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BERWICK AREA HEART SUPPORT GROUP
JULY 2005 NEWSLETTER
Berwick Area Heart Support Group. Hon President P.D.Dr Higham Affiliated to the British Heart Foundation
Next meeting July 6th at the day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00pm – 9.00pm Guest speaker Katy Tiernan. Complimentary Therapist. Kathy will relax you, I have no doubt! She has that tone of voice, that choice of words which lull you into peaceful relaxation. She is the best I’ve heard. Her choice of background music soothes the ears. I’m looking forward to being under her spell. She may also time permitting take us through a exercise programme.
*****
Donations
On behalf of the Berwick Area Heart Support Group I would like to thank the following groups and individuals The No 4606 Salmon Lodge of the R.A.O.B (The Buffs) for a very generous donation of £200 towards the publishing costs for our newsletters and the website. Joyce Blenkinsop and Bea Nicholson Walking for Health for the collection of £75 raised at the Walking For Health Day at Etal which was shared £37.50 each to ourselves and The British Heart Foundation Michael Redican for his £10 donation.
*****
DR HIGHAM – June 2005
WAITING LISTS
Improvement continues.
Waiting list for angiograms – down to a week.
CAT SCANNER IS HERE
“CAT scans” are an exciting development and can replace angiograms with a non-invasive procedure. Radiation exposure is about the same. CAT can also be used where an exercise test is impossible.
NEW DRUGS
A better drug for heart failure – eplerenone can replace spironolactone
Ezetimibe can be combined with statin and is very beneficial. If you cannot tolerate the statin, then this can replace it. CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR IF THIS APPLIES TO YOU
Clopigogrel – a touch better than aspirin, but tend to use for only one year after MI
HEART FAILURE
- Special pacemaker developments
- Special exercise test routines being developed
- There is now an HF Clinic (Sally Scott) at Lee Moor.
- New drug – see above
(OUR GROUP WELCOMES HF PATIENTS & WE WILL BE CONTACTING SALLY SCOTT).
IVUS
Ultra sound scans inside the artery (to reveal disease in the artery wall) cannot be offered routinely – the probe can only be used for one session.
STENT
Stent implantation as part of emergency treatment on admission will not be offered. Survival once you reach hospital is better than 90% with existing treatment.
Again, thanks from our group to Dr Higham for his talk
HE WILL BE BACK LATER IN THE YEAR WITH CAT SCAN PICS!
Phil.Harris
*****
Energizing tip
Aromatherapy oils are a potent way to rebalance energy levels. Try using them in the bath or, for instant pick up, place 2 – 3 drops on a tissue and breathe in the scent deeply. The best energizers are grapefruit, peppermint and rosemary oils.
*****
Monthly Recipe
Rhubarb in Jelly
Ingredients
- Rhubarb
- Sugar free jelly crystals any flavour (the blackberry or strawberry flavour is particularly delicious)
- Plain or vanilla low fat yogurt
Method
- Fill a 2pint bowl with washed cut up rhubarb
- Cover bowl with plate or pierced cling film
- Microwave on simmer until cooked, stir once during cooking (approx 10 minutes)
- Remove from microwave and stir in 1 packet of sugar free jelly crystals whilst it is still very hot, These crystals take a good 5minutes stirring to dissolve.
- When mixture is cold place in fridge until set.
- Serve with yogurt or on it’s own
*****
Wally’s Yarn
A woman brought a very limp duck into a veterinary surgeon. As she laid her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's chest. After a moment or two, the vet shook his head sadly and said, "I'm so sorry, your pet has passed away."
The distressed owner wailed, "Are you sure?
"Yes, I'm sure. The duck is dead," he replied.
"How can you be so sure", she protested. "I mean,you haven't done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or something."
The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the room. He returned a few moments later with a black Labrador Retriever. As the duck's owner looked on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on the examination table and sniffed the duck from top to bottom. He then looked at the vet with sad eyes and shook his head. The vet patted the dog and took it out and returned a few moments later with a beautiful cat. The cat jumped up on the table and also sniffed the bird from its beak to its tail and back again.The cat sat back on its haunches, shook its head, meowed softly, jumped down and strolled out of the room.
The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry, but as I said, this is most definitely, 100% certifiably, a dead duck."
Then the vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys, and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman
The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill. "£150!" she cried. "£150 just to tell me my duck is dead?!!"
The vet shrugged. "I'm sorry. If you'd taken my word would have been £20. But what with the Lab Report and the Cat Scan, it all adds up
*****
A VALUABLE BOOK
The Longevity Diet
By Brian M. Delaney and Lisa Walford,
Marlow & Co, New York, 2005
ISBN 1-56858-309-5
Putting on weight at any age, but especially in middle age, is not good for health. Losing a bit of weight can dramatically improve your blood pressure and sugar control and can lower your ‘bad’ cholesterol. However, 95% of people who try to “diet” end up a year later at the same weight that they started with. Doing it badly is probably not good for you.
This book takes a different approach. The book distils the wisdom of numerous people of all ages, who have managed to keep their weight down and have been the better for it. Importantly they have made it part of life and been able to get on with other things. Why have they done it? Usually because it makes them feel so much better. They also know they are healthier because tests by their doctors show the improvements. For many there is the opportunity to have a longer life. How have they done it? Anybody who has tried to eat sensibly will recognise in the stories some of their own difficulties and perhaps will be inspired to find solutions. We begin to see the sense in making our body an ally in order to achieve success. You will find that there is something in this book for everybody. What are the principles of excellent nutrition? You can trust this book for a sane approach.
