Healthy Life News

Research on the diagnosis of long term conditions (LTCs)

If you have a LTC diagnosis, or know someone who does, Essex and Southend LINk want your views

Essex and Southend LINk is an organization which looks to improve health and social care in the area. The LINk gives people the chance to say what they think and to suggest ideas to help improve services. The LINk works with care professionals to make sure everyone’s views are heard. Their website is http://www.essexandsouthendlink.org.uk

The Essex and Southend LINk are carrying out some research that has been developed following concerns that following diagnosis of a long term condition, the sufferer (or someone close to them), feel that they have been given insufficient information and/or support. The project aims to identify how information should be given to enable a better understanding and management of the condition after diagnosis.

The findings of LINk’s report will be presented to the GP consortium for North East Essex (which the PCT shall become in 2011 following governmental reforms). Recommendations may be implemented based on the report results.

The research comes in the form of a questionnaire and they are inviting people in Essex to complete the questionnaire and return it by the end of February 2011.

To take part in the research:

The survey can be completed online at:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/longtermconditiondiagnosis

To download a copy of the ‘Long Term Condition Questionnaire’ go to:

http://www.essexandsouthendlink.org.uk/?p=5579

The questionnaire can be emailed back to annie.sayer@essexandsouthendlink.org.uk.

RETURNING YOUR QUESTIONNAIRE BY EMAIL:   If returning your questionnaire by email, please be aware that we cannot guarantee the security of transmitting data in this way and you are asked to take this into consideration.

The questionnaire can be printed and free- posted to:

Freepost: RSAB-CLKK-TECR, Annie Sayer, Essex and Southend LINk, CEMVO, 1 Bond Street, Chelmsford, CM1 1GD

If you would like be sent a hard copy of the Long Term Condition Questionnaire(s) or require any more information then the please contact:

Annie Sayer BSc MRes, Project Researcher (North East Locality), Essex and Southend Link , Mob: 07729 285352, 1 Bond Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1GD

Spice up your bird food to deter pesky squirrels

Fed up with filling your bird feeder and seeing a cheeky grey squirrel help itself? Well the RSPB has a spicy answer to your problem.

Chilli powder is a safe and effective way of ensuring that only the intended recipients of bird seed get the food.

The RSPB is suggesting that gardeners dust a small amount of the pungent powder over seed and suet mixes in feeders and on tables as it will deter thieving squirrels whilst not affecting birds’ feeding habits.

An effective solution
Lloyd Scott, RSPB Wildlife Adviser says: “Using chilli powder to deter squirrels, is a cheap, easy and effective solution. Feeding garden birds is a popular – and vital – pastime in the UK and the RSPB gets thousands of calls each year from frustrated gardeners asking how to stop squirrels eating all their bird seed.  Squirrels can consume large amounts of peanuts and seeds and quite frequently destroy bird feeders in the process. Chilli powder will stop them helping themselves but doesn’t seem to have any effect on birds at all. This is much simpler than erecting barriers and trying to prevent access to feeders for squirrels – they are nimble, clever animals and will usually find a way in anyway!”

Recipe for success
Make sure seed mixes are thoroughly coated but not hidden in the powder. Put the powder in a bag with the seed mix and shake it up. Other kitchen deterrents include curry powder, Tabasco, peri-peri sauce, red pepper and Cayenne pepper.

Of course you can always put a separate feeder out just for the squirrels, if like us, you still like to see them in your garden.

The Waxwing Cometh

Britain is once again being invaded from the north. The invasion, or to put it more precisely, the ‘irruption’ in question is that of the Waxwing, one of the less familiar of British Birds and also one of the most attractive.

Each year the eastern coast of England and Scotland receives a scattering of Waxwing, typically in very small numbers. Every so often however, irruptions occur, when high numbers of birds and a scarcity of food on their normal wintering grounds forces them to forage more widely, resulting in greatly increased numbers reaching the UK. It is looking like such an influx is on the cards for the winter of 2010/11.

Read what Ross Gardner has to say about the Waxwing in the Healthy Life Essex article ‘The Waxwing Cometh‘.

Let us know if/when/where you see these birds and send us your photographs – you may get them published on Healthy Life Essex.

This Christmas give a gift for wildlife!

Do you struggle to think of a Christmas present for family, friends or work colleagues? Essex Wildlife Trust has come up with something different ‘Give a Gift for Wildlife’. The recipient will receive a special gift certificate and you will both be invited to a special guided walk in 2011 to see the wildlife your gift is benefitting. All for a donation of £20 or more!

Please support the work of Essex Wildlife Trust by giving an original gift this Christmas or New Year and at the same time help protect your Essex Wildlife for the future.

For more information see This Christmas give a gift for wildlife!, click on the image or visit the Essex Wildlife Trust Just Giving page

Mendip Wildlife Garden

Back in March I posted information about the Mendip & Treecot Residents Association, Wildlife Garden project.

The site has now been transformed from what was effectively a rubbish tip.

With new trees and whip planting It is getting the feel of a nature garden and you can start to visualise where it is going. (see pictures below).

