Vitamin D is called the ‘sunshine vitamin’ as it is produced in large quantities by the action of sunlight on the skin. The science clearly shows that ‘optimal’ levels of vitamin D (circa 150 nmol/L – UK units) are associated with a significant reduction in the risk of developing a number of chronic diseases (other […]

Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks and damages the villi (the finger like small protrusions in the small intestine/gut). Originally considered a rare childhood condition it is now recognised as primarily an adult disease. CD is essentially a disease of malabsorption. If the cells are not getting the […]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an ‘age related low-grade inflammatory disease of the joints’ which causes the protective cartilage cushion between the bones to wear down, allowing the bones to rub together, creating a great deal of pain and discomfort. In the UK, OA affects 8.75 million people contributing to a significant burden on our health and […]

As a new year dawns, I thought that it would be appropriate to write a few words about ‘health’. So what is ‘health’? ‘Health’ is defined by the World Health Organisation as being ‘a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. The key point here is […]

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease. The body’s immune system destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that are responsible for producing insulin. Insufficient insulin production hinders the ability of tissues to absorb glucose (sugar) supplied by food and drink leading to dangerously high levels of glucose in the blood. Left untreated, high […]