There’s a new trend emerging in medicine as we live longer. The pattern of health and disease is changing and that’s causing headaches for doctors and carers. The number of patients who have two or more medical conditions is rising … Read More
The eye offers a look into a person’s general health
The eye is the window to the soul, as the saying goes. But in medical terms the eye is the window to the body. A doctor using an ophthalmoscope can examine the back of the eye, the retina and get … Read More
Sex research comes back with a boomerang finding
Each Christmas the BMJ publishes what it calls the BMJ Christmas papers. The reports are never that serious, though all are based on meticulous research and they invariably make me smile. The authors are smart, witty and dedicated. I thought … Read More
Ablation therapy helps abnormal heart rhythm
Atrial fibrillation, once a rarity, is now quite common with approximately 6,000 cases being seen a year in the UK. It can be successfully treated with drugs, however, ablation therapy, is now seen as a procedure for patients whose atrial … Read More
Sugar binges raise our risk of getting a bowel disease
There’s not a good thing to say about sugar. The list of the problems it causes gets longer and longer. Now you can add inflammation of the bowel to that list. Short-term increases in sugar consumption, such as binges of … Read More
We can forget those claims that statins harm memory
There’s been a long debate about possible side effects of statins – the cholesterol-lowering drugs taken by around eight million UK adults to prevent heart attacks and strokes. The latest charge was they damage people’s memory. But now a six-year study of … Read More
Global warming will stunt kid’s growth and destroy immune systems
The emergence of Extinction Rebellion has meant we’re all becoming familiar with the fallout climate change has in store for us. But were you aware that global warming will come to define the health of a whole generation? If the … Read More
Tackling food ignorance in kids will help fight obesity
few years ago I was attached to a programme in India which was aimed at curbing childhood obesity. There were many approaches but one of the most successful was helping the mothers of families to cook more healthily. This approach … Read More
How choosing a plant-based burger can help the planet
Could you ever see yourself swapping real meat for fake meat? Well pretty soon you could find yourself doing just that because it’s become a global trend. Greggs launching a vegan Quorn sausage roll last year was just the beginning. For me, … Read More
Placebo effect drives the benefits in alternative medicine – but it’s not real
I’ve often wondered, if alternative medicines, including homeopathic remedies, only work at placebo level – they do you good if you believe they will – are they justified just for their placebo effect? The placebo effect will make one in … Read More