Get off ya bum

Get off ya bum

exercise health

Good morning. I am getting into the habit of having an hour on the computer while eating breakfast, and if it is sunny, I then switch off and get on with other things. Today is looking promising, sunshine all around. I have a quick look at the papers, a flit around the forums, a peek at the blogs, and a nosy at the tweets and facebook.

You might get get fed up of me going on about healthy eating and walking, I do witter on a bit, but every so often I read an article which I totally agree with. I've watched quite a few of Dr Michael Mosley's programmes, he talks good sense. This article caught my attention in the Daily Wail this morning. You have to skim through a lot of headlines to find anything useful in that paper. The NHS spends millions fighting type 2 diabetes, when the simple cure is exercise. He urges everyone to get off their backsides.

Yes, you know all about that, but are you doing it? Right now I am going to remove my bum from this chair and get on with being busy. I need to go and pay a bill, I need to collect Heidi's tablets from the vet. I need to buy a few essential items. I need to cut my hair. I need to get a load of washing out on the line.

Have a look at the article while I am busy doing my daily chores, and I'll be back later.
Michael Mosley says get off your backside.

Cheerio. Sees ya later.

Walking Group meet, 1st of March.

Walking Group meet, 1st of March.

exercise health keep fit walking

Hello. It's that time again, the first of the month when I hand over this page to the Walking Group, who check in with their miles for the previous months. I'm leaving it up to you to do a running total, so if you could post your miles for January and February here, I will be well chuffed. You can come back to this post at any time if you miss it today, this is where we all chat about how we are doing with our own personal challenges. 

Here is my chart, I finished off tonight with two miles to make it a round two hundred. You can see I missed three days, but made it up by doing extra on other days. I have a two and a three mile walk around my village, that can give me 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 miles. On the day I did 8 miles, I added an extra bit onto it and walked a bit further.  

We are two months into it now, those who did it last year will be a picture of health and feeling pretty darn good. If you started this year, you should be feeling a bit better, the longer you do it the fitter you become. Don't expect miracles, don't give up because you think it isn't making any difference to your fitness levels. It will come if you give it time. If you have fallen behind a bit, give yourself a kick up the backside, and make up your mind to get stuck in. Make March the month you will succeed. No matter how much I nag you, ultimately it's down to you.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Walking Group meet 1st of February

Walking Group meet 1st of February

exercise health keep fit walking

Hello. Here is a full list of Walking Group members. I will copy and paste the list on the first of every month, to remind everyone who has signed up for it. Members should check in on the first of every month with their own mileage in a comment. Please do your own running total adding the months together so I don't have to do your sums for you. Don't worry if you are late, you can check in at any time but to keep it all in the same place please go to the post on the first of the month. To find it refer to the archive list on the sidebar. There are 69 names on the list.

Amanda in Atlanta - Dinky Jenny - Blue eyes Sue - Shoestring Jane - Amanda - Sally C - Michelle - Margaret in Maryland - Hazel Dxb - Joan in Michigan - Nanny Anna in Canada - Donna from Illinois - Betsy in Baltimore - Boxgrove Girl - Cherie K - Judlike - Juless61 - DixieChick - Frugal in Bucks - Frugal in the Valley - Beachcomber Sue - Kateonthecoast - Jan - alicesav - Trish - Shelly Williams - Sarah Cornwall - Jane J Robinson - PinkFish Sue - Natalie - Scarlett - Ray Nicholson - Jools - Helen Graham - Catriona - Wendy Wdc - Jayne - Patricia Montreal - Odette - Michelle Colorado - Christine Phipps - Kaye Schmitz - Jane C - Vampire Heart - Vicki E Yorks - Christine Neumann - Wanda - Kath K - Dunhamlass - Emma - Lori in Alaska - Linda Martin - Lorraine Washington - Hilde - Hilogene - Nick - Hazel C - Amy in Florida - Sue - Yorkshire Lass - Helen D - Becky - Michele in Australia - Sonja Nth Carolina - Lo - Louise Houghton - Tricia - Wences

I have reached 100 miles, a target I set myself in the middle of January. Here's how I did it.

