“There’s no pressure to produce anything” Art counsellors reveal how simply doodling can boost mental health and well-being
Nour Saleh says she first realised the positive influence of art as a child, noticing ‘the power of it to gather people and unite them’ and how drawing or doodling ‘appeased’ her own emotions, offering moments of calm. Nour, a…
How Complementary and Conventional Medicine can work together
People are still not benefiting from Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is ways that they could, write Dr Naveed Akhtar and Dr Toh Wong in the College of Medicine’s manifesto Hope for the Future. “Many more people could be reaping…
How to avoid NHS staff burn-out
During Mental Health Awareness Week, the College of Medicine is highlighting the subject of NHS burn-out. In Chapter 13 of our 2021 manifesto, Hope for the Future, Professor David Peters addresses the issue of how doctors and nurses working in…
Our Health Directory: Find self care and social prescription resources
Our Health Directory was created in 2019 by the College of Medicine to offer a reliable, evidence-based user-friendly online guide to help a range of conditions and symptoms – including back pain, depression and IBS. It’s designed to help empower…
Listen, support, connect: How we marked International Social Prescribing Day 2021
A vital event in the College of Medicine’s annual calendar, Social Prescribing Day, which took place this year on March 18th, aims to celebrate the social prescribing movement by highlighting stories of progress, the importance of community and, this year,…
The healing power of art during the global pandemic
In this collaboration between the College of Medicine and the Barakat Art Gallery, Dr Bogdan Chiva Giurca explores the power of the arts to help mental health and well-being during the Covid pandemic… If you are experiencing stress, you are…
College of Medicine Council Members call for ‘Territorial Army’ of health workers to help avert future crises
Three leading College of Medicine Council Members have urged the Government to consider creating a ‘Territorial Army’ of health professionals – trained in crisis management – in case another pandemic or similar healthcare disaster strikes the NHS in the future.…
“I’ve given daily Zoom exercise classes since March” Physio Sarah Bazin on keeping people fit during lockdown
Chartered Physiotherapist, Sarah Bazin, was given the task of creating a free exercise programme for College of Medicine members – and a wider audience – back in late March. Here, Sarah, who worked as a NHS physio for 40 years,…
Dr Michael Dixon: ‘Let’s look to social prescribing to tackle loneliness’
College of Medicine Chair, Dr Michael Dixon, this week spoke at the Westminster Insight conference on Tackling Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older People. Here is the abridged address he gave on how social prescribing can help to transform the…
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green: Covid-19 has had a damaging effect on children – but there is an opportunity to ‘re-set’
Children may be more resistant to Covid-19 but the pandemic has still had a disproportionate effect on their lives, says Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, a member of the College of Medicine’s Scientific Advisory Council and former UK Children’s Commissioner. Writing…
Freddy Jacquin interview: “Most people are willing to give hypnosis a go… so why won’t the NHS prescribe it?”
Since lockdown began back in late March, hypnotist Freddy Jacquin has been offering Freddy’s Free Friday Therapy, offering College of Medicine followers and the general public the chance to log on to a live session (now on the last Friday…
‘We have achieved so much but there is so much yet to do…’ Dr Michael Dixon addresses Westminster Health Forum social prescribing Conference
The College of Medicine’s Chair, Dr Michael Dixon, made a keynote address at the Westminster Health Forum Conference on September 17th…here, we share his address in full… ‘I am most grateful to the Westminster Health Forum for organising this third…
Video: Sir Sam Everington on obesity in young people: ‘Schools are becoming incubators for long-term health problems…’
A leading voice in social prescribing has called obesity levels among young people ‘shocking’, saying more needs to be done to address future health and prevent the rise of long-term conditions including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The government announced…
VIDEO: The Food Teacher on food poverty during lock-down and how to engage children with healthy eating
Katherine Tate, aka The Food Teacher, has a head start when it comes to getting 30 youngsters to engage with healthy eating. Tate is a qualified primary school teacher, who retrained in 2014 as a nutritional therapist, ensuring she knows…
VIDEO: ‘We’re like a Duke of Edinburgh for the over 55s’: The Challenge Hub helps new retirees adjust to the post-work life change
Retirement remains one of the biggest life transitions we face, where one can go from a fast-paced career to a much quieter existence in a matter of days. And while many employers are very happy to throw a farewell party…
‘Social prescribing is as old as the hills…’ Dr Michael Dixon gives a potted history of integrated medicine
