My
initial review of the figures for the year ended September 30, 2006 lead me to
write in the last edition “Not as good a year as the one before from a financial
point of view”. Well how wrong can you be? In 2005 we recorded a surplus of $24K
which we exceeded in 2006 recording a surplus of $30K. So 2006 was indeed a
better year not a worse one from the financial viewpoint. Considerably more on
this topic later as we move towards the AGM.
Congratulations
The Silver Crown of Merit was awarded to our President Mr. H
Dru Symmonds SCM, JP, in recognition of his contribution to the community and in
particular the health care sector. We at the Foundation are very proud of our
President’s achievement and recognition in receiving this award.
WELL DONE SIR.
Health
This quarter it is continuing health topics as I write this
not long after Christmas with much visiting friends and far too much eating and
not enough exercise. So I certainly need to lose those pounds put on because of
over indulgence between Christmas and New Year.
Top ten heart healthy tips for 2007 include:
Butt out Give up smoking
Get physical Take daily exercise
Slim down Lose that Christmas weight
Step on Get a Pedometer and count your steps
Reduce the fat Cut your intake of saturated fat
Get fruity Have a fruit juice at breakfast
Shake off salt Ban the salt cellar from the table
Walk off stress Stop talking the talk start walking the
walk
Omega amigo Try two portions per week of oily fish
Cut the calories By drinking less alcohol
On now to stroke to quote from my favourite UK magazine SAGA
“One in four men and one in five women aged 45 can expect to
have a stroke if they live to 85 – mostly because uncontrolled high blood
pressure is the biggest risk factor, and our blood pressure rises with age. If
blood pressure is consistently over 140/90 you are six times more likely to have
a stroke than someone of the same age with normal blood pressure. The other main
risk factors are: family history, being a man, and race (Afro-Caribbeans are
more at risk). People with diabetes have double or triple the chance of a
stroke, and those with heart disease are also more at risk.”
Is it preventable? SAGA goes on to ask responding with “Not
entirely”. It suggests that the keys to lowering the risk are giving up smoking
and reducing blood pressure. The three ways to doing the latter that are
proposed are
1. Cutting salt intake by a third
2. Very moderate drinking
3. Diet – cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli, richly coloured
fruit such as oranges and fibre such as wholegrain cereals
The stroke warning signs have of course been printed in
Heartline on several occasions previously but are worth repeating:
Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg,
especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one eye or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or
coordination
Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Fundraiser
Elsewhere you will have seen our advert for our now annual
fundraising concert at Holders. This year there are two major differences as the
concert is at the start of the Holders season and is on a Saturday not a Monday.
Saturday March 10 to be precise and the featured artistes are the Merrymen and
the Barbados Defence Force Band. Make certain you are there to support us.
National Year for the Promotion of
Good Health and Wellness - 2007
The main purpose of this designation by the Government of
Barbados is to focus national attention on healthy lifestyle behaviours and to
help individuals to make small changes to their daily eating and physical
activity routines that could improve their overall health status.
The Foundation as one of the Ministry of Health’s strategic
partners has been involved in developing a programme of activities for 2007. The
first of these activities is a joint leaflet entitled “How to Begin Your
Exercise Programme” which as I write has just been completed.
We also expect to be running our Heart Smart series of
adverts in the national press and on TV during the year. So watch out.
My
initial review of the figures for the year ended September 30, 2006 lead me to
write in the last edition “Not as good a year as the one before from a financial
point of view”. Well how wrong can you be? In 2005 we recorded a surplus of $24K
which we exceeded in 2006 recording a surplus of $30K. So 2006 was indeed a
better year not a worse one from the financial viewpoint. Considerably more on
this topic later as we move towards the AGM.
