How To Manage Your Level of Festive Indulgence With Low Carb

Study-Foot Reflexology and Pain in Children

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 16:36:30 GMT

Exciting News Concerning Reflexology Benefits

We are excited to share the following study which demonstrates how reflexology treatment has helped both acute and chronic pain in children. Our therapist Mrs Shaún Brown would be happy to discuss how future treatments may be able help you or your child. Please feel free to telephone the Betahealth Clinic on 01442 249080 for more information.

Evaluation of efficacy and feasibility of foot reflexology in children experiencing chronic or persistent pain.

Bertrand A, et al. Bull Cancer. 2019.

BACKGROUND:

Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM) are increasingly used in the therapeutic arsenal, particularly for pain management. Foot reflexology (FR) is still poorly evaluated, specifically in the paediatric population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of FR sessions in children experiencing chronic or persistent pain.

METHODS:

We conducted a prospective study in two paediatric centres from January 2011 to January 2014. Sessions of FR were offered to children regardless of their age, experiencing persistent pain (>72h) or chronic pain (>3 months). A form was completed by the patient before and after each FR sessions. The effectiveness of the session was evaluated using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for both pain and anxiety.

RESULTS:

One hundred and twenty-two patients suffering from persistent pain were included. We observed a significant decrease of mean VAS pain scores after each session (respectively P<0.001, P<0.001 and P=0.015) and of mean VAS anxiety scores (P<0.001) for all sessions). Seventy patients suffering from chronic pain were included. Decrease in VAS pain scores was statistically significant after each reflexology session for children suffering from headache and musculoskeletal pain (P<0.001). Anxiety was significantly lower after each session (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION:

In 192 paediatric patients, FR significantly reduce pain and anxiety in children suffering from persistent or chronic pain. This CAM could have a place in pain management in children but needs to be evaluated in larger cohorts.

Copyright © 2019 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

World Diabetes Day 14th November

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 13:16:00 GMT

Type 2 Diabetes-New Ideas!

Type 2 diabetes is on the rise worldwide and the figures given by the World Health Organisation are alarming:

Key facts

The number of people with diabetes has risen from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014.
The global prevalence of diabetes* among adults over 18 years of age has risen from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014 (1).
Diabetes prevalence has been rising more rapidly in middle- and low-income countries.
Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation.
In 2016, an estimated 1.6 million deaths were directly caused by diabetes. Another 2.2 million deaths were attributable to high blood glucose in 2012**.
Almost half of all deaths attributable to high blood glucose occur before the age of 70 years. WHO estimates that diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in 2016.
Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use are ways to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with diet, physical activity, medication and regular screening and treatment for complications.

What causes it, do we know?

What can we do to avoid becoming Type 2 diabetic or help ourselves to control or reverse it if we have already been diagnosed? It’s important to realise that type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle illness. This means something you are doing (or not doing) is causing the problem. Now, I know you may have been told that obesity is the cause of your illness. This is patently not true, as slim people can be Type 2 diabetic and medically obese people do not necessarily have diabetes. This personal account by Dr Attia highlights this erroneous thinking in a very moving way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMhLBPPtlrY

Science now points us in the direction of hyperinsulinemia and the resulting insulin resistance as being the main cause of type 2 diabetes. Insulin is a hormone released by the body in reaction to the consumption of foods and drinks, which then raise the amount of sugar in the blood stream. Insulin is the storage hormone; it directs your liver to store the sugar as glycogen in the muscles first and any excess as fat in your cells. Dr Jason Fung gives a full explanation here: https://www.dietdoctor.com/new-paradigm-insulin-resistance . The sugar comes from sugars and carbohydrates (long chain sugars) in our diet. If we have high blood sugar levels continually, insulin resistance will eventually follow.

What Can we do?

The recent JAMA Internal Medicine study showed that by banning sugary drinks provided in the work place (although workers could go out and buy or bring in their own sugary products) in 10 months, there was a marked improvement in central obesity and the markers of insulin resistance amongst the work force. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2753425

Happily, we each are able to choose our diets, we can decide to improve our own health. By ensuring we cut down or mostly cut out sugars and carbohydrates, we can prevent or even reverse type 2 diabetes. What does this mean? In reality, it means only eating real foods, foods with less than 5 ingredients on the label. Foods that are not produced in a factory. Don’t eat snacks or sugary drinks. Ensure each meal consists of healthy, natural fats, protein and some vegetables.

Sugar is addictive, so it can be a struggle to reduce it at first. Setting goals, like only deciding to do it for two weeks to begin with, can be a good way to start. Then set another two weeks and another until it becomes a habit. N.B. If you have type two diabetes and are on medication, please talk to your doctor about your dietary changes, as the medications may need to be reduced quite quickly . Further information here: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/with-diabetes-medications

Resources:

Your doctor can refer this app for you, it is a supported course which has helped thousands of people in learning to control and in some cases reverse type 2 diabetes: https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/low-carb-program/

Or you can use the infographics on this page to help you avoid products that contain large amounts of sugars: https://phcuk.org/sugar/

For advice, help with sugar addiction and recipe inspiration I find it’s hard to beat this website founded by Dr Andreas Eenfeldt https://www.dietdoctor.com/

This World Diabetes Day decide to change your life and health for the better!

For your diabetic footcare needs: https://www.betafeetpodiatry.co.uk/diabetic-feet-arthritis

Getting The Best Out Of Exercise

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 11:34:09 GMT

How Osteopathy Can Help With Sports Injuries

Getting the best out of Exercise

Taking part in sport or keeping fit can be rewarding, improve your health and reduce your risk of serious illnesses such as heart problems, stroke or cancer. It can also help maintain your weight and improve your self-esteem.

Adults between the ages of 19 – 64 are advised to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week. This can include activities such as brisk walking, cycling or aqua aerobics. It is also recommended to perform exercises to strengthen all the main muscle groups (arms, legs and body) twice a week. And even if you are active regularly, you should aim to minimise the amount of time you spend sitting for extended periods.

Sport has become a way of life for many in the UK, with participants ranging from elite athletes to those who just want to keep fit. But what happens if you get an injury? Participating in sports too often or too hard may result in an injury. Failing to warm up properly beforehand, or warm down and stretch after exercise may also result in strains. Using inappropriate equipment or wearing the wrong footwear may likewise hinder your performance. An unresolved prior injury, which might not even be related to sport, can make it difficult to even get started.

How can Osteopathy help?

