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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.

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British Medical Journal investigation finds that treatment guidelines issues to doctors can be lacking in evidence and riddled with conflicts of interest Food and Medical Politics

British Medical Journal investigation finds that treatment guidelines issues to doctors can be lacking in evidence and riddled with conflicts of interest

Medical research is a huge industry churning out scientific papers at quite a rate. How are doctors supposed to keep up and know what is deemed the ‘appropriate’ treatment for a condition? A supposed helping hand comes for doctors in the form of ‘clinical guidelines’ which can come from a variety of sources including one […]

June 26, 2013· 6 min read· Dr Briffa
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Doctor asks serious questions about the widespread use of statins Cholesterol and Statins

Doctor asks serious questions about the widespread use of statins

A few times on this site I have written about the writings of Dr Des Spence – columnist in the British Medical Journal and practising doctor based in Scotland, UK. Regularly, Dr Spence uses his column to expresses doubt about the ‘wisdom’ of conventional medical practice, and quite frequently takes a swipe at what he […]

June 20, 2013· 5 min read· Dr Briffa
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Study finds thyroid extracts to be a viable treatment for some people with hypothyroidism Specific conditions

Study finds thyroid extracts to be a viable treatment for some people with hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a condition that, traditionally, is characterised by low levels of thyroid hormone (such as thyroxine), which in turn can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, mental sluggishness and low mood, weight gain, sensitivity to cold, cold hands and feet, dry skin, dry hair and thinning of the hair. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism is […]

June 19, 2013· 5 min read· Dr Briffa
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Statin found to largely negate the fitness benefits of exercise Cholesterol and Statins

Statin found to largely negate the fitness benefits of exercise

A major motivator for many to take exercise is the desire to ‘get fit and healthy’. Regular exercise induces changes that can increase things like strength and endurance. One particular adaptation to exercise concerns increased numbers of tiny structures called mitochondria (my-toe-con-dree-ah) in the cells. Most of our energy needs are met by the metabolism […]

June 13, 2013· 3 min read· Dr Briffa
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Two reviews reveal the lack of evidence for HDL-boosting agents Cholesterol and Statins

Two reviews reveal the lack of evidence for HDL-boosting agents

Cholesterol is transported in the bloodstream packaged with protein in the form of ‘lipoproteins’. There’s two main forms of lipoprotein in the blood: so-called ‘low density lipoprotein’-cholesterol (LDL) and ‘high density lipoprotein’-cholesterol (HDL). Traditionally, LDL has been said to be chiefly responsible for the depositing of cholesterol on the inside of the arteries and the […]

June 12, 2013· 5 min read· Dr Briffa
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How does sunlight cause melanomas on the soles of the feet? Sunlight

How does sunlight cause melanomas on the soles of the feet?

This article in the Daily Mail caught my eye today. It concerns, as often seems to be the case at this time of year, the perils of sun exposure. It includes the comments of a consultant dermatologist who tells us that she wears factor 30 or higher sunscreen on her face throughout the year, “even […]

June 11, 2013· 5 min read· Dr Briffa
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Forbidding foods may cause us to obsess about them, and what to do about it Brain and Behaviour

Forbidding foods may cause us to obsess about them, and what to do about it

I came across this story today in the Daily Mail, concerning what can happen when we deny ourselves something. Apparently, according to this research, resisting something we desire can make us think about it more. Interestingly, if the same thing is denied to people more generally, it tends not to have this effect [1]. So, […]

June 7, 2013· 5 min read· Dr Briffa
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Is publishing ‘league tables’ of surgeons’ performance good for patients? Food and Medical Politics

Is publishing ‘league tables’ of surgeons’ performance good for patients?

I read today that from later this summer, survival rates for the patients of surgeons in the UK will be made available to patients. The idea is, then, that patients can choose who treats them. According to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt: The Health Secretary said: “Transparency and participation must be the operating principles of the […]

June 4, 2013· 6 min read· Dr Briffa
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No evidence for the ‘blood type diet’, but does it work? Healthy Eating

No evidence for the ‘blood type diet’, but does it work?

I had an email from someone asking me about the blood type diet. The ‘Eat Right for your Type’ diet was hugely popular in the US and also here in the UK from the mid 90s. The diet is based on the ‘ABO’ system of typing blood. This system gives us four blood groups depending […]

June 3, 2013· 7 min read· Dr Briffa
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