When pregnant, what goes into your mouth goes into your bloodstream, and what goes into your bloodstream goes into your baby. Think of the effect smoking and drinking alcohol would have.
Starting a new sport can be absorbing and satisfying, and any activity should be graded so that joints and muscles get time to adjust to the demands placed upon them.
Type 1 diabetes develops when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. As a result the body is unable to produce insulin and this leads to increased blood glucose levels, which in turn can cause serious damage to all organ systems in the body.
Allow sufficient rest time to recover from training or physical exercising. Professional athletes and Olympians realise that overtraining is a very real and serious risk.
Doctors will help with physical and mental health. Be honest about what you think may be causing the problem, and don’t be embarrassed. Your doctor will have seen and heard it all before.
Ask the doctor to repeat and explain anything you don’t understand. If there are words you don’t understand, ask what they mean. Bring a friend or relative if you’re worried.
Before you make an appointment to see your GP, consider the alternatives. The pharmacist behind the counter at your local chemist may be able to give you the help you need, so you won’t have to spend time waiting for an appointment. Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals, and may offer a wider range of health services than you might think.
Kidneys, heart, liver, lungs, pancreas and the small bowel can all be transplanted. Cornea transplants can restore sight if they need to be replaced.
The NHS Organ Donor Register is a national, confidential list of people who are willing to become donors after their death. It can be quickly accessed to see whether an individual has registered a willingness to be an organ donor. It can literally be a life-saver. So that in the event of your death there’s a chance that your organs could help someone else to live.