It is common to feel some minor discomfort after training, as the body takes a little time to recover and adapt to the demands of your activities. Soreness often quickly resolves itself, but occasionally it may persist for more than a few days or make it difficult for you to continue your normal activities. In these instances you may want to seek advice from an osteopath.

Osteopathic care is based on the individual needs of the patient and so varies depending on your age, fitness levels and diagnosis. Osteopaths use a wide range of gentle hands-on techniques that focus on releasing tension, stretching muscles and mobilising joints. These are often used with exercise and helpful advice, together with strapping or taping, all of which are designed to relieve your pain, help you return to your normal activity levels and maintain the best of health. As well as treating your injuries, your osteopath may offer you advice about optimal nutrition or suggest a sport-specific diet.

The good news is that although sports injuries are common, those who are active and have experience of following exercise routines may find they recover more quickly and easily from their injuries.

How can you help yourself?

• Begin your activity slowly and build up intensity, especially after an injury

• Drink plenty of water when you are thirsty, especially if exercising

• Exercise regularly, and try to vary the types of exercise you do for all over body fitness

• If you believe you have injured a limb, then rest, ice, compression and elevation may help, but seek advice if you are worried

• Normal soft tissue healing time can take up to 12 weeks (if no other injuries occur). If you’re worried at all about an injury in the short, medium or long term it is worth seeking further advice

For further information and advice, or to book an appointment please call us on 01442 249080.

Menopause

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 15:01:57 GMT

A Female Journey

Last week I had not one but two friends crying on my shoulder concerning their menopause experience. I hugged them and assured them that the feelings they were experiencing were valid and normal, that it was a part of this transition known as Peri-menopause and Menopause.

The peri-menopause or menopause transition is the period of time from when the body starts it’s hormonal changes, so causing wildly fluctuating levels of oestrogen and progesterone, until your ovaries stop releasing eggs all together. It normally begins in a woman’s 40’s (although it can begin earlier) and lasts until her ovaries stop producing eggs, up to 12 years later. The menopause is said to have occurred when a woman has been period free for a year and this normally marks the end of the transition.

In a similar way to puberty, the fluctuating hormones cause bodily and mood changes. These can be very slight at first and many women are unaware that they have actually started their transition. The symptoms of this change are many and varied. Perhaps, just beginning with vague feelings of being tired or having low energy. Perhaps, feeling a little less tolerant, suddenly tearful and a little more moody. Your periods may change in frequency, length and volume. As time goes on, these symptoms can build into a more familiar landscape of hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia and poor memory, which are all very common. Depression can be another symptom and a need for time alone, time to be completely oneself. Weight changes can be a problem too, with many women finding that weight is gained more easily. Joint pains and stiffness in the ankles and feet are also very common at this time.

Every woman’s experience is as unique as she is. Some women barely notice, whilst some feel as if they are dying or going mad. Your experience of this menopause journey is special to you and only you can speak with any authority on it. A useful thing to do at this time, is to journal your experience, write down your strange, meandering journey in a special journal or maybe just a few lines in your diary. It doesn’t have to be daily, it’s your journey, you can choose. You can also use art, photography or any form of creativity to make those emotions you feel more tangible. By acknowledging them, you take away the fear of what is happening. Perhaps taking up a new form of relaxing exercise like yoga might help.

Make time for yourself, so many women feel guilty for doing this but it’s vital during the peri-menopause. Organise shorter working hours if possible and necessary. If things are especially bad, ask friends and family for help. See your doctor to confirm the symptoms are due to the peri-menopause. If you are suffering from insomnia, you will naturally gain time during the night to process, read, write, watch interesting documentaries and do (quiet) creative activities you might not normally have time for. Have them available, without having to root through cupboards and risk waking family members. The flip side of that is tiredness during the day, those “nana naps” our mothers and grandmother wisely took, seem mighty enticing around this time. Sleep when you can, don’t feel guilty, you must take your rest or end up completely exhausted. Your brain is being completely rewired at this time, just like in puberty and it’s an energy sapping process.

Your diet can really change at this time, often you just won’t feel like cooking and will look around for easy options. That can be dangerous, as previously good food habits can fall by the wayside. I found that I didn’t need to eat as much but what I ate needed to be really nutritious. So, I slowly found myself naturally drawn to a ketogenic way of eating. That is eating more protein and natural fats and less of everything else. This suited my body and helped stabilised my moods. Drinking water to thirst and cutting down on tea and coffee helped too.

I also found exercise helped if I felt jittery or angry, I would go for a brisk walk or workout with weights until it passed. Do what feels right for you, just getting outside can really help. Be kind to yourself, don’t judge yourself harshly if you can’t manage everything you once could.

The menopause is often thought of as an end to a woman’s productive life and as far as children are concerned, this is true. However, I believe the menopause marks an end to using a woman’s energy outside of herself and the beginning of using all of that creative energy for herself. Once the menopause is over, most women receive a huge boost in clarity, energy and well being. Many post-menopausal women begin new projects, jobs and hobbies as they are set free from other responsibilities. It is a very powerful time in a woman’s life, far from being the end, it can be a glorious beginning!

At Betahealth Clinic we have a number of therapists that can help support you as a whole and with your transition symptoms if they become overwhelming:

Martin Silliton offers Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and lifestyle change to aid symptoms such as night sweats, insomnia, hot flushes, lack of energy and depression. Balancing yin and yang to strengthen the body’s energy or chi. https://www.betahealth.co.uk/acupuncture-herbal-medicine

Sydommne Peace offers Homeopathy and Reiki to help with the many potential symptoms of menopause and relaxing massage, for when you just need some you time. https://www.betahealth.co.uk/homeopathy

Mrs Shaun Brown offers Reflexology to improve anxiety, sleep and menstrual pain as well as supporting the whole person. https://www.betahealth.co.uk/reflexology

Sue Cook our Osteopath can help with those aching, inflamed joints and muscles. https://www.betahealth.co.uk/osteopathy

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 15:06:50 GMT

Hints And Tips

Sleep – Are you getting enough?

Many of us experience trouble sleeping at one time or another. Usually it’s due to stress, travel, illness or other temporary interruptions to our normal routine and can leave us feeling irritable and unproductive. Longer lasting sleep disruption however can have a much more significant effect on both our mental and physical health - leading to low mood and energy, memory problems, weight gain and can increase our risk of heart disease and diabetes and even shorten our life expectancy. It is clear therefore that a good night’s sleep is essential for a long and healthy life!

