Category: HEALTH

Yuka – Why Am I Putting This On My Body?

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

The other morning I watched my husband roll out of bed and get ready to leave the house in about five minutes. It takes me at least an hour to do the same thing. It started me thinking about the multitude of personal care products that perform part of my morning ritual. Are they really helping me to stay looking young and smelling fresh or do the multitude of chemicals that most of them contain cause me harm? I had recently read in a book about dementia prevention that coated dental floss, a product that I have used every day for thirty five years, contains chemicals, such as Teflon, that can contribute towards cognitive decline.

A friend called me and asked which foundation I use. I told her Estee Lauder Double Wear. She asked if I had the box. No, why was she asking? She said that her daughter had recommended an app called YUKA. The app enables you to scan barcodes for almost all your food and personal hygiene products. Yuka then provides a detailed breakdown of the ingredients and rates the product from 0-100 and uses terms such as Bad, Poor, Good and Excellent. The app then suggests more healthy alternatives. There is no advertising on Yuka and brands cannot pay to have their products recommended, the information the user gets is all derived from independent testing.

Within about thirty seconds of finishing speaking to my friend I had downloaded the app and was frantically scanning everything in sight. I must warn you, it is highly addictive.

Here is how my morning list, including my breakfast, scored. My dental floss had a bar code but wouldn’t scan unfortunately.

  • Marks and Spencer Restoring Hand Wash – Poor
  • Sanex Shower Gel – Good
  • Garnier Vitamin C Body Superfood- Good
  • Garnier Soothing Botanical Cleansing Lotion -Good
  • Coco Mademoiselle Deodorant – Bad
  • Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection Toothpaste -Poor
  • Corsodyl Daily Mouthwash – Bad
  • This Works Perfect Cleavage & neck Serum – Poor
  • John Frieda Pro-Filler Shampoo & Conditioner – Poor
  • Boots No 7 Restore & Renew Day Cream – Bad
  • Chanel Chance Eau Tendre EDT – Good
  • Manicurist Active Shine Illumine & Repare – Excellent
  • Marks and Spencer High Fibre Granola – Excellent
  • Vaseline Vanilla Daydream Lip Therapy – Poor

Now this long list does not even include my make up products. As most cosmetic products are boxed, the bar code does not appear on the product itself . I did scan my new Charlotte Tilbury lip liner which scored 11/100 – Bad. My friend is going to take herself off to John Lewis or somewhere similar and scan the various foundations. YUKA will also suggest alternative products as she does this. She has already switched shampoo to Ogx Thick & Full Collagen shampoo which scored 79/100 and a rating of Excellent. I noticed that Garnier products scored highly so I may try one of their tinted moisturisers. Also, the Seoulsista serum infused masks that I often use both on my face and hands scored as Good. You can buy these in Oliver Bonas along with the Manicurist range of nail products (score, Excellent) . My expensive Chanel deodorant, that I bought by mistake thinking it was my usual body spray, was disappointing and joining this as worst of the bunch was my Boots No 7 moisturiser that scored 0/100, especially annoying as I have just purchased a new jar.

My husband and son have eczema so I have always been careful in my choices when buying personal hygiene products for them but have never given much thought to the chemicals in my own make up, body lotions or shampoos. With, YUKA, it is easy to make more informed decisions about what we are putting in and on our bodies. I am going to take it to the supermarket to tweak my weekly food shop. YUKA is a free app, although a premium version is available, so there is no excuse not to get scanning.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Autumn Acquisitions

On By samanthaIn HEALTH, SHOPPINGLeave a comment

Although I am persevering with decluttering my entire house it is inevitable that sometimes I need to buy more “stuff”. My daughter’s six year old iPhone was becoming increasingly unreliable which was worrying me as she depends on it for everything. Train tickets, ID, payment methods etc, it’s all on her phone. I decided to upgrade my own phone to an iPhone 16 and gave her my two year old iPhone 13. I resent upgrading my phone, I never seem to notice any difference in performance and it just seems like a colossal waste of nearly nine hundred pounds. Also my new phone needed a different charger – ugh!

