Stay Healthier this Winter
14th November 2016
The general principles for keeping fit and healthy are the same, all year round but winter brings particular challenges for our immune systems, increasing the risk of infections.
We don't fully understand why this is but a combination of low temperatures, less daylight and the changes in our activity this brings, are probably to blame.
Anything we can do to help strengthen our immune defences will help to keep us well:
Hygiene
Coughs, colds, flu and stomach bugs (such as norovirus) are transmitted, to some extent, by touch. A strong routine of hand washing before eating and after using the toilet can help to reduce the spread of these viral illnesses.
Activity
Regular moderate physical activity raises your metabolic rate (turning up your body's central heating) and stimulates your immune system to help it fight infections.
Nutrition
It is tempting to fill up on much higher calorie comfort food in the winter. While some extra calories might be a good thing, providing we remain active, our immune systems need vitamins and minerals to work effectively. A balanced, varied diet including plenty of vegetables and fruit is even more important in the winter than the summer months.
Sleep
There is a natural tendency to sleep more, as the nights get longer. Being overtired can really depress your immune system, so getting more sleep can be a worthwhile investment for your health, enabling you to fight off infection.
Daylight
As the days shorten, it can be difficult to get enough exposure to daylight. This can affect our brains ability to distinguish day from night, leading to poor quality sleep at night and excessive tiredness and low mood during the day. Try to get outside at lunchtime. Sit near the window and get as much daylight as you can.
Smoking
As well as the increased risks of heart disease and cancers, smokers are also more susceptible to infections, as smoking reduces the first line defences in the nose and throat. Once smokers have a cold, they are much more prone to more serious 'secondary' infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. The benefits of giving up smoking are even greater in the winter.
Immunisation
The Flu Vaccine is highly effective and very safe. Flu is very unpleasant for anybody but can be more serious, even fatal, in the elderly or those with medical conditions which increase the risk of complications. For 'at risk' patients, having your flu jab is highly recommended.
I will be talking in more detail about how you can keep healthier this winter at our Well at Home event on Friday 18th November at the Corn Exchange in Devizes. If you can join us, be great to see you; otherwise follow us on Twitter and join us on our Facebook page for updates.
Dr Jamie Brosch, Medical Director
About Jamie Brosch
Jamie was a founding director of Wiltshire Medical Services and became Medical Director for Medvivo Group when it was formed in 2013. He has 20 years of experience as a GP Principal in Wiltshire and continues to work as a sessional GP, which allows him to maintain full registration with the GMC and on the GP Performers List.
Jamie has always supported a holistic approach to general practice and is a strong advocate for the integration of physical and mental health services with the delivery of social care.
Other News
-
This year has been one of the best (and busiest) in Medvivo’s history. Here’s a look back at our top ten news stories from 2017. 1. An outstanding CQC inspection Back in...
27th Dec 2017 -
Vacancies for NHS 111 Call Advisors, NHS 111 Clinical Advisors and an Urgent Care Service Operations Manager situated in Chippenham, Wiltshire. Medvivo is the prime contractor for a new Integrated...
04th Dec 2017 -
Medvivo has been building a reputation for delivering a range of high quality and person-centred care services since 2004. The Telecare Alarm Monitoring Service is a growing part of that business...
12th May 2017 -
Managing Knee Pain and Knee Injuries in General Practice Date: Monday 5th March 2018 Time: 18.45 - 21.00Location: Medvivo, Fox Talbot House Unit 4, Greenways Business Park, Chippenham...
10th Jan 2018 -
Last week we launched our new Mobile Telecare service at an event hosted in our Medvivo Careline office in Dorchester. It was an invitation-only event for organisations and partnerships in the...
06th Dec 2016 -
As a provider of health and care services in the community, we ensure our staff are regularly trained so they are equipped and able to cope with patients or service users, whatever condition...
19th May 2017 -
Education Event for GPs and Nurse Practitioners Date: Wednesday 16th May 2018 Time: 18.45 - 21.00Location: Medvivo, Fox Talbot House Unit 4, Greenways Business Park, Chippenham...
12th Mar 2018 -
Medvivo, the organisation which provides Wiltshire’s GP Out of Hours service as well as a range of other health and care services, has been rated “Outstanding” by the Care...
21st Apr 2017 -
After retiring from the police force, I was looking for a part time job that was locally based and would help top up my pension. I’d previously worked for Wiltshire Medical Services so...
14th Oct 2016 -
Looking after our mental health is just as important as our physical health. If you were to get injured or fall at work, a First Aider would be called upon to help you. In a similar way, when...
10th Oct 2018 -
Clinicians talked about surgical issues experienced in their in and out of hours roles. The latest in a series of Clinician Education events that we co-host with BMI Healthcare featured a symposium...
17th Sep 2018 -
We are proud to support the "#hellomynameis" campaign and our staff wear their badges to serve as a reminder to introduce themselves whenever they come into contact with patients and service...
24th Jan 2017 -
It’s the time of year when, if you haven’t already had it, you should be thinking about getting the annual flu vaccination. It is just one of the ways to make sure we stay well during...