I declare an interest. I know the authors. Also one of the contributors, Ed Sullivan, is a long-term friend of mine. This is not just another book that you need to read in isolation. If you have queries or want to tell your own story, this can be done. This is not a book by remote people. Join a group of friends. IT IS AMERICAN, and American food examples can be different, but I believe this book is to be read across cultures, and is relevant for us in Britain. We all belong to this tricky modern world and increasingly we share the modern ills as well as the advantages.
RECOMMENDED BY PHIL HARRIS, CO-CHAIRMAN, BERWICK HEART SUPPORT
“Not another fad diet. It gets the science right while allowing for individual difference.”
BERWICK AREA HEART SUPPORT GROUP
AUGUST 2005 NEWSLETTER
Next meeting August 3rd for our annual walk with the Walking for Health Group, followed by buffet at 8.00pm in the Day Hospital, there are a variety of walk distances to suit all ranges of fitness. Meet at the Day Hospital at 6.55pm, anyone unable to participate in the walk are welcome to stay at the Day Hospital,
*****
Our speaker on 6th. June 2005 was Kathy Tiernan, who has been practising alternative therapies for more than 10 years. She trained as an aromatherapist at the London School of Aromatherapy, qualifying in 1992, then continued training and achieved an ITEC Diploma in stress management, and a City and Guilds Counselling Skills Diploma. In 1998 she undertook a 3 year training program in Shiatsu and Oriental Medicine in Newcastle, qualifying as a Shiatsu practitioner in 2001.
Kathy’s practice is at St Andrews House, College Place, Berwick, and practices on shiatsu, aromatherapy and stress management
It was stress management that Kathy spoke to us about, but as most of her time was taken up with a practical demonstration that everyone took part in, there is in fact very little to write about.
Kathy spoke of some useful ways to deal with stress; one of the best is exercise, walking in particular. It burns off all that unwanted adrenalin our bodies produce when we get up-tight.But there are times when it is not practical or convenient to exercise or walk, this is where Kathy’s demonstration helps. It involved sitting in a comfortable position, or if more convenient lying on the floor, in a quiet room away from noise and distractions. Then closing the eyes, and gradually working through the body starting with the head, firstly becoming very aware of that particular part of the body, and then getting that part to feel relaxed before moving on to the next adjoining part of the body. By the time you get to the feet you should be feeling quite relaxed.I have to admit that especially when someone else is narrating a relaxation sequence, or an ‘imagine if’ peaceful story, very often I’m the one that’s snoring first, but I didn’t this time, maybe that’s because one of today’s causes of stress, the mobile phone, went off in the middle of the session. All I can say is I’m glad it was not mine
With the talking to a minimum this month, I’ve had to find a longer yarn.
*****
Wally’s Yarn
Like his Grand dad and Great Grand Dad had done before them. Jake was a sheep farmer, working in the hills alongside his father, and had done so every day since he had left school 15 years ago.
One cold and wet night at the lambing, he was thinking to himself, “What’s this all about? What have I done with my life since leaving school? Where have I been? All these and many similar questions went round and round in his head all night.
Eventually he decided to do something about it, and after talking it over with his Dad it was decided that until Father could no longer manage the sheep on his own, Jake could go off and see the world and try different things.
Two years later, after working his way around the world doing what ever jobs he could, Jake was in Australia, and in need of a job. Drawing on his experience with sheep he got a job on a large sheep station during the shearing season. He was quite happy when he was asked to stop on and manage the place when the shearing was finished.
The next week everyone left, but the owner, Mr. Parker, stayed on for a couple of days to explain what was expected of Jake. He found that until the lambing time, the following spring, he was on his own looking after thousands and thousands of sheep, which were roaming over thousands of acres of the Australian outback. His nearest neighbour was 45 miles away.
Initially Jake enjoyed driving out each day, exploring the countryside and tending his sheep, but after a few weeks it became boring, especially with no one to speak to.
He had worked for four months through the height of the summer and whilst doing his job he got more and more bored with each days passing, then one day, out of the blue, the CB radio in his truck crackled into life.
It said, “G’day, are you the Englishman working for old man Parker?”
Jake replied excitedly, “Yes, my name is Jake who are you?
The radio replied, “I’m Bluey, I work at Thompson Station, it’s about 45 miles west of you”
Jake said,” I’ve been here over four months and I haven’t spoken to a soul. It’s nice to hear someone’s voice; I was getting quite bored with my own company.”
Bluey said,” I thought you might. I’m surprised I hadn’t heard from you before, but listen, what I called about is, are you interested in coming to a ‘barbie’ at the weekend?”
Jake was caught unawares, and didn’t know what to say. As he quickly thought it over in his mind, he thought, yes, I would like to go, but as he had also heard all sorts of stories about Australian bar-be-cues, he wasn’t so sure. He didn’t want to make a fool of himself, and so with a stutter in his voice said, “What’s it going to be like?”
Bluey was full of enthusiasm and tried to put his mind at rest, and said,
“Its going to be good fun, it starts Friday afternoon, there’s plenty of food; I’ve got in loads of steaks, burgers, sausages and of course plenty prawns and beer. Then we’ll have a hell of a party, with as much beer, music and sex as you want. It can go on well into the night, as long as you like. Then everyone can rest up, and when we get up, we’ll rekindle the Barbie, cook loads more food, have more music, more beer and as much more sex as you want. It will go on all day Saturday and well into the night. Then on Sunday, all I ask is that you join in and help give things a bit of a tidy before going home.
Jake replied, “I think you have convinced me, yes I will come, it will be nice to see and speak to other people after these weeks of solitude. What do you think I should wear?”
Bluey answered,” Wear what you like mate; there’s just the two of us”.
*****
ET
Nothing out of this world. We know exercise training is good for arteries.
Researchers, however, keep coming up with more detail as to why.
It is known that the condition of our arteries, which is key to the elastic response and a good flow of blood, is improved after exercise training. Even arteries that are already dodgy are improved. (We call it Cardiac Rehabilitation and it is on offer at the Swan Centre.)
Recently a study has shown that ‘reactive oxygen’ that creates stress in the artery tissue is much reduced by exercise training. (Reactive Oxygen Species, or ROS, are not good news unless the body mops them up. They are one of the reasons we take our mix of colourful fruit and veg with their natural anti-oxidants that help with ‘mopping up’.)
Phil.
*****
The Wansbeck Wander
This is an annual sponsored walk for the B.H.F. organised by Mandy Hall from the Ashinghton Cardiac Support Group.
The walk is approximately 3 miles around the Lake at the Queen Elizabeth 11 Park in a circular route.
For further details or sponsorship forms please contact; Mrs A Hall 01670 816875 or Regional Office Freephone 0800 917 6976
There are many other walks in the North of England during 2005, for details of these, or any other information please phone Regional Office freephone 0800 917 6976 or e-mail region1@bhf.org.uk
*****
By gum!
“Chronic infections, including periodontalinfections, may predispose to cardiovascular disease”.
Recent further study has shown that microbes that specialise in periodontal disease (inflammation where the teeth sit in the gum) are found in greater amounts in people with thickened carotid arteries. The more of these bacteria found in the plaque under the gum, the thicker the walls of the important arteries. The two conditions go together
Even if your other risk factors are reasonably OK, gum disease could be bad news for some people. Suggestion? Get it fixed!
Phil.
BERWICK AREA HEART SUPPORT GROUP
SEPTEMBER 2005 NEWSLETTER
Next meeting September 7th at the day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00pm – 9.00pm. Guest speaker Jill Hunter, will give a talk on the benefits of Yoga, Jill may also, time permitting take us through a small exercise programme.
*****
Music and Movement
After a long search by Micheal Redican we are now 95% on the way to having a new instructer for Music and Movement, Micheal is meeting the lady next week to tie up all the loose ends, and should hopefully at the next meeting be in a position to confirm that music and movement will restart on Thursday15th September at Berwick Middle School.
*****
At our last meeting, on 3rd. August, it was a joint venture, and we met up with members of the Walking for Health Group, and between us undertook two different walks around town, and met up again at the Day Hospital for a cup of tea and something to eat. As my grandson would say, we had a Worzel Gummage Party, i.e., ‘a cup of tea and a slice of cake’. Hopefully everyone enjoyed themselves, including our guests.
Consequently there is not much to write about for last month, so again I’ve had to think of a longer yarn. You would think that emptying my brain of all this nonsense over the last few months, there would be room for some sensible thoughts, but I don’t feel any.
Wally’s Yarn.
Anyway about Billy, he lived with his parents in an isolated country house, was 20 years of age, an only child, and led a very sheltered life. His parents were very protective towards him, and girlfriends were a no-no, so he was not a confident person nor was he very ‘street wise’. He had known girls at school but since leaving school and working in his fathers business, he had lost touch with all his school mates, and he had had very little contact with people his own age.
However, this summer things were to be different, his slightly older cousin was coming to stay, whilst his parents were on an extended cruise. His cousin Tommy who lived in a big City was a total opposite to Billy. Tommy liked to go to discos and pubs, and had also had a few girlfriends.
Initially he accepted the rural existence, but did like to boast of his exploits to Billy when they were alone, and Billy did start to think he was missing out a little.
There was to be a big summer barbeque, sports day and disco in the village on Saturday. This happened every year, but normally Billy didn’t get to go, so after a while he never bothered asking. But things were different this year, Tommy was there on holiday. The two lads had spoken about it, and Tommy assured Billy that it should not be missed.
They spoke to Billy’s parents about it, and because Tommy was there, they gave their consent for them to go, and that they would come and collect them at the end of the evening.
All Tommy could talk about until Saturday was about the girls he was going to meet, but Billy was very uncertain, after all Tommy’s boasting he was fearful of being alone in a female’s company. Tommy tried to put his mind at rest; his best advice was for Billy to just be himself.
Saturday came, during the day Billy chatted with some of his old school chums. He found that some had left the village either to attend college or to seek work. Some had stayed, and most of them were now married.
