Get walking

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GetIrelandActive.ie

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One in Every Two Smokers

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GP Exercise Referral Programme

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National Breastfeeding Week 2011

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Contraception and pregnancy for women with diabetes

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You can quit

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Busy Bodies

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Busy Bodies

Busy Bodies Adolescent Development Programme provides information on the physical and emotional changes that children may experience during puberty, to reassure them that puberty is a normal part of growing up.  Busy Bodies is a useful resource to help support both teachers and parents in providing information on puberty to children aged between 10 and 14.

Busy Bodies was developed to support the teaching of the 5th and 6th class component of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) within the context of Social Personal and Health Education. It was produced by the Health Service Executive South working in partnership with the RSE Support Service, the National Parents Council (Primary) and the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme.

The programme includes an animated child friendly DVD, booklets in English and Irish and a user guide for teachers.

Busy Bodies Booklet - English

Busy Bodies Booklet - Irish

Busy Bodies User guide for teachers - English

All resources can be ordered here

How do I order the DVD and Booklets?

Parents: To order a free copy of the DVD and booklet Free Text BUSY plus your name and address to 50444 or you can order here

Teachers: To order a free copy of the DVD and student copies of the booklet you need to register as a professional on healthpromotion.ie, log in and you can order here

Watch the DVD

Click on the links below to view the individual chapters of the DVD. You can also download the relevant section of the booklet.

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Local sports partnerships

These organisations work in most areas to promote access to sports and physical activity, they are great sources of information about active things you can do in your area.

• Carlow www.carlowsports.ie
• Cavan www.cavansportspartnership.ie
• Clare www.claresportspartnership.ie
• Cork City www.corkcity.ie
• County Cork www.cclsp.com
• Donegal www.activedonegal.com
• Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown www.dlrcoco.ie/sports
• Fingal www.fingalsportspartnership.ie
• Galway City www.galwaycity.ie
• Galway County www.galwaycoco.ie
• Kerry www.kerrylsp.ie
• Kildare www.kildaresp.ie
• Kilkenny Tel: 056 7720870 
• Laois www.laoissports.ie
• Leitrim wwww.leitrimcoco.ie
• Limerick City www.limerickcitysports.ie
• Limerick County www.cllsp.ie
• Longford Tel: 043 43307
• Louth www.louthlsp.ie
• Mayo www.mayosports.ie
• Meath www.meathlocalsportspartnership.ie
• Monaghan www.monaghansports.ie
• North Tipperary www.ntsp.ie
• Offaly www.offalysports.ie
• Roscommon www.rosactive.org
• Sligo www.sligosportandrecreation.ie
• South County Dublin www.sdcsp.ie
• South Tipperary www.stsp.ie
• Waterford www.waterfordsportspartnership.ie
• Westmeath www.westmeathsports.ie
• Wexford www.wexford.ie
• Wicklow Tel:01 2878180

The HSE is not responsible for any of the information listed on external websites. The links are provided for information purposes only. If you think that you have an underlying medical condition, or have not been active for some time you should talk to your doctor before you make any changes to your activity levels.

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Sporting organisations

Here are the contact details for a range of sporting organisations, they should be able to provide you with information about how to get involved with a particular sport.

The Irish Sports council also have lots of information about a wide range of sports throughout the Island of Ireland.

Swimming

www.swimireland.ie

Football

www.fai.ie

Gaelic Games

www.gaa.ie

Hockey

www.hockey.ie

Tennis

www.tennisireland.ie

Sailing

www.sailing.ie

Horse Riding

www.aire.ie

Rugby

www.irishrugby.ie

Cricket

www.irishcricket.org

Martial Arts

The Irish Association of Martial Arts

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Get walking

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get active and it is free!

Walking regularly will:

• give you more energy
• help you feel good and sleep better
• help you manage your stress
• increase your stamina
• tone your muscles and burn up calories
• strengthen your heart
• lower your blood pressure and cholesterol
• protect against osteoporosis
• reduce your risk of developing diabetes

Little steps to walking safely:

• Be safe, be seen! Wear reflective bands when it is dark.
• Walk with a companion or a dog.  If walking on your own tell a family member or friend where you are going and how long you plan to be.
• Good shoes – if your feet aren’t comfortable, you won’t continue walking.  Wear comfortable trainers or invest in a good pair of walking shoes.  If you walk to and from work, the bus, train or car – think about leaving your work shoes in the office and wearing runners when walking.
• Water – drink a glass of water before and after you walk.  If you are going for a long walk, think about taking a bottle of water with you.
• Wear layers!  Whether you are walking to the office or heading off in your tracksuit – it is a good idea to wear layers so you can take off your sweater or raincoat or put it on depending on the weather.
• Warm up!  Gradually warm up at the start and end of each walk by walking at a slower pace, stretching your arms and legs.
• If you have health problems, check with your doctor before you begin walking.
   