I see someone has commented already in yesterdays post. I can copy and paste it in here, but your name will not show as a link.

Good luck everyone, lets have some numbers. Tell us how you are getting on, the highs and lows, how you feel, fitter or knackered, ha ha. If you are thinking about doing this get off your bum and take the plunge. Do it for yourself, make an effort to fit it in with your daily routine. You know it makes sense. I can add your name to the list on March the 1st.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Hugo says.....

Hugo says.....

health keep fit

Hello. I've had my tootsies tickled today. Hugo has a clinic at the Age UK regional office in town, and charges only £10, so I thought it would be a good idea to get my feet checked to make sure there is nothing terribly wrong with them. 

I expected him to be an older man, he sounded older on the phone. I'm surprised that a young man chooses a career which involves getting up close to feet. He was a chatty friendly type, and he loves his job. He goes to care homes and does all the elderly people while they are having a coffee. He does home visits, and will visit groups. Here are his details for anyone in the North Lincolnshire area. 

Hugo says he has seem bunions a lot worse than mine. He says if they are not causing any bother leave them alone. They aren't so I will.

Hugo says I have two hard lumps on the balls of my feet, I'll cut them out. He said it's the pressure which causes that.

Hugo says it's ok to drain a blister and put antiseptic on it.

Hugo says do you want me to cut your toe nails. I said no, I've just washed my feet and cut them myself, I can reach them. But you can use your clippers on the two hard nails which I find difficult to cut with scissors.

Hugo says, do you want some moisturizer on them. I said, yes please.

Hugo asked me if I want to make another appointment. I said, no, I will see how they are in six months after I have done some more walking.

Hugo says he has the best job in the world. I said, no you don't I had the best job in the world, a lorry driver. Hugo says he has an HGV licence. I said he could make some money driving a truck. He says no thanks, I like looking after feet.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Is the Walking Group ready to go?

Is the Walking Group ready to go?

exercise health keep fit walking

Hello. Are you ready for the big one? The WALK 1000 MILES CHALLENGE.. It's the 1st of January and this is where we all start. Choose your boots or your trainers depending on the terrain. I use trainers for walking on tarmac around my village, and boots when on tracks and rough footpaths. Make sure you have the right footwear. Note - my home made shoe rack made out of pallets.

So, let's go through the rules. You can walk wherever you like, whenever you like, the aim is to complete the 1000 miles by December 31st 2017. You can break it down to 2.73 miles a day, I have two measured routes of two and three miles, from my front door. This takes me 35 minutes for two miles, and 50 minutes for three miles. I like to do a fairly brisk walk, a saunter or stroll will not do, I aim to work up a bit of a sweat. Sometimes it's cold when I set out but after ten minutes the heart starts pumping a bit harder and I warm up. When I get back I am ready to peel off some clothes.

The monthly total to aim for is 84 miles. If you are somewhere near that figure that will be fine. Some months you will do more, and some less. If over several months you find you are dropping back, you will have to put more effort in to catch up.

You can ignore the daily and monthly totals, and take on some long walks if you like. When on a walking holiday you could walk ten miles a day for eight days and have the rest of the month off.

Of course all this walking will depend on how fit you are, how much you have done in the past, and how much time you can give to it. If you are working full time can you incorporate walking too and from your workplace into your schedule. If not, can you walk during your lunch break.

There will be some people who will not be physically able to 1000 miles. That's ok, it isn't a competition or a race. Set yourself a lower target, even if it is one mile a day. The aim of this is to at least get you doing some exercise. Anyone who has sever mobility problems should consult their doctor first for advice. They may be able to embark on a different exercise routine, eg, swimming, aerobics, or yoga.

