Ann has asked me to blog about my experience of trying to bring physical activity into the heart of my general practice community. After the Olympics I was inspired to help get my patients more active to improve their health and wellbeing. Via @Twitter I quickly found @exerciseworks and Ann kindly spent a good deal of time bringing me up to speed on all the research and evidence behind the benefits of physical activity for all patients. She signposted me, and the practice, to a range of national and international ‘movers and shakers’ in the area of exercise as a medicine. 

My 'work in progress' has taken into account all the things I have learned and can be summarised into the following strands.  

1. Workforce wellbeing

Encouraging my colleagues and staff to find ways in the working day to sit less, stand more, and walk more. To support and encourage physical activity amongst the staff and celebrate their achievements. 

2. Exercise IS a medicine

I've started to talk to my patients about physical activity as a matter of routine. I have developed a way to record in Emis-Web current levels of PA as a significant active problem and code my brief interventions. I can export this template to any Emis-Web users who are interested. Please contact me @jowallis100 for further details! 

3. Patient information literature

I have collected a variety of written information leaflets on physical activity covering a full range of ages and health burden. I code the electronic patient record when I back up my brief intervention with an appropriate educational support leaflet.  

4. Local Community Stakeholders

I have introduced myself to local people and businesses with an interest in physical activity. This includes some local Registered Exercise Professionals (REP's) and gym owners in order to work on a joint venture to improve physical activity in our community and break down any barriers which exist between health and the exercise/fitness industry.

I am also creating a bank of local volunteers who will become our walk leaders, Nordic waking leaders and Otago class instructors for the future. We have had one stakeholder’s meeting where we brought everyone together to share ideas and aims. 

5. Local professional stakeholders in Physical Activity

I have made contact with local health workers who are involved in physical activity with patients, in order to work out where the gaps in provision are. We are now working together to develop small projects which 'fill the gaps' and plan to apply jointly for funding. 

Unfortunately my all encompassing bid to the local trust was unsuccessful, so 'Plan B' is to work up smaller bids with other stakeholders. For example...

‘More Life’ for children's weight management; we are improving signposting and referral within the practice to get more children to take up the excellent weight management service at an earlier stage. 

Cardiac rehabilitation programmes; working with Secondary Care Trust's Lead Cardiac nurse and leisure facilities to increase the cardiac rehabilitation provision in the early days post event and to support and encourage ongoing exercise for the rest of the patients life. We are working together to encourage and support physical activity in the community for patients with heart failure.

Working with Local Authorities' Sport & Physical Activity Development Team on lots of projects; Otago in surgery, supporting the links with local gyms and REP's, bringing the 'Active Always' programme into the South of the borough where I practice, training up Otago class leaders, training up walking for health leaders, working to find some funding to support a co-ordinator who will 'case find' and match patients with locally available physical activity (eg on discharge from pulmonary rehabilitation, cardiac rehabilitation, weight management services, Falls service etc)

Preliminary discussions with the local pulmonary rehabilitation team to bring the course into our community and ensure patients have easy access to ongoing physical activity after discharge.

We have a Health Trainer in the surgery once a week and we are working together to increase the physical activity part of her role. She is going to train to be a 'walking for health' leader and thereafter plans to take her cohort of patients out for a walk, perhaps once a month! 

6. Set up Otago classes to run from surgery for our frailer older patients

All clinicians are referring into Otago classes which run in our surgery. We have now filled three classes and are trying to work out how to accommodate the next cohort of enthusiastic patients. The classes are funded by public health and one of our patient volunteers to help.  

 We have sent two representatives from the practice to be trained up to be Otago instructors (funded via public health). 

7. Walking for Health

Walking is so easy and suitable for vast majority of people. So I am developing a group of patient volunteers to train as walk leaders (who will be trained and insured by public health). My aim is to get a walking group leaving the surgery every weekday.  I am going to train up too, and offer 'walk with the doc' sessions from time to time!  

8. NordicWalking

I am working with Catherine Hughes (Director of British Nordic Walking) to find funding to train up some Nordic Walking leaders, who would then lead Nordic Walking groups from the surgery. 

9. Work with Patient Participation Group (PPG)

We have an active PPG who have become involved with the idea of improving opportunities for physical activity in our community. They have taken a special interest in the BHFNC information on physical activity for older adults and are helping to raise the profile of the project. 

