0:00:02 > 0:00:05Every day, we're bombarded with conflicting messages about
0:00:05 > 0:00:07how to live a healthy, happy life.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11One minute we're told something's the right thing to do,
0:00:11 > 0:00:14the next, it's the complete opposite,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and we're left without a clue which advice to follow.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23So, we've been wading through the confusion to separate
0:00:23 > 0:00:25the scare stories from the truth,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28to help you work out what's best for you.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37Hello and welcome to Health - Truth Or Scare,
0:00:37 > 0:00:40the series that unpicks the news stories that tell us
0:00:40 > 0:00:42all the things we should and shouldn't be doing
0:00:42 > 0:00:43to keep ourselves healthy.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46And today we're going to go behind those headlines that make
0:00:46 > 0:00:49a really big deal out of the subjects where, frankly,
0:00:49 > 0:00:53the right thing to do might seem to be blindingly obvious.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54But, you know, reading some of the articles,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57it's very easy for all the certainties and things
0:00:57 > 0:01:00that you thought you knew to go just right out the window.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04But don't forget it all just yet, or at least not until we've asked
0:01:04 > 0:01:08how many of the most surprising headlines really do stack up.
0:01:09 > 0:01:14Coming up, we've long known that too much sunshine is bad for our skin,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18but should we be worried that too little can be bad for our bones?
0:01:18 > 0:01:22When did you notice that his legs were starting to bow?
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And how much exercise do we really need?
0:01:25 > 0:01:28We've all got different ideas, but who's right?
0:01:28 > 0:01:30I play golf twice a week.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32I don't even see dog walking as exercise,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34it's just what I do because I've got dogs.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Over the past few decades, I think we've all come to understand
0:01:41 > 0:01:45that we really do need to protect ourselves from the sun
0:01:45 > 0:01:48because of the damage that too much of it can actually do to our skins.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51But last year a flurry of headlines reported that because we get
0:01:51 > 0:01:55so little sunshine, thanks to the great British weather,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59and also to the fact that we're now all so careful in the sun,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02we're actually starving our bodies of an essential vitamin we get
0:02:02 > 0:02:03from sunshine, vitamin D.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Now, not having enough vitamin D can really have quite
0:02:07 > 0:02:09dreadful consequences for our health, and we've just got to
0:02:09 > 0:02:12look at some of the headlines that we've got here.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15"Sun-starved Britons must take vitamin D in winter",
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and what they're referring to is the fact that sunlight gives us
0:02:18 > 0:02:21vitamin D, which helps the absorption of calcium,
0:02:21 > 0:02:22which of course is good for our bones.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27So, while too much sun certainly is not safe,
0:02:27 > 0:02:29I really did want to find out whether getting
0:02:29 > 0:02:33no sun at all could be just as bad or perhaps even worse.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37We could well get up into the low 30s.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41Britain's sweltering in its longest heat wave for seven years.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44High pressure across the UK.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46- Searing heat.- Another sizzling day.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Barry Island, hotter than Barbados.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Now, we might not see forecasts like that as often as we'd like,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55but when the sun does come out in Britain, our arms, legs,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59and very often much more come out too.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Now, worth mentioning the high UV levels. The sun will be very strong.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05If you're out in that sunshine for any length of time, well,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07a little bit of suntan lotion will go quite a long way.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Unless you're in a high-risk group for developing skin cancer,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16on grey winter days like this we don't have to worry about
0:03:16 > 0:03:19what damage the sun might be doing to our skins.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23But if some of the reports that appeared in the press towards
0:03:23 > 0:03:26the end of 2016 are correct, then perhaps what we should be
0:03:26 > 0:03:30worried about is whether or not we're actually getting ENOUGH sun.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33They said that us sun-starved Brits were missing out on the vitamin D
0:03:33 > 0:03:37that our bodies get from sunshine, and we should be taking supplements
0:03:37 > 0:03:40in the winter to keep our bones and immune system strong.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43But they also said that we don't all get enough vitamin D
0:03:43 > 0:03:47in the summer either, perhaps because so many of us follow
0:03:47 > 0:03:50the safe-sun message and cover up or use sunscreen.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53So, too much sun is bad for our skin
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and too little sun is bad for our bones.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59No wonder people aren't really sure what to do.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03- Do you always use some kind of sun protection?- Oh, always, yeah.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04I burn quite easily,
0:04:04 > 0:04:06so I need to make sure that I've got something on.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- I never really wear it in this country.- Hardly.
0:04:09 > 0:04:10Do you cover up?
0:04:10 > 0:04:13- Do you use high protection on your sun cream?- Definitely.- Yes?
0:04:13 > 0:04:16It's really important because I do have really fair skin.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Does it ever worry you that the lack of sunshine means you're not
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- getting enough vitamin D? - It does worry me.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24It's not something I think about from day to day.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26I don't know the ins and outs of it but I do know it's important to get.
0:04:26 > 0:04:31To find out more about how the sun's UV produces vitamin D,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34I'm meeting up with the sunshine expert Professor Ann Webb
0:04:34 > 0:04:37from the University of Manchester.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Well, Ann, we're filming this in early March.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43Lots of blue sky up there, which is lovely,
0:04:43 > 0:04:46because we've got sunlight, but it's freezing cold.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49To show me how it's surprisingly hard to get all we need from
0:04:49 > 0:04:52the sun in the winter months, she's fitting me with
0:04:52 > 0:04:55a gadget and we're heading for a walk around the university.
0:04:59 > 0:05:04Ann specialises in studying how our bodies make vitamin D from sunshine.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Back in her office, the results show my badge detected very little UV.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17The red line is when you were outside and we were walking around.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21UV levels are measured on a scale up to eight,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25but the gadget on my wrist barely registered one on the UV index.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Here it got to 0.4.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31Here it was 0.7.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35This is where it was at its highest, a whopping one.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37And back inside, of course, it was zero.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41So, a UV index of one is really not very much.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45- It's rubbish, really, isn't it? - It is pretty rubbish, yes.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47We wouldn't even have to worry about wearing our sun screen
0:05:47 > 0:05:49when the UV index is one.