The disco hadn’t started until later in the evening, after folk had been drinking and were a bit more relaxed. During the evening he found himself on the dance floor with Sally, a girl he had had a soft spot for when they were in the same class at school. As they talked he found out that she had was not married and was unattached. He started to reminisce and some of the old feelings he had had for her started to come back. He became tongue tied but tried to convey these feelings to Sally but due to his lack of confidence they came out as disjointed ramblings.
She cottoned on to his confused messages and stopped Billy in his tracks. She told him that she had liked him at school, but had since moved on, and that she was infact a Lesbian, and possibly had always been. This stunned Billy as he didn’t quite understand, and it caused him to really think. He admitted that he had not know, and in his attempt to cover his ignorance he asked her which part of ‘Lesbania’ she came from.
*****
RECIPE OF THE MONT
New Zealand fish salad
4 fish steaks, preferably salmon or tuna
225g new potatoes
115g fresh or frozen French beans
1 loose leafed lettuce
228g grated carrots
½ sliced cucumber
1orange
method
Cook potatoes and beans and leave to cool
Grill fish steaks and cool
Line serving dish with lettuce leaves
Fill with sliced cold potatoes, beans, carrots and cucumber, place fish in centre. Decorate with orange slices, sprinkle dressing over the top and serve.
BERWICK AREA HEART SUPPORT GROUP
OCTOBER 2005 NEWSLETTER
Next meeting October 5th at the day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00pm – 9.00pm Guest speaker Phil Lindsay, Health Improvement officer, Northumberland Care Trust
*****
Our guest for September Jill Hunter, gave a practical demonstration, so little for me to write about. The subject was yoga and fortunately there was not enough room for us all to get involved the full body yoga, ( I don’t think there is enough beds in the hospital if we had) and so had to restrict ourselves to what we could manage sitting in our seats.
Jill has been qualified to teach yoga and its benefits for 13 years, but what she was able to demonstrate was that we could all benefit from the exercise and relaxation that could be achieved from doing various exercises even whilst sitting in a chair. So whether you put time aside to do exercise or just did some whilst watching the telly, there was no reason not to do some.
There is an exercise for every part of the body. We started at the feet, and tried to spread our toes. Not as easy as it sounds. Gradually working up the body all the different moves have different mainly exotic sounding names. There seem to be quite a few for the hands and arms, also for the shoulders to help relieve tension and headaches.
A series of individual hand, arms and body movements combined together, become the LotusHand Dance. The last time I did a hand dance was in the sixties, it was called the Hand Jive, it used a lot more calories, but I don’t suppose it was a relaxing.
Thanks for your time Jill and I feel people would take from the evening that which suits them best.
*****
Wally’s Yarn.
A man always went on holiday to Spain. Spanish life had always interested him, and this time he was lucky enough to get 3 weeks holiday. He intended to get to know, and experience, as much of Spain as he could on this visit, rather than just lie around the pool drinking as he usually did. To enable him to do this he had chose as his base a small town in the hills.
Whilst in the bar on his first night, he began speaking to the bar owner about wanting to experience local life, both culturally and especially to taste local food. The bar owner reminded him that there was a bullfight the next day that he could visit, and that if he wished he would prepare a local speciality dish for him for his evening meal.
The man thanked the bar owner for the information, and booked his meal for the following evening.
He went to the bullfight the next day, and whilst it was not really his ‘cup of tea’ he consoled himself by thinking that at least he had been once rather than dismissing it out of hand, and he still had his evening meal to look forward too.
That evening in the bar when his meal arrived, it looked and smelt delicious. The smell filled the bar, and people looked on jealously. There were two round balls of meat, slightly larger than tennis balls, in thick gravy with onions, carrots, peas and potatoes. He started his the meal and it tasted as good, if not better, than it had smelt. He went on to clear his plate.
As he was mopping up the last drop of gravy with a piece of bread not wanting to waste anything, the bar owner came over and asked him if he had enjoyed his day. The man admitted that he had not been too keen on the bull fight, but that he had enjoyed his meal immensely. Thinking he may be able to recreate the meal when he got home, he asked the bar owner what was in it, and how it was made.
The bar owner reminded him of the bull that had been killed at the bullfight that day, and said that when it had been removed from the ring it had been taken to a local butchers. As the butcher was the his cousin he got first choice of the choicest cuts and that the meal he had just eaten was a local delicacy made from the bulls ‘dangly bits’, and had been slow braised in a clay oven with vegetables all afternoon.
This surprised the man, but he had to admit that it was one of the most delicious meals he had ever tasted, and that even knowing what it was made of he would have it again. The bar owner informed him that as there is a bull fight every Wednesday afternoon and some Saturday evenings, the meal was often available. So after that, when this meal was on the menu it became his choice of evening meal.
One night about 2 weeks later he went in expecting the meal to be on the menu. When he saw that it was, he ordered it. But when it arrived he was more than a little surprised, because instead of the usual sized portions, the portions of meat were very much smaller than usual, about the size of a couple of chestnuts
He complained to the bar owner, and asked why the difference in size. The bar owner shrugged his shoulders, raised his palms up slightly, pursed his lips and said, “Alas Senor! Sometimes, ze bull, it wins”.
*****
Recipe of the Month
Irish Baked Herring
Serves 6
6 Herrings, filleted
150ml (1/4 pint) Milk
75g (3oz) Butter
2 Onions, chopped
275g (10oz) Cream
900g (2lb) Potatoes, boiled
4 Eggs, separated
Fresh Parsley
Salt and Black Pepper
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C: 350°F: Gas 4.