10. Create a physical activity suite within the surgery

This will be the area where patients can browse information on the UK Chief Medical Officer guidelines, watch exercise DVD's and be signposted to local opportunities for physical activity. We have invested in some audiovisual equipment which will allow presentations and web access for groups. It is the area where the Otago classes take place and will be the place where walks from the surgery start and finish.

There are tea & coffee making facilities! 

11. Emis-web templates

I have amended all the Qof templates where physical activity has been proven to have benefits (which is most of them!!). I have bolted on my physical activity template as a 'new page' on each existing Qof template. 

12. Lobbying

Lobbying public health and CCG to put more resources into PA (ongoing), talking to anyone, who will listen, about physical activity for health and wellbeing, writing about physical activity in my letters to consultants, seeking support from other local GP's to add weight to the lobbying. 

13. Case studies

I am collecting a series of case studies where my physical activity advice has been the cornerstone of my management. 

14. Working on an official launch for the physical activity project

The PPG are taking a strong role in the official  launch for the Physical Activity project which will be on: 

Wednesday 17th July 2013

at Kiveton Park Medical Practice S26 6QU.

3-6pm; Local stakeholders stands & activities in the surgery and 'Walk with the Doc' sessions. Official opening at 6.15pm.

All twitter friends welcome! 

If anyone has any suggestions to improve the project, or wants more information on coding and templates, please do get in touch: @jowalllis100  or @KPMedicalP

Blog moderated by Ann Gates MRPharmS, Founder of Exercise Works!

4 tips for easily starting to be active and remaining active

 “Get active and stay active” should be one of the most useful mantras we can spread in the world that is spending more lethargic lives and at the same time is living longer than any time in our history. The longer life brings with it problems of non-communicable diseases (NCD).  Lifestyle factors contribute to a very large proportion of these NCDs. What makes this more shocking is the fact that developing countries bear disproportionately higher burden. We might think widespread poverty should make communicable diseases more prevalent in these areas. However, while the developing countries slowly but surely struggle out of the communicable diseases’ grip; they now face a double burden due to the growing threat from the emergence of NCDs.  The most effective way to tackle NCDs is through prevention measures. 

Getting regular adequate exercise is prescribed as one of the more effective preventive measures of NCDs. As easy as it might sound, most people struggle to get even moderate level of exercise regularly.  The list of excuses, both real and contrived, for not ‘being active’ is quite long. We have to help people of all ages to find exercise routine that they find joyful. This simple solution could avert millions of future deaths in our world. 

 Here are four tips that I have found help to “get active and stay active”

Listen to them but do what works best for you

The world is full of free advice. We have a choice to take them or ignore them. We also have a third choice, that we generally don’t realize we have  - hear them out but make up your own mind about what works for you.  The list of options about the range of activities that can help you remain active and healthy is extremely long. The list has become so long not just because it’s full of activities scientifically proven to work but also because different individuals have, over time, tailored their work out patterns to what they best feel most comfortable in.

You will be told you by your ‘concerned’ friends that you need to mix you runs and weights. Some would ask you to also watch your diet. Others would say running on treadmill isn’t very effective. Some might even suggest that the best result is obtained only by doing power exercise.

The fact of the matter is that we can make either one or more of the exercises work for us.  It’s always best to try and get the maximum out of our workouts but for starters, the idea is to comfortably get into a routine (which is my next point) so that we make ‘being active a habit’. The entire idea is to find that one exercise or a combination that makes us feel most happy and at home with. My experience is that only that will get us going and also keep us going. There are lots written about adding variety to our exercise and may be over the long run, we certainly need to but first and foremost, while starting, we need to find that one easy and simple routine that we can do over and over again. We have to remember; we are in this for a long haul and not just for a couple of days.

Develop a routine

Exercise can be addictive. For those, who have already made it an addiction, I would really like to say – great job! It does take a lot of effort to reach a stage where you have made ‘getting active’ a habit you can’t do without. 

For beginners, we have to remember that in our early days we will exercise only if it’s easy enough (but may be stretches us just that wee bit to get the sense of ‘exercising’) – like if the gym is near you, or if the weather is suitable, or if the exercise we do isn’t too testing. The routine of doing it over and over happens only if we find something that isn’t too energy sapping. So, once we have found that something to do, we have to find the right days and the time of the day to do it over and over again. We need to go ahead and find out if its mornings that works the best for us or the evenings or a combination.

