An extraordinary experiment has been carried out by Imperial College and Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, looking at the curative properties of soups and broths. I’m particularly interested because in my family the healing power of chicken soup is legendary. … Read More
Zero danger of passing on HIV if you use antiviral medication
The news on AIDS and HIV gets better and better. A study of gay couples has shown us that even between partners where one of them is HIV positive, the risk of transmitting HIV to the other partner if it … Read More
A woman’s clitoris has greater role than providing sexual pleasure
The assertion that the clitoris is the only human organ thats sole function is transmission of sexual pleasure seems to upset some people. It has been the subject of much study, starting way back in the 16th century. Over the … Read More
Study to track effectiveness of child eczema treatments
A friend of mine has a grandson with baby eczema, and she asked me which soothing skin cream would be best for him. Well, that’s a sticky decision. There are many emollients and finding one a baby will tolerate and … Read More
Sleepless nights put you at greater risk of disease
My view of sleep is it’s like an essential vitamin, such as vitamin C. And like vitamin C we can’t store it, we need it every day, and if we go without it there are serious consequences. Sleep is crucial … Read More
New blood test will help spot early signs of brain cancer
We’re getting more and more clever at spotting cancers early, way before they cause symptoms. We can do this by picking up traces of the chemicals shed from tumours in the bloodstream. Every cancer is different and each has a … Read More
Tough love with dementia patients is a bad approach
Here’s a problem faced by many families with an older relative suffering from dementia and it will get more common. We’re finding that when dementia patients go into hospital they prove challenging for nursing staff to cope with due to … Read More
DIY test could boost amount of cervical cancer screenings
Earlier this year I expressed concern that frighteningly large numbers of women weren’t taking up cancer screening appointments. There are many reasons why women are slow to respond to requests for these crucial tests. In the first instance, a smear … Read More
Call for more obese kids to have gastric bypass surgery
I find myself shaking my head in disbelief when I read that the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending gastric bypasses in young children. I’m gobsmacked because weight loss surgery is normally the last resort for severely obese adults who … Read More
HRT benefits could outweigh risk of getting breast cancer
Recently a report was published saying that HRT increased the risk of breast cancer and we saw the usual scare tactics in some areas of the media. This in turn leads to fear and anxiety among women taking HRT and … Read More