0:05:49 > 0:05:54So, even on a day like today where we've had lots of heavy cloud
0:05:54 > 0:05:57but big patches of blue sky where the sun has been coming through,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01it's still not enough to give me the vitamin D that I need.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03That's right, there's really just not enough there
0:06:03 > 0:06:05at this time of year.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08What would that reading be at the height of the summer?
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Well, then you'd see it somewhere round about five, six, seven even.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16So, where no amount of sunshine will get us all the vitamin D
0:06:16 > 0:06:19we need in the winter months, what kind of lifestyle gets us
0:06:19 > 0:06:22the sun and vitamin D we need to last all year?
0:06:24 > 0:06:27To help us find out, we've recruited three people who spend
0:06:27 > 0:06:30very different amounts of time outdoors and Ann is going to give us
0:06:30 > 0:06:33her verdict on whether or not they get the sunshine they need.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39The sun drives my business. Without the sun, grass doesn't grow.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42The sun's energy, basically.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Farmer Mark is outdoors in all weather.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48I'm probably out in the sun about four to five hours a day.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49Some days we can do eight, ten hours,
0:06:49 > 0:06:51depending on what jobs we're doing.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56And scaffolder Martin works outside almost all day,
0:06:56 > 0:06:57whatever the weather.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59I'd say on a typical day, every day,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01we're outside for about eight hours.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Working mum Saloma spends almost all her time inside
0:07:04 > 0:07:07running her baby-gift business.
0:07:07 > 0:07:08In the normal day, actually,
0:07:08 > 0:07:11I'd probably be outside for about three hours maximum.
0:07:11 > 0:07:12That would involve me going to school,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16doing the school pick-ups and drop-offs and childcare.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19So it's kind of very much in and out, in and out, in and out.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22The majority of the time I'm indoors on my laptop
0:07:22 > 0:07:24or indoors making my baby gifts.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Could I have another five, pal?
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Martin the scaffolder tops the table for time spent outside
0:07:31 > 0:07:35but that's the only table he tops, because his clothes mean
0:07:35 > 0:07:39the UV rays our bodies turn into vitamin D can't get to his skin.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44I'm constantly covered up. We've got our jackets on, harness.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Obviously I've got me hard hat on,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48so the only thing that's exposed is me face.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52There's very little skin that's actually exposed to the sun.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54While at first thought you might think
0:07:54 > 0:07:56he's getting a lot of exposure,
0:07:56 > 0:08:00I think his is actually quite limited during the working week.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02He'd be making very limited vitamin D.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07And even in the summer months, with his hands and face showing,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11Ann thinks Martin is unlikely to generate enough vitamin D.
0:08:11 > 0:08:12But there is a solution.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15It's difficult because it's very important that
0:08:15 > 0:08:17he follows all the safety regulations,
0:08:17 > 0:08:20so I suppose that leaves him with his leisure time and his weekends.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23And if he gets a break to have his lunch or something,
0:08:23 > 0:08:24sitting up on the scaffold,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27to take his jacket off and expose a bit more skin then.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Instead, it's farmer Mark
0:08:30 > 0:08:33who's getting the most vitamin D from the sun.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37He's exposing all of his arm as well as his face and head.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39I've probably got what you'd call a farmer's tan,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42which comes up your arms and stops about there.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45I would say, of the three, he's getting the most sun exposure and
0:08:45 > 0:08:49therefore has the greatest ability to make vitamin D in his skin.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54As for Saloma, being in a car most of the time that she is outside
0:08:54 > 0:08:57will cut out a lot of the UV that she needs.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59If you're sitting in your car or you've gone into a shop
0:08:59 > 0:09:03or you're in a mall, you might say, "I'm out,"
0:09:03 > 0:09:05as in out of the house,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08but you are not getting sunlight exposure in those places.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11And there's another consideration for Saloma too -
0:09:11 > 0:09:15her skin colour means she'll have to make an even bigger effort
0:09:15 > 0:09:16to get enough vitamin D.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20In the summer, if you've got pigmented skin
0:09:20 > 0:09:22then it is possible to make enough vitamin D,
0:09:22 > 0:09:27but you do have to be careful to expose sufficient amount of skin,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and also you would need to be outside for
0:09:30 > 0:09:32a longer time than someone with a white skin.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35So that's how it works in the summer,
0:09:35 > 0:09:39but in the winter the sun just isn't strong enough
0:09:39 > 0:09:43for any of us, even farmer Mark, to get all the vitamin D we need
0:09:43 > 0:09:45from sunshine between October and March.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48The good news is that our bodies can store it during the summer
0:09:48 > 0:09:50to last us through the winter.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53But Martin and Saloma don't get enough.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55And while Martin could try to roll up his sleeves
0:09:55 > 0:09:58when he's on his lunch break at work,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Saloma needs to look for her vitamin D elsewhere.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06I would think she would be well advised to at least consider
0:10:06 > 0:10:09supplements and to think about them for her children, maybe.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Vitamin D is essential for strong bones as it helps the body
0:10:13 > 0:10:16absorb the calcium in our diet.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18And supplements will help anyone keep their vitamin D levels
0:10:18 > 0:10:20topped up all year round,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24especially in those winter months when the sun isn't strong enough.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27But why isn't the sun strong enough?
0:10:27 > 0:10:29Ann is taking me into what must be the darkest room
0:10:29 > 0:10:32in the university to explain.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34What is actually happening to the sun on the globe?
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- I mean, you can give us a demonstration of that.- Yes.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40When the sun is right overhead then we get all the sun's energy.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42- That's like here on the equator. - That's right.
0:10:42 > 0:10:46But as we go further to the north, the sun is now not directly overhead
0:10:46 > 0:10:50and the same amount of energy is spread over a much bigger area.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53So we're getting much less radiation as we go,
0:10:53 > 0:10:55in our case, further north.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59'So, that weaker northern winter sun is why getting vitamin D
0:10:59 > 0:11:01'from the sun in summer is so important.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05'But even our UK sun can still burn us in the summer,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07'so how do we get one without the other?'
