Disrespecting free "NHS"

I realise that my entries on my blog are few and far between and I do have the best of intentions but somehow life gets in the way.
One of the cases in point ...Visiting outpatients at my local hospital last week with my husband......inevitably as we get older the need to be checked for one thing and another increases. We all sit patiently in the waiting room scrutinising every would be patient as they go through the process which you have just undergone. We observe what state of well being each person is displaying. To fill the time we start to make judgemental comments to ourselves as we observe the people and their current state of health and what they have done to contribute to their current state. Well what else is there to do?  The clock seems to slow down....appointment at 2.15 already at 2.50 so so bored and fidgety ....observe the work practices of nurses and auxiliaries and volunteers - all well meaning but can't help to think there is an awful lot of duplication of effort.... the limiting factor came down to 3 consultants on duty.

Our prolonged waiting time was at least broken by observing a larger than life Statistics board on a wall of the waiting room and one of the key entries for us related to 641 non show people for appointments in month of Jan and stated £150 per head cost to the NHS.

We were left with a feeling of something quite radical needs to happen to make the NHS work effectively and efficiently and also to stop people taking the service for granted.

NHS Challenge!

My last post shows my Fitbit and meeting my fitness targets for the day. After returning from our Caribbean cruise I have become even more conscious of the need to maintain a healthy lifestyle . Let me fill you in on some of my observations on the holiday.

I am not keen on flying and so if we can sail from Southampton to Southampton I am more than happy. The downside if there is one that the period of time at sea may be long. So this holiday for me removed a lot of the angst. 

What surprised us however was the number of seriously obese passengers and we surmised that maybe it would have been impossible for them to fly and so again this cruise suited them but for different reasons. Out of  approximately 2000 people on board we estimated that about 60% were overweight. I have mentioned the obesity problem before however this time we were shocked by the body size and the extent of immobility of many. 

We witnessed eating to the point of absurdity. This may seem far fetched but let me give you just one example - one woman who was very jolly and pleasant and almost the width of a corridor would struggle each morning to collect her breakfast from the buffet. She could hardly breath and could only move by conducting a side to side rocking motion. Her plate was filled with several pieces of toast stacked in such a way that bacon, eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes could be trapped between the layers - the arrangement was completed with baked beans poured over the top. 

This level of gluttony was not unique. When you see this with your own eyes your amazement turns into real concern that clearly she and many of the others couldn't help themselves. 

The obesity crisis is something we all have to take seriously and the solutions have to be quite radical. A sugar tax would not make any impact whatsoever. The age group primarily 45-70 on this ship, should really know better and realise that they are killing themselves. They also are suffering from many ailments including diabetes, having to endure operations to hips, knees and the rest. 

Ww

We listened to passengers who openly talked about their failings but made light of it by saying "I'm just a real foodie" and "you see I just love my food"!

Plenty of wonderful food was available, lots of variety and choice but for many they stuck to what I heard referred to on a TV programme as "the beige diet" (fat v carbs BBC). Lots of potatoes mainly in the form of chips, bread rolls with every meal, rice, pasta.....

We reflected on the challenge facing the NHS and what could be done. There are no simple answers but there needs to be strong messages about the consequences of this overindulgence. We seem to care more about sensitivities than tackling the problem.  If the behaviour I have described is replicated across the country no wonder the NHS can't cope.

Needless to say the gym on board was used by about 20 people on a regular basis. However others did visit the gym .....to use the scales. Some including my husband preferred to walk 3 times round the promenade deck (1mile) on a daily basis.- just as effective particularly when walking briskly

Diet and exercise are regular topics in newspapers, magazines, TV programmes, websites, Government and NHS guidelines so why aren't people listening???

What do you think? 

In no particular order........

Got out of the swing of posting so busy with election...it seems to dominate everything.  So here are a few random items to start me going again......

I bought this Poinsettia beginning of December and here we are 5th April!!  Seems happy - long may it last!

...................................................

So much talk about cost of living and price of food - even more so with election coming up!  I know i have posted on this before but it is possible to eat well and cheaply!  Here is an example ...our visit to the market last week....

9 long red peppers

2 lbs sprouts

2.5 lbs carrots

2 large cucumbers

3 bunches spring onions

1.5 lbs tomatoes

2 x 2.5lb cauliflowers

All for £8.50

Could have bought large bag of onions for £1 and also large bag of potatoes for a £1.

Lidl and Aldi also stock modestly priced fruit and veg....so why do people still talk as if these items are still out of reach?  If you cook and spend wisely you can live well.

I am tired of hearing about people who seemingly have no option but to live on takeaways - surely it is more expensive to live like this than to prepare food for yourself?  Is it that some can't cook or won't cook, or lazy? 

