How many times do you say 'if I only had the time' but work and day to day living gets in the way of learning a new skill?

The U.K. was put into lockdown on March 23, later than some countries and earlier than others. In the U.K. lockdown is not as strict as in some countries but it is still restrictive.

Many people now have more time on their hands than ever before but it is far from a bed of roses. Uncertainty about the future, lack of work, lack of money, daily living stresses, education, safety and so much more means it is not necessarily simple to fill your time and do so productively.

However one thing is certain - when the current Covid-19 crisis abates unemployment totals and financial insecurity may increase.

How about utilising your enforced lock down time to your best advantage?

Researching your future work options and any training needed is still possible if you have access to the Internet. If money is tight during lock down how about online resource Open Learn and its free courses? Check out this link for a wide variety of courses.

Getting your brain cells working may be just what you need. It could provide you with a distraction from the everyday lockdown routine - it could also open doors for you in the post lock down period.

If unemployment totals rise it will be an employer's market. The more skills and knowledge you have to offer the better. Simply engaging in learning now has to be a win win situation for you.

Fancy learning a foreign language? There are various online resources and some, such as this from the BBC, are free.

Future Learn has a good mix of subjects to study for free.

Many of these online resources also offer premium courses for a fee - the choice is yours.

You may simply want to use your lock down time to take up or further a hobby or pass some time. However if you think retraining may be a good idea for when the current crisis is over now is a great time to start.

• Decide what you want out of the lock down learning experience
• Decide if you can pay or the resources must be free
• Research possible careers and check out the essential qualifications.

Exercising your brain is important during times of stress and physical inactivity. Learning can take you to many places albeit virtually for now at least.

The covid-19 crisis has highlighted what work is vital to keep the country and all of us ticking over but will those jobs still be classed as key work when the crisis has passed?

Now could be a great time to learn new skills and update your CV.

Computer Courses - all Free!
Genealogy
Learn to paint and draw for free
Free Online Courses with Certificate of Completion
Government further education courses
Get cooking

t can be difficult finding out if you have a thyroid problem.

As someone who has had ongoing thyroid gland problems, for more than 40 years, I know this all too well.

Initially suffering from an overactive thyroid gland many symptoms were classic yet my doctor failed to give the correct diagnosis.

My weight was steadily decreasing, I seemed to be permanently racing around and, at its peak, I suffered severe diarrhoea and tummy problems. However, the doctor failed to do the simple diagnostic blood test needed and I visited various hospital departments for strange and unpleasant investigations for weeks.

Eventually, after weeks of resting up, the condition subsided but it reared its ugly head again a few years later when I was under stress. This time though a diagnosis was correctly made -- Hyperthyroidism.

Since then I underwent various treatments before eventually having radioactive Iodine treatment some years ago. This means that now my thyroid is under-active and daily supplementary medication is needed for the rest of my life.

Regular blood tests are now also a fact of life.

Hyperthyroidism is more dangerous than hypo though which is why doctors prefer the health problem to go the other way.

So, with this background, I have told two friends over the years to see a doctor when they shared how they were feeling.

One discovered she had an under-active thyroid gland and the other that she had thyroid cancer. Having had such varying symptoms over the years it is often easy now to spot thyroid issues in others.

Despite this the last time I experienced major thyroid problems I mistakenly thought it was the menopause, due to the type of symptoms and my age.

Here are some signs and symptoms which could mean that you have a thyroid problem and need investigation. Remember most times that your condition is easily treatable, although sometimes it may require surgery.

Remember also that you must consult a medical professional for a correct diagnosis.

Overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism

    A fast heartbeat and or palpitations.
    Loss of weight but in rare cases increased weight due to over-eating.
    Loss of menstrual cycle, infertility or menstruation problems.
    Diarrhoea.
    Protruding eyes, in advanced cases.
    Pruritus, intense itching of the skin.
    Inability to sit still. Hyperactivity.
    Shaking hands and tremors.
    Hair loss.
    Swelling at the front of the neck.

Underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism

    Slow heartbeat.
    Increased weight.
    Dull waxy skin.
    Sluggish, slow movements.
    Lethargy and lack of energy.
    Heavy menstrual bleeding.
    Changes in menstruation.
    Nail problems.
    Brittle and dry hair.
    Constipation.

Thyroid cancer

Unfortunately, in some cases, thyroid cancer may be diagnosed so a doctor should be consulted in all cases. Usually, there will be swelling at the front of the neck in cancers but even with that sign it still may not be cancer or malignant.

Conclusion

As with all these types of conditions symptoms can vary but if you have any vague feelings as described above it is best to have your thyroid function tested. A simple blood test will show if your thyroid is not working correctly.

This small gland is responsible for regulating so much in your body it needs to function properly.

Remember that worry and stress will aggravate your condition so try to stay calm. Also, depression can quite naturally accompany thyroid problems but may need treating as a separate issue.

As a final thought, if you have close family members with thyroid disorders, especially your Mum, it may mean that you will follow suit. So check your family’s medical history.

Please note: This is based on personal experience. You should always consult your medical professional. The writer's treatment was a few years ago and treatments are changing all the time.

Check Web MD for the latest diagnosis methods and treatments available

In early 2014 we were all told that eating at least 'seven-a-day', rather than five portions, of fruits and vegetables is the secret to good health. However many people struggle to fit in five portions let alone seven!

Fast forward to February 23, 2017, and that advice has been amended to 10-portions-a-day!

Assuming the advice is good can you afford to follow it as the price of some fruit and vegetables rockets and there is a shortage in some cases?

A portion however may be nothing more than a handful of blueberries or half a dozen strawberries.

Can you afford to ignore good advice?

While the advice may be well intentioned and sound it will not be easy to follow.

The price of fruit and veg in the U.K. is sky high. Some produce bought from supermarkets is past its best at point of sale and quickly inedible. If money is tight, and even if it is not, throwing food away untouched will be galling.

Again it proves the government and researchers are out of touch with the lives of many British people.

Here is some advice as to what you can do to improve your fruit and veg intake:

Grow your own -- No matter whether you have a garden or not it is possible to grow some produce. It may not always be cheap but it does not have to be expensive. Start seeds off in old card egg boxes, or empty, clean yogurt pots, so individual seedlings are easy to pot on. You can grow tomatoes in hanging baskets and tubs so be inventive. An old bucket can act as a big plant pot. Radishes grow very quickly and careful planting can mean you have a ready crop throughout summer. Select crops that you know your family will want to consume.

Compost -- If any fruit or veg does begin to turn before you can consume it, use it rather than just binning it. Small composters are a great way to dispose of dead flowers, fruit, veg, peelings, egg shells, paper and old tea-bags but not cooked or raw food.

Plant potatoes gone to seed -- If potatoes begin to sprout before you can eat them plant them for an almost cost free crop of spuds. They will not count toward your seven-a-day but will save you money and enable you to buy fresh fruit and veg.

Frozen -- Frozen fruit and vegetables apparently do not count towards your daily quota. These days quick time freezing does however ensure some goodness is retained. In winter buy products such as tubs of frozen summer fruits which can be quickly stewed ready to add to breakfast cereal or use in other ways.

Windfall -- Windfall apples can be used once stewed. But what about free foods such as brambles, or blackberries? You can still find plenty growing wild and ready for you to pick in late summer come early august. Perfect for making jam, freezing or just eating straight away.

Cooking -- As consumers become lazy and use pre-cooked ready meals the art of simple cooking is forgotten. However it is cheaper in many cases to cook your own, with selective cooking and shopping.

Research -- Research best prices and shop around. Research recipes at your local library or online. Choose ones that will offer good value for money but also retain the nutrients of fruit and veg used.

Diversify -- Variety is the spice of life. If your usual choice of veg has gone up in price or is not available try an alternative. You may be surprised how tasty some fruit and veg really is.

Get an allotment

Finally -- Never get too bogged down with the latest health advice.

We are all individuals and our genes play a part in our health.

What may be great today could be dismissed tomorrow. It is however worth following a sensible diet and we all know fruit and vegetables have a wealth of benefits. Good health though is often also about lifestyle and exercise so make other changes including quitting smoking.