0:11:07 > 0:11:11It is complicated because the sun has both good effects
0:11:11 > 0:11:13and detrimental effects -
0:11:13 > 0:11:15we can get a sunburn, which is bad for us,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19but if you want to make vitamin D through your skin then you do need
0:11:19 > 0:11:24to go out in the sun and let some unprotected skin see the sunlight.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Unprotected skin - now, that's the important bit,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30because we're always being told you must wear some kind of sun barrier.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33You're saying we don't need to at certain times.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Well, the sun barrier, the sunscreen or the clothing,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40is to protect you from UV radiation and stop you getting a sunburn,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42but of course it's that same UV radiation
0:11:42 > 0:11:44that's making vitamin D in your skin.
0:11:44 > 0:11:49So a short period unprotected to allow some vitamin D
0:11:49 > 0:11:52and then, of course, cover up and make sure you don't get a sunburn.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55When you say short, how much do we need to get that vital vitamin D?
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Ah, well, that's a difficult question!
0:11:57 > 0:11:59It depends on all sorts of things.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01It depends on where you are, on the time of day,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04on the amount of skin that you're exposing
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and on your skin pigmentation, your skin colour, as well.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11In 2016, the Government changed years of official advice and
0:12:11 > 0:12:15said more of us should be boosting our vitamin D intake
0:12:15 > 0:12:18with a supplement, because hospitals are seeing an increase in diseases
0:12:18 > 0:12:21that are caused by a lack of vitamin D.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23At Manchester Children's Hospital,
0:12:23 > 0:12:2618-month-old Azrael is being treated for a condition
0:12:26 > 0:12:30that I'd not imagined would be present in the 21st century -
0:12:30 > 0:12:31rickets.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34He's just one of the many children
0:12:34 > 0:12:38specialist Dr Raja sees every year with the condition.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40So, he's been diagnosed with rickets,
0:12:40 > 0:12:42which is a disease of the growing bone.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Because his vitamin D is low,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47he's not been able to absorb calcium from his diet.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50It's never just vitamin D deficiency alone,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52it's also calcium deficiency.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Because he's allergic to dairy products,
0:12:55 > 0:12:58- he doesn't have any source of calcium at the moment as well.- Yeah.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02We didn't know too much about, you know,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05the different effects it would have on him and we didn't know
0:13:05 > 0:13:08what the different remedies for it was,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11so we've just been learning as we go.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14'Azrael's parents are originally from southern Africa,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17'but our weak British sun and not taking supplements is what gave
0:13:17 > 0:13:21'his mum a vitamin D deficiency when she was pregnant.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23'This, combined with Azrael also suffering from
0:13:23 > 0:13:26'a calcium deficiency, has caused his rickets.'
0:13:27 > 0:13:30OK, if you could stand here for us, Azrael.
0:13:30 > 0:13:35Right, OK. As you can see here, he's got the bowing of the leg.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38The other features one tends to see in rickets
0:13:38 > 0:13:40is the end of the bones, the long bones,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42they're a bit swollen.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45You've been very good to us today, well done.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49When did you notice that his legs were starting to bow?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- It was around seven months.- Yeah.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- When he started to try and walk? - Yeah.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58'But there is good news - Azrael's bones are still developing,
0:13:58 > 0:14:02'so he just needs more vitamin D and calcium and his legs
0:14:02 > 0:14:05'will straighten as his bones get stronger.'
0:14:05 > 0:14:07How long is it going to take for his legs to start
0:14:07 > 0:14:09straightening up again, Raja?
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Six months, you will start seeing the benefit,
0:14:12 > 0:14:17and within one to two years you will see them to be completely straight,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21provided you continue to take vitamin D supplement.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24'Dr Raja is just one of the experts having to deal with
0:14:24 > 0:14:27'the highest rate of rickets in English hospitals for 50 years.'
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Why is it that we're seeing apparently more cases
0:14:33 > 0:14:37of rickets now than we did, say, I don't know, 10, 20, 30 years ago?
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Well, there are various factors and various reasons for this.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43One of them is the lifestyle change.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47We're not going outside into the sun to get our skin exposed to sunlight
0:14:47 > 0:14:49to produce vitamin D.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Staying indoors, with children particularly playing computer games
0:14:52 > 0:14:54- rather than being out on the streets.- Absolutely.- Yeah.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Also, our population is getting very diverse,
0:14:57 > 0:15:01and darker the skin, a larger amount of sunlight
0:15:01 > 0:15:03is required to produce vitamin D.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05So if you're Afro-Caribbean,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07you come from the Middle East or the Far East, anywhere in that belt
0:15:07 > 0:15:10where you're going to get a lot of sun during the day,
0:15:10 > 0:15:12if they come to Britain,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14they're not going to get the same amount of sun, are they?
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Exactly, so therefore it becomes very important that
0:15:17 > 0:15:19they get vitamin D supplementation.
0:15:20 > 0:15:21Well, I have to say,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24the repercussions of NOT getting enough sun are almost enough
0:15:24 > 0:15:28to make you want to spend even more time out in the sunshine.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32But as we've long been told, that also comes with serious risks
0:15:32 > 0:15:34to our health, including skin cancer.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37And to remind us just how dangerous the sun can be,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41in February 2016, the government health watchdog, NICE,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44told us there was no safe way to get a suntan.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47And if that's leaving you even more confused about how to ensure
0:15:47 > 0:15:50that you get enough vitamin D but don't spend
0:15:50 > 0:15:52so long in the sun that it damages your skin,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56then don't worry, because there is a way to get the balance right.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Dr Vishal Madan is a consultant dermatologist.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05How do we weigh up the benefits of the sun against the disadvantages?
