Serotonin is sometimes called the happy chemical because it contributes to wellbeing, mood and happiness. Serotonin is widely believed to be a neurotransmitter although some scientists think it is a hormone.
Category archives: Men’s Health
Seasonal Affective Disorder, winter depression, explained
Are you dreading the long cold dark evenings ahead now that the clocks have changed? Do you want to hibernate and overeat? If yes, you might be at risk of winter depression. Living in the northern hemisphere means the change of seasons can profoundly affect some people; low mood, craving carbohydrates, or simply wanting to hibernate through […]
Gout, explained
Gout is an excruciatingly painful condition caused when uric acid levels build up in the body. It’s a complex form of arthritis and the most common inflammatory arthritis. Approximately 2.5% of adults in the UK will get Gout, with men being more susceptible than women.
The Vagus Nerve, explained
The vagus nerve is the inner nerve centre leader, also known as the 10th cranial nerve or cranial nerve X. It’s the longest of the 12 paired cranial nerves in the body and has the most extensive distribution because it passes through the neck and chest into the abdomen. The vagus nerve controls the entire […]
Osteopathic treatment is different, here’s why
On an almost daily basis, I get asked to explain what I do, not my occupation but what do osteopaths actually do? I suspect if I took a public survey the reply would be one of the following: “They crack peoples backs, don’t they? ” Or with a shrug of shoulders, “I’ve never heard of one of […]
Headaches and pain explained
Approximately 50% of UK adults will have a headache each year, most of these are not dangerous, but they can debilitate and sometimes be a challenge to describe; the pain may be generalised involving the whole head or affect one part of the face, head or eye. Symptoms can vary from sharp and throbbing to […]
Technology and Its Impact on Your Neck Health
Technology in all its forms is an increasingly integral part of daily life. Most adults (and many children) own and regularly use a smart device, and they’re brilliant tools that allow us to work, shop, book holidays, listen to music, read books, watch movies, learn new skills, and catch up with friends and family on […]
Feet, friend or foe?
Our feet are one of the hardest working parts of the body and under constant stress. It’s easy to take them for granted, they hang around at the end of our legs, trying to adapt to being jammed into a pretty but often ill-fitting shoe or being smothered inside socks and trainers. They may take […]
Vitamin D, are you making your optimal level?
The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year and indicates the official start of summer in our city. With an average of 16 hours of daylight guaranteed for the next couple of months, this is the perfect time to be topping-up our sunshine vitamin.
Teeth grinding and jaw clenching.
Nearly 30% of people experience teeth grinding and jaw clenching which is medically called bruxism. Almost 10% of those that grind do it so severely that their teeth are reduced to small stumps. Bruxism affects all ages groups, children to adults, causing severe tooth damage, jaw disorders, and headaches.
Not just the “Kiss of Time” Understanding Arthritis and its Impact
Have you ever felt an unexpected ache in your joints and wondered if it’s just age catching up with you—or is it something more like Arthritis?
Bone health: Osteopenia and Osteoporosis
Our bones are “living tissue.” of continually renewing cells, blood vessels nerves, and minerals. Osteopenia and Osteoporosis are conditions in which this process is affected causing bones to become weak with a higher risk for fractures.
How to look after your moles
We had a rare sunshiny tropical public holiday weekend here in London, in fact, it was the hottest May Day Bank Holiday ever! With the resulting flurry of people donning their summer or holiday clothes. In an attempt to soak up the rays, or cool off many people flocked to beaches and parks or lounged […]
Hip problems explained
Hip problems are common, the cause may be apparent, like an injury that comes on suddenly while gardening, running for the train or playing sports. However, sometimes the reason is not as clear, as symptoms may come on gradually. Hip problems can be one of the kisses of time problems and considered part of the […]
Seasonal Allergies: Hayfever
Spring has finally sprung, the days are lighter and trees full of beautiful blossom. Sadly for many people this is the beginning of miserable time as they endure seasonal symptoms from allergy conditions, including hay fever.
Anxiety and your brain
Anxiety is a natural part of everyday life; it’s impossible to avoid some significant life events, bereavement, divorce, family illness, redundancy even parenthood. Almost everyone has experienced feelings of anxiety in their life, for example, feeling anxious about sitting an exam, or an upcoming job interview.
Your brain on anxiety
Here is a link to a great little film by Dr John Kenworthy on how our brain reacts and the body responds to anxiety and stress. It’s technical in parts but explains how and why we behave the way we do in perceived stressful situations. With this understanding, you can manage your stress response symptoms […]
Stretching: Does it increase flexibility?
My regular pilates clients know that I am not a fan of static stretching unless there is a particular issue that needs managing. I um and ah about this in class, as it’s not part of the Pilates repertoire, and we can work on muscle length and range of motion during a well-balanced Pilates session […]
The shoulder, what goes wrong
Last time I talked about the shoulder joint structure and briefly highlighted what can go wrong. Here is a look at some of the common problems that cause shoulder and arm pain in a little more detail
Shoulder problems
Shoulder problems are widespread; the shoulder is the most mobile joint in your body because the main shoulder joint (the gleno-humeral joint) is a ball-and-socket joint. It sacrifices stability for mobility, and for this reason can be vulnerable to injury, dislocation, muscle fatigue and degeneration due habitual poor posture. vulnerable to injury and habitual poor […]