In this episode I look at smart phones. They have changed the way we live beyond imagination  but are they doing us any harm in terms of the way we think and behave? Links: Life before smartphones: https://medium.com/be-unique/before-smartphones-were-a-thing-87208717b8d7 Teenage brain: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Whats-Going-On-in-the-Teenage-Brain.aspx Teenagers and smart...

Addictions can ruin lives but why do they occur in the first place and what can we do to acknowledge them better? In this episode Iook at why they can be so hard to conquer and touch on different aspects of addiction. Links:  How the addicted brain works: https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/how-an-addicted-brain-works Sugar - why most of us could easily have a sweet tooth:...

Becoming a parent is a gift but it has its challenges. In this episode I look at some factors to be mindful of including the difference between the child and adult brain plus micro tips to help navigate your way through the maze of parenthood.  Links:  Parenting styles: https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/style/parenting-styles-explained/ Brain development in children: https://www.luriechildrens.org/en/blog/early-childhood-brain-development-and-health/ Parenting styles and...

Skin - it’s known as our largest ‘organ’ and most of us have had some kind of skin issue. This is my 101. Enjoy! Guttate psoriasis: https://www.healthline.com/health/psoriasis-guttate Pitiryiasis rosea: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/pityriasis-rosea-symptoms Scarlet fever: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/176242 Slapped cheek syndrome: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/slapped-cheek-syndrome/ Omega 3 and skin: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7892455/ Probiotics...

Health screening has exploded over the last 20 years. Is it a money making exercise or actually worth it? In this episode I look at the pros and cons and how you can decide what may be worth doing and the reason people decide they need it. Links: UK ethics of health screening: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-ethical-framework-for-screening/uk-nsc-ethical-framework-for-screening Health Screening - a recent paper:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK436014/ RCGP screening...

There isn’t a week in practice when I don’t get asked about food intolerances and how to test for them. It’s a contentious topic that needs  some deconstructing. In this episode I look at what is and isn't intolerance and how to proceed if you think you have a food intolerance. Links: Food intolerance vs allergy - official guidance: https://www.allergyuk.org/resources/food-intolerance/ IgG testing: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5004213/ Elimination...

Lyme Disease rates have doubled in the last 30 years in the USA and rates are rising across the world in affected areas. In this episode I look at Lyme, other tick-borne illnesses and the mystery symptoms they can give rise to, as well as strategies to treat and prevent them. Lyme disease factsheet: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/borreliosis/facts/factsheet The Bullseye rash: https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/rashes.html The life cycle of a...

Cholesterol has become an obsession for so many people over the last 50 years. In this episode I look at the story of cholesterol and why it is important and when to worry about it. Links: The history of cholesterol: https://www.escardio.org/Journals/E-Journal-of-Cardiology-Practice/Volume-19/history-in-medicine-the-story-of-cholesterol-lipids-and-cardiology Food and cholesterol: https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/11-foods-that-lower-cholesterol Monacolin K (in both red yeast rice...

TW: Sensitive topic: one in six people worldwide are now affected by infertility and rates have soared over the last 30 years.  In this episode I look at the reasons behind it and what we can do about it on an individual and societal level. Childlessness: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/oct/02/the-desire-to-have-a-child-never-goes-away-how-the-involuntarily-childless-are-forming-a-new-movement Rising infertility in men and...

Minor illness seems trivial, but is it always simple to deal with and when do we need to think more carefully about what can seem like minor illness on the surface?  Lay referral: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1316199/pdf/brjgenprac004944500617.pdf The debate about doctors and Physician Associates: https://www.bmj.com/content/383/bmj.p2449 Sore throat causes: https://twitter.com/DrSteveTaylor/status/1761753922920694133/photo/1 Rincke’s...

In this episode I look at ADHD which is increasing in prevalence due to increased diagnoses. There are many features to this condition which need unpacking. I look at the causes, what we can do to help manage ADHD and why it occurs in the first place.  The increase in diagnosis: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/jul/significant-rise-adhd-diagnoses-uk ADHD and dopamine - seeking rewards: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325499 Time blindness: https://add.org/adhd-time-blindness/ The...

It’s something that befalls most of us as we age, but what is it?  It is a marker of vulnerability as we age and in many ways a soft tool to predict our risk of future illness and rate of decline. In this episode I look at how it is assessed and what we can do to prevent it. Links:  Rockwood score: https://www.england.nhs.uk/south/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/rockwood-frailty-scale_.pdf Standing desks: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-a-standing-desk Prognosis in...

