NI Alcohol Awareness Week – give yourself an MOT

With the pubs shut, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is using Northern Ireland Alcohol Awareness Week (15-21 June) to encourage drinkers to take a closer look at their drinking habits at home and give themselves an “Alcohol MOT”. Over three-quarters (79%) of adults here drink alcohol so the PHA and Northern Ireland’s five Drug and Alcohol Coordination Teams (DACTs) are asking people, in the absence of pub measures, to check how much they have been drinking at home with the Alcohol MOT on www.drugsandalcoholni.info/mot Michael Owen, Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol at the PHA, said: “Many of

Eating well to boost our mood during the pandemic

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging everyone to eat healthily in order to boost both our physical and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Feeling good comes from a variety of lifestyle factors including taking exercise, the food we eat and how much sleep we are getting,” said Laura Taylor, Health Improvement and Wellbeing Senior Officer with the PHA. “Getting the balance right can help us cope a little bit better with the everyday stresses we face.” Serotonin, the feel good hormone, is partly made from a protein found in foods called tryptophan. Tryptophan is present in a

Urgent medical care for stroke essential during coronavirus pandemic

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding the public of the importance of seeking urgent medical care if they or someone else experiences any of the symptoms of stroke. Help is available for those who need medical attention throughout the pandemic. If not treated urgently, a person is at a higher risk of death or disability if they take a stroke than from COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic, stroke units have seen a slight reduction in the number of patients admitted with stroke. Dr Brid Farrell, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at the PHA, said: “Across Northern Ireland people are

PHA: no room for complacency with coronavirus

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has warned that complacency around coronavirus could lead to further spread of the disease, and ultimately result in deaths. Dr Gerry Waldron, Head of Health Protection at the PHA, said: “Thanks to people following advice, we have managed to reduce the levels of coronavirus in our community. However, we cannot let this create a false sense of security and let our guard drop, as this could undermine and reverse everyone’s hard work to date. “COVID-19 can be a fatal disease, and sadly, in Northern Ireland over 500 people have lost their lives. We must not forget
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