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Saving Lives In Slow Motion
How to take stock of your health in just 10 minutes
In this episode I look at a quick and easy way to take stock of your health quickly and easily to re-orientate yourself whenever you need to.
It’s a great way to lay out your story, turn 'what into why', and maintain your health and head off problems before they set in.
My IDEAL framework for habit change: https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/the-health-fix-dr-ayan-panja-new-years-resolutions. (There is a separate episode on this: episode 26)
Yoga with Adriene on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene
Jet lag tips: https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep/how-to-get-over-jet-lag
Sleep tips: https://somneesleep.com/blogs/post/matt-walker-sleep-tips
Infections: https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20241119-long-fatigue-the-exhaustion-that-lingers-after-an-infection
Vitamin D deficiency: https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/vitamin-d-deficiency-in-adults/
BUY THE HEALTH FIX and transform your health:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Health-Fix-Dr-Ayan-Panja/dp/1914239326/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0
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179. Psychiatry and Surgery - essential specialties which may appear worlds apart but in some ways are similar and deserve more recognition.
16:18||Season 1, Ep. 179What do surgery and psychiatry have in common? They are both demanding specialties, occasionally of last resort, that save lives acutely and help people back to better health.LinksAntipsychotic drug discovery: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.903156/fullPyrrole Disorder: https://www.healthline.com/health/pyrrole-disorder#diagnosisRationing in the NHS: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-analysis/blogs/nhs-rationing-under-the-radarAn example of risks vs benefit in surgery: https://www.neurosurgeonsofnewjersey.com/blog/spinal-fusion-surgery-risks/178. The Vagus Nerve - what’s all the fuss about and could it be the key to battling chronic disease?
15:44||Season 1, Ep. 178There are so many posts, papers and publications about the vagus nerve.In this episode I look at why it’s so popular and whether it really can be a key to future treatments with advances vagus nerve stimulation.Links: Quick overview: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/vagus-nerve-stimulation/about/pac-20384565Polyvagal Theory: https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/whatispolyvagaltheoryThe Great Nerve: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Nerve-Science-Harness-Reflexes/dp/059371699XResearch on the vagus and rheumatoid arthritis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27382171/Ear stimulation: https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/news/article/ear-clip-stimulation-of-vagus-nerve-shows-promise-as-pots-treatment-according-to-ou-college-of-medicine-studyVasovagal attacks: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23325-vasovagal-syncopeCrohn’s Disease and vagus nerve stimulation: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32515156/Vagus nerver and inflammation: https://bioelecmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42234-022-00100-3177. Curious cases and mystery symptoms - a swollen knee, pins and needles, an unexplained allergy and the enlarged liver.
16:02||Season 1, Ep. 177Medicine is an inexact science. My patients who are engineers find it frustrating that there is so much conjecture and educated guess work in medicine. But this episode highlights why diagnoses can take time. It’s a mix of detective work, bias and listening to the patient story.Links:Chilblains: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chilblains/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351103STI and painful knee: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/gonococcal-arthritisCarpal tunnel syndrome: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/carpal-tunnel-syndrome/Psychodermatology (the mind-skin link): https://www.psychodermatology.co.uk/Liver inflammation and glandular fever: https://www.healthline.com/health/mono-hepatitis176. Collapses, faints, fits and dizziness - a quick 101
18:02||Season 1, Ep. 176Not a week goes by in practice where I don’t see a patient who hasn’t collapsed or had a dizzy spell.There are so many reasons for this, some preventable, some not. I look at some of the syndromes that lead to these issues.Links:Fainting: https://www.healthline.com/health/fainting#causesPseudoseizures (non-eplieptic seizures): https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24517-psychogenic-nonepileptic-seizure-pnesAbsence seizures: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/petit-mal-seizure/symptoms-causes/syc-20359683Epilepsy and driving: https://www.gov.uk/epilepsy-and-drivingBPPV (a type of vertigo): https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11858-benign-paroxysmal-positional-vertigo-bppvPatient perspective of Mal de Debarquement syndrome: https://www.rarediseaseday.org/heroes/a-uk-patient-perspective-on-mal-de-debarquement-syndrome/Heartblock: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-block/Gluten ataxia: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320730Proprioception: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/proprioception175. Why am so tired all the time? Some causes and solutions
17:00||Season 1, Ep. 1755-15% of GP consultations are linked to tiredness. And the number is growing. In this episode I look at common and rarer reasons for tiredness. Hydration - if you’re feeling thirsty you’re partly dehydrated: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/nutritional/dehydration/Sleep apnoea: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sleep-apnea/symptoms-causes/syc-20377631Breathing to help some root causes of fatigue: https://buteykoclinic.com/blogs/buteyko-breathing-technique/buteyko-breathing-techniqueMycotoxin illness: https://www.parsleyhealth.com/blog/mold-toxicity-symptoms/Co-enzyme Q10: https://bjcardio.co.uk/2015/10/coenzyme-q10-and-cardiovascular-disease-an-overview/Antibiotic tiredness: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/do-antibiotics-make-you-tiredBurnout: https://mentalhealth-uk.org/burnout/174. Teenage and Adolescent Health - can we avert a looming crisis?