Of course then we both needed new phone cases. I had seen Burga continually coming up on my Facebook advertising feed, probably as my phone had been spying on my conversations about phone cases, so I took a look at their website. They have literally hundreds and hundreds of lovely designs but they are fairly expensive at around £45 each for the more basic styles. A couple of days after initially browsing a “buy two get two free ” offer appeared. Slightly annoying that it wasn’t a BOGOF as who actually needs two phone cases? I eventually chose two designs and so did my daughter. I went for a bright, citrus case and a white rabbit design and my daughter, for some reason known only to her, went for lobsters and sardines. The cases are shipped from Lithuania and the tracking is not regularly updated. After three weeks I had given up hope of ever receiving the cases and contacted Burga requesting a refund. They told me that my parcel had been returned to their warehouse and they shipped it back out. Just two days later it arrived. The packaging is minimal which is refreshing. All four cases came in cotton drawstring pouches which could be reused, I keep my power bank in mine. The phone cases themselves are really excellent quality and very attractive. The have an attractive glossy finish and the colours are very sharp. Most importantly, they also appear to offer a good level of protection.

I also treated myself to some more Boots No 7 Youthful Replenishing Facial Oil. When I first received this product as part of a gift set I didn’t think it would suit my skin but I have really been impressed. I mix a single drop with my foundation to stop it looking cakey and I use a couple of drops under my moisturiser most days. I also bought a new lipstick by Revlon in a nude shade called Bare Affair It is a subtle, every day colour but I have found the formula to be quite drying despite being infused with vitamin E and avocado oil . Lastly I bought some Double Serum by Clarins. The jury is still out on this product, I find that it is easily absorbed but I have not noticed any results. I find that too much comes out with each pump of the dispenser which seems wasteful as it it expensive at £65 for 30ml.

So a little bit of a spendy month but, on the whole, I have been pleased with my purchases.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

High Street & Amazon Beauty & Fashion Buys – Hits & Misses

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

It’s a sunny Saturday and my daughter and I head into London as she wants to buy some clothes for an upcoming trip she’s making to Milan with some of her university friends. We go to Regent Street which is about a two minute walk from where my daughter is working as an intern. My daughter isn’t the most confident clothes shopper, although she is finding her own style, so wanted to bring me along rather than shop by herself in her five minute lunch break. She is twenty one and athletic, in other words she looks annoyingly good in everything. We went into Hollister and I spotted this oversized striped linen shirt for £29.95 and bought it (for myself) while my daughter tried on a selection of tiny clothing. We then went into Uniqlo where she found some really nice tailored shorts and I bought a black maxi skirt for £34.90. I was tempted by a similar style dress instead but I find I seldom wear the dresses I already own, a skirt is more versatile. I have a few Marks and Spencer classic fit T shirts and will probably wear it with one of those.

We then went into Zara where my daughter looked at vest tops. I bought a bottle of their Radiant Vanilla fragrance. They had a whole range of similar vanilla scents priced at £17.99. I am pleased with this impulse buy, it doesn’t give me a migraine which is always a good start.

When we got home I realised that I hadn’t bought any casual trousers so I ordered these apricot coloured wide leg trousers. from ASOS. If you read my post Wide Leg Woes you might remember that I struggle with anything other than skinny jeans. Anyway, I love these, they fit perfectly, but was extremely irked when they reduced in price by £20 the day after I bought them.

Possibly the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life is that I have been invited to join Amazon’s Vine programme. I can order up to three items a day, with no cost to me, as long as I write a review. I was beyond thrilled when I received the invitation email and immediately logged on to my account to choose my first items. So, it’s fair to say that I was a little disappointed at the selection. Tattoo moisturiser and silky bonnets are not really on my wishlist. However, after a ridiculously long time wasted scrolling through the list I ordered a tumeric clay face mask, some under eye patches and a collagen wrap mask, all from brands that I have never heard of . The turmeric face mask was a success, my face felt clean, soft and fresh after using it. The eye patches I did not like at all, they felt slimy and disintegrated on my face. I was wary of leaving the collagen mask on my face all night so tried it one my hands instead to no visible effect. Today I have ordered some luggage tags for my son and some sunglass pouches. As someone who does not like a lot of clutter, this could be a slippery slope.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Budget Beauty Buys – Hits & Misses

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

I am at that age where I need to start taking action to prevent crepey skin on my body, in fact I probably should have begun some years ago but I have never liked using body lotion. I have noticed the sagging, wrinkled effect beginning on so many people, especially their arms and chest and it isn’t attractive but then, what part of aging is? I remember my beautiful Godmother, Josephine, complaining about her skin beginning to look wrinkled when she was eighty five but sadly I don’t have her amazing genes.