Little steps to fit walking into your everyday routine

• Step outside and walk in any direction for five minutes, then walk back again – you’ve just had a 10 minute walk!
• Go for a walk during your lunchtime.
• Go walking with a friend.  This will give you an added incentive to walk and make it safer for you. 
• Get of the bus one or two stops before your final destination and walk the rest of the way.
• If you would normally drive to see a friend who lives nearby, walk instead.
• Use the stairs.  If you live in an apartment or work in an office building – forget the lift and take the stairs instead.
• Walk your children to or from school – walk at a faster pace when you are on your own.
• Walk to the shops – if your local shop is close by, take a longer route to give yourself more walking time.  

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Activity and children with a disability

How do I help my child who has a disability get active?

The benefits of physical activity can be even greater for children with a disability.  It can give them a good opportunity to socialise as well as improve physical skills such as co-ordination and balance. 

Here are some ideas that should help get your child active.

• Be patient, and encourage your child with praise for any progress
• When doing activities with other children explain why your child may have to do things slightly differently
• Try not to be overprotective.  If you are worried about what your child should be allowed to do check with your GP or other health professional.
• If you would like your child to take part in an organised activity or sport, arrange to meet the leader or coach to discuss your child’s particular needs and capabilities.
• Visit www.specialolympics.ie for details for your nearest Special Olympics group. 
• Most local councils around the country run Local Sports Partnerships. Their role is to promote involvement in sports and they are a good source of information about sport in your local area. Some of them have Sports Disability Inclusion officers who can give you advice on activities for young people with disabilities. You can find contact details for your nearest Local Sports Partnership here.

It is easy to adapt active games and sports to suit individual needs. By making small changes to equipment, time and rules everyone can get active and enjoy taking part.

Equipment

• choose larger or lighter bats and racquets
• experiment with various types of balls – different size, weight, colour or texture
• use larger goals or targets
• try scoops for catching activities

Playing area:

• create a ‘level playing field’, an area that is suitable to all
• reduce the size of the playing area if necessary

Time:

• slow down the pace of the game or activity
• increase the time allowed to perform tasks
• remove time limits altogether
• include frequent rest periods

Rules: 

• alter, reduce or simplify the rules
• give players prompts for what comes next 

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How active do I need to be?

• Children and young people need to be moderately active for at least 60 minutes (1 hour) every day. 
• Adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.

The full amount of activity doesn’t all have to be done at once.  You can build it up over the day – but you will need to be active for at least 10 minutes each time. 

If you or your child is not regularly active at the moment, start gradually and build up to your target.  A little activity is better than none – concentrating on having fun will make it more enjoyable and easier to reach your target. Our active games section has instructions for over 20 active games suitable for children up-to 11 or 12.

For your child to enjoy all the benefits of an active life, they need to be active at home and during their leisure time as well as at school.  Most schools do not have the time to provide all the activity your child needs every day. The little steps for being active on this site give lots of ideas to help get the whole family active.

What is moderate activity?

Moderate activity is any activity that raises your heart beat, causes you to perspire (sweat slightly), breath quicker but still be able to carry on a conversation.  Examples of moderate intensity activities include:

• brisk walking 
• games and active play
• dance
• cycling
• swimming
• most sports

Visit the activities in your area section to find out where you can get information about all these activities. You can also get instructions for active games that younger children will enjoy in the games section of the website.

Remember to include some activities to develop muscular strength, flexibility and bone health a few times a week also.  Some examples of these activities include:

• skipping
• jumping
• climbing
• gymnastics
• yoga or pilates
• swimming

These activities will all help to make you stronger, more flexible and are good for your bones.

You can find out more about physical activity at www.getirelandactive.ie 

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Get active with your family

Being active is fun for all the family. Research shows that children whose parents are active are more than 5 times as likely to be active than those whose parents are not. Below are some ideas and links to websites that will give you info about how to get started. If you are still stuck for ideas after looking at the links below you can always visit sites like dayout.ie,  fundays.ie.

