September - 2022

Flu and Covid could make this a hard winter for UK

The UK must prepare for a big, early wave of flu, experts warn, based on what Australia has just experienced during its winter. Many southern hemisphere nations have had their most rampant flu season for years. It is largely because people mixed more once Covid restrictions had eased, but had little immunity to the influenza virus after a break from the disease. Health experts are urging anyone who is eligible for a flu shot to get one. After two years with almost zero flu ci

What multivitamins really mean for your health – according to the experts

In the battle against dementia, there may be a simple weapon we’ve had in our armoury all along: taking a daily multivitamin. New scientific research has suggested that a dietary supplement could prevent cognitive decline in people over the age of 65, keeping their brain sharp for an extra two years. The study of 2,200 men and women found those who took a multivitamin every day slowed their ageing by 60 per cent, or 1.8 years. They had improved global cognition, episodic memo

Artificial sweeteners may be linked to heart disease

Academics have identified a possible link between artificial sweeteners and heart disease in a new study. Researchers said that food additives “should not be considered a healthy and safe alternative to sugar”. The new study, published in The BMJ, examined information on more than 100,000 adults from France. The authors, led by experts from the Sorbonne Paris Nord University, examined participants’ intake of sweeteners from all dietary sources including drinks, tabletop sweet

New Parkinson’s test developed thanks to woman who could smell the disease

Scientists have harnessed the power of a woman’s hyper-sensitive sense of smell to develop a test to determine whether people have Parkinson’s disease. The test has been years in the making after academics realised that Joy Milne could smell the condition. The 72-year-old from Perth, Scotland, has a rare condition which gives her a heightened sense of smell. She noticed that her late husband Les developed a different odour when he was 33 – some 12 years before he was diagnose

What is sleep paralysis and how can you prevent it?

The short of it Sleep paralysis can be a frightening experience where your mind wakes up and your body doesn't. While it isn’t dangerous, over 30% of the population have come up against sleep paralysis at some point during their lives. Sleep paralysis has been linked to conditions including insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety, but there are various prevention and treatment options you can try to help. The long of it If you've ever had sleep paralysis b