The team have done wonders, but there is still a long way to go. They are now asking for volunteers to help with the weeding. It is an exciting project to get involved with and if you would like to help, please contact the group’s Chairman, Phil Lilley on 07982 899758, email chairman@mendipra.c.uk.

For more information visit www.mendipra.co.uk

Need help with your garden?

Then Groundwork’s GREENAIDERS could be for you!

The GreenAider Garden Project is a free service for the elderly and vulnerable adults who need assistance to get control of their garden.

What can we offer?  A free half day session to help get your garden under control and make it more manageable for the future with the help of  local volunteers and our dedicated team.

Who is eligible?
People over 50 years of age who are unable to maintain their own garden.
People with disabilities.
Repeat victims of crime.
People who have recently been discharged from hospital
You must live within Rochford District

Limited spaces available,.To book your Greenaiders visit or for more information please contact Ginette: ginette.braithwaite@groundwork.org.uk or call 01268 752368

Referrals may be made either through an organisation or directly from individuals themselves.

Groundwork South Essex is an environmental charity working alongside the whole community to transform places and lives.
www.eastofengland.groundwork.org.uk/south-essex.aspx

Invitation for carers to a short film on coping with Dementia

Mountnessing Court Residential unit won a quality prize for innovative work with patients with dementia. They were awarded an additional prize by NHS South West Essex to help expand and publicise their work and raise awareness.

You are invited to attend the screening of a short film about a family coping with the effects of dementia and Holly, the grand-daughter, realising that there is something wrong with Grandad…

Tuesday 10th August 2010, 6pm-8pm at St. George’s Suite, The Basildon Centre, St. Martins Square, Basildon, Essex SS14 1DL

To book your seat please RSVP to Christine Cantello on 01268 407818 or by e-mail on  christine.cantello@sept.nhs.uk

For more information on Caring in Essex please visit the Healthy Life Essex, Caring with Confidence page

Believe

This “thought” by William Arthur Ward was sent to me by Baiju Solanki in one of his newsletters which always provide inspiring performance awareness tips:

Believe while others …

Believe while others are doubting…
Plan while others are playing….
Study while others are sleeping….
Decide while others are delaying….
Prepare while others are daydreaming…..
Begin while others are procrastinating….
Work while others are wishing…..
Save while others are wasting…..
Listen while others are talking…..
Smile while others are frowning…..
Commend while others are criticizing….
Persist while others are quitting….

Take the Pictures

I couldn’t resist sharing this article provided by Baiju Solanki of Performance Coaching. See more of his work at www.performancecoachingandtraining.co.uk

So many moments are lost forever in the cobwebs of our egos.
So many promises left behind because we cower in the corners of our own self pity.
So many hurtful things we say because we want to retaliate.
So many smiles lost in a moment because we are wrapped up in what the world would think.
So many magic moments lost because we had to analyse.
So many blissfull moments lost because work was more important.
We do it so often, yet we forget so quick, that when the clock goes round, we loose time with every tick – tick – tick
It is the moment that your heart stops beating because a car just missed your spouse, the moment of tears when the “missing”child peeps out from under clothes in a store. Finding someone you thought you’d lost.
Those are the moments that should be precious and should never be forgotten.
Because the next time it might not be reversible. Did you memorise the smile of that gorgeous little boy this morning, can you still feel the breath of your baby girl.
Do you remember the smile of that special person, or are they all lost in the day to day meanders through money and power games.

Banish your ego and give in to loving, banish the search for money, power and recognition for just a moment to memorise the face of love … when your heart is breaking, that is all you’ll have to hold on to.

May your day be blessed with pictures full of love.

Summer Solstice 2010

Celebrating all that Nature has given us in the year doesn’t come much better than this. I was up with the larks (and I hasten to add the milkman, who poodled down the road at about 3.45am!) To watch the sun rise and to start the chanting off at our Buddhist Shrine in my garden. Finding myself alone, with no chanting buddies, I decided to sit in meditation, and discovered the sounds of the swaying trees and growing grass at that time in the morning is actually quite loud. If my dear readers don’t believe me just try it, go outside at the earliest opportunity, and sit very quietly, silence your chattering mind (we all have one, don’t be ashamed!) and listen intently without straining your ears, it is quite possible you will be able to hear scurrying insects and popping buds..all very exciting.

Anyway this is a very roundabout way of me talking about the little shrine in the garden, a place of peace and solitude for the World weary in the centre of Leigh.

I have run my Complementary Therapies business for many years from my little house, and now I am also offering meditation classes for beginners to advanced practioners from here also. We have a dedicated Shrine where we can perform Dharma rites to help people overcome problems in their lives, such as poor luck, illness and affliction. We are not for profit, and can have up to eight people at a time for meditation or healing.
contact Sarah or marc on 07946 306654.

Anyway back to the Solstice, we actually celebrated it at a farm in Hockley under a fabulous pink Sky inside a dear little Tipi. The energy was high and the vibe was calm and happy, As I taught the Beauty Yoga, an ancient Buddhist meditation technique that actually has a physical effect on the face, I could see that the class were relaxing and their faces became refreshed and radiant. very Beautiful, full of joy and full of hope!

By Sarah Yapp