Sonning Common Health Centre - Improve your health

Improving your health

Diet     Dietary supplements     Children and Food

Food preparation    Exercise and fitness

The Green Gym       Health Walks       HealthCycling

Diet

There is no need to be faddish either about the food or exercise you take. For most of us sensible eating simply consists of enjoying a balanced diet.

A few 'DO's and 'DO LIMIT's about what you eat and drink and how you prepare food are still worth keeping in mind.

eat fresh food whenever possible
try to have at least four portions of vegetable/pieces of fruit a day
increase your intake of fibre (like bran, whole-wheat bread, pulses)
drink at least two litres a day
include white meat (poultry) and oily fish (like sardines, pilchards,
mackerel)
trim visible fat from your meat, the skin from your poultry
grill rather than fry food
cook in olive oil rather than fat or butter
steam or microwave vegetables
use poly or monounsaturated spreads
have a glass of red wine if you fancy it
indulge occasionally, if you wish, in a modest amount of junk food and don't feel guilty

DO LIMIT

red meat to two meals a week
eggs to four per week
units of alcohol to two per day
intake of saturated fats like butter, cheese, cream

Dietary supplements

A normal balanced diet provides for all your needs. However, during pregnancy and in other special circumstances, and for older patients, dietary supplements, like certain minerals or multivitamins, may be recommended.

For example, folic acid (400 mcg/day) should be taken while trying to conceive and, if pregnant, up to the 12th week.

Children and Food

The wide-spread consciousness about diet is now being observed among primary school children and young girls especially feel under social pressure to be thin. Parental attitude to food and physical appearance - loving your children as they are - is of crucial importance. Only about 15% of children are obese and need medical help.

Children are growing and active and actually need snacks between meals. In general terms a balanced diet is best for them as for adults. They should not be deprived of sugar or fed a high fibre diet for example. Attractive things like crisps and chocolate, even McDonalds, should not be banned, just subject to moderation. Children should get pleasure from eating as we do.

Of course if your child appears in danger of becoming seriously overweight - remember puppy fat really exists - or is developing negative habits towards food and eating, come and see your doctor for advice.

Food Preparation

Illnesses related to food are usually caused by poor storage and/or preparation and/or cooking, especially of meat, fish and their derivatives.

Cleanliness is essential - both personal hygiene, especially clean hands, and of the kitchen, especially the surfaces and utensils.

Remember meat and fish must be kept below 5 degrees Celsius. Check that your fridge is cold enough. Keep raw meat/fish away from other food to avoid cross-contamination. Never re-freeze frozen food.

Thoroughly de-frost frozen food before cooking, preferably for 24 hours in the fridge. Cook from frozen only if it is a prepared dish and the instructions recommend it. Ensure the food is thoroughly hot before it is served.

Never leave food around uncovered, especially in hot weather. Put it in the fridge as soon as it's cold.

Diarrhoea and vomiting may result if proper procedures are not observed.

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Exercise and fitness

Do we all really need exercise? Yes, we really do. Those laid-back, after-tea-telly-addicts are certainly taking life as it comes - and goes. They have double the risk of heart attacks (equivalent to 20 cigarettes a day) and are more likely to develop cancer, osteoporosis (thinning bones) and strokes. And there's more. Keeping fit means a better quality of life, with more energy for everyday activities and feeling generally less tired. Exercise lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol and boosts your immune system. It can also help to reduce weight by burning off extra calories.

And it's never too late to start. So do it now - get walking or running or cycling with us. Just click on Health Walks (which includes running) and/or HealthCycling and see what you've been missing.

For those who prefer other routes to fitness, there is no shortage of possibilities in and around the village, like Bodyworks Exercise Classes and the Green Gym for example.

The Green Gym

The Green Gym is a unique project run by the British Trust for Conservation volunteers (BTCV) and Sonning Common Health Centre.

The Green Gym promotes health and fitness through involvement in nature conservation. To date, the Green Gym has involved approximately forty local people and has made significant environmental improvements, including helping to plant 500 trees at Kennylands Field.

Oxford Brookes University has published a research paper on the health benefits of the Green Gym and, in short, working on the Green Gym uses up more activity than skip aerobics - and you have benefited the environment as well.

Visit the Green Gym's own website which, besides giving you lots more information, allows you to register online.

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The Health Walks project was set up by Dr Bird, one of the Health Centre partners, to improve people's fitness and well-being by encouraging them to use the local countryside for walking.

The walks really are designed for everyone, no matter what their starting level of fitness, and they are all about enjoyment.

The project started nearly five years ago and the Walks themselves some two years later. To date over 1650 walks have been organised with over 800 local people taking part. Even more people are known to have been encouraged to walk by publicity given to the project, but choose to go their own way.

Full details are now available on the Health Walks' own website which is well worth a visit and includes a statement of Aims and Benefits, in addition to an explanatory Timetable and note of special Events.

Why cycle?
Guided cycle rides
Some advice for new cyclists
Further reading
Local cycling groups

Sonning Common HealthCycling aims to encourage you to cycle as a way to good health. It complements the Health Walks programme and is a joint project with Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire Health Authority

Why Cycle?

Cycling helps you feel good in mind and body
It's great fun and a good way of making new friends and enjoying your leisure time more
It helps you control your weight
It helps your heart work more efficiently, improves your circulation and helps protect against heart disease
It gets easier the more you do
It improves strength and stamina
It's never too late - anyone can get fitter and healthier by cycling

So why not go along to the regular guided cycle rides or, if you prefer to cycle alone or with friends, follow the routes described in the series of leaflets (available at the Health Centre, Sonning Common Library and other local sources)?

Guided Cycle Rides - All Welcome

There are group rides every Tuesday evening at 6.30 pm throughout the spring and summer (April - September). The rides are at a leisurely pace on country lanes and tracks. No-one is left behind. All the rides are two hours long and start and finish at Sonning Common Health Centre, Wood Lane. Under 14s must come with a responsible adult. Check with reception to confirm the exact start time for rides.

For further information, contact the Health Centre (0118) 972 2188

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- Your Bicycle -

Ensure that your bicycle is in good working order.
Check brakes, wheels and tyres regularly.
Always carry a puncture repair kit, a spare inner tube, suitable tools, lock, money, food and drink.
Ensure that all lights work.

-Your Clothes-

A cycle helmet is advisable and may reduce the risk of a serious head injury. Always wear suitable and high visibility clothing and fluorescent and reflective strips.

- On the Road -

Always follow the advice in the Highway code. Take care in cycling downhill and crossing busy road junctions. Always ride in single file when roads are narrow or busy and never more than two abreast.

If you wish to plan further routes in the Sonning Common area, Ordnance Survey maps Landranger 175, Pathfinder 1172 and Explorer 3 are recommended. (The Health Centre Grid Reference is 707801)

These maps show the off-road rights of way open to cyclists, bridleways, byways open to all traffic and roads used as public paths.

- Refreshments -

Refreshments are available in numerous public houses in the Sonning Common area.

furtherreading

Improving your health

Further Reading