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

Expansion and investment for Rock Dental

Lucy Stevens and Raj Mohanty had the pleasure of taking over The Rock Dental Practice last year in June 2021. Lucy had worked alongside the previous principal dentist, Miss Pearton, who has now retired.

The duo are keen to sustain the same friendly independent ethos of the practice whilst ensuring that it continues to stay up-to-date with the latest techniques and equipment of modern dentistry. Raj graduated in 2000 from SRMC University and has worked in both hospital and practice settings in London before settling in Plymouth. She enjoys all aspects of dentistry and has a special interest in periodontology in which she gained a master’s degree in India. Raj also recently completed training in botox and fillers, and consistently attends courses to further her dental techniques and skills. Lucy qualified from Cardiff University with BDS (Hons) in 2010. She carried out her vocational training with Malcom Prideaux in Plymouth before working as a Maxillofacial Senior House Officer at Derriford Hospital. Lucy sat her MJDF exam in 2012 to become a member of the Joint Dental Faculties. She was an associate dentist at the practice for eight years, before taking up joint ownership with Raj last June. Lucy enjoys all aspects of dentistry and takes the time to build a good rapport with er patients.

Since taking over the practice, they have expanded it to include a newly fitted accessible downstairs reception and surgery. There is ample free parking, helping to ensure the patient experience is as straightforward as possible. The practice has also recently invested in a new cone beam CT scanner and intra-oral scanner to further enhance the level of patient care. Lucy and Raj have secured more clinical staff to increase capacity for new private patients, whom they are delighted to accept. The team is able to provide comprehensive general dentistry, as well as advanced implant solutions and oral surgery with Suresh Somasunduran, who splits his time between the practice and his associate specialist post at Derriford Hospital. Suresh has many years’ experience, and can offer a wide range of advanced surgical options from surgical removal of wisdom teeth to more complex treatments, such as ‘All on 4’. He accepts patient self-referrals as well as referrals from general dentists. The whole team look forward to welcoming patients, both existing and new.

The Rock Dental Practice, 14 The Rock Hotel, Yelverton PL20 6DS. 01822853344 info@rockdentalpractice.co.uk www.rockdentalpractice.co.uk

A FAMILY-FRIENDLY DENTAL PRACTICE OFFERING COMPREHENSIVE DENTAL CARE • Newly installed accessible downstairs surgery and reception • In house oral surgery and implant solutions • New Cone Beam CT Scanner • Free Parking 14 e Rock Hotel | Yelverton | PL20 6DS 01822 853344 | info@rockdentalpractice.co.uk www.rockdentalpractice.co.uk

Our team are delighted to welcome new private patients!