|
GET FIT - KEEP FIT
HAVE you already broken your New Year’s resolution to get fitter in 2005? All that resolve and determination soon disappeared didn’t it when the weather took a down turn in January?
However, if you feel out of breath climbing stairs, or if you break out in a sweat at the thought of walking to the shops rather than driving, perhaps you should take a good look at just how much proper exercise you are getting. The benefits of just being that little bit more active and fitter are enormous and really help to increase your sense of well-being and general confidence.
Oh! I know that we never have enough time but it really does make sense. Why not park the car further away from the shops? The walk back with that extra weight of the shopping at a brisk pace is a good way of increasing your heart rate, stimulating circulation and bringing a healthy glow to the cheeks! Some of the benefits of additional exercise can be an improvement to your immune system, a decrease in the risk of heart disease, a reduction in obesity, improvement of muscle tone and decreased depression and anxiety. It can also improve your social life!
This is the time of year when many people join the local gym, attend twice and never return. Sometimes it is good to have something to give you an incentive to get back into shape, or into shape for the first time, such as a walking holiday, a sponsored walk, a fun run, or a wedding to attend. You can help yourself at home but have you thought of having your own personal trainer for a few weeks?
If motivation is a problem then perhaps you need one to one training at home or in the gym? There can be no excuses then for that walk, or run, or gym session, plus you get professional advice and supervision. A trainer will design a programme to suit the individual needs of each person and can also offer lifestyle and nutritional advice if requested. Not only will you have the inspiration to keep going with your programme, you are less likely to sustain injuries or contract a dose of apathy! A personal trainer can come to you at home or you can arrange sessions at a gym - just a thought!
Dave Bond, Personal Trainer
Tel 01255 820466 Mob: 07812 780448
How to Survive a Heart Attack Alone
THIS may help to save someone’s life. You never know what is round the corner do you? If everyone who reads this tells 10 people, you can bet that we will save at least one life.
Let’s say it’s 6.15pm and you’re driving home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day at work. You’re really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly you start to experience severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home; unfortunately you don’t know if you’ll be able to make it that far.
What can you do? - Cough!
You’ve been trained in CPR (Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation) but the guy who taught the course neglected to tell you how to perform it on yourself. Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack this article seemed to be in order.
Without help the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously.
A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest, and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths to get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart helps it regain its normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to hospital.
Article from Health Cares, Rochester General Hospital
Do you know about Tendring Primary Care Trust ‘Healthwalks’, a good way to keep your heart healthy and happy by walking your way to fitness? Call Kate French on 01255 206272 for more information; I will give more details next month.
Roberta Waller
105 NOT OUT
St Osyth & Point Clear First Responders
BY the end of 2004 the St Osyth & Point Clear First Responders had attended 105 emergency calls in the village. This is up 250% on 2003. Over the Christmas period and leading up to New Year we attended:
3 calls on Christmas Day,
1 on Boxing Day,
2 on 27th,
1 on 28th,
1 on 29th,
2 on 30th December.
During the last 6 months on average 500 hours cover has been achieved each month with just 11 Responders who are, in the main, in full time employment.
From my reports throughout 2004 you will be aware of the financial support we have received from the village which has enabled us to purchase training equipment that is not supplied by the NHS. I would like to take this opportunity to express our grateful thanks to St Osyth Social Club for their recent donation of £235, to acknowledge private donations of £110 and our appreciation to the Point Clear Community Association for allowing us to use the Community Hall free of charge for our monthly training sessions.
Thank you to all who have supported us.
Our aims for 2005 are to operate a 24 hour rota of cover and to increase the number of Responders in the team to ease the burden on the present members. Can you help us to reach this goal?
If you are able to help please make contact with the group’s Co-ordinator, Suzanne McAree on 01255 821522.
|
|
FEBRUARY 2005