The last time you or a relative were in hospital did you feel you were being given all the info you wanted and all your questions were being answered? Well, if you did you were very lucky. All the stakeholders … Read More
Why dementia gets more severe in the winter
We all feel invigorated by the sunny days and the long daylight hours of summer. For some it’s more than just feeling good. For people with dementia it’s a shot in the arm. This is because the seasons, and summer … Read More
Skin cancer is rising because men in particular ignore deadly warning signs
Years ago I remember making a TV documentary on Bondi beach in Australia, in blazing sunshine, asking sunbathers if they were worried about getting melanoma. The universal answer was NO. Even though there were information kiosks every few hundred yards, … Read More
Even a cuppa can be bad for unborn baby
Oh dear, it seems more and more food and drink carries hazards for mums-to-be. Now pregnant mums can’t even enjoy a cup of tea. A new study from the University College Dublin says even women who drink less than the … Read More
Implants after breast cancer risks sparking fresh disease
At a recent medical conference a colleague asked me what I thought of breast implants. The reason for her question it turned out is that she had breast cancer and is thinking about having breast reconstruction. Should she have a breast implant … Read More
Be wary of drink drive risk on New Year’s Day as you could be over the limit
If you’re seeing in 2019 tonight at a boozy do, be very wary of doing any driving at all tomorrow – it could lead to a very unhappy new year. Alcohol stays in the blood much longer than you think … Read More
Your level of empathy is down to brain cells
Are you someone who loves a weepie? Do you find your eyes filling with tears when a friend shares a sad experience with you? Do you feel yourself sympathising with every lame duck you meet? Well, I’m the same and … Read More
Success with weight loss is all in the mind
Whenever I’ve tried to lose weight I know my efforts will be unsuccessful unless a switch in my brain flicks on. You could call it the willpower switch. Well, it seems some brains aren’t wired for self-control. Turns out high-level … Read More
Christmas songs playing in shops will make you spend more, according to science
Are you being driven mad by the Christmas music blasting out in every shop you enter? Music psychologists aren’t surprised. They say there’s something about holiday jingles that make them particularly irritating. Any repetitive playlist can be annoying but there’s something particularly … Read More
There’s a new reason for the low uptake of vaccinations
Vaccination rates in the UK and Europe continue to fall. In Britain, take-up of the MMR vaccine has fallen for four years in a row. It could even dip below 90% for the first time since the scare in the … Read More