospital. (n.b. this was almost three years ago)

When it happens again you get pain medication from a doctor. You get stronger medication if you go to see them. If you visit a chiropractor you get an x-ray so you can see what’s happened, but they get to keep it. You also have to keep going back, paying every time. I got my first three visits on a Groupon deal which I probably wouldn’t have done, were it not for the deal.

When you go to a Chiropractor, it’s a one-off treatment and they really hope you don’t come back. No medication is usually needed. You might even find out what the problem you’ve had is.

When you’re a blogger you get lucky sometimes and get a Backlife to use. I still use mine a lot and it helps – I thought that was worth a mention. As were the spiky balls I got from my Pilates instructor. They both help with pain relief, but not the problem. I’ll still be using both, anyway.

British Chiropactic Association

I’m still not 100% but feel like I’m closer to my problem. A twisted spine fits in perfectly with everything that was covered here at an event I went to with the British Chiropractic Association – six months after my first major back problem but full of useful tips and hints. If you’re not sure, give it a read. It makes you think about the everyday things you do and how to do them differently. I know I will now.

by jo

Fitbug Orb

The Fitbug Orb is the latest tracker from the Fitbug family.

The Fitbug Orb is the latest tracker from the Fitbug family – up to now we’ve been using the Fitbug Air, so I switched over when the Orb arrived in February, and found that while they’re identical (a straightforward setup and you wear them), there was quite a discrepancy in the number of steps I do daily. With the Air I’d be doing 5-6,000 a day, whereas with the Fitbug Orb it’s more like 12-13,000.

However, I’ve found it doesn’t matter it isn’t 100% accurate for me, as I do roughly the same amount of steps in the week, and a lot depends on what I do at weekends. So I’ve been using the Fitbug Orb as a guide to make sure I stay within a certain range of steps.

Fitbug Orb

The Fitbug Orb can be worn several ways too – I choose to wear mine like a watch. Wearing it like a watch can have its moments thanks to occasionally popping off my wrist, but overall it’s sturdy and stays on. An extra loop on the wristband would have been a good idea.

Every day I sync with the app on my iPad (my Android phone is running old software), which requires an internet connection. Every week I get new targets for the following week which I try to achieve, though more often than not miss – but for me it’s about keeping active as much as possible. If I go to Pilates or swimming I log it online (it would be great to do that on the app). I haven’t been as active as I should be and my Fitbug Orb is a good reminder when I could walk rather than drive.

Fitbug Orb

In summary, what could I say to persuade you to buy a Fitbug Orb?

I like that I can sync it easily, I like that it keeps me motivated and all I have to do is log any extra activity I do. There are a lot of extra things on the Fitbug website you can log such as food – hands up though, I am pretty rubbish at doing it – though might do it if you could within the app again. If you want to keep track of your daily steps and don’t like the idea of a pedometer on your waistband, it’s worth considering a Fitbug Orb. Given the other places you can wear it (attach to your bra or to your pants or just use the belt clip). I like that you can track your sleep, something I know I don’t get enough of.

The Fitbug Orb retains information for 14 days, so if you can’t send it to the app straight away you can do it when you’re ready.

So what do you get for £49.95? A years worth of Fitbug membership which gives you access to KiK – your own digital coach. When your year is up you have various options to continue to use the device, so can still be used. Check out the site here.

What do you get in the pack? A wrist strap, belt clip, lanyard and battery. I’d recommend a spare 3v cell lithium battery as mine is starting to lose its charge since February – but at 95p that doesn’t cost a lot. If you want a pedometer that will keep you motivated, I’m pretty pleased with the Fitbug Orb. I haven’t lost weight, but I’m keeping active – and that was my main motivation.

We were sent a Fitbug Orb for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

by jo

Lift the Lid on Bowel Cancer

Will you take up the challenge and join Beating Bowel Cancer to Lift the Lid on bowel cancer? Bowels, bottoms and poo are still a taboo and they need our help during April as they Lift the Lid on all things bowel cancer.

Lift The Lid on Bowel Cancer

My dad died over seven years ago due to Bowel Cancer. It was something nobody expected him to have, yet he ticked all the boxes as far as symptoms go. We had four months from diagnosis until he died in October 2006. Things which make sense in retrospect made no sense at the time. He had secondary tumours in his liver which left him at Stage 4. Beating Bowel Cancer campaign every year to help raise awareness of Bowel Cancer, and symptoms we may not want to talk about. As a parent I can happily talk about H’s poo, but myself? Difficult. Please read on.

