Monday, 1 October 2018

Cancer Awareness

About Cancer

According to medical experts, cancer  is an abnormal growth of cells. There are more than 100 types of cancer, including breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. Symptoms vary depending on the type. Cancer treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. Cancer is a complex disease no single factor is likely to be the cause. However, health professionals say that  there are simple things you can do today to reduce your risk.

What you eat and drink, how much you weigh and how physically active you are can all make a difference. Breast, prostate and lung cancer account for more than half of the UK’s new cancer cases each year, but cancer is a disease that can develop in many parts of the body. The risk of developing a particular cancer depends on a number of factors and varies from person to person. 

Everybody knows cancer because it is a terrible disease and many people believe that it cannot be treated. According to the Guardian, cancer  can have a wide range of effects on people's emotions and psychological wellbeing; feelings of shock, fear, anger or sadness are common. According to Macmillan, more than one in three people living with cancer (38%) report feeling anxious or depressed. More than one in four (43%) have trouble sleeping, and this figure rises to three in four (76%) among those who are also experiencing feelings of loneliness after their cancer diagnosis. Some people will experience severe mental health issues such as clinical depression or anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Other DLS Services
At Diversity Living Services, we provide free personalised one-to-one support with our health coach supporting you in implementing healthy nutrition and lifestyle habits. As well as teaching you to make healthy choices that work best for your individual needs, preference & lifestyle.
- If you need help you can drop-in at our office every Wednesday from 10 am to 5 pm.

We also offer FREE Blood Pressure Checks at our outreach stand
at Edmonton Green Library we are there every
Monday & Tuesday 11am - 4pm
(no appointment required, just drop in)



More information about cancer:

Cancer by NHS


Cancer care worse for deprived and BAME Londoners, report finds

Can cancer be prevented?

Cancer incidence by ethnicity

Cancer and Michael Marmot, 2006 health inequalities: An introduction to current evidence

Cancer in BME communities: 'Some didn't tell their husband or children

Breast cancer awareness is not reaching black women like me. People are dying

at No comments:

Heart Disease & Stroke Awareness


Heart Disease & Stroke Awareness



Many people live with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, which puts them at a risk for developing cardiovascular disease.  Heart disease is the most frequent condition in older adults and the No. 1 cause of death. You always hear about people who have had a sudden heart attack and yet you never think it will happen to you.

Medical experts believe that cardiovascular disease can be avoided. Though you can not change cardiovascular risk factors such as age, gender, race/ethnicity, and family history, you can reduce your risk.

Lack of exercise, a poor diet and other unhealthy habits multiply the risks of stroke and heart disease. 

Small but gradual lifestyle changes can contribute to preventing cardiovascular disease, or keeping it from worsening.

Making simple changes in what you eat and drink, how often you exercise, how much you weigh, and how you manage stress can help put the brakes on heart disease.

To avoid becoming a victim of cardiovascular disease, it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms of heart attack or stroke and understand how to decrease your risk. 

The key to a healthy cardiovascular system is taking a proactive approach rather than waiting until it’s too late.  Some  measures  you can take are proven to prevent heart disease.

Read more »
at No comments:

Diabetes Awareness


Diabetes Awareness


DIVERSITY LIVING SERVICES (DLS) is pleased to invite you to attend a free Diabetes Awareness Workshop
The workshop will cover the following topics:
  • What is Diabetes ?
  • What are the causes of Diabetes ?
  • What are the symptoms of Diabetes ?
  • How to prevent or manage Diabetes ?
Training Day Information
Date:    Wednesday 17th October 2018
Time:   10.30am – 12.30pm
Venue:  Edmonton Green Library ( 1st floor), 36-44 South Mall,
              London N9 0TN

The number of places are limited, so book your place on this workshop to avoid disappointment. Refreshments will be provided and travel expenses can be reimbursed, so let us know and bring the receipts if you require this.

To book for this workshop please call us on 0208 803 6161 or alternatively you can email us at healthinfo@diversityliving.org

We hope to see you there!!


What causes Type 1 diabetes?

