The British Holistic Medical Association has asked College of Medicine followers and members to take a short survey outlining how anxiety affects their lives. The Anxiety 2020 survey: Is anxiety the new normal? asks a series of questions about how…
Prebiotic foods – including garlic and bananas – could slow cancer growth, suggests a study on mice
Prebiotic foods such as asparagus, onion, garlic, leeks and bananas could stop cancers from growing quickly, new research on mice suggests. The study, carried out on rodents by researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute in California, looked at…
Our advice on defending against Coronavirus
The current coronavirus (now officially called the COVID-19 virus) alarm has focused our attention on the best ways to deal with a new viral infection. The obvious priority is preventing spread, by isolation and increased hygiene. However, we can also…
College of Medicine social prescribing champions: parkrun
In an occasional series, the College of Medicine looks at projects closely aligned with the social prescribing ethos, which inspire people to take better care of their health. Our first pick is parkrun, a now-global running initiative that supports people…
Many people taking statins and blood pressure tablets view them as a ‘free pass’ to be unhealthy
Statins and blood pressure tablets are being treated as a ‘free pass’ by many people who take them, new research warns. People taking such medication are 82 per cent more likely to be an unhealthy weight, according to a study…
How does social prescribing funding affect you? Tell us!
The College of Medicine is supporting a research questionnaire reviewing the funding and capacity of social prescribing. The National Lottery Community Fund has funded The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), a UK volunteering charity, over the past two years to support the…
Ban junk food ads before 9pm to help stop rise in childhood obesity, say campaigners
Television commercials that promote food laden with sugar, fat and salt should be banned until after 9pm to curb rising obesity rates in young people, say experts at the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). Childhood obesity rates have continued to…
Lonely forced to seek solace at their GP surgery because community life has broken down, says new NHS social prescribing lead
Where isolated souls might once have sought comfort chatting with locals in the village pub, or speaking with their vicar on a Sunday morning, they’re now much more likely to offload worries on their GP instead. Speaking to the Telegraph,…
Seasonal mental health: How to turn the winter blues into blue-sky days
When a team of psychologists sat down over a decade ago to examine days when Britons might feel more susceptible to negative feelings, they came up with a formula to pin-point the most depressing day of the year. Suggesting how…
Social Prescribing Day 2020 will take place on March 12th
The College of Medicine, a social prescribing pioneer, is delighted to announce that the second annual Social Prescribing Day will take place on March 12th 2020. In 2019, the very first Social Prescribing Day took place on March 14th, and…
‘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…
Podcast: UK Health Radio presenter Robin Daly interviews Dr Michael Dixon
The Yes to Life Show on UK Health Radio, which focuses on cancer, sees host and charity founder, Robin Daly, interviewing scientists, oncologists, practitioners and survivors who have exceeded treatment expectations by thinking outside of the box. In January, College…
Obituary: The College of Medicine pays tribute to former Head of Communications Pat Goodall
Posted by Dr Michael Dixon, College of Medicine Chair ‘It is with great sadness that we have to report that Pat Goodall died over Christmas. She was Head of Communications for the College of Medicine in its early years and, for…
Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, could ‘halt tumour development’, major study says
New scientific research has found that a common compound found in the spice turmeric could stop cancerous tumours from growing further. A study, carried out by academics at Temple University in Philadelphia, and published in the Nutrients journal, found the…
College of Medicine Vice President Dr Harry Brunjes attends ‘Quality Governance in Health & Social Care’ conference
In December, Dr Harry Brunjes, Vice President of the College of Medicine, was a guest at The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh for ‘Quality Governance in Health & Social Care, an inaugural one day conference. Dr Brunjes was asked…
Our 2019 highlights: The NHS Long Term Plan, Social Prescribing Day and Dean Ornish in a field of cows…
As 2020 chimes in, we take a look back at the College of Medicine’s highlights of 2019. Though there are far too many to list here, we’ve picked a small selection of the most inspiring events the College has been…
Brisk daily walk lowers odds of getting seven types of cancer, new research finds
Walking briskly for just 20 minutes a day or enjoying a leisurely cycle ride could help stave off seven types of cancer, according to a new US study. Research carried out by the American Cancer Society found that exercising moderately…
“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,…
Charity that’s planted one million trees says turning urban areas into ‘edible playgrounds’ can help avert climate crisis
A charity dedicated to planting trees in inner city areas says encouraging children to connect with nature from an early age is key to helping to halt climate change. Trees for Cities, which was founded in 1993, creates allotments for…
HRH The Prince of Wales is announced as College of Medicine Patron
The College of Medicine is delighted to announce that we’ve received Royal Patronage from HRH The Prince of Wales. College of Medicine Chair, Dr Michael Dixon, said: ‘This is a great honour and will support us as an organisation committed to taking…
Propolis, made by bees to protect hives, could help lower blood pressure, a new study suggests
The naturally antiseptic waxy material that bees produce to waterproof their hives could have health benefits for humans, according to new ongoing research. Propolis, which offers a hive protection from predators and bad weather and is made from bee saliva,…
Video blog: Dr Michael Dixon reflects on an ‘active’ year – and highlights new causes for 2020
The College of Medicine’s Chair Dr Michael Dixon has delivered a seasonal message reflecting on a ‘really active’ year for the organisation, and congratulating members on the great strides made on increasing awareness of social prescription and the role food…
What is Integrative Health? A simple graphic perfectly explains it…
How best to explain the concept of Integrative Health to those who’ve never heard of it? The College of Medicine’s Dr Toh Wong, a GP trainer, uses a simple graphic to convey how many elements of healthcare can work together…
Gallery: Food on Prescription conference at the Royal Society of Medicine
October 24th 2019 saw the College of Medicine’s third annual Food conference, this year entitled ‘Food on Prescription‘, held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. Below are some of the highlights captured on camera. Find out more about…
Gallery: Foundation Course on Integrated Medicine at Dumfries House, Scotland
The final week in November saw the College of Medicine hosting its Foundation Course on Integrated Medicine at Dumfries House in East Ayrshire, Scotland. Here, we’ve shared a few pictorial highlights of the beautiful – and very festive – surrounds…
