Plus: Tips on managing feelings of loneliness, and courses to refresh your cycling skills.
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Improving and protecting health and reducing health inequalities.
Newsletter header. Text: Health and wellbeing news and updates.
** Could you be eligible for help to buy healthy food, milk and vitamins?
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All children deserve a healthy start in life. The NHS Healthy Start scheme provides help to buy fruit, vegetables, milk and infant formula milk through a prepaid card. You can also use your card to get Healthy Start vitamins. Extra vitamins can help if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
The NHS Healthy Start scheme aims to help those who are on a low income or qualifying benefit and are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4 years old.
If you know someone who might be eligible, please encourage them to apply for a Healthy Start card.
Find out more about the NHS Healthy Start scheme
** Managing feelings of loneliness
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This week is Loneliness Awareness Week. We can all feel lonely at times, for lots of different reasons and sometimes admitting this can be hard.
Loneliness can be emotional or social, and for some of us, it can be feeling alone in a room full of people. Some people experience loneliness occasionally while others feel lonely all the time.
If loneliness is affecting your life, there are things you can try that may help.
Spending time in green spaces and listening to podcasts and radio shows are great ways to boost your mood.
Read our blog for more tips
Three people cycling
** Refresh your cycling skills
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Did you know you can get vouchers to boost your confidence using two wheels? Both, Dorset Council and BCP Council offer an adult cycle training scheme to help residents aged 18 and over, get the skills and confidence to cycle safely.
With sunnier and warmer weather finally here, now is a great time to get outdoors by bike. Plus, cycling has many benefits. It's good for your physical and mental health, and can also help you save money and reduce air pollution.
If you have a bike you'd like to use to explore the local area or travel to work but need a bit more confidence to do so, a cycling training course could help!
* Find out more about Dorset Council's adult cycling training scheme
* Find out more about BCP Council's adult cycling training scheme
** Reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes
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Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. If left untreated it can lead to serious health complications.
Some of the main symptoms include feeling very thirsty, needing the toilet more than usual, feeling very tired and blurred vision.
Type 2 diabetes can be preventable and you can reduce your risk by making healthy lifestyle changes, such as getting more activity, eating healthier and drinking less alcohol.
If you would like free support to make these lifestyle changes, contact LiveWell Dorset by freephone 0800 840 1628 or register online
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Find out more about the symptoms and what to do
** Men, it’s ok to talk
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Many men don’t find it easy to talk about their feelings, which can have an overall effect on their mental health. So, for Men's Health Week, we want to raise awareness of the mental health support available to them.
Andy's Man Club are a men's suicide prevention charity that provide free-to-attend peer-to-peer support groups for men 18 and over. These groups are a safe and open space to chat with others - without judgement.
If you have a friend or family member who would benefit from meeting and connecting with other like-minded men, let them know about Andy's Man Club
to chat over a cuppa, or online, every Monday evening at 7pm.
Find out more about Andy's Man Club
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