Health awareness themes for April
‘They say knowledge is power, so this April we’re asking everyone to share important information about bowel cancer’. This is the introduction to Bowel Cancer UK’s website page. Axbridge & Wedmore Medical Practice have asked me to include this topic in this month’s item on health & wellbeing – to share important information with you. Bowel Cancer | Bowel Cancer UK According to Bowel Research UK ‘more than 42,000 people annually are diagnosed with bowel cancer and it is the 2nd most prevalent cancer that affects both men and women’. I expect many of us will know people who have it or have had it. According to Bowel Cancer UK this disease is treatable and curable, ‘More than nine in 10 people will survive bowel cancer if diagnosed at the earliest stage’. So therefore it is important to know the early symptoms to look out for.
Contact your GP if you have any of these symptoms – see box.
Stress in our lives
April is also ‘Stress Awareness’ month. I’m sure we all feel stressed from time to time. This may be as a result of specific incidents or events, especially if unexpected. Then we can feel anxious, agitated or tearful and overwhelmed, maybe eating too much or not eating enough. According to the Stress Management Society, stress is not necessarily a ‘bad’ thing. Their website has much useful information. What Is Stress? The onset of stress can alert us to a specific danger, as it was designed to do for our caveman ancestors when a sabre-tooth tiger was on the prowl. The ‘fight or flight’ mode is switched on, to give us extra energy, for speed and alertness.
In modern times it is useful to slam on the brakes if someone walks out in front of the car. However when this ‘fight or flight’ response is triggered too often or for too long for non-serious events, if can become detrimental to our health and cause, among other things, rises in blood pressure and blood sugar, due to an increase in stress related hormones. For more information about stress, how it affects us and how to go from ‘distress’ to ‘de-stress’ go to the Stress Management Society website.
You can also take a free individual stress test and find helpful resources to combat unwanted stress. You can find local resources in your Directory for Health & Wellbeing, including how to contact your Health Coach for advice. Also Mindline operates a helpline, for emotional support for us all, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 0800 138 1692 or 01823 276892.
Support for people with dementia and their carers in Wedmore
Carer’s Group
Do you care for or support a person living with dementia? Then this friendly informative group is for you! Come along on the first Friday of the month to The Swan Hotel, Wedmore between 10am and 12md, next meeting on 4th April 2025. If you want to find out more about the Memories Workshops and Carers’ Group, phone HeadsUp on 01749 670667 or email wedmorecarers@yahoo.com If you need help with funding, just ask, help may be available.
Also, here’s Heads Up Quarter 1 Newsletter – click here
Cathy Butterworth
Wedmore Health & Wellbeing Project
01934 806266