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SCREENING checks are one of the best ways to detect cancer in its earliest stages, when treatment is more likely to be successful, or even before cancer develops in the case of cervical screening.

So I was concerned to hear that more than five million women are not up to date with their cervical screening. Only 68.8 per cent of people aged 25-64 were screened within the recommended time period, the NHS said in its annual report.

Olivia West

Sun columnist Dr Zoe helps a reader who is concerned about heart issues[/caption]

It’s not just cervical screening.

Only two thirds of people take up their invitation for bowel or breast cancer screening, the most recent stats show.

Tests to detect abdominal aortic aneurysm are also offered to men when they turn 65.

It’s a busy time of year, but I would urge readers not to delay their next screening until the New Year.

If you are due, at least call the GP now to get it booked in for the next available date you are free.

Here’s a selection of what readers have asked me this week . . . 

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A reader is suffering from heart palpitations and needs some advice from Dr Zoe[/caption]

Q) I SUFFER from fibromyalgia, and palpitations are one of the many symptoms.

However, I’ve been getting them every day.

It feels like flutters.

I also have shortness of breath.

There’s heart disease in my family.

My mum had Stokes-Adams syndrome and my brother has a second-degree blockage.

I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about but I just wanted some advice.

A) Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition which predominantly causes chronic pain, but can have a host of other associated symptoms, including palpitations.

However, it’s not a good idea to assume your symptoms are caused by fibro­myalgia.

This could prevent you from seeking the proper medical advice when they could be caused by other conditions or abnormalities.

Given your family history, something like palpitations should certainly be properly investigated.

Your GP will be able to take a full history and decide whether it would be useful to get a 24-hour Holter ECG, where a monitor is worn for 24 hours and continuously looks at the activity of the heart to see what is happening at the time that you have the palpitations.

As you say they are every day, a 24-hour monitor may be sufficient.

Sometimes people require a ­seven-day monitor to make sure they catch one of the episodes to see what’s happening with the heart.

Depending on what is found, you might require further investigations, or your GP may be able to advise as to how you can best manage your symptoms.

Stokes-Adams can tend to run in families and affect people when they are older, as it has a link with ­coronary heart disease and causes collapse without warning.

Have you had any episodes where you’ve lost consciousness?

You also mentioned the shortness of breath.

Does this tend to be associated with the runs of palpitations?

If so, it would increase the likelihood of there actually being some abnormality of the heart rhythm at the time when you have the symptoms.

So, in short, please do not assume that symptoms are linked to fibromyalgia.

Any concerning symptoms must be investigated properly.

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What’s triggering me

Q) FOR the past six months, or more, I have had allergic symptoms including itchy eyes, sneezing, and a continuous runny nose.

I went to my GP’s, but could only see a nurse practitioner who told me to consult an optician.

The optician suggested over-the-counter eye drops, which haven’t worked.

When my symptoms are really bad, I take an antihistamine tablet.

It works, but I don’t want to be a slave to them forever.

I am a 72-year-old man.

My wife thinks our cat is causing this, but we’ve had her for more than seven years.

Woolly clothing seems to start it off.

Can you become allergic to stuff late in life?

A) The short answer is yes, you ­absolutely can become allergic to things later in life, including animals.

While it certainly is possible, it would be less likely for you to become allergic to your own cat if you have been continuously exposed to it over the years.

It would be worth keeping a diary of when your symptoms flare to help ascertain the potential allergens.

For example, people can develop symptoms to alcohol which most ­typically would be nasal problems, sneezing and coughing.

Wool, or more specifically lanolin, a fatty substance found on sheep’s fleeces, is a well-known allergen but usually causes rashes or other skin symptoms.

It could also be hay fever, which in the winter months tends to be an allergy to weed or mould.

Do you have any new plants in the garden or in the house?

Are there any decaying plants and ­vegetation?

Have you moved house?

It’s also possible to become sensitive to pollution, whether that be from outside or inside the home – things like candles or cleaning supplies.

So it might be worth taking measures to reduce pollution, such as using an air purifier.

It’s good to know that an antihistamine is effective, because that strongly suggests this is an allergy.

The next step – if you want to stop using antihistamines – would be allergy testing.

It can be difficult to get an NHS referral, especially if antihistamines work.

I would suggest trying a steroid nasal spray, which you can get from the pharmacy, as all of your symptoms could be helped by this.

