A major new study has found that shedding weight significantly cuts the risk of developing a group of chronic health conditions – with a loss of 13 per cent body weight reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes by 42…
Honey is ‘better than conventional medicine for sore throats and coughs’, new research says
A new study suggests that honey is better for easing sore throats and coughs than many over-the-counter medicines and antibiotics. The sweet nectar made by bees – meaning it’s cheap to mass produce – has strong antimicrobial properties and has…
Study on the power of yoga for mental health sparks new calls for NHS to ‘clinically prescribe’ it
Practising yoga regularly can be almost as effective in treating anxiety as seeing a talking therapist, new US research has found. The study, carried out by New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, asked 226 people who have generalised anxiety…
Exercise, cognitive therapy and acupuncture could be better than paracetamol for chronic pain sufferers, NICE report finds
GPs treating people suffering with chronic primary pain shouldn’t prescribe painkillers including paracetamol and ibuprofen, new guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) advises. A draft report by a NICE committee suggests that exercise, cognitive therapy,…
Making healthy lifestyle changes could cut dementia cases by 40 per cent, says new research
Cutting back on alcohol, exercising more and not smoking are among 12 lifestyle changes that could help reduce a person’s risk of developing dementia, a major new study has found. A global team of 28 dementia experts conducted the comprehensive…
Study finds medieval eye salve made using garlic and onion could fight antibiotic-resistant infections
Researchers at the University of Warwick have found naturally occurring anti-microbials, which could be used to help tackle antibiotic-resistant infections, in a 1,000-year-old eye salve. Scientists examined natural remedies used in early medieval history in its research investigating alternatives to…
College of Medicine patron HRH The Prince of Wales praises ‘pioneering’ social prescribing project in Cornwall
The College of Medicine’s patron, HRH the Prince of Wales, and the Duchess of Cornwall have praised a social prescribing team at a GP practice in Cornwall, after a flying visit there this week. His Royal Highness visited St Austell…
Make yourself ‘as fit as possible’ to beat COVID-19 second wave, says deputy Chief Medical Officer
The UK’s deputy Chief Medical Officer has urged people to lose weight and get fit to equip themselves against a potential second wave of COVID-19. Speaking on ITV’s This Morning, Dr Jenny Harries said it was now proven that being…
Study finds dance health project reduces falls in the elderly by up to 58 per cent
A social prescribing programme designed to encourage older people to dance could help reduce falls by around 58 per cent, a new study has found. Community-led project Dance to Health combines evidence-based falls prevention principles with the creativity, expression and energy…
New UK study finds broccoli and tea can play ‘significant role’ in cancer prevention
A new UK study has found that broccoli and tea can be helpful in the prevention of cancer. Research by Bedfordshire Hospitals Consultant Professor Robert Thomas, who co-led a national scientific study, suggests that consuming broccoli and drinking tea can…
New study finds regular yoga sessions have positive impact on mental health disorders
Practicing yoga on a regular basis can help alleviate the symptoms of mental health disorders, according to new research. The World Health Organisation says around 264 million people suffer from depression globally. The study’s lead author Jacinta Brinsley, from the…
New UK study suggests that vitamin D could help in the fight against COVID-19
New research from scientists at three UK universities has concluded that vitamin D could be useful in the fight against COVID-19. The study, ‘The role of vitamin D in the prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 infection and mortality’, is currently…
College of Medicine joins campaign to help aspiring doctors during lock-down
The College of Medicine is proud to be a partner in the Pre-Medicus Campaign, a new online resource that aims to help doctors of the future access vital information during lock-down. Alongside the NHS Social Prescribing Champion Scheme and the Unofficial…
Lock-down hangover? How a cocktail of fruit, leaves and herbs could help…
A concoction of natural remedies could be the key to staving off a hangover, new research has found. Published online in BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health, the study focused on how antioxidant compounds, vitamins, minerals and specific plant extracts could ease…
College of Medicine offers free online health and well-being sessions during the COVID-19 restrictions
The College of Medicine has teamed up with leading healthcare practitioners amongst our members to offer free daily online sessions to support health and well-being during the coronavirus pandemic. A full list of sessions are listed here – with dates…
Free health video streaming service launches to help people stay well during the coronavirus lock-down
A new free online video service streaming health-focused content, including classes and interviews with key figures in the world of social prescribing, has launched. HealthFlix, aiming to be the equivalent of Netflix for people interested in health-related content, has already…
VIDEO: Our guide to improving the immune system against coronavirus
As new cases of coronavirus continue to be diagnosed in Europe, there are steps you can take to help boost your immunity against the virus, says the College of Medicine’s Chair, GP Dr Michael Dixon. When antibiotics are futile, ensuring…
Social Prescribing Day 2020: How we marked it…
It’s hard to believe just how far we’ve come; after decades of work to show how social prescribing can change lives, the College of Medicine is celebrating its second #socialprescribingday knowing that it’s now national policy in England, something we…
Eating dairy products could reduce stroke risk, finds major study
Consuming dairy products such as yoghurt and milk could lower the risk of stroke in later life, a new study suggests. Oxford University scientists led a major 400,000-person study examining foods that impact the risk of a stroke. While eating…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
