Our HealthFirst Blogs

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Zika Virus: What Is It And Is There Anything You Need To Do To Protect Yourself?

The Zika virus is carried by mosquitoes and was first discovered in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947. Since then, there have been some outbreaks of the virus in Africa and in Asia and over the last few years, outbreaks reported in the Pacific region. But now the virus is spreading through Southern and […]

2nd February 2016

Blog

Marching Caterpillars On The Move Again!

The marching caterpillars are out in force this season! Have you seen them around? Do you know what to look out for? The caterpillars are around 3 to 4 centimetres long. They’re covered with thousands of pointed hairs and can have either a rusty, or yellow, colour running along their back. In terms of the […]

28th April 2015

Blog

My Child Has Knocked Their Tooth Out!

My child has knocked out a tooth – What should I do? During our First Aid courses, parents often ask us what to do if a child’s tooth is broken or knocked out. It is a common occurrence – about 50% of children in Europe will have a dental injury before the age of 16. […]

6th March 2015

Blog

How To Save A Choking Baby

By Penny Fraser Take a look at this video from St John’s Ambulance, a First Aid charity in the UK. Watch for the jellybaby played by Johnny Vegas, turning from blue to red as he gets saved by the back blows. #TheChokeables It is such an important skill to know – one of the reasons […]

30th January 2015

Blog

Christmas Stuffing? What to do about festive indigestion…

By Dr Penny Fraser MBBS BSc (Hons) MRCS (Eng) Chestnuts roasting on an open fire alongside Nat King Cole. We all want some figgy pudding, don’t we? (and bring some right here!) Not to mention the obligatory Bridget Jones style festivities: “It all began on New Years Day….once again I found myself…..going to my mother’s […]

8th December 2014

Blog

Getting Fit For The Ski Season!

Are those first few days on the slopes usually rather uncomfortable ones with aching thighs and muscles over the following mornings? Is getting fit for the ski season something that you aim to do every year but you just run out of time? If you haven’t done so already, it’s now that you should start […]

14th October 2014

Blog, First Aid

The Chain Of Survival

What is the significance of those five red circles? And why are we talking about it? This is the ‘Chain of Survival’ – created by Mary Newman, president of the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, who published this concept in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services in 1989. The Swiss Resuscitation Council recommend the use of […]

8th September 2014

Blog

Can You Help Protect Your Daughter Against Cervical Cancer?

I have worked for many years in the world of family medicine as a General Practitioner, looking after all members of the family including teenagers and, of course, their mums and dads. Parents come to see me, worrying about their children’s health, safety and happiness, both for today and for the future. The new HPV […]

19th June 2014

Blog

Talking To Your Children About Sex

How many of you are squirming a bit just from reading the title of this article? Be assured that it is quite normal to feel awkward and embarrassed when it comes to talking to your kids about growing up, how their bodies are changing, and why Mummy and Daddy look different from them; as well […]

3rd June 2014