15:47||Season 1, Ep. 174Teenage and adolescent health offers us a glimpse into the future health of the world. The Lancet Commission wrote a report in 2016 and have recently written a follow up which paints a slightly concerning picture.In this episode I look at health in this group of people, the challenges they face and what, if anything, can be done about it.Links:The Lancet Commission report summary: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00863-3/fulltextBarriers to healthcare for adolescents: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8070789/Global numbers: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutionsOmega-3 and brain health: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35960396/Climate Stress: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10154789/Free tips from Annette Du Bois (teenage coach): https://www.champs-academy.co.uk/free-help-and-support/173. HEALTHY HABITS - 1925 vs 2025: same but different
16:05||Season 1, Ep. 173In this episode I look at our health compared to 100 years ago. I was pleasantly surprised at some similarities having stumbled across something online but then also appreciate that we live in a different world now. Links: Donald Moore’s health habits in 1925: https://archive.org/details/health.habits.moore.1925/page/n1/mode/2upAdventist health: https://www.bluezones.com/explorations/loma-linda-california/Health in the 1920s: https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/culture-magazines/1920s-medicine-and-health-overviewTech neck: https://sharpphysiotherapy.co.uk/the-hidden-dangers-of-tech-neck/Pesticides and human health: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11426366/Mycotoxin illness: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8619365/Toxic productivity: https://hbr.org/2024/11/lets-end-toxic-productivity172. Assisted Dying - what it is, what it's not and why it’s so hard to get consensus
15:14||Season 1, Ep. 172In the UK, there is much discussion around assisted dying with a bill that is being voted on in government at the moment.In this episode I look at the ethics around it and what it might mean on an individual and societal level.Palliative Care: https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/end-of-life-care/what-it-involves-and-when-it-starts/Dr Florian Willett’s death: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/suicide-pod-activist-euthanasia-sarco-b2762514.htmlLocked-in syndrome: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22462-locked-in-syndrome-lisHow assisted dying works in The Netherlands: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/sep/11/assisted-dying-dutch-end-of-life-netherlands-unbearable-sufferingTalking about death and dying: https://www.hospiceuk.org/information-and-support/death-and-dying-what-expect/about-death-and-dyingThe Humanists view: https://humanists.uk/2023/10/03/six-reasons-we-need-an-assisted-dying-law/The current state of affairs in the UK regarding the assisted dying bill: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y5d2g3wgxoMy new website: https://drayan.co.uk/171. Fasting - how it works and what you need to know if you are considering it
17:05||Season 1, Ep. 171Fasting is a hot but contentious topic. It has been practised for thousands of years and is now purported to be a way of tackling or preventing certain metabolic diseases. In this episode I look at the pros, cons and mechanisms of fasting. Links: Historical perspectives of fasting: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8838777/Time restricted feeding in mice (Sachin Panda): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3491655/Further study (see first image for feeding habits): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S15504131140049875:2 diet summary: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/the-5-2-diet-guideProlonged fasting: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37377031/Fasting and autophagy: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24058-autophagyThe flip side - analysis of a study that found a increased link to heart disease from fasting: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/behind-the-headlines/intermittent-fasting#