0:16:05 > 0:16:09What is important to understand is you need just a limited amount
0:16:09 > 0:16:11of sun exposure to produce vitamin D.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14If you're out in the sun for even longer than that,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17you're increasing the risks of the most dangerous types of
0:16:17 > 0:16:19skin cancer, such as melanoma.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Dr Madan says for most but not all of us,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26a few minutes in the summer sun every day with bare arms or legs
0:16:26 > 0:16:29should be enough to get the vitamin D you need
0:16:29 > 0:16:32without posing a serious risk of skin damage.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37But - and it's a very big but - if you burn easily or you're already
0:16:37 > 0:16:41at risk of skin cancer, no unprotected sunshine is safe.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44If you've got a very strong family history of skin cancers,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47you've got hundreds of moles on your skin, and if you've had
0:16:47 > 0:16:50skin cancers in the past, this advice is not relevant to you.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52But somebody who hasn't got those kind of risk factors
0:16:52 > 0:16:56may go out in the sun, enjoy the sunshine in moderation,
0:16:56 > 0:16:57avoid the peak times of the sun,
0:16:57 > 0:17:01so midday sun, for example, and cover up.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04But for anyone who's worried about the sun damaging their skin,
0:17:04 > 0:17:06or spends a lot of time indoors,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09or perhaps covers up for cultural reasons,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Dr Madan says a vitamin D supplement is essential.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17After Professor Webb revealed that she wasn't getting enough
0:17:17 > 0:17:20sunshine to keep her vitamin D levels up,
0:17:20 > 0:17:25working mum Saloma has now taken to spending more time outdoors.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28I'm actually getting out more in the day rather than actually
0:17:28 > 0:17:30just being inside in my home office.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32I'm actually... When I pick up the kids from school,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34I'll go take them to the park after school
0:17:34 > 0:17:36so they have a little bit of energy.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38I know that they're getting their vitamin D
0:17:38 > 0:17:40from the general sunshine that's out there.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Angela, you lead a fairly active life, don't you?
0:17:51 > 0:17:55Yeah, I do Pilates, I power-walk and I play tennis, which I love.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- Yeah.- How about you, Kevin?
0:17:58 > 0:18:00- Well, I'm slightly disappointed you had to ask...- Of course.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02..with a body like this!
0:18:02 > 0:18:06No, obviously I try and get to the gym about two or three times a week.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09However active we might think we are, it's nothing compared to
0:18:09 > 0:18:12how active our reporter Danny Crates used to train.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15He's a Paralympic gold medallist and he's used to training,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17doing gruelling training sessions every single day.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Yeah, but I have to say,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21since he retired and started working in television,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23I'm afraid that all of that has changed
0:18:23 > 0:18:26and he's really finding it quite difficult to get all the exercise
0:18:26 > 0:18:28that he thinks he really needs.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32And of course, it wasn't helped when he turned to the newspapers
0:18:32 > 0:18:34for advice, because not only could they not agree
0:18:34 > 0:18:37on how much exercise you might need,
0:18:37 > 0:18:41they couldn't even agree on what actually constitutes exercise.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Stuart, Jacqueline and I all think we get enough exercise
0:18:54 > 0:18:57to keep us in shape, but we don't really agree on how much is enough.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Well, I walk my dogs every day for at least two hours,
0:19:02 > 0:19:04quite often it's as much as three,
0:19:04 > 0:19:05and hopefully that's what keeps me fit.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09All I need to keep fit is a few trips to the gym.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16For me, it has to be 50 minutes' running twice a week.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18I might not be a professional athlete any more,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21but it helps keep me in shape.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23But everyone has very different ideas about
0:19:23 > 0:19:25how much exercise they need.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29- I play golf twice a week. - How much exercise do I get?
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Not as much as I'd like to at the moment.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33I used to be at the gym four times a week.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35I don't think I get enough exercise.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39I go to the gym, like, six times a week. Six out of seven days.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41I go when I can.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43But how much exercise do we need?
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Well, reports can't really seem to agree on that,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48or even which activities actually count.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52Some say it doesn't need to be strenuous, while others differ.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54And while they do seem to agree that
0:19:54 > 0:19:57whatever you do it's got to be regular,
0:19:57 > 0:19:59they can't be sure how regular.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02And while there are suggestions you can pack all you need into
0:20:02 > 0:20:07a weekend session, others say you can simply do it while the kettle boils.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10I had to train every day before I retired.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12But I'm now a lot less active,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15and I often struggle to run more than once or twice a week.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17That's fine, according to some reports,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20but others make it sound like I'm falling short.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22So with Stuart and Jacqueline's help,
0:20:22 > 0:20:26I want to find out how active we really need to be,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and whether the three of us are getting the right amount.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I don't even see dog walking as exercise,
0:20:32 > 0:20:34it's just what I do because I've got dogs.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- And, Stuart, your fix comes from the gym.- It does these days, yes.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41In the winter months, I'll probably come five or six days, an hour
0:20:41 > 0:20:43session each day.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46'So, what's the best routine for keeping fit and healthy?
0:20:46 > 0:20:49'Jackie with her low-impact daily walks, Stuart with
0:20:49 > 0:20:54'his five trips to the gym each week, or me with my one or two runs?
0:20:54 > 0:20:57I've got fitness monitors for you. I'm going to ask you to wear them for a week,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- every time you are training and exercising.- Thank you.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Over the next week, our gadgets will measure how much distance
0:21:03 > 0:21:05we'll cover, how many calories we burn,
0:21:05 > 0:21:10how long we spend exercising and how high our heart rates get.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13All things that should show how effective our chosen type of
0:21:13 > 0:21:15exercise really is at keeping us in shape.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19And when we come back together,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21we'll have a look and see who comes out on top.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23We'll see. The stats will show.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27So, that's the challenge,
0:21:27 > 0:21:31but what type of exercise do the public think is the most effective?
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- Best form of exercise, swimming. - Anything like walking.- Walking.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38- Running.- Cycling. - Doing a class at the gym.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42While they can't quite seem to agree on what the best form of
0:21:42 > 0:21:47exercise is, lots of people we met said they don't do it often enough.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51Because, like me, they can't always find the time.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54So they might be encouraged by a report that came out earlier
0:21:54 > 0:21:57this year which said that cramming all your exercise in
0:21:57 > 0:22:00at the weekend was just as good as doing it over a week.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Dr Gary O'Donovan from Loughborough University actually carried out
0:22:04 > 0:22:06the study that sparked those stories.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Tell us a little bit about what your findings were.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12We found that those people who chose to do the recommended
0:22:12 > 0:22:16amount of physical activity in one or two sessions per week had
0:22:16 > 0:22:19dramatic reductions in mortality.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Gary's study looked at the records of nearly 65,000 people over
0:22:23 > 0:22:25an 18-year period
0:22:25 > 0:22:28and found that while people who did regular exercise through the week
0:22:28 > 0:22:31had reduced risk of heart disease, cancer and death, those
0:22:31 > 0:22:36who only exercised once or twice a week were almost as low-risk.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38They've been dubbed the "weekend warriors".