I moisturise my face and neck twice a day without fail and have done since my late teens. Sometimes I splash out and treat myself to something fancy from Chanel or Clarins but, more often than not, I will pick up a jar of something in the supermarket, Nivea Q10 or Olay. I noticed that Boots No 7 had an offer on so I ordered their Lift and Luminate gift set for £62.95. The set comprises of face oil, day and night creams and face and eye serums. I have enjoyed all the products apart from the face serum which leaves a blue, glittery sheen on my face. I will definitely repurchase the eye serum. The face oil smells gorgeous and just two tiny drops leaves my face looking hydrated and a little bit glowy. Have any of these potions made a visible difference to any signs of aging – no, but they have kept my face feeling soft, they smell nice and have represented good value for money.

I have been using the same face wash for years, Nivea Gentle Cleansing Cream Wash but it seemed to be out of stock everywhere recently so, on a visit to Tesco I picked up some L’Oreal Hyaluron Expert Wash but within two days of using it I had red, sore patches under my nose and between my brows. I don’t have particularly sensitive skin but this seems to be too strong. Maybe it would be a winner for someone with oily skin.

For my body I bought Garnier Nourishing Ceramide Body Butter which was on offer for about £5, it has a vanilla fragrance. I liked this product so much that I also bought Garnier Vitamin C Nutri Glow Body Cream in a mango scent which literally smells good enough to eat. I can’t recommend these well priced products enough, they are very effective at moisturising even the driest patches

My nails are, to be quite honest, rather a disgrace. Apart from before my wedding, I have never had a professional manicure in my life. Firstly all the young people working in these places (and there are so many nail bars in my town) seem to be from Vietnam and I worry that they are being trafficked. Also, professional nail upkeep is so expensive and time consuming. I might give them a quick file when one of them breaks but that’s about the extent of my maintenance. I do always polish my toenails in the summer though in an attempt to spruce up my hideous feet. I bought myself some Essie gel polish in a lilac shade called Strut with it. The polish and gel top coat are both £11. You can usually expect your gel manicure to last about ten days. I have tried the cheaper D-i-Y gel polishes but Essie does seem to be the best. I also recommend Mavala nail polishes, they do a beautiful icy pink shade called Glacier, perfect for toenails. I used to wear their deep burgundy shade called Las Vegas in my twenties and they still sell it thirty years later. At £6.40 it is a great alternative to Chanel’s iconic Rouge Noir.

So some great, reasonably priced beauty buys. I think just slowing down and taking the time to induge in a little self care is very important and it doesn’t really matter if the products you are using cost £50 or £5. In fact, I’m sure some of the cheaper options are just as effective.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Tackling Insomnia – Part One

On By samanthaIn HEALTH3 Comments

Happy New Year!

This week I have really battled with insomnia. I tend to go to bed around 10.30pm and am usually asleep by 11pm but have been waking about at around 3am and finding it almost impossible to fall back to sleep. If I do manage to nod back off, I am plagued by the most terrible nightmares, possibly caused by the Propranolol that I take for migraine prevention. The sort of nightmares that stay with you all day. Menopause apparently is also a major culprit when it comes to low quality sleep.

Last night I woke with a migraine after sleeping for four hours and got out of bed to take a Sumitriptan tablet. That was it for the night then, I just lay there trying not to disturb my husband. We have a burglar alarm and, although I know you are suppose to get out of bed and not just lie there trying to sleep, I didn’t want to venture downstairs and risk the beeping waking the rest of my family. Fortunately today is a Saturday and I am not working and I don’t have to drive anywhere because I feel shattered.

My daughter bought me a rather lovely silk sleep mask from Millie & Boo for Christmas. The mask has wonderful reviews with people stating that using it radically improved the quality of their sleep. The mask, which is well made, super soft and a pretty silver grey, arrived beautifully boxed. It fastens with velcro and I have been careful not to secure it too tightly nonetheless I think the slight pressure across the top of my face has contributed to my migraine. Maybe not the solution I have been searching for.

