Post Archive by Month

Years ago when I was writing a book, Everywoman’s Lifeguide, and was comparing the ­happiness achieved for ­different life ­options, I came across research that said marriage was bad for women. It made them unhappy. For women, I thought, marriage … Read More

Backache is common to most pregnancies as numerous women will attest, particularly in the last three months when a woman’s body is gearing up to give birth. This backache is due, in large part, to the joints of the pelvis … Read More

Chronic peripheral  nerve pain can ruin your life. The unremitting agony can replace all thought. Though I haven’t suffered it I have witnessed it at close hand. My sister, in common with many people who suffer long-term pain, sustained a … Read More

Pet owners have always claimed they’re the key to health and happiness – and I ­remember a study on high blood pressure which showed that having a dog was an important key factor in keeping pressure down. It turned out … Read More

Any headache is a pain but cluster headaches are the daddy of them all. Some say the pain is worse than ­childbirth. I’m not sure about that but they are debilitating and disrupt daily life. Now sufferers can get relief … Read More

On the face of it, it may seem puzzling that a one-off ­operation which severs the nerves connected to the ­kidney lowers high blood pressure. But it’s not so surprising if we ­remember the kidneys play an ­important role in … Read More

Sleep is a hot topic at the ­moment, even though why we need it remains a mystery. But we do know lack of it promotes obesity and predisposes someone to Type 2 ­diabetes, and poor quality sleep may raise blood … Read More

Many people with Type-2 diabetes will be taking the drug metformin because it helps the body respond to insulin, so stops blood glucose levels from soaring too high. In a new twist, a 15-year study of more than 30,000 people found it … Read More

As a woman who took HRT at the first sign of a hot flush I’ve wondered if my exposure to it for so long was a good thing. In particular, does HRT protect against dementia or not? The decision to take HRT … Read More

Sleep problems again. This time in teenagers. The interesting aspect of this new study is that their sleep problems can be improved in just one week. How? Limiting evening exposure to screens, mobile phones, tablets and computers could do the … Read More