Walking

Walking is a great way to build up to your daily activity target. Whether, it is round your local park, a forest trail or something more adventurous in the countryside. All you need is a good pair of shoes or runners and clothes that will keep you warm and dry.

http://www.walkireland.ie/ has lots of routes and information about walking throughout the country.

The Irish Heart Foundation has information about the Slí na Sláinte walks. These are routes around towns that are signposted and ideal if you want to get out of the office for 40 minutes at lunch time or have half an hour to spare in the evening. You can download the routes from the Irish Heart Foundation Website.

The Fáilte Ireland website www.discoverireland.ie/walking has over 70 routes all around the country. It is not just for tourists, it is a great source of information about other activities through out the country.

Forest trails

Coilte has over 10 forest parks and 150 recreation sites around Ireland. Most of the recreation sites have forest trails to suit all ages. The forest parks have a wide range of activities that will keep the whole family entertained. Take a picnic and you can easily find things to keep you busy for the whole day. http://www.coillteoutdoors.ie/

Swimming

Swimming is a great way to get active particularly if it’s wet outside. You can find contact details for a swimming pool in your area by looking in the golden pages or on the golden pages website

Cycling

Discover Ireland has around 20 cycling routes.

Beaches

Ireland has some of the best beaches in Europe. If you live close to a beach, and many people do, they are a great place to spend an activity packed day. Soccer, hurling, paddling, building sandcastles and kite flying are fun for the whole family and you can take along a healthy picnic which means you can stay out for the whole day. Most city or county council websites will have information about beaches in your area. Irish Water Safety has a list of beaches that have are manned by life guards during the summer months.

Parks

There are parks in most towns around Ireland. They are great places for the whole family to get active whether it is kicking a ball, throwing a Frisbee or playing on of our active games.

Heritage sites, castles and gardens

You’d be surprised how just getting out into the fresh air encourages children to run around, many of the heritage sites and castles around the country have large open areas where the kids can burn off some energy. Many sites have walking trails so the whole family can get active. You can find out more about places of interest in your area on the Heritage Ireland website www.heritageireland.ie

Organised sport

Getting children involved in organised sport is a great way to set them on the road to being active right through to adult hood. Most sports have associations that can put you in contact with your local club. If you want to find out more about sport in your local area you can contact your Local Sports Partnership. Look out for sporting summer camps in July and August organised by sporting organisations such as the FAI and GAA.

You can find information about getting involved in a range of sports from the National Associations or governing bodies. Find links for a range of sporting organisations here
The Irish Sports council haslots of information about sport in Ireland.

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HSE Launches Sexual Health Campaign

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Walking Matters

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Take Care

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TAKE CARE

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National Breastfeeding Week

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Don’t Sweat It

A head to toe guide to personal care and hygiene

Issues   in relation to personal care and hygiene can present challenges for those   working with young people. The importance of addressing hygiene/ personal care   has been identified as an essential element in building self esteem and   confidence in young people and promoting positive mental health. Carers and   those working with young people have also recognised how issues in relation to   personal care and hygiene can have a negative impact on young people’s social   interactions and access to employment.

Poor personal hygiene does not just affect the self-esteem and attitude of   the individual themselves. In a work or learning environment, it can also affect   the morale and performance of others. Poor hygiene and personal care habits can   result in negative attitudes affecting interactions with other people.  Individuals can be stereotyped, leading to stigma, rejection, prejudice and   discrimination. These can have a negative influence on the quality of life and   emotional and mental health of individuals. It can also have an impact on   education, employment and interpersonal relations. Therefore, it is an important   issue for young people.

This resource can be downloaded   here or you can contact the Health Promotion Service on 01 882 3420

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Your Service, Your Say

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Junior Cert Results

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HSE 2010 National Drugs Awareness Campaign - Radio

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Vitamin D and your baby

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National Drug Awareness Campaign

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Physical Activity

The benefits of being active for physical and mental health are huge.  Being active helps release chemicals in your brain (endorphins), which have a positive effect on your mood,   not to mention the benefits to your heart, lungs, muscles and bones.  Getting out and being active is also a great way to manage stress.   

Regular physical activity can help you reduce the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.  For children and young people being active helps reduce their risk of developing these diseases in later life too.  Increased levels of physical activity will help reduce body fat and maintain a healthy weight. 