But give it at least four weeks of proper use before deciding if it is ­effective or not – they can take this long to take full effect.

I had sciatica, now toe keeps tingling

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After suffering from sciatica, this reader is concerned about a tingling toe that won’t clear up[/caption]

Q) I HAD sciatica in the bottom left part of my back in March.

It was painful and travelled down my leg and lasted around eight weeks.

Through exercise, I began to feel ­better.

But in May, I began to suffer what is best described as non-painful tingling or pins and needles in my second toe.

Although it eases for weeks, it always returns.

I’m a 72-year-old man and during the summer I was diagnosed as having type 2 diabetes but have managed to almost eradicate it with diet and GP help.

 A) Sciatica is a common problem.

It’s a term used to describe nerve pain in the leg that is caused by a problem in the lower back.

The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that starts in the lower back and travels down the back of each leg.

If the nerve is irritated, it can cause pain in the lower back, buttock, thigh, calf or foot.

In most cases, it fortunately resolves over four to six weeks with simple ­measures, including exercise.

Regarding the pins and needles in your middle toe – yes, this may be linked to the sciatica.

Sciatica that originates from an issue at the S1 nerve root (this is a particular level in the spine) can cause altered sensation to the three outermost toes.

It can also make it difficult to walk on tiptoes, have you had this?

However, there are also a number of other causes, including your type 2 diabetes.

Pins and needles could indicate there is some damage to or pressure being put on a peripheral nerve, and type 2 diabetes is one of the most common causes of peripheral nerve damage.

Peripheral neuropathy is when nerves at the ends of the body – the hands and feet – are damaged.

It’s great to hear that your type 2 diabetes is well managed with some medication and lifestyle changes, though further improvements can always be made.

You need to act now to save yourself from festive flu

Alamy

See if you are entitled to a free flu jab here[/caption]

IT’S your last chance to get a flu jab to protect yourself and loved ones at Christmas.

It takes two weeks for the vaccine to work, according to the NHS – which also says it is “bracing for a challenging winter”.

A “quad-demic” of infections on the rise includes flu, Covid, norovirus and RSV – respiratory syncytial virus.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director for NHS England, said: “Flu cases are skyrocketing, so it’s now or never for older people and children to get themselves jabbed and protected ahead of any family get-togethers they have planned over the festive period.

“The flu vaccine is our best defence against winter viruses, and it also helps to reduce pressure on hospitals and hard-working NHS staff, who will be working flat out over the Christmas break.

“I’d urge anyone who’s eligible to add booking their flu jab to their list of things to do in the run-up to Christmas so they can protect themselves and their families this December.”

You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you are aged 65 or over, or at higher risk of serious illness, such as if you are pregnant, have a long-standing heath condition or live with someone who does.

The number of people in hospital with flu is four times higher than this time last year, according to figures for the NHS in England.

An average of 1,099 flu patients were in hospital beds each day in the week to December 1, including 39 in critical care.

Cases of flu are highest among those aged five to 14.

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive of NHS Providers, told BBC Breakfast: “We’ve seen a real rise in, a spike in, the number of children who are suffering from flu in particular, and often that’s a predictor of a later wave coming in adults.

“So it’s likely that we might see rising demand in adults down the line.

“So yes, we are bracing ourselves, I think, for a challenging winter.”

If you’re eligible for an NHS flu jab, you can call your GP surgery.

Alternatively, book a pharmacy appointment on the NHS website or via the NHS app, or ask your pharmacy if it is offering them.

Until December 19, you can call the 119 service free to book a vaccine at a pharmacy.

You qualify for a free flu vaccine if any of these apply to you…

• You were born before April 1, 1960
• You live in a care home
• You are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive carer’s allowance
• Someone you live with has a weakened immune system
• You have certain health conditions
• You are pregnant

NEW research has laid bare an uncomfortable truth about the state of gender equality today.

And no, for once, it’s not that women have it bad – it’s that we’re failing boys.

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Our system is failing men and boys[/caption]

EPA

Keir Starmer’s recent pledge failed to address the fact boys are lagging behind[/caption]

When Boris Johnson took over from Theresa May, my young daughter asked, “How come that man is now Prime Minister?”

I explained to her that Theresa May, who she had until then known as PM, had let someone else have a go at the job.

