Post Archive by Year

Here’s a light-hearted one. Are you ticklish? And if so, are you only ticklish in certain places? Can you tickle yourself? (No). Have you ever wondered why we’re ticklish? Does it serve a purpose? The answer to that last one … Read More

When I was a working mum with young children I found it well-nigh impossible to put down that rucksack of guilt that haunted me because I was not at home every day. At the time I comforted myself with the … Read More

Now here’s some good news for women approaching or going through the menopause: ­exercise could be the cure for your hot flushes as long as it’s vigorous enough. The theory is simple. Athletes can regulate body temperature better than unfit … Read More

Despite all the negative effects of stress, I’ve always thought there was an upside. Stress ­concentrates the mind, keeps you alert, improves your efficiency and even hikes up your productivity. New research says, however, that to enjoy these benefits of stress … Read More

Loneliness, especially in our older years, is a predictor of death. Being on your own isn’t just emotionally and psychologically devastating, it’s physically debilitating too. Social isolation is a public health issue. “There’s been an explosion of public awareness here, from … Read More

We’ve known for some time that heavy drinking can raise the risk of various cancers. But we thought you had to drink excessively to put yourself in danger. Not so. Recent research has shown moderate drinkers aren’t exempt. Scientists in … Read More

Would you like to know if your child or grandchild is ­vulnerable to taking drugs? As a mother and granny, I know I would. Well, a new drug programme has found that a child’s susceptibility to drug taking is high in … Read More

I can remember well the first time reconstruction operations were offered to women who had had a mastectomy. It was revolutionary and motivated by the best intentions – to restore a “normal” anatomy to women who felt disfigured by the … Read More

Stonewall, a charity I admire and support, has come up with some startling stats reflecting the health inequalities in the LGBT community – highlighted recently in The British Medical Journal. They reveal lesbian and gay youths are more likely than … Read More

Life-threatening ailments such as heart disease, cancer, stroke and type 2 diabetes most often afflict adults. But they are often ­consequences of childhood obesity. The fuse was lit way back. So as a matter of urgency, we must try to prevent … Read More