ARE YOU among the 13% of the population that smokes?
I know you already know that smoking is horrible for your health, but in recent weeks, Cancer Research has warned that cancer cases caused by smoking are on the rise, with 160 people diagnosed daily.
A study from University College London found that smokers’ brains age more quickly, with memory decreasing by up to 85% over ten years.
Quitting smoking is difficult and, often, people want to kick the habit, but don’t do so until they feel a “wake-up call” or something similar.
I’m not here to judge, as that doesn’t help.
But I want you to know that help is available through local NHS stop smoking services, which you can access through pharmacists and GP surgeries.
You can get medication or free nicotine replacement therapy (gummies, sprays).
Accessing this type of support triples your chances of giving up.
I have also heard that Allen Carr’s book EasyWay to Stop Smoking has helped many smokers quit smoking.
Should I be concerned about my bowel habits?
Q) Is it healthy to only poop once every four days?
A) It’s common for some people to have bowel movements infrequently compared to others, but the general advice is that it’s normal to have a bowel movement between three times a day and three times a week.
Therefore, you are less regular than is considered normal.
If you presented to me at the clinic, the first thing I would want to know is, “Is this normal for you?”
If it is, you have no symptoms and have a healthy diet and lifestyle, then I would be happy to reassure you that you were not worried.
If there were also symptoms of constipation, I would like to know a little more – which I will cover.
But if this is new to you, I would say discuss it with your family doctor.
Any changes in our bathroom habits, whether going more or less frequently, having loose stools, diarrhea or constipation, are considered a potential warning sign of bowel cancer.
For many, there is probably another cause, such as constipation.
Many people think that constipation is impossible to go away.
However, sometimes you can go, but the stool is made up of small lumps, is dry, hard or difficult to pass.
It can also cause bloating, nausea and stomach pain.
Good hydration and regular exercise are ways to keep your bowel movements regular.
If you don’t drink enough – I advise someone with constipation to drink at least two liters a day – or if you are particularly sedentary, add more movement to optimize the performance of your bowels.
Food is pushed through the long tube that makes up our intestines through wave-like muscular contractions called peristalsis.
If we move our bodies, be it walking, vacuuming, gardening or stretching, we increase peristalsis and food (possibly feces) passes more easily.
Weakness of the pelvic floor and, in women, at certain periods of the menstrual cycle, can delay bowel movements.
Tip of the week
IF you find that your room is too hot at night and you have difficulty sleeping as a result, keep the curtains closed during the day.
And if you have a loft, leave the hatch open to let hot air rise.
Sleeping naked is often contested. I say: do what you feel most comfortable with.
Fed up with the lack of help for PMDD
Q) I HAVE premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Why won’t anyone help me and what can I do about the symptoms?
A) PMDD is a severe form of PMS. It can be completely debilitating for women who live with it.
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Symptoms occur before menstruation, sometimes for two weeks, and can include severe mood changes, anger and irritability, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal feelings.
You may find it difficult to avoid conflict and have a feeling of rejection.
In fact, I’ve heard women describe it as feeling like every month a monster takes over their bodies for a week or so and then they spend the rest of the month putting their lives back together.
The symptoms are due to hormonal fluctuations, so strictly speaking this is an endocrine condition rather than a mental health condition, although severe mental health symptoms are often a feature.
To be diagnosed, it’s best to keep a symptom diary for at least two months and consult the resources at mind.org.uk.
It’s little understood, even by healthcare professionals, so ask if there is a doctor or nurse who specializes in mental health or women’s health at your doctor’s office.
Treatment options include talking therapies – which you can consult – antidepressants, oral contraceptives and hormone injections.
Self-care options, such as exercise and a healthy, balanced diet, can sometimes make the condition more manageable.
Make sure your sleep pattern is regular and restorative. Spending time in nature can also lessen symptoms.
You’re not alone – look for communities on social media and forums and see what works for them. Some supplements can help alleviate symptoms such as anxiety.
Explaining to loved ones and people at work what you are experiencing can also make a difference.
Poor circulation
Q) I am having difficulty walking due to peripheral neuropathy.
My circulation is really bad, as first pointed out by my chiropodist, who pressed on my toes to show how the color slowly returns to them.
The doctor just said, “There’s no cure, keep your feet warm.”
It is worse at night when it gets very hot, with sharp pains in the toes.
What can improve my circulation?
A) It appears that there are two distinct symptoms to discuss.
First, peripheral neuropathy fits much of your description.
Most commonly, symptoms begin with tingling or numbness in the toes and can spread to the rest of the foot and cause burning, throbbing, and/or shooting pain that may worsen at night.
Yes, it is true that in most cases peripheral neuropathy has no cure.
But symptoms can be controlled somewhat with medication or other therapies.
The other symptom you mention is poor circulation.
Sometimes the veins can no longer remove blood from the feet, and this can cause swollen feet, varicose veins, or brownish discoloration of the skin.
But sometimes, if the arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the legs and feet are blocked and not working properly, this can be a more serious problem that requires treatment.
We use the term “lameness” to describe pain that arises due to insufficient blood supply.
Usually people complain of leg pain when climbing a hill, but some people experience leg or foot pain at rest, especially when they are in bed, because the gravity that helps blood flow downward has been removed.
Patients often feel like hanging their feet out of bed at night.
If you think you may have this type of circulation problem, ask your GP or nurse to do a test, called ABPI, to check the blood flow to your feet.
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