It would be too hard to accept ‘I simply don’t have the time for it’ as an answer.  Believe me when I say – “If you want it bad enough, you will find time for it”.  However, it also is true that the routine itself shouldn’t be a source of stress for you.  Once you have developed this routine, you will start feeling good about yourself.  Eventually, you will slowly bring in the variety and more rigor to your exercise as you move ahead but in the beginning, you have to, at least, be a regular regardless of how hard you are exercising.

Talk about your newfound passion

“If you have it, flaunt it!’. This is very true with exercising. Whatever it is that you are doing – running, walking, lifting weights, cardio, Zumba(™) dance – just talk about it.  This is one thing, I believe, that is okay to get on other people’s nerves with. 

I have sensed that the more you let others know what you are up to; you not only inspire them but also create an obligation for you to keep exercising. Now, this obligation may not be the most appropriate reason to for you to exercise but I have found that it still works. So, Tweet away the miles you have run, post pictures on Facebook about the hikes you have done or invite fellow workers from the office to your Zumba™ class. This keeps you excited and keeps you going.

Be happy about it all

Happiness and exercising seem to have such a cyclical relationship- one feeds into the other in such a seamless manner.  So, it should be very natural that you become happier when you have exercised. It lights up your day with a sense of achievement. It makes you less stressed by taking the toxins out of your system and replacing them with the right hormones. It also helps you sleep better. The happiness should allow you to gradually stretch yourself with your exercise routine making you do more. This simple but very strong complimentary relationship of happiness and exercise is something we need to capitalize on. So, carry on exercising, carry a smile on your face as a result and it will help you do more the next morning.

In closing, I think it would safe to say that most of us have, at some point in our lives, started exercising, did our bit for may be a few days to a couple weeks, repeated it on and off but never settled into a more sustained routine. Better results always require better efforts. Our aim should be to invest more time and effort in remaining active over a very long period of time so that not just you, yourself but the whole world can see the positive changes in you.

So, what are you waiting for – ‘get active and more importantly, make sure you remain active!” 

Blog moderated by Ann Gates MRPharmS

Founder of Exercise Works!

Finding your Motivation from FitBehavior on Vimeo.

At 63 years old, Bill Center ("The Admiral"), could not get up & down off the floor to play with his grandchildren. Nor could he enjoy traveling, as we was functionally unfit to do so. Sure he hoped to lose weight, feel better, etc....but the real motivation was focused on functionality so he COULD play with his granddaughters, enjoy traveling in retirement...he was motivated to make a lifestyle change.

Via Ann Gates BPharm(Hons) MRPharmS

Founder of Exercise Works! ... and on a mission to help every patient access quality exercise advice from every health professional... globally!

