Cheshire Independent Issue 186

APRIL 2024 16 the city area. And the issue is getting worse. New figures obtained by the Mums for Lungs group under the Free- dom of Information Act, show that the number of paediatric respiratory admissions has increased from 684 in 2021 to 1,345 in 2023, the latest figures that are available, an increase of 97 per cent. Tame- side in Greater Manchester has the highest rate of asthma hospital admissions for chil- dren under 19 of any English combined authority outside of London, according to Public Health England, closely fol- lowed by Oldham and Man- chester city centre. Liz Godfrey, a parent of two, who runs the Mums for Lungs group, said: “This is a health emergency and it is devastating to see that more children than ever are admit- ted to hospital with respira- tory illnesses. “Pollution levels across Greater Manchester contrib- ute to stunted lung growth and asthma. We urge Andy Burnham and the government to come together and sort out Manchester’s air pollution – so everyone can breathe more easily!” The group organised a campaign event in central Manchester to highlight the particular risk to children and babies’ lungs. According to researchers, some parts of Manchester are 1.3 times the current UK legal limit and more than five times over the recommended World Health Organisation limits for air pollution. Dr Sinead Millwood, an NHS GP at the Hawthorn Medical Centre in Leven- shulme, said: “From the early stages of development even in the womb, children are one of the most sensitive groups to air pollution because they are still growing and their immune systems are not able to fight it yet. “It affects their developing brains, reducing their abil- ity to learn. It stunts their lung growth and causes and exacerbates asthma and lung infections. I often see kids with these preventable illnesses and wish our leaders would take the action needed to address this.” The high levels of air pollu- tion reflect a big growth in the number of cars on the roads, with an extra 400,000 vehicles in the city region, according to the most recent statistics from the Department of Transport. Between 2012 and 2022, the number of cars on the roads of Greater Manchester increased by 41 per cent (1.06 million to 1.46 million). Road transport is the larg- est contributor to illegal lev- els of air pollution in Greater Manchester and it’s thought that air pollution contributes to 1,200 early deaths each year in the region. The worst rate of asthma amongst children and young people in Greater Manchester is in Trafford West, where the rate of admissions is nine per cent, which is nearly 40 per cent worse than the average for England, and the ninth worst in the entire country. Mums for Lungs is call- ing for the mayor and local councils to take action on air pollution, including a plan to reach the World Health Organisation targets on air, led by a dedicated Clean Air Cabinet member across Greater Manchester. The parents are also call- ing for more action on wood burning, including additional efforts to issue penalty fines and for at least a quarter of all primary schools in the borough implementing a ‘School Street’ over the next five years. Independent HEALTH & WELLBEING WANT to get fit theTaylor Swift Way? Here, fitness experts at Bulk.com outline the routine the star has used to keep her- self in good shape during her Eras tour and how you can complete a similar workout at the gymor from the comfort of your own home. CARDIO Taylor’s cardio routine involves running, jogging, and walk- ing on a treadmill while singing aloud the entire Eras tour setlist. She explains that she runs for the fast songs and jogs or fast walks for the slower songs. You don’t have to perform the entirety of the Eras tour setlist to maintain an effective and straightforward cardio regime. TREADMILL: If your gym has a treadmill,startwithabriskwalk for around 10minutes towarm up, you can also increase the inclination to better engage your legs and glutes. Slowly increase the speed until you are at a comfortable pace, then run for 10-15 min- utes. Increase or decrease the speed on the treadmill accord- ing to the song that is playing. Go back to walking at an incline for the final five to 10 minutes of your workout. If you haven’t runor jogged inawhile, itisbesttobuilduptheduration of the runs instead of running for an intensely longperiod. WALKING: Cardio doesn’t have to be done on a treadmill. Going for a walk can be just as effective and beneficial for your mental health. Increase the distance and duration of your walks each time. Create a playlist of all your favourite Swift songs to help pass the time and keep youmotivated. DANCE FIT: Taylor under- went three months of dance training to perfect the cho- reography for the Eras tour. Dance is a great way to stay fit as it improves cardiovascular health, flexibility, balance, and it is also a goodway to improve your overall mental well-being. Whether dancing around your home or signing up toDancefit classes, dance is an excellent formof cardio exercise. STRENGTHAND CONDITIONING With a total of 151 tour dates across five continents, and each show lasting more than three hours, Taylor needed to find a workout that not only improved her stamina but also increased her strength. Strength and conditioning training can help build muscle, improve cardiovascular health, reduce the risk of injury, burns calories, and improves your balance and flexibility. Here are some strength and conditioning exercises inspired by Taylor that you can try at home: SQUATS: Squats improvebone strength, whilst also improving posture and mobility. Not only does squattingwork yourmus- cles in your legs, but they are also very effective at strength- ening your core. Stand with your feet hip width apart with your feet slightly turned out, brace your core and chest up.When squat- ting, hips should sink back and your knees should travel in line with your toes. Perform two sets of 12-15 reps. GLUTE BRIDGES: These tone the glutes, abs and legs. Lie on your back with your legs bent and two fit firmly on the floor. Using your heels, push your hips upwards, squeezing your glutes and engage your core. To make this exercise more challenging, try using one leg to push off the floor, raise your other leg and alternate. You can also try to toe tap with the raised leg. Perform two sets of 8-12 reps. PUSH!UPS: Push ups improve your upper body strength, flex- ibility, posture, mobility, and injury prevention. Start in a plank positionwith your hands firmly placed just outside the shoulders, then lower your chest to the floor without touching it. As you are lowering your chest, make sure your elbows are tucked in and your hips do not drop out of position. To begin with, perform two to three sets of five to six reps and increase accordingly. PLANKS: These strengthen your arms, glutes, and core, whilst improving posture and helpingwith back pain. Lift your bodyoff theground by using your forearms and toes, making sure your elbows are aligned with your shoul- ders.Your back and legs should be as straight as possible with your coreengaged, tomaintain the plank position. Try and aim for a 60 second plank and slowly increase the duration over time. A PARENTS’ group is warning the NHS faces a ‘health emergency’ as the number of children hospitalised in Greater Manchester for respiratory conditions has nearly dou- bled in the last two years. According to Public Health England, the region has the highest proportion of children under 19 being hospitalised for asthma. It is 65 per cent worse than the England average, with 3,810 children admitted in 2022/23 across ‘CLEAN UP SO OUR KIDS CAN BREATH’ Message: Liz Godfrey want to see more action on clean air Campaigners: (L-R) Sarah Sharkey, Liz Godfrey, Sarah Rowe and Elsa Devienne (Photo credit: Mums for Lungs) The ‘Swift’ way to fitness

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