F*ck You Fund

I came across this concept online and although I initially scrolled past it, it had me reeled right back in.

Money plays such an integral role in all of our lives; whether its paying off a debt, making ends meet or trying to afford some extra luxury…

There are 2 important things we know it can give us: freedom + security

This concept of a f*ck you fund is essentially a tool to give you those 2 things – a pot of money equivalent to 3-6 month salary which can provide you with the ability of leaving a situation that’s no longing serving you or holding you back

Have you got a f*ck you fund?

Branded vs Generic Meds

vs Period Pain Meds

When I was at the supermarket during the week this caught my eye – a box of rapid acting ibuprofen lysine (342mg x 16 tablets) cost £1.80…this was a generic unbranded box.

However the exact same tablets but now in a pink coloured box and half the amount (342mg x 8 tablets) marketed for period pain cost £2.65.

If you didn’t know already there is no such thing as gender or disease specific ibuprofen.

I’ve seen over the years ibuprofen marketed for period pain, back pain, headaches… they’re all the exact same ingredient.

In the case above, the “period pain” ibuprofen was 294% than the standard version.

If you want to learn more about the state of women’s health & research and why this sort of thing still happens I’d highly recommend watching or listening to this episode of the Dr Karan Explores podcast with Dr Jen Gunter:

Do You Need Digestive Enzymes?

The gut health world seems like a maze devoid of nuance and filled to the brim with hyperbolic promises and misinformation.

You likely already know my thoughts on probiotic supplements but today I want to speak specifically about digestive enzyme supplements and this idea that you can chug these supplements to help you digest food more easily.

One reason the digestive enzyme supplement world thrives is due to this myth that we have fewer digestive enzymes as we age – this is untrue, your body produces the enzymes you require no matter your age.

Moreover, the OTC supplements you get have multi enzymes in such low quantity that they wont have any measurable effect and are from plant sources (like bromelain from pineapple) which also won’t have any clinical effect.

Some people do have multi digestive enzyme deficiency but its so rare (0.0001% of people).

If you have conditions like pancreatitis, sometimes, this can result in pancreatic insufficiency where some enzyme deficiency occurs necessitating enzyme supplements (like Creon) with meals to aid digestion of fats etc.

There are also other cases where medical grade enzyme supplements may be needed like fructose intolerance etc but these should be medically guided.

Slow Running To Live Longer?

The only time I’ve ever enjoyed running long distances on a regular basis was when I was a 5^th year medical student on a GP placement by the seaside. I used to run 2 miles by the beach every single day in the evenings. I can’t however do the same on a treadmill or a dreary pothole filled tarmac footpath. I just don’t really like running.

But if you’re a runner or even someone who doesn’t really like it – I’ve got some good and interesting science for you..

Slow running might extend your life and be better than strenuous, faster paced running!

There’s a growing body of research suggesting “slow” running helps reduce resting blood pressure and promotes a stronger heart as the body is still under stress but not excessive strain to get cardiovascular adaptation.

Slow running is defined as a pace where you can comfortably hold a conversation – aka zone 2 exercise in exercise physiology speak.

In 2015, Copenhagen researchers discovered the long term mortality (death rate) of light and moderate joggers was lower than non-runner or strenuous runners and the strenuous jogger had a mortality rate that wasn’t statistically different to non-runners!

So why is slow running so good?

Apart from improving the pumping capacity and strength of the heart, it helps on a molecular levels by improving insulin resistance, increases mitochondrial density (your cellular batteries!) and encourages your body to use fat for energy.

Slow runners also have a lower injury risk and recover faster plus the social aspect of conversing when running!

All the gain, less pain!

If you want to learn more evidence based health hacks, order a copy of my book “This Book May Save Your Life” here:

Additionally if you want me to narrate it to you, why don’t you just get the audio version narrated by me for free using a free audible credit:

If you’ve already read or listened to it, I’d love for you to leave a cheeky review.. every little one helps!

How To Reset Your Bad Posture!

Whilst I don’t believe (and the science agrees) that we need to be rigid and upright to have good posture, we do have a habit of letting bad ergonomics cause us pain.

And now that more people are working from home than ever, one major drawback is not adapting our home ergonomics to provide comfort when on screens for prolonged periods of time. This can cause neck, back and shoulder pain – and sometimes even the neck hump!

Keep these exercises in your back pocket to minimise pain in your muscles and joints:

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1. Wall pec stretch 

How to do it: Stand side on to a wall, with your elbow and forearm resting on the wall at chest height. Turn your body away from the wall to feel a stretch in your chest. Hold for 30 seconds on each side and repeat 5 times

2. Superman 

I did this one a lot after a recent back injury and was a winner.

How to do it: Lie on your stomach, extend your hands in front of your head and lift both arms and legs up toward the ceiling –Superman mode. Hold for 3-5 seconds and repeat 5 times.

3. Reverse Fly

How to do it: With feet shoulder-width apart, Bend forward at the waist, and lift your arms up and out to make a W shape (imagine pointing behind you with your thumbs, see pic). Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement. Repeat 10-12 times.

What you should watch:

Scavenger’s Reign

This is one of the most beautiful and artistic animated pieces of work I have ever seen.

Parts of it genuinely felt meditative as I watched it.

It’s about these space colonists in the future that get stranded on a strange alien world and the sound track, visuals and plot is mesmerising. It’s only 12 episodes long and I wish it was more.

If you’ve ever been a fan of the bizarre world of Studio Ghibli – this is basically that but in space.. with an alien world.

It’s not just for kids, this was create for adults. Animation isn’t just for kids! ( I say this as a 34 year old surgeon who loves animated movies and shows).