Dr Briffa's Blog - A Good Look at Good Health
A health-focused blog that makes sense of science, and offers accurate, trustworthy and practical advice about all aspects of healthy living.
Back in November I wrote about the drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu), and specifically the fact that its manufacturer (Roche) has steadfastly refused to give up data on the drug that would allow independent researchers to assess its effectiveness and safety. The British Medical Journal if waging a campaign for Roche to cough up the relevant information, [...]
Last year, I reported on research which found that supplementation with the vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid had been found to reduce the brain shrinkage (brain atrophy) in individuals suffering from ‘mild cognitive impairment’ (impaired brain function not severe enough to be labelled ‘dementia’) [1]. Subsequent research found that this treatment regime actually improved [...]
Smoking marijuana is perhaps not a lifestyle habit that many would classify as ‘healthy’. However, a study published this week in the American Journal of Medicine discovered that pot-smoking is associated with improvement in a range of health markers including lowered waist circumference, body mass index and fasting insulin levels, as well as improved blood [...]
One of the things you’ll hear from ‘key opinion leaders’ who promote the use of statins is that these drugs have a very good safety profile. These judgements appear to be based on the findings of studies in which statins are given to individuals in the context of ‘randomised controlled trials’ (where statins are pitted [...]
With rates of overweight and obesity generally on the up, it’s perhaps no surprise that many of us will seek to lose weight at one time or another. My experience is that the great majority of people who want to lose weight will be able to, but the issue can be the sustainability of that [...]
I came across this story today. Published yesterday in the Daily Mail, it reports research in which, apparently, high-fat meals were found to induce sleepiness in individuals, compared to high-carb ones. I have looked for this study on-line and can find no trace of it (only references to it). What this sometimes means is that [...]
There’s abundant evidence linking sunlight exposure with a reduced risk of chronic diseases including heart disease, several forms of cancer, multiple sclerosis and diabetes. If the sun is bright enough and high enough in the sky, sunlight can stimulate the product of vitamin D (actually, a hormone) in the skin. Higher levels of vitamin D [...]
Ezetimibe is a drug that lowers cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption from the gut. The drug is available under the brand name Zetia. Doctors can also prescribe ezetimibe in combination with the statin drug simvastatin. This combination medication is sold under the name Vytorin. Both Zetia and Vytorin have racked up billions of dollars [...]
About a year ago, I wrote a blog post about ‘earthing’ or ‘grounding’. The idea here is that by connecting ourselves with soil or wet sand or sea, say, we can ‘suck up’ electrons that effectively act as ‘antioxidants’ that can quell inflammation and enhance health. The blog post links to a review article of [...]
