Coconut oil is not new, but it’s certainly become more popular. Many of my patients are asking me about it. It gets a lot of celebrity endorsement and is used in a lot of so called healthy recipes and blogs. It’s added to coffee and some things I have read… read more →
I’ve been asking more patients about their drinking habits and I don’t just mean alcohol. When I investigate a patient’s problem I’ll start with a clinical history. I’ll look for triggers and drivers in a person’s life, which might be causing their symptoms. One important thing that people often overlook… read more →
In our busy lives we can get the feeling that our heads are too full. We just cannot switch off and relax. Thoughts can play over and over in our mind and it can feel exhausting. These thoughts can keep us up late at night analysing a problem and lead… read more →
Writing this on December 21st I thought it was the winter solstice, but I found out that the date for the solstice often changes by a few days and is in fact 22nd December this year. This is the day with the least amount of sunlight in the Northern hemisphere.… read more →
NHS England sent the man from Infection Protection Control to inspect the practice this week. He was a very nice man with a rather long checklist. We are pleased to say that he found Elborough Street Surgery very clean and free of infection. He was pleased that we are following… read more →
At our surgery we have a very lively PPG. (Patient Participation Group). We hold a meeting every few months where the members come and meet with one of the GP partners (that means, me or Kate) and Jo, the practice manager. Over a hot drink we discuss ideas and developments… read more →
Moving home is very high on the list of life events which cause an enormous amount of stress. As you know, when we experience stress we produce more adrenaline and more cortisol. Whilst in the short term our bodies can manage these surges in our biochemistry, and they may even… read more →
Menopause is actually the time that periods stop altogether. We call the run up to this the ‘perimenopause’. I’ve noticed, talking to women who come and see me at the surgery, that this can be a really difficult time. One of the commonest complaints women come to me about during… read more →
When faced with life’s stressful events we can develop unhealthy coping methods that can easily become addictions. There is no single reason why addictions develop. Addiction is a strong need to carry out a particular activity. At first, the behaviour can start off as an aid to relaxation or escape… read more →
We all experience stress and it is very personal as to what triggers it off in us. Understanding the body’s stress response can shed a little bit of light into what goes on inside and why we often get locked into bad habits and unhealthy responses to stress. How we… read more →