Health & Wellbeing

Why we need to keep moving

I love the winter months, and one of my favourite things at this time is reading books about people doing activity and exercise while curled up in front of the fire, and somehow feeling that it makes me more fit doing it. Now this might be a nice thing to do but really what I need to be doing is moving myself despite the dark and the rain.

We all know that exercise is important for our muscles and bones, and the strength of our body. We also know that exercise is important for our heart and cardiovascular system reducing our risk of heart attacks and strokes. But as a doctor and a human myself I know that the thought of having to exercise – to go out of our way, change clothes, get sweaty, be out of breath and uncomfortable – can feel intimidating and off-putting if we’re tired, or not as fit as we want to be, or self-conscious. What I’ve been thinking about more and more is movement, not exercise. What is fascinating is all the evidence emerging about just why movement is good for us and how the ‘surprising added benefits’ are now becoming more central to how we view movement. All of this is acutely important as year on year we’re moving less as a human race, whatever age we are. As a group we move a whopping 30% less than our counterparts in the 1960s.

There is growing evidence that movement is hugely important for our mental health too, and also for our cognition and the actual act of thinking. I often discuss endorphins and related compounds, the ‘happy hormones’, with my patients. These are released when we exercise and act as stress busters, improving anxiety and depression. From now on I’m going to start talking much more about osteocalcin as well. This is a hormone released from our bones that has some vital jobs: it works directly on our brain improving its function, boosting our memory and keeping our thinking sharp. So absolutely do a sudoku and a crossword to keep your mind active and dementia at bay – but then go for a walk, or go out to a dance class, because that is just as essential to keeping our brain active. Another big job that osteocalcin does is in the fight against diabetes. It works on the pancreas and the fat cells to directly combat the development and progression of Type 2 diabetes. Bones produce osteocalcin when we are using and stressing them, which means when we are doing weight bearing exercises. This doesn’t mean you have to go to a gym and lift weights, anything that involves moving our own body weight around is weight bearing – walking, climbing a flight of stairs, doing tai chi or gardening. So move to beep the bones strong, and the strong bones will help to keep the brain and body healthy.

As well as decreasing movement, another point in our life when females significantly reduce bone density is after the menopause, so staying active as we get into middle age and older is hugely important to preserve bone mass and minimise this post-menopausal loss. Wonderfully, we are now talking more about HRT. The oestrogen in HRT has a direct effect on the bones, helping keep them strong and healthy for longer, and therefore improving our brain and body function too.

So back to my cosy fireplace in the Devon winter. I can’t even use the excuse that the weather is too bad to go out because research shows we get additional health benefits from walking in the wind and rain. Raindrops stimulate plants and soil to release sweet smelling compounds into the air which improve our mood, and the highly ionised air associated with rain improves our lung capacity and amplifies our immunity. Really, I knew this anyway before reading the evidence about it. It is the proverbial ‘blowing away the cobwebs’ that makes us feel energised, less irritable and more joyous when we get back from a blustery rainy walk. So, wellies on, and out I go.

If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of moving our bodies, read Move by Caroline Williams.

Dr Jo Coldron Tavyside Health Centre, Tavistock

Could you restart a heart?

In 2021, Devon Air Ambulance (DAA) crews attended 333 patients who were suffering a cardiac arrest. This year the crew has so far attended 247 patients whose heart stopped beating. Cardiac arrest is the most common reason their emergency medical team is called to help. As part of the charity’s ‘Help with all your Heart campaign’, they launched a public survey in February to find out how people felt about helping someone in cardiac arrest and what might stop them from stepping in. Almost two thirds of respondents said they would be willing to step in and help but felt lacking in two vital things that would empower them: knowledge and confidence. Respondents also stated they would be interested in finding out more.

DAA set about planning five CPR & defibrillator training days across Devon, designed to dismantle those barriers. The training was a huge success with all who fed back saying they would recommend this invaluable training to a friend. Several sessions were available over each training day which included a presentation by DAA Specialist Paramedics, allowing people to learn about the differences between a heart attack and cardiac arrest, as well as a hands-on session learning how to carry out effective CPR and how to use a defibrillator.

Many described feeling much more knowledgeable about cardiac arrest and importantly, confident about stepping in to help someone suffering a cardiac arrest before specialist medical help arrives. Early intervention from a bystander giving CPR and using a defibrillator has been proven to give the patient a much better chance of survival.

Ginette Gisborne, communications manager at Devon Air Ambulance said: “It was fantastic to see so many people attend our first five training days, from retired couples and those who knew of a defibrillator in their local communities, to those who were retired medical professionals who came along to refresh their previous knowledge. “We are thrilled to be able to plan more training days for 2023. Our team of Specialist Paramedics, who sadly have first-hand experience of many cardiac related incidents, will once again be leading the sessions. Giving people the knowledge and the confidence needed to help their loved one, a neighbour or a stranger in cardiac arrest means that another life may be saved.”

The DAA team is now planning when and where the next set of training days will be held and you can register your interest in attending a future training session by visiting bit.ly/DAACPRDAY

If you would like to support the vital work of Devon Air Ambulance, you can donate at daat.org/donate

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