Specific conditions
I have written more than once about the benefits of sunlight. There is, for instance, quite a body of evidence which links sun exposure and the heightened vitamin D levels in the body this tends to bring with a reduced risk of cancer. It’s one major reason why, although I avoid burning, I seek the […]
Sunlight
I am a big believer in the therapeutic properties of sunlight, at least some of which is related to its ability to stimulate vitamin D production in the skin. Sunlight exposure and/or heightened vitamin D levels have been associated with a range of health benefits including a reduced risk of several forms of cancer and […]
Food and Medical Politics
Regular readers of this site will know I tend to give my blog posts quite literal and descriptive titles: Why is the dietary advice given to diabetics so often so woefully inadequate?�, that sort of thing. So, I promised to write about sunlight and beta-carotene today (which I will, give me a moment�), but thought […]
Sunlight
As a big believer in the health-boosting potential of sunshine, I do what I can to get my fair share of this free commodity. One a recent trip to the Algarve in Portugal, I made being out in the sun a priority. I have olive skin, which means, as long as I don’t go mad, […]
Food and Medical Politics
For almost as long as I can remember, we have been cautioned about the need to avoid excess sunlight exposure lest it trigger potentially lethal skin cancer, particularly what is known as ‘malignant melanoma’. Yet, there as for some time been amassing evidence that sunlight exposure is also associated with a decreased risk of several […]
Children's Health
The cold winter months (many of us will be experiencing these right now�) bring with them a risk of vitamin D deficiency ” something which I have written about before (see article from 29th November 2006 pasted below). Low levels of vitamin D may predispose to a variety of conditions including seasonal affective disorder (winter […]
Nutrients and Supplements
When I was at medical school and subsequently once I started working as a junior doctor, I encountered a number of patients who complained of ‘hurting all over’. These individuals were almost always of Indian subcontinent heritage, and were usually female. On examination, these patients generally claimed to feel pain wherever you touched them. In […]
Men's Health
Here in the UK the weather has turned distinctly autumnal, and the drop in temperature will no doubt herald an upsurge in the risk infections including those affecting the ‘respiratory tract’. There is some thought in natural medicine that certain nutrients have a particular part to play in ensuring a healthy immune response, and may […]
Nutrients and Supplements
Just last week I highlighted the apparent association between higher levels of vitamin D and reduced risk of a variety of conditions including cancer, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis. All of this research has some merit, but until recently I had not been aware of any attempt to specifically assess the link between vitamin D […]
Healthy Eating
Previously, I have written about the health benefits of sunlight, and in particular the role of vitamin D in promoting and preserving the wellbeing of both body and brain. For instance, in recent times I have highlighted research which links vitamin D with relative protection from cardiovascular disease, improved physical function in the elderly (here […]