CBT has been practised and studied since the early twentieth century when studies on animals linked good behaviour with good feelings. By the mid-twentieth century, more studies filled the gaps. The opportunities to use these practices within mental health care blossomed, with Dr Aaron Temkin Beck pioneering the way forward. Dr Aaron Beck, otherwise known as the godfather of CBT. The idea for developing this form of psychotherapy took root when Aaron Beck began to notice that his patients with depression often verbalised thoughts that were lacking in validity and noted characteristic “cognitiv ..read more

Our lifestyles can be the reason why we are feeling so tired and exhausted all the time, and taking over-the-counter remedies can feel like you’re just papering over the problem rather than addressing it head-on. However, evidence-based lifestyle medical treatment can help you manage and conquer your problems through person-centred techniques and sustainable lifestyle changes. Not only does this treatment reduce your symptoms, but with consistency and monitoring, lifestyle medicine can even reverse your condition. Do you wish you could do something to reduce your symptoms but don’t know where ..read more

Gynaecology is the medical term for diagnosing and treating women’s diseases involving the reproductive organs, including the urinary tract. Currently, in the UK, NHS gynaecology waiting lists have grown by 60%, with over 40,000 women waiting over a year just to be seen by a specialist. While the NHS comes under strain, nibbling through the backlog, the importance of women’s health and sexual health must remain at the forefront while campaigning for awareness. While it’s important to get regular check up’s so your GP may spot issues long before symptoms start, it’s also good to know that if yo ..read more

Premature and early menopause is the subject of conversation with more awareness and understanding in and around the workplace, but how much do we really know about menopause and the effects it has on women day to day? Here we separate facts from fiction, highlight symptoms, and discuss treatments. At some point during a woman’s life, she is highly likely to go through menopause, but only 75% of women will suffer menopausal symptoms. However, 25% of those will suffer from severe symptoms. There is no predictability as to when a woman will enter into menopause, and although we generally see wom ..read more

Movember is a significant annual event designed to spread awareness about men’s mental health issues involving prostate and testicular cancer. Men are notoriously hesitant to see a doctor, which often leads to later diagnosis of cancers, so raising awareness is vital. This event includes the growing of moustaches from the 1st of November to the 30th to raise money to help fund research related to these health issues. Testicular and prostate cancer are treatable at all stages. However, early detection remains key to survival, so a GP should look at any slight or sudden changes for further inves ..read more

October 1st marks the start of breast cancer awareness month. A whole month of open talking, supporting and promoting. Encouraging people to be breast- or even cancer-aware is an ongoing battle as we all settle into our busy lives forgetful of self-care and even awareness of our bodies. Detecting cancer early is key to a better outcome, and you should report even slight changes within the shape of the breast or any hardening to your GP for further investigation. Statistically, women who report changes early, thus being diagnosed in the early stages of cancer, have a greater chance of surviving ..read more

Monday the 12th of September marks the start of sexual health week. A week is dedicated to raising awareness of sexual health issues and treatments and generally opening the floor to discussion on some topics that not everyone feels comfortable discussing This year we focus on safe sex and sexual contact after a rise in sexually transmitted infections within London and a record number of clinics turning away patients due to staff shortages. After all, Prevention is better than cure A fundamental message coined across many health care providers, yet we still find over 1200 people every day are ..read more

If life couldn’t get much more bizarre, with COVID, ongoing wars, heatwaves across the globe, and Polio detected here in the UK, anyone would think the end of the world is nearing an end. The news really has a way of driving a point home, and now, when tension is high, and people are tired of the bad news, up comes Monkeypox, but should we be concerned? Is this just another hard-hitting news item designed to put fear in the public, or should we be taking precautions to protect ourselves and our families? Here’s what you need to know about Monkeypox Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 in mon ..read more

Poliovirus has been detected in the UK sewage system in North and East London. What is Polio? Polio is a highly infectious and vaccine-preventable disease. It is a virus that can enter our nervous system and cause paralysis of the muscles. Whilst it can affect people of any age, it is most likely to affect children under the age of 3. The sewage samples indicated that an individual who may have been given the live polio vaccine abroad has come back to the UK and that this virus has evolved into what is known as a ‘vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2. The evidence suggests that the virus is being ..read more

World Hepatitis Day is celebrated on the 28th of July and is designed to raise awareness, support and show a unity of strength in the community. Currently, here in the UK, over 180,000 people are chronically infected with Hepatitis B, and over 144,000 are estimated to carry the Hepatitis C virus. It is estimated that around 1.1 million deaths yearly are attributed to Hepatitis. Although the figures in the UK are stable, in parts of the world which suffer poor sanitation, the death rates are far more significant. Worldhepatitisday.org is a great place to start if you wish to get involved in the ..read more