30th Nov 2016 -
Urgent Care in Bath and North East Somerset 11 December 20187pm-8pmMidford House, St Martins Hospital BA2 5RP Who should attend? GPs who do not currently work for BEMS at the Bath...
12th Nov 2018 -
When you start a new job, it can be a daunting prospect to get to know the business and the services it provides. At Medvivo, we pride ourselves on making new members of staff feel as welcome...
13th Oct 2016 -
The work of our mobile carers is vital when it comes to providing help at home, whether that’s for care, support or reassurance at all times of the day or night. We have a team of carers...
22nd Aug 2017 -
As part of our rewards and recognition programme, staff are encouraged to nominate their peers for a Star Award to recognise when they have gone the “extra mile”. There are many...
22nd Dec 2017 -
Clinician’s Education EventWednesday 27th February12:00 - 16:00 Hathaway Medical Centre,Middlefield Road, Chippenham SN14 6GT Our line up of speakers covers a range of areas and is now...
28th Jan 2019 -
As part of our commitment to achieve excellence in the delivery of care, we are continually looking for ways to provide flexible solutions for the benefit of healthcare professionals and patients...
13th Oct 2016 -
NEWS training helps responders identify acutely ill patients, particularly those who may be deteriorating and need urgent clinical attention. The Allied Health Science Network (AHSN) has been...
26th Nov 2018 -
We will be hosting a free local community event with Care South in Dorchester to show how local and charitable organisations work to support individuals to stay safe and live independently...
26th May 2017 -
Getting out of the office and meeting people is by far one of the most enjoyable aspects of my job. As part of my Business Development role I get to represent Medvivo at a variety health and...
17th Oct 2016 -
Staff support new initiative with donations to help service users enjoy the festive season. Our Response Team is often called to people who have little or no food in the cupboard and no family...
04th Jan 2019 -
Today is No Smoking Day and marks the start of our latest internal health and wellbeing campaign which focuses on smoking awareness. No Smoking Day has been around since 1983, when it...
08th Mar 2017 -
If you have not previously heard of the term telecare, you may also know it as a lifeline or alarm monitoring centre. The Telecare Services Association define it as "a service that combines...
13th Oct 2016 -
From Complication to Calamity Managing post-operative patients in the community Date: Thursday 13th September 2018Time: 18:45 - 21:00Location: Medvivo, Fox Talbot House, Unit 4 Greenways Business...
01st Aug 2018 -
On Wednesday 16th May Medvivo hosted its third education event entitled ‘Management of Urgent Gynaecology Problems in Primary Care’. This is a series of events which are co-hosted...
16th May 2018 -
The general principles for keeping fit and healthy are the same, all year round but winter brings particular challenges for our immune systems, increasing the risk of infections. We don't fully...
14th Nov 2016 -
How much should your daily intake of water be? How do you know if you’re dehydrated? Why is it so important to stay hydrated? Our Medical Director, Jamie Brosch, answers a few frequently...
16th Feb 2017 -
Today, which would have been Florence Nightingale's 197th birthday, is Nurses' Day; a day which celebrates the great work of nursing staff around the world. While we join in the celebrations...
12th May 2017 -
Mobile telecare gives everyone the confidence to live how they want without feeling confined to their own home. Telecare, sometimes known as lifeline or pendant alarms, is a...
30th Nov 2016 -
It’s Migraine Awareness Week this week and despite 8 million migraine sufferers in the UK, awareness of the condition remains low. Migraine is a complex condition with a variety of symptoms...
06th Sep 2017 -
It is pancreatic cancer awareness month. To support the campaign, we have been sharing information with staff during the month with one member of staff sharing her own personal experience of...
23rd Nov 2018 -
The Mobile Carers at Medvivo are a team of highly trained social care responders who visit customers or service users in the home. Following a call into our Telecare Alarm Monitoring Centre...
02nd Dec 2016 -
With a vision to achieve excellence in the delivery of care through the provision of person-centred health and care services, as an employer we are equally committed to providing a healthy and...
05th May 2017 -
Medvivo provides Wiltshire’s GP Out of Hours service as well as a range of other health and care services. The main office is based in Chippenham, with services being operated from bases...
08th May 2017 -
BMI Healthcare and Medvivo invited GPs and NPs from across the region to join them for the first in a new series of GP Education Events. Medvivo was delighted to welcome Mr Allaaeldin...
20th Dec 2017 -
“What are you giving up for Lent then, Sarah?” was the question posed to me on 10th February 2016 by my colleagues. I flippantly replied “sugar!” Needless to say, they...
01st Mar 2017 -
As a health and care services provider, we are delighted to announce that Medvivo is boosting its clinical technology offering through the acquisition of Expert 24, a global developer of customised...
01st Jun 2017 -
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a form of sexual abuse that involves the manipulation and/or coercion of young people under the age of 18 into sexual activity. The National Child Sexual...
16th Mar 2017
Your login details have been used by another user or machine. Login details can only be used once at any one time so you have therefore automatically been logged out. Please contact your sites administrator if you believe this other user or machine has unauthorised access.