Healthy eating
The NHS website has a wealth of information on healthy eating including 5-a-day, healthy recipes, vegetarian and vegan diets, losing weight, digestive health, eating disorders and much more!
NHS weight loss plan
Developed in association with the British Dietetic Association, the NHS weight loss plan is a free downloadable 12-week diet and exercise plan.
Download the One You Easy Meals app
Eat healthier versions of the foods you love. You’ll find delicious, easy meal ideas in this free app.
- Great tips and advice to help you cook healthy and tasty meals.
- Search recipes by meal time.
- Find your favourite recipes and create shopping lists.
Food Scanner app
The Change4Life Food scanner app is designed to show quickly and easily how much sugar, sat fat and salt is inside your food and drink – just by scanning the barcode.
Local organisations
Take That Step weight management service
A free 12 week structured adult weight management programme which is fully funded by North Yorkshire County Council Public Health and includes 1-2-1 support from a qualified health and wellbeing officer. This service is FREE to individuals who meet the following criteria:
- aged 18 years or over
- BMI (Body Mass Index) equal to or greater than 25. Click to Check your BMI.
- resident or registered with a GP practice in North Yorkshire
- working for an organisation based in North Yorkshire
Stopping smoking
The NHS website has a wealth of information on stopping smoking. Find out about different treatments, health benefits, join the quit smoking community forum and much more.
NHS Smokefree
Download the Smokefree app
Did you know…?
Stop smoking for 28 days and you’re five times more likely to quit for good.
Stoptober is a great way to kick the habit with great support tools such as: a free app to track your progress, see how much you’re saving and get daily support wherever you are; social media groups to share tips and chat with other people trying to quit; advice on stop smoking medication; and much more.
Local organisations
Living Well SmokeFree has a team of advisors who have plenty of experience in helping people to stop smoking for good. They will see anyone from the age of 12, have community based locations across North Yorkshire and can arrange home visits for people who have mobility issues.
More support
Alcohol and drinking
Regularly drinking more than 14 units a week risks damaging your health. 14 units is equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
Find out more from the NHS website about the risks of drinking too much alcohol including:
- Try out the Alcohol Concern unit calculator
- Get alcohol support
- Tips on cutting down
One You – drinking
One You Drinks Tracker app
Drinking a bit too much can sneak up on you. Our free drinks tracker app makes it easy to keep an eye on the booze and take control with daily tips and feedback.
One You Days Off app
The One You Days Off app is a simple and easy way to track the days you drink alcohol and the days you don’t.
Local organisations
North Yorkshire Horizons is the drug and alcohol recovery service for North Yorkshire.
They provide a range of free, confidential and non-judgemental services for individuals and their families affected by drugs and/or alcohol.
More support
Getting active
Get running with NHS Couch to 5K
Taking up running can seem like a scary prospect, especially if you feel out of shape or unfit.
NHS Couch to 5K will help you gradually work up towards running 5K in just nine weeks. It is a running plan for absolute beginners. It was developed by a new runner, Josh Clark, who wanted to help his fifty-something mum get off the couch and start running, too.
The plan involves three runs a week, with a day of rest inbetween, and a different schedule for each of the nine weeks.
There are podcasts (also available as an app) to guide you through the sessions, explaining when you need to run and when it’s time to walk. The podcasts also feature music to motivate you through the workout.
Hambleton Strollers
Hambleton Strollers organises led walks which start from doctors’ surgeries, leisure centres and other central points in the six main towns of Hambleton District – Northallerton, Stokesley, Thirsk, Bedale, Easingwold and Great Ayton plus some nearby villages.
We would like to encourage anyone to join the walks, but we especially welcome these groups of people:
- People who do not feel they are quick enough or strong enough to walk in a regular walking group.
- People returning to walking after illness or a periond of inactivity.
- People with health conditions which would benefit from moderate exercise. Heart conditions, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, depression, mental health problems, high blood pressure and those recommended by their doctor.
- People who would just like some company to make walking and exercise a more enjoyable social activity
- People with health risks due to inactive lifestyles.
Email – hambletonstrollers2018@gmail.com
Website – hambletonstrollers.co.uk
Active 10
Northallerton parkrun
Weekly free 5km timed run, every Saturday at 9am. Find out more.
More support
Fitness resources from the NHS including physical activity guidelines, getting active with a disability, video workouts, cycling for beginners, 12-week fitness plan, strength exercises and much more!
Mental wellbeing
NHS Moodzone
Am I depressed? How can I feel less stressed? Why am I so anxious?
Whatever you need to know about coping with stress, anxiety or depression, or just the normal emotional ups and downs of life, the NHS Moodzone is here to help.
It offers practical advice, interactive tools, videos and audio guides to help you feel mentally and emotionally better.
Mental wellbeing podcast/audio guides
These audioguides are available to listen to our series of in your own time, in private, to help you through times when your mood is low or you’re feeling anxious:
Turn2me
Feeling anxious, sad or lonely? Going through a tough time?
We are here to help, you are not alone.
Living Life to the Full
Free online courses covering low mood, stress and resiliency. Work out why you feel as you do, how to tackle problems, build confidence, get going again, feel happier, stay calm, tackle upsetting thinking and more. Our courses are free for individuals using them in their own lives.
Reading Well Books on Prescription
The Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme helps people manage their own health and wellbeing through recommended self-help books endorsed by health experts. People can be recommended a title by a health professional, or they can visit their local library and take a book out themselves. The titles can be searched for and requested online or ask at your library and request them free of charge.
Currently four book lists are available:
More organisations for support
Compass School Mental Health and Wellbeing Project – offers confidential information and advice for professionals, parents/carers and children and young people across North Yorkshire in relation to emotional and mental wellbeing. The project also offers training and consultation to professionals, in particular schools to enable them to take a whole school approach to supporting the mental health of students.
Mind Darlington – Darlington Mind is a registered local charity that provides professional, confidential support and recovery services for people experiencing emotional or mental health problems and their carers.
North Yorkshire County Council mental health support
North Yorkshire mental health helpline: 0333 0000 309
Relate – the relationship people. We’re the UK’s largest provider of relationship support, and every year we help over a million people of all ages, backgrounds and sexual orientations to strengthen their relationships.
Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust – the primary care mental health team provides a service for adults with mild to moderate mental health problems in the Hambleton and Richmondshire area.
Mental health support in Richmond and Hambleton
Find out about support available to you in the local area.
Breathe2Relax
PTSD Coach
SuperBetter
Big White Wall
SAM: Self Help for Anxiety Management
Calm
Pacifica
Happify
MeeTwo – a safe and secure forum for teenagers wanting to discuss any issue affecting their lives.
Pzizz – helps you quickly quiet your mind, fall asleep fast, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed.