Now the New Year is underway many of us will have set ourselves the challenge to become healthier and feel better in 2025.
Whether you want to drink less, get active, quit smoking or lose weight there are lots of free tools and support to help you achieve your goals.
Lower My Drinking
The Lower My Drinking App is a great tool for anyone looking to reduce how much alcohol they drink.
It is free to download for anyone who lives or works in Cheshire and Merseyside and can help change how you think about alcohol and the role it plays in your life. It not only guides you to set your drinking goal, but helps you achieve it too.
It allows you to track progress, identify reasons to reduce your drinking as well as highlighting situations which could potentially tempt you to drink more and allow you to plan how you will limit this.
As well as this, the app provides feedback and guidance, explaining side effects and the potential benefits of cutting down, including better sleep, having more energy, being a healthier weight and saving money.
To download the Lower My Drinking app visit Google Play or App Store. Get started today so you can get healthier and feel better!
If you are concerned about your own, or someone else’s drinking, you can contact Change Grow Live on 0151 482 6291 and they will be able to provide you with support, advice and guidance.
Quit for good
Stopping smoking is one of the best things smokers can do for their health, and with the right support you’re up to four times as likely to quit for good.
Stop smoking experts recommend these ten top tips for those who plan to quit this January:
- Throw away all your cigarettes before you start!
- Pick a quit date and add it to your calendar
- List your reasons to quit
- Tell people you are quitting
- Use stop smoking aids
- Change your routine if you smoke at certain times of day
- If you’ve tried to quit before, remember what worked
- Have a plan if you are tempted to smoke
- List your smoking triggers and how to avoid them
- Keep cravings at bay by keeping busy
Knowsley’s stop smoking service, Smokefree Knowsley offers FREE specialist support for Knowsley residents to quit smoking, including those who are pregnant.
To find out more or to access support from Knowsley Stop Smoking Service call 0151 426 7462, text quit to 61825 (normal network charge) or visit the website: www.smokefreeknowsley.org.uk
Get active
No matter how much you do, keeping active is good for your body and mind. Every minute of activity counts – and the more you do, the more you’ll benefit.
Being active can boost your energy, help you manage stress, improve your sleep and help lift your mood.
It is never too late to get active to improve your health, so start small and build up, perhaps starting from 10 minutes of brisk walking a day. If you are unsure about becoming more active, ask your GP
You will find simple ideas to build more activity into your day and free exercise plans to help you get moving on the Healthy Knowsley website.
Lose weight
Small, simple changes to what and how much you are eating and drinking can help you to lose the pounds.
The Healthy Knowsley website has lots of top tips to for eating healthier, plus tasty, affordable meal ideas with easy step-by-step recipes.
If you think you would benefit from some support and advice to help you lose weight contact the Healthy Knowsley Hub or call them on 0800 0731 202.
Cllr Christine Bannon, Knowsley Council Cabinet Member for Health, said:
“At New Year many people resolve to become healthier to feel better. Whether you want to drink less, quit smoking, get active or eat more healthily there are lots of free tools and support to help you.
“These are all positive steps towards living healthier and can reduce your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and some cancers.
“It is never too late to improve your health – make a start today!”