Well I did it, I completed the toughest footrace in the world in what turned out to have been the toughest in the history of the Marathon Des Sables (MDS).
Pre race day we went through kit and medical checks with the organizers before we were signed off and given our race numbers, when the doctors read my medical they noticed I had type 1 diabetes, this took them aback and led to a lot of convincing on my behalf that it wouldn't cause any problems for them and myself during the event, eventually I got signed off and given my race number 577. 
Every day started at 5.45am with making breakfast then at 6am the bivouacs (tents) were dismantled by the bivouac labourers, breakfast was the same every day for me and just required adding water to a mix of wheatabix, raisins, macademia nuts and dried milk. 
Day one was 23 miles of complete mixed terrain and also mixed running surfaces.
I arrived at 2nd check point feeling my blood glucose level dipping so I took a sports gel onboard which quickly sorted BG level for the remaining 10 miles. 
Day two although only 19miles was the 2nd toughest stage in the history of the event, it included 3 massive climbs and rocky ridges, I definitely cured my vertigo on this stage, if it was training I would have wimped out but because I didn't have any option if I was to complete the MDS I had to crack on, the final climb had between 25% to 50% gradients with ropes near the summit to assist runners.
Day 3 was another 23mile stage with dry salt plains mixed with the softest sand I've ever encountered, as Derek in our bivouac said it was like being on an escalator going backwards.
Day 4 was the 48mile stage which had the hottest conditions, between 1pm and 4pm it reached 52 degrees, throughout this stage I drank 16 1/2 litres of fluid, a mix of plain warm water and sports powders.  This day was the only other day that my blood glucose dipped, I managed to sort it before my continuous glucose monitor alerted that I was dipping, on the last occasion it was only 2 miles from the finish line but without taking an extra gel onboard I wouldn't have made it to the line, very much a balancing act of not letting BG go too low or too high. I also came across a camel spider in one if the sections of sand dunes. When back in bivouac a runner from Denmark collapsed outside our bivouac so Andy got the medical team, next thing he is lying in our bivouac attached to a drip, this was only 24 hours after I had to get the medical team for fellow Scot and bivouac mate Paddy, he required 4 1/2 litres of fluid via a drip. They both went on to complete the event
Day 4 was a rest day for the runners who completed the long stage which was a strange feeling.
Day 5 was a traditional marathon stage of 26.2 miles over a mixture of stoney paths and sand dunes, I ran this stage with Andy who was in the same bivouac as me. We also ran the previous long stage together, this was good for both of us, when one was strong it pulled the other along. When we crossed the line it was officially the end of the 2013 MDS and so we were presented with our medals as we crossed the line, although we still had a 5miles charity leg over sand dunes the next day.
Apart from the blood glucose dips only other issues my diabetes caused was running out of cannula's for my insulin pump due to coming off due to not sticking because of the amount of dust on my skin, even cleaning with alcohol wipes was not enough. This didn't cause a problem as I had my back up insulin pens kept cool in a frio bag in my backpack. Also after the event my insulin crystallized solid but I had some kept in a fridge just incase this happened as back up. It was carried round in the caterers fridges who fed the officials!
I have had some tremendous emails and comments from Facebook and Twitter from parents of type 1 diabetics saying what I have done has given them confidence that there children can go in and compete in sports, for me that has made my journey all worth while.
What's next? Feet up and spend time with my family and friends who I really missed.

Current research is primarily related to drug studies but in recent years more attention has been devoted to the importance of exercise in maintaining the patient’s quality of life. An increasing body of evidence suggests the possibility of exercise-induced brain repair or reorganization (neuroplasticity) and behavioral recovery in animal models of Parkinson’s disease (PD). An article published in the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, June 2009, by M.A. Hirsch, PH.D, and B.G. Farley, “Exercise and neuroplasticity in persons living with Parkinson’s disease,” discusses the benefits of intense exercise in treating PD.  They write, 

“The results of these studies are beginning to corroborate earlier studies on the importance of exercise intensity in PD and suggest that PD patients without specific contraindications should be encouraged to begin exercise training programs that focus on achieving higher training intensity, beyond what they may self-select.” 

Intense exercise, like the boxing-inspired program offered by Rock Steady Boxing, may result in neuroprotection and thereby slow, stop, or reverse the progression of symptoms.  

Why Boxing?  

Boxers condition for optimal agility, speed, muscular endurance, accuracy, balance, hand-eye coordination, footwork and overall strength to defend against and overcome opponents.

In comparison with other sports, boxing is the most physically demanding. According to ESPN’s panel of experts, a group made up of sports scientists, muscle and movement academicians, athletes and journalists, boxing demands the most from its participants. But, in addition to being an intense, diverse form of training, boxing is also an incredible stress reliever, confidence booster and FUN!  

As the noted movement disorder specialist, neurologist Abraham Lieberman, MD has described it, “Every day, people with Parkinson’s awaken, trapped in their bodies.”  Symptoms are progressive and can include involuntary tremors, muscle rigidity, decline of rapid movements, problems with gait and posture, cognitive impairment/dementia, loss of balance, speech and vision impairment,social withdrawal. Parkinson’s causes a loss in many of the same abilities that boxers condition to improve. Often there is a wide range of symptoms to be addressed.  Research has shown that forced, intense exercise can improve Parkinson’s symptoms. 

Parkinson’s Boxer Pete Stewart says, “Of all the pills I’ve taken, Rock Steady Boxing is the finest and most effective.” 

The following research studies, available online, provide early validation of the effects of forced or intense exercise.  Please note that most of these studies involve animals.  The study conducted by Dr. Stephanie Combs and colleagues from the University of Indianapolis specifically studied participants in the RSB program.