One in three of people in the UK suffer from problems sleeping resulting in 200,000 lost working days every year. Adults need between 7 and 9 hours sleep and those who sleep less than 6 hours a night have a 13% higher mortality risk than those that sleep for 7 hours. In addition, adults who sleep less than 7 hours a day are 30% more likely to be obese than those that sleep for 9 hours.

Sleep can be affected by a number of factors and not surprisingly patients experiencing musculoskeletal problems can find that pain impacts their ability to sleep which in turn can reduce their ability to manage their pain.

Tips to Beat Insomnia

Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in the quality of your sleep. Here are some top tips to help you create good habits and help you get a restful night’s sleep and feel bright and healthy in the morning.

Get into a Routine

Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day – even at weekends. This will help to set your body’s internal clock and optimises the quality of your sleep.

Take time to Relax

Around half the UK population suffers from stress-induced sleep problems, so it’s vital you take the time to relax before you go to bed, whether it’s taking a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to soothing music. For some people, writing a to-do list before bed can help free your mind from worrying about all the things you need to do tomorrow.

Avoid technology

Ban your smart phone, computer and TV from your bedroom and avoid looking at them for an hour before bedtime. These kinds of devices emit a blue light, which has been shown to suppress the sleep hormone melatonin

Create a restful sleeping Environment

Make sure that your bed is comfortable and provides the correct support and ensure that your bedroom is cool, quiet and dark.

Don’t watch the clock

Worrying about not getting enough sleep can in itself stop us sleeping. If you can’t stop looking at the clock, then turn it around or put it on the other side of the room so that it’s not easy to watch time ticking away. If you still can’t sleep, then don’t lie there worrying about it, get up and do something you find relaxing until you feel sleepy again, and then go back to bed.

Try to avoid napping during the day

If you have a disturbed night’s sleep, then you may feel sleepy during the day. Even a short nap during the day can disturb your sleep at night. If you do have to have a short sleep, then make sure that you go to bed and set an alarm clock so that you don’t sleep for longer than 15 to 20 minutes maximum. If you find yourself dozing then try and get up and do something active like going for a short walk. Daylight or blue light from a computer may also increase your alertness during the day.

Foods to help with sleep

Eating a healthy, varied diet helps improve sleep generally, but some foods are particularly beneficial with regard to sleep in that they contain sleep promoting chemicals. These foods include almonds & walnuts, warm milk, chamomile tea, fruits such as tart cherries, kiwi fruits, bananas & pineapples, chicken & turkey and pumpkin seeds.

Foods to avoid

Avoid spicy foods, alcohol and large meals before bedtime. Cut down on caffeine in tea, coffee, energy drinks or colas, especially in the evening as caffeine interferes with the process of falling asleep and also prevents deep sleep.

Sugary foods in general are bad, as they can cause an energy spike, followed by a blood sugar crash which can affect your body clock.

Exercise regularly

Moderate exercise on a regular basis can help relieve some of the tension built up over the day. Make sure that you don’t exercise vigorously less than two hours before bedtime though, as this can keep you awake.

For more useful information visit the NHS Live Well site

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/why-lack-of-sleep-is-bad-for-your-health/

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/10-tips-to-beat-insomnia/

Diabetes Week 10-16 June 2019

Tue, 11 Jun 2019 15:59:53 GMT

Exciting New Study On Type 2 Diabetes Reversal

Can following a low-carb diet reverse type 2 diabetes long term by improving blood sugar control while reducing or eliminating diabetes medication?

The recent publication of Virta Health’s two-year clinical trial data answers that question with a resounding “yes”:

Frontiers in Endocrinology: Long-term effects of a novel continuous remote care intervention including nutritional ketosis for the management of type 2 diabetes: A 2-Year non-randomized clinical trial

This study is an exciting proof that Type 2 Diabetes is not the progressive, unstoppable disease we once thought it was. You can change your outcomes by changing your diet. Most people can put their pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes (as long as they have had it less than 6 years) into remission by adopting a low carbohydrate diet. Even if you have been suffering for longer than 6 years, you can halt it's progress and make it less likely that you will face heart failure, neuropathy and other associated problems of long term type 2 diabetes.

You can ask your doctor to help you by prescribing the low carb app from the NHS website. This will support you through your day to day changes to better health: https://www.nhs.uk/apps-library/low-carb-program/

You can join the Dietdoctor website for free for the first month and browse articles and videos by experts from around the world. In fact you don't even have to join to look up and enjoy their inspiring recipes: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/recipes

Choose health this Diabetes Week-change your diet and change your life!

PHC Health Conference 11th and 12th May

Wed, 08 May 2019 13:11:33 GMT

Find Out How The Foods You Eat Are Affecting Your Health!

This weekend is your chance to attend a cutting edge conference, in London, on how sugar and carbohydrates affect our health. World class speakers on diabetes, heart health and metabolic disease such as Professor Robert Lustig https://robertlustig.com/about/ and Aseem Malhotra http://doctoraseem.com/ will be presenting new and exciting information. As well as wonderful speakers such as Dr Pratima Singh, who will be addressing mental health and Patrick Holden who will be talking about farming and sustainability https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/contributors/patrick-holden-ceo/ to name but a few.

The Public Health Collaboration is a registered charity (No. 1171887) dedicated to informing and implementing healthy decisions for better public health. There are a few day tickets and full weekend tickets still available. If you can only attend one event to improve your health this year-this should be it! https://phcuk.org/conference/

Stress and Meditation

Tue, 22 Jan 2019 13:11:50 GMT

Can Apps Help Make You Happy?

We almost all lead stressful lives these days, with technology often adding to that load. At the same time, we are bombarded with apps for our mobile phones, representing every conceivable interest. Can we harness the power of the app to help to de-stress our lives? Lets take a look at some of the most popular apps covering relaxation, calm and mindfulness.

Calm is apparently the number 1 app for sleep, meditation and relaxation.
It teaches meditation and mindfulness using over 100 guided meditations. It also has videos on mindful movement and gentle stretching to help relax your body. There are calming nature sounds and scenes, as well as music to help you relax or focus. It aims to help you get a good, restful night's sleep using a library of "sleep stories". If that's not enough, you will receive daily words of wisdom and calm to help you through your day.