We have an obesity crisis which the NHS is finding very difficult to manage.  I read this article the other day and realised how hopeless it can be. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3022157/Takeaway-boom-fuelling-obesity-Number-45-places-poorest-areas-eateries-20-years-ago.html

Conclusion ..... people need to eat properly and take care of themselves but take personal responsibility.  We can't force alternative way of living but we do need to educate and provide basic nutritional advice at school and teach how to cook the basics.

Last night I watched a programme on Channel 4 called Embarrassing Fat Bodies where a team of doctors helped the seriously obese tackle their problems.  It was quite enlightening.  The 3 individuals featured had similar feelings ...mainly "being out of control". It was very sad to watch and questions kept being raised as to why do people do this to themselves.  The advice given was excellent and you would hope that these three would now be on a path to a better quality of life but it won't be easy.  This is a mega mega problem and no easy answers.

...........................................................

We are now delivering loads and loads of leaflets for the Conservative Party.  I have been out this morning for a couple of hours and apart from being genuinely interesting in promoting the Party have also been able to put in my daily exercise.  You do get into a rhythm and because you have a sense of purpose.....completing task and getting home for lunch makes for a brisk walk!!

  .................................................................

Sad day today 4 years ago my mother passed away having endured motor neurone disease. It amazing how the years fly by doesn't seem like 4 years but she is not forgotten.  I am sure you like me have experienced loss but somehow they feel they are still with you and are often mentioned.

    .....................................................................

                    Enjoy your chocolate!!  Happy Easter to my readers!!!

NHS - good health and longevity!

Following on from my last blog have a look at this article -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/11199403/Secret-of-healthy-ageing-discovered-in-ground-breaking-35-year-study.html

I suppose the results are obvious that looking after yourself does pay dividends in later life and possibly extend your life. No matter how much research is done and no matter how convincing the evidence you are still going to get those who will be in complete denial.

I know communicating to those who will not hear is a real challenge so in a very small way.......
Here is a suggestion.....Maybe the walls in GP's surgeries and waiting rooms in hospitals should be covered in posters on diet, fitness, calories, portion control, exercise etc. just providing simple messages and advice. At least while patients are waiting they have someting meaningful to stare at and who knows there may be some who start to take responsibility for their own excesses.Statistically  this is worth a shot.......and I don't mean just one poster but several each with actions to be taken.

Well that's my thought for the day - what thoughts do you have on helping ourselves and reducing burden on NHS?

Help the NHS by helping ourselves!!

Last week we had lunch with friends.  One of the couples - I'll call Janet and John to save blushes - they were noticeably different as they entered the dining room.  Each has lost lost 2 stones in the last 4 months.  They actually brought this up as a topic of discussion ....and it transpired that  they had been on the 5:2 diet most commonly known as the feast : famine diet.  This is misleading as the "5 feast days" are still supposed to be sensible. Balanced food and reasonable portions. The famine days tend to be 5-600 calories.  I am not advocating any diet in particular it depends on what works for you and you may want to look at this website from NHS which summarises the various diets which are popular.

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/top-10-most-popular-diets-review.aspx#5:2

The fascinating thing about observing people who have lost weight is to register and understand the changes.  Janet who has always been v attractive is even more so now.  Her eyes have become more dominant and focus of attention.  She has accentuated her figure and appears more vital.  John was more streamlined and fit looking - more in keeping with his martial arts interests.  However the most significant thing for him was that he no longer needed statins!  If anything isn't this a fantastic recommendation for losing weight?!

For both they seemed to have had a "light bulb " moment.  They expanded on the facts to say that they realised that things had to change and that the change in food and portions must become a new way of life. Janet also said that when they calculated the alcohol units they consumed in a week they were horrified.  She went on to outline the familiar path many of us take ...a hard day .....end of...have a glass of wine...then another.....and then you become removed from reality about the number of units you have ingested.  So they have cut out booze during the week and have a glass or two at weekends.

They have decided to lose another stone and then work at maintaing this new level.

What is clear is that in this obesity crisis the NHS is facing we need to find the "light bulb" moment -for these 2- they seemed to come to the same conclusion and then supported each other.

We need to desperately tap into what ever will spark this realisation ....another friend we say about 3 months ago had lost 3 stones in weight - we were amazed and when we enquired as to why ...he said he had had his routine medical and what he heard has disturbed him enough to do something.

I really feel that gastric bands are not the answer to obesity to sustain quality life and a meaningful change in habits.  I have mentioned here 2 different examples and there are so many more reasons as to way other alternatives are preferable.

The NHS can't cope.

