Fake benzodiazepines (including diazepam and alprazolam – better known as Xanax) could cause serious harm. PureRadiancePhoto/ Shutterstock Counterfeit, or “fake”, medicines are a growing problem worldwide, from antimicrobials to cancer treatments. They are are designed to look exactly like the real thing, but typically contain the wrong type or amountContinue Reading
Transgender and gender diverse people are more likely to be autistic. Sandra van der Steen/Shutterstock There is a lot of evidence to suggest that men are more likely to be autistic than women. For every woman who is autistic, evidence suggests that as many as four men are autistic. ButContinue Reading
Strength training can improve bone density, muscle mass, and physical ability in older people. NDAB Creativity/ Shutterstock It’s a common assumption that exercise in older people is difficult and dangerous, so it’s perhaps best avoided. But this is often not the case – even if these ideas are ingrained inContinue Reading
Shutterstock How does walking through a forest make you feel? Peaceful? Blissful? Reflective? For many people, lockdown brought a new appreciation of nature and what it means for our well-being. The health benefits of immersing ourselves in “greenspace” are now widely accepted. Living in areas with grass and trees hasContinue Reading
Monika Wisniewska/Shutterstock Heatwaves undoubtedly bring a certain joy at the opportunity to be out in the sunshine. But as the planet heats and weather records tumble, increasingly normal bouts of baking heat aren’t all sun and games. Aside from the grief and guilt we may feel about the human causesContinue Reading
Some super smellers even associate unpleasant memories or feelings of annoyance with certain smells. Shift Drive/ Shutterstock Do certain smells make you feel uncomfortable, even nauseous? Or is your nose so good that you can detect even the subtlest aromas in your favourite wine? Perhaps certain smells evoke negative orContinue Reading
Tomas Nevesely/Shutterstock Painkillers such as morphine have transformed the way pain can be controlled – but there are drawbacks, not least the risk of overdose or becoming dependent. The havoc and misery caused by over-prescribing these drugs in the US has seen hundreds of thousands of people die prematurely. ChronicContinue Reading
Alexithymia is a personality trait characterised by an inability to identify and describe emotions. Rawpixel.com/ Shutterstock Eating disorders have the highest mortality rates of any mental illness. They don’t discriminate, affecting people of all ethnicities, sexualities, gender identities, ages and backgrounds. However, one group is disproportionately affected by these disorders:Continue Reading
LightField Studios/Shutterstock Research shows that doctors who offer empathic and positive messages can reduce a patient’s pain, improve their recovery after surgery and lower the amount of morphine they need. But it doesn’t mean that telling a patient something simple, such as “this drug will make you feel better”, willContinue Reading
TheCreativeBrigade/Shutterstock There’s no doubt that the pandemic has been difficult for people in different ways. But for a lot of people what has kept them going has been their daily exercise. Whether it’s a bike ride, a run around the park or a daily walk, many have seen lockdown asContinue Reading
