People who spend more time showing social support to others rather than sharing and receiving support for their problems show greater drops in depression – according to a study published in the in Personal & Social Psychology Bulletin (2017, 43, 5, 729-39). A shame, therefore that much counselling seems to… read more →
Many of us worry that caffeine is somehow bad for us: heart disease, blood pressure, ulcers… Overall there is yet more reassurance from a recent huge European study which found that those drinking the most coffee had the lowest ‘all cause mortality’ (i.e. death from all causes put together).
Although best to spread exercise throughout the week a recent study showed that those who only take vigorous exercise at the weekend still have substantially lower risks than those who take no structured exercise: 30% reduction in overall mortality. 40% reduction in cardiovascular disease. 18% reduction in cancer.
Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with medical conditions ranging from osteoporosis and fractures to heart disease, diabetes and depression. Recent evidence shows that much of this is enthusiasm and medical fashion. Unless prescribed for pathologically low levels, vitamin D supplements probably and do not help to treat/prevent… read more →
The Employment Appeal Tribunal in Doran v the Department of Work and Pensions held that there was no duty to make reasonable workplace adjustments when the employee was certificated as unfit for any work and there was no indication of a return to work date. Another indication of how a… read more →
A huge study* to be published in this week’s British Medical Journal found that consuming alcohol within current guidelines is associated with lower rates of heart disease (including heart attack, heart failure and angina) and lower rates of stroke. The Royal College of Physicians advises no more than 21 units… read more →
Sometimes the anticipated benefits from Wellness initiatives are so obvious that we don’t test their effectiveness. A recent programme in Norway encouraged use of stairs with notices and pink foot markers. Results showed that fewer people used the stairs when invited to do so.
A patient has persistent back pain and eventually has an MRI scan. This shows ‘degenerative changes’. In the absence of anything more convincing the doctor may attribute the pain to ‘degenerative disc disease’. All too common – but a study published in the journal Spine in 2009 found that ‘disc… read more →
The bad news A recent study in the Journal of Immunology reminds us that night shift work is associated with an increased risk of (generally minor) infections, cancer and heart disease, stroke, diabetes and autoimmune diseases (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and Crohn’s disease). When is it a reasonable adjustment to… read more →
