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
When I was at medical school I learnt that blue eyes are associated with an increased risk of succumbing to the blood disorder pernicious anaemia. For years, I have taken comfort from the belief that having brown eyes afforded me some degree of immunity from disease. This month, however, new research has linked brown eyes […]
Brain and Behaviour
For the most part, conventional medical practice has an image of professionalism and credibility. The medical establishment’s apparent adherence to the concept of scientific validity, coupled with plenty of white coats, stethoscopes and machines that go ‘ping’, help to foster the image that we doctors know what we are doing and are worth entrusting your […]
Nutrients and Supplements
One nutrient that has managed to firmly entrench itself in mainstream medical practice is iron. Even doctors who view the concept of nutritional supplementation with some scepticism are generally comfortable about firing off prescriptions for this blood-building mineral. Yet, while iron undoubtedly has the ability to do much good in the body, taking it is […]
Healthy Eating
Statistics show that the incidence of breast cancer has risen quite sharply over the last few decades, and the disease is now believed to affect about one in ten women at some point in their lives. Fortunately, as rates of breast cancer have grown, so has awareness of the condition: increasing numbers of women, it […]
Healthy Eating
For something as natural as the day is long, sunlight seems to get some pretty bad press. This time of year is usually accompanied by a rash of articles and news stories warning us of the perils of the sun’s rays, and experts are quick to draw out attention to the dangers of sunburn and […]
Healthy Eating
Much that I’m into the concept of healthy eating, I do think it helps if the food tastes good too. Few things please me more than when foods that delight the palate turn out to have disease-quashing properties too. A good example of this kind of happy double-whammy is olive oil. No foodie, it seems, […]
Brain and Behaviour
I’m a big believer in the idea that relatively small changes in our nutritional status and bring big benefits in the long term. So, I was very interested to read the recent British research showing that giving basic nutrients to young offenders significantly reduced their criminal tendencies. The idea that the answer to the youth […]
Healthy Eating
My work and social life being what they are, it is not uncommon for me to find myself sitting down to eat in some restaurant or other. Nice though this is, it’s also true that eating establishments are not renowned for offering a large and varied selection of healthy, nutritionally balanced meals. Despite knowing better, […]
Children's Health
Despite the best efforts of doctors and scientists, statistics show that some medical conditions continue to grow more common and troublesome. One such ailment is childhood asthma; rates of this condition have roughly doubled over the last decade, and it now affects about one in five children in the UK. With such statistics in mind, […]
Healthy Eating
As anyone who reads Nigel Slater’s column will be only too aware, eating can be an intensely pleasurable experience. However, while many of us undoubtedly enjoy our grub, we may not be so keen on what it may do to us once we’ve eaten it. For a fair proportion of the population, eating can signal […]