You  will be checking your own mileage, it's up to you how you do this. Some people use a pedometer, or a fitbit. I use a web site, Bikehike.co.uk  Toggle map sizes so the larger OS map is on the right hand side and use your mouse to plot out your route either before or after you have walked.

You can count any miles that you walk in the course of a normal day. I don't know how steps convert to distance, you will have to work that out for yourself. I prefer to count only the miles I set out to walk for the challenge. I don't count in shopping or dog walking, unless it's a big dog that's going to pull me along pretty fast.

On the first of every month you can check in with your miles walked over the previous month. Put this in a comment, then it is all on one blog post. It doesn't matter if you don't get it in on time, it can be updated any day in the month, just go back to the post on the 1st and put it in. This is the only record, there won't be a separate page. So, to start you can comment on this post to say you are in, and for the first day of every month after is where you check in. I want to see those numbers rising.

You will be full of enthusiasm when you start, that's how New Year Resolutions work. A few weeks or months into it you will wonder what you let yourself in for. You will then look for excuses not to do it, and start missing days. Haven't got time, got to go shopping, got to pick the kids up, need to get your hair done, etc etc. If you are opting to walk daily, it is better to build that time into your daily routine and find a slot for it. I am thinking now I had better get off my bum and do it now. If you are struggling, tell the rest of the group. Don't just stop and say stuff it, I can't be bothered. You will feel the benefits if you stick at it. Sore feet, try different footwear. Aching leg muscles, hot bath and massage.

Here's a little bit of inspiration to get you started.



Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

PS. I think there are still some mileage totals for December to come in. When I have them I will have a complete list for 2016.

Crafty Club Christmas Tree.

Crafty Club Christmas Tree.

crafty stuff exercise health keep fit

Hello. I remembered to take my camera with me this morning to Crafty Club, and called in at the church on the way to get a few snaps of our tree. Eeeee, it does look grand. I think it is better than the conventional tinsel adorned artificial tree they have on display at the front of the church. You can't beat hand made. 

There is a children's party on Thursday and they have a competition to name ten of the decorations on our tree. 

We were a bit short on numbers this morning, people have other things to do on the run up to Christmas. We are not meeting again until the second week in January because the next two Mondays are Bank Holidays.

Several people have asked about doing the 1000 mile walking challenge next year. I have already mentioned that I will not be making a separate page to log the monthly miles, however, in view of people's interest in the challenge I am willing to give everyone a day a month to log their own miles in a monthly comment. Therefore it is up to you to keep track of where you are, but everyone can see it.

So, starting on January 1st you can register your name as a participant. and on the 1st of every month you check in with your mileage. Note, there are people with the same name, please add something to your name to make it different from the others. Please try and stick to this plan because then it is a group effort and everyone can support each other. You can comment on your walking at any time of the month, but it would be better if you logged your mileage on the 1st, then everyone is in the same blog post.

Basically, I am not going to hold your hand, you need to do it for you. I will be there to urge you to keep going, and to encourage you. I want to see those number increase month by month. It's up to you how you do it, long walks, short walks, and how you check your own progress. Whether you use an electronic gadget, or use a site like bikehike. you check your own miles.

People start New Year Resolutions with good intentions, but run out of steam part way through the year. If there is a good reason why you physically can't do it, don't worry. Maybe you could scale it down and find an exercise plan a bit easier. If there is nothing physically preventing you from walking then get off your bum and make the effort. 2.73 miles a day can be done in just under an hour. Remember, you are doing it for you, for your health, not for me or anyone else. Best of luck.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Almost there, keep walking to keep fit

Almost there, keep walking to keep fit

exercise health walking

Hello. With only a month to go to the end of the challenge, I've just been checking the state of play on our Walking Group page. I am really chuffed that so many of you have done so well. To be honest I thought more would have dropped out, but I'm pleased to say that a great many of you have stuck it out and are still soldiering on.

Everyone walks at their own pace so it's not fair to say some have done better than others. You can only do what you can do. I always say as long as you can do some walking, it's better than none.

I'm going to put a few names on this post of those who have really pulled out all the stops. Indeed, some of you have finished well before the time. The finishing line is midnight on December the 31st, so if you have already passed the 1000 miles, you can relax and do no more, or you can carry on for your grand total.

These are the figures which came in at the end of October, (except mine which is up to date), so they will be higher now if you are still walking.

Take a bow......
AMY IN FLORIDA  1777
VAMPIRE HEART   1153
SIMPLESISTA   1132
LAURA BLACKPOOL   1111
JILL 1018
JANICE C 1008
VICKIEY 1000

Coming up close behind almost there.......
SCARLET  995
LISA IN MIAMI  992
ILONA  948
HELEN D  948 km
HILDE  943
HAZEL  916

Keep going ladies, last push......
GILLIE  872
JULES  859
BEACHCOMBER  858
CHERIE  827
SALLY C  808

Please check the Walking page to see your mileage if your name is not here.

You may remember that I started on December the 1st last year as a trial. So with that 75 miles, I have gone over the 1000, but I will carry on to the end of the year, just to keep you company, and to cheer you on. Come on ladies, you can do it.

People have asked, what next. I haven't decided what I am going to do yet, I might think of another challenge or I might carry on with this. Whatever I do it will include some form of exercise, as I feel it is important to look after my body for life, not just for one year. I won't be making another walking group page for 2017, but I hope that some of you will continue the good work you have already started and record your own mileage.

If you feel you would like support, you could register with the Country Walking magazine challenge where you will be able to keep track of your own mileage and chat with like minded people. This is the link to their site.  Another option is to join the Walking Forum, of which I am a member, and put your name down on their list. Then it's up to you to update your own mileage by going to the thread, quoting the list, then adding your new miles, and posting it back on. I have been updating mine here. The thread is in Long Distance Walks.

It's been a long walk, but we are not far off now, everyone should be proud of what they have achieved.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

How do you wash your feet in the shower?

How do you wash your feet in the shower?

confused health

Hello. Let's talk about skin, we have all got some. It's that stretchy stuff which covers our bodies. According to my Human Biology folder, (1962) page 81, the function of the skin forms a boundary between us and the environment, acting as a protective layer against friction, bacteria, water, heat, and cold. It also helps to keep our temperature constant in spite of changes in the temperature of our surroundings. Pretty clever eh!.

Here on page 79 is my diagram of the components which make up the different layers. 

Today, I scrubbed the skin all over my body while I soaked in the bath. These are the torture cleaning implements which I use. I like to remove all the dead skin. I start with my feet. Lying on my back I pull one knee up to my chin and work my way up the leg with this rough stone thing. The knee gets done, then the upper leg as far the bum cheek. Repeat the same procedure with the second leg. 

Then I swap to the sponge with the honeycomb rough side. I cut the sponge in half so it lasts twice as long. Still laid in the water I give the arms a good scrub, paying particular attention to the armpits. I then sit up and proceed to attack the upper body, front, neck, and around the sides as far as my arms will reach. When that's all done I stand up and do all the body parts which were previously below the water line, with the sponge.

How to reach the back, with a brush, so while still standing up I use this.

For a final rinse off I lie back down in the bath and have a bit of a swish about. All nice and clean, and the dead skin all removed. You may have noticed that I didn't mention my face. I wash my hair over the full bath of clean water, (no soap added), and wash my face, before I get in.

Now what I want to know is how can you give yourself a full body scrub in a shower? I had showers at the hotel, but all they entailed was a soapy sponge and reaching as far as my little arms could stretch to around the middle of my body. My back didn't get done, forgot to take the brush, but there was no way that I could balance on one leg on a slippery surface to scrub my feet and below my knees.