References:

Combs, Stephanie A., Diehl, M. Dyer, Staples, William H., Conn, Lindsay, Davis, Kendra, Lewis, Nicole, Schaneman, Katie. Boxing Training for Patients With Parkinson’s Disease: A Case Series. Physical Therapy, Vol. 91 – No. 1, pp.1-11, January 2011.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21088118

Hirsch, M. A., Farley, B.G. Exercise and neuroplasticity in persons living with Parkinson’s disease. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation, Vol.45 – No. 2, pp.215-228, June 2009. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19532109 

Ahlskog, Ph.D. M.D. J. Eric. Does vigorous exercise have a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson disease? American Academy of Neurology, Neurology 2011, pp 288-294, July 27, 2011. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21768599 

Ridgel, Angela L., Vitek, Jerrold L., Alberts, Jay L. Forced, Not Voluntary, Exercise Improves Motor Function in Parkinson’s Disease Patients. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair, vol. 23 – No. 6, pp 600-608, July/August, 2009. http://nnr.sagepub.com/content/23/6/600.abstract 

Combs SA, Diehl MD, Chrzastowski C, Didrick N, McCoin B, Mox N, Staples WH, Wayman J. Community-based group exercise for persons with parkinson disease: a randomized controlled trial NeuroRehabilitation. 2013;32(1):117-24. doi: 10.3233/NRE-130828.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23422464 

A Glimpse Into Our Program

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/10/boxers-parkinsons-symptoms/2070369/

http://www.rocksteadyboxing.org/

Blog moderated by Ann Gates BPharm(Hons) MRPharmS, Founder of Exercise Works!

"I will keep them from harm and justice". A classical translation from the Hippocratic Oath that despite its quite obvious meaning and referral has never been more relevant to doctors than at the present time.

We are living amongst, if not actively contributing to one of the most devastating epidemics in the history of mankind. This epidemic is killing 3.2 million people a year worldwide, is costing the NHS £8.2 billion a year and is... totally preventable.

Physical Inactivity (especially coupled with poor diet and obesity) is currently causing an unsustainable physical and economical effect which will eventually threaten to derail the NHS as we know it. The fact that it is totally preventable, powered by an apparent ignorance of common-sense coupled with an alarming laziness only serves to frustrate those that are battling to reverse its effects.

How has this happened?

As we have evolved as a species, we have dominated our habitat - ruthlessly reducing our competition and asserting ourselves (now comically) as the 'fittest', maximising our chances of survival.

As our species has evolved, so did some of our historical survival methods. Where as to begin with we ate all that we could due to its scarcity and the fact that we didn't know where our next meal was coming from, we started to feast on the readily-available food for the simple reason that we could.

As our need to aggressively hunt diminished with technological developments, there was no longer a need for us to be able to outrun our prey, trying to tire it out before it succumbed to fatigue. With food sprouting on shelves instead of in gardens, there became a decreased need for man to actively tend to his land. The monster of technology also managed to find alternative pastimes for man, meaning mostly everything was manageable from the comfort of a chair. Little surprise that a new age of non-communicable diseases has followed, with rates constantly rising to become mankind’s biggest.

Studies have shown that less than 40% of men and even fewer women (29%) in the UK fulfil the minimum recommended amount of exercise a week. This fact alarmingly proves that healthy, fit people are in the minority. But how has it come to this?

Society has become lazy. There is almost a stigma associated with healthy behaviour, a societal scowl at those actively looking after themselves. Choosing a handful of nuts over a chocolate bar? Freak. Going for a run at lunchtime? Weirdo.

There seems to be a common belief that what we do now or in terms of activity, what we do not do now will not have any long-term consequences. The current situation is akin to buying a Ferrari; loading it with the wrong fuel, not maintaining the mechanics and then expecting it to be fully functional for the rest of time. It is simply ridiculous.

The most frustrating part is how difficult we make it for ourselves to lead a healthy life. It is why fit and healthy people are in the minority, because it rejects societal conformity. It involves swimming against the tide; investing in  fresh fruit and vegetables, ignoring the shelves of reduced junk on the way to the checkout, taking time to go to the gym or to go jogging rather than sitting at home watching TV.

Do we even know that it's bad?

