The idea that vitamin C might offer potential in the treatment of cancer has been around for some decades. Perhaps the person whose name is most linked with this concept is the late Linus Pauling. With his death, it seemed that interest in his ideas died a bit of a death too. However, some scientists [...]

My blog last Friday focused on a recent meta-analysis which demonstrates that garlic has real potential to reduce blood pressure. What is more, in individuals with high blood pressure (hypertension), the levels of reduction achieved with garlic supplementation seemed meaningful, and are likely to translate into real reduction in the risk of problems associated with [...]

When men middle-aged or elderly men have some difficulty with urination, their doctor’s attention will usually focus on their prostate – the gland that encircles the pipe that takes urine from the bladder to the outside (the urethra). An enlarged prostate can impinge on the outflow of urine from the bladder and therefore cause symptoms [...]

Previously on this site I have written about the potential benefits that so-called omega-3 fats have regarding brain function. These fats appear to have anti-depressant potential, for instance, but also seem to have the capacity to help maintain basic brain function too. There is some research, for instance, which has linked higher levels of omega-3 [...]

Regular readers of this site will know I tend to give my blog posts quite literal and descriptive titles: “Why is the dietary advice given to diabetics so often so woefully inadequate?”, that sort of thing. So, I promised to write about sunlight and beta-carotene today (which I will, give me a moment…), but thought [...]

Last week’s big ‘nutritional news’ was that taking certain nutritional supplements increases risk of death. Apparently. News headlines throughout the UK were awash with the reports of a study which found that the taking of ‘antioxidant’ nutrients (namely beta-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E) in supplement form is associated with a statistically significant increase in [...]

Here in the UK we are told that, generally speaking, women are electing to have children later and later in life. One obvious potential problem with this is that fertility generally falls off from about their mid 30s. So, by the time a woman decides she wants to have children, there is the risk that [...]

The so-called omega-3 fats (found plentifully in ‘oily’ fish such as sardines, salmon and trout) have been said to have the potential to enhance health in a number of areas, including mental health. There is a fair body of evidence now that suggests that omega-3 fats are important in the functioning of the brain, including [...]

When it comes to blood sugar control, it makes sense to avoiding eating too much in the way of foods that tend to disrupt blood sugar levels. This is particularly true for diabetics whose bodies tend not to handle sugar at all well. However, in addition to eating a ‘carbohydrate-controlled’ diet, it can also help [...]

Back in December I reported on a study which found that supplementing men with an extract of green tea led to a significant reduction in their weight, waist size and ‘fat mass’.
The extract in question, which goes by the name of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), is believed to boost metabolism by stimulating the burning of fat [...]

I love being out in the sun. And not just because I like it, but also because of the abundant evidence linking sunlight exposure with a reduced risk of conditions such as cancer and multiple sclerosis as well as improved physical and psychological functioning. And it’s free. And I like sporting a tan.
I recently wrote [...]

I see a lot of different health issues in practice, and these can broadly be divided into what you might call ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ concerns. I see primary concerns as the sort of things that cause individuals to make appointments to see me. Common example include fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, asthma and eczema. On the [...]

There’s a general view out there, I think, that vegetarian and vegan diets are, on balance, healthier than those that include flesh foods including meat. I personally don’t agree with this view. My beliefs on this are partly based on the evidence that non-vegetarians don’t appear to have their lives curtailed by their consumption of [...]

Just like overweight individuals are often seen as greedy or lazy (that’s not a view I hold myself, I should add), prison inmates and young delinquents are generally seen as ‘bad’. But are they? Could, for instance, their errant behaviour and criminal ways be related to something more physiological than social or psychological? Say if [...]

The cold winter months (many of us will be experiencing these right now…) bring with them a risk of vitamin D deficiency – something which I have written about before (see article from 29th November 2006 pasted below). Low levels of vitamin D may predispose to a variety of conditions including seasonal affective disorder (winter [...]