Whether G.M.O. fruit and veg offer the same positive health benefits is unclear.

Always ensure you thoroughly wash fresh fruit and veg, especially if not home grown, to remove any potential insecticide residue.

BBC News 2014
"A study of 65,226 men and women indicated the more fruit and vegetables people ate, the less likely they were to die - at any given age. Seven a day cut the risk of dying from cancer and heart disease. But the government says its "five-a-day" advice is sufficient and that many of us struggle to achieve even this.

Fruit and veg: For a longer life eat 10-a-day
​10 ways to hit your 10-a-day, with minimum effort

Early detection of Alzheimer's, but is it worth knowing that you will develop this disease?

Alzheimer's disease is a terrible condition. In so many ways the person affected dies in almost every sense of the word but their earthly body will still be alive and may even be in fairly good health.

It must be awful to be married for say forty years and then your partner develop Alzheimer's. In either a short or long period of time the affected person will lose short term memory and may become like a stranger to their partner and family. Some patients become aggressive and, ultimately, most will need long term care.

How sad and what a dreadful prospect for many of us

Recently, there have been press reports about recent discoveries regarding the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's. Our first reaction was why would you want to know, perhaps twenty years before it happened, that you were going to get Alzheimer's as you age. If you give the matter more thought though it is not as simple as that.

Life never is, is it?....................

A simple eye test used to detect early signs of Alzheimer's

Within the next few years it seems that a simple eye test, to detect Alzheimer's, will be available through Opticians. It is as simple as identifying dying cells. This is done by examining the eye, after a harmless fluorescent dye has been introduced.

Examining these cells, on the Retina of the eye, will be non-invasive and routine. In the past Doctors have found it difficult to follow any Alzheimer's changes to a patients brain. As the disease develops the brain shrinks and cells die.

Observing the changes in each cell, on the Retina, may provide the information necessary to make a correct and early diagnosis of Alzheimer's.

Blood pressure medication reducing the risk of Alzheimer's

Recent research seems to indicate that patients who take angiotensin receptor blockers, ARBs, in order to control their blood pressure, may have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's. It appears that this medication may prevent blood vessel damage in the brain, which could contribute to Alzheimer's.

Trials are ongoing

Readers will need to exercise caution when they read this report. Research is ongoing and nothing is conclusive yet. However, early indications look positive.

So would you want to know if you were likely to develop Alzheimer's?

What would you do if you were given such a prognosis? Initially most people may feel that they would not want to know, but think about it:

1. If you were told that, in 20 years time, or more, you may develop Alzheimer's, what a wake up call that would be. All of those hopes, dreams and ambitions you have, that are still unfilled. With an Alzheimer's clock ticking down you would hopefully be spurred into action.
2. If you were given a reasonable length of time you could get your affairs in order. There may be close friends and family who you want to speak to again, apologise to or just show that you care.
3. You may have enough time to take drugs, that will help delay the onset of your Alzheimer's. Many of the current anti Alzheimer's medication needs to be given in the very early stages. Presently, by the time the medication is prescribed, it is already too late. With new medication and treatments, continually being discovered, you could take full opportunity of medical advances.

It is not time yet but, in the near future, you may be given the opportunity to be screened for the early signs of Alzheimer's. How will you feel? Will you want to know? What will you do with the information you have been given?

Of course if Governments simply screen, without revealing the results to the individuals concerned, it will be pointless. They could do this in order to assess the levels of care that will be needed in the future and for research purposes.

It is to be hoped that this new test is not used for such purposes, though.

The quick and easy test, if it works, could offer so many people a last chance at life. Well life as they know and love it.

Well? Would you want to know that you will probably develop Alzheimer's?

Note: Originally reported in 2012 this link dates to Summer 2016

"The retina is made from similar kinds of tissue as the brain and that tissue can be seen directly by looking into the eye. ... According to the Alzheimer's Association, the disease is caused by the buildup of amyloid plaques and tangles in the nerve cells in the brain. Aug 8, 2016"