One factor that I have ignored is whether there is the actual knowledge in the public domain about how current behavioural patterns affect present and future health. It has been found that less than a third of the UK population are aware of current guidelines regarding physical activity. Evidently, this number needs increasing before we can expect to see any rise in physical activity levels around the country, maybe tempting more of the population to reject the current conformation to a sedentary lifestyle.

But how can we educate?

There are many ways of potentially delivering the message to the masses. We could make it a compulsory part of school curriculum to teach them how to live a healthy lifestyle; we could include the message in media outlets such as newspapers, TV and on the web. However, the flaw with these concepts is that it will be too easy to selectively ignore the messages, making it easy to avoid reality.

There is however an already existing system in-place, one which is the envy of the world-over and a resource we cannot allow to remain dormant in the fight against poor lifestyle - the NHS. 

The National Health Service

The average person in the UK will see the doctor 5.5 times over the course of a year with the average appointment time being around 12 minutes. This means each person over the course of a year will spend around an hour one-to-one with a doctor.

It is this unrivalled access to each member of the public that make doctors an ideal medium of communication. Coupled with the fact that health professionals are still seen as respected and trustworthy individuals within society, it provides us with the opportunity of being able to personally reach out to individuals and try and implement positive change in their lifestyles.

So why can we not just do this?

There are many documents available within the NHS stating that we must be doing more to combat this sedentary epidemic, the idea recently even gaining the backing of 10 Downing Street. So why has this not resulted in any change at the coalface?

The painful truth is that doctors themselves are part of the group who are uneducated about the benefits of physical activity. In a study of all British medical schools, just over half teach the NHS guidelines regarding physical activity. This shocking truth only furthers the point of many health professionals that feel that the NHS has become a disease-management programme rather than the health service it was created to be.

The benefits of physical activity are not marginal health-gains but clear and indisputable. If the associated benefits were those of a pharmacological drug, then we'd all be on it! NICE, the National Institution for Health and Clinical Excellence includes physical activity in 39 of their management guideline. It can no longer be deemed acceptable for medical school curriculum or professional education to be void of any physical activity teaching. 

The General Medical Council (GMC), that regulate the training of all UK doctors state that a doctor must:

• Protect and promote the health of patients and the public
• Support patients in caring for themselves to improve and maintain their health 

I therefore believe it fair to judge that the GMC are failing in their duty of care by not providing sufficient teaching regarding this crucial matter. It is negligent and hypocritical to demand these qualities without providing an opportunity for the necessary skills and knowledge to be gleaned.

What can we do?

To put it simply; campaign. Whilst the evidence base and list of benefits increase there is a gradual realisation amongst health professionals that implementing a healthy lifestyle will lead to an immeasurable benefit to the NHS and its customers.

We must wholeheartedly back movements such as the 'Move.Eat.Treat' that aim to increase physical activity teaching within all stages of doctors' training. Pressure needs to be put on the GMC, the NHS and individual medical schools/deaneries to increase the provision of teaching and services relating to physical activity. Only then can the Hippocratic Oath be taken with its entire content assured.

Guest blog by Steffan Griffin  A Pre Clinical Medical Student (excerpt from blog)

Blog moderated by Ann Gates

Founder of Exercise Works!

The trouble is that the human cost is incalculable: NCDs cause:

Loss of life

Loved one's left grieving

Disease and poor health

Pain

Disability

Immobility

Other life threatening diseases

Significant loss of quality of life and sharing things with family and friends

and affect nations, communities and individuals in a way that robs them of the richness and diversity that life itself brings- whatever circumstances they survive in...

This threat is so worrying that the World Health Organization called an International conference on the issue- only the second time in it's history since the AIDS epidemic that it has done so...

As a health professional, this is of huge concern, for the ordinary person with loved ones, family and friends this is an 'unacceptable outcome for 21st century medicine and world caring'.

Today I'd like to highlight the unavoidable deaths in the UK:

39, 000 PREVENTABLE deaths in the UK from NCDs alone should matter to people in the UK!

These needless deaths are caused by PHYSICAL INACTIVITY.

They do not take into account the PREVENTABLE deaths from some other diseases and conditions such as falls and osteoporosis...

If the UK was told that in 2013 we would loose 39,000 citizens- you'd think as a nation we would be mobilising every effort to help these people access quality exercise support and opportunities to get active......

As I've said before....

We need every health professional in the UK, and the rest of the world to help patients, people, communities and nations to...

MOVE TO BETTER HEALTH AND SAY 'NO THANKS' to preventable diseases!

And while we are collaborating as a nation on this pandemic, maybe we can offer our skills and learning to help other nations fight the same battle on NCDs. After all, the UK prides itself on our health care system and skills... it's time to help others....

Ann Gates, Founder of Exercise Works! ... and on a mission to help prevent some needless deaths through inactivity.... who is going to help me?!

When Justin Miles had a car accident 13 years ago he had no idea just how much it would change his life. Having established himself first as a personal trainer and then as a management consultant to the fitness industry, Justin was on his way to a training course when he was involved in a car accident. The resulting brain injuries left him having to learn basic functions from scratch, including walking and talking. 

Falling back to the lessons he learned as a trainer, Justin knew that he had to have a firm objective to aim for if he was to make a full recovery. 

Ambitiously, before he could even stand up, Justin had decided that he wanted to turn his passion for adventure in to a professions as an ‘explorer’ and use his experiences to encourage people to live healthier and more active lives. 

Justin turned his dream in to a tangible objective, developed SMART goals and then set about turning his dream in to a reality. Now, thirteen years on, Justin undertakes challenges and adventures all over the world in polar, mountain, desert and jungle regions and uses his experiences to fuel an education initiative for primary schools, the ‘Schools Explorer’. 

After running several national health and fitness campaigns for adults and teenagers using his expeditions as a springboard for activity, Justin uses the ‘Schools explorer’ initiative to encourage primary aged children to make healthy choices and lead active lives. The programme is written by professionals to follow the national curriculum in a range of subjects such as literacy, numeracy, history and geography and with a very strong influence on encouraging activity through games and challenges. 

As well as having an immediate effect with the children taking part in the initiative, there is a considerable ‘knock –on’ effect as children get their families involved with increased outdoor activity and modified food choices. 

When asked about how he thinks the programme has an effect, Justin  said “Children seem to get excited by what I do; it’s different. Stories of polar bears, cold nights, giant spiders and hot days switches on their imaginations and opens them up to new ideas about activity and diet and actually get’s them out there trying new things.” 

Justin’s challenges are quite varied and never fail to capture the imaginations of young minds from kayaking across England from Bristol to London, to attempting his most recent expedition walk to the North Pole via a new route in Arctic winter. Facing temperatures as low as minus fifty and complete darkness Justin ran in to problems when a slip on the frozen sea ice pulling a load of 450kg ripped a hole in the cartilage running down the middle of his abs. The injury lead to a hernia which required emergency treatment and an abrupt end to the expedition. 

Justin’s next trip to the Arctic takes place this August when a team will attempt the first ever stand-up paddleboard expedition in Arctic waters. The expedition is just one part of the ‘Polar Bears and paddleboards’ project which aims to encourage people to make use of Britain’s inland waterways as a resource for active recreation and outdoor fitness training. 

‘Seeing the results, seeing children getting more active and having fun with it gives me the passion and the drive to do what I do. When I’m sat in a tent after a hard day, cold, hungry and very tired, knowing that the schools project is working makes a huge amount of difference to my morale”. 

To find out more about Justin and his projects please visit the websites below

Greenland SUP Expedition 2013 from Polar Bears & Paddleboards on Vimeo.

In August 2013 a group of nine will head to the Arctic waters of Greenland in an attempt to be the first people to Stand Up Paddleboard to one of the largest glaciers in the world.....

Visit the website for more information about the project and expedition. http://www.polarbearsandpaddleboards.com/

Follow us on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polarbearsandpaddleboards
And on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PolarBearandSUP

For press and sponsorship enquiries please contact: info@polarbearsandpaddleboards.com

Footage courtesy of Greenland.com - http://www.greenland.com
Edited by Justin Hankinson - http://www.pbshowfolio.com/justinhankinson

http://www.justforthechallenge.com 

http://www.polarbearsandpaddleboards.com/  

http://tteducation.co.uk/SchoolExplorer.aspx

Blog moderated by Ann Gates, Founder of Exercise Works!

