Nutrients and Supplements
I have often heard doctors accused of not make use of nutritionally-oriented therapies in their work. Actually, strictly speaking, this is not true. After all, any doctor who has advised women to take folic acid in pregnancy or suggested calcium supplements for stronger bones has, to some degree at least, engaged in the practice of […]
Food and Medical Politics
This morning, like pretty much every morning for the last decade, I downed a judicious collection of nutritional supplements along with my breakfast. Recently, however, I was quite alarmed to read a report from the Government’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) which contained seemingly dire warnings about the potential for food supplements to put us at […]
Healthy Eating
While acne is generally thought of as an adolescent affliction, my experience suggests otherwise. In my practice, I see a pretty regular stream of individuals who, long after the hormonal rush that comes with puberty has died down, continue to suffer from ‘bad skin’. In fact, statistics show that more than one in two women […]
Herbal Medicine
I’ve often heard it said that while orthodox medicines essentially suppress the symptoms that come with illness and disease, naturally-oriented therapies are generally inclined to address their underlying cause. One branch of medicine in which these differing approaches seem aptly demonstrated is dermatology. Dermatologists have a vast array of medicaments in their armouries, most of […]
Healthy Eating
I was somewhat alarmed to learn this month that more than three million Britons cannot get through the day without an alcoholic fix. Alcoholism tends to bring with it a cocktail of physical and psychological problems, and can have a devastating impact on personal and professional relationships too. Emotional issues are a common feature in […]
Healthy Eating
Budgeting has never been in my nature, so it’s no wonder I was unable to subsist on a measly student grant while at medical school. However, my parents made sure I never went hungry, and occasional sessions behind the bar brought in enough extra cash to keep me in booze and cigarettes. I do recall, […]
Healthy Eating
It won’t come as to much of a surprise that not all doctors share my enthusiasm for natural medicine. One common criticism other conventionally-trained medics have of complementary therapy is that it is unscientific and unproven. Personally, I would caution doctors against camping out on this particular high ground. The fact is, many medical practices […]
Healthy Eating
As Valentine’s day approaches, many of us will be venturing into speciality chocolate shops in search of an edible token of affection for that special someone in our lives. Top-notch boxes of chocolates have a sexy and seductive image, and are a classic accompaniment to a bunch of red roses or a romantic meal à […]
Healthy Eating
The combined efforts of the pharmaceutical and food industries have done a good job of convincing us is that having too much cholesterol floating around our bloodstream is one factor that is sure to speed our demise: only 15 years ago practically no one had heard of cholesterol, and now many individuals seem as fluent […]
Healthy Eating
In a few short days from now, many of us will be sitting down to a festive meal of turkey with all the trimmings. One common accompaniment to the traditional Christmas dinner is the Brussels sprout. The presence of this vegetable on our plate is no assurance that we will eat it though: the Brussels […]