There has been much publicity ahead of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) publishing its research on the effects of certain food additives on children’s health and behaviour. For years there has been evidence linking additives to behavioural difficulties including temper tantrums, poor concentration, hyperactivity and allergic reactions. I speak from experience here – as a…
National Osteoporosis Month
June is National Osteoporosis Month – organised by superb charity the National Osteoporosis Society. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that leaves bones fragile and highly prone to fractures but a healthy diet and weight bearing exercises go a long way to prevent this painful and debilitating condition. Most of you will already know that calcium…
Referred Pain
I’m sure you’re familiar with the warning that pain in the neck, shoulders and arms can be a symptom of a heart attack but have you ever wondered why pain should be experienced in, for example, your arm instead of in your chest? The answer is the phenomenon of ‘referred pain’. Referred pain is when…
Posture Tips For Men
In a tightening economy, your competitive edge in business needs to get sharper and it appears that the height of men (but not women) plays no small part in boosting your stakes. Whilst upholding equality and treating everyone with warmth and respect is part of my clinical philosophy, I do get irritated with political correctness…
Living With Lupus
I’m always surprised at how little is known about the autoimmune disease lupus. When I’ve mentioned it to patients (and, sadly, to others in the health profession), they seem to have heard of it but are not aware of the symptoms. Lupus (Systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects up…
Frozen Shoulder Advice
Frozen shoulder is a mysterious complaint. Properly termed adhesive capsultitis, frozen shoulder is an extremely painful condition in which it becomes gradually and increasingly difficult to move the shoulder joint. No one really understands why it occurs as it is not necessarily the result of an injury although it is more common in women and…
Client Story: Arthritis
Last week, a lady of 74 came to see me for her regular check-up. This lady is one of my favourite patients as she is so eager to learn how to look after her health that she always bombards me with questions. Her x-rays show the posture and bone health of someone about 30 years…
Shoe Shopping Tips
The health and function of your feet have a direct impact on the rest of your body. A quarter of the bones in your body are in your feet. Simply walking can produce more pressure than the sum of your body weight. The average person walks more than four times the circumference of the globe…
Teenage Headaches
Does your teenager complain of frequent headaches? Are they taking painkillers for a headache as frequently as once or twice a week? Teenagers often suffer regular headaches but fail to tell their parents or GP about them because they see them as ‘normal’. But pain is a warning signal that something (perhaps an injury, lack…
Morning Stiffness Information
Do you wake up feeling stiff and find it takes you a while to get going? Morning stiffness can be due to many factors (including recent exercise, injury or poor mattress and pillow choice) but it can also be an indicator of arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia or even thyroid problems. The duration of morning stiffness…