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.
Healthy Eating
My weekly trawl through the scientific literature quite often brings in evidence for the health-promoting properties of the fats found in oily fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and sardine. Studies show that these so-called omega-3 fats help keep a range ailments at bay including depression, hyperactivity, heart disease and cancer. However, despite their healthy […]
Healthy Eating
Even in my relatively brief time as a doctor I have witnessed the rise to prominence of previously rare conditions including hyperactivity, autism and chronic fatigue syndrome. Another contemporary condition, and one which I seem to be seeing in increasing numbers in my practice, is the exclusively female affliction known as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). […]
Children's Health
With all the media coverage it received, I suspect most parents will be only too aware of the discovery of a cancer-causing chemical called semicarbazide (SEM) in jars of baby food. This recent food scare will almost certainly have many mums and dads wanting to put more emphasis on home-prepared fare for their little ones. […]
Nutrients and Supplements
The plummeting temperatures we have experienced of late will inevitably bring a rise in a range of ills including stiff joints, icy extremities and viral infections such as cold and flu. One other condition that is usually in season at this time of year is psoriasis – an affliction characterised by thickened, red, scaly patches […]
Healthy Eating
As a small boy, I distinctly remember relishing meals of which baked beans were a part. Like a lot of people, I enjoyed their taste and texture. However, small boys being what they are, I also used to relish their after effects too. Baked beans at tea-time would mean an evening of great fun to […]
Children's Health
Many parents recognise that one time in the waking day that offers some respite from the demands of child-rearing is when their kids are sat in front of the TV. The television has considerable powers in terms of grabbing and holding a child’s attention, and can even exert an almost-magical calming influence on small children […]
Healthy Eating
A few months ago, I was asked to appear with Nigel Slater on a radio programme to discuss the virtues of juices and smoothies. Nigel whipped up a concoction of his own, and added ginger to this. He described it as the wake-up spice. I had been a fan of vegetable juicing myself, and but […]
Healthy Eating
One of the spin-off benefits of my line of work is occasional invites to give a talk in some far-flung place or other. I have, as it happens, just returned from a short stint of lecturing in Vancouver. On my way over there it occurred to me how much I relish long-haul flying, specficlly how […]
Healthy Eating
While many believe the practice of nutritional supplementation to be a strictly contemporary phenomenon, this is actually far from the truth. Cod liver oil, for instance, has been advocated for its bone-building and joint-feeding effects for more than a hundred years, and some of us may even remember being plied with a daily spoonful of […]
Observer Archive
Amongst those who know me well I have a reputation as a bit of a philistine. In my 37 years on this planet, I have read just two novels (neither one of them a great work of literature) and even managed to fail my English literature ‘O’ level. The truth is, I’ve always struggled taking […]