“Oh,” she said, confused, “I didn’t know a man is allowed to be Prime Minister.”

That was the moment I realised just how far we’d come: My daughter was growing up in a world where she didn’t assume “her place” was in the kitchen, but rather in the Cabinet.

But now, as I look at new alarming stats from the Centre for Social Justice, it’s clear to me: In our efforts to pave the way for girls, we’ve kicked boys to the kerb.

The research shows that boys are falling behind girls at nearly every stage of their lives.

And it’s not just a rounding error, it amounts to a national scandal.

Just days ago, Keir Starmer stood up and promised that by 2028, 75 per cent of children starting school would be “school ready”.

Yet, he failed to mention the most important issue — while girls are already meeting his target, it’s boys who are lagging behind, with only 60 per cent being up to the expected standard by the time they’re five.

Toxic narrative

The truth is, girls now out­perform boys across nearly all subjects, and boys are twice as likely to be excluded from school.

And for white working-class boys, the situation is even worse.

In 2023, only around a third of white British pupils on free school meals passed GCSE English and maths, well below black, Asian, and mixed groups.

But this isn’t just an education issue, it’s an economic dilemma, and a cultural crisis.

Since the pandemic, the number of unemployed young men has soared by 40 per cent, compared to 7 per cent for young women.

Over half a million young men are now not in education, employment, nor training, costing taxpayers an extra £2billion annually in Universal Credit payments alone.

Meanwhile, young women’s real income has overtaken young men’s for the first time in history.

When young men feel overlooked and underappreciated by society, they spiral into addiction, crime, and despair.

Just look at the prison population: 96 per cent of prisoners are men.

While things are getting better for young women, young men face a bleak, miserable existence.

It’s no surprise that men are three times more likely to die by ­suicide than women.

It’s clear that we’ve let a toxic narrative take hold, the idea that masculinity is something that needs to be fixed.

But boys don’t need to be “fixed”.

They need to be empowered to be good men, just as we’ve empowered young women.

They need better education, better jobs, and better odds.

When I worked in government advising then Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch, I took comfort in seeing a government ministry with dedicated teams working to improve things for women and protect women’s rights.

Yesterday, the Labour government announced the priorities for its new Office for Equality and Opportunity.

It promised to ensure “women’s equality becomes a ­reality”.

Unsurprisingly, the word “women” appears nine times in the statement, and disabled people, ethnic minorities, and trans people are also listed as priorities.

But not once is the word “boys” mentioned despite the fact that they face some of the worst outcomes, and never mind the fact they’re 50 per cent of the population.

Challenges facing boys

With such an obvious and glaring omission, the new ministry might be better named the Office for Missed Opportunity.

I believe we desperately need a Minister for Men and Boys.

The challenges facing boys today, from school exclusions to joblessness to mental health issues, demand the attention of those at the heart of government.

Ignoring the struggles of boys is just as harmful as ignoring the struggles of women or ethnic minorities.

We cannot continue to pretend boys’ problems don’t ­matter.

There are those who will ­dismiss this as a culture war, or some ploy to legitimise “toxic masculinity”.

But we face a simple choice: We can leave young men to fester in the dark corners of society as the likes of Andrew Tate take on the mantle of guiding them, which would be a catastrophe for all.

Or, those in power could show they give a damn about how much we are failing young boys.

Many much-revered figures such as Barack Obama, have claimed “you can judge a society by how it treats its women and girls”.

Well, I think it’s time to start judging ourselves by how we’ve been treating our boys, too.

Will is key to US link

IT’S fair to say that Labour politicians have not exactly covered themselves in glory in their attitudes to the incoming American President Donald Trump in the past.

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, described him a few years ago as “tyrant”, “woman-hating”, “racist KKK and Nazi sympathiser” and “sociopath”.

Reuters

It was quite refreshing to see Prince William meeting Donald Trump in Paris this week[/caption]

Tad much if you ask me.

Perhaps a bit of foresight might have indicated that such outbursts might come back to haunt Labour should Trump become president once again.

We have years of awkward relationships with the new Labour government and Donald Trump’s incoming administration to look forward to.

So, it was quite refreshing to see Prince William meeting Donald Trump in Paris this week, putting politics aside, being all smiles, and reminding us what grown-up diplomacy with our closest ally looks like.

Not even Trump should trump a good old-fashioned special relationship.