Being active is fun for all the family.  Research shows that children whose parents are active are more than 5 times as likely to be active than those whose parents are not. Getting active does not have to be expensive and most of the ideas on this site are low cost or completely free. You can find out more about physical activity on the getirelandactive website

How active do I need to be?

Get active as a family

Get walking

How do I help my child who has a disability get active?

Visit getirelandactive.ie for information about how active you should be.

Visit littlesteps.eu for information and advice on eating well and getting active for you and your family.

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Sexual Health

For information, advice and support on sexual health visit yoursexualhealth.ie.

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Mental Health

Visit yourmentalhealth.ie for information and advice about looking after your mental health.

Visit letsomeoneknow.ie for information and advice for young people on looking after your mental health.

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Young People

Visit spunout.ie for health information and advice for young people aged 17-24.

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Health Literacy

Literacy involves listening, speaking, reading, writing, numeracy and using everyday technology to communicate and handle information. It includes more than the technical skills of communication: it also has personal, social and economic dimensions. Literacy increases the opportunity for individuals to reflect on their situation and initiate change. Health literacy is defined as:

‘ability to make sound health decisions in the context of everyday life - at home, in the community, at the workplace, the healthcare system, the market place and the political arena’ (Kickbusch et al 2005).

Health literacy is an issue that challenges everyone to varying degrees. People who do not experience literacy difficulties in other areas of life may easily experience difficulty in healthcare settings because they are not used to the setting or indeed the vocabulary. They can struggle to make sense of health related materials with unfamiliar concepts. Emotions can also play a part - when people feel vulnerable and scared their ability to understand information is inhibited.

 Play Health Literacy Video »

The Institute of Medicine in the US provides a very relevant description:

‘Health literacy emerges when the expectations, preferences and skills of individuals seeking health information and services meet the expectations, preferences and skills of those providing the information and services’ (Institute of Medicine 2004).

Literacy Audit for Healthcare Settings

HSE Style Guide

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Drugs

For information, advice and support on drugs visit drugs.ie.

For information about legal and illegal highs visit drugs.ie

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Breastfeeding

For information, advice and support on breastfeeding visit breastfeeding.ie.

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Want to quit smoking?

If you are thinking about making your world smoke-free you don’t have to do it alone. There is lots of help and advice available and if you spend some time planning you stand a better chance of giving up for good.

Visit quit.ie to start your quit plan today.

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Alcohol

For information, advice and support on alcohol visit yourdrinking.ie.

For information, advice and support on alcohol visit drugs.ie.

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videofaqs

Display flash

What are the different types of legal and illegal highs?

- Powders and bath salts

- Herbal highs and smokable products

- Party pills

- Hallucinogens

What effects to the powders and bath salts have?

Why do people use drugs?

What psychological problems can they cause?

Are there any particular risks for young people?

How serious a problem are they?

What are the physical side effects?

Are there any long term side effects?

Are they safe to use if pregnant?

Can they damage the brain?

Can they cause death? (since recording an Irish death has been linked to a drug purchased from a head shop)

Is it dangerous to use them with other drugs such as alcohol?

Are they as dangerous as other drugs?

What about mental health problems?

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Menopause - A guide

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Your drinking, their drinking

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Disclaimer:

While every effort is made in preparing material for publication on this website, no responsibility is accepted by the Health Service Executive or its agents for any errors, omissions or misleading statements on these pages or on any site to which these pages connect. The information contained within this site is of a condensed and general nature only and can change from time to time. Users are advised to verify by direct and live contact with the Health Service Executive any information on which they rely.

This site sometimes links to external sites over which the Health Service Executive has no control and for which it accepts no responsibility .

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Privacy Policy:

This statement relates to our privacy practices in connection with this site. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of any other linked sites.

The Health Service Executive website does not store or collect any personal information about site users. Any personal information which you choose to send to the Executive via the website will be treated with the highest standards of security and confidentiality, strictly in accordance with the Data Protection Acts, 1988 & 2003.

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Little steps Physical Activity radio ad ROI 2009

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Little Steps Physical Activity radio ad ROI 2009

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Little Steps Physical Activity Radio Ad NI 2009

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Little Steps Healthy Eating Radio Ad NI 2009

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Little steps TV ad 2009

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2009 Underage Drinking Campaign Radio Ad

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