Since becoming a new organisation in June 2011, the Trust has expanded significantly, now providing a wide range of community services as well as specialist mental health services to the people of Lancashire.
As thanks for your support in a year of significant and positive change, the Trust would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year with a NHS take on the 12 Days of Christmas song, along with information and advice to ensure that it is merry and healthy.
A new message and line to the song will be added daily so keep checking back!
Without further ado:
On the 1st Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Keep Well and Stay Healthy!
On the 2nd Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Don’t drink and drive!
On the 3rd Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Use less salt!
On the 4th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Cut out the cigs!
On the 5th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Eat 5 a day!
On the 6th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Wash your hands!
On the 7th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Drink less booze!
On the 8th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Have Safer sex!
On the 9th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Watch out for ice!
On the 10th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Get exercise!
On the 11th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Don't overeat!
On the 12th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Wrap up warm!
On the 1st Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Keep Well and Stay Healthy!
Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly and keep warm in the winter months to ensure you stay well. Remember to get your flu jab to prevent you getting the virus over the festive period and drink milk (semi-skimmed or skimmed if possible!) which is high in vitamins A and B12 to boost your immune system.
If you're feeling low over the Christmas period then don't suffer in silence; please call the Trust's confidential freephone Mental Health Helpline on 0500 639000. They offer confidential help, advice on local services or are simply there to chat.
On the 2nd Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Don’t drink and drive!
Driving when over the legal alcohol limit is a criminal offence and can have serious consequences. Remember over the festive period that alcohol affects us all in different ways so if you’re planning to drink, make arrangements not to drive and think twice about driving the next morning too - there’s still a high chance that you could be over the legal limit.
Consequences of drinking and driving include:
- Being involved in a fatal accident
- A prison sentence
- A criminal record
- Losing your job
- Having to pay a large fine
- Increased motor insurance
Ask yourself is it really worth it?! Further guidance can be found by visiting www.lancashire.police.uk
On the 3rd Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Use less salt!
Too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which puts you at increased risk of health problems such as heart disease and stroke. Three quarters of the salt we eat is already present in foods such as bread, ready meals and cereal so it doesn’t need to be added. Adults should not eat more than 6g of salt per day (around one teaspoon) so try to eat foods that have a low or medium salt content: 0.3g of salt or 0.1g of Sodium per 100g.
Try making your own gravy this Christmas which contains less salt than granules or stock cubes, try seasonings other than salt such as pepper or herbs and go for unsalted nuts if you’re snacking!
For more information, please visit http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/cut-down-salt.aspx or contact your local Health Improvement Service http://www.lancashirecare.nhs.uk/Services/Children-Families/Health-Improvement-Service.php
Further information about eating well can be found at http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx
On the 4th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Cut out the cigs!
Quitting smoking certainly isn't easy. Don’t go cold turkey - with the help of your local stop smoking service and stop smoking products on prescription, you’re four times more likely to succeed in quitting smoking for good.
Think about what you could buy for Christmas with the money you’ll save! For further information about quitting smoking and what local support is available, please visit www.quitsquad.nhs.uk or call 0800 328 6297 to speak with a Stop Smoking Advisor.
There’s more information about all the benefits of stopping smoking on http://smokefree.nhs.uk/
On the 5th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Eat 5 a day!
Eating healthily doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying the foods you love this Christmas! Like a lot of things in life – it’s all about balance. It means there are no good or bad foods and you don’t have to suddenly stop eating a lot of the things you like; you can still enjoy most foods as long as you balance them with other things too.
As well as varying your diet, ensuring you eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day will lower the risks of obesity and the various health problems associated with it.
Fruit and vegetables are also crucial for good mental wellbeing as well as physical health.
For more information, please visit http://www.fitsquad.nhs.uk/healthrisks.html or contact your local Trust Health Improvement Service on 01254 380448.
Further information about eating well can be found at http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/Pages/change-for-life.aspx
On the 6th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Wash your hands!
Our hands are one of the main ways germs are spread so it’s important to wash them thoroughly with soap and warm water before cooking, after touching the bin and going to the toilet. This will also stop germs being passed from person to person. Flu and Cold viruses spread quickly in the winter so protect yourself and your loved ones by limiting their spread!
And remember; wash your hands before and after handling meat when preparing your Christmas dinner!
