Current Posts – 21 May 2014

Alzheimer’s is one of the most feared disorders, caring for sufferers threatens to bankrupt the NHS and there is growing evidence that your risk is related to known life-style factors. So how many hundreds of millions are being spent to identify those at risk – there are tests already available – and putting them on programs to reduce it? None. In fact less than 2% of Alzheimer’s research goes on ways to improve prevention. Patrick Holford explains how to help yourself.

If you are not confused about statins you haven’t been paying attention. Following a HealthInsightUK post a couple of weeks ago on the hidden statin data, questions about how much we can trust official estimates of your risk of suffering side effects has become front page news. Some experts warn side effects are common and can be dangerous while a new study found them practically non-existent. Jerome Burne separates the facts from the fantasy

A big trial is underway to test if putting obese patients on a very low calorie diet using nutritional shakes can reverse diabetes. Our contributor Hannah Sutter explains why this 40-year-old weight loss program that has an unimpressive track record is unlikely to be the answer. She wants to know why a more plausible approach using a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet is being ignored. Commercial interest is a plausible answer.