About 10 per cent of people with diabetes in the UK have Type 1 diabetes. It’s got nothing to do with diet or lifestyle, it just happens. We're still not sure what causes it.
When you have Type 1 diabetes, your body attacks the cells in your pancreas that make insulin, so you can't produce any insulin at all.
And we all need insulin to live. It does an essential job. It allows the glucose in our blood to enter our cells and fuel our bodies.
When you have Type 1 diabetes, your body still breaks down the carbohydrate from food and drink and turns it into glucose (sugar). But when the glucose enters your bloodstream, there's no insulin to allow it into your body's cells. More and more glucose then builds up in your bloodstream.
What causes Type 2 diabetes?
About 90 per cent of people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes. We all need insulin to live. It does an essential job. It allows the glucose in our blood to enter our cells and fuel our bodies. When you have Type 2 diabetes, your body still breaks down carbohydrate from your food and drink and turns it into glucose.
The pancreas responds to this by releasing insulin. But because this insulin can’t work properly, blood glucose levels keep rising. So more insulin is released. For some people with Type 2 diabetes this can eventually tire the pancreas out, meaning their body makes less and less insulin. This causes even higher blood glucose levels.
When to see a doctor
Visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which include:
  • feeling very thirsty
  • urinating more frequently than usual, particularly at night
  • feeling very tired
  • weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
  • itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
  • cuts or wounds that heal slowly
  • blurred vision
Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days.
Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general.



IN THE NEWS

Study casts doubt on 'healthy obesity'
Women who are overweight or obese but otherwise healthy are still at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, a large study suggests.

Diabetes blood test 'could mean end to daily insulin jabs'

Fruit and veg: For a longer life eat 10-a-day

Five ways to spot if someone has Alzheimer’s

Obesity-related hospital admissions 'double in four years'



WHERE TO FIND US:

Diversity Living Services
54-56 The Market Square (1st Floor, The Artzone)
Edmonton Green
N9 0TZ


at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Our Vision and Services

Our vision is of a society where no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health.

Mental health problems are extremely common across society, with one in four of us experiencing them in any year. Despite being so common, people from all communities will still experience discriminatory attitudes and behaviours that can prevent people from speaking out, seeking support and playing full and active roles in our communities. The impact of mental health stigma and discrimination will vary between communities as mental health has a cultural context that affects the way communities talk about the subject and engage with people who have mental health problems. In some cultures depression, for example, doesn't exist and in others an experience of a mental health problem can be attached to a sense of shame.

For the African and Caribbean communities a key issue is the overrepresentation of young African and Caribbean men in mental health services. Misconceptions and stereotypes have led to a perception that this group is more likely to pose a risk of violent behaviour and, as a result, they are more likely to be treated as inpatients and sectioned when compared to other groups. It is well documented that this has led to a fear of talking about mental health issues more openly and a fear of using mental health services. Research by the Race Equality Foundation (2011) also highlighted fears that discrimination against Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and migrant service users will increase in the austerity climate and whilst commissioning arrangements change.

Our Services

· Provide information, advice, advocacy

· Represent diversity communities in Health Care services, policies and strategies

· Organise training in health and social care in collaboration with local colleges

· Provide human resources ( including interpreters) who are suitable to the diversity communities especially to break language and cultural barriers

· Provides domiciliary care and support

· Provide services such specialised support for people with mental health needs, including people who suffer from short-term memory problems, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

· Provide visits to elderly people and help them with outings and home services

· Participate in local authority and NHS consultations , research events and programmes to voice the needs of diversity communities.

· Increase access to services and rights for disadvantaged people and the most vulnerable of our society

· Help and support unemployed people to look for work, including training and job preparation

· Provide legal advice in a range of issues from on Immigration and Asylum , welfare benefits, housing, health, education, community care, and training, employment, etc.

· Provide advice and guidance, information and practical help so that our service users can access opportunities they are entitled to

· Organise training and other community learning opportunities that provide new skills, increase confidence and motivation

· Support our service users to overcome barriers to learning, employment and training

· Provide support for young people with their education, training, confidence building, employment and social needs.

Objectives of our Diversity Living Programme:

· To promote the inclusion and participation of diversity communities* in integrated care.

· To inform policy, locally and nationally, and assisting in the formulation of effective policies, strategies and good practices in integrated care in order to contribute to improved health outcomes for the people from the diversity communities (e.g. Black and minority ethnic communities) and to ensure health services are able to meet their specific needs.

· To improve the quality of life for diversity people with disability, mental health problems and their families and carers through integrated care by providing inclusive advocacy and information.

· To provide service that enable diversity groups and individuals with disability /elderly and their carers to make the right choice for themselves and have an influence on decisions made about their future.

· To promote the rights of diversity people with disability, their families and carers and make sure their rights are safe and protected.

· To promoting access to information regarding healthcare issues and to raise awareness of the needs of diversity disabled children, young people, older people and their families.

· To promote the rights of older and disabled diversity people, helping them overcome and enable them to participate in decisions about their future

· To provide support and information to those suffering the isolation and loneliness that can be associated with disability and old age

· To fight against mental health stigma in refugee, black and minority ethnic communities and ensure no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health or disability.

*Diversity communities are older people, disabled people, Black, Asian, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and other ethnic minorities.