It may now be national policy and championed by both the NHS and the Government… but social prescribing still isn’t on the radar of many practitioners, both in the UK and globally. Here, College of Medicine Chair, Dr Michael Dixon,…
View from the front line: Hospital doctors share their experiences of working on COVID-19 wards
The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust doctors – both just qualified and experienced – into extraordinary circumstances. In this article, we speak to two hospital doctors currently working in hospitals in the UK about what it’s been like to treat patients…
Listening in troubled times: Coping with the universal grief of COVID-19
Anne Pitman, director of the School of Embodied Yoga Therapy in Ottawa and a yogatherapist at the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Center explores the sense of grief that we’re all experiencing during the pandemic and how to deal with it… In…
Boosting immunity against coronavirus: ‘Now’s the time to turn to antioxidants and polyphenols’
The College of Medicine Chair, Dr Michael Dixon, has been speaking about how we can boost our immune system by eating well while in isolation in the coming weeks. Advising that food and nutrition can play a crucial role in…
Ruby Wax: “We’re allowed to exercise our bodies but what to do with our minds? As always, there’s no instruction manual”
Mental health campaigner Ruby Wax has been discussing the impact that continued isolation, to prevent the spread of coronavirus, will have on our minds. In a live video for new health streaming service HealthFlix, the entertainer and comedian joined Jamie…
Dr Michael Dixon: ‘We need coronavirus tests now…and why I’m not surprised by the outpouring of kindness from UK volunteers’
College of Medicine chair, Dr Michael Dixon, appeared on The Daily Show on the Daily Mail’s mailplus.co.uk site this week to discuss the coronavirus crisis with broadcaster Andrew Pierce. Dr Dixon called for faster testing of patients suspected of having…
Dr Michael Dixon: “Long-term disease rates are soaring and the NHS can’t cope. We now need an integrated approach…”
In an interview filmed ahead of the European Congress for Integrative Medicine 2020, which takes place in London in September, College of Medicine Chair Dr Michael Dixon discusses the importance of integrative medicine, social prescribing, the challenge of gathering whole…
‘Get the healthy eating basics right and the rest will follow’: The project helping youngsters eat well on a budget
A town-wide project that’s helping to teach young people how to cook healthy food on a budget – with minimum waste – is featured in a new YouTube film. And the stars of it are hoping to reach a million…
“Music often works when words don’t – and we should shout about how crucial it can be to wellbeing”
Dr Simon Procter is Director of Music Services for music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins. Here, he explains the social value of music… For many people who face health problems or social exclusion, music can be a crucial means of self-expression,…
Employers encouraged to offer yoga and meditation to help improve mental health in the workforce
Public Health England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is urging employers to introduce a raft of new measures to help improve the mental health of their workers. Yoga and meditation sessions, more flexible working hours and…
Registration is now open for the European Congress of Integrative Medicine 2021
The College of Medicine is delighted to be involved in hosting the European Congress of Integrative Medicine 2021 from 4th to 7th November. With more than 125+ Global Integrative Medicine Researchers and Clinicians presenting in a LIVE ONLINE format –…
Campaigners calls for ‘complete ban’ on child-friendly packaging on high-sugar foods
Campaign group Action for Sugar is urging the Government to place tougher restrictions on medium and high sugar food products that target children. Research into sugar levels in yoghurts that are marketed to children – often via cartoon characters –…
‘Visionary’ National Food Strategy report says the poor should be able to access fruit and veg prescriptions to ‘break junk food cycle’
The British diet needs to change significantly to help society battle issues such as obesity and climate change, a new report from the National Food Strategy says. The report’s independent lead Henry Dimbleby, who founded the Leon chain of restaurants,…
Celebrating 73 years of the NHS: ‘Our frontline workers have never been more tested than in the months since the pandemic began’
Key figures at The College of Medicine have praised NHS, social care and frontline workers as the healthcare organisation celebrates its 73rd birthday. The first NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day took place on Monday, July 5th 2021 – exactly…
Healthy diet rich in leafy greens can turn back genetic clock, finds US study
A new study by US scientists says eating dark, leafy greens such as kale, spinach and swiss chard can spark changes in DNA that can reverse ageing by up to two years. Doctors leading the research said the results of…
“GPs and patients have been horribly betrayed”: Dr Michael Dixon on the neglect of general practice
The College of Medicine Chair, Dr Michael Dixon, has issued a robust criticism of the lack of investment in general practice, saying GPs and patients have suffered as a result, and that improvements in secondary care “should not have been…
Young people’s mental health: Scheme trains teens to teach others benefits of yoga
The College of Medicine has supported the development and roll-out of the Teen Yoga Ambassador pilot scheme, which ran in April 2021. Here, Charlotta Martinus, Director of the Teen Yoga Foundation, explains how the new training course empowers young people to…
From our manifesto: Dr William Bird says climate change, toxins and a lack of bio-diversity are ‘a wrecking ball on our planet’
The second chapter of the College of Medicine’s new manifesto for better health, Hope for the Future, sees Dr William Bird discussing the power of nature on our well-being, a topic that’s increasingly in the headlines as we emerge into…
The College of Medicine pays tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh 1921 – 2021
It is with great sadness that the College of Medicine records the death of HRH Prince Philip The Duke of Edinburgh, who died on April 9th 2021. Our thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty the Queen, our patron HRH…
Harmony in living and dying: College of Medicine hosts HILDA event – including a cookery demonstration
The College of Medicine hosted an online evening in late March, which discussed talking about finding harmony in living and dying with the HILDA project – with nutrition and integrative health cook Toral Shah offering a culinary demonstration. The workshop,…
The College of Medicine launches Hope for the Future, a ten-year manifesto for better health
The College of Medicine has launched Hope for the Future, a ten-year plan for better healthcare. Hope for the Future, launched on Monday 20th March 2021, is a manifesto for achieving better health, written by pioneering figures in UK health…
HRH The Prince of Wales calls for an integrated approach to health in latest edition of Future Healthcare Journal
The College of Medicine’s Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, has criticised the food industry for making healthy meals financially inaccessible for low-income families, and called for an integrated approach to health. Writing in the Future Healthcare Journal, Prince Charles also…
HRH Prince Charles and Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham address Social Prescribing Conference
Key speakers including HRH, The Prince of Wales and Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham have addressed nearly 1,000 delegates at the third International Social Prescribing Network Conference. The heir to the throne told those attending the online event, which takes…
Faculty of Homeopathy and College of Medicine join HRH Prince of Wales in encouraging people to get the Covid vaccine
The College of Medicine and Faculty of Homeopathy have published a joint statement encouraging people to get vaccinated against Covid-19. The statement comes after the respective organisations’ Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, appeared in a video for the British…
Listen, support, connect: How we marked International Social Prescribing Day 2021
A vital event in the College of Medicine’s annual calendar, Social Prescribing Day, which took place this year on March 18th, aims to celebrate the social prescribing movement by highlighting stories of progress, the importance of community and, this year,…
How ‘green medicine’ could help Generation Lockdown rejuvenate post-Covid
The rise of ‘green medicine’ could help people recover from lockdown life, the College of Medicine’s Chair has told a national newspaper. Dr Michael Dixon told the Daily Express that ‘Generation Lockdown’ can use nature to help restore themselves following…
National Social Prescribing Network celebrates five years – and announces the next Social Prescribing Day
Five years ago this week the National Social Prescribing Network was founded. What started as a spark of an idea has become a hugely successful movement that has seen social prescribing move from the periphery into mainstream health. In a…
Gut bacteria affects how immune system responds to Covid, studies say
Bacteria in a person’s gut could determine how seriously they’re affected by symptoms of Covid, two new studies in Asia have found. Research carried out by scientists at the University of Hong Kong found that some people diagnosed with the…
Lockdown depression: ‘A GP who has time to engage properly with a patient can reduce the need for a referral’
The rise in the number of people being referred for depression – particularly during lockdown – could be directly linked to a reduced number of GPs, the College of Medicine’s Chair has said. Depression rates continue to rise in the…
The College of Medicine looks to the year ahead – as we prepare to publish our 10-year manifesto
In his festive message, College of Medicine Chair Dr Michael Dixon discusses the unfathomable year that has been 2020, including chinks of light centred around community, kindness and our many, free online classes, which have now reached thousands of people.…
New research finds turmeric could have theraputic use for practitioners – including easing pain
New research has examined the effects of the spice turmeric as a theraputic option for GPs and practitioners. The yellow-coloured spice – which contains the compound curcumin – has long been used as a herbal remedy for conditions associated with…
As we await a vaccine, could herbs and spices be an ally in fighting off Covid-19?
