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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.

All articles Healthy Eating Food and Medical Politics Unhealthy Eating! Weight Loss Nutrients and Supplements Specific conditions Brain and Behaviour Observer Archive
Lower GI carbs, compared to higher GI ones, found to improve satiety and fat-burning in women Exercise and Activity

Lower GI carbs, compared to higher GI ones, found to improve satiety and fat-burning in women

I think conventional nutritional advice (as dispensed by our Governments and health professionals) puts generally too much emphasis on carbohydrate, including forms of this that tend to cause considerable disruption in blood sugar and insulin levels. The consumption of so-called ‘high glycaemic index’ (high GI) carbohydrates have been linked with an increase in risk of […]

March 30, 2009· 3 min read· Dr Briffa
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Are conventional thyroid function tests as reliable as we’re led to believe? Food and Medical Politics

Are conventional thyroid function tests as reliable as we’re led to believe?

This morning, I saw this piece of news on the BBC website which reports on the accusation some doctors (endocrinologists) have leveled that some doctors are misdiagnosing and mistreating thyroid disease. The main gripe appears to be the fact that some doctors are willing to entertain the diagnosis of low thyroid function (hypothyroidism), even when […]

March 28, 2009· 6 min read· Dr Briffa
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Vitamin D levels found to be falling in Americans Nutrients and Supplements

Vitamin D levels found to be falling in Americans

Vitamin D has gained a reputation for helping to ward off a plethora off ills, including bone disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis and infection. However, while there has been increasing awareness about the multitude of benefits vitamin D can bring, there has also been growing concern that many of us do not have optimal […]

March 26, 2009· 3 min read· Dr Briffa
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Can omega-3 fats protect against peri-natal depression? Brain and Behaviour

Can omega-3 fats protect against peri-natal depression?

Post-natal depression (depression after the birth of a child) is something that has broad recognition within the medical profession and even many parts of the community. In recent times, there has been growing awareness too that depression can commonly come on during the pregnancy itself. Depression that comes on during or up to 12 months […]

March 24, 2009· 3 min read· Dr Briffa
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Evidence suggests that vitamin C can help prevent gout Nutrients and Supplements

Evidence suggests that vitamin C can help prevent gout

Gout is a condition caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the body. If levels are high enough, uric acid can end up crystallising in one or more joint, which typically causes intense pain and inflammation. Gout quite often affects the ball of the foot (the major joint of the big toe), but the […]

March 20, 2009· 4 min read· Dr Briffa
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Does eating meat really increase our risk of colon cancer? Healthy Eating

Does eating meat really increase our risk of colon cancer?

I generally rate meat (including red meat) as a food for those who choose to eat it. However, I appreciate that not all health professionals share my enthusiasm for this food: often, individuals will remind us to eat ‘lean’ meat to avoid consuming so-called saturated fat that ’causes’ heart disease. Except, the evidence doesn’t really […]

March 18, 2009· 4 min read· Dr Briffa
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Are the financial incentives given to UK doctors regarding diabetes doing more harm than good? Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome

Are the financial incentives given to UK doctors regarding diabetes doing more harm than good?

Diabetes is a condition characterised by higher-than-normal levels of sugar (glucose) in the bloodstream. One problem here is that there is more tendency for glucose to react with proteins and fats in the body (through a process known as glycation) that can damage tissues. The complications of diabetes, including nerve, vessel, eye and kidney damage, […]

March 13, 2009· 4 min read· Dr Briffa
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Why might afternoon nappers be at greater risk of diabetes? Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome

Why might afternoon nappers be at greater risk of diabetes?

I noticed a few reports last week (an example here) regarding a study that was presented at a diabetes conference. Apparently, the research shows that individuals taking naps in the afternoon is associated with a significantly enhanced risk of developing diabetes. When such studies are reported there’s a tendency for journalists (and sometimes the originators […]

March 11, 2009· 4 min read· Dr Briffa
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Paleolithic diet again found to bring rapid health-related benefits Healthy Eating

Paleolithic diet again found to bring rapid health-related benefits

In May of last year I wrote about a study which tested the effects of a so-called paleolithic diet ” a diet based on the foods eaten prior to about 10,000 years when it’s believed some of our ancestors converted from being to hunger-gatherers to agriculturalists. The paleolithic diet is one which contains ‘primal’ foods […]

March 9, 2009· 4 min read· Dr Briffa
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