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One in four of us have been affected by bowel cancer in some way, either personally or through family or friends. Yet how often do you think we talk about it? The truth is, not often enough.

Whilst this may not be easy, we want you to open up and get a conversation going during April.

We need you to start your own conversation and Lift the Lid – whether it’s with family members, friends, workmates or neighbours. All we need you to do is share the message that bowel cancer, bums and poo are nothing to be embarrassed about, and that learning the symptoms and acting on them can save lives.

Beating Bowel Cancer have designated Wednesday 16 April as Lift the Lid Day when they’ll be making lots of noise and encouraging everyone to get involved.

There’s lots we can help with; from putting up posters in your community, watching our video, spreading the word through social media and getting involved in activities around the UK.

All of these conversations could be lifesaving, so please help us to Lift the Lid. So what are you waiting for? Visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org/liftthelid

How you can Lift the Lid:

– Download the Lift the Lid and symptoms posters to put at work or in your community

– On Wednesday 16 April get involved and show your support on Twitter and Facebook. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #LiftTheLidDay

– Text LIFT14 £3 to 70070 to donate £3 or visit donation page for more options

– Have a collection or awareness event in your community
More info

– Watch the awareness video and share it so more people can learn about the symptoms

Every conversation you have and every time you Lift the Lid, you’re moving us all closer to beating bowel cancer.

by jo

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2014

Did you know it’s Tinnitus Awareness Week 2014? It happens every year and this year runs from the 3-9 February. The aim is to bring the condition of noises heard in the head and/or ears to the attention of thousands across the UK.

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2014

Tinnitus Awareness Week 2014 is this week. Tinnitus affects at least one in 10 of the UK population, a massive 6.3 million, and is the unseen condition which can cause distress to individuals of any age. Tinnitus can be mild to severe and can affect sleep and concentration. It can also lead to anxiety and depression and at this time there is currently no cure. Being someone who has had it for over eight years now, being told ‘learn to live with it’ isn’t the most ideal of solutions but is often the one we’re told.

The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) believes this is not acceptable or true, and works tirelessly to provide support, advice and management techniques to reduce the impacts of tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a condition which is heard but not seen – but the BTA wants to hear from people with the condition, to offer the help and support which is so vital in the early stages. The charity, based in Sheffield, works to support anyone with the condition and during Tinnitus Awareness Week the BTA will be raising awareness by encouraging people to talk about tinnitus and highlight the help that is available.

In the ‘BTA Survey 2013’*, feedback from members of the public about help they’d received for the condition highlighted that 77% of those completing the survey consulted their GP about tinnitus, but only 13% were told about the BTA on doing so. During Tinnitus Awareness Week, the BTA will again be encouraging GP’s, to refer onto secondary care where appropriate and to inform people of the BTA’s freephone helpline 0800 018 0527 and website www.tinnitus.org.uk.

One respondent to the BTA survey said “I was given invaluable support in the early panic-stricken stages of the condition. The helpline was practically a lifesaver”. And another said “The BTA has completely changed my views of tinnitus and talking to them has changed my life. I no longer live in fear that my tinnitus will ruin my life”. The sooner someone can talk about their tinnitus and be heard, the sooner they can come to terms with it and start moving forward.

Most importantly of all, it does get better. Studies have indicated that, over time, the noises disappear completely or at least diminish to a tolerable threshold level in the majority of cases, as the brain loses interest and stops surveying the signal. This process is called ‘habituation’. The length of time this takes varies from person to person – but it does happen.

Hospitals across the UK will be getting involved during Tinnitus Awareness Week by displaying information, local tinnitus support groups will be holding meetings and events will be held across the UK to highlight the support that is available.  Anyone wishing to get involved in Tinnitus Awareness Week 2014 should contact Emily Broomhead at the BTA on 0114 2509933 or by email to emily@tinnitus.org.uk.  All events and information displays will be listed on the BTA’s website at www.tinnitus.org.uk/TAW2014.

* Copies of the BTA’s Survey 2013 are available from the BTA upon request.

Kidproof ear defenders

My Tinnitus Story.
It was gigs. Too many, too loud, too often. I know the gigs I saw that week. Guided by Voices and Seachange at ULU, when it was so loud for the support nobody could hear themselves in the bar. I used earplugs for the first time that night as the ringing in my ears after gigs had stayed a little bit longer than usual, I thought wearing earplugs for gigs would spoil it. More fool me. By the time GbV were on the earplugs stayed – they were fantastic, but loud, so very very loud.