Place the herrings in a bowl, pour over the milk and leave in a cool place for an hour.
Melt 25g (1oz) of the butter and fry the onions until golden.
Drain the herrings and cut into bite sized pieces, add the fried onions and mix with 75g (3oz) of the cream.
Mash the potatoes, adding the remaining butter, cream and egg yolks, season to taste.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
Gently fold the eggs whites into the mashed potatoes.
Spread half the potato mixture in a buttered ovenproof dish.
Add the fish mixture, top with the remaining potato mixture.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Garnish with parsley.
BERWICK AREA HEART SUPPORT GROUP
NOVEMBER 2005 NEWSLETTER
Next meeting November 2nd at the Day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00pm – 9.00pm Guest speaker Dr Higham.
Dr Higham will be doing a joint presentation with Sally Scott who is the community heart failure nurse for North Northumberland
*****
We had two guests at our meeting on 5th. October. The first was our scheduled speaker, Phil Lindsay, Health Improvement Officer for Northumberland Care Trust, and the second was Marjory Tharme.
Marjory called in to introduce herself; she is the new Walking for Health co-ordinator She replaces Bea Nicholson who has moved on, as they say. Marjory can still be contacted at the Borough Council Offices if required about current or future walking programmes.
Phil worked for many years as a Psychiatric Nurse developing a special interest in sleep management whilst working at a Treatment Centre dealing with post traumatic disorders.
I know I’ve got off fairly lightly with reports on meetings through the summer, mainly because our speakers have had practical demonstrations, well it’s all change, Phil’s talk will involve a lot more writing.
He did have a chart on the wall, I have tried to reproduce it and whilst I have tried to be as accurate as possible, this is only an indication of a typical nights sleep pattern, so if this does not happen for you, please excuse the pun, but don’t lose any sleep over it. I will try and explain what’s happening.
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mid night
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The figures on the left (1 to 4) are depth of sleep:-
1 = very light sleep
2 = light sleep
3 = deeper sleep, if you were disturbed and woke up from this sleep, you would feel groggy
4 = very deep sleep, you would be difficult to rouse
The letters and figures along the bottom (mid night to 8) represent an imaginary night for someone with out a sleep disturbance, mid night to 8am; your night is possibly different to this but is generally about seven and a half hours long.
As can be seen from the graph we go from being alert and awake, into a light sleep then through all stages until we are in stage 4. This takes about 20 mins. We stay there for about an hour, then come back up through the stages to 1. This is when we start dreaming, apparently we do all dream, some folk just forget. We stay there for about 10 mins before dropping back through the stages to 4. We don’t stay there so long this time before coming back to 1. This continues throughout the night, our periods at 4 get shorter or disappears altogether as the night goes on, and later in the night don’t go deeper than 3, but our periods of light sleep get longer, and we dream more as the night goes on.
Dreams are necessary; this is when the brain sorts out all the problems, and unfinalised business of the previous day. It matches them with similar incidents already in our subconscious, and stores them away.
Unfortunately it’s during this light sleep period that nightmares may also happen, and if the brain can’t sort a problem that sleep can be restless or broken. It helps if you accept that at the particular time you might not be able to do anything about this particular problem, but if you promise yourself that you will devote some time to it tomorrow, maybe even visualising at what time, sleep may come a little easier.
Deep sleep is also when the body repairs itself. It continually repairs itself throughout the day, but achieves most at night when most other parts of the body are shut down.
In an average life time we apparently have 200,000 hours sleep. Sounds good that. It works out to be about 8,333 days or over 22 years. Just thought I would put that in, and I could only do it because there is a calculator sitting on my desk.
Phil did give everyone present 4 pages of tips to help get a good sleep. He did give permission for us to reproduce it for everyone, and is attatched, but in conjunction with this he advocates developing a good pre sleep routine. This may even mean start preparing for bed up to 2 hours before actually going, but if we do things in the same order and keep to a routine our body soon accepts that it is bed time and with it comes sleep.
He did go through the list and made some clarifications:-
Under the headings, don’t use your bed for any other activities, and Avoid stimulants before going to bed. If you read or do crosswords or similar things, keep them light, don’t get into heavy reading or complicated crosswords, keep them for when you are not trying to go to sleep.
Aromatherapy:Apparently English lavender stimulates you, whilst French lavender relaxes you
Driver Fatigue: If you do sleep for more than 20 mins, and woke up after say 30 or 40 mins you can see from the chart above that you would be waking partway through stage 4, when you would have been in a very deep sleep. Waking up then would make you fit for nothing, certainly not driving.
I only hope I have been able to get the helpful tips for a good nights sleep across. Thank you Phil for the advice.
*****
Wally’s Yarn
I was speaking to my neighbour who told me that he and his wife had been at a loose end last Sunday and so decided to go for a drive. They went off across the moors to Gifford, and after stopping for coffee, decided to go on to East Fortune Market.