My GP was optimistic that the Utrogestan capsules that I take before bed as part of my HRT routine would help, and for a few months they did, but my insomnia is now back with a vengeance. Once it gets to around 3am I am wide awake and unable to stop the racing thoughts that flood my mind. I start to worry about…well everything. A mistake I made at work in 1989, something daft I said at a coffee morning in 1999, I’m stressing about it at 3am in 2025. Apparently we experience a Cortisol (known as the stress hormone) spike at around this time and this is why early morning waking is so common. I note that my fists are often clenched and I have slept with a sheet over my face since I was a little girl and was frightened of ghosts whispering to me. Both of these things are apparently signs of high stress levels. It has become increasingly clear that one of the first things I need to tackle in 2025 is my insomnia as it is going to start affecting my long term health. In particular, in light of my mum’s Alzheimer’s disease, I am keen to regularly achieve a good night’s sleep to help prevent cognitive decline.

This week I am not going to watch television on my computer before bed which is a habit I have fallen into. I am going to sit in bed and read an actual book, nothing dark or frightening. I do read three or four books a month but it used to be around double that before I discovered the endless entertainment on Netflix . I am also going to try to do some sort of pre-sleep meditation to relax my body, particularly my hands and jaw which is where I seem to store most of my stress and tension. I shall report back.

Wish me luck.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

A Beginner’s Tale: Core Fitness Struggles

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

I joined the gym a few months ago and my membership gives me access to any number of scary-sounding exercise classes. Most of those I would be interested in attending fall on my working days so I am left with “Core Fitness”. I am looking to improve my core strength and stability so this sounded perfect.

The first week I went along, the class was packed and I couldn’t believe how difficult I found it. I was by far the least coordinated in the group although I later found out some of the other women (they are all women) have been attending this class for years. There were lots of yoga poses involved and everybody else seemed to know exactly what these were. For the following five days the muscles in my abdomen were killing me. I have started watching some YouTube videos where I can learn how to do the exercises correctly without injuring myself and in the privacy of my own bedroom. After my fourth class, I began to feel a little more confident. Then, the Swiss Balls appeared and all was lost. Michelle, the instructor, tells us we are going to be using the balls and the entire class erupts in a sort of synchronised groan. I had no clue what was going on. Then Michelle distributed the inflatable balls. I am given the largest one. She tells me I am tall and therefore need the super sized ball. I am five foot eight inches tall, not six foot five. I lie on top of it and don’t feel safe at all, wobbling all over the place and my feet don’t reach the floor. I have never done this type of exercise at all and this wasn’t a very successful first attempt. In the end I did the exercises on the mat, putting the inflatable to one side. I left feeling really quite humiliated.

The following week I forced myself to go back, hoping the wretched balls wouldn’t feature again. Unfortunately they did and we were told to go to the equipment cupboard and select one appropriate for our height. One of the other women, who I had never even spoken to before, passed me a smaller ball and told me she had felt really sorry for me the previous week. Then another women piped up that she had too and that she was really impressed that I kept going. I thought it was so kind of them to take the time to say something encouraging. We all got in our rows and the woman to my left was told that she needed the moon-sized ball but she actually refused to take it. It was still a wobbly workout but I managed the exercises much better on the smaller ball and this time left feeling pleased that I’d made the effort.

I have missed a month of my classes due to working additional days and my never-ending cough but I returned yesterday and, sure enough, the Swiss Balls, were rolled out. I think I will have to find another class if this continues. I managed the exercises reasonably well but the balls are filthy as is the gym floor, covered in other people’s hair. There isn’t really enough space for all of us either. After my class ended one of the women asked me if I would like to join her walking group one day. There are some really nice people around.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Cover Image by Nhi Nguyễn Tường from Pixabay

Liz Earle -A Better Second Half

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

This week I have been ill with a really bad cold. I am self employed so have soldiered on but been unable to answer the phone due to having absolutely no voice. Two of my family members suffer from severe asthma so I try to keep to keep my germs to myself although, inevitably, they pick up illnesses when out and about. My daughter has gone back to university so I have been sleeping in her room so as not to breath the lurgy over my husband.

