Orthorexia comes from the Greek word ‘ortho’ meaning correct and it’s a compulsion to eat a biologically perfect diet. Sufferers often hide behind highly restrictive diets, blaming allergies or food intolerances for their disordered relationship with food. You’ll hear orthorexics saying, ‘Eating x gives me migraines, y makes me bloated’. The motivation behind the faddy […]
What happens when we stop eating three meals a day? Shift work has been linked to a myriad of health problems. Compared to individuals who work normal hours, shift workers may be at higher risk of a number of disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, digestive problems, and depression. When you think about the […]
Flax seed oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil and even avocado oil – there are dozens of edible vegetable oils which can form a part of a healthy balanced diet. Cold pressed olive oil is one of the healthiest oils which is widely available. High in monounsaturated fats, which are linked to good heart health, it […]
Despite decades of public dietary guidelines devised to optimise human health, the world is now facing an unprecedented global epidemic of obesity and diabetes; threatening to bring the modern health care system to its knees. In this same era we have seen radical changes in the food environment of the Western world. Processed food has […]
Read More… from Icelandic Health Symposium: Obesity and Diabetes
Broken bones can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. A team of researchers at the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, led by me and Dr Elizabeth Curtis, Academic Clinical Fellow in Rheumatology have discovered that ethnicity, socioeconomic status and place of residence in the UK all influence the risk of breaking a bone. Together we […]
Read More… from Risk of breaking a bone depends on where you live
Consuming too many soya products like tofu might increase the risk for memory loss, according to some studies. One study published in April 2000 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that Japanese men living in Hawaii who ate the most tofu during their mid-40s to mid-60s were more likely to have […]
Residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa have long enjoyed one of the longest life expectancies in the world. As well as having the highest population of centenarians, Okinawa also boasts low disability rates. This has been largely attributed to the Okinawa diet which is nutrient and calorie-rich. Although it includes a relatively small amount […]
‘One of the main risk factors for bowel cancer is genetic predisposition but it has been linked to eating too much red or cured meat. No one knows why this is the case although it may be something to do with how the gut manages that volume of protein. What we do know is that […]
Colorectal cancer is a general term applied to malignant tumours occurring anywhere within the colon (large bowel or large intestine). This includes the rectum which is the last part of the colon before the anus. Colorectal cancer is the second highest cause of cancer death in the in the UK (behind lung). Most cases occur […]
Read More… from Colorectal cancer – from symptoms to diagnosis and treatment
Acne is a near-universal skin disease affecting 85 per cent of adolescents world wide as well as older adults. But although it is ubiquitous, it is a condition that is extremely variable. I don’t think that ‘one-size fits all’ treatments reflect the fact that it is complex condition that requires a tailor-made approach. As a consultant dermatologist […]