Neither was looking for anything in particular, and they had a good browse around the stalls. Whilst his wife spent a little time looking at a material stall, my neighbour was standing next to a shoe stall. A pair of shoes on the end of the stall caught his eye so he picked one up and had a good look. It was a smart, brown, slip on style shoe with leather upper and stout leather sole. The price was £20 which he thought was a bargain, and he quite fancied the slip on style, now that he suffered from a bit of arthritis and rheumatism. He decided to buy a pair and asked the trader if he had a size nine and a half. The trader produced the required size and my neighbour paid up. As his wife was ready to move on, and he had been nine and a half for all his adult life he decide not to try then on then and there, so the trader put them in a bag, and my neighbour and his wife continued around the market, he was quite happy with his little bargain
When they got home he did try his shoes on. As he opened the box and got them out he noticed that whilst they were the same in every way, one was a slip on and the other was lace up.
Thinking there had been a simple mix up with a wrong shoe being put in the wrong box, he decided to return to the market. On the way back he started to think his bargain was not as good as he had first thought, having to use extra fuel to sort out the mix up.
As he got back to the market mid afternoon the trader was beginning to pack up. My neighbour spoke to him, and showed him the shoes. He pointed out that as one was a slip on and the other was a lace up there had obviously been a mistake. The trader replied, “Sorry mate, I thought you had read it. You see, it says on the end of the box, and he pointed it out, and read it aloud, Gents shoe, brown leather, nine and a half, Taiwan”.
*****
Recipe of the Month
Quick Vegetable Soup
This soup is easy to make. It is low in fat and delicious eaten with freshly-baked bread.
Ingredients
1 medium-sized potato or 4 new potatoes
2 leeks
2 carrots
1 onion
2 courgettes
50g frozen peas
1 small tin of chopped tomatoes
1 vegetable stock cube
salt and pepper to taste
750mls water
cooking time 20-30 minutes
Method
Peel and dice the potato or chop new potatoes.
Wash and thinly slice the leek.
Peel and thinly slice the carrots.
Wash and slice the courgettes.
Peel and finely chop the onion.
Place all the vegetables except the peas and chopped tomato in a pan with the water and stock cube.
Gently heat to boiling point. Reduce the heat and simmer (covered by a pan lid) for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add more water if needed.
Remove approximately one third of the vegetables and purée them in a blender with half of the tomatoes. Alternatively, use a sieve using a wooden or plastic spoon.
Return the purée to the pan with the remaining stock and vegetables. Add the frozen peas and remaining tomatoes.
Re-heat until piping hot. Taste and add seasoning if required.
*****
Tips For A Good Nights SleepPhil Lindsay, Health Development Officer.
Northumberland Care Trust
Sleep only when you are tired
Don’t just go to bed when bedtime comes, if you’re not sleepy you’ll just lie there awake. You should try to associate being in bed with being asleep, not with being awake.
Don’t use your bed for other activities
Don’t read, watch TV (if you have kids take the TV out of their rooms NOW), do paperwork, make phone calls or do anything else in bed that breaks the association with sleep. If you dont work in your bed you’ll be less likely to sleep at the office’
Avoid stimulating activities before going to bed.
Don’t do things like crosswords, or watch late night horror films, don’t smoke, eat large portions of hard to digest foods (e.g. fatty or highly spiced), or have drinks containing caffeine before going to bed.
Have a light snack if you need one
If you find you are waking because you’re hungry have a light snack before going to bed. Foods containing tryptophan (such as turkey, and dairy products) are beneficial as are foods containing carbohydrates like bread and pasta. Many people say that lettuce sandwiches help too. Don’t eat too much though; large meals and fatty foods will make you more prone to waking.
Know your routine
The pre-sleep routine helps prepare the mind and body for sleep. Missing out a step like checking that the door is locked, or brushing your teeth can unsettle us without our necessarily being aware of it.
Prepare the room
Make sure the conditions in your bedroom are right. Not too hot (if anything slightly cool, but with warm bedding), not brightly lit (if you ‘need a light on” experiment with how dim you can make the light), not noisy — earplugs can help. If you have to sleep during the day (e.g. shiftwork) make sure the room is “light tight”.
Dress for success
Find the right night attire for you (cotton is cooler and more comfortable than nylon). Ensure your bed and bedding are comfortable too — and when was the last time you replaced, or even rotated your mattress?
Don’t have a clock where you can see it
If you have an alarm clock by the bed turn it to face away from you. Clockwatching can create additional anxiety that makes it harder to sleep.
Read Less
If you do read in bed only have one book or magazine in the bedroom at a time, and keep it light and dull. Make sure that your reading is not keeping a partner awake.
Caffeine
More than six average cups of coffee (or three espressos) in one day will disturb your sleep (and remember some coffee is particularly strong). and try and avoid it altogether for at least the last four hours of the day. Consider drinking decaffeinated instead. Remember tea. cola and chocolate also contain caffeine.
Don’t drink too much
Too much alcohol will disturb your sleep. and you will probably have to get up to get rid of the excess liquid! If you drink to sleep you will become unconscious sooner, but after 4 hours alcohol promotes wakefulness, and alcohol induced sleep isn’t refreshing. Never drink if taking sleeping tablets.
Don’t smoke
Giving up is best. If you haven’t given up yet then cut down, especially in the evening. Don’t have a cigarette if you get up in the night — you may feel like it is relaxing you, it is actually doing the opposite, and never smoke in bed.
Have a hot bath or shower before going to bed
When we go to sleep the body naturally cools down. The same thing happens after a hot bath, kick-starting the process we go through when falling asleep. But bathing too close to bedtime can keep you awake because your body is still too hot.
