Health & Wellness

Profiling inspiring innovations from the Health & Wellness sector of our Innovators to Watch series

Cancer, depression, Parkinson’s disease ... let me tell you why I’m feeling stronger and happier

Despite several disease diagnoses over the past decade, I’m now a much stronger, happier and better version of myself

The two-way relationship between depression and heart disease

Despite the established links, people with heart disease are rarely assessed for signs of psychological illness

‘I found it hard to cut my mother off completely, but I had to’

People who have experienced family estrangement share their stories on outcomes from family personality clashes, unsupported mental health struggles and abusive behaviours

How Ireland performs within the EU in the screening, prevention and treatment of cancer

Our cancer mortality rates are still 5.4 per cent higher than the EU average but have improved significantly in recent years

Feeling tired since the clocks changed? Here’s what happens when you don’t get eight hours sleep

We’ve been repeatedly told sleep is everything from a legal performance-enhancer to an actual superpower

Nursing student puts degree on hold to build life-saving medtech

Drogheda founder Max Crinion-Morgan (22) is developing a device to fix a vital-sign blind spot on hospital wards

My fear rose up and my trust faltered on the mountain

It’s not a bad lesson at any age, to know how to take our pleasures at a lower altitude

‘It’s just there on your phone’: Why millions of people are using AI for therapy

Researchers are beginning to see bots repurposed for emotional support in lieu of traditional mental healthcare

‘I went through a lot of my life feeling like I was stupid’: Living with dyslexia

Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked California governor Gavin Newsom for having dyslexia, underscoring the stigma surrounding the condition

‘Leaky’ brain barrier a key link between head trauma and brain disease, study finds

Sport related concussion has been linked to rugby, boxing, soccer and MMA, among others

Weight-loss wegovy jab may carry greater risk of sudden sight loss, study finds

Rare ‘eye strokes’ can cause sudden and permanent vision loss due to reduced blood flow to optic nerve

Weaning families from two modern scourges: screens and ultraprocessed foods

Michaeleen Doucleff’s parenting book offers the possibility of a life of authentic pleasure instead

Fresh data shows an increased spend on private patient transport up from €39m to €61m since 2021

‘Use of taxis allows flexibility in the face of variable demand’ says HSE

Influencers promoting carnivore diet spreading dangerous misinformation, doctor says

Very easy for the public to be misled by social media influencers on nutritional advice, conference hears

Hot young celebrities are smoking and I’ve got mortifying middle-aged envy

In recent months I’ve been feeling the devil call of the cigs more keenly than any other time in the past nine years

The Irish start-up taking on energy drinks with Amazonian superleaf

NU Infusions launches natural guayusa-based alternative with no sugar and no jitters

Turning conflict into connection: ‘I must have experienced a tremendous amount of turbulence and conflict’

US founder of ‘Mediate Your Life’ John Kinyon traces his work in nonviolent communication back to early loss and a search for healing

Smokeless fuels cause health risks as previously unknown pollutants found

Study led by Irish scientists shows low-smoke fuels at least double emissions of toxic ultrafine particles

Evolution’s gift of fierce, wise and generous grandmothers

Menopause allows for post-reproductive productivity in a select few mammals

It’s easier to be healthy and fit when work stops at 6pm

Long, expensive commutes, multiple winter chest infections and dark mornings seemed to make getting healthier feel much more of a chore than it does now

Wear sunglasses in winter: Experts on 13 ways to look after your eyes

From getting regular eye tests to the 20-20-20 screen time rule, here’s advice on taking care of your eyes

Alcohol: How it impacts the body while you’re drinking and over time

Drinking alcohol can have profound effects on the brain and body, both while you’re drinking and over time

The medical appointment that confirmed my mother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s was brief

There’s no intensive treatment regime to follow, no chance of a cure

It was an era of body-moralising in Ireland, when obesity was a personal failure

In a culture that treats bodies as projects to be improved, the idea of simply caring for them feels almost radical

Kiss all the time. Dystopia, occasionally: YA reads for February

Miranda Reason’s debut novel, Day of Now, and new books from Sarah Crossan, Sonora Reyes, Amie Kaufman and KL Kettle

The risks behind the boom in private health checks

A GP questions the rise of untargeted private screening for people without symptoms

A supportive built environment can help build a breastfeeding culture

PhD student Andyno Akpanukoh is using a citizen science approach to determine whether aspects like physical spaces and facilities help or hinder mothers to breastfeed

Cancer diagnosis: ‘This is not good news, you need to be admitted right away’

HPV vaccine is not a silver bullet when it comes to this dreaded disease, but it improves the odds of survival

The power of confidence: ‘Chronic high levels of success create high levels of influence... it can go to people’s heads’

While self-belief has many positives, too much of it can create greed, hypocrisy and narcissism, health summit hears

Chilling headlines about so-called ‘UPFs’ keep coming. What do Irish shoppers need to know?

It’s hard to avoid ultra-processed foods - and equally difficult to find clear conclusions on how we should approach them

Finding healing spaces: ‘Going on this retreat was a turning point for me’

Getting the right support at the right time is key to managing trauma

Further batch of SMA infant formula recalled over food poisoning fears

Nestlé extends product recall to include an additional batch of SMA First Infant Milk

Ultra-processed foods require tighter regulation like cigarettes, study suggests

UPFs, like cigarettes, are engineered to encourage addiction and consumption, researchers say

Edwards syndrome: ‘How many siblings do you have?’ I once had two and now I have one

Molly O’Reilly’s younger sister was born with Edwards syndrome

Can exercise give cancer survivors a better quality of life and avoid a recurrence?

Increasing attention is being paid to how exercise can help post-treatment cancer survivors

Age restrictions needed for social media amid looming ‘public health emergency’ – Harris

Platforms ‘experimenting with the minds and brains of young people’, Tánaiste says

I met an extraordinary man this week. Simon has never owned a mobile phone

As my own digital detox continues, I’m learning to appreciate time as the most valuable and finite resource any of us will ever have

Filling the evidence gaps in dental care: ‘We need a national oral health survey’

Research Lives: Martina Hayes is professor and consultant in restorative dentistry at Cork University Dental School and Hospital

Journeys in mental health: ‘It made me go, God, these are stories people don’t hear’

A new all-Ireland mental health research network drives engagement of people with lived experience

Recent guidelines on weight-loss drugs are a ‘groundbreaking’ shift in obesity treatment

Dr Muiris Houston: Alongside caution there is excitement about the potential benefits of GLP-1 and related drugs

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