Saving Lives In Slow Motion

In this episode I go back to the basics of how to get themes out now your GP appointment beyond the obvious. Medicine is increasingly complex and time is often short with the doctor. Here are my tips for an effective use of appointments in 2025. Links: Why men don’t gp to the doctor -  https://www.bowelresearchuk.org/latest-news/why-dont-men-go-to-see-their-doctors/ Hello My Name is...

Infections of the urinary tract are a daily occurrence but there is much more to them than meets the eye. In this episode I go through some of the conditions that affect the kidney and bladder and what we can do to keep them healthy. Cystitis:  https://www.healthline.com/health/cystitis Benign prostate enlargement:  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-enlargement/ Urethritis:&nbs...

Wellness is big. But it really divides opinion. Some think of it as extreme aesthetic procedures or unnecessary fad diets whereas others regard it as essential maintenance. I explore what wellness really means in this episode. —— Links: The GWI and wellness definitions:  https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/ Wellness vs wellbeing:  https://www.gallup.com/workplace/340202/wellness-wel...

In this episode I look at a huge study from the USA which looked at over 700,000 people to find which habits lead others to increased lifespan. I discuss the limitations of the study but also some universal habits we could all potentially benefit from. The study:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000291652366280X?via%3Dihub Study summary:  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.go...

This year instead of wanting to take on new habits and do more I want to let go of things that are holding me back. In true Health Fix style it’s all about Too Little vs Too Much and I am shedding the too much bits! Toxic behaviours by others, phones in the morning, all or nothing and forgiveness all feature. Links:  Marie Kondo and KonMari: https://konmari.com/ Boundary setting:  https:...

There is consensus on how reflection is good for mental health as well as productivity but how can we easily make time for it on the modern world? In this episode at this reflective time of year I look at how we might be able to do it little and often. The power of self-reflection:  https://hbr.org/2022/03/dont-underestimate-the-power-of-self-reflection Journalling benefits:  https://psy...

In this episode I cover the different type so anaemia as I have found it can cause much confusion and there are so many different types, from mild iron deficiency to types that can be life threatening.  Iron deficiency anaemia:  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/ Bone marrow:  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22818-bone-marrow Haem and non haem iron:&nb...

In this episode I look at the liver and how to keep it healthy, arguably the most industrious visceral organ in our body with so many critical functions.  Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease:  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease Fructose:  https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-high-fructose-intake-may-trigg...

It’s a time of year that some people dread but there’s so much we can do get through this season and I look at that in this short but useful 101 episode. Polyphenols and hormesis:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0958166924000107 Vitamin C and zinc for colds:  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32342851/ Asthma exacerbations and vitamin D:  https://www.thelancet....

Back pain is something most of us have suffered with at some point. In this episode I look at the various reasons behind back pain, how we can rethink it and manage it beyond simple exercise and pain relief including alternative therapies. The stats:  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/low-back-pain Back muscles:  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21632-back-muscle...

In this episode I look at why across much of the world mental health is in crisis. What are the reasons for this? What can we do about it?  TW: mentions suicide. Systems biology in medicine:  https://www.imperial.ac.uk/metabolism-digestion-reproduction/research/systems-medicine/ COVID and mental health:  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8758130/# Trauma and mental...

Hydration is something many of us take for granted but in this episode I bust some myths around hydration, cover why it is important to give it some thought and why urine colour is not the best measure of how hydrated we are.  Too much vs too little:  https://www.instagram.com/drayanpanja/p/C16g1vfI3ZP/ BUY THE HEALTH FIX NOW:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Health-Fix-Transform-Your-Week...

The thyroid is an important gland and with many functions. Up to 10% of people have a thyroid disorder and in this episode I look at common presentations and how to keep your thyroid healthy. How thyroid hormone is made:  https://www.ezmedlearning.com/blog/thyroid-hormone-synthesis-steps-pathway Hashimoto’s Disease - a common cause of hypothyroidism (underactive):  https://www.mayoc...

It’s the second commonest cancer in men across the world and increasing in incidence. In this episode I look at why it occurs and what we can do prevent it, manage risk and raise awareness. Hormones and their roles in prostate cancer:  https://www.ceu.ox.ac.uk/news/largest-study-to-date-confirms-role-of-two-hormones-in-aggressive-prostate-cancer-risk# Benign prostatic hypertrophy (not cancer)...

The amount of health information and practitioners are constantly growing and we have a choice about where we search for this information and advice. But how do you know who is reliable? How do you decide who to trust? I explore this and more in the episode.  Gen Z and their health:  https://www.healthline.com/health-news/tiktok-main-source-health-information-gen-z#56%25-of-Gen-Z-users-t...

Narrative Medicine is an important art in a consultation involving both talking and listening. In this episode I look at why it is important and how it can help our health outcomes.  AI in consultations:  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13169325/GP-AI-listening-auto-generate-patient-notes-confidential-medical-information-wrong-hands.html Neurodivergence:  https://autietra...

Community as a cure? We often think of healthcare being a relationship between a clinician and a patient but amazing things can occur through the power of community and using it as sociological therapy. I look at why groups can be so powerful and how you might run one. Parkrun: home | parkrun UK Weight Watchers: How The WeightWatchers Weight-Loss Program Works Stanley Schachter’s work -...

Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases are on the rise. In this episode I look at why this is the case, the mechanisms behind autoimmunity and what we can do to prevent and manage it. Innate vs adaptive immunity (including B and T cells):  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279396/# Molecular mimicry in autoimmunity:  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0896841118305...

Our biomechanics affect us all the time, each and every day and is often ignored when it comes to its impact on health. From hip pain to heartburn, our anatomy and the way we move can have impacts on our health on a daily basis. Leg length discrepancy:  https://www.thebiomechanicsmethod.com/2021/06/01/how-a-leg-length-discrepancy-affects-the-body/ Podiatry and foot biomechanics:  https:/...

In my book The Health Fix I talk about how I ask patients about their typical day and why that is a great question to ask in order to generate a 'Lifestyle Prescription’. Looking at your typical day may not be something you’ve done recently or in any detail but it can give you clues to why you may be contributing to some of your symptoms or how you feel.  Carpal tunnel syndrome and sleep posi...

Big Pharma gets a lot of bad press, yet most of us have needed to take medication for something at some point in our lives.  How do we minimise the risk of our coming to harm from drugs and what can industry do to work more openly with us? Diuretic drugs:  https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-79565-7_4 Ben Goldacre - a review:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article...

The evidence is compelling. Clutter can be harmful to our health in many ways from poor sleep, stress, anxiety and even physical pain. Why is this the case and what can we do about it?  Graham Hill - less stuff, more happiness:  https://www.ted.com/talks/graham_hill_less_stuff_more_happiness?subtitle=en Marie Kondo and her work:  https://konmari.com/ Attention and the visu...

I got thinking about this recently whilst on holiday recently where I was having a lot of lie-ins and doing a lot of daydreaming.  Coffee:  https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee Chewing and alertness:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4449949/ Chewing and effects on the immune system:  https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/ne...

Many of us have role models but do they impact our health? As the Olympics were taking place recently I started to think about this and in this episode I look at some studies and reveal their  interesting findings. Role models (an alternative view):  https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-problem-with-role-models/ Smoking in popular culture:  https://truthinitiative.org/research-re...

This is a topic close to my heart and is important to address for patients and medical staff. Race is a sociological construct and differs from ancestry.  It has a surprising impact in medicine, both in terms of care and outcomes for patients. In addition racism  needs stamping out in the medical profession in all corners. Prostate cancer risk in black men:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih...