Health

Contrary to the popular belief that Pilates is a relatively recent craze, the exercises that German-born Joseph Pilates and his wife Clara came up with were actually invented a century ago, and first taught in New York in 1926. While Joseph and Clara were alive they called their method Contrology, and it was partly aimed …

The tricky thing about detecting high blood pressure is it doesn’t have many symptoms – yet if it goes unnoticed it can result in some serious problems (see box), even death. Around a billion people in the world have high blood pressure – yet although this means about one in four adults have it, many …

Hot flushes – memory loss – night sweats – anxiety – weight gain – thinning hair – headaches – the list of menopausal symptoms is long and not very appealing. Some women suffer far more than others; some can even begin the process before they’re in their forties; there is no one method to treat …

Most people have heard of COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, an umbrella term for a group of lung conditions such as emphysema that can cause breathlessness, coughing, wheezing and chest infections. Lesser known is a condition that a few people never actually realise they have – but which can be the root cause of …

There’s no doubt that being overweight is unhealthy. It can lead to all sorts of disorders, from heart and breathing problems to joint issues to diabetes – there’s nothing good about it and the risks are many. Any lifestyle magazine will give you tips on losing weight, offer you diets, exercise regimes, health foods – …

Messages to eat healthily and do more exercise can become boring. We all know it, but guilt about not doing it for one reason or another makes us turn off the radio the second we hear the phrase “just 20 minutes’ exercise a day…” Luckily the doing can be a lot more interesting – even …

Have you noticed feeling any of these things a little bit more often than usual? Headaches – or other aches Finding your chest a bit tight, as if there’s not enough capacity in your lungs Really tight neck and shoulders Jumping out of your skin at the slightest provocation Sleeplessness Suddenly feeling like you’re going …

A disease once afflicting the middle-aged now on the rise in children, according to the Local Government Association. Most of us know that unhealthy lifestyles can cause all sorts of problems, from putting on weight and lack of energy to heart disease and cancer. Another disease that is on the rise is Type 2 diabetes. …

There are many kinds of arthritis (coming from the Greek word ‘arthron’, meaning joint, and ‘itis’, meaning ‘inflammation’), and it is important to get an accurate diagnosis so that you get the right treatment. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, and usually only affects people once they’ve hit their forties. The main symptoms …

A brand-new specialist dementia centre believed to be the first of its kind in the UK is preparing to open in Tangmere, Chichester. The brainchild of Dementia Support, a local charity founded by businessman Anthony Wickins in 2014, the 10,000 sq ft Dementia Hub will offer information, advice, many kinds of health and social activities, …

“Top Tips” for living with a chronic long term health condition I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalopathy (CFS/ME) and was diagnosed back in 2015. Unfortunately, like many of these long-term conditions, there is no “magic pill” or “silver bullet” to cure them. To cope, a complete life change is required. Over time the following tips …