The Wellness Journal · Blog

Author: Dr Briffa

Blog posts from the drbriffa.com archive — same writing, same categories, on the same domain.

Archive

Author: Dr Briffa

Is now the time to target sweet foodstuffs in your diet? Brain and Behaviour

Is now the time to target sweet foodstuffs in your diet?

For some time now evidence has linked the consumption of sugar and adverse health effects including raised blood pressure, increased inflammation, weight gain, and unhealthy changes in blood fats. The three most plentiful sugars in the diet are fructose, glucose and sucrose. A molecule of sucrose – table sugar – contains one molecule each of […]

December 30, 2011· 5 min read
Higher magnesium intakes associated with a reduced risk of stroke Specific conditions

Higher magnesium intakes associated with a reduced risk of stroke

‘Stroke’ is a term used to describe the manifestation of death in part of the brain. It most common occurs as a result of blocking off in one or more arteries – these are called ‘ischaemic’ stokres. More rarely, strokes can be caused by arteries bleeding into the brain (so-called ‘haemorrhagic’ strokes). Earlier this week […]

December 30, 2011· 2 min read
My new book Escape the Diet Trap will be published on 5th January Exercise and Activity

My new book Escape the Diet Trap will be published on 5th January

I am delighted to announce that my new book  – Escape the Diet Trap – will be published in the New Year (5th Jan). The book takes an in-depth scientific look at why ‘eating less and exercising more’ very rarely leads to sustained weight loss. It then explores what works better, with particular emphasis on […]

December 23, 2011· 9 min read
Is there such a thing as a ‘safe starch’? Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome

Is there such a thing as a ‘safe starch’?

Every so often the nutrition blogosphere explodes with interest and much-fevered writing about a topic for debate. Not so long ago, I wrote about one such example which broadly concerned whether ‘low-carb’ or a diet of low ‘food reward’ was more valid for the purposes of weight loss and enhanced health. As with practically everything, […]

December 20, 2011· 5 min read
Enjoy your food (but not too much) Food and Medical Politics

Enjoy your food (but not too much)

I shop for food quite regularly, and so does my girlfriend. We hardly ever shop together, though. When my girlfriend asks me what we need I may have a few ideas but almost always end with this refrain: “Please don’t buy much s**t, because I’ll eat it.” I don’t have a great deal of self-control, […]

December 19, 2011· 3 min read
Podcast – 16th December 2011 Food and Medical Politics

Podcast – 16th December 2011

Anti-‘detox’ stance is unscientific and defies common sense, calcium and vitamin D may help rid the body of toxic fat, fever appears to rev up the immune system. For RSS feeds, click onhere.

December 16, 2011· 1 min read
Fever appears to rev up the immune system Specific conditions

Fever appears to rev up the immune system

Let’s imagine you’re walking around barefoot and stub your big toe hard on the leg of a table. It hurts. That’s a pain (quite literally), but at least it’s telling you you’ve done something you might want to avoid doing too often. And should that pain persist in the form of inflammation, there’s a chance […]

December 14, 2011· 2 min read
Anti ‘detox’ stance is unscientific and defies common sense Food and Medical Politics

Anti ‘detox’ stance is unscientific and defies common sense

I came across this story today. It’s based on an article written by Professor David Bender – a nutritional biochemist. His article, which appeared in the journal The Biologist, apparently debunks detoxification regimes. They’re worthless and unscientific, apparently. The body, we’re assured, already has efficient detox systems (including the liver) that efficiently eliminates toxins and […]

December 14, 2011· 3 min read
Podcast – 9th December 2011 Cholesterol and Statins

Podcast – 9th December 2011

What should we eat before exercise, the impact food has on cholesterol is irrelevant, lower-carb diet best for women with PCOS. For RSS feeds, click onhere.

December 9, 2011· 1 min read