I eat a relatively low-carb diet, and as a result, eat very little bread indeed. I literally cannot remember the last time I ate a sandwich, for instance. And when I do eat bread, I tend to opt for a thin slice or two of dark rye bread. I prefer rye to wheat bread partly […]
About Dr John Briffa
Author Archive | Dr John Briffa
Cinema popcorn highlighted as a nutritional hazard (and how to avoid it)
Over the weekend the radio was on and I caught an item about the apparent hazards of popcorn. The Food Standards Agency in the UK has, it seems, launched a bit of a blitz against the snack foods and drink available in cinema foyers (see here for a report regarding this) and popcorn is firmly […]
Iron supplementation found to improve brain function
Iron is an essential nutrient for the making of haemoglobin – the component in red blood cells that carries oxygen and delivers it to the tissues. If iron is deficient in the body, haemoglobin levels can fall and eventually cause anaemia (pathologically low haemoglobin). Symptoms of this can include mental and physical fatigue and low […]
The meaningless and misleading nature of food health claims
On Tuesday I was giving a presentation, and part of my advice was for individuals to avoid eating much in the way of processed food, including those emblazoned with health-related claims. Terms such as ‘low fat’, ‘low cholesterol’, and ‘high in fibre’ are misleading, to begin with, because these qualities have dubious health benefits (if […]
Walking and glucosamine helps people with osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a condition characterised by degeneration of cartilage in joints. I commonly affects joints such as the hips and knees, and when it does, it can make walking (and other movements) difficult and painful. Those with osteoarthritis are often recommended to engage in exercise which, in theory, does not put the joints as further […]
Natural strategies for individuals who have difficulty falling asleep at night and getting up in the morning
Sleep has important benefits for health and wellbeing, but not everyone is able to get as much sleep as they’d like. For some individuals, sleep does not come easy. One particular problem encountered by a few unfortunates is what is termed ‘delayed sleep phase syndrome’ (DSPS). Here, individuals can take hours (literally, hours) to get […]
No good evidence flu vaccination helps the elderly
Here in the UK it’s cold, and the cold weather tends to bring with it an upsurge in the rates of viral infections such as the common cold and flu. It has been suggested that one reason such infections surge in the winter is because we’re more likely to be cooped up with other people, […]
Why drink water, and how much is enough?
Like a lot of people working in the nutritional field, I believe maintaining hydration is important for peak wellbeing and health. Water makes up about two-thirds of the body, and therefore has the potential to play a critical role in just about any bodily process one cares to mention. Like what? Well, now the benefits […]
Cranberry found to be effective for urinary tract infection prevention in girls
Urinary tract infections are common in women, and for some women can be recurrent and require repeated doses of antibiotics or even prophylactic antibiotics. Organisms (usually E. coli) that cause UTIs generally gain access to the bladder via the urethra (the pipe connecting the bladder with the outside). Some of the strategies that may help […]
Corporate Wellness
