You might think vegetarians, since they don’t eat meat, are automatically healthier than meat-eaters. Not necessarily so according to new research reported in the British Medical Journal. The study shows vegetarians have a higher risk of stroke but a lower … Read More
Irregular sleep could be bad for metabolism
Recently I wrote about how too little sleep disrupted the body’s internal clock which upsets our metabolism. Now a new study suggests that even if we’re getting enough sleep in terms of hours, irregular sleep can also send it haywire. … Read More
A six-monthly statin jab may replace taking daily pills
About six million people in this country take statins and I’m one of them. I was started on mine even though I had no heart symptoms. It was a precaution, for a slightly raised cholesterol level, and I’m glad I was. We … Read More
Marriage is not always the be-all and end-all for women
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
Hormone that helps women give birth ‘can also heal joints’
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
Cutting edge peripheral nerve op brings hope to pain sufferers
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
Owning a dog can reduce the risk of an early death
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
‘Electric razor’ gadget can stop disabling cluster headaches
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
Cut blood pressure by severing a nerve
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
Poor sleep can lead to negative change in behaviour
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