FROM MY SURGERY

I AM NUMBER 17

Did you know that 1 in 17 people in the UK will be affected by a rare disease at some point in their lives? To help raise awareness of the many challenges the rare disease community face, Takeda UK has worked with 21 patient advocacy groups and 17 individuals affected by rare disease to create the Iamnumber17 campaign.

You can find out more with an online search for “I am number seventeen”.

KEEP-IT-UP COFFEE

Since the pandemic, there has been a huge growth in the popularity of cycling and it looks set to continue. It’s estimated by 2030, we’ll be buying almost 50% more bicycles than we do currently. New research shows that just a couple of cups of coffee can improve endurance in cyclists. Coffee is well known to raise alertness, and the benefits are likely to work however you’re planning to exercise.

BLOOD PRESSURE AND AGE

The older you are, the more likely you are to have high blood pressure. Many of my older patients are taking regular medicines for several conditions – I’m often asked by them if they really need to take blood pressure medicine too. The answer is a categorical “yes” – in fact, the older you are, the greater the protection you get against heart attack and stroke. So do keep taking the medicine!