Health & Fitness

Health experts agree that 30 minutes brisk walking on most days of the week is sufficient to improve fitness. That might seem a lot at first but walking can be incorporated into your everyday life more easily than any other activity. You don't need any special gear and you can do it wherever you are. It raises your energy levels, works off calories and doesn't cost a bean! In these pages you will find a 10-week programme to follow. It can help people who feel they are not active enough to change their day to day habits through the simple activity of walking more.

The Walking the way to Health Initiative (WHI) website is for everyone with an interest in 'walking for health'. It offers information, support and encouragement to complete beginners as well as existing walkers.

The Tick Alert campaign aims to raise awareness of tick-borne diseases both at home and abroad. Ticks are second only to mosquitoes for carrying disease to humans. Changes in farming practices and global warming mean that there are more ticks in the countryside in many parts of the UK and Europe. Diseases are contracted from the bite of infected ticks. The primary illnesses to be aware of are Lymes disease in the UK and Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE), which is potentially fatal and currently endemic in 27 countries in mainland Europe, including many established and new holiday destinations for outdoor tourism. Travellers and holidaymakers visiting rural areas are at risk from tick bites, as are those spending time in public spaces including beer gardens, picnic spots and parks and gardens. High risk groups are those participating in camping, hiking/trekking, cycling, climbing and other outdoor activities and pursuits. More information can be obtained by visiting the NHS Direct website.