0:22:39 > 0:22:42So I understand that only training twice
0:22:42 > 0:22:44a week is still going to have health benefits, but surely if you
0:22:44 > 0:22:47train more consistently during the week, it's got to be better for you.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51Every bout of aerobic exercise improves your blood pressure,
0:22:51 > 0:22:53improves your cholesterol, metabolism,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56and improves your sugar metabolism for a day or two.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00But in our study, we found, at least in terms of death,
0:23:00 > 0:23:01it didn't matter.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03So, after that news, all those people feeling guilty
0:23:03 > 0:23:06about only being active once or twice a week can, in fact,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10feel rather smug because, according to Gary's study,
0:23:10 > 0:23:13it's as beneficial as more regular exercise.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14But there are caveats, too,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17because not just any old type of activity counts.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20We're talking about what you choose to do in your free time,
0:23:20 > 0:23:24and most of the weekend warriors did sport,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27so 90% of them took part in running and sports play.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30But you'll get benefits from brisk walking, as well,
0:23:30 > 0:23:33and brisk walking is a great place to start.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36So, if that counts, what else does?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Because a string of reports that came out last year
0:23:38 > 0:23:40seem to suggest even the most mundane
0:23:40 > 0:23:43daily tasks can keep us in shape.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46From housework to washing the car,
0:23:46 > 0:23:48a trip around the supermarket
0:23:48 > 0:23:50to scrubbing the bath or walking up the stairs -
0:23:50 > 0:23:53they're apparently the gym-free way to keep fit.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57But Gary says some of those activities
0:23:57 > 0:23:59just aren't vigorous enough.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03What do we class as physically active?
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Is it a gentle walk or is it raising your heart rate to a certain level?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10In our study, we looked at leisure-time physical activity,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14so we're not talking about housework here or what you do for a living.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18Vigorous activities are usually things like running and sports play,
0:24:18 > 0:24:19and during vigorous activity
0:24:19 > 0:24:21it's possible to maintain a conversation,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23but it's a little bit harder.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25But the key to it all is getting your heart rate up
0:24:25 > 0:24:27and keeping it there.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30We should all be aiming for 150 minutes a week,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33and Gary says it doesn't matter how you do it -
0:24:33 > 0:24:36either spread through the week or crammed into the weekend.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39I've got a fitness challenge, for the next week,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42against Jacqueline, a dog walker who walks about seven miles a day,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45seven days a week, and Stuart, who's 68 years old
0:24:45 > 0:24:47and goes to the gym five times a week -
0:24:47 > 0:24:49an hour session at a time. Any advice for me?
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Well, I'd put my money on you. You obviously have good genetics
0:24:53 > 0:24:55and you have a great history of exercise.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58The weekend warrior approach will suit you fine.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Two vigorous sessions a week will keep you fit,
0:25:01 > 0:25:02and you should win the challenge.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Well, I'm going to take that great advice,
0:25:04 > 0:25:08I'm going to get out there and I'm going to get training now. I've got a championship to win!
0:25:09 > 0:25:11'So, after a few days,
0:25:11 > 0:25:13'Jackie's racked up some serious dog walking,
0:25:13 > 0:25:15'Stuart's been hitting the gym sessions,
0:25:15 > 0:25:17'and I've been out for two runs.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19'If what Gary's told me earlier is right,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22'then my exercise will be every bit as good as theirs.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24'But before we get to compare our results,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26'I'm meeting up with GP Dr Arun Ghosh,
0:25:26 > 0:25:30'to find out more about what it might all mean for our health.'
0:25:30 > 0:25:32So, the headlines are always telling us
0:25:32 > 0:25:34that we need to lead an active lifestyle,
0:25:34 > 0:25:35but why is that?
0:25:35 > 0:25:38We know being active actually staves off conditions
0:25:38 > 0:25:41like diabetes, colon cancer.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Even things like cardiovascular disease rapidly drop.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46But, actually, there's lots of mental-health benefits, as well.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Conditions such as depression and anxiety
0:25:48 > 0:25:51can be actually controlled by people who do regular activity.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Even things like dementia we know can be staved off
0:25:54 > 0:25:56if someone is regularly active.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I've been a professional athlete for many, many years,
0:25:59 > 0:26:02where I was training two to three times a day, six days a week,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04and now I'm on the other side of the fence.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07I'm the other side of 40, I've got two young children,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10I'm very, very busy, and I can just about, if I'm lucky,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13fit two quick sessions in a week.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14Is there a benefit to either of them
0:26:14 > 0:26:17or is there a better one or a worse one for training purposes?
0:26:17 > 0:26:20You're probably still far better than most people.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23The activity doesn't need to be intense. It could be quite moderate.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25You could just park your car further away
0:26:25 > 0:26:28and walk an extra 100 yards or 100 metres.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Add that up over the period of a year
0:26:30 > 0:26:33and it's a huge amount of activity increase.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36Making people do things like take the stairs at work mean, again,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38they're getting daily activity added in.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40People can actually mix activity throughout the day
0:26:40 > 0:26:43and still get their daily quota of exercise.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46'It might sound slightly different to what Gary was telling me earlier,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50'but while he was talking about the most effective types of exercise,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54'he'd also agree with Arun - that any exercise is good for you.'
0:26:54 > 0:26:57Arun's been looking at the data from the fitness trackers Jackie,
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Stuart and I have been wearing all week
0:27:00 > 0:27:02to see which of us has the most effective regime.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05So, we have the results.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07I want you just to recap and tell me
0:27:07 > 0:27:09what each one of you have been doing, OK?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Just been dog walking as usual.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Three hour sessions in the gym, 45-minute session in the boxing gym.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19- Wow. Danny, how have you found it? - Well, as a former athlete,
0:27:19 > 0:27:23I thought I had these two licked when it came to a fitness challenge.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26On Saturday, my six-year-old son wanted to go and do a park run,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28so I did a 5km run with a six-year-old,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31which means you sprint the first 400m,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34and then spend the rest of the 4.5km
0:27:34 > 0:27:36trying to drag a six-year-old round.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39And then I went out for a run on Monday on my own,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41as I would normally run.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43'But my two runs didn't add up
0:27:43 > 0:27:46'to the magic 150 minutes of vigorous exercise I need
0:27:46 > 0:27:49'to reach weekend warrior status.'