In this episode I look at what makes for good health in children. It’s clearly multifactorial and the latest reports show that the health of children has declined in recent years in the UK. I look at why this may be the case and what the root causes might be. Links:  Children ‘betrayed’ in UK: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68203749 WHO website on child health: https://www.who.int/health-topics/child-health#tab=tab_1 UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/ UNICEF child satisfaction...

In this episode I look at the history of sexual health, our attitudes towards it and how we things have changed over the last 100 years.  TW: use of sexual language and references to adult themes. HPV: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv Shame and STIs: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8297218/ Philadelphia trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKDz2LVHz0Y Venereal Disease bill 1916: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11589807/ Dr...

This week is my 100th episode. I reflect on some of the topics I have covered over the last 20 months or so and beyond the basics I talk about what I think is the most important aspect of our health in the modern world (and it's not food or relationships)! Links below for a deeper dive... let's go. School resources - how the NHS works: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/schools-resources-toolkit/#:~:text=This%20is%20a%20toolkit%20of,NHS%20Services%2C%20health%20and%20wellbeing. My Symptom...

In this episode I look at the work of doctors being done by other professionals and try to balance the issues that surround it.  Links: My rapid response from the BMJ in 2006: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325146/ Labels and role confusion: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/dec/13/public-confused-over-physician-associates-working-in-nhs-research-finds Pay issues and...

Meditation and mindfulness are both useful interrelated tools to improve one’s mental health. Meditation should ideally be a regular practice and in this episode I discuss some of the benefits as well as take you through a short guided mediation on self-compassion. Links: Mindfulness and CBT: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24256-9 Mindfulness and changes in the brain - neuroplasticity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CBfCW67xT8 Meditation and mindfulness...

In this episode I look at the concept of ‘ideas’ rather than resolutions that might shape your 2024 on an individual and societal level, including a couple of things I managed myself in 2023. There are also some easy hacks to incorporate into your day which can work for everyone. My IDEAL framework for behaviour change: https://shows.acast.com/savinglivesinslowmotion/episodes/behaviour-change-2-the-ideal-framework Circular...

In this episode I look at the true essence of health. We live a world that is increasingly confusing in terms of health messaging and priorities given the amount of inequality in the world. I take a look at some basics of what is important to us in our lives which people may not consider important for health but not only nourish us as humans but are important to both our short and long term health. Links: Self-esteem and the...

In this episode I look at the role of our genes in health and illness. Patterns of inherited diseases: https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-genetic-disorders-are-inherited-2860737 Epigenetics explained: https://www.theguardian.com/science/occams-corner/2014/apr/25/epigenetics-beginners-guide-to-everything Epigenetics and inheritance: https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/inheritance Ethics of medical genetic testing: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24300652/ CRISPR...

TW: This episode mentions PTSD. We all know what trauma means but how and why does it affect our physical health as well as our mental health? In this episode I look at the reasons behind trauma being a trigger for illness and what we can do to prevent its effects over the years in terms of maintenance. Links:  Trauma informed care: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/working-definition-of-trauma-informed-practice/working-definition-of-trauma-informed-practice Dr Gabor...

These are both words that are bandied around quite a lot in common parlance but what do they actually mean? And what is the difference between them? In this episode I look at the similarities, differences and why they come about. Links: Trump - a textbook narcissist: https://www.uu.nl/en/node/541/donald-trump-textbook-narcissist DSM-5 classification of Narcissistic Personality Disorder: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1519417-overview?form=fpf Dr James...

Medicalisation is the how human experience becomes something that needs medical attention. There are pros and cons of this including the ‘need’ for medicine vs something that is being sold to us something that is unnecessary. I look at some examples in this episode and why it is something that needs consideration. Links: Ivan Illich: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2002/dec/09/guardianobituaries.highereducation Sadness vs...

Integrity - most of us know what it is and value it but does it always help us or can it hinder us? In this episode I look at why is it so important to so many people, what defines it and some extreme examples. Links:  Generic examples of integrity: https://helpfulprofessor.com/integrity-examples/ The VW scandal: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34324772 Roddick vs Verdasco (tennis): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bma1NZuo_o4 Integrity in the...