Buddhify uses the central idea that you shouldn't have to find time to meditate, they will bring the meditation to you. So you choose what you are presently doing or feeling and they will find a meditation to match. The meditations last between 4 and 30 minutes. For example, you may request a meditation to use whilst walking, whilst addressing a stressful situation you are about to face at the end of the walk. Buddhify allows you to share your meditations with your work colleagues or friends, so that your meditation practice can become a social occasion. In a nice twist, you can even send a meditation to a friend if you feel they would benefit from it.

Mindfulness is an app that is designed to help you become more present in your everyday life using mindfulness technique. It gets you started with a 5 day practice and introduction to mindfulness. From that point you can personalise your meditations. They use meditation reminders and mindful notices to help you to continue to be mindful through out the day.

There are charges for the above apps, although with some searching you will find there are free apps out there. In the new NHS Apps Library are apps covering a wide range of health conditions, some of which are free. There are apps on mindfulness like Be Mindful , the Stress and Anxiety Companion for help with dealing with anxiety on the go and Beat Panic for immediate help with dealing with a panic attack. You can type in your condition and an app recommendation will come up, it's very useful.

Perhaps a podcast is more your thing? Dr Robert Puff believes that happiness does not happen by chance but because we take specific action in our lives to create it. He releases a free weekly Happiness Podcast which encourages you to look at different aspects of your life to create happiness. There is a great choice of subjects to scroll back through whilst waiting for his next update.

Here at the Beta Health Clinic we have talented therapists who can help with different aspects of stress, relaxation and health. For when only the personal touch will do, contact the clinic for advice in choosing your therapist or check out the therapists on this website. It could be the first step to a new you.

Christmas Food Stress?

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 15:17:19 GMT

How To Control Your Level Of Indulgence With Low Carb

At this festive time of year, there are many people who feel stressed at the thought of over indulging in rich foods, drink and chocolates. Perhaps they are trying to control their weight or very importantly, control their blood sugars due to concerns with diabetes. What can you do to ensure your blood sugar levels remain as calm as possible, especially if you are going to eat at someone else's home? The key is to control your intake of sugars and carbohydrates, which are just molecular chains of sugars.

Firstly, ensure you have a good breakfast on the big day. Don't skip breakfast thinking that you will eat a lot later, this will only lead to snacking on inappropriate, high carbohydrate foods because you are hungry. A lovely, cheesy omelette or even a treat of bacon, mushrooms and eggs will set you up for your day.

Secondly, think carefully about what you are drinking. Drinks slip down very smoothly, so it's easy to raise your blood sugar levels on drinks alone. Fruit juices, fizzy sweet drinks, beer and wine all raise your blood sugars at an alarming rate, as well as adding to dehydration, which will cause you to reach for more. What drinks are relatively low carb? Well, you will be pleased to hear that spirits, champagne or dry red wine are the best of your choices. Of course water is your great friend, be it in still, fizzy, ice or soda form and can be added to you spirits instead of other high carb mixers. It's a good idea to have a glass of water to hand throughout the day to keep you hydrated. Tea and coffee (without sugar) are fine.

Christmas dinner is a time for indulgence and of course you don't want to feel left out. That doesn't mean you can't make a few careful choices and do away with the worry. The items that raise your blood sugars are the carbohydrates, so they are the things to control. Potatoes, parsnips, carrots, bread sauce and stuffing are the things to avoid or cut down on. If your joy on Christmas day is a roast potato, then have two small pieces and forgo the other starchy vegetables. Load up on above ground vegetables such as sprouts and the meats or nut roast instead. Cauliflower mash with lashings of butter makes a great alternative to mashed potatoes.

Afterwards you could always skip the Christmas pudding and move on to the cheese board instead (no crackers though). If you feel cheated without pudding, have the thinnest slice possible, with a good cover of double cream to satisfy that craving.

A great tip is to take dark chocolate, the richer the better, with you. That way if you are tempted by the sweets and candy surrounding you, you can treat yourself without worrying too much. It also stops people from nagging you into indulging because they want to feel you are having a good time.

Wishing you a very happy, healthy festive season. A wise person once said: It's what you eat between New Year and Christmas that makes the difference to your health, rather than Christmas to New Year. If you slip up in the next few weeks, bear that in mind and be kind to yourself.

Christine Gaskill, Hemel Hempstead Ambassador for the Public Health Collaboration
https://phcuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/PHC-Sugar-A5-Flyer-Front.pdf

Do you suffer from Headaches?

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 16:31:20 GMT

How Can Osteopathy Help Relieve Headaches

Almost everyone is affected by headaches at some point during their lives. There are several reasons for headaches. Most are not serious and once the cause is established headaches can often be helped by simple changes to lifestyle such as altering your diet, taking regular exercise, reducing stress levels and making sure that you are well rested.

Headaches may however also be caused by ‘mechanical’ problems with the neck and shoulders, possibly due to i) a previous head or neck trauma, ii) manual work or poor ergonomics at the work desk, iii) postural issues, or iv) altered neck positioning due to low back pain. If muscular tension in the neck and shoulders or joint problems in the neck are an underlying cause of headaches, then treatment from an osteopath may help.

Gentle massage to the tight muscles and manipulation to loosen the joints of the neck, thorax and back can relieve this build-up of muscular tension. Osteopaths can also advise on exercise and lifestyle changes and offer guidance on simple changes to your posture when at work or driving which may help.

Sue Cook BSc (Hons) Ost Med DO ND MICO

For more information, or to book an appointment with one of our osteopaths please call Beta Health Clinic, Hemel Hempstead on 01442 249 080

The Truth About Carbohydrates

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Tue, 12 Jun 2018 14:26:53 GMT

How a change in diet can help your weight and Type 2 diabetes

There has been great excitement in the press following the airing of The BBC 1 programme The Truth About Carbs. During this programme we followed Dr Xand van Tulleken as he discovered how simple changes to our diet, can make a real difference to our weight, health and blood sugar readings. Cutting down on white and beige carbohydrates and adding vegetables which have a lower glycemic response proved to make a real difference to people's lives and health, in a number of surprising ways. I particularly enjoyed following the journey of the volunteers from Merseyside, as they discovered just how much sugar was in a typical breakfast and how it affected their individual blood sugar readings. The difference eating a lower carbohydrate diet, even for just two short weeks, made to all of the volunteers was a joy to watch. Take a look at the infographic above to understand why they were affected and how many teaspoons of sugar you may be consuming in your "healthy" breakfast.

You can still watch it on catch-up for a while and perhaps you too may be inspired to make small changes that could make a real difference to your health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b5y6c0 .

If you would like to investigate further into how much sugar you are consuming each day, then take a look at the infographics on the Public Health Collaboration site, you may be in for a surprise: https://phcuk.org/sugar/ . Christine Gaskill PHC Ambassador for Hemel Hempstead

Balancing the festive fare

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Fri, 16 Dec 2016 17:47:32 GMT

Top tips from the Beta Health Dietitian

As the festive season rolls closer, we can all get anxious about how to keep our diets in balance. Food is, and should be part of our planning to make Christmas a flourishing time with family and friends, but we also want to avoid the January blues when our scale dials move too far right! So here are 5 ideas for simple Festive Eating that's kinder to our bodies. Please share with friends and colleagues, and at BetaHealth we'd also love to hear your ideas and feedback.

Start the day with brioche, panettone or German style pretzels, rather than fat-rich croissants or pastries
Bake baby tomatoes with pesto and mozzarella cubes, or camembert with crudites of carrot and peppers, for nutritious nibbles
Avoid eating turkey skin, fatty gravy or sausage meat stuffing. Fill your birds with fabulous stuffings made using breadcrumbs, pureed chestnuts, herbs and chopped nuts
Serve creative fruit platters, chocolate-dipped strawberries and sorbets for sweet treats
Alternate Prosecco and wine with delicious cordials, like elderflower or pomegranate, mixed with soda or diet lemonade

Wishing you all a happy and healthy Christmas, and wonderful 2017.

Penny Doyle, Registered Dietitian, Nutrisult Consulting @ Betahealth Clinic.

www.betahealth.co.uk

01442 249080

Can a video app really speed recovery?

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Wed, 30 Nov 2016 16:39:54 GMT

Introducing PhysioApp from Physiotrack, now available at Beta Health Clinic

One of the biggest stumbling blocks to recovery from physical injury and muscular strains is people simply not being able to keep up their exercise regimes, however short or easy they seem at first sight.
So many of us go away from a session with our physiotherapist or osteopath armed with a list of exercises, full of good intentions, only to find that by bedtime they're already history. Maybe they demonstrated the exercises, maybe they gave us a sheet with diagrams, maybe it was just verbal instruction. However hard we try, it can be nigh-on impossible to remember sets of exercises, let alone be sure we're doing them correctly.

This is where PhysioApp comes in.
The app is interactive; it lets you work with your therapist to achieve your targets, and it lets them know how you're getting on.

Your therapist accesses a video library of hundreds of exercise videos via a platform called Physiotrack. They choose a set of exercises specific to your situation and give you an access code.
You download the free app PhysioApp from your app store, put in your code and away you go.

So wherever you are, on your phone, tablet, laptop or pc, you have the exercises on video with voiceover instructions, and details of reps, how long and how often to do them.
Best of all, you can let your therapist know how you're doing, directly via the app.
Here at Beta Health Clinic and BetaFeet Podiatry we're so impressed with this app we've installed it in our clinics - why not ask your therapist about it? It could be your key to a speedier, more successful recovery.

To find out more about using PhysioApp with your BetaHealth or BetaFeet therapist,

call us today on 01442 249080

www.betahealth.co.uk

www.betafeetpodiatry.co.uk

Swift Microwave Therapy for Verrucae

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 14:41:05 GMT

Introducing an Exciting New Treatment at Betafeet Podiatry

By Reggie Simpson

What is Swift©?

Swift is a new technology, developed in the UK, which has been licensed for the general treatment of verrucae or warts in Podiatry. Swift uses microwave energy that is delivered through a special probe applied to the skin to treat the affected area. Betafeet will be one of only a few clinics in the UK to offer this treatment.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Microwaves work by applying the probe from which heat under the probe is applied to the verruca. The probe is about 7mm in diameter.

Usually the largest or most painful verruca is treated first, but multiple ones may be treated at the same time.

AM I ELIGIBLE FOR SWIFT TREATMENT?

Your podiatrist will make a full assessment and discuss whether Swift treatment can help you and advise whether you are eligible. If you have tried various verruca treatments to no effect, then Swift microwave energy at Betafeet Podiatry might be for you. However, precautions include:

· The presence of metal in your foot or ankle

· If you wear a pacemaker

· If you have poor or limited healing capacity because of neuropathy or peripheral circulation

· Patients who are immuno suppressed

· Pregnancy – the effect of verruca/e treatment is reduced during this time

· Treatment of young children

· Patients with a low pain threshold

DOES IT HURT?

Like many treatments for verrucae, some minor discomfort may be experienced. Before treatment your podiatrist will reduce the verruca/e with a blade so the treatment site is level to receive the probe, which is applied for 5 seconds. Pain levels vary from person to person but most people undergoing Swift liken it to a pain similar to an injection or a scratch, lasting 2 - 3 seconds then quickly subsiding. Paracetamol can help if required.

HOW MANY TREATMENTS WILL I NEED?

This is dependent on how you respond to treatment. In some cases, you may need more than one treatment (these can be from 14 days to over a month apart depending on the response). Microwave energy treatment is normally conducted over 3-4 treatments. Larger or numerous verrucae may need more. The verruca/e will go dark, but you won’t see much shrinkage or debulking at first. Your Podiatrist will discuss this all with you.

WHAT CAN I DO AFTER TREATMENT?

In some cases the treated area may feel sore but will not prevent you from undertaking normal daily activities.

I AM INTERESTED – WHAT DO I DO NEXT?

If you would like to discuss this further, please call Betafeet Podiatry on 01442 822990 (Tring) or 01442 249080 (Hemel) for an assessment appointment. The podiatrist will be able to assess your feet and advise you if you are suitable for treatment as well as suggesting the treatment plan which is best for you. The podiatrist can also give you an idea on the likelihood of success. This will also give you any opportunities to ask questions about the treatment.

Of course, you are under no obligation to have the treatment and your podiatrist can advise you on other treatments if Swift is not for you. Bear in mind that no verruca treatment can be guaranteed 100% successful and Swift is no exception.

Call us today on 01442 822990 or 01442 249080

www.betafeetpodiatry.co.uk

www.betahealth.co.uk

The Beta Health Clinic

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 15:14:41 GMT

Trusted holistic health solutions for you and your family

Welcome to Beta Health!

At Beta Health clinic we are dedicated to helping people of all ages, from new-born babies through childhood and into later life.

We focus on you as a person rather than just treating symptoms, and offer treatments ranging from massage and reflexology to osteopathy, homeopathy, and nutrition.