It baffles me when people say they they have a shower every day, which usually entails dispensing half a bottle of shower gel into the palm of your hands and smearing it around all the crevices of your body then rinsing it off. Unless you have got sandpaper on the palm of your hands, I don't call that getting properly clean. And how do you wash your feet in the shower, that's what I would like to know, especially when you have soap running down your face and have to keep your eyes clamped tight shut. Do you wobble about on one leg and hope you don't slip?

Shower cubicles are so darn small. Drop the soap and you have to bend down and go scrabbling about  for it. You have to remember where you put the towel when you reach for it with your eyes closed. You open the shower door and it's cold in the rest of the room so you try and dry yourself within the confines of the cubicle, or step out onto the bath mat and rub yourself like crazy before you freeze to death.

Give me a bath anytime so I can have a good soak and a good scrub to get rid of the dead skin, then I feel clean. Albert has the right idea.



Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Good news, and other stuff.

Good news, and other stuff.

crafty stuff health keep fit walk

Hello. I've got a big smile on my face today, I went for the second part of my free health check at the surgery. My bloods have been checked and all seems well in that department. I weighed in at 59kg (9st 4lbs) and my height is 5'5". The print out says my ideal weight is 8st 13lbs, so I'll have to watch that I don't creep up a bit over winter. My blood pressure is 118/60, and my BMI is 21.67 kg/m. Pulse rate 76 bpm. There are some cholesterol readings, and she did explain to me what they mean, but I am still baffled. Nevertheless she said they are excellent. 

All the information fed into the computer gives a score. My risk of having a heart attack in the next ten years is 7.4%, which is below the score of 10.5% for a healthy person of the same sex, age, and ethnicity. My healthy heart age is 63. The nurse questioned me about diet, alcohol use, and exercise. She said, whatever you are doing, keep on doing it. So, I'm a little bit chuffed. Making an effort is hopefully paying off. 

I've put these two dollies side by side so you can see the size of the latest one. Little Polly dolly is 7.5 inches tall so will be ok for the Christmas tree. She is not bald at the back of her head, and I have put a narrow strip of plastic inside her body and head, and a bit more stuffing, so she isn't floppy. 

She's had some fillers in her lips, ha ha.

I've seen this small lizardy thing in my garden for must be over a year now. Not sure if there is only one, or whether there is a family. It was in a bowl of water outside the back door and I thought it was struggling to get out, so I fished it out. Cute isn't it. I have to be careful when I am walking about in the garden so I don't stand on it. I wonder if it will hibernate. 

Plenty of rocks for it to hide under. It moves very slow, does not run away and is easy to pick up. Off you go little lizard.

I forgot to include this map photo in my walking posts. It isn't very clear, but you can see how I fill in the lines with a marker pen for the different walks. When I check the mileage on bikehike.co.uk I trace out the lines with the mouse on the screen and it gives me a total.

A comment came in from Anon.......

Have you ever thought of collecting all your walking wanders up on a map/travel page? That way, if one was ever able to, they might be interested to duplicate some of your jaunts, and this would make it easier to hunt up the details/links..

Hello Anon. Thank you for your idea. Unfortunately I don't have time to do all that. It's the same reason why I don't write recipes, or give detailed instructions on how to make craft items. I write about quite a lot of topics on my blog, and will cover some of the basics with limited details, but can't spend more time on it, or I would never get anything else done. 

I suggest if anyone has a particular interest in something you goooooglie it, or go on yooootooob. There are specialist web sites/forums/blogs/ videos for just about any topic. Here is one for long distance walking.  And a link for the Ramblers. And the Walking Englishman. 