Ironically, I suspect I picked up the cold at a wellness event, part of the Sevenoaks Literary Festival, hosted by our local independent bookshop and held at Walthamstow Hall school. The speaker, entrepreneur and health journalist, Liz Earle, was promoting her latest book, A Better Second Half which, as the title suggests, is about maximising health and wellbeing during the second half of our lives. The event was packed with women, one of whom seemed to be transcribing the entire interview rather than purchasing a £22 copy of Earle’s book like the rest of us.

Liz Earle walked out on the stage looking lovely in turquoise wide leg trousers and a cream silk top, she had gold Mary-Jane shoes on her feet, very glam and the sort of effortless put together look that is so hard to achieve. She also looked a little tired, not surprising as she had had a nightmare with the trains and also a late night. Earle was keen for us to know that she is sixty one and her boyfriend is forty four, they met on the dating app Ivory Towers. I have noticed that dating younger men seems to be used as a measure of an older women’s attractiveness. Earle also said, tongue firmly in cheek, that she had her biological age analysed and it is thirty nine therefore she is actually younger than him which got a chortle from the audience. Although Earle has now embraced her age, she was so dreading turning sixty that she initially cancelled her birthday party. Many of us have felt that way when a big birthday is looming.

Many people will associate Earle with the beauty brand bearing her name and it was fascinating to hear her speak about how this came about. Liz, and her partner, Kim Buckland combined their expertise and founded the company in 1995, it went on to be the UK’s biggest selling independent skincare brand. Who hasn’t at least tried Cleanse and Polish? They sold the company in 2010 and Earle reverted what she really feels passionate about, writing about women’s health. She made it quite clear that she has no interest in starting again in the beauty business.

Earle bought a farm with some of the proceeds from the sale of her company and there is a pond on the property. She tells us that she sometimes goes and sits in the cold water, up to her shoulders. She also turns the water to cold when she is in the shower. She is a big fan of grounding which is where you stand on grass or soil in bare feet, the theory being that the electrical charge can calm inflammation, reduce stress and promote healing. As Earle herself says, it does sound rather woo woo but the concept is nothing new. Earle speaks about wanting to live to one hundred and twenty and says that biohackers are aiming for one hundred and eighty. She says that being ninety and sitting in a chair having lost your marbles is not living. This upset me, it describes my mum to a tee and it hurts. However, Earle isn’t really wrong. I have read about biohackers and their quest for near immortality. I believe one takes plasma transfusions from his son and I saw a video of him doing the most extreme exercises that made him look more humanoid than human. A person would have to be enormously rich to afford to live that long and it does not interest me at all, it just seems unnatural, but I might feel differently when I am one hundred and nineteen.

Earle spoke at length about the benefits of HRT and dispelled some of the misinformation around it. She also recommended various vitamins and peptides. The floor was opened to questions and one woman asked about mouth-taping, Earle is fan. You put a strip of medical tape over your mouth so that you are forced to breathe through your nose as you sleep. I don’t think I would be able to tolerate that. Earle also spoke about building muscle mass through using weights, something which I am intimidated to start but really should.

Liz Earle has clearly carried out endless research and I feel I can trust her advice, she is highly respected in her field. Even her own GP told her that patients often mention her research during consultations, usually about the menopause. Earle has her own podcast and has published a plethora of books. I am looking forward to reading A Better Second Half , a real doorstop of a book. Visit her website, Liz Earle Wellbeing, for more information.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Makeup Bag and Cosmetics Refresh

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

For my recent birthday a friend gave me a pretty new make up bag from one of my favourite shops, Oliver Bonas. It has taken pride of place on my dressing table and replaced the Clarins freebie that I have been using for years. It also provided a good opportunity for me to go through my cosmetics and throw away some of the embarrassingly ancient, and probably horribly unhygienic, items. I have used the same Nars blusher everyday for about six years and it pained me to throw it away but even the case was falling apart. My optician told me that, in an ideal world, mascara should be replaced every six weeks because of the bacteria that accumulate with each use, definitely time to bin my antique Estee Lauder. I also got rid of my Clinique eyeliners, most of which had lost their caps, and replaced them with one from Lancome in a shade called Bronze. The Lancome is very creamy, easy to blend and the shade is flattering.