Strictly magic is spoiled by classy dancers

IS it just me or does Strictly Come Dancing get boring when people who could already dance well before they joined the show make the final?

Quite frankly, I’ve always thought it’s cheating a bit.

BBC

BBC

Take Tasha Ghouri, the former Love Island star and model who has made the final.

She is inarguably the best dancer on the show and has received full marks twice.

Tasha is also an incredible role model for deaf people.

But she was a trained dancer before joining the show, what do you expect?!

JB Gill from JLS has also made the final.

Again, his dancing has been well above the calibre of the other male dancers.

But, again, he did get years of professional dance training while in JLS.

We need more people on the show with two left feet, who make us slightly cringe for weeks but who we eventually find endearing.

Sadiq’s sad stats

MANY people are furious that Sadiq Khan is set to receive the top honour of a knighthood.

A petition calling for it to be stopped has already been signed by more than 140,000 people.

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It’s silly that politicians get knighthoods for winning elections and sticking around in Westminster for long enough.

It’s another whole level of taking the mick when said politician has presided over what many see as the slow and painful demise of one of the greatest cities in the world.

During Khan’s leadership, things haven’t exactly been rosy.

He’s overseen record surges in stabbings and homicides, violent crime soaring 30 per cent since he first came to power, has repeatedly missed his own housebuilding targets, and London was just voted the worst city for a night out in the UK.

With these dire stats, it’s a surprise more Londoners wouldn’t be honoured to see him kicked out of office.

Two is plenty

I DON’T know who needs to hear this but . . . your kid doesn’t need more than one or two gifts for Christmas.

Pictures of Christmas trees surrounded by what can only be described as a moat of boxes leave me utterly bamboozled.

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Your kid doesn’t need more than one or two gifts for Christmas[/caption]

You’d think the parents are collecting boxes of clothes and food to send to a village of poor children abroad.

All the while, it’s just for a couple of toddlers.

What are you people putting in there?!

I couldn’t bear the amount of unused tat I’d end up with as a result.

So, I’m getting my daughter two gifts.

Cure the audible gasps of some parents out there who will, no doubt, call me an Ebenezer Scrooge.

But, I think it means you end up putting more thought into the gift, and your kid doesn’t end up a spoilt brat.

What’s not to love?

SO Syria is finally free of bloodthirsty tyrant Bashar al-Assad.

Yet the chaotic tinderbox nation he leaves behind could lead to repercussions on the streets of the UK.

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Reuters

Rebels seize Syrian capital Damascus at the weekend[/caption]

AFP

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani led the overthrow of Assad[/caption]

No one yet knows how the complex and often competing web of different fighting groups now in control of Syria will manage a civilian administration.

But British authorities will be carefully monitoring events, with their eyes on two key factors that could cause blowback here.

Firstly, there’s the crucial question of what happens to the remnants of Islamic State.

Then there’s the prospect that war-ravaged Syria will produce a fresh refugee crisis, sending thousands to seek safety in Europe once more.

Despite largely disappearing from the headlines, IS is still very much alive and kicking in Syria.

When the terror group made its last stand at Baghuz — on the Syria/Iraq border — in 2019, thousands of IS terrorists and their families surrendered and were trucked to prison camps.

Others fled into the Syrian desert in small groups, hoping to resurrect their caliphate after licking their wounds.

It was these IS remnants that America targeted this weekend in what they described as precision bombing raids.

The US said they unleashed B-52 bombers and F-15 fighter jets to pound IS camps, leaders and operatives.

President Joe Biden said IS “will try to take advantage of any vacuum to re-establish its capabilities to create a safe haven”.

The Americans took the opportunity to hit IS hard to try to make sure they don’t profit from the current chaos in Syria.

Over the last decade British Typhoon fighter jets — stationed at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus — have conducted more than 10,000 sorties against IS, striking around 1,400 targets in Iraq and Syria.

In September Britain announced its role in the fight against IS — known as Operation Shader — was ending.

Whether that decision is reviewed remains to be seen.

Meanwhile thousands of IS prisoners are still being held in sprawling camps in the Kurdish region of north east Syria.

The most famous of whom is Shamima Begum, one of three east London schoolgirls who travelled to Syria in 2015 to join IS.

Uptick in terrorism

If the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces suddenly stop guarding these prisoners and they are let loose there could be an uptick in international terrorism in the UK.