0:27:50 > 0:27:52Over the week, it's no surprise
0:27:52 > 0:27:53to say that Stuart got
0:27:53 > 0:27:55his heart rate higher
0:27:55 > 0:27:56and burned more calories
0:27:56 > 0:27:58than either me or Jackie.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00But Jackie covered a lot more ground
0:28:00 > 0:28:01and spent longer doing it,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03which means that even though
0:28:03 > 0:28:04her heart rate didn't get as high
0:28:04 > 0:28:06as Stuart's, it was elevated for longer
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and wasn't strained by the exercise.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12And as far as GP Arun is concerned,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14that perfect combination puts Jackie on top.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18- Well done, Jacqueline. - APPLAUSE
0:28:18 > 0:28:20It was really good. If you're doing this every day
0:28:20 > 0:28:23because these poor dogs are looking at you and saying,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25"You've got to take me out," that's fantastic,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27cos that will keep weight at a steady, stable state,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30starving off conditions like colon cancer and diabetes.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32And you've not only done that,
0:28:32 > 0:28:34you've not even strained yourself doing it!
0:28:34 > 0:28:35This is something you just do.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37I don't even think of it as exercise.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39I've got three dogs that have to go out twice a day,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42and the benefit of that is that they're perfectly well-behaved
0:28:42 > 0:28:45in the house, so it's a win-win situation.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Stuart burned more calories,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50ran further and got his heart rate higher than even me or Jackie,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54but Dr Ghosh was concerned Stuart might be doing too much.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57So, you may be pushing yourself a little bit too much in the gym,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00and what we could do is maybe mix up our exercise in there.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03So, we were talking about maybe mixing up anaerobic
0:29:03 > 0:29:05and aerobic exercise.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08OK, Danny, on average, you're only working out 12 minutes a day,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11which is so underneath the average that we want to do.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14But, again, maybe taking the kids out on short runs
0:29:14 > 0:29:18on a regular basis, that might bring the average minutes up.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21And, again, certainly, the calories will come up with that
0:29:21 > 0:29:23because you're just so much more active as a family.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25With my busy home and work life,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28I was always going to struggle to beat these two,
0:29:28 > 0:29:32who, despite being older than me, have first-class fitness regimes.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35A very admirable second place to Stuart.
0:29:35 > 0:29:39And, Danny, I'm afraid it was bronze on this occasion.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41That's not a medal I've had for a while,
0:29:41 > 0:29:43so I need to work a bit harder.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45But Jackie coming out on top goes to show
0:29:45 > 0:29:48that a hard gym routine isn't the only way to keep in shape,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52and even moderate exercise can really reap the rewards.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56Exercise has got a huge benefit in terms of psychosocial,
0:29:56 > 0:29:58in terms of physical, and in terms of mental health,
0:29:58 > 0:30:01so it's really important that you keep this up, guys.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11Now, medical science has made some staggering advances of late.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15Our clever scientists have found ways to make synthetic blood,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17grow human organs using pig genes,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19and robots are conducting operations.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21But a cure for the common cold?
0:30:21 > 0:30:23Well, that remains as elusive as ever.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26And it's been eluding them for years, hasn't it?
0:30:26 > 0:30:29But while there is no cure for a cold,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32millions of us are vaccinated against the flu every year.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34I know, because I'm one of them.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37But that in itself does generate an awful lot of column inches
0:30:37 > 0:30:41because it can't stop everyone from getting the flu,
0:30:41 > 0:30:42and in some years, in fact,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45- it's been rather more successful than others.- Yeah.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48So, with a flu vaccine that doesn't work every time
0:30:48 > 0:30:50and no cure for the common cold,
0:30:50 > 0:30:52it's perhaps no wonder that the papers
0:30:52 > 0:30:55are full of all sorts of things that might do a better job.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58But I want to know whether we're fighting a losing battle.
0:30:58 > 0:31:03Can I really fend off the flu or stop myself from catching a cold?
0:31:06 > 0:31:07In our lifetime,
0:31:07 > 0:31:12each of us will catch around 200 colds and have 16 bouts of flu.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16They account for 30% of our days off work,
0:31:16 > 0:31:20with an estimated cost of billions to the economy each year.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Now, those figures are not to be sniffed at,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27and with many of us being regularly hit every year,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29it's no wonder those cold and flu stories
0:31:29 > 0:31:31are rarely out of the headlines.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33And one thing we're obsessed with
0:31:33 > 0:31:36is how to avoid catching one in the first place.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39From vitamins and supplements
0:31:39 > 0:31:40to old wives' tales,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42there may not be a cure
0:31:42 > 0:31:43for the common cold yet,
0:31:43 > 0:31:45but there are countless claims
0:31:45 > 0:31:46and suggestions for how
0:31:46 > 0:31:47to kick it quickly,
0:31:47 > 0:31:49or even stop us getting one
0:31:49 > 0:31:50in the first place.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54But do any of them really work?
0:31:54 > 0:31:58I reckon I have another 100 colds to go in my lifetime,
0:31:58 > 0:32:02so I'm asking the people of Cardiff for their top remedies.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06- Honey and lemon...- OK. - ..for a sore throat and things.
0:32:06 > 0:32:07Vitamin C tablets.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12- A hot toddy, I think they call it. - With a little bit of a beverage in.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14Little bit of whisky!
0:32:14 > 0:32:17- Paracetamol. - We've got paracetamol there.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19You have. Right, yeah.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- Echinacea.- Echinacea?- Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's really good.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26My granny makes me take it in the liquid form.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29'I've asked GP David Bailey to help me find the best cure.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31'He's impressed that, despite us spending
0:32:31 > 0:32:35'almost half a billion every year on over-the-counter remedies,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38'the favourite treatment in Cardiff today was
0:32:38 > 0:32:40'pure and simple honey and lemon.'