I also received a Clarins bronzer as a gift in the lightest shade they sell. I have never used bronzer before. I am very pale and have always thought it would just look too orange on me. I’m also not really sure how to apply it, I had to watch a YouTube video by Ali Andreea, a stunningly beautiful make up artist, to find out. Her tutorials make everything look easy and it is tempting to buy all of the high-end products she uses. The Clarins bronzer is comprised of two shades and the darker colour is definitely too deep for me so half of the product will go to waste. The lighter shade is pretty though when sparingly applied and I like the matte finish. I did buy another Nars blusher though so I am good for six more years!

I have also been trying out This Works Perfect Cleavage & Neck Serum I am not a fan of the fragrance but the product is lovely to use and easily absorbed. My neck feels well moisturised but not sticky after use. Like the rest of the planet, I spend too much time looking at a screen and am keen to avoid the dreaded “tech neck” and hopefully this may help. I have a This Works Stress Check Mood Manager spray in my home office for days when my work email inbox is filling up faster than I can empty it, it’s actually surprisingly effective and the fragrance is beautiful. I will be trying more products from this brand.

So, some successful and much appreciated gifts. Pretty things may not be important but they do make life that little bit nicer.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Featured

To HRT or Not to HRT – Part One

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

The menopause, I am in my mid fifties and it is still a mystery to me. During my peri-menopause my periods got heavier and my migraines became much worse but, since then, I haven’t really had any symptoms. Or have I? I wake most nights feeling hotter than the surface of the sun and I sleep terribly, I’m usually awake between 3am and 4am. Then, in my research about preventing dementia I heard one Podcaster, Max Lugavere, whose mother died in her fifties from dementia, speak about how HRT can be an effective tool in warding off cognitive decline. I decided to undertake some rather belated research into HRT. Very few of my friends take it. Some of them have concerns about the increased risk of developing certain cancers and some are simply reluctant to take artificial hormones. Woman spend a third of their lives in menopause yet many of us really don’t know how to handle it or are even afraid of it. It seems to be viewed as the end of us being young(ish) and the first step on the path to decrepitude. Women past child bearing age are definitely less visible in society overall.

Some symptoms of menopause are well known, mood swings, insomnia, hot flushes and brain fog but I was blissfully unaware of some other potential issues such as the inner labia shrivelling once the body’s oestrogen supply is depleted. I have noticed that one or two of my friends have already begun to look slightly frail and post-menopause there is commonly a loss of muscle mass. I have definitely become a more anxious person during the past decade and this also seems to be the case for many women. The lack of sleep was my most concerning symptom, even more so than the migraines, because there is strong evidence that good quality sleep contributes to good brain health.

I listened to a few podcasts on the subject but all of the hosts seemed to have gone down the personalised private healthcare route, blood tests and hormones tailored just for them. My experience on the NHS has not been anything like that. Once I had decided to give HRT a try I had a five minute telephone consultation with a locum GP. To be fair, she seemed very knowledgeable on the subject and said she thought it was a good idea for me to take HRT as it can help prevent both osteoporosis and cognitive decline as long as the woman begins the treatment within six years of finishing her periods. She prescribed Estradiol patches, to be changed twice weekly and Utrogestan tablets to be taken before bedtime every night. She then called me a fortnight later to see how I was getting on. That was it, the extent of the medical advice. It seems to be a strictly “one size fits all” approach. I did ask how she knew which hormones I was deficient it if I didn’t have bloods but she insisted it wasn’t necessary.

As HRT requires a regular prescription you can purchase a pre-payment certificate which is currently £19.80 for twelve months. Beware though! The pharmacist at my local Boots put my migraine medication into the same bag without me realising and I received a £100 fine. In fact, on my last visit they did the same and tried to insist that I did not need to pay for my additional medications. This is incorrect.