Have some gentle music on hand
Listening to something soothing can help relax you before you go to bed, and it can help if you wake during the night too. Avoid music that has lyrics. White noise generators can help mask out intrusive sounds.
Have a relaxation programme
Learn how to relax both your body and your mind. A simple routine of tensing and relaxing the muscles in your body starting at your feet and working progressively up to your head, or even imaging this happening, is very effective. Picturing yourself lying on a beautiful beach or somewhere else you feel as ease can prepare the mind for sleep.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy oils can be beneficial for some people. Be careful with lavender however as one type is good for inducing sleep whilst another will help stimulate you. Oilstones with low voltage heaters can be used safely at night because there is no naked flame.
Have sex
Sex can help to relax your mind and body before going to sleep. and give you pleasant feelings to drift off to. Remember. it need not involve anybody else!
You can’t deal with life issues while you’re in bed
If something is worrying you in your personal life make an agreement ‘with it. Acknowledge that the problem exists and fix a time to address it, e.g. think to yourself “Okay, I am worried about my exam. Tomorrow evening I will telephone my tutor and get some tips on revising, but there’s nothing I can do at the moment.” Writing down what is on your mind can help too, or even imagining writing it down.
Only try to get to sleep for about 20 minutes
If you can’t get to sleep soon after going to bed, or if you wake up during the night, get up and do something that isn’t mentally stimulating until you do feel tired, then go back to bed. Mundane activities using hand/eye coordination are best, e.g. jigsaws. crochet, patience.
Keep the house dark
Try and have as little light in the house as possible. Light acts as a signal to our brains to wake up. Even a normal light bulb can be bright enough to convince our bodies that it is morning if we get close to it.
Get up at the same time each morning
Rising at the same time each morning helps synchronise your daily body clock. Do this even when you don’t have to. Our bodies run on a 25-hour cycle, which is reset daily by exposure to sunlight.
If you share a bed...
Remember your being awake may prevent your partner from getting to sleep, think about sleeping in a separate bed. It doesn’t mean you don’t love them, it’s a mark of respect for their well-being.
Make sure medical conditions are attended to
Many medical problems interfere with sleep, e.g. chronic pain, asthma If this is what is keeping you awake it should be treated professionally.
Know your medication
Some medicines can interfere with sleep. As always read the leaflet. If you have been prescribed something that disturbs your sleep talk to your doctor. It may be possible to take it at another time in the day, or there may be an alternative that doesn’t cause problems.
Don’t have nightmares
There are ways of gaining control over disturbing dreams, for instance you can use imagery techniques to change the ending of a bad dream. Don’t avoid sleep just because you are worried about nightmares, the lost sleep is far more of a health hazard. Often nightmares occur as an understandable reaction to a particular crisis, and will soon pass.
Sleeping tablets
These should only be used to relieve acute insomnia, or for a short time to break the pattern of chronic insomnia The will help you get to sleep. they will not help you sleep for longer.
Get some exercise
Even a little exercise can have dramatic improvements on sleeping. But do it before the evening. otherwise it may have the opposite effect.
On Napping
Napping in the day can be useful to make up lost sleep, especially when looking after a baby. Siestas are common in other countries and can be part of a regular sleep routine
On not Napping
But if you are looking to restore a disrupted sleep pattern napping will make it more difficult to get off to sleep that night. Shorter naps taken earlier in the day will affect the night’s sleep less
Be gentle with yourself
If you’ve had sleep problems for a while you’re not likely to snap right back into a good sleep pattern. but will probably see small improvements that you can build on. Recognise where these improvements are occurring and include them in your routine.
Specific sleep problems
Jet Lag
Your body can adjust to time changes at the rate of about one hour per day.A time difference of over three hours will cause problems. Get plenty of sleep and eat well the day before Set your watch for “local time” once on the plane and try to eat and sleep (using a eye-mask and reading light to control light) as if you were already there, and drink plenty of water.
Shiftwork
You will need to trick your biological clock into thinking day is night. Ensure you have little exposure to light on the way home, and once indoors, your bedroom should be “light tight’ and double-glazed to reduce outside noise. Use earplugs and consider a white noise generator. At work try and get as much light as possible
Driver Fatigue
Do not drive if you feel tired If you become tired on a long journey opening the window and turning up the radio will do little to keep you awake. Stop where you can do safely Have a cup of coffee or two, this will take about 20 minutes kick in. In those 20 minutes get a nap — if you nap for longer than 20 minutes you may experience sleep inertia. If you feel really tired just stop and book in somewhere for a proper sleep.
Phil Lindsay,
Health Development Officer. Northumberland Care Trust
Next meeting December 7th at the Day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 7.00pm – 9.00pm Guest speaker is Willie Robson from Chain Bridge Honey Farm. Followed by seasonal refreshments of mince pies, shortbread and wine.
There will be no meeting or newsletter over the Christmas period, the next meeting will be on February 1st 2006 speaker Jennifer Hall, from the Citizens Advice Bureau.
*****
Dr. Higham, our President, was our speaker at November’s meeting. Sally Scott, Community Heart Failure Nurse, was also due, but unfortunately she was poorly and unable to attend.