0:32:40 > 0:32:42I think it's best just to have honey, lemon and water.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45Some of the things you get over the counter have got other ingredients.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47They've got caffeine, which might keep you awake.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49They've got things called pseudoephedrine,
0:32:49 > 0:32:53which are decongestants, which are fine for healthy adults,
0:32:53 > 0:32:56bit dodgy in small children, can be very dodgy in the elderly.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01- Paracetamol.- Yes. - Never seems to do a thing for me.
0:33:01 > 0:33:02Cheap as chips from the supermarket.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04I generally advise people plenty of fluids,
0:33:04 > 0:33:06paracetamol if they're achy or hot,
0:33:06 > 0:33:08and wait for it to go away again, cos it will.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Chicken soup seems to be the go-to thing for men.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14I'm sensing you're having a go at us men
0:33:14 > 0:33:16for calling it man flu here.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19- Just a smidge.- OK. OK. - SHE LAUGHS
0:33:19 > 0:33:21Chicken soup's nice, and anything that you find
0:33:21 > 0:33:24makes you feel better when you've got the cold - great.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Absolutely no evidence it'll shorten the course of it.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29David's adamant once you've caught a cold,
0:33:29 > 0:33:31there's no way to speed it along,
0:33:31 > 0:33:36and any report or suggestion that says there is is wrong.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40So, how about avoiding catching one in the first place?
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Earlier this year, there were bold claims that said
0:33:43 > 0:33:45there is one way we can stop
0:33:45 > 0:33:48millions of people from actually getting a cold.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Researchers say taking vitamin D supplements
0:33:51 > 0:33:54could prevent more than 3 million people in the UK
0:33:54 > 0:33:56from getting a cold or flu every year.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59A study this year said that vitamin D
0:33:59 > 0:34:03plays a vital role in preventing respiratory-tract infections
0:34:03 > 0:34:05because, as we heard earlier,
0:34:05 > 0:34:08we get less vitamin D from the sun in the winter.
0:34:08 > 0:34:13It was suggested taking supplements would help prevent colds and flu.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15But despite the excitement the study caused,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Dr David isn't so easily won over.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21There's no doubt that, in the winter in the UK,
0:34:21 > 0:34:25we don't get enough vitamin D, and certainly for older people,
0:34:25 > 0:34:28particularly ladies, there have been some studies that suggest
0:34:28 > 0:34:29that it helps to prevent you getting colds,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32and other studies that say it doesn't. The jury's out
0:34:32 > 0:34:34and Public Health England say probably not.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37I'm not convinced that there's anything that's really going to make a difference.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40So, with no way to kick a cold,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43and vitamin D's ability to stop it under question,
0:34:43 > 0:34:47it seems any chance of a miracle cure is very slim.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50I'm putting my faith in Professor Ron Eccles
0:34:50 > 0:34:52from the University of Cardiff.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54He's devoted over 40 years of his life
0:34:54 > 0:34:57to the fight against colds and flu.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Ron, are there any ways that we can avoid
0:34:59 > 0:35:01catching a cold or having the flu?
0:35:01 > 0:35:03I think, if I really knew the answer to that,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05we wouldn't be sitting here.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Right, OK.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Over the decades, he's discovered
0:35:09 > 0:35:11there's really no avoiding the common cold.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14Colds thrive in crowded places
0:35:14 > 0:35:16because that's where the viruses are exchanged.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20So, anywhere that's crowded, you're likely to pick up colds,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23particularly public places, public transports,
0:35:23 > 0:35:25crowded city places.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29So, if you're wondering why you live in the countryside,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32never take public transport, and yet you still get colds,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35well, it turns out the most likely place to catch one
0:35:35 > 0:35:37is in your own home.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41That's because you really snuggle up to your partners and your kids.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44You're on the couch with them for long periods of time,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47and that's where the viruses are transmitted.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50And children, and particularly preschool children,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53are suffering perhaps ten or 12 colds a year.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57So, if you've got kids at home, there's really no escape.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00'So, short of leaving home and becoming a hermit,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03'it sounds like I'd be better off armour-plating my immune system
0:36:03 > 0:36:05'so the cold virus just can't get through.'
0:36:05 > 0:36:08So, Ron, in terms of our general health,
0:36:08 > 0:36:10what should we be doing to help prevent getting a cold?
0:36:10 > 0:36:13I think it's common sense. We're all exposed to the viruses,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15so we can't escape that in our crowded cities.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19I think you could avoid touching your eyes or nose
0:36:19 > 0:36:23because you transmit the viruses on dirty fingers.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26After that, it's maintaining a good, balanced diet
0:36:26 > 0:36:29with fresh fruit and vegetables, mild exercise,
0:36:29 > 0:36:33and getting enough sleep, because sleep restores the immune system.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36They're all things many of us try to do,
0:36:36 > 0:36:40and while there is no magic pill or medicine that can prevent a cold,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43when it comes to the flu, that's a different story.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47We're told that a simple vaccine can prevent it.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49I have the flu jab regular every year.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51- When was the last time you had the flu?- I can't remember.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55So, it's obviously doing a great job, then, isn't it?
0:36:55 > 0:36:58Personally, it's not for me. I think, if you get the flu,
0:36:58 > 0:37:01you should just get the flu and get over it, I think.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03If I felt I needed it, I would go and have it, but at the moment
0:37:03 > 0:37:07I don't think I do, because I don't suffer that much with the flu.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11And that's a view shared by 68-year-old Bob Stent from Croydon.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14As far as I'm concerned, I'm in good health.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17I don't usually suffer with colds and flu,
0:37:17 > 0:37:21so that's one of the reasons why I don't have the flu jab.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Like all over-65-year-olds in the UK,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27Bob is offered a flu jab every year,
0:37:27 > 0:37:29because for this older group,
0:37:29 > 0:37:33a bad bout of the flu can have devastating effects on their health.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35But he's never taken it,
0:37:35 > 0:37:39and he's been influenced by reports and stories about the flu jab.
0:37:39 > 0:37:44I've read that the flu jab is around 60% successful,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47and to me, that isn't particularly begods.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51I'm not convinced that whatever's in the vaccination
0:37:51 > 0:37:53will actually protect me for the viruses
0:37:53 > 0:37:56that are coming along that particular year.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Bob's concerns are understandable, especially when
0:38:00 > 0:38:03the success, or lack of success,
0:38:03 > 0:38:04of the flu vaccine
0:38:04 > 0:38:06has been well publicised.