The former head of MI6 Sir Alex Younger yesterday described the camps as “a hotbed of radicalisation”.

And he warned that if the SDF no longer maintains the camps then we can expect “a serious spike in the threat posed to Europe by Isis”.

The US still has hundreds of troops stationed in the Kurdish region of Syria.

During his last tenure as President, Donald Trump threatened to pull them out before aides persuaded him otherwise.

Trump’s advisors may be more amenable to the idea when he assumes office again in January.

Another refugee crisis

Then there’s the prospect of another refugee crisis which I believe is quite likely.

At the moment people are going the other way.

Refugees are returning from Lebanon and Turkey to Syria and good luck to them, I really hope that they find peace.

But if the situation becomes as chaotic as it did in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan after their hardline regimes fell, then the refugee flow will start to go the other way again.

Many will likely head towards Turkey first where there are already three million Syrian refugees.

Then, some could well decide that Europe is a safer haven.

During the 2015 refugee crisis, 1.3 million people claimed asylum in Europe, most were from Syria.

While the immediate situation is helping to ease the refugee crisis for Europe, it may turn out to be only a temporary respite.

Much will depend on the man who seemingly now has much of Syria in the palm of his hand — Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who led the overthrow of Assad.

The jihadi has much blood on his hands.

He fought the US in Iraq for al-Qaeda before leading the terror group’s affiliate in Syria.

It’s why the Americans have a $10m bounty on his head.

Doesn’t believe in democracy

The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has toned down his extremist rhetoric and says there’s a place in Syria for religious minorities.

It may turn out that Jolani is being sincere.

But there are big factors that suggest this new-found tolerance may not last.

Firstly, this apparent transformation Jolani has undergone doesn’t mean the people he leads feel the same way.

Then there’s the way he and HTS ran Syria’s Idlib province which was pretty authoritarian.

It isn’t a liberal place and is hardly a beacon for women’s rights.

Also Jolani isn’t a democrat.

He may say that he believes Syria should remain a homeland for its religious minorities, which include Christians, Druze and Alawites, but don’t expect everyone to have a vote.

He doesn’t believe in democracy because jihadists don’t.

He believes it’s blasphemy against God.

So the best we are going to get out of him is a benevolent autocrat.

As Jolani attempts to unite a shattered nation after almost 14 years of bloodshed, Britain and the wider world will be watching warily.

FOR six long months, 90-year-old Alfred barely stepped outside his front door.

Since his wife of six decades died eight years earlier, he had lived alone, with no children to visit and just one surviving sibling.

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Millions of people of all ages will suffer the effects of loneliness as Christmas draws closer[/caption]

Age UK

90-year-old Alfred barely stepped outside his front door after losing his wife – until he met Lauren[/caption]

Only when he had to put the bins out or see the doctor did Alfred leave the house. The remainder of the time, he had little contact with the rest of the world.

“I didn’t see anybody for days, weeks, months,” the pensioner, from Wakefield, West Yorks, tells Sun Health.

“Everybody’s working, or seems to be, and there is no such thing as good neighbours.

“I was just left with loneliness.”

After losing her husband of 50 years, Shelagh also went months without leaving home.

The 67-year-old, from Oxfordshire, said the sudden isolation was incredibly traumatic, despite regular contact with her kids and grandchildren.

“I used to go everywhere with my husband,” she says. “He was my support, my rock. I didn’t want to go out. I was just steeped in this grief, and I felt I couldn’t.”

Alfred and Shelagh are not alone. Millions more like them face the cruel reality of the nation’s loneliness epidemic.

When isolation persists, it can have a devastating effect on a person’s quality of life, wellbeing and mental health.

In fact, it can quite literally be deadly — if not directly, then by raising the risk of severe health problems.

Heart disease, stroke, depression and dementia are all hidden side effects, while studies have shown a link to a higher risk of early death.

Experts now fear that, as Christmas draws closer, and with cuts to the Winter Fuel Allowance, millions of people of all ages will suffer the effects of loneliness.

That’s why The Sun has teamed up with Age UK for our Christmas SOS campaign, asking Sun readers to donate to its fantastic work.

The charity has already turned Alfred and Shelagh’s lives around, and it can do the same for many more.