Please click here to find out how to prevent germs from spreading.
On the 7th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Drink less booze!
The majority of people with alcohol-related problems aren’t alcoholics but simply people who have drank more than the recommended levels for some time. There's no guaranteed safe level of drinking, but if you drink below recommended daily limits, the risks of harming your health are low.
For men who regularly drink more than 3 – 4 units a day and for women exceeding 2 – 3 units a day, just some of the numerous damaging effects of alcohol are:
• Liver problems
• Reduced fertility
• High blood pressure
• Increased risk of various cancers
• Heart attack
• Obesity
Whilst the Trust hope you enjoy your Christmas and New Year, whilst you’re rocking around the Christmas tree, please drink responsibly. Try alternating drinks with water or orange juice when on a night out and take a few days break between drinking to ensure you do have a Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year.
For more information, please visit http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/alcohol/Pages/Alcoholhome.aspx where you can find out more about the associated health risks and use an alcohol unit calculator.
On the 8th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Have safer sex!
Wearing a condom during sex helps to prevent unwanted pregnancy and helps to protect you and your partner from getting an STI (sexually transmitted infection).
For advice or to talk to someone in confidence, you can call the Sexual Health Helpline on 0800 567123.
In Central Lancashire, Preston’s Sexual Health (GUM) Clinic offer testing and rapid testing. They have open sessions Monday to Friday between 9am and 11am. They can be contacted on 01772 522 814.
In the Blackburn & Hyndburn Area, the Community Contraception and Sexual Health (CaSH) Team provide safer sexual health advice and information and can be contacted on 01254 282730.
In Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale, the CaSH team provide safer sexual health advice and information and can be contacted on 01282 644872. For more information and five safer sex tips this season, please click here.
Wear contraception and know where to recieve help should this fail or should you have unprotected sex this Christmas!
On the 9th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Watch out for ice!
For advice or to talk to someone in confidence, you can call the Sexual Health Helpline on 0800 567 123.
Drive safely on the roads and watch out for ice when you’re walking this winter. If the weather is bad, only go out when it is absolutely necessary and ensure that you check the weather before you set off, wear appropriate clothing and footwear and allow for extra travelling time. Always be bright and be seen when walking or riding your bike at night and ensure that your local council provide your street with salt and grit.
For more driving advice please visit www.lancashire.gov.uk/winter
On the 10th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Get exercise!
Evidence suggests that the majority of people will gain weight over the festive period due to lack of physical activity, comfort eating and over-indulging at Christmas. Cold weather and shorter days don't mean you have to abandon exercise completely though. Instead, rearrange your schedule to fit in what you can, use exercise dvds, join a gym or wrap up warm and enjoy the winter season with a walk.
Regular exercise is the best way to shape up and stay in shape!
Please visit www.fitsquad.nhs.uk for other examples of how you can stay fit and healthy and to contact the Central Lancashire Health Improvement Service or contact East Lancashire's Health Improvement Service on 01254 358020.
On the 11th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Don't overeat!
It is easy to indulge over Christmas when the nights are dark and cold and you are in good company but try to limit the amount and types of certain foods that you eat. Whilst it is important that your calorie intake is higher during winter to ensure you stay warm, unhealthy eating will lead to an unhealthy you. Instead of reaching for more sweets on Christmas day, have a piece of fruit instead, eat plenty of vegetables with your Christmas dinner to help towards your five a day and try to eat Turkey instead of goose which contains more fat.
Visit www.fitsquad.nhs.uk for other examples of how you can stay fit and healthy and to contact the Central Lancashire Health Improvement Service or contact East Lancashire's Health Improvement Service on 01254 358020.
On the 12th Day of Christmas, my Health Trust said to me, Wrap up warm!
Don’t be cold this Christmas and avoid unwanted illnesses and even pneumonia by wrapping up warm. Make sure you leave the house in sensible clothing and be prepared for all weathers. Wear plenty of layers and something waterproof, gloves, a scarf and hat. The temperature last year dropped to almost minus twenty at times which is cold enough to cause serious and even fatal health complications.
Click here for tips on how to keep warm and well.
If you’d like to hear this song in person, then you can watch the Trust choir performing the song here www.youtube.com/lancashirecare
Merry Christmas and a Healthy New Year from Lancashire Care!
