Saving Lives In Slow Motion

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...

In this episode I look at the concept of intelligence, what it means and whether it even matters on a practical level. What are the different types, how is it measured and are there ways that we improve our IQ?  IQ testing - a discussion:  https://theconversation.com/the-iq-test-wars-why-screening-for-intelligence-is-still-so-controversial-81428 Howard Gardner’s work:  https://...

In this episode I look at the effects of the pandemic which still linger. How has it affected us and our health and outlook?  It’s been over 3 years since COVID-19 enveloped the planet and there have been myriad effects on people which have affected us in overt and subtle ways. Big picture effects of the pandemic: https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications/covid-decade-understandin...

Neurodiversity is becoming more of an important aspect of our lives as people are increasingly becoming more neurodivergent. In this episode I look at examples, the origins of the term neurodiversity and what it means for our lives now and moving forward. And I hope you like the quote at the very end of the show. Judy Singer:  https://www.forbes.com/sites/drnancydoyle/2022/08/26/hidden-figure...

Pain affects almost all of us at some point. But some types of pain is experienced more severely than other types. In this episode I look at the factors which affect pain and our perception of it and what we can do handle it better. Nociceptors:  https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-are-nociceptors-2564616 The nail in the boot:  https://www.painscience.com/biblio/source-of-boot-nail-guy-a...

Rejection is something that affects us all but how can we minimise its effects? The effects can be minor or major and in this episode I look at strategies for recognising that it might be an issue, how we can learn from them and how we can better handle it so that it does not continue to affect our lives negatively. Links: Functional MRI of the brain and rejection and links to pain: https://www.sc...

Is listening an undervalued skill in today’s society? It is an essential part of communication and can have a therapeutic effect. Listening can be a gateway to empathy and compassion and I make the case that we should all do it better before it  becomes a lost art. Active listening outperforms simple acknowledgement:  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10904018.2013.813234...

It’s a word and characterisation we all know and use at times. Worried about your health? Perhaps too worried? What constitutes excessive worrying about one’s health? This episode explores the reasons behind it and what can be done to help allay health or illness anxiety. Links:  Three Men in a Boat:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4921.Three_Men_in_a_Boat Redefining hypoc...

It’s essential to leading a healthy life but is all movement the same? Are there any common themes? What is that makes some of us enjoy exercise and others dread it. In this episode I look at the types of exercise and how we do not all have to do the same thing. Activation therapy:  https://douglasheel.com Soleus push ups and their benefits:  https://stories.uh.edu/2022-soleus-pushu...

Some say it’s a modern illness but accounts go back hundreds of years. It’s the ultimate invisible illness but is actually a reaction to a stressor. How can we handle stress, what are the different types and are there any principles we can use to deal with our stress given how individual it is. Links: Insomnia and stress in the BMJ in 1894:  https://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/bmj-1...

We all know that friendships can be complicated. In this episode I look at why they can be important to health, how they change over the years and the different types of friendship.  Links: Childhood friendships and adult health:  https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/22/3/378/507548 Meaningful interactions in younger people (conclusion is interesting):  https://www.frontiersin.or...

In this episode I look at the science and psychology behind kindness.  Why is kindness important? Are there any downsides?  And is it good for both the giver and receiver? Kindness and stress: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8848115/ The doctor as a drug: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-power-rest/201103/the-doctor-is-drug Oxytocin increases with age:  https...

Our body clock is something most of us have heard of but is more important than we might think, as it can literally make or break our health.  It can be easy to take for granted and in this episode I look at some of the science and tips to change ‘timings’ of activities in our lives to our advantage.  Links:  Satchin Panda TEDx talk:  https://youtu.be/erBJuxVR7IE Russell Foster...

This is a great topic which feeds into all sort including self-care, information gathering, overdiagnosis and  the accuracy of resources online plus the dangers of counterfeit medication. Here are some interesting links: Doctor vs Internet:  https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p019px0x The pros and cons of AI based diagnosis:  https://www.statnews.com/2023/02/13/chatgpt-assisted-diagno...

This is a phenomenon that occurs when someone stops trying to escape pain or bad situations. It is linked to depression and there are certain risk factors for it. In this episode I look at how it can just manifest and how to help yourself out of it. Learned helplessness - Seligman et al:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4920136/ Link to depression and anxiety:  https://pubme...

I struggle with this myself and am grateful to one of my listeners for suggesting it as a topic. In this episode I look at the reasons why some people seem to do this with ease and others seem to find it much harder and tools that can help us make it easier. Links: Delayed gratification - the benefits:  https://jamesclear.com/delayed-gratification Self-awareness:  https://www.better...

Ever wonder what in our environment might affect our health? Often these things are ‘invisible’ or we are not consciously aware of them, but they can have a continued and profound effect on our health. In this episode I look at some everyday environmental hazards and what we can do minimise their effects on us. Links: Air pollution:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7044178/...