There was a good attendance, and Dr. Higham gave a good informative talk, with slides, on modern drugs in relation to heart problems, forthcoming events concerning both MRI and CT Scanners for Wansbeck
As most of the information regarding any new drugs was on the slides and contained a lot of data concerning the comparisons between the old and new. One such comparison was between Aspirin and Clopidogrel, but not only was it a comparison between them but also what happens when used together
When used in this way, the results were both measurable and quite impressive, but as usual this is offset with some side effects. Whilst these could be unpleasant, both Hospital and local Doctors knew about them, and any one on this combination of drugs would receive regular check ups as a matter of course.
There was another called Prophylaxis. This was showing promising results.
There was some very good news regarding the use of both MRI and CT scanners. Currently Wansbeck is sharing MRI facilities with North Tyneside Hospital. Wansbeck is due to have its own in the near future and the money, between £1 and £2 million has been allocated, but as further
big structural changes are due to take place at the hospital, things are on hold. There is a possibility that it might be decided to have a mobile one, which could then be used away from the hospital. This is very good at assessing volumes, and leaky valves.
Much cheaper than the MRI is the CT scanner. It only costs about £600,000. This is due to arrive in April 2006. A scan takes about 5 mins. A dye is injected and the relevant part of the body is scanned. This takes 40 cross section slices at a time which can then be put back together to form a 3D image, by the computer, and the bodies’ condition assessed. Any parts of the body not required can be removed by the computer from the picture allowing a clearer picture of the part required.
As an example the resulting picture from a scan of the chest area would include the rib cage, spine, lungs, and heart with all their associated plumbing. The operator or Doctor could then remove anything that was not relevant. If, say, the Doctor wanted to concentrate on how the heart was functioning he could remove the rib cage, spine and lungs from the picture, and if he wanted to look solely at a section of artery or vein in the heart he could make everything other than the relevant section disappear. Not only that the computer can look along the inside of the arteries or veins without anything having to be put in there.
As many of us have had an angiogram, what the new method means is that there is no invasive surgery at the groin, with no need for the 4 hour lying down period afterwards so that the wound can heal. An angiogram of the future will be a 5 minute event, not the all day event it is at present.
*****
Wally’s Yarn
Two of Berwick’s citizens who are not the brightest of young people, I will call them Bill and Ben to avoid causing them embarrassment, recently went to a Newcastle match. It was the match where Alan Shearer got a bloodied mouth, and Newcastle managed to win.
(Also to save my embarrassment I left out all the swear words and expletives, and improved the grammar in case you thought it was me)
After the match Bill and Ben were both annoyed and jubilant, their hero had been hurt, but their team had won, so they headed for the nearest bar to both commiserate and to celebrate.
When the pubs closed they headed into town to the night clubs to continue their drinking spree.
At 3.30 am the next day, they emerged from a disco completely legless and penniless. They had to hold on to each other for support, sometimes even having to crawl because the road was moving. They were absolutely blotto.
Somehow they made their way to Central Station as all they had left was their return tickets, only to be told that the first train back to Berwick didn’t leave until 9.30 am.
“That’s no good,” said Bill, “What we going to do now”?
“I don’t know”, was the reply, “I think were going to have to walk, we can’t stay here till 9.30”
“Don’t be silly man, were too p- p- p- drunk to walk, we can hardly stand up as it is”, slurred Bill.
“We’ll steal a car, that’s what we’ll do”, said Ben.
They looked around for a likely looking vehicle. After a while Bill said, “What you looking for, we’ve passed lots of cars”.
Ben said, “I know, but none of them are taxed, we don’t want to be stopped by the Police, do we”?
As it was they were now in a part of Newcastle that neither of them knew, so they had to stop and work out where they were. There weren’t many houses around, mainly commercial premises, but then they noticed that they were stood outside a bus garage, and everything was in darkness.
“That’s it”, said Bill, “We’ll pinch a bus”.
Ben said, “I don’t know how to drive a bus, but your old man used to drive for Northumbria, so you get over the fence and get a bus, whilst I keep watch”.
Bill got over the fence, and Ben kept watch. After a few minutes Ben could hear engines being starting and revved up. Then there was lots of gear grinding, and crashing and banging, Ben began to wonder what his mate was doing and thought that if he didn’t keep the noise down, someone was going to hear.
After about half an hour of all this noise Bill opened the gate, and looked as pleased as punch sat in the cab of the bus he had managed to get to the gate.
Ben said, “What was all that noise, it was loud enough to wake the dead, it’s a wonder nobody came, and I was getting worried”.
Bill said, “See you, what a whinge, you are never satisfied you, I go to all that trouble but all you can do is moan. As it was, the bus with Berwick on was right over in the far corner and I just couldn’t get it out, I’ve had to get the one that’s going to Belford, we’ll have to try and get a lift from there
*****
Recipe of the month
Virtual Fat Free Chips
2 Lbs of maris piper potatoes
fry light oil
Method
Peel potatoes and cut into 1cm thick chips place in a pan of lightly salted boiling water and cook for 5 mins.
Drain and place on kitchen paper for 10mins to dry and then return them to a dry pan, put lid on and shake to rough up the edges
Spray a non-stick baking tray with fry light oil, add chips, spray again and bake in a pre heated oven at 240c/475f or gas mark 9 for 30 min, turning occasionally until golden.
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