What is high blood pressure (HBP)? It is a chronic disease characterized by an increase in the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries, as the heart beats. It is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality especially in developed countries. When checking blood pressure two numbers are given, the first […]

Evidence suggests there are five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life. What is mental wellbeing? Sarah Stewart-Brown, professor of public health at the University of Warwick and a wellbeing expert, says: “Feeling

Allergies – what should we know? What is an allergy? Allergies are hypersensitivity reactions to particles or substances (allergens) which, if inhaled, ingested or touched, produce various symptoms. The predominant allergens in our environment are pollens – which cause hay fever – and dust mites, followed by drugs and food. Currently, between 30% and 40% of the

Yes. Breathing in someone else’s cigarette smoke (passive smoking or secondhand smoking) can increase your risk of cancer and other health problems. It is also particularly harmful for children. Smoke stays in the air When someone smokes a cigarette, the smoke from the burning tip is released into the air. So is the smoke they

Asthma is a long-term condition that affects your airways – the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. You could say that someone with asthma has ‘sensitive’ airways that are inflamed and ready to react when they come into contact with something they don’t like. Asthma tends to run in families, especially

“One-fifth of adults worldwide will be obese by 2025,” The Guardian reports, while The Sun warns that the “UK’s population to be fattest in Europe” by the same date. These are just some of the conclusions of a major modelling study of global obesity trends. The study used data covering 19.2 million adults in 186

Study gives strongest link yet between blood pressure and diabetes. At first glance these might be considered two unconnected conditions, but research over the years has led to diabetes being classified as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Researchers looked at data on more than 4 million people in the UK who were free of

Monday 18th May – Sunday 24th May is Dementia Awareness Week in the UK, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Society. Dementia is a collection of symptoms that are caused by damage to the brain and whilst it is widespread in people over 65, it can also affect younger people. In the UK, there are around 800,000 people with dementia and over