Health Matters: Drinking in good health

Headaches, fatigue and feeling physically and mentally sluggish are common symptoms of the winter blues but, according to the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), you can help shake off the cobwebs and bounce back out of the gloom simply by drinking more fluid.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Feb 2010, 13:30 BST
Updated 24th Feb 2010, 13:31 BST

Compiled with the help of an expert panel, a new guide to healthy hydration, published by the BNF, shows you the best ways to stay hydrated.

Bridget Benelam, senior nutrition scientist at the BNF, says: "It's not just hot weather that puts people at risk of dehydration.

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"When it's cold, people may drink less. This may be due to a reduced thirst response or simply because we don't feel like chilled drinks in cold weather. So, it's helpful to be aware of how much fluid you're consuming each day. Plain water is a great choice, but water in the diet can come from many sources, some of which people may find surprising. We hope that the guide will dispel some common misconceptions, as well as helping people to stay hydrated."

For more advice on fluid in the diet and how to stay hydrated, visit: www.nutrition.org.uk/nutrition inthenews/hydration.

Class act from fitness coach

A personal trainer, who helped Lenny Henry to get into shape for his gruelling award-winning performance of Othello at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, is set to work her magic on people in Leeds city centre.

Anna Ferguson is bringing her specially designed fitness programme to Freedom Back Clinics, on King Street, to help busy office workers and residents tone up and slim down in time for summer.

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Her classes are unique as they combine Pilates with the Alexander Technique to help relax the body and provide perfect alignment of the spine.

Anna's classes take place at 6pm on Tuesdays and 9.30am on Saturdays.

For further information or to book a place, contact Freedom Back Clinics on King Street in Leeds, telephone 08080 555 999.

Heart screening 'best practice'

An NHS Sheffield initiative working with South Asian taxi drivers in the city has been featured as best practice by a major national report on health inequalities.

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The Marmot Review on health inequalities in the country, entitled "Fair Society, Healthy Lives", has identified a screening programme for South Asian taxi drivers in the city as a positive way of working to reduce health inequalities.

NHS Sheffield joined forces with One Medicare to provide a cardiovascular screening programme for the drivers who had been identified as a high risk for heart disease.

A group of drivers agreed to be "health champions" and the initiative was promoted to other taxi drivers, with 142 drivers attending the Sheffield City GP Health Centre for screening.

Related topics:LeedsKing Street