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39 minutes agoShareSaveAlison HoltSocial affairs editor, The Old BaileyShareSaveFamily handoutJames MelleyThe Old BaileyA hospital trust has been fined more than £500,000 and a ward manager given a six-month suspended sentence over the death of a 22-year-old woman on a mental health unit.Alice Figueiredo was being treated at Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford when she took her own life using bin bags from a shared toilet, having previously made many similar attempts.The North-East London Foundation NHS Trust (NELFT), which runs the hospital, and ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa, 53, were convicted of health and safety offences in June when an Old Bailey jury found they did not do enough to prevent Ms Figueiredo’s death. NELFT was fined £565,000 and Aninakwa must also complete 300 hours of unpaid community service.This article contains material that some may find distressing.If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line.Figueiredo familyThe hospital had previously acknowledged the risk to patients of keeping bin bags on the ward and they were subsequently taken out of patient bedrooms.However, despite warnings from Ms Figueiredo’s family, they were not removed from the communal toilet, which was left unlocked.The Old Bailey judge His Honour, Judge Richard Marks KC, described Ms Figueiredo’s death as a “terrible tragedy”, and said there had been serious failings in the care she received.The judge told Aninakwa that dealing with the risks posed by the bin bags should have been a priority. During the trial, the prosecution also said incidents of self-harm involving Ms Figueiredo while she was in hospital were not properly recorded or assessed – something the judge described as “lamentable.”Mr Marks said: “Whilst you regret Alice’s death you have no real insight into what you did wrong. “I find the fact you clearly remain in a state of denial very troubling.”Aninakwa, who still works at NELFT, is appealing against his conviction for failure to take reasonable care for the health and safety of others affected by acts or omissions at work.Giving a victim impact statement in court on monday, Ms Figueiredo’s mother Jane Figueiredo described her daughter as articulate, kind and funny. Mrs Figueiredo was critical of the care provided at Goodmayes Hospital, describing her daughter’s death as “preventable”. She also criticised the Trust for not “formally apologising” to the family in the ten years since her death.”Instead of the joy, love, affection and laughter Alice brought to my life, I’ve been left with the silent, empty void. I have really struggled at times with my own overwhelming sense of despair at having to face life without Alice. We all have.” Ms Figueiredo’s stepfather Max Figueiredo told the court that her struggles with bipolar affective disorder “never stopped her from living life to the full”.

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a promising new method to repair spinal fractures using stem cells extracted from adipose tissue, or body fat. In animal studies, the treatment successfully healed spinal injuries in rats that mimic osteoporosis-related fractures seen in humans. Because these cells are easy to collect, even from older adults, and cause minimal strain on the body, the technique could provide a gentle, non-invasive alternative for treating bone diseases.
Osteoporosis weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break. As Japan’s population continues to age, the number of people affected is projected to surpass 15 million. Among the various types of fractures caused by osteoporosis, compression fractures of the spine, known as osteoporotic vertebral fractures, are the most common. These injuries can result in long-term disability and severely reduce quality of life, highlighting the need for safer and more effective treatments.
How Fat-Derived Stem Cells Help Rebuild Bone
Stem cells derived from adipose tissue (ADSCs) show strong potential for repairing bone damage. These multipotent cells can develop into various types of tissue, including bone. When ADSCs are cultivated into three-dimensional spherical groups called spheroids, their ability to promote tissue repair increases. Pre-differentiating these spheroids toward bone-forming cells further enhances their effectiveness