We need to be responsible!!  We all need to help each other and to be honest about our excesses. It can't always be everyone else's problem but recognise it is yours!

Healthy Weight....

Getting older means increased maintenance....tedious but necessary!  If we have looked after our bodies along the way then we hope we have gained some credits! I don't know about you but certainly my conversations with my 60 ish friends and relatives often revolve around ailments and operations and we compare notes.

We look for advice from people we regard as the experts and in my book we look to them as role models.  I have mentioned this before when I had a routine medical overseen by an obese nurse. The consultation had an almost facial quality about it as she provided information on weight, blood pressure and the dangers of a poor diet..........  all good stuff but seemed to have been wasted on her.

This week there was an article in the Mail on this very subject - some medics had decided to take their own advice and lose considerable amounts of weight whilst the last one featured decided not to heed the dangers and his image to patients.

Have a read on the link below and see what you think!

 One fact really disturbed me in this article ...that a recent study revealed that 700,000 people that is half of all NHS staff are overweight or obese!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2748371/Diet-It-s-job-warn-perils-obese-So-happened-health-experts-realised-fat.html

Bank Holiday

Bad start to Bank Holiday weekend woke up with an eye infection and could hardly open my eyes. I thought I might be able to get an appt with my doctor if I was prepared to wait only to find they are closed. I hardly ever go to the GP and assumed they opened Saturday morning. So went to the pharmacy and the pharmacist was wonderful and gave me drops which she said would help ....at least until I can see a doctor.  I asked her what are people supposed to do on a Saturday morning when they have something which is minor but quite distressing and which potentially can get worse - she said that you would have to go to A & E!  I thought this was supposed to be discouraged!. Anyway I am taking it easy closing my eyes as much as possible as lids feel like lead weights.....

Remarkably quiet out ....does everyone go away at BH?

Holiday Hits and Misses- Growing passengers (3)

As we get older we are supposed to benefit from all our knowledge and experience and hence become so much wiser.

This assumption was really tested on holiday.

With so much information about obesity and sun protection you would have thought that the people on board would be mindful of this.  However a significant number of passengers had thrown caution to the wind.  Approximately 50% were significantly overweight and about 20% seriously obese.

I know many of us struggle to maintain a healthy weight and it is even harder when on holiday. However what I am referring to here is a whole different ball game.

When you go on a cruise, there is so much food available all the time.  You can choose to eat formally and informally.  We tended to go for the buffet meals for breakfast and lunch and formal for dinner.  It is in the buffet that the real excess takes place and you can't help but observe the greed and gluttony.
Some seemed to have no control at all.  Instead of getting a normal portion and then returning for more some decide to heap their plates to avoid having to make a possible return trip.

One person at breakfast had a pile of eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, mushrooms and hash browns and then noticed that the speciality that day was gammon and so this unfortunate piece of meat was selected and balanced on the top of the mountain of food.  This was accompanied with toast, bread buns and a couple of muffins.

This was not an unusual occurrence. Others over indulgenced with cereals - 3 packets poured into a bowl with a second to house the overspill.  On top of this loads of fruit and berries and then finally 3 pots of yoghurt. A cooked breakfast would follow this.

These same people complained about their ailments which included shortness of breath, lack of mobility, aching joints, indigestion, swollen ankles, diabetes, hip and joint replacements. Many opted for buggies even if they could walk.  Exercise didn't feature in their daily plan. When one person found that there was a buggy free she was over the moon - it saved walking!

The topics of conversation over dinner would often include observations of excess that day. A bone of contention often mentioned was the priority given to large people when everyone else had to take their turn.  Delays were caused on coaches going on excursions as people struggled to squeeze into seats. There was a humorous moment which many of us had witnessed when an obese woman in a buggy spied a free table in the bar. What followed could only be described as a "Little Britain"moment.  She leapt out of the buggy to claim her prize. We had all assumed she was disabled and couldn't walk.

There must be many reasons why intelligent people are eating themselves to death however one thing is clear the NHS hasn't got a prayer! How can it cope with all the problems associated with over eating to this extent?  How can it cope providing all the mobility apparatus?

This morning on the TV paper review an article was mentioned outlining the problem we have with obese children.  With parents and grandparents setting such a poor example there doesn't seem much point in the proposed banning of fizzy drinks. Its like putting a sticking plaster over an open wound

I don't have the solution to this but it is clear that the problem is growing and something has to be done. Maybe not going on a holiday where the temptations are so great would be a start.

More in next Post on the sun worshippers!

Kyoto

Nagasaki Peace Garden - American Monument

Nagasaki - Ground Zero

Great Wall of China

Papua New Guinea - active volcano!