Amy Greaves

You only have to look at the current state of our health service, to realise that modern medicine, so good at treating acute illness but without as much attention on prevention and long-term illness, is failing our patients. There is an inextricable rise in demand for medical care which is unsustainable. Unless things change, this situation will only get worse. And more and more patients will suffer. As an A&E Dr, in many ways, I provide a sticky plaster to societal problems. We need to move our mindset from treatment to prevention of illness. Only lifestyle changes can truly reduce demand and in the medium to long term preserve a healthy service for all and not just those lucky enough to afford private care. Doing regular exercise is the single most important thing that anyone can do for their health and thus reduce demand on health care systems. Two new studies have shown that even small amounts of exercise both for adults and kids can make a massive difference to both physical and mental wellbeing. In this week’s mail health article, these scientific papers are reviewed and the importance of exercise examined. In summary, get out there, walk or jog; even small amounts are so good for you - you don’t have to do a 10K or a marathon. But if you want that as a goal, as the medical director of the @BrightonMarathn I can thoroughly recommend our races!