Saving Lives In Slow Motion

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-def...

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: ...

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/guardianobitu...

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 Verdasc...

In this episode I conduct a whistle-stop tour of musculoskeletal health and strategies to prevent joint, muscle and ligament problems and improve our ability to keep them healthy. Some of these conditions are genetic but many are not. Links:  Biomechanics:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3266544/ Exercise and osteoarthritis:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P...

In this episode I look at the role of faith, prayer and mindset in health. Links: Medical study on whether prayer works:  https://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/31/health/longawaited-medical-study-questions-the-power-of-prayer.html Tanya Luhrmann’s work:  https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691164465/how-god-becomes-real Positive outlooks:  https://psppjournals.org/index.php/jc...

Type 2 Diabetes has doubled in the last 15 years in the UK. It is associated with potentially serious complications from kidney failure to blindness but there is a process called insulin resistance that occurs prior to its onset. In this episode I look at the development, prevention and management of this condition. Diabetes stats for the UK:  https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about_us/news/nu...

In this episode I look at travel related illness and some tropical diseases worth knowing about. Traveller’s tummy:  https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/travel-tummy-troubles-heres-how-to-prevent-or-soothe-them-202208042796 Diarrhoeal illness:  https://www.who.int/health-topics/diarrhoea#tab=tab_1 Oral rehydration therapy:  https://www.unicef.org/supply/stories/oral-rehydration...

I don’t think there is anyone on the planet that hasn’t had a cough. It’s a biological reflex in basic  terms and as it seems to occupy up to 40% of presentations to a health care provider,  I thought it would be good to cover the why what and how of this ubiquitous symptom. Links:  The mechanism of a cough:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6502102/# The anato...

How we access medical information and where it comes from is all important. It has changed hugely in the last 50 years and in this episode I look at how and why that has happened and also the future. Change in news sources:  https://pressgazette.co.uk/media-audience-and-business-data/most-popular-news-sources-uk-tiktok-ofcom-news-consumption-survey/ Cochrane:  https://www.cochrane.o...

Lifestyle Medicine is now a well established discipline. I look at what it means today and how it has evolved over the years since its inception and how it is indispensable in this day and age. Bromelain:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8067380/# James Rippe:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6933565/ Behaviour change in lifestyle medicine:  https://ww...

It’s often known as the cornerstone of the NHS but general practice is under threat and in this episode I make the case for generalism. The power of generalism:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST6XEDcD_C4 Specialists and generalists:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2021/03/12/generalists-versus-specialists-the-winner-doesnt-take-it-all/ Additional roles in gene...

In this episode I look at the reason for health inequalities, the move towards health equity and what we can do to improve access to health for all. Kings Fund health inequalities:  https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/what-are-health-inequalities Self-reported illness:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1122815/ The inverse care law paper by Tudor-Hart:  https://www...

Polypharmacy is a situation where a person is on several medications.  It is sometimes necessary but needs to be managed and monitored to avoid harm which can be anything from minor to major. Links: Polypharmacy in older adults:  https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41999-021-00479-3 Deprescribing:  https://www.bgs.org.uk/AAAdesprescribing Drug side effects:  https:/...

Not being able to sleep well at night can be frustrating and drive people to distraction. In this episode I look at the causes and what we can do improve our sleep. The work of Stephanie Romiszewski:  https://www.sleepyheadclinic.co.uk/stephanie-romiszewski-sleep-expert/ The stages of sleep:  https://www.sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep Supplements:  https://www.healthline.com/nu...

There are so many reasons for tiredness and fatigue. In this episode I try to explain the reasons behind the symptom and how to approach it. Links: For cases demonstrating the Health Loop to unpack symptoms here is a link to my book The Health Fix:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Health-Fix-Transform-Your-Weeks/dp/1914239296/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Dr+Ayan+Panja&qid=1692817923&s=audible&sr=...

Do you get enough down time? Do you even have time for down time?! In this episode I briefly look at what it is and why it is important. It’s a short episode but hope you enjoy the exercise in it  and the links in the show notes. Links: Why down time is important:  https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mental-downtime/ How to achieve ‘flow’:  https://medium.com/swlh/t...

Blood tests and blood results dominate a GP’s day but why do we do them and what do they mean? In this episode I rapidly cover the rationale behind some of the more common blood tests, what they mean and why we do them in the first place. Links: Further details on blood tests can be found here starting with the full blood count: https://labtestsonline.org.uk/tests/full-blood-count-fbc Vitamin D de...

Bloating is a common symptom which most of us experience from time to time acutely, (for instance if we have a tummy bug or food poisoning), but in this episode I try to unpack the potential reasons behind why bloating can occur in the first place and how to approach it. This episode is a rapid 10-minute 101. Do check out the links in the show notes. Links:  Digestion and enzymes: https://en....

The world seems to be full of ‘coaches’ but what is coaching and how can it help us? I look at some examples in this episode and how it can help develop us by helping us create change to develop ourselves. Links: My GP trainer Ed Peile:  https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/staff/peile/ GROW model:  https://www.performanceconsultants.com/grow-model 'SMART’ goals:  https://coachfoundati...

Medical imaging AI: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(20)30160-6/fulltext Generative AI:  https://generativeai.net/ AI driven CBT:  Leafyard.com/healthfix AI and skin cancer diagnosis:  https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/artificial-intelligence-helping-to-speed-up-skin-cancer-diagnosis-in-leicester-leicestershire-and-rutland-integrated-care-system/ AI...

What is therapy and why do we need it, if at all? In this episode I look at the common types of therapy as well as touch on some alternative types and how they work and what they hope to achieve. The key is that the therapy has to fit with the person.  The origins of therapy:  https://www.talkspace.com/blog/psychotherapy-history-of-therapy/ Therapeutic relationships:  https://www.fa...

The NHS is a jewel in the crown of British culture offering free healthcare for all at times of need. But it has come under stress in recent years. In this episode I take a look back at what the NHS has achieved and why it is so important. The birth and history of the NHS:  https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/health-and-social-care-explained/the-history-of-the-nhs Continuity of care: ...

Midlife can be a hard time of life to navigate, but why is that the case? When we are younger and trying to establish ourselves we look forward to midlife but when we get there it can feel uncomfortable. I explore why this is the case and what we can do about it Links: The midlife crisis:  https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/midlife-crisis/ Another take:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/...

Medical ethics is involved in every aspect of healthcare yet it is invisible. In this episode I look at why it is important and some of the nuances that make it a hard topic to grapple with. Links: Ethical principles via the Clinical Ethics Network:  http://www.ukcen.net/ethical_issues/ethical_frameworks/the_four_principles_of_biomedical_ethics The story of baby Charlie Gard:  https://ww...