HEALTH & FITNESS NEWS

Here’s a trio of health advice –some advice on managing an inflammatory condition, luxurious equipment to incentivise you in your regular yoga practice, and a bespoke Bath bottle to keep you hydrated

MANAGING INFLAMMATION

Do you have a problem with chronic inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis, colitis or metabolic syndrome? If the answer is yes, the experts from At The Core, Bath have specialist knowledge that might help you manage your condition. Here the team share with us some insightful information about their work.

• Inflammation is the body’s natural immune response that protects it from bacteria, viruses and toxins, eliminating problems and promoting tissue repair and recovery. A normal inflammatory response occurs then resolves, but systemic chronic inflammation (SCI) when the response lingers. This can lead to a host of noncommunicable diseases, such as osteoarthritis.

• Inflammation can be prevented and managed through diet by maintaining a balanced and nutritional meal plan. While food choices will never fully prevent disease, what we put into our bodies has an enormous impact on body functionality.

• A fresh, seasonal diet that is low in processed foods will help us manage inflammation. Foods with powerful antiinflammatory effects include oily fish such as tuna and salmon; red fruits such as blueberries, blackberries and strawberries; green vegetables, especially kale, spinach, and broccoli; healthy fats; and superfood spices such as ginger and turmeric.

• A treatment called MBST® therapy offered by At The Core, can significantly help inflammatory conditions. This therapy impacts on the body’s inflammatory markers, dampening their response and potentially limiting their impact and chronic state.

• A course of MBST® treatment can result in reductions in pain and improvement in a range of motion of arthritic joints. With a reduction in inflammation around a joint and less pain, there is a greater capacity for range of motion, exercise tolerance and strengthening. This creates a more independent, active and selfsufficient person.

GET THE YOGA FLOW

Bath-based designers and yoga practitioners Angie B and Charlotte King have teamed up to create a collection of luxurious, functional yoga pieces that will bring a beautiful foundation to your yoga practice. • Charlotte’s tactile buckwheat bolsters give support for reclined restorative poses and will complement your home interior. • Angie B’s soft sustainable non-slip mats (shown below with bolster) for those vinyasa flows will inspire, enhance and encourage a positive yoga environment. Yoga mat £65;

yoga mat and bolster £150

At The Core studios (above) and the founders Paul and Julia Tisdale and their business partner, physiotherapist Adey Saunders (below)

With travel and adventure very much back on the horizon, Angie B’s super lightweight mat (shown above), is the perfect travel companion. £65

All yoga mats are 100% natural using biodegradable materials and bespoke designs are also available to order. At The Core, Bath is hosting an open event on 4 May where you can find out more about the benefits of eating an anti-inflammatory diet and about the pioneering MBST® therapy. To find out about this and future events see their website: atthecore.health

BULLFROG BOTTLES

Show your love for Bath with a limited edition matt red stainless steel 500ml Bath bottle with bespoke Bath laser engraving. You can even opt for a coloured lid from a choice of five colours. There is also a silicone carabiner clip for easy carrying onthe-go. £22

bullfrogbottles.com

SHINING BRIGHT

Summer is coming, which is typically the time when people start to become more conscious of their skin. In preparation for the half-term getaway at the end of the month, Dr Genevieve Osborne, a Consultant Dermatologist at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, gives advice on the sort of things we should keep in mind when spending time in the sun.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK – but most is curable if caught early. Sun is the primary cause of skin cancer; the sun’s ultra violet (UV) rays – both UVA and UVB – can cause genetic and immune changes in the skin which could lead to skin cancer in the future.

The two main categories of skin cancer are melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Melanoma skin cancer is the more serious form which, if not treated early, can spread more rapidly internally. Over the last 20 years, it has become the fastest increasing cancer, probably reflecting changes in people’s sun exposure habits, and in particular can affect a younger population – although all forms of skin cancer become more common with advancing years. Non-melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

The reactions that immediate sun exposure can cause are redness (‘sunburn’), tanning (caused by an increased amount of the pigment melanin) and freckling (where the melanin occurs in clumps). All these changes can be risk factors for the development of skin cancer, but sunburn is particularly risky, especially in children. Use of sunscreen at least SPF 30 with 5* UVA cover, protective clothing and wide-brimmed hats helps to prevent sunburn, as does avoiding exposure to the most intense sun between 11-3pm. Individuals who are more light-skinned, with fair or red hair, who have a freckling tendency, or those with a lot of moles are all more prone to skin cancer.

Moles are common ordinary skin spots that represent clumps of pigment-making cells called melanocytes. They’re usually brown, sometimes pink and can be flat or raised. They start to appear in early childhood, more so in response to sun exposure, but they can also occur spontaneously at nonsun exposed sites and may be hereditary. When moles become cancerous, they’re called ‘melanoma’. A change in a mole, such as enlargement, change in colour, shape or size may be signs that it has become a melanoma. Less often, melanoma may cause bleeding, irritation and itching.

Melanoma can also develop on normal skin, where there was no mole present before. Many people aren’t in the habit of checking their moles for change but this does help to pick up melanoma early. A typical melanoma is a brown, irregularshaped mark that may show several shades of colour and have a fuzzy border; occasionally a melanoma can be pink.

As most melanomas develop silently, it can be helpful to have your moles assessed by a Dermatologist, particularly if you have risk factors such as fair skin, many moles, a family history or have had considerable sun exposure or used a sun bed. If a suspicious mole is seen, it may be surgically removed and sent for analysis, and early detection of melanoma can be life-saving. The Dermatology team at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital can make a risk assessment of your skin, photographically map suspicious moles for surveillance purposes, treat pre-cancerous changes and surgically treat many skin cancers where present.

People who have accumulated much sunexposure over the years are prone to precancerous skin conditions that can turn into SCC, and they are at greater risk of BCC too. These skin cancers are usually managed surgically. Individuals who have had a nonmelanoma skin cancer are more prone to further such cancers in the future and therefore benefit from regular skin surveillance by a Dermatologist for early diagnosis.

Dermatologists would never view a sun tan as ‘healthy’, because it is a sign that there has been damage which may later lead to skin cancer. However, some exposure to sun is required to maintain Vitamin D levels, so it’s important not to avoid it completely. Vitamin D plays a key role in our immune protection, and can still be made in the body when a sunscreen is applied. Certain skin conditions, such as psoriasis, are actually improved by UV exposure from the sun, so the important message is to avoid sunburn and prolonged exposure, and know your own risk factors, regularly inspecting your skin for changes.

If you would like to book an appointment with Dr Osborne, or one of the other members of the Dermatology team at Nuffield Health Bristol Hospital, Dr Helen Audrain and Dr Adam Bray, call 0117 911 5339, or visit our website: www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/bristol.