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.
Sunlight
Psoriasis is a skin condition characterised by raised, red, often-inflamed patches of skin. Typical sites include the front of the knees, the back of the elbows and the scalp. The condition tends to be chronic – in other words it tends to be a long-term problem, with improvements and exacerbations in time. One thing that […]
Cholesterol and Statins
Many doctors and scientists have nearly unbridled enthusiasm for the class of cholesterol-reducing drugs known as statins. One example of this comes in the form of a study from a group of researchers which claims that taking a statin can counteract the potentially heart-stopping effects of fast food [1]. The researchers suggest that fast food […]
Food and Medical Politics
Back in June I wrote a blog piece about the World Health Organization. This supposedly august body has come in for some sharp criticism in the form of a couple of pieces on the British Medical Journal. Specifically, the WHO was accused of being influenced by financial conflicts of interest in the handling of the […]
Healthy Eating
I’m a big believer in maintaining adequate hydration, and one reason for this is that I and countless others have noticed just how this relatively simple strategy can help enliven our physical and mental energies. How much do we need to drink to maintain adequate levels of hydration? Well, opinions are divided on this. Some […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
Last week one of my blogs focused on story regarding the spiralling costs of medication for diabetes. I suggested that one reason for this is that many diabetics are advised to eat a diet rich in starchy carbohydrate, yet these foods generally are very disruptive to blood sugar levels. Yes, that’s right – diabetics who […]
Healthy Eating
Cancer, in essence, is a condition caused by cells dividing more rapidly than they should to form a clump of abnormal cells. Lots of things appear to have the capacity to trigger cancerous change in cells (some chemicals, free radical damage, radiation, for example), but once cancerous cells form, they still need feeding to survive. […]
Cholesterol and Statins
I don’t mind referring to scientific research where relevant, but I’m not of the mind that only things that have been ‘scientifically proven’ have merit. One reason for this is that there’s plenty of things that we might do in practice that appear to consistently help people, but have not been subjected to systematic study. […]
Brain and Behaviour
There is little doubt that food can affect brain function. For example, caffeine can enhance mental energy and alertness, while a lull in blood sugar levels can have the reverse effect. Another important nutritional factor in mental functioning are the so-called omega-3 fats that are found most plentifully in “oily” varieties of fish such as […]
Weight Loss
The body mass index (weight in kg divided by the square of someone’s height in metres) is well-established as a marker for health. Generally speaking, we’re told that BMIs of 18.5 are “normal” and “healthy”, while those of 25.0-29.9 are “overweight”, and those 30 and above mark people out as “obese” There’s a number of […]
Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
I saw this story on the BBC website this morning. It concerns the costs of treating those with diabetes. Apparently, the cost of drugs for managing diabetes is rising (a lot), and now accounts for 7 per cent of the total amount spent on prescribing in the UK. Between 2000 and 2008 prescriptions for diabetic […]