While positive news about potential vaccines have offered a chink of light in finding a way to outwit Covid-19, looking to Mother Nature – sunlight, herbs and plants – might help us to improve our resilience in the meantime, say doctors. Research…
Loneliness spikes as dark nights and lockdown take their toll on mental health
New statistics released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that levels of loneliness have heightened in recent weeks with the arrival of darker evenings and a second lockdown – with one in four people reporting increased feelings of…
Our community’s voice: How the College of Medicine is helping our members
The College of Medicine works to re-define medicine beyond pills and procedures, and our members and wider community are vital to our success. By engaging with our online classes – covering everything from mindfulness to hypnosis and nutrition – our…
Young doctor wins Diana Award for campaign to put nutrition on medical curriculum – and thanks College of Medicine for ‘giving me a voice’
A newly qualified doctor whose campaign to put diet and nutrition on the medical curriculum has seen her work honoured with a prestigious Diana Award has praised the College of Medicine for helping to inspire her. The awards are given…
Superfied founder tells The College of Medicine how his own health issue pushed him to create the new self-care platform
After a successful 25-year career in marketing, College of Medicine member Sandy Purewal, 50, (pictured) founded self-care platform Superfied earlier this year. The concept – empowering people to take better care of their own health via better food – was…
The best medicine? “How Laughter Yoga helped me to recover from depression – and now I teach others how to chuckle their way to better health”
Sara Kay laughs out loud all day long for a living. She isn’t a comedian but she does recognise that a hearty belly laugh is brilliant for well-being and particularly mental health. After training to be a Laughter Yoga teacher…
Dr Harry Brunjes on the potential of the arts to promote health, prevent disease and accelerate rehabilitation
English National Opera (ENO) Chairman – and vice-president of the College of Medicine – Dr Harry Brunjes has written in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine about the relationship the arts can play in helping health. At the height of the…
‘Social prescribing must be the responsibility of ALL stakeholder groups’, say leading practitioners
Leading voices in integrative medicine have called for a cohesive approach to ensure every aspect of healthcare can be effectively reached by social prescribing. Writing in Chapter Five of the College of Medicine’s manifesto for better health, Hope for the…
Finding harmony again after the disharmony of Long Covid
Julia Outlaw, an Alexander Technique teacher and College of Medicine member, who lives in Tooting, South London, with her husband and two young daughters, first fell ill with Covid in February last year. In her early forties, with a healthy…
College of Medicine partners with ITN Productions to launch The Food Manifesto in autumn 2021
The College of Medicine and ITN Productions Industry News are co-producing The Food Manifesto, a news-style programme championing the value of holistic health to improve physical and mental well-being. The pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on human health and…
“We’re empowering people to make a difference in their own lives – that’s priceless” London health professionals discuss social prescribing
Healthy London Partnership, an initiative that aims to make the English capital the world’s healthiest city, has created a new film that highlights how valuable social prescribing can be in building and supporting community resilience – by linking people to…
‘Link workers are bringers of hope’: Social prescribing features on BBC One’s Countryfile
Social Prescribing featured on BBC One’s Countryfile this weekend, with presenter Anita Rani meeting Dr Marie Polley to discuss finding solutions to problems without medical intervention. Anita joined Dr Polley, who is co-Chair of the Social Prescribing Network, to discuss…
Hope for the Future: what do College members aspire for in healthcare in 2021?
A new year is upon us, and despite the extraordinary challenges that we’ve faced in 2020, we remain hugely optimistic for the year ahead. To mark the dawn of 2021, the College asked our friends and members – many of…
Two doctors changed the way we treat stomach ulcers – so, could adopting a similar approach to Type 2 Diabetes be just as effective?