Depending on when you read this I am either in Morocco pre Marathon Des Sables (MDS) or if you've not got round to reading it till Sunday then I will have started the toughest foot race in World as the first type 1 diabetic to have done so. 
From Sundays 1st stage anyone wanting to email me abuse etc whilst I am doing the MDS go to http://www.darbaroud.com/en/ write to a competitor, I am number 577, I can receive unlimited emails although I can only send one a day, no pictures only text, might need cheering up so the more I get the merrier!

I was honored this week to have had David Stewart MSP lodge a motion in the Scottish Parliament to note my efforts as a type 1 diabetic running the MDS for diabetes awareness and for raising money for JDRFUK and Diabetes UK.
I also got a great send off from Britain's greatest ever Olympian Sir Chris Hoy on Twitter which read "All the best to @RoddyRiddle next week as he takes on the massive challenge of the Marathon Des Sables, raising money for Diabetes UK." -- Chris Hoy (@chrishoy)

Next time I write my blog I will (fingers, toes etc crossed) have successfully completed the MDS! The information that diabetic Doctors and specialists will gain from having my blood glucose levels for 24 hours a day for the full duration of the race, thanks to the continuous glucose monitor I be using. will hopefully help fellow diabetics to do exercise in the future.
If you want to hear how it all went providing I come back in one piece you can join myself and Inverness Courier columnist Nicky Marr on 16th May at Eden Court Theatre, all profits from the evening going to my two chosen charities JDRFUK and Diabetes UK.

Guest blog moderated by

Ann Gates, Founder of Exercise Works!

Roddy- all the very best of luck in the Marathon Des Sables! I can't believe it was 2 years ago when we were first discussing what you could do to help raise the profile of exercise for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.... looking forward to getting your daily updates (albeit 1 email at a time!) ~Ann

Fit in Kit!

Get involved with a truly unique & healthy way of fundraising  

‘Fit in Kit’ is about everyone being able to take part in a fitness event and support the charity that provides specially trained assistance dogs to injured and disabled members of the armed forces and emergency services.  Uniquely, we want you to show your support and do the challenge in your work wear, uniform or team kit, and get your gym and clients on board! 

The Fit in Kit Charity Challenge, fitinkit.com, encourages all people from all walks of life to ‘get their kit on’! They can do this individually or better still in teams.  Fit in Kit will be run in June this year and at this stage we want to inspire people to get training... 

There are four set Fit in Kit Challenges and people can choose which one best suits their level of fitness. 

We will be making suggestions for alternative sporting challenges for children, disabled persons and even challenges you can do with your dog!  People are also encouraged to make up their own challenge, but the difference is, they do it in their kit! 

We will be inviting gyms around the country to take part as well as schools, sports clubs, boot camps, youth clubs, barracks, ships and squadrons.  Police, ambulance and fire stations will be getting in on the fun too! 

We want to see work places around the UK forming teams and doing the challenges together. We are encouraging fitness and team participation in a fun and rewarding way.  

About Hounds for Heroes 

The purpose of "Hounds for Heroes", houndsforheroes.com is to provide specially trained assistance dogs to injured and disabled men and women of both the UK Armed Forces and Emergency Services. Through this provision our aims are to provide help and practical support leading to an enhanced quality of life for our clients. 

The Hound for Heroes charity is about teamwork, be it the dogs and their partnerships or our team of volunteers.  Our team ethos is ‘Together we can...’.  The Fit in Kit Charity Challenge promotes working together, fitness and enabling each other to excel while promoting and raising money for an excellent cause. We are encouraging people to proudly display their support by wearing their work wear, uniforms or sports outfits to show that they are backing our efforts! 

Why is it important-It costs £20,000 to train and support a Hounds For Heroes dog throughout their working life - but for the people the dogs enable, they are invaluable. 

Further Information 

The Fit In Kit website is packed full of ideas, downloads and information. Also there will be an opportunity to order Kit Packs for those who want to be part of the Hounds For Heroes team: http://www.fitinkit.com

Fit In Kit is the great idea of Garry Botterill, a serving Police Sergeant for Sussex Police, Hounds For Heroes board member, successful marathon runner and a former Leading Radio Operator in the Royal Navy. Garry is available for interviews and can be contacted via sporty@fitinkit.com 

For further/larger press images or logos contact sporty@fitinkit.com

To find our more about Hounds for Heroes, and the work it does, visit http://www.houndsforheroes.com 

Hounds for Heroes is a registered charity no: 1134359 (England & Wales) SC043751 (Scotland).