I started HRT in January last year but my migraines seemed to become worse than ever and, after six months, I went back to the GP, for an in-person appointment. This time I insisted on a blood test. I saw a male GP who was at a standing desk. I completely understand why he chooses to work this way but it does mean that there is very little eye contact with the seated patient. This GP told me he didn’t really think that HRT offers any protection against dementia or osteoporosis . This completely contradicted what the previous doctor had told me and much of the research I had read. He said that my bone health was determined by the time I was fifty and there now wasn’t anything I could do to change it. He told me to take a break from HRT and see if my migraines improved. I stopped the treatment but it made no difference, my migraines continued to be unbearable until I sort further help , see my Migraine Misery posts. As I left the surgery I realised he hadn’t even glanced at my blood test results.

To be continued…

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Cover Photo by amjd rdwan on Unsplash

Featured

Gym Jitters

On By samanthaIn HEALTHLeave a comment

It is my birthday month, another year older, and time to begin taking my health a little less for granted. I take very little exercise, a couple of walks a week of maybe a couple of miles and running up and down the many stairs in my house, that is about it. I spend about twenty five hours a week sitting at my desk working. I hardly take a break and my husband commented that my posture isn’t as good as it used to be. I have noticed a couple of my friends are losing muscle mass and looking a little frailer as well. I desperately need to do some exercise. There are numerous work out videos available on YouTube but I don’t have a clue about what I am doing and feel I am quite likely to injure myself without some proper instruction. I am going to have to join a gym and actually turn up. The thought fills me with dread.

Where I live there are several gyms to choose from. There is the fancy one ten minutes down the road but I am not prepared to pay £150 a month for membership. Then there is the other swanky gym in the country club where lots of my friends go. Membership here is £119 per month, this is still far more than I want to pay and the place is a twenty five minute drive from my home, I just know I won’t be bothered to go, especially in the winter. In the end I decide to go for the easy option, the local leisure centre. The place where I have taken my children for endless swimming lessons and birthday parties. Membership here starts at £39.50 a month, it is a eight minute drive from my house and parking is easy and free.

I have a drawer full of nice gym outfits that I never actually wear so I put on a T shirt and some Marks and Spencer leggings, trying to ignore the fact that they feel a bit snug, that’s just the compression panel right? I then drive to the leisure centre to sign up. The young woman greeting me sells me the slightly more expensive membership which includes a personal training session every quarter and the ability to book classes a fortnight in advance. She then takes me on a tour. The gym equipment looks both mystifying and terrifying. I don’t really see myself swimming but I would like to take some exercise classes. The last time I took my daughter swimming at the leisure centre someone tried to break into my locker and, on another occasion many years ago, a very respectable looking woman tried to make off with my Mulberry handbag while I was helping my son who was having an asthma attack. “Mummy” my boy wheezed and I grabbed it back. The women scarpered. Anyway, I digress, the staff member asks me if I would like to take a class right then and there. Now??? I pretend there is somewhere else I urgently have to be but arrange an induction session at the gym for the following week. I also sign up for a Core Fitness class but not for a fortnight.

Before I even get home the leisure centre email me cancelling my induction session which is not a promising start. They ask if I can come the same evening instead. I have a stonking migraine, I really just want to take some co-codamol and crawl into bed. Nevertheless I pull on my leggings and drive back to the gym, I am surprised at how nervous I feel. Am I going to look a complete, uncoordinated idiot? When I arrive I am met by Kyle, who is going to carry out my induction A muscular, tattooed chap of about thirty who has such a professional and unpatronising manner that I begin to wonder what I was apprehensive about. He asks what my goals are and I say I want to get stronger and fitter. I do not want to lose weight but that is probably obvious from looking at me. Kyle shows me around, demonstrating how the various pieces of equipment work and then I have a try with him supervising, he explains how my legs shouldn’t be too straight as I don’t want my knees to lock and that the downward movement is more important than the upward movement when using the weight machines. He adds a 5kg weight and I just about manage. I am pleased to see the other gym-users are just minding their own business and not in the least bit interested in what I am doing. After about forty five minutes I am ready to go home. Kyle suggests I book a complementary personal training session. He says it won’t take much time for me to get fitter and suggests an exercise class that he thinks will suit me . He said that, once I have gained a little confidence, it will be beneficial for me to learn how to use the free weights. I leave the gym feeling pleased that I made the effort to go. I can do this! I go home and lie down with an ice-pack pressed to my temple.

Thank you for reading

Samantha

Cover Image by Nhi Nguyễn Tường from Pixabay