Published 23rd April 2021

In the third week of April 2021, various news media announced that the UK government would be pressing for the development of an ‘anti-viral pill’, which could offer easier and faster support for people infected with a variant or the original wild type Sars-Cov-2 virus.

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Published 17th February 2021 Ayurvedic proverb: “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use; when diet is correct, medicine is of no need.” The shift in messaging since the allocated timeline for 15m vaccinations was achieved in the UK, is a fascinating process of dialogue and development. One can imagine that numerous pressures are

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As the UK progresses towards the current milestones indicated by the government regarding the changing of social restrictions and the possible development of a different societal set of norms, either temporary or prolonged, it is time to start to categorise risk and future health care plans as our work (in health provision) will be in

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As the roll out of vaccination and the staged end of lockdown appear to be coalescing into a shift in planning and return to work, there are numerous questions and challenges to be answered and resolved. THE POST-ACUTE COVID-19 SYNDROME (LONG COVID) First and foremost, is that emerging data suggests that the effects of infection

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It may be helpful to view the last 12 months from a broad historical perspective for us to see the way forward from this pandemic. At this stage, many people strongly believe that the terrible toll it has taken demonstrates humanity’s helplessness in the face of nature’s might. But taken on review, 2020 has shown

Published 02 February 2021

The state of ‘being’, sought by all and yet when obtained, is generally all too temporary, is that of ‘happiness’. How are you in its pursuit and attainment?

In the 2020 World Happiness Report the authors note that in the face of a pandemic where the social fabric is not strong enough to support co-operative action on the required scale, then fear, disappointment and anger add to the happiness costs of a disaster. There are few people that have not experienced these costs over the last few months. (Practical, safe solutions are described at the end!)

Published 21 January 2021

In the late 1650’s, the French polymath and renowned scientist Blaise Pascal, having undergone a religious experience that transformed him into something of a zealot, suggested the following logical strategy regarding belief in God: If there is a God, then believing in him will ensure you an eternity of bliss, while not believing in him could earn you an eternal sentence to misery.

On the other hand, if there is no God, believing in him anyway will cost you very little, and not believing in him will mean nothing in the non-existent after life. Therefore, the only sensible bet is to believe in God. This has come to be known as Pascal’s Wager.

The wager has a surprising number of applications beyond concerns for a comfortable afterlife. There are many things for which the value of believing something or not can be utilised as a ‘cost-versus-likely-benefit’ wager, often without regard to the actual truth of the matter.

Since science does not profess to have a final truth, and in many areas freely admits its incomplete knowledge, Pascal’s wager can provide a useful method of deciding between two alternatives. In this article it is the validity of the Sars-Cov-2 virus as a causative agent of global illness and the benefit or not of two of the most common non-pharmacological strategies and lifestyle proposals for its related management.

Published 07 January 2021

As is typical at the beginning of a New Year, there are numerous opportunities and encouragements to engage with life affirming, changing, or accelerating lifestyle related programmes.

Yet for most of us right now, we instead must manage several unwanted challenges, changes in lifestyle and family life brought upon us by the SARS-Cov-2 virus and its current variants.

Published 17th December 2020

As we come to the end of a very different year, it is common practice to look back on events. Obviously the Sars-Cov-2 virus has featured heavily so let’s do a quick review:

Based on collated data from research and observational studies since Feb 2020 it is well understood that the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads most efficiently among unmasked adult speakers who spend time together in close, unventilated indoor spaces. More so, if when in that space, they insist on talking to each other!

It is also clear that the virus can spread through nonverbal activities. Sneezing and coughing produce virus-encased globs of spittle, and even heavy breathing, especially during a run or vigorous activity, can spray aerosolised droplets that can linger in the air before slipping inside a person’s nose or mouth.  

The primary mechanism of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is via infected respiratory droplets. Viral infection occurs by direct or indirect contact with nasal, conjunctival, or oral mucosa, when respiratory particles are inhaled or deposited on these mucous membranes. This clarifies that mucosal immunity, a barrier and site of adaptive immune triggering, needs to be in tip top condition to prevent infectious events occurring.

The virus however, despite initial concerns does not seem to spread reliably via surfaces. Put simply, COVID-19 is mostly a ‘talking disease’ one that could be better contained with appropriate universal mask wearing, a national campaign that emphasises quiet in public spaces, and clear determinations about indoor gatherings.

This proposal has been explored in Japan, for whilst much of the world emphasised the importance of testing and tracing (with the caveat that testing has limitations on accuracy and tracing has been especially poor in the UK), Japan initially had no mass testing and no sophisticated means of contract tracing. Yet, adjusted for population, the country currently has approximately 98 percent fewer COVID-19 deaths than the United Kingdom.

Much credit has gone to its crystal-clear public guidance to avoid the three C’s: Closed spaces, Crowded places, and Close-contact settings, including “Close-range conversations.” That’s not to say they have not had economic problems, but that there appears to be a strong relationship between social behaviour and risk of adverse outcomes, also seen in many other Asian countries approaches to management.

#E-Cigarettes have been marketed as the healthy alternative to conventional nicotine smoking, with millions of people now using them worldwide. Studies have already indicated that they have the potential to cause some damage to the lungs, but not nearly as much as tobacco cigarettes. Now new research from the University of California, published in iScience, has demonstrated, across several experiments, that e-cigarette vapour can weaken the #gut lining and lead to chronic #inflammation.