Alfred was put in touch with Age UK Wakefield’s befriending service by his GP and now enjoys weekly visits from a caring companion.

Meanwhile, Shelagh’s doctor referred her to Age UK Oxfordshire’s bereavement support group, where she met new friends.

Age UK’s report, You Are Not Alone In Feeling Lonely, revealed last week that of those who are often lonely, nine in ten are also unhappy or depressed.

And people on lower incomes are more likely to experience it.

Age UK director Caroline Abrahams said: “We know what works to tackle loneliness. With sustained investment in the right approaches, we can make a positive difference to older people’s lives.

“Donations of money, time and friendship from Sun readers will make a huge difference and help us be there for older people.”

WHAT IS LONELINESS?

MOST of us will experience feeling left out, detached from friends and family and isolated at some point. But is that the same as loneliness?

Jenny Lippiatt, Age UK’s health policy manager, says: “Loneliness doesn’t mean that you don’t have anyone around you.

“It might just mean the content of relationships isn’t what it needs to be in order to meet your needs.

“I think a lot of older people accept, ‘This is it for me now’. And I don’t think the world helps them feel differently.”

Among causes of loneliness are ill health, bereavement, retirement or low income.

THE HEALTH COST

LONELINESS is inextricably linked to ill health. A major 2010 review of scientific evidence found that strong social ties increase the odds of survival by 50 per cent.

Led by researcher Julianne Holt-Lunstad, of Brigham Young University in Utah, it included data from 148 studies and more than 300,000 people and led to the claim “loneliness is as detrimental to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day”.

Jenny says: “If you feel lonely and your mental wellbeing is impacted by that, that can change how you eat, whether it’s overeating or under-eating. You might not want to look after yourself in the same way, exercise or, in extreme cases you might stop taking your medication.

“Things that we know we need to do to keep ourselves healthy become harder when you’re mentally distressed. That has implications for your physical health.”

There is also evidence that, from a physiological perspective, loneliness may harm the workings of the body.

Jenny says: “If you’re stressed for a long time, which loneliness can cause, that can lead to an increase in cortisol and blood pressure, which may explain some of that increased risk of heart disease and stroke, for example.”

The Mental Health Foundation suggests people blame themselves for being lonely.

This, and the stigma, makes it harder for some to admit they are experiencing it.

While meeting people may seem like a “fix”, this can be hard if you have lost your confidence.

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Loneliess is inextricably linked to ill health[/caption]

DEMENTIA RISK

THE odds of developing dementia are 25 per cent higher if you are lonely, according to Age UK. Causes are likely connected — for example, social isolation, which can overlap with loneliness, is one of 14 risk factors for dementia.

The 2024 Lancet Commission said almost half of dementia cases could be prevented or delayed by measures including lowering cholesterol, healthy eating, staying slim and regular exercise, less boozing and quitting smoking.

They found strong social connections would lead to five fewer cases of dementia per 100 people.

MENTAL HEALTH

“Depression can lead to loneliness and loneliness can lead to depression,” Jenny points out.

Age UK warns that age discrimination means older people with mental health issues are more easily dismissed as “just lonely” when they need proper clinical support.

“Older people might think it’s a normal part of ageing to feel sad,” she adds. However they are just as likely to experience mental health issues as younger people, even if their symptoms differ.

For example, older people with anxiety are more likely to have physical symptoms, Age UK says.

Jenny adds: “It’s important to consult a healthcare professional if you’re persistently lonely and down. Antidepressants aren’t always the answer. Talking therapies and community engagement can help.”

HEART HEALTH

THE stress of isolation can put pressure on the heart — with high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke all linked to loneliness.

A study this year by Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health found that among 12,000 over-50s, those who scored “consistently high” for loneliness had a 56 per cent higher risk of stroke over eight years.

Meanwhile, scientists at Denmark’s Copenhagen University Hospital found lonely patients with ischaemic heart disease, arrhythmia, heart failure or heart valve disease were twice as likely to die from the conditions.

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Research found strong social connections would lead to five fewer cases of dementia per 100 people[/caption]

IMMUNITY

ON top of heart problems, dementia and mental health concerns, loneliness may weaken our immune system, studies have suggested.

It could, therefore, leave people more susceptible to infections and disease. John Cacioppo, a leading scientist investigating loneliness based at the University of Chicago, found evidence that it can increase inflammation while driving down antiviral response.

He also discovered evidence in 2015 that loneliness leads to fight or flight stress signalling, reducing the activity of white blood cells, which travel in the blood and fight infections.

A rise in stress hormone cortisol and poor sleep can also suppress immune function over time.

SUPPORT IS AT HAND

ALFRED and Shelagh’s experiences — and new friendships — are testament to the wide-ranging support available from Age UK.

After months of barely seeing another human being, Alfred looks forward to a weekly visit with his befriender, Lauren.

The 33-year-old, who works for a confectionary company, pops in for tea, a chat and to talk about anything he needs help with.

“Lauren’s broken that loneliness for an hour and a half a week and I’m very grateful for it,” he said.

“She’s very friendly and sociable. She puts the kettle on, we have a cup of tea, a few laughs about my olden days and she’s astounded at how life used to be.”

The retired factory worker says Lauren helps him stay connected to the world and has refuelled his determination to improve his mobility.

Shelagh shares Alfred’s new-found optimism after pushing herself to attend monthly bereavement group meetings since January 2023.

As well as catching up in the local café, members have regular walks, pub lunches and other social activities.

Shelagh says: “It got me out of the house and one thing led to another.

“It brought me back into the social world.

“I made friends who I see on quite a regular basis for coffee or lunch.

“I started to do things with my life. Without the group, I think I’d have still been sitting here because I didn’t know how to find a way out.”

WHAT YOU CAN DO

DONATE

MAKE a donation online at ageuk.org.uk/christmassos

Or scan this QR code on your phone to go straight to the site

Or donate by text:

To give £5, text SOS5 to 70507

To give £10, text SOS10 to 70507

VOLUNTEER!

Give the gift of your time by signing up as one of Age UK’s telephone friendship volunteers

Just 20 to 30 minutes a week to chat with an older person who might be in need of company

To find out more go to ageuk.org.uk/volunteer or scan the QR code

SHOP!

Age UK has 250 shops across the country, great places to pick up Christmas presents and support the elderly.

• DONATE at ageuk.org.uk/ChristmasSos         
• NEED HELP? Call Age UK on 0800 169 65 65

I’M A Celebrity star Danny Jones has stripped off for a post-show bubble bath after winning the 2024 series.

The McFly star became the second member of the band to be crowned King of the Jungle when he won the ITV reality show on Sunday night.

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I’m A Celebrity star Danny Jones has stripped off for a post-show bubble bath after winning the 2024 series.[/caption]

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The star sipped on a beer as he enjoyed his bath[/caption]

Eroteme

And he’s wasted no time jumping straight into a hot bubble bath after contending with the jungle critters and camp.

A topless Danny shared a video of himself relaxing in the huge tub with city views, as he grabbed a beer and made a cheeky confession.

Danny penned: “Cough cough *King’s voice* Dear loyal subjects, I can decree that one has changed one’s boxers… Thank you everyone for voting, it truly means the world. I’ll see you all very soon.”

In the playful clip, the dad-of-one beams from ear to ear as he holds his beer up and says: “Cheers everyone. King of the jungle. I’ll see you all very soon.”

Danny’s loyal followers were loving the clip, as one person wrote: “Thank you for shaving the beard, much appreciated. I’m glad you’re having a good time, our King. ”

A second penned: “Well deserved winner,” and a third replied: “Yes!!! The Most Deserving King Of The Jungle!!!”

Danny followed in the footsteps of his McFly bandmate Dougie Poynter who scooped the title back in 2011.

And since leaving the show he’s shared the moment during the programme that forced the stars to flee and seek refuge in the Bush Telegraph.

As a result of the disaster weather conditions in Oz that saw buckets of rain pelt the camp, all 12 stars were forced to make a run for it out of camp.

Speaking after his win, Danny discussed the terrifying incident that saw all of them holed up in the confined space.

He said: “It was one of the hardest nights, we were all quite cramped and I think there were still 12 of us then as well, all boiling-hot in close proximity.”

He further added to the Mirror that as a result of the excessive rain, the campmates also found themselves joined by LEECHES which further added to their misery.

The Voice UK coach continued to the publication: “The rain also meant the leeches were searching for you and I was literally on leech check every day.”

Danny’s victory comes 13 years after pal Dougie became the first of the McFly boys to brave the camp.

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Fans were loving Danny’s video[/caption]

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