There’s some really important things you can do to improve your overall health, and reduce your chances of developing long-term health conditions.
Smoking
Smoking increases the risks associated with high blood pressure and raised cholesterol. The great news is that you can reduce your risk over a period of time by stopping.
All areas have a free local NHS Stop Smoking Service which can help you find your best way of stopping, providing the medication and support you need. You are up to four times more likely to quit if you use NHS support than if you go it alone. The Stockport smoking cessation team have appointments available from Monday to Friday. To refer yourself into this service contact the referral number which is 0161 870 6492. We wish you success in your quit attempt – if we can support further please contact the practice.
Alcohol
Health problems related to alcohol consumption can take many years to develop, allowing people to believe there are no negative impacts to their alcohol intake. Regular drinking above the recommended daily limits can seriously impact your health and be a significant component of weight gain, even if you don’t get drunk or binge drink.
Risks include liver problems, reduced fertility & high blood pressure with risks increasing the more you drink. Recommended guidelines are now the same for men and women. Drinking no more than 14 units a week, spreading your alcohol intake evenly across the week and having several drink free days each week will reduce your risk.
If you need support or advice to manage alcohol contact START at https://www.healthystockport.co.uk/contact-us, call 0161 474 3141 or email START@stockport.gov.uk.
More information about alcohol can be found at https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/.
Physical Activity
Achieving 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on 5 days of the week helps prevent and manage over 20 chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease, some cancers and depression.
Moderate intensity means how hard your body is working when you are being physically active. You should still be able to talk but your breathing will be quicker and deeper, your body will be warming up and your heart will be beating faster than normal but not racing.
Starting to become more active is about gradually building up the amount you do and most importantly doing an activity that you enjoy which fits into your everyday life.
The good news is that there are lots of different ways to become active and benefit your health: from walking to dancing; gardening to swimming; yoga to football, there will be an activity there for you. Go to https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/ for opportunities to become more active in your local area.
Healthy Eating
A healthy and balanced diet, which includes at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, is important to reach or maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.
- Cut saturated fat
- Choose lean cuts of meat & trim off extra fat before cooking.
- Bake, steam, poach or grill rather than fry or roast.
- Check food labels for saturated fat content.
- Use less meat and instead add bulk to sauces and stews with vegetables or beans.
- Choose lower-fat dairy products, such as skimmed milk and lower-fat yoghurt.
Too much salt can cause raised blood pressure. High blood pressure is called the silent killer as it often has no symptoms, and if you have high blood pressure you are three times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. One easy way to eat less salt is to stop adding extra salt to your food during cooking and at the dinner table. Also, read food labels to avoid foods that are high in salt. High is more than 1.5g salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium). For healthy tasty recipes visit https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fat that is carried around your body in the blood. It is vital that you have enough of it in your body to work properly. But too much cholesterol can cause your arteries to become blocked, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.
If your results are high, your healthcare professional will give you advice about how to improve this. They may also consider prescribing you cholesterol-lowering drugs. If you do not have a high cholesterol level, you may still want to take action to prevent it increasing by eating a healthy, balanced diet that is low in saturated fat.
Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can be treated or prevented by making changes to your lifestyle, such as exercising more regularly, eating a healthier diet and cutting back on your consumption of alcohol. Medicines are also available that can help lower your blood pressure.
We have a blood pressure monitor in our waiting room. Our machine is for use only by patients who have been advised by a clinician to take blood pressure readings. If you would like your blood pressure checked, please speak with reception or book an appointment using our online portal
Mental Health and Wellbeing
We recognise that many things, in addition to medical issues, impact on wellbeing and happiness. If something is bothering you, or you want to make a change to your life, please follow the link below and a member of the team will contact you, alternatively, a member of the practice team can help you with this over the phone.
