Health & Wellbeing

Young people are playing a leading role in Wolverhampton's fight against obesity. More than 100 pupils from 30 primary schools across the city have been trained up to lead fitness classes within their schools – and are helping classmates develop their health and wellbeing. Partnerships and School Sport Wolverhampton (PASS), which provides sporting opportunities in local schools, has given leadership training to around 150 Year 5 pupils over the last 12 months.

The life of a QE patient who became the first person in the UK to qualify as a nurse following a liver transplant has been detailed in a book written by her dad. The book was launched at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham on Wednesday 5^th August. Sally Painting sadly died in 2005, eight months pregnant and aged 30, after enduring liver disease since she was 7-years-old.

Health chiefs in Wolverhampton have welcomed the news that a supermarket giant is withdrawing sugary drinks aimed at children from sale amid concerns over childhood obesity. Tesco has announced that from September it will stop selling pouches and cartons of high-sugar Ribena, Capri-Sun and Rubicon, drinks that have been popular with parents and often marketed as ideal for school lunchboxes. It will continue to stock no added sugar varieties.

Much is said of the importance of several well-known minerals like calcium, potassium, iron, selenium and zinc for good health. But another important mineral, magnesium is often neglected and forgotten. It is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body, found predominantly in the bones, muscles and nervous system. It is required for more than 300 different important bodily chemical reactions and is vital to health and wellness.

Kelly Tittley, 39, from Oldbury in the West Midlands, will be doing a wing-walking challenge on Saturday 8 August 2015 at Breighton Aerodrome, Selby, North Yorkshire at 3pm to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust inspired by her niece Lauren, 10, who has the condition.

New research out this week reveals that Brits are exploring the great outdoors less than ever before - with over a third of the nation (35%) walking a mere 15 minutes or less a day - equating to less than 1,500 steps - 85% less than recommended. To mark TRACKER®'s 30 year partnership with the great outdoors, the original cereal bar, with the help of James Cracknell and the Woodland Trust, is launching a campaign to get Brits to pledge to walk 30,000 miles off the beaten track. 

A Birmingham mum who has been battling lung disease for ten years has spoken out about the hospice staff who gave her a new lease of life. Tracey O’Rourke was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) aged 39. She developed anxiety issues which made breathing even more difficult and came to rely more and more on her non-invasive ventilation (NIV) mask.

For many married couples, a wedding anniversary is an opportunity to enjoy a special luxury or a romantic getaway to a destination far away from the realities of everyday life. Not so for Janice and Kelly Renegar, who marked their 30th anniversary by choosing to have surgery at Health City Cayman Islands, a world-class tertiary care facility in the Caribbean.

Children will be joining their favourite Disney characters for short bursts of exercise this summer. Change4Life’s latest 10 Minute Shake Up campaign has been launched – inspiring children to complete six or more 10 minute bursts of physical activity throughout the day so they meet the recommended 60 minutes children need each and every day.

Health chiefs today urged Brummies to book a FREE NHS Health Check is a bid to curb an alarming rise in diabetes-related amputations. The call came as NHS figures revealed that the number of diabetes-related amputations each week in England has now reached an all-time record high of 135.

As hay fever season begins in earnest, new research from Kwik-Fit Insurance Services reveals that the high pollen count could also have a worrying effect on UK road users. During the summer months many will turn to medication to combat hay fever symptoms and still drive despite suffering potentially dangerous side effects.

Women aged 70 and over in Wolverhampton are being urged to recognise some of the lesser-known symptoms of breast cancer. Public Health England has this week launched a “Be Clear on Cancer” campaign to raise awareness of the risk of breast cancer among women aged 70 and over – and the fact that nearly a third of women diagnosed with breast cancer report a symptom other than a lump.

International bestselling author, celebrity chef, and wellness expert Teresa Cutter is releasing her healthy, wholefood cookbook, The Healthy Chef: Purely Delicious. Teresa shares a collection of her favourite recipes in this easy to follow cookbook designed for people who are passionate about food and health, but don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen.

In a new poll of GPs released today, over two thirds (67%) think their patients with dementia are not receiving enough support from social services, with 77 per cent believing dementia patients have to rely on family members as they do not get enough support from  adult social services.

As we are in Childhood Obesity Week (July 6-12), sign-ups to a groundbreaking Birmingham initiative launched to tackle the issue has almost doubled in less than 12 months. 338 of the city's 400 nurseries, children's centres and other pre-school settings now participate in the Startwell scheme, with more already signing-up from September 2015.

People with a disability, their families and carers are invited to find out how the new Care Act affects them at a free event later this month. The Clued Up? information workshop, which is also open to health and social care professionals, will outline what the Care Act means for disabled people, and also how they and their carers can go about accessing and using a personal budget.