health Archives - Pounds and Sense https://www.poundsandsense.com/tag/health/ A UK blog covering personal finance and much more from an over-60 perspective Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:49:19 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://www.poundsandsense.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/coffeespecs-150x150.png health Archives - Pounds and Sense https://www.poundsandsense.com/tag/health/ 32 32 Guest Post: Your Morning Coffee Might Protect Your Brain as You Age – Here’s the Sweet Spot! https://www.poundsandsense.com/guest-post-your-morning-coffee-might-protect-your-brain-as-you-age-heres-the-sweet-spot/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=guest-post-your-morning-coffee-might-protect-your-brain-as-you-age-heres-the-sweet-spot https://www.poundsandsense.com/guest-post-your-morning-coffee-might-protect-your-brain-as-you-age-heres-the-sweet-spot/#respond Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:53:35 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=14322 Today I have a guest post on a subject close to many people’s hearts (including mine!) – what are the benefits (and risks) of coffee drinking and how much a day is best? This subject may be of particular interest to older people, as the latest research indicates that the caffeine in coffee (and tea) […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/guest-post-your-morning-coffee-might-protect-your-brain-as-you-age-heres-the-sweet-spot/feed/ 0 Can You Wear the Same Socks More Than Once? A Microbiologist Explains https://www.poundsandsense.com/can-you-wear-the-same-socks-more-than-once-a-microbiologist-explains/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=can-you-wear-the-same-socks-more-than-once-a-microbiologist-explains https://www.poundsandsense.com/can-you-wear-the-same-socks-more-than-once-a-microbiologist-explains/#respond Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:45:35 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=14096 A few months ago I published a guest post on the subject of how often you should wash your bedding. The article generated quite a lot of interest, so today I am publishing another by the same author: Primrose Freestone, a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester. This article was originally published […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/can-you-wear-the-same-socks-more-than-once-a-microbiologist-explains/feed/ 0 Stay Healthy This Winter: The Best Supplements for Cold and Flu Season https://www.poundsandsense.com/stay-healthy-this-winter-the-best-supplements-for-cold-and-flu-season/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stay-healthy-this-winter-the-best-supplements-for-cold-and-flu-season https://www.poundsandsense.com/stay-healthy-this-winter-the-best-supplements-for-cold-and-flu-season/#respond Mon, 06 Oct 2025 10:18:46 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=12887 We are currently heading into the peak season for flu and other respiratory viruses (including Covid). These infections can be a nuisance at least. And – in the case of older people especially – they can sometimes be life-threatening. While a balanced diet, regular exercise and adequate sleep remain the cornerstones of good health, certain […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/stay-healthy-this-winter-the-best-supplements-for-cold-and-flu-season/feed/ 0 How Often Should You Really Be Washing Your Bedding? A Microbiologist Explains https://www.poundsandsense.com/how-often-should-you-really-be-washing-your-bedding-a-microbiologist-explains/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-often-should-you-really-be-washing-your-bedding-a-microbiologist-explains https://www.poundsandsense.com/how-often-should-you-really-be-washing-your-bedding-a-microbiologist-explains/#respond Tue, 09 Sep 2025 11:04:36 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=13798 Today I have a guest post for you on a subject many of us wonder about. It’s by Primrose Freestone, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology at the University of Leicester. The article was originally published in The Conversation and is republished here under a Creative Commons licence.   Most of us spend around a third of […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/how-often-should-you-really-be-washing-your-bedding-a-microbiologist-explains/feed/ 0 Is Private Health Insurance Worthwhile for Over-50s? https://www.poundsandsense.com/is-private-health-insurance-worthwhile-for-over-50s/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-private-health-insurance-worthwhile-for-over-50s https://www.poundsandsense.com/is-private-health-insurance-worthwhile-for-over-50s/#respond Tue, 29 Jul 2025 10:54:51 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=13653 As we get older, our health needs inevitably become more complex – and that’s when many of us (me included) start to wonder: Is private health insurance worthwhile? In the UK, we’re fortunate to have the NHS, which offers free healthcare at the point of delivery to everyone. But with increasing waiting times and growing […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/is-private-health-insurance-worthwhile-for-over-50s/feed/ 0 Here’s Why Most Over-50s Need More Protein in Their Diet https://www.poundsandsense.com/heres-why-most-over-50s-need-more-protein-in-their-diet/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=heres-why-most-over-50s-need-more-protein-in-their-diet https://www.poundsandsense.com/heres-why-most-over-50s-need-more-protein-in-their-diet/#respond Mon, 13 Jan 2025 09:29:51 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=12956 Today I’m discussing a subject relevant to many readers of this blog (which is of course aimed especially at people over 50). As we age, our bodies undergo various changes that can affect our overall health and well-being. For those aged 50 and above, maintaining a balanced diet becomes increasingly important – and one nutrient […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/heres-why-most-over-50s-need-more-protein-in-their-diet/feed/ 0 My Review of the Simba Hybrid Mattress Topper https://www.poundsandsense.com/my-review-of-the-simba-hybrid-mattress-topper/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=my-review-of-the-simba-hybrid-mattress-topper https://www.poundsandsense.com/my-review-of-the-simba-hybrid-mattress-topper/#respond Wed, 17 Apr 2024 10:22:19 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=11962 I was recently offered the chance to review the Simba Hybrid Mattress Topper (see cover photo). This is a premium mattress topper from the well-known Simba sleep brand. I must admit, incidentally, I hadn’t realised the variety of sleep products Simba offer. I knew about their mattresses, of course, but wasn’t aware they also sell […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/my-review-of-the-simba-hybrid-mattress-topper/feed/ 0 What Is U3A And Is It For You? https://www.poundsandsense.com/what-is-u3a-and-is-it-for-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-u3a-and-is-it-for-you https://www.poundsandsense.com/what-is-u3a-and-is-it-for-you/#comments Fri, 11 Aug 2023 10:35:03 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=11126 Updated 23 June 2024 As regular PAS readers will know, I recently joined U3A, a non-profit organization offering a range of leisure activities for retired and semi-retired people. I thought I would set out my experiences and impressions here for anyone who may be interested in joining U3A themselves, either now or in the future. […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/what-is-u3a-and-is-it-for-you/feed/ 8 How to Minimize ‘Vaccine Arm’ https://www.poundsandsense.com/how-to-minimize-vaccine-arm/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-minimize-vaccine-arm https://www.poundsandsense.com/how-to-minimize-vaccine-arm/#comments Fri, 26 Nov 2021 12:10:39 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=8586 This year I have had five vaccines in total. Three of them were for Covid-19, including my booster jab earlier this month. The other two were a flu jab and a pneumonia jab ( the latter is offered by the NHS to everyone reaching the age of 65 in Britain). You will gather from the […]

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]]> https://www.poundsandsense.com/how-to-minimize-vaccine-arm/feed/ 4 Review: Sod 60! The Guide to Living Well https://www.poundsandsense.com/review-sod-60-the-guide-to-living-well/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=review-sod-60-the-guide-to-living-well https://www.poundsandsense.com/review-sod-60-the-guide-to-living-well/#comments Fri, 29 Jan 2021 09:52:39 +0000 https://www.poundsandsense.com/?p=7239 As I just hit 65, I thought now would be the perfect time to take a look at Sod 60! The Guide to Living Well. As you may know, this is a best-selling book by Claire Parker and Sir Muir Gray, published by Bloomsbury. I bought a hardback copy from Amazon. A slightly cheaper ebook […]

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