0:38:06 > 0:38:07And it hasn't been worse than in
0:38:07 > 0:38:10the winter of 2014 and 2015,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13when the vaccine only succeeded in preventing the flu
0:38:13 > 0:38:17in less than a third of people who had been vaccinated.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19This year's seasonal flu vaccine is barely able
0:38:19 > 0:38:21to protect people from the main strain of flu
0:38:21 > 0:38:23being spread in the UK.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25That's the view of Public Health England.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27It led to story after story
0:38:27 > 0:38:29asking if the jab was worth it.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31And even though it's been much more successful
0:38:31 > 0:38:35since then, those reports don't stop.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39Local GP Dr Aisha Sharif is keen for Bob to change his mind
0:38:39 > 0:38:41and have the flu jab,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44so to find out whether he should reconsider his decision,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46he's paying her visit.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50Hello, Bob. Come in. Nice to see you.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53So, Bob, I just wanted to explore some of the reasons
0:38:53 > 0:38:56that you've never felt the need to have the flu vaccination.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00I think I'm fit and healthy, so I don't think the flu jab
0:39:00 > 0:39:03is going to give me the protection I may need.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Anyone who's had flu knows it's a serious illness,
0:39:06 > 0:39:09it affects the whole body, and for someone who's a bit older,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12the consequences can be quite severe,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15so it may potentially end in hospitalisation.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17For the elderly, the very young,
0:39:17 > 0:39:21pregnant women and others with a weaker immune system,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23a bad bout of the flu could lead to pneumonia,
0:39:23 > 0:39:27septicaemia, and can even be fatal.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31When the flu vaccine failed in the winter of 2014 and 2015,
0:39:31 > 0:39:36an estimated 26,000 more people died than had the previous winter,
0:39:36 > 0:39:40with the flu likely to have been a factor in many of those deaths.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43But Aisha says it is still the most effective way
0:39:43 > 0:39:45to stop the spread of the flu.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50Many people don't realise the flu vaccine actually covers
0:39:50 > 0:39:52three strains of flu virus.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54It's not only protecting you,
0:39:54 > 0:39:57but it's actually going to give protection to the people around you.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00So, hopefully, you would be protecting others, as well.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02And is it an accumulative effect?
0:40:02 > 0:40:06So, if I had it year-on-year, it would build up, or is it...?
0:40:06 > 0:40:08OK. So, what we say to people is
0:40:08 > 0:40:11it's still good to get your annual flu vaccine
0:40:11 > 0:40:15because your immunity to the virus can decrease with time.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18And this is particularly true in the elderly,
0:40:18 > 0:40:20so we do want an annual vaccination
0:40:20 > 0:40:22to boost, if you like, your immunity.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Is it true that having the flu jab can actually give you the flu?
0:40:26 > 0:40:28The timing of the vaccine tends to happen
0:40:28 > 0:40:29when there are lots of viruses,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32and you're going to get coughs and colds, which are not flu,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35but people assume ARE flu because they have similar symptoms.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38You may feel a little bit cold and shivery the next day or two,
0:40:38 > 0:40:41but the side effects from having it are quite small compared to
0:40:41 > 0:40:45the devastating effect that flu might potentially turn into.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48The latest research suggests that someone who's had the vaccine
0:40:48 > 0:40:52is around half as likely to catch the flu as someone who's not.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56But even those odds make it a powerful weapon against
0:40:56 > 0:40:57a sickness that, every winter,
0:40:57 > 0:41:01can bring some hospital wards and care homes to their knees.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06In 2017, University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff
0:41:06 > 0:41:07was forced to close three wards
0:41:07 > 0:41:10to prevent flu spreading around the hospital
0:41:10 > 0:41:14and causing potentially more harm to more vulnerable patients.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18Dr Richard Roberts is head of vaccines at Public Health Wales.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20The impact of flu is really quite significant,
0:41:20 > 0:41:22and it is one of the few diseases where,
0:41:22 > 0:41:25if you look at the number of deaths in each week in the winter,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28which we do, you can see them rising,
0:41:28 > 0:41:29partly caused by flu,
0:41:29 > 0:41:32but partly caused by other winter diseases, as well.
0:41:32 > 0:41:37The jab's been recommended for some at-risk groups since the 1960s,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41and for anyone over 65 for the past 20 years.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47And whilst the vaccine may not have been as fully effective in the past
0:41:47 > 0:41:50as health-care professionals might have wanted,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53Richard says it's still your best line of defence,
0:41:53 > 0:41:56despite claims the jab's not worth it.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01There are people who are worried, and you often hear this -
0:42:01 > 0:42:03you know, "It'll give me the flu,"
0:42:03 > 0:42:06or, "It's not safe and we don't know what it will do," and so on.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08It's very difficult, sometimes,
0:42:08 > 0:42:12to get into a sort of reasoned argument around that,
0:42:12 > 0:42:16and we do attempt to provide the evidence
0:42:16 > 0:42:19around the safety of the vaccine and its effectiveness,
0:42:19 > 0:42:22but you can't persuade everybody, unfortunately.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Aisha was unable to persuade Bob
0:42:25 > 0:42:27to sign up for the flu vaccine just yet.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31He's waiting on this year's figures to see how the vaccine performed.
0:42:31 > 0:42:36So, like me, he'll be watching out for those reports to find out.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49You know, I just love the idea that, just by walking her dogs,
0:42:49 > 0:42:53Jackie came out on top, even ahead of a Paralympic runner.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56I tell you, it just goes to show that exercise does not need
0:42:56 > 0:43:00- to be hardcore, or even a chore, to be doing you some good.- Yeah.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03And while we might not have found a cure for the common cold today,
0:43:03 > 0:43:05we really hope we helped you decide
0:43:05 > 0:43:09which advice is worth following and which is safe to simply forget.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13Especially when it comes to spending time in the sun, of course.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16But I'm afraid that we've run out of time for today,
0:43:16 > 0:43:18so that's where we have to leave you.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20As always, thanks so much for joining us,
0:43:20 > 0:43:23- and until the next time... BOTH:- Bye-bye.