Two days later I saw Mojave 3 at Dingwalls, and stood right near the front, right by Rachel and her bass guitar. Near the bass isn’t the best place to stand when you *may* have hearing issues, and sure enough, the following day the ringing hadn’t gone. Nor the day after that. In fact, it never left.

At first it was hard. You want to cut off your ears to make the ringing stop (not the most rational of thinking there), then you find ways of dealing with it. Mine was a speaker pillow plugged into my clock radio, tuned off-channel – the white noise made a difference. But it doesn’t make the ringing go – it never goes.

So my coping techniques. Learn to lipread. That made a huge difference. Tell people you have a hearing problem. Always wear earplugs for gigs. Don’t expect anyone to remember. They’ll probably think you’re weird when you’re looking at someone’s mouth when you talk to them. When you’re in a pub with a group of people, don’t expect to hear a thing, though expect to hear background music which is probably quieter than the people around you. My tinnitus is odd like that – a bit like being in a bubble that can’t be popped.

I was referred to the ENT department back when I was first diagnosed, and it was confirmed I have hearing loss and tinnitus. The way it was described was the lower frequency letters – vowels. So when someone speaks to me, I’m not hearing the vowels, just the other sounds. Sounds kind of weird doesn’t it?

The worst it is right now is when I can’t tell what someone is saying (usually Shaun as he’s quite softly spoken), he’ll get a bit frustrated with me when I can’t understand him. H understands and will often repeat things to me. My most important thing with my hearing right now is making sure H learns to respect her ears and cover them appropriately – hearing problems run in my family and I’m determined she will have proper protection when exposed to noise so she can still enjoy herself. That’s my happy ending. That’s the only ending until they find a cure.

British Tinnitus Association on Facebook

British Tinnitus Association on Twitter

by jo

Backlife. How To Improve Back Pain at Home.

Backlife is a device which has been clinically proven to relieve back pain. I’ve had a lot of trouble with back pain these last couple of years. I’ve been using my Backlife daily for over a month now, and this is my review.

Backlife is a device which is clinically proven to relieve back pain. I have back pain daily, hourly – all day and every day. I jumped at the chance to review this, and was intrigued – could a device like this really make a difference?

Backlife

It works in a really simple way. Firstly, set the height of the leg rest according to your height – it’s set in 5cm increments using the blue button on the top of the machine. I’m five foot ten so 177cm – which rounded to 175. Plug it in, get comfortable and make sure you have a cushion or two for your head, simply press the button near the base and lie still for twelve minutes.

Backlife

Backlife lower back

In that time your lower back will have gentle exercise – a bit like when a chiropractor rotates your legs to get the joints moving without the clicks that usually come with it. It lifts your legs up and down in a really gentle way, and not so you’d notice. This is called Continuous Passive Movement (CPM) and is used to work your muscles and mobilise your spine.

You lie on the ground with your legs draped over the Backlife and it gently rotates your knees which in turn rotates your pelvis, which gets the vertebrae of your lower back working. And this gentle motion loosens up the stiffened muscles which cause bad backs. Backlife uses accepted clinical techniques and is clinically proven to work.

It’s really relaxing too. My legs have felt tingly afterwards in a good way. I’ve found that it works best for me in the evenings (the guidance recommends twice daily but I don’t have time in the mornings) and it is making a huge difference to my life. I do still have minor back aches from time to time but nothing like it was a month ago.

Backlife

I am taking Devil’s Claw to help with my pain (one a day) and am now swimming several times a week. However, using the Backlife machine made things feel ‘normal’ again – a feeling I’ve not had in my back for a long time. I feel like I can swim better as well as move around much smoother – it has helped me to feel normal again.

The Backlife machine retails for £299 and is currently on offer for £235. I have a code to share with you which will take £70 off the Backlife as well – please use BACKTU

Please note – I am aware of what my back problems are so felt like this was a good option for me. I have disc problems, where some are being squeezed by my lower back giving me pain, so doing pilates, swimming and now this have proved beneficial. My pilates instructor is a physiotherapist and had heard of the Backlife machine, and lots of really good things about it too. What’s more, if you buy from JD Harris they offer a lifetime guarantee if it makes no difference. It’s a lot of money to pay, but so are appointments with chiropractors.