Over the past few weeks, the UK government has gradually eased national lockdown measures. As the economy reopens, and people return to workplaces and spend more time in shops, pubs and restaurants, the number of contacts an individual has with other people will inevitably increase. Since then, there has beenContinue Reading
Fizkes/Shutterstock Public health responses to the pandemic have focused on preventing the spread of the virus, limiting the number of deaths and easing the burden on healthcare systems. But there’s also potentially another, less visible epidemic we should be focusing on: mental illness. Our recent study found that people’s mentalContinue Reading
Even moderate alcohol consumption changes the brain's structure. Syda Productions/ Shutterstock Alcohol abuse is a serious problem worldwide. In England alone, over 350,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions – and over 5,000 alcohol-related deaths – were reported in 2018. Long-term alcohol abuse can have many harmful effects on our body. But oneContinue Reading
Shutterstock Rearing animals for food takes time and requires hard work to maintain their health and well-being. Just as in humans, farm animals sometimes get sick and require drugs to treat infections. But organisms that cause infections are becoming increasingly resistant to the available drugs. This antimicrobial resistance increases theContinue Reading
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
