Health

All the latest health and wellbeing information and advice from the experts.

Nine reasons why wearing a face covering can actually be pretty great

Many of us have been donning masks and face coverings voluntarily on the weekly shop for some time, but it’s now going to be an absolute must.

Already mandatory on public transport, face coverings are now required to be worn in shopping centres, banks, takeaway outlets, sandwich shops and supermarkets in England. They’re already mandatory in shops in Scotland and the Republic of...

On yer bike! Weekend cycling shoots up 136% during lockdown

The number of people using a bicycle for work or leisure in England has rocketed since the lockdown began on 23 March, according to figures released by the Department for Transport.

The data reveals that daily bicycle use rose by an average of 50% on working days during lockdown, while the number of weekend and bank holiday bike riders shot up by 136% over the same period.

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Dame Jenni Murray talks about her battle with obesity

For much of her adult life, Dame Jenni Murray, longtime presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour, has been overweight, even obese.

She has been called ‘fat cow’ in the street many times, or taunted with cries of, ‘Eh, love, who ate all the pies?’

“The taunting infuriated me and it hurt,” says Murray, 70, whose weight yo-yoed between 14 and 24 stones for some years. She had...

Coronavision Eye Warning

MILLIONS of Brits are suffering from eye problems dubbed ‘coronavision’ after their sight deteriorated during lockdown, according to a study for the College of Optometrists.

One in five adults in the country say their vision has become worse in the past four months, with one in three blaming it on too much screen time.

Symptoms include blurry vision, difficulty focusing, and...

Do I really need to wear a bra?

While there have been plenty of downsides to being cooped up at home, there’s one advantage many of us can agree on: you don’t have to wear a bra.

With workplaces, pubs and restaurants closed, we ditched jeans in favour of joggers, swapped blouses for sweatshirts, and decided that bras are surplus to requirement.

Because what’s the point in strapping on a tight,...

Heart Research UK gives top tip for Healthy Heart

Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK gives a healthy heart tip :

Measure your waistline

Your waist circumference is an indicator of your risk of developing some serious health conditions, including heart disease. People who carry too much fat around their middle have a higher risk of developing heart disease, however, this risk can be reduced by...

Dental phobia - 24% find dentists scarier than snakes

According to results from DentaVox survey “Dental Visits vs. Other Experiences” , for many people dental fear takes over a number of other common anxieties and unpleasant experiences. A substantial share of respondents would prefer a week of home isolation or a close encounter with a creepy reptile to a dental visit. Moreover, despite the widespread obsession with digital technologies, many...

Healthy foods mushrooms help vitamin deficiency

One in four sun-deprived Brits in lockdown are vitamin D deficient

Nutritionist and author, Madeleine Shaw, explains how eating just eight vitamin D enriched mushrooms could help you hit your RDA following NEW NHS advice

With Brits in lock-down, spending fewer hours in the sun and with little prospect of foreign holidays, a health expert has warned that vitamin D levels are at risk of falling and believes mushrooms could be the superfood solution...

Adidas has launched stylish reusable face masks

As lockdown measures begin to ease, many people are choosing to wear face masks while out in public.

Policies on face masks vary from country to country. In the UK and Ireland they are recommended for enclosed public places where social distancing is more difficult, like inside supermarkets and on public transport, but neither governments have made face coverings mandatory yet....

Two-thirds of UK public has no plans to shake off bad lockdown habits

Britain is set to emerge unhealthier from lockdown, with four out of five people (81%) reporting an increase in harmful habits, including smoking, poor diet and staying up late. Yet only a third (31%) of those surveyed plan to shake off their new habits after lockdown, according to a YouGov survey, by self-care app and website Your.MD .

According to leading behavioural...