This is the time of year when many of us will be thinking about making changes in our lives and these often concern trying to improve our health. Perhaps we have made a New Year’s resolution to take more exercise, eat more healthily or give up smoking.
Making changes to our behaviour can transform how we live, but this may need help especially when we are addicted to something and when the world around us is built in such a way that buying things is more encouraged than improving our wellbeing.
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Different things may stimulate us to change. For some there may be the shock of an illness or an event, for others there may be the discovery of new evidence about what is good or bad for us, or for others the opportunity brought by a new year and joining in new activities with other people.
When I was away visiting family before Christmas, I was struck by the change in one man I met who worked for a car rental company. I was renting a car, and he noticed I was a doctor from my driving licence and asked me what sort of doctor I was.
He said that during the pandemic he had rented a car to a professor of infectious diseases who noticed that he was a smoker and was suffering from poor health as a result. The professor commented that unless he stopped smoking, he would have a poor chance of survival if he caught Covid. That advice galvanised him into action and with help he was able to quit smoking.
When I met him, he was delighted not just that he had survived Covid but that he was feeling so much fitter and healthier than he had done for years. I have no idea if the man I met has seen the research from University College London just published that estimates that on average for every cigarette smoked the smoker loses 20 minutes of life. Someone who smoked 10 cigarettes a day who quit at the start of January would have gained an extra day’s life after just over a week of quitting. Perhaps this research will help those looking for more reasons to quit.
The current surge of infections from respiratory viruses should cause us to think about looking after our health. Influenza, RSV and Covid are all circulating and the increasing incidence of ‘flu is affecting the health of the vulnerable and adding to pressures in hospitals and community health services.
Quitting smoking is one way to improve the health of our lungs, but another important action for those who are eligible is getting vaccinated. Many people locally have taken up the offer of vaccination against one of more of this winter’s viruses, but it is not too late. There are drop-in clinics as well as appointments that can be booked. Getting a vaccination could be a quick and healthy New Year resolution.
Dr Tim Allison is NHS Highland’s director of public health and policy.