hiya bucks in Bourne End, Flackwell Heath, Marlow, Wycombe, Wooburn December 2017 | Page 16

YOUR HEALTH
with Dr. Thakkar
KEEP SAFE, KEEP WARM, KEEP HEALTHY
Another year has almost gone, the clocks have gone back and the
weather has gotten colder. Whilst the excitement of festivity is upon
some of us, for others it’s a lonely and potentially dangerous time
of year. So, what can we do to keep ourselves and the people in our
community safe?
As with most of my articles, the message
remains the same, “prevention is better
than cure”. This article is no different save
to say, please don’t wait until it’s too late.
Act now!
One easy step is to make sure you get
your flu and pneumococcal vaccinations.
Flu can increase the risk of falls, collapse,
pneumonia and death. Protection against
pneumococcal bacteria reduces the risk
of pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis.
Unless there is a legitimate reason not to
get vaccinated, if you qualify, I’d suggest
you see your practice nurse to get one. If
you haven’t had your blood pressure and
pulse checked in a while, why don’t you
get them checked at the same time.
The next issue is falls which is a big
problem all year round. In the winter,
poor lighting, loose fitting slippers, low
temperatures, rain, ice and snow all add
to risk. Reducing your risk is essential
because of the risk of fracture, head injury
and loss of confidence. Equally, if you do
fall, do you have a way of getting help?
Check out this link for more info:
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=IrFvkzHWU3o
Keeping warm is equally important.
Hypothermia can lead to confusion and
indeed adds to the falls risk. If your boiler
hasn’t been serviced, perhaps get this
checked before the cold really sets in.
Also, ensure you have enough food stocks
in case we have a bad winter.
Social isolation is very damaging and
is considered to be as dangerous as
smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Isolation
in itself is associated with falls and falls,
in turn, increase the risk of isolation.
Furthermore, depression and anxiety
can set in without interaction with others.
Mental health problems are linked to poor
health outcomes and can increase the risk
of a hospital admission.
If you feel lonely, or indeed if you are
suffering from mental health problems,
please do get help.
Keeping safe, looking after your health and managing your risks
before you have a problem is the key here. It’s important to be
proactive, look after those who are vulnerable and above all, have
a happy and safe winter.
Dr. Thakkar is a
Buckinghamshire based GP
Chiltern Clinical
Commissioning Group
16 |
hiyabucks.com