The clinic offers both mainstream treatments and complementary therapies which focus on treating you individually on all levels - mind, body, and spirit. We treat you as an individual, not just your symptoms.

Our range of therapies lets you design your own healthcare package, mixing and matching to suit you and your budget.
We offer:

•Osteopathy & Cranial Osteopathy
•Physiotherapy
•Reflexology
•Reiki
•Massage - Swedish, Sports, Deep Tissue, Indian Head

Homeopathy
•Counselling for Teenagers
•Hypnotherapy
•Acupuncture
•A Registered Dietitian
•Podiatry / Chiropody
•Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCM)

Pop in and see us to find out more, or visit our websites
www.betahealth.co.uk
www.betafeetpodiatry.co.uk
Tel 01442 249080
We look forward to helping you to better health!

News from the Beta Health Clinic

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 13:51:18 GMT

Award recognition for Hemel Hempstead podiatry & complementary therapy clinic

Great news for The Beta Health Clinic - we've won an award!

We're now officially the Best Multidisciplinary Health Clinic, not just in Hemel Hempstead, but in the whole of Hertfordshire

So here's the lowdown:

THE BETA HEALTH CLINIC is the winner of the Best Multidisciplinary Health Clinic - Hertfordshire in the Global Health & Pharma Magazine Awards 2016
This is what GH&P said about this year's awards:

"The 2016 Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals Awards seek to chronicle the individuals, departments and organisations, both corporate and public, that are working tirelessly throughout the industry.
It is a true honour to put the spotlight on our deserving winners and we would like to wish them every success in the future.”
GHP prides itself on the validity of its awards and winners. The awards are given solely on merit and are awarded to commend those most deserving for their ingenuity and hard work, distinguishing them from their competitors and proving them worthy of recognition."

Here at Beta Health we have so much to offer to help you improve your health, wellbeing, and vitality. Pop in and see us or find out more here:

www.betahealth.co.uk Tel: 01442 249080

A good night's sleep

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Fri, 14 Oct 2016 16:28:57 GMT

It's the holy grail of health and on any one night millions of us are searching for it in vain.
Poor sleep, interrupted sleep, sleep deprivation, trouble getting to sleep are all common problems without one simple answer.
Many people swear by herbal remedies like Valerian root, Lavender, and Hops and it's true that these are all sleep-inducing (workers in the hop fields of Kent in Southern England were famous for falling asleep under the vines.) Yet while such remedies are natural products, and may help us go to sleep, they are really just herbal tranquillisers and can do little to get our bodies to reset themselves to healthy sleep patterns.

Reasons for poor sleep are many and various. Some factors are obvious - anxiety, night shift working, eating late, illness and stress. Some are more complicated, and may be to do with our bodies' Circadian rhythms, the amount of natural light we see each day, and the balance of hormones like Melatonin and Serotonin (which is needed to produce Melatonin). Serotonin is mostly made in our small intestines, which leads to looking at the role of food and digestion in getting a good night's sleep.

All this makes it clear that the reason you don't sleep is unique to you, and and to make a lasting improvement you need a treatment that is tailored to you individually.
Many of our patients at Beta Health Clinic report that they are getting better sleep and feeling more rested as a result of their holistic treatment here (often even when they came for treatment for a different problem!) From what our patients say, a good night's sleep can be a happy side effect of treatments like acupuncture, reflexology, homeopathy, cranial osteopathy, and reiki.

These are all therapies we offer in our clinic in central Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. We believe in treating you as a whole person, taking your physical, mental, and emotional health into account. We're open 6 days a week including evenings by appointment, so if you'd like to see if we could help you to a good night's sleep, just get in touch.
Tel: 01442 249080
www.betahealth.co.uk

Why the kids aren't alright

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 15:51:45 GMT

Burgers, sodas, & the shocking stats on Type 2 Diabetes

BBC Panorama - Diabetes: The Hidden Killer
http://bbc.in/2dM1TAn

Up until the year 2000, there were NO children in the UK with Type 2 Diabetes. None, Zero, Nil. The first recorded case was seen at Birmingham Hospital in 2000, and as one of the consultant's in the recent BBC Panorama programme Diabetes: The Hidden Killer said, "We'd never seen it before. We weren't trained in it at medical school. We thought it was an American problem."
Historically, Type 2 Diabetes has been an illness of middle-aged and older people. But in the last 16 years the number of under-16's affected by it has risen from 0 to 500. That may not sound like many, but of course it's the tip of the iceberg and there are many many more children who just haven't yet been diagnosed.
The programme puts the blame firmly on lack of exercise, high-sugar drinks and fast-food diets, and it seems clear these must be huge factors in the rising numbers of children developing the illness. Yet, how to deal with the problem isn't so clear-cut. It's easy to say "eat healthy, do regular exercise, lose weight"; as any of us who've tried it know, doing it is another matter, and getting your children to do it is something else again. It's a huge challenge and no surprise that many people just ignore it and hope it'll go away.
Of course it won't, and that's why here at Beta Health Clinic in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, we're working with children and adults to help you take charge and change your health for the better, We offer a range of complementary therapies to enhance your overall health, and a dedicated Podiatry team to assess and advise on Diabetes and footcare. We also offer a unique individual Diabetes: Change programme, to help you tackle the challenges of Type 2 Diabetes step by step in ways that bring lasting results. Just get in touch to find out more;
Tel: 01442 249080
www.betahealth.co.uk

Type 2 Diabetes - not just about the choccies

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 16:34:24 GMT

Tackling the "Diabesity" epidemic

TheBBC's Panorama this week reports that Type 2 diabetes affects almost one in ten people in Birmingham. An illness that can lead to heart failure, blindness, kidney disease and leg amputations has to be taken seriously, especially when it's spreading outside it's familiar territory in people over 60 and affecting increasingly large numbers of children and young people.

If you ask people what causes diabetes, nine out of ten will probably say it's about a sugar-rich diet, obesity, and lack of exercise. And there's no doubt these are all factors in the development of the disease. Yet like most things, it's not always as simple as that. Other lifestyle factors like the times of day we eat, how much good quality sleep we get, our working hours, and the amount of stress we have to cope with, can make a huge difference to how well our bodies deal with sugar and carbohydrates.

At Beta Health Clinic we go further than the usual diet and exercise advice. We have therapists trained in managing Type 2 Diabetes in a way that improves your general health, as well as therapies to help lower your stress levels, enabling you to rebalance your lifestyle.

