Dr John Briffa's blog, A Good Look at Good Health — writing on food, cholesterol, weight, energy and the science behind everyday health, from the drbriffa.com archive. Filter by topic, browse by category, or search the library.
Exercise and Activity
Aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking and swimming) has long been recommended as part of a ‘healthy’ lifestyle, particularly with regard to heart and ‘cardiovascular’ health and weight control. However, in recent times there has been a little more focus on the role of ‘resistance’ exercise (such as weight-training) as a means to improve health, […]
Children's Health
Even though I like to think of myself as reasonably progressive, the reality is that when it comes to eating, I’m a traditionalist at heart. This does not just mean eating a diet based on natural, unprocessed food, but also refers to how this food is eaten. In particular, I’m fan of family meals, as […]
Nutrients and Supplements
Just last week I highlighted the apparent association between higher levels of vitamin D and reduced risk of a variety of conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis. All of this research has some merit, but until recently I had not been aware of any attempt to specifically assess the link between vitamin D […]
Brain and Behaviour
Here in the UK, the kids are back at school which is usually a cue for some “child-focused stories to emerge in the press. One pearl of a story that recently surfaced concerned a trial in which certain food additives (colourings, mainly) were tested in children aged 3 and 8-9. This research, undertaken in Southampton, […]
Healthy Eating
Previously, I have written about the health benefits of sunlight, and in particular the role of vitamin D in promoting and preserving the wellbeing of both body and brain. For instance, in recent times I have highlighted research which links vitamin D with relative protection from cardiovascular disease, improved physical function in the elderly (here […]
Food and Medical Politics
In an increasingly litigious World where blaming and complaining does seem increasingly common, it seems doctors are under increasing pressure to ‘practice defensively’. This means not necessarily giving the best care, but the care influenced by a desire to avoid complain or litigation. I found a good description of defensive medicine that goes like this: […]
Healthy Eating
While the ‘calorie principle’ has underpinned nutritional and weight loss advice over the last few decades, the fact is that different types of calorie are ‘burned’ differently in the body. What this means is that it’s not just the amount of calories we consume, but the form that they come in that dictates the impact […]
Nutrients and Supplements
Today’s edition of the British Medical Journal contains an article which summarises guidance from the UK’s National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the management of chronic fatigue syndrome [1]. Let me start by saying I have special interest in this area, as quite a number of my patients present with ‘fatigue’ (often, […]
Cholesterol and Statins
My father (a retired doctor) is not one for pronouncements, though I do remember him offering me one piece of advice about how to be a good doctor: listen to your patients. I was reminded of this simple but sagely dictum recently on the reading of a study which assessed the response doctors give to […]
Food and Medical Politics
In previous posts, such as here and here, I have focused on the apparent ability of pharmaceutical companies influence research, the journals that publish this research and treatment guidelines. There are many ways that drug companies can do this, including the funding and design of studies. In fact, back in July I focused on a […]