The Kia car manufacture has urged motorists to cut out unnecessary car journeys and walk instead.
Not only will this reduce your cars emissions but it helps you to stay healthy as well as potentially reducing your car insurance premium due to less mileage.
People are also advised to make sure that their cars are fully prepared for any long journeys, particularly with the Bank Holiday approaching.
Continental Tyres Spokesman Tim Bailey stated:
“It’s important to make sure that your car is fit to do the journey - after all you don’t want to spend time broken down at the side of the road.”
Research by Continental Tyres showed that 65% of motorists fail to check screen wash before their journey and 50% do not check their tyre pressure.
Whether you are going on a long journey or a short journey you would benefit by keeping your car in as good a condition as possible as it will maximise its resale value.
Swine Flu is spreading across the world and there seems to be very little that we can do to stop it, at the moment.
There are now 166 confirmed cases of Swine Flu in countries speading across the world, including Mexico (where it is believed to have originated), Canada, UK, Israel, South Africa and Australia. Sadly there have also been 9 confirmed deaths, 1 in the US and 8 in Mexico.
But what actually is Swine Flu? In its simplest term, Swine Flu is a respiratory disease which infects pigs. It does not usually infect humans but there have been cases in the past where it has been passed from pig to human. Usually with someone who has had close contact with pigs. However, The Telegraph report that there have previously been
‘rare documented cases of humans passing the infection to other humans”.
Apparently the current swine flu outbreak in Mexico contains DNA usually found in avian and human viruses. It can pass from human to human and there are concerns that it could become a pandemic.
So what can we do?
The first thing to do is NOT TO PANIC! Chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson said today that the UK would see many more cases of swine flu but most people would make a good recovery, reported by The Guardian. As with any flu there will be some deaths particularly to the more susceptible, often the very old and the very frail.
The second thing is CATCH IT. BIN IT. KILL IT. Sneeze and cough directly into a tissue, then throw the tissue into a bin and wash your hands immediately to stop any germs from spreading.
Our parents have always told us that eating fruit and vegetables is good for us and now they have the proof.
The Times Online have published an article confirming that eating fruit and vegetables can keep cancer at bay. Scientists at the First International Congress on Nutrition and Cancer in Turkey explained that they can now “demonstrate how the micronutrients in the diet can interfere with the body’s cellular pathways to help to prevent cancer”.
Professor Walter Willett of Harvard University stressed that people needed to have a healthy lifestyle. People need to exercise more, lose weight and increase their intake of fruit and vegetables. Such changes could reduce the risk of cancers of the head and neck as well as gastrointestinal tract.
Fruit and vegetables can also help reduce the risk of sunburn. Tomatoes seem to be the best performers. They are rich in lycopene which offers some protection against “inflammation, premature skin ageing, photo-sensitivity disorders and some skin cancers. A study carried out by Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health which spanned 6 years, studied the diets of more than 47,000 men. Of the 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only the tomato products showed a measurable relationship to reduce prostate cancer risk. As you increase the consumption of tomatoes and tomato products the levels of lycopene in the blood increase and the risk for prostate cancer decreases.
Medical News Today confirms that people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have at least a 25% reduced risk of dying from heart disease and cancer.
It is actually finally starting to feel like summer and it is that time of the year when people start to book their holidays. It is very easy to spend all your time choosing your holiday destination and then busily buying new summer clothes and shoes that forgetting to buy or check your travel insurance is common place.
There are many travel insurance providers and it can be very confusing as to what type of policy to go for and who to go with. Some people may already have received free travel insurance through their bank account but please ensure that you have read the small print and understand exactly what you are insured for.
The Times Online have compiled a really helpful article about how to choose your travel insurance policy. It takes you through what The Foreign and Commonweath Office recommend your travel insurance should cover and more useful information.
Don’t forget that if you are travelling in Europe you need to apply for your European Health Insurance Card as this entitles you to free or discounted medical treatment.
Make sure that the Travel Insurance you buy is the best for you in terms of price and cover. For example if you normally have two or three holidays in the year then it would probably be cheaper to buy an annual multi-trip policy rather than a single policy for each trip. Also, if you are a sporty person and plan on taking part in a certain sporting activity on holiday, make sure that this is included on your insurance. An article by MSN gives more tips on this including ensuring you have adequate car insurance cover if driving abroad and the all important luggage and baggage cover should anything go missing or get damaged.
Have been a bit ill these past few days, struggling with a cold virus. Today, back in action, I read a post on the ’21st Century Mummy’ blog that linked to this fantastic sketch from the tv show ‘Man Stroke Woman’.Â
This just about sums up what ‘Man Flu’ is…it’s like your normal flu or cold, only man-sized.Â
Swiftcover car insurance has taken the pain out of getting cheaper motor insurance quotes. There are no queues, no unnecessary chat and no endless questions.
