Q. How should I start exercising?

A. With summer in full bloom and the weather warmer, now is an ideal time to start exercising a little bit more, getting outside and enjoying our beautiful countryside.

You may decide to start walking on the fells, you may be inspired to start jogging, having seen other runners out and about, or decided to start going to the gym.

If this is you – brilliant – whatever you do will only improve your overall health. But there are a few things which you should put into place before you start your exercising.

The first thing is not to do too much at the start. Make sure you stretch properly and don’t “try to run before you can walk”.

If you are starting to walk the fells, make sure you start on a small scale; Don’t go for Hellvellyn or Scafell Pike before you’ve tried some of the smaller and easier fells. Choose good footwear and sensible clothing and a use a good guidebook.

If you plan to start running and haven’t done anything strenuous for a while, the couch to 5k information online is excellent. You can start on a small scale and try and run further and faster each time – don’t try and push yourself too much.

And if you start going to the gym, don’t try to go for the biggest weights or the highest settings on the machines at first. Use the induction to find a sensible way to begin and help. Have patience!!

Q. Should I be worried about the number of moles I have?

A. Moles are small coloured spots on the skin – often a brownish colour. They can be flat or raised, smooth or rough, and some have hair growing from them. Moles are usually circular or oval with a smooth edge.

Moles can change in number and appearance. Some fade away over time, often without you realising. They also sometimes respond to hormonal changes, for example during pregnancy (they may get darker), teenage years (they may increase) or older age (they may decrease).

While some are present at birth, most develop during the first 30 years of life. People with fair skin often have more moles than people with darker skin.

Most moles are completely harmless.

You should check your skin every few months for any new moles that develop or any changes to existing moles. A mole can change in weeks or months.

Things to look for include:

• moles with uneven colouring – most moles only have one or two colours, but melanomas have lots of different shades

• moles with an uneven or ragged edge – moles are usually circular or oval with a smooth border

• bleeding, itching, red, inflamed (swollen) or crusty moles

• moles that get a lot bigger – most moles are no bigger than the width of a pencil

If you notice any changes to your moles like these, see a clinician as this may be an early indication of something more serious. Otherwise no, you shouldn’t worry about them