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- Heatwaves (15/06/2009)
- SUN PROTECTION (15/06/2009)
- Free chlamydia test for under 25's living in Derbyshire (20/04/2009)
Heatwaves are forecast to increase in frequency in the coming years and plans are in place in England to decrease the impact they will have upon health and in doing so, will save lives.
The key message for preventing heat related illness and death is to keep cool! The best ways to do this include the following.
Stay out of the heat:
- Keep out of the sun between 11.00am and 3.00pm.
- If you have to go out in the heat, walk in the shade, apply sunscreen and wear a hat and light scarf.
- Avoid extreme physical exertion.
- Wear light, loose fitting cotton clothes.
Cool yourself down:
Have plenty of cold drinks, but avoid caffeine and alcohol.
Eat cold foods, particularly salads and fruit with a high water content.
Take a cool shower, bath or body wash.
Sprinkle water over the skin or clothing, or keep a damp cloth on the back of your neck.
Keep your environment cool:
- Place a thermometer in your main living room and bedroom to keep a check on the temperature.
- Keep windows that are exposed to the sun closed during the day, and open windows at night when the temperature has dropped.
- Care should be taken with metal blinds and dark curtains, as these can absorb heat – consider replacing or putting reflective material inbetween them and the window space.
- Consider putting up external shading outside windows.
- Have your loft and cavity walls insulated – this keeps the heat in when it is cold and out when it is hot.
- Use pale, reflective external paints.
- Turn off nonessential lights and electrical equipment – they generate heat.
- Grow trees and leafy plants near windows to act as natural air conditioners.
- Keep indoor plants and bowls of water in the house as evaporation helps cool the air.
- If possible, move into a cooler room, especially for sleeping.
Look out for others:
Keep an eye on isolated, elderly, ill or very young people and make sure they are able to keep cool.
Ensure that babies, children or elderly people are not left alone in stationary cars.
Check on elderly or sick neighbours, family or friends every day during a heat wave.
With the number of people developing skin cancer increasing at alarming rates, protecting your skin from the harmful effects of the sun (ultraviolet (u.v) rays) is a must.
Sunscreens: These protect the skin either by forming a chemical filter (absorb the sun's rays preventing skin damage) or by forming a physical filter (reflect the sun's rays off the body).
Ideally you should choose a sunscreen which protects from both the harmful UVA and UVB rays from the sun.
SPF (sun protection factor) is a measure used on sunscreens to tell you how effective a product is at filtering UVB rays from the sun. The higher the SPF, the more effective the product should be at filtering out the UVB rays.
UVA stars are another way of measuring how effective a product is. However this method measures the effectiveness of UVA protection in relation to its UVB protection. The more stars, the better the protection.
Ideal products will have a SPF of at least 15 (SPF over 25 for children, people with eczema and people who burn easily) and at least 4 stars.
Top tips…
- Apply the sunscreen at least half an hour before going out into the sun.
- Apply plenty of lotion/cream and ensure there is even coverage.
- Re-apply the cream/lotion regularly
- All areas exposed to the sun should be protected. This includes areas such as the ears, lips and nose. It is a good idea to use a stick applicator for these areas.
- If it likely that you will get wet whilst out in the sunshine, you should use a product which is either waterproof (preferred) or water-repellent. You should reapply the lotion or cream when you are dry.
- If you sweat a lot, or will be running around in the sun, choose a sunscreen containing titanium dioxide or zinc oxide which isn't absorbed and ensure that you apply it frequently.
- It is important to remember that no one product provides total protection from the sun and it is recommended that you avoid being exposed to the sun when the UV rays are at their strongest during midday.
- Whilst sun creams generally have a long shelf-life(2-3 years) it is strongly recommended that you replace your sunscreen every year since both heat and bacteria will damage sunscreens making them less effective.
Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
In the UK, the number of new diagnoses has been steadily increasing and it has now become the most commonly diagnosed Sexually Transmitted Infection.
As Chlamydia sometimes has no symptoms in both men and women, it can often go undiagnosed, unless it leads to complications. This means because most people don't have any symptoms, they don't know they have the infection unless they have a test or their partner or ex-partner informs them
FREE treatment is available if your test is positive
For more information about Chlamydia testing you can follow these links
National Chlamydia Screening Programme http://www.chlamydiascreening.nhs.uk/
