Category: Health

shutterstock fizkes/Shutterstock It’s an increasingly common scenario. You fill in an online form to request an appointment with a doctor, and back comes a link asking you to upload a photo of your ailment. You pick up your phone, a couple of clicks and it’s sent. While you wait for a call back, your GP […]

Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com Vaccines have traditionally worked by teaching the immune system to recognise a specific virus or bacterium – in effect, showing it a wanted poster for a single suspect. But what if one vaccine could protect against dozens of different infections at once? Researchers have now developed a potential candidate for such a vaccine, and […]

christinarosepix/Shutterstock In the UK, women have more choices about how to give birth than ever before, from a water birth at home to a caesarean delivery in hospital. But choice does not always mean labour unfolds as initially planned. First-time mothers are more likely to experience medical interventions during labour. The most common include episiotomies, […]

Creams marketed to lighten skin tone are being sold illegally on British high streets, including in butchers and specialist food shops. It is an unsettling discovery, but perhaps not a surprising one. Demand for these products is real and the profits are significant. But the ingredients that make them effective are also what make them […]

Volodymyr Burdiak/Shutterstock.com During hibernation, brown bears spend up to six months lying almost completely still, without eating, drinking or exercising. When spring arrives, they leave their dens with their muscles largely intact. For humans, the same period of inactivity would usually mean severe muscle loss, weakness and long-term health problems. Even a few weeks in […]

For people living in temperate regions of Europe, the Americas and much of Asia, scorpion stings are rarely a concern. But for millions of children growing up across the subtropical belt, a scorpion sting can have devastating consequences. While snakebites are receiving increasing international attention and funding under the leadership of the World Health Organization, […]

New Africa/Shutterstock Body odour has a reputation problem. It is often treated as a hygiene failure or a social offence. In reality, it is biology at work, plus a big helping of culture. Most body odour is not produced by sweat itself. Sweat is largely odourless. Smell develops when bacteria (and sometimes fungi) on the […]

fizkes/Shutterstock Sanju Pal built a successful career in management consulting, winning major awards and working at a senior level. Then her health changed. After being diagnosed with severe endometriosis and undergoing surgery, she returned to work but struggled with pain and fatigue. Months later, she was dismissed for not meeting performance targets. What followed was […]

Shilajit, Himalayan rock ooze. StockImageFactory.com/Shutterstock.com Shilajit is the latest supplement marketed online as a “natural testosterone booster”. Promoted by influencers, wellness brands and biohacking communities, this sticky black resin is advertised as a way to increase testosterone, improve energy and enhance male vitality. Shilajit is a tar-like substance formed over centuries from decomposed plant material […]

Many commonly worn wearables can track useful data about your heart health. Syda Productions/ Shutterstock Half of people in the UK use a wearable device, such as a fitness tracker or smartwatch. These devices collect data relating to health and physical activity levels – including heart rate, step count and sleep quality. With the emergence […]