In the latest installment of his regular column for the Daily Mail, Dr Michael Mosley offers a fascinating insight into how two doctors discovered a cheaper, more effective way of treating stomach ulcers – but found it took winning a…
Dr Michael Dixon pens a new book on life as a Devon GP – and how integrated medicine has influenced his practice and his patients…
College of Medicine Chairman Dr Michael Dixon, a longstanding GP in the village of Cullompton, Devon, has written a new book – perfectly placed for the present-buying season – about his extraordinary life working in General Practice in a rural…
Ten years of the College of Medicine: We celebrate a decade of huge achievement
The College of Medicine is celebrating its tenth birthday and, on November 12th, its Chair, executives and members threw an almighty Zoom party to mark a decade that has seen social prescribing, which remains at the very core of the…
Fighting for the arts in a pandemic: ENO Chair says directors doubled up as ‘covid marshalls’ to get La Bohème back on the stage
English National Opera Chairman Dr Harry Brunjes, vice-president of the College of Medicine, reflects on the ENO’s first socially-distanced production… In the theatre world it certainly has been ‘the season of darkness’ with a predicted ‘winter of despair’, but hopefully…
Head of College of Medicine’s Scientific Advisory Council, Professor Stephen Holgate, is honoured with a knighthood
Professor Stephen Holgate, the College of Medicine’s Head of Scientific Advisory Council, has revealed that he’s “absolutely thrilled” to have received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list 2020. Currently Professor of Immunopharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine at…
COPING WITH COVID-19: Updates, advice and useful links from the College of Medicine
The continued spread of COVID-19 continues to challenge countries all over the world, halting daily life as we know it and placing huge pressure on communities, testing our physical and mental resilience. The College of Medicine, pioneers in social prescribing…
Gardening with no garden: Producing abundant pots with a £50 budget – using old beer cans and mole hills for compost
‘I’ve been eating fresh strawberries every day for a month now’, keen amateur gardener Piers Day, a Neuro Linguistic Programming trainer and College of Medicine member, tells us. On a sizeable patch of gravel outside his front door, Piers has…
It’s easier than you think: How to cook up an immune-supporting delicious healthy meal in just 15 minutes
Heather Richards, the College of Medicine’s lead on nutrition and Director Of Nutrition at Sano School of Culinary Medicine, tells us how to cook up an immune-supporting chicken stir fry (easily made veggie) in just 15 minutes… In a recent…
Video workshop on food as medicine: exploring taste in common herbs and spices
From ancient times humans have eaten natural herbs and spices. Traditional medicine knew how to use them to act as catalysts in enhancing or reducing the power of foods. Food really can be medicine. In June, Harmony in Health held…
Books that changed our lives: College of Medicine course attendees share their favourite inspirational reads
Unthinkable as it might seem now to congregate in large groups, the last few times the College of Medicine held its Foundation Courses on Integrated Medicine, we asked our attendees for some reading tips. And we gleaned almost a hundred…
Food as medicine: our guide to the best herbs for health
The College of Medicine has teamed up with Pukka Herbs to offer an everything-you-need-to-know guide to herbs that have established benefits for health and well-being. Below, we’ve listed links to Pukka’s hugely informative ‘Wild About Herb‘ resources on some of…
HEATHER RICHARDS: How can we be healthier during lock-down?
Heather Richards, Director Of Nutrition at Sano School of Culinary Medicine, shares her views on staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic… Food and The Immune System This is absolutely a key time when we want our immune systems to be…
DEAN ORNISH: ‘We should remember that simple lifestyle changes can be as effective as advances in medicine…’
Dean Ornish, a clinical professor in medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and president of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, has been speaking about the role that easy-to-implement lifestyle changes can play in preventing disease. Speaking…
Events
Free Weekday Online Qigong Sessions at 8am - COLLEGE MEMBERS ONLY- Free Weekday Online Exercise at 9.30am - COLLEGE MEMBERS ONLY
- AYURYOGA Project - OPEN TO ALL
- Chronic Pain Conference, and Well-being Day hosted by Dumfries House - OPEN TO ALL
- Qigong for Personal Wellbeing - COLLEGE MEMBERS ONLY
- In Conversation With... Dame Donna Kinnair and Dr Harry Brünjes - OPEN TO ALL
Free Weekday Online Qigong Sessions at 8am - COLLEGE MEMBERS ONLY
Free Weekday Online Exercise at 9.30am - COLLEGE MEMBERS ONLY
AYURYOGA Project - OPEN TO ALL
Chronic Pain Conference, and Well-being Day hosted by Dumfries House - OPEN TO ALL
Qigong for Personal Wellbeing - COLLEGE MEMBERS ONLY
In Conversation With... Dame Donna Kinnair and Dr Harry Brünjes - OPEN TO ALL
