As someone who was involved in the early research on the pill, I got used to study after study announcing side effects and dangers, some true, some not so true. First it was a boon, then a curse. But now … Read More
It looks like the NHS as we know it won’t last much longer
Years ago, I did a TV programme on “qualys” – a way of measuring how much difference a treatment made to your quality of life versus its cost. The idea of qualys was thought up by an economist with the … Read More
How pessimists can learn to live longer
I’ve written many times that optimists live longer than pessimists. But what if you’re not a natural optimist – can you learn optimism? Well you can if you believe in the work of Dr Barbara Fredrickson, psychologist at the University … Read More
Your sense of smell could be the key to helping you live longer
Well now. Your chance of dying could depend on your sense of smell. Big claim. How do we know? Scientists from Stockholm University have followed more than 1,700 Swedes, aged between 40 and 90, for 10 years. At the beginning … Read More
There’s hope for menopausal women who want kids
Recently I wrote about PRP (platelet enriched plasma) being used in an experimental way to improve sexual arousal when injected vaginally (as yet unproven). It’s usually used for wound healing. Now another experimental use of PRP has hit the news … Read More
New generation heart drug is even better than statins
I well remember the first cholesterol-lowering drugs making an appearance several decades ago. They weren’t that effective but they made a useful difference in people at high risk of a heart attack. Then, 20 years ago, along came statins. Super-performers … Read More
Why playing ping pong is great for the brain and could help prevent dementia
Super-agers – that’s people whose biological age is lower than their actual age – should consider taking up the game of ping pong. Apparently table tennis is the perfect activity to keep you happy, healthy, active and in good spirits. … Read More
Good sex can leave men with DEPRESSION – and it’s called post-coital dysphoria
The traditional version of sex is that the man has a good time no matter what, then turns over and begins to snore, oblivious of his partner. Whereas the woman often finds herself left in limbo, sometimes orgasmless, and is … Read More
Hay fever sufferers will be sneezing for longer after an unseasonably warm winter
A common experience among hay fever sufferers is that their symptoms last longer and longer each year. This is because an allergy to early spring flowers and blossom can seep into an allergy to summer flowers. If you’re unlucky, that … Read More
There’s still not enough help for mums with postnatal depression
A few weeks ago I was asked to do a phone-in about postnatal depression (PND) on ITV’s This Morning. I was dismayed to find mental health in pregnancy is getting no higher a priority than when I first wrote about … Read More