❤️ Know Your Numbers, protect your heart

Coronary heart disease is the single biggest killer of men. It also kills more women each year than breast cancer, with signs from studies that cases are rising among women under 65 years old (The Times, 6 August 2025).

High blood pressure is a leading cause of heart attacks, strokes, and serious blood-vessel problems. It usually has no symptoms, which is why it is often called the "silent killer".

📅 Know Your Numbers Week, 8 to 13 September

PCN staff will be out and about offering free blood pressure checks in supermarkets, pubs, The Veterans Hub in Weymouth, and at our offices on Lynch Lane.

Check your numbers and learn what they mean at bloodpressureuk.org. See "Our blood pressure chart" to compare your readings.

🤝 Conquering loneliness, from a Social Prescriber

"I met with a client and their family at Ageing Well Clinic, Weymouth. They seemed well supported but were looking for something to get them out of the house. I showed them the Keep in Touch calendar of local activities, and with some motivational conversations and signposting they started to attend a few of the drop-ins. They are still attending activities and lunches, and have said how grateful they are to have been made aware of what is available. Thank you to the Social Prescribing Team for linking them with the right connections."

🔗 What social prescribing can do

Link workers connect you with local non-medical support to boost health and wellbeing — for example, reducing loneliness, building confidence, and getting more active. They can introduce you to community groups and help with practical issues that make life harder.

📞 How to access social prescribing

Contact your GP surgery for a referral, or refer yourself to the Social Prescribing service by telephoning Help and Care at 03033 030153, or emailing them at contact@helpandcare.org.uk. You can also visit socialprescribingacademy.org.uk to learn more.

🥗 Eating healthily on a budget: smart tips for nutritious meals

Eating well does not have to be expensive. With a little planning, you can enjoy balanced, tasty meals while keeping costs down. More fruit, vegetables, and higher-fibre foods provide valuable nutrients that help us stay healthy.

📋 Plan your meals

Create a weekly plan and shopping list. It helps avoid impulse buys of high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods and reduces waste. Try not to shop when hungry, or consider shopping online.

🍎 Affordable ways to get your 5-a-day

Canned fruit, vegetables, beans, and lentils — as well as frozen fruit and veg — are long-lasting and just as nutritious as fresh options. Avoid fruit canned in syrup. Seasonal produce is usually cheaper, so consider eating with the seasons and look out for special offers.

🍳 Cook at home

Home-cooked meals save money. Batch cook, use leftovers, and try one-pot dishes to save energy and washing up. Keep lids on pans to hold the heat in.

🚫 Limit processed foods

Pre-packaged and ultra-processed options are often more expensive and less healthy.

♻️ Use leftovers

As much as a quarter of food we buy is wasted. Turn leftovers into soups, salads, sandwiches, or wraps. Combine cooked meat, tofu, beans, cheese, eggs, and vegetables with pasta for a simple bake. If you have a freezer, cook larger quantities and freeze in portions. Slice bread and freeze some to prevent it going stale.

❄️ Organise your fridge

Keep food covered so it doesn't dry out. Store newer items behind older ones so nothing gets forgotten.

📱 Try food-sharing apps

Consider Too Good To Go and Olio to rescue surplus food at low cost.

📚 Find out more

BBC Food has great ideas for cheap recipes and meals. British Nutrition Foundation, Creating a Healthy Diet: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/creating-a-healthy-diet/