Health & Beauty

People with a learning disability urged to have the flu vaccine

Children and adults with learning disabilities, as well as their family members or paid supporters are eligible to receive a free flu vaccine this winter.

Preventing flu is particularly important for people with learning disabilities. It can lead to pneumonia and sepsis, which many people with a learning disability are much more vulnerable to than the general population.

People with learning disabilities are less likely to get the flu if people around them have also been vaccinated. Family carers can get the flu vaccination for free if they’re the main carer, as can...

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Don’t ignore cancer symptoms, warns Macmillan nurse

The message comes ahead of Lung Cancer Awareness Month amid reports of a rise in emergency hospital admissions

Don’t ignore cancer symptoms, warns Macmillan nurse. The message comes in Lung Cancer Awareness Month amid reports of a rise in emergency hospital admissions

Lung cancer nurses from Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital NHS Trust are urging people not to ignore the early signs and symptoms of lung cancer amid reports of a rise in emergency hospital admissions.

Sandra Pope, Lung Nurse Specialist and Melanie Crimmins, Macmillian Lung Nurse Specialists at Royal...

The Vitamins and Minerals Brits need during the colder months

As we are now into the colder months of the year and the likelihood of spending lots of our time indoors again, experts have warned which vitamins and minerals our bodies will be deficient in, this winter.

To ensure our bodies are as strong and healthy as possible, experts from Scandinavian health and beauty brand, New Nordic , have explained the key ingredients certain foods can support towards a healthier immune system after new research has found 53% of Brits want to improve their diet and skin.

Karl Kristian, founder of New Nordic, has named five key vitamins and...

People in Devon praised for having Covid booster vaccinations

People in Devon have been thanked for taking up their invitation to have a booster Covid-19 dose.

Walk-in clinics have been very busy and extra appointments are being offered, where possible, to meet demand.

During peak demand, people who have booked appointments may be given priority and walk in clinics may be paused temporarily to maintain safe numbers and social distancing.

People are being asked to book, if possible, and come prepared for a wait.

NHS Devon’s Chief Nurse, Darryn Allcorn said: “I want to thank everyone who has booked or had their...

Benefits of using a personal trainer

Many people have a tough time getting into the gym and getting a workout done. The boredom, lack of knowledge or skills, and even the expense of going to a personal trainer can be enough to put them off. However, there are benefits that one might not think about.

In this post, we'll discuss some of those benefits, as well as how you can go about finding the right trainer for you.

Achieve your health goal with exercise

Whether you want to lose weight , build strength, get in shape, or just get healthier the right kind of exercise is what's going to...

Protect yourself and your baby by having the flu vaccine

Pregnant women in Devon, Plymouth and Torbay are being urged to have the flu vaccine now to protect themselves and their unborn baby from the deadly illness.

The UK Health Security Agency has warned that there could be a significant flu surge this winter coinciding with continuing or rising COVID-19 cases.

Clara Southby, Interim Maternity Matron for Community and Outpatients, at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said: “Having flu when pregnant can put you and your baby at a greater risk of severe complications, so we would encourage anyone who is pregnant to have...

Significant Things to Look for When Choosing the Right Sciatica Cushion

When you want to reduce pain and have everlasting comfort while sitting, then you should consider using the best pillow for sciatica pain relief. But, with a wide variety of options in the market, selecting the ideal seat cushion for sciatica can be a daunting task.

Besides, if you intend to make things easy and sort through a vast range of seat cushions, this article contains crucial factors to consider when buying the right seat cushion for sciatica pain. Also, in this article, various types of seat cushions, their differences in exterior or interior design, their functionality...

Protect your kids as rates of winter viruses rise

Devon parents can download a free locally developed app to check symptoms and get advice

Levels of the common childhood illness respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which causes coughs and colds, peaked over the summer and are once again rising in the under 5’s .

Parents in Devon are being urged to look out for the possible signs of severe infection in vulnerable children and to download the free, locally developed HANDiApp ; which they can use to check symptoms and get advice on when to seek medical help.

Dr Rowan Kerr-Liddell is a Paediatric Consultant at Torbay...

Tips for dealing with back pain

A reported 2.5 million people in the UK experience some form of back pain each day. Plus, the issues don’t discriminate when it comes to age, as both young and elderly people can develop temporary or chronic back pain. Also, it might surprise you to learn that people in office jobs are more likely to experience the issue than manual workers.

If you are one of the many people enduring the problem, some tactics and products may ease your discomfort and restore your quality of life. Read these tips for dealing with back pain.

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When back pain strikes, you...

How to stay fit with a busy schedule

If you have a full-time job, household chores to do at the weekend, relationships to maintain, and children to take care of, finding time to exercise can be a real challenge. Thankfully, there are many ways to combine exercise with some of your other daily or weekly activities. Read on for some tips on how to stay fit without adding any dedicated exercise slots to your already packed schedule.

Turn your commute into an exercise routine

Unless you live very far from your place of work, consider running, cycling or walking to work instead of driving or using public transport. Many...

Avoid Halloween ‘sight-mare’ from novelty contact lenses

WANNABE witches, warlocks, black cats and devils in Devon are being urged to avoid using spooky novelty contact lenses that could harm their eyes this Halloween.

An increasingly popular trend at this time of year is for people to wear coloured novelty contact lenses – but not knowing how to wear or care for them can also result in numerous eye conditions.

This includes red eye, infections and scratches, as well as more serious complications that can, in severe cases, lead to sight loss.

Giles Edmonds, Specsavers clinical services director, says: ‘Halloween...