I've updated the latest mileage figures to come in, thanks for sending them. All is looking good, and I'm pleased to hear that a lot of you are feeling the benefits of regular exercise. keep it up. It's not just for one week, one month, or one year, it's forever. Look after your body.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Update on the Walking Group

Update on the Walking Group

health keep fit reflections on life walk walking

Hello. As we are on the last straight towards the end of the Walk 1000 miles in one year challenge, I thought I would give you a condensed update taken from the original list. Click on the link above for the monthly scores. Thank you for updating and sharing your progress. From the original 64 who signed up, 43 are still on the list. I have deleted those who never really got off the ground. I don't like to give up on people too soon, but as I hadn't heard anything from them it added extra time for me to scroll through when updating. I suspect a few more have given up as I haven't heard anything from them since February. Or maybe they are still doing the challenge but just haven't told me.

Anyway, in no particular order, this is the state of play today. We have some who have already passed the 1000 mark, a fantastic effort, well done, you should be proud of yourselves. You can carry on to the end of the year if you like, to give you a grand total for the twelve months, or stop now, it's up to you.

Ilona 890
Ellen Anderson 669
Lisa in Miami 886
Mrs LH 255
Frugal in the Valley 260
Vampire Heart 1153
Hilogene Oltman 567
Simplesista 876
Julie 691
Juhli 135
Janice C 1008
Laura Blackpool 1002 1111
Sue G 606
Hilde 943
Gillie 872
Cherie 827
Helen D 948 km
Shesewsyouknow 347
Jill 1018
Patricia 345
Jules 859
Sally C 808
Sonja 300
Pam 396
VickiEy 957
Amy in Florida 1777 walk/jog/cycl
Hazel 916
Annie 178
Tigerlove 159
Clynnestra 97
Momsav 781
Wanda 113
Lizzie L 247 walk/cycl
Laegalegle 217
Beachcomber 858
Solo Walker 285
Tracy 129
London Livin 271
Ann Ewart 93
Christine Neumann 692
Scarlett 995
Kay Schmitz 354
Wendy 756
Susan q 577

Some of you are so close, you will definitely finish it, possibly during November, but definitely by the end of the year. Don't worry if you are a bit behind, all kinds of things crop up which can knock you back a bit. The fact that you made a start and did your best is all credit to you.

Any challenge you take on will have it's ups and downs, the fact that this started on January the 1st made it more like a New Years Resolution. A burst of enthusiasm and you're all fired up to give it a go. It's just the same as giving up smoking, or trying to lose weight, or spend less, or save for an expensive item like a holiday or wedding.

Everybody has the idea of creating a new start in January, when in fact you can make a start at any time during the year. Telling yourself that you will do such and such, or give up or cut down is the easy part, it's keeping up the momentum that is hard. I have paced myself with this walking challenge, I'm a steady plodder and prefer to chip away at things rather than go hell for leather then experience burn out. Far better to lose a couple of pounds a month over a period of a year, rather than starve yourself for two months, then binge and put all the weight all back on again.

The key to any challenge is how long can you sustain it for. Looking at the long term to achieve the result you want can be daunting, it means you can often lose sight of your goal. Keeping that in your mind and focusing on the new you is imperative. Take your eye off the game and you can slip back down the slope. If this happens, pick yourself up and vow to do better.

A couple of people have asked, what next? It's looking like a new challenge is needed when this one has finished. I am hoping that some of you will be carrying on with your walking for health. I will always find an excuse to get out and walk. I will keep track of my miles by writing it on my calendar, maybe you could do the same.

I have things to do. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

What a cheek.

What a cheek.

health

Hello. I have a currant stuck on my face, not a pretty sight. It ruins my flawless 67 year old skin. No, that's not quite correct, I do have a few flaws, mainly wrinkles, saggy jowls, and a scrawny neck. However, I am not going down the route of sticking needles in my face to plump up my skin with fillers. I will just have to put up with how I am. But what I don't want is this currant stuck on my right cheek.  

My doctor at our village surgery treated it earlier this year, and it went away. But then it reappeared so I went back to see him. He referred me to the Dermatology department of the Virgin Care health centre in town. I didn't know Mr Branson had medical establishments as well as running an airline. The Ironstone Centre is a brand new building and in a part of town I don't normally go to. It was very nice, the staff were nice, and the young specialist I saw was very nice.

He peered through his magnifying eyeglass to get a better look and declared that it was only a wart and nothing sinister. I said I have something similar on my arm as well, so he had a look at that. Only a wart he said. Then I mentioned that as I live alone I am unable to see my own back, and could he check it for me. He obliged and said only moles, which I knew about but thought it's best to get them checked out.

The doc said he would zap my currant with something to freeze it. I said my doctor has done that, three times and still it came back. He said, my liquid is stronger, and it will work. He got a plunger contraption off the shelf. which looked like a space gun. I closed my eyes and waited, he zapped. It felt like a thousand needles sticking in my skin. He zapped it twice, I said, yeah, kill it.

So this is the result. The currant is apparently dying and will drop off. I'll let you know when it does.

Thanks for popping in, have a nice Sunday, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

A question you can all help with

A question you can all help with

health

Hello again. I have had an email from a reader in the US, she asks a question. I will try and answer as best I can, but I don't know everything, so perhaps some of our UK readers can help me out here. Please comment with your own experiences of our UK healthcare system. Are you using the NHS at present, no need to go into details about your condition), are you an NHS or private patient? Do you need ongoing treatment or is it a one off? Have you insurance to cover the cost? How do you rate your care? If you don't want to write too much about it you could just answer the US readers question. Thank you for your responses.  

 I live in the US and have been thinking about the differences in our health care systems since we visited your country in April.  I have searched your blog to see if you have posted about this subject and how you deal with the possibility of a health issue in the future.  I know you lead a very healthy lifestyle and that you have a NHS in your country.  The thing I hear most (and feel myself) is the fear that one illness could ruin a person financially. 

Right. How do I deal with the possibility of a health issue in the future? I do not know what the future holds for me, so I don't spend too much time worrying about it. Up to now I have only been a hospital in patient three times in my life. I had my tonsils out at age 10, I had a sterilization at 37, and I had a hysterectomy at 59. The first two were planned, the last one was a shock because up to that time I had been healthy for most of my life. With this track record I am optimistic that my good luck will continue. However, saying that, it may not. 

I don't feel the need to do any prepping for something that may or may not happen. If I became ill, I would expect the NHS to look after me, and I will put myself in their hands, and hope they would do their best. I don't have any private insurance to pay for any care I might need. I have an NHS dentist that looks after my teeth, I don't pay a monthly scheme, I pay for checkups and treatment as and when required. Luckily I haven't needed any treatment for about five or six years. 

If I were to become ill I would still get my pension. If I needed pills I wouldn't have to pay. I'm not sure if there are things to pay for when in hospital because the last time I was in there eight years ago everything was free. I don't know if it is different now. Perhaps others will know. 

I hope to be able to stay in my house for a long time yet, hope that my health holds out and that I can wash, dress, and feed myself. I may have to move to a smaller more easily managed house eventually. I haven't thought about what might happen beyond that, it's too far into the future. One thing I will consider is to find a way to release money from my house and spend some of it to make my life easier. Ideally I would like to die penniless, if that happens then I will have gone full circle, coming in with nothing and going out with nothing. That's fine by me, I can't take it with me and I have no dependents. 

You mention that one illness could ruin a person financially. The only thing I know about the US system is that you have to pay for your healthcare through an insurance. I was taken to hospital in an ambulance once while on holiday, in Ohio I think. It was a minor illness that just required antibiotics, the first thing they asked was have I got insurance, and when I answered yes and showed the certificate, they went right over the top, flashing lights, siren, etc. I didn't actually need to go to hospital but they insisted. It must be a worry for you that at anytime you could become ill and your ability to pay would determine what treatment is available to you. 

When you think about it I have paid for my healthcare throughout my working life. Luckily I haven't needed to use it very much, but our system where we pay as a collective means that others not so lucky can have access to the care they need. I don't know how much longer that will continue, that's another debate which I don't want to discuss here, so please don't get political. I've had enough of politics. 

So, to sum up, the question from our US reader is, How do you deal with the possibility of a health issue in the future? Thank you for the question, and your replies.

It's Tesco night tonight. My fridge is bare and I have a £4 off voucher. I'll go on the yellow sticker hunt. We'll catch up soon. 
Toodle pip.    

Ten good reasons why ..............

Ten good reasons why ..............

health observations reflections on life

Hello. There are a lot of things going on around us which might cause us a lot of worry and upset, whether it  be inside our friends and family circle, or outside in the big wide world. It is very easy to be affected by what we see, what we read about and what others tell us face to face, because we all have feelings. Quite often it is difficult to control what we feel because our emotions are personal to us and part of our genetic make up. We can appear to be in control but we can also be caught off guard and become angry or sad pretty quickly when something negative happens. We don't always have a choice about how we feel.

But..... I also believe that in some circumstances our emotions can be controlled and we can learn how to deal with situations which may have a less than desirable outcome.  There are times when I feel that whatever I say or do will not make any difference to how a situation pans out, so it's best to take a back seat and do nothing. This is not to say I am not a caring person because I am. I do feel hurt and sadness, I do have empathy for someone who is in a bad place, but I am not going to beat myself up about something I have no control over whatsoever.

If something has affected me I will try and identify the solution. If I can't do anything to change things, to turn  a negative into a positive, I have to put my own feelings first. My coping strategy is to switch off.

So here are my ten good reasons why I might bury my head in the sand.

1. I can't do anything about it.
2. It's got nothing to do with me.
3. I don't want to know what happened.
4. I don't need to know what happened.
5. I need to protect my sanity.
6. It's not my fault.
7. I can ignore it.
8. It doesn't affect me.
9. I am not responsible for the outcome.
10. I don't need the stress.

You may have your own coping strategies. In these modern times in a fast moving world it would be very easy to absorb all the turmoil and upset we see around us. There has to be a cut off point, a time when we think of ourselves. It's not being selfish, it's a matter of self preservation, putting our own health and well being first.

Thanks for popping in. we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

You owe it to yourself to look after you

You owe it to yourself to look after you

exercise health

Hello. I know I bang on a bit about walking, but it is a topic that has the potential of leading everyone to a better, more fitter and healthier lifestyle. For me it is vitally important that I do the best I can for my body, my love of walking benefits me in so many ways. I feel alive when I am outside striding along. I feel connected to nature. I feel like I am oiling my joints, which need movement to slow up the process of seizing up, if I didn't use them. I cannot think of one negative thing about walking, it is so full of positives. 

I am really chuffed that some of you have taken on the 1000 mile walking challenge, Your mileage updates are heartwarming, I am so proud of you for making the effort. 

No matter where you live in the world you can find a place to walk. It might be from your front door, or at a local park, or along a beach, or around the streets if you live in a city or town. All it takes is that commitment and determination that you are going to do the best for your body. 

I really like this walking map of London. Everyone will recognize this as the Underground map. It has the different lines and the stations, and it also has the times it would take you to walk between the stations. If you use this to get to and from work, wouldn't it be a good idea to get off one station early and walk the rest? When I was in London a few years ago I walked everywhere and didn't use buses or the Underground at all. 

I have found an inspiring video on yooootooob, which you might want to look at. It explains all the benefits of walking, not only for your body fitness now, but also also holding back the ravages of old age, and keeping the mind active as well. Have a look if you need some motivation to keep moving.



There is a web site called Everybody Walk as well. It's American based but the message is the same the world over. Lots of videos to get you out of your seat and walking. Walking benefits everyone.

So there you are. The sun is out and I have things to do today, but you can bet your life there will be a walk in there. My own three mile walk, and I am walking Bella the Labradoodle.

Thanks for popping in. we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.