Why not find out more about our Diabetes - Change sessions? Just call us 01442 249080 for an informal chat

www.betahealth.co.uk

Acupuncture Ancient Chinese Healing Method For Stress And Disease

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Thu, 30 Jun 2016 06:07:20 GMT

Why acupuncture?

Acupuncture, as an alternative medical practice, is now making headway in the Western world. It is now accepted as a drug-free treatment and method of stress relief. Practiced in China for more than 2,000 years, acupuncture is a therapeutic system that makes use of sterilized needles for the purpose of restoring the body’s equilibrium. The needles are inserted on specific vital points that correspond to a specific internal organ. The light insertion of the needle into a vital point is supposed to free the flow of internal energy or “chi.” According to Chinese medical theory, any blockage in the flow of chi in the body’s “energy streams” or meridians can an imbalance in the body — resulting to an illness. The natural flow of chi ensures a person’s general state of health. The focus of acupuncture is on restoring harmony in the flow of the chi throughout the body and, in the process, balancing the metaphysical concepts of yin and yang.

Acupuncture is used to treat a wide range of ailments such as nausea, sinusitis, migraine headaches, lower back pain, knee pain, and chronic pain. Ancient Chinese texts also claim that the acupuncture can be used to treat minor mental and emotional problem such as anxiety disorder. For this reason, some even compare the Traditional Chinese Medicine method of acupuncture to the Western medical discipline of psychology. Both are seen as similar disciplines or therapy methods that have a positive effect on the mental health of patients.

The true benefits of acupuncture are found in its efficacy as a non-invasive, drug-free means of alleviating a number of physical ailments. It is also used in conjunction with traditional Chinese herbal cures that are perceived to be as effective as modern pills and medication. Acupuncture is concerned not only with providing cure to specific ailments. It is also used to determine the causes of physical discomforts and illnesses. Acupuncture practitioners make use of body charts that show the meridians or channels where internal energy flows to different parts of the body. These meridians correspond to the Western medicine layout of the central nervous system and circulatory system.

Studies are still being made by Western doctors and other scientists to determine the efficacy of this Eastern alternative form of healing. Even if acupuncture already accepted in different parts of the world as an alternative healing method, some quarters are still skeptical about its long-term effects.

While there are still no research findings that make the curative claims about acupuncture absolutely undisputable, it is interesting to note the depth of understanding that the Chinese had about the inner workings of the human body thousands of years before the formal organization and practice of Western medicine. Perhaps, one day, scientists will finally prove that the differences between Eastern and Western medicine is found mostly in culture and terminology; and that both systems are actually alike in terms of philosophy and theory in the use of the needle as a tool for healing.

Women's Health

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 23:07:47 GMT

Can acupuncture help?

Hi, I’m Martin Silliton, offering Acupuncture Beta Health Clinic in Hemel Hempstead for a range of conditions especially the treatment of women’s health, covering ~pre-conceptual and pregnancy, menstrual, menopausal and hormonal areas.

Acupuncture is also used to treat a range of muscular conditions and joint pains from backache to neck pain and shoulder problems to headaches, sciatic pain and more.

Acupuncture works by stimulating the body to improve circulation and restore balance. Restored blood flow gives cells the energy they need to resume normal functions. # http://www.betahealth.co.uk/acupuncture-herbal-medicine/3625320

'Dispelling recent media claims - 'Can I relax on my lower fat diet?'

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Sat, 25 Jun 2016 17:09:38 GMT

Getting dietary advice from the media can be very confusing and misleading.

A perfect example of this is recent claims by the National Obesity Forum that we can relax on healthy eating guidelines to help tackle obesity and reverse type 2 Diabetes. Dietitians strongly oppose this view which is based upon a paper using limited evidence. It suggests that there is no benefit to limiting intake of saturated fats (in hard fats, cheeses and meats) in those with Type 2 Diabetes, and that carbohydrate intake, particularly from snacks, should be limited. Whilst that latter can be helpful, dietary advice for diabetics needs to be tailored to suit individual needs and medication. A Mediterranean diet, including unsaturated fats from nuts, oils and oily fish, and plenty if vegetables, is still recommended to help counter increased risk of heart disease for those with type 2 diabetes.

Our Registered Dietitian, Penny Doyle, can provide evidence based and tailored dietary advice for individuals. Please contact her on pennydoyle@sky.com or 07789 485454.

Many thanks Penny

Rheumatoid Arthritis

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Mon, 15 Feb 2016 14:22:29 GMT

What do the following famous names have in common?

Pierre-Auguste Renoir, renowned French artist

Claire King, British TV actress starring in Emmerdale, Bad Girls

Dr Christiaan Barnard, who performed the first human-to-human heart transplant

Kathleen Turner, US Hollywood star (Body Heat, Romancing the Stone)

They all suffered or are suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

February 2, 2016 was Rheumatoid Arthritis Day - a day to promote education and awareness launched by the Rheumatoid Patient Foundation, a non-profit organization based in the United States. Its mission is to improve the lives of people with RA and to raise greater public awareness, develop resources to support patients with effective healthcare decisions, advocate for quality healthcare and fair government policies, and contribute to scientific research in finding a cure.

It's worth having a look at their website and online resources:

http://rheum4us.org/rheumatoid-arthritis-awareness-day/

In all about 1.3 million Americans — 75 percent of them women — know the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, or RA.

Closer to home, the charity National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS), which counts the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equality as a patron, provides information for RA sufferers, their families, friends and carers and healthcare professionals in the UK. This includes information on the condition, how to manage it, and living with the condition so as to have the best quality of life possible.

690,000 people in the UK (1%) have rheumatoid arthritis costing the NHS approximately £560 million per year. The National Audit Office estimate that the total cost of RA to the UK economy is £4.8 billion per year.

World Arthritis Day (WAD) 12 October 2016

We may be debating about remaining in the EU, but there are European organizations and initiatives that focus attention on education, research and lobbying in the EU on RA and wider arthritic conditions and their detrimental effects on health and wellbeing.

WAD was established in 1996 as a global initiative bringing people together to raise awareness of issues affecting people with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. WAD is celebrated every year on 12 October and is supported by a year-round global campaign to raise awareness, influence public policy and provide a vast network of support for all those touched by arthritis in any form. The initiative is driven by EULAR (The European League Against Rheumatism) based in Switzerland. See http://www.eular.org/ to learn more. The organisation also has a useful leaflet on 10 things you should know about rheumatic diseases: http://www.eular.org/myUploadData/files/10%20things%20on%20RD.pdf .

What is the difference between RA and osteoarthritis (OA) and other forms of arthritis?

Arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe inflammation of the joints. However, there are different kinds of arthritis. re very different forms of the same broader condition.

RA is an autoimmune disease, which means your body attacks itself. In people with RA, the body interprets the synovium , the soft lining around the joints, as a threat similar to a virus or bacteria and attacks it. This attack causes fluid to accumulate within the joint. The fluid build-up causes swelling, pain, stiffness, and inflammation around your joints.

OA, the most common form of arthritis, is a degenerative joint disease. People with OA experience a breakdown of the cartilage that cushions the joints. The wearing down of cartilage causes your bones to rub against each other exposing small nerves, which causes pain. OA does not involve an autoimmune process like RA does, but mild inflammation also occurs.

Both types of arthritis are more common in women than men as evidenced in the American statistics. RA and OA are more prevalent in older adults, but RA can run in families and develop at any age, often showing as a low-grade temperature, muscle aches and/or fatigue.

People who are overweight, smoke, suffer from joint deformities, diabetes, or gout are more likely to develop OA. Equally, sporting stars past and current have been diagnosed with OA, such as golfer Tiger Woods.

Symptoms could include morning stiffness and severe fatigue, as well as sore joints

At Betafeet Podiatry we ask you for your medical history, and among the questions are whether you suffer from RA and/or arthritis. Not every patient understands what these mean unless they have been diagnosed with one or the other.

You may also wish to refer back to a website blog I posted in December 2015 on RA: http://www.betafeetpodiatry.co.uk/rheumatoid-arthritis1 .

Hopefully, these resource tools will give you a better understanding about RA and arthritis generally. You should speak to your GP if you have any concerns about chronic or recent joint pain so that proper referral pathways to podiatric or other healthcare can be made, such as the Beta Health Clinic in Hemel, you may also benefit from other holistic treatments for RA from visiting www.betahealth.co.uk .

Podiatry FAQs

0014432507 (J SULLIVAN) — Fri, 05 Feb 2016 10:50:42 GMT

Let us know any other questions you'd like answered!

What is the difference between chiropody and podiatry?

Basically none. Chiropody is being phased out as the name for healthcare professionals who deal with the foot and lower limb and is being replaced with the globally recognised term of Podiatry. Currently, podiatrists required a university degree in order to practice; however, some practitioners do not have a degree, having had their previous work experiences and diplomas assessed as equivalent. All podiatry practitioners are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and most are members of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, so all treatments meet a high standard of care. All Betafeet Podiatry practitioners have BSc Hons degrees.

So what is a foot health professional

Foot health professionals are not podiatrists or chiropodists, the latter being subject to regulation, but are now accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA). Training by foot health professionals has largely been done through distance learning.

Can anyone be treated by a podiatrist?

Yes. Foot problems can occur at any age, not just when you are older. We even had a nine-month old infant in the clinic recently whose parents were concerned about how his toes were curling in and wanted advice on how to cut his nails. People attend the Podiatrist for many different reasons. It may be that they are having difficulty managing their toenails on their own or that they are experiencing pain in their feet. At Betafeet Podiatry we are able to deal with a wide variety of foot issues.

Can I get podiatry on the NHS?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that footcare services related to long term, high-risk conditions such as diabetes, peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and rheumatoid arthritis should be available on the NHS. If you want NHS treatment, contact your GP or local podiatry clinic to see if you qualify; chances are if your condition is not affecting your health or mobility, such as verrucae and corns, you are unlikely to be eligible for NHS podiatry.

How much are your treatments?

it ranges from regular nail cutting service to nail surgery. We are unable to diagnose your problem over the phone; the podiatrist is the expert in such matters, and as such is in the best position to advise treatment. Whether you are a new patient or a regular, you will be advised of our prices and no treatment will be undertaken without your consent.

How long is an appointment?

Appointments are generally 30 minutes in duration. Assessments such as biomechanical or diabetic or vascular are normally 45 minutes and nail surgery around 45 minutes to an hour.

What do I need to bring with me to my treatment?

Podiatry is a medical profession and therefore podiatrists have to ask you questions about your health, and so a medical record will be created for you and updated on every visit. Many things can affect your lower limbs such as diabetes, arthriti, heart and lung problems and medications. It would be appreciated if you could bring with you a list of your current medications to your appointment. We ask that you try to arrive 10 minutes ahead of your first appointment to fill out our Patient Contact Details and Medical History Questionnaire.

What does general podiatry involve?

General podiatry usually involves nail cutting and filing, removal of hard skin (calluses), treatment of corns, verrucae.

How do you treat a verruca?

A verruca is of viral origin, which the body should resolve on its own. are there stresses? Dietary deficiencies? General health or wellbeing issues? At Betafeet Podiatry we can offer verruca treatment through cryosurgery, needling and other possible methods, but we try to focus on deeper issues that make a verruca unresponsive to treatment. t worked.

What treatment do you use for fungal nails?

A fungal nail infection occurs when a fungus attacks a fingernail, toenail, or the skin under the nail, called the nail bed. Fungal nail infections are not usually painful at first, but if left untreated, the infection may spread and cause complications such as cellulitis skin infection. A fungal nail infection could lead to more serious problems if you have diabetes or a weakened immune system. s Foot is advisable.

If your toenails become thick, discoloured and uncomfortable, a visit to the podiatrist is strongly advised. The nail(s) can be thinned, which reduces thickness and pressure. Alternatively, a sufferer could purchase over-the-counter fungal treatments or see the GP for prescribed medication.

Do you do medical pedicures? No. But watch this space.

Should I remove nail varnish before I visit the podiatrist?

Yes, we prefer to see the naked toe(s) and evaluate the condition of your nails. It's nice to get a pedicure, but most nail bars do not use sterilised instruments or files. Check that your pedicurist does.

I am under the age of 16. Can I come on my own to my treatment?

No, a parent or legal guardian must be present for your treatment, and if nail surgery is required, they parent or legal guardian must sign a consent form, which also asks for your signature to ensure that you clearly understand the procedures being undertaken.

Can I claim the cost of my treatment back on a health plan?

Yes, many health care plans will reimburse you. Betafeet Podiatry can issue you with a suitable receipt should you require it. Please check with your plan provider for details of your allowance.

Do you provide a home visiting service?

Home visits can be arranged for those patients who are unable to leave their homes. Please contact us to arrange an appointment.