Saving Lives In Slow Motion

It’s something that befalls most of us as we age, but what is it?  It is a marker of vulnerability as we age and in many ways a soft tool to predict our risk of future illness and rate of decline. In this episode I look at how it is assessed and what we can do to prevent it. Links:  Rockwood score:  https://www.england.nhs.uk/south/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2022/02/rockwood-frailty...

In this episode I look at what makes for good health in children. It’s clearly multifactorial and the latest reports show that the health of children has declined in recent years in the UK. I look at why this may be the case and what the root causes might be. Links:  Children ‘betrayed’ in UK:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-68203749 WHO website on child health:  https://www...

In this episode I look at the history of sexual health, our attitudes towards it and how we things have changed over the last 100 years.  TW: use of sexual language and references to adult themes. HPV:  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/human-papilloma-virus-hpv Shame and STIs:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8297218/ Philadelphia trailer:  https://www.youtube.com/wat...

This week is my 100th episode. I reflect on some of the topics I have covered over the last 20 months or so and beyond the basics I talk about what I think is the most important aspect of our health in the modern world (and it's not food or relationships)! Links below for a deeper dive... let's go. School resources - how the NHS works:  https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/schools-reso...

In this episode I look at the work of doctors being done by other professionals and try to balance the issues that surround it.  Links: My rapid response from the BMJ in 2006:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325146/ Labels and role confusion:  https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/dec/13/public-confused-over-physician-associates-working-in-nhs-research-finds Pay is...

Meditation and mindfulness are both useful interrelated tools to improve one’s mental health. Meditation should ideally be a regular practice and in this episode I discuss some of the benefits as well as take you through a short guided mediation on self-compassion. Links: Mindfulness and CBT:  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-24256-9 Mindfulness and changes in the brain - neuroplast...

In this episode I look at the concept of ‘ideas’ rather than resolutions that might shape your 2024 on an individual and societal level, including a couple of things I managed myself in 2023. There are also some easy hacks to incorporate into your day which can work for everyone. My IDEAL framework for behaviour change:  https://shows.acast.com/savinglivesinslowmotion/episodes/behaviour-chang...

In this episode I look at the true essence of health. We live a world that is increasingly confusing in terms of health messaging and priorities given the amount of inequality in the world. I take a look at some basics of what is important to us in our lives which people may not consider important for health but not only nourish us as humans but are important to both our short and long term health...

In this episode I look at the role of our genes in health and illness. Patterns of inherited diseases:  https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-genetic-disorders-are-inherited-2860737 Epigenetics explained:  https://www.theguardian.com/science/occams-corner/2014/apr/25/epigenetics-beginners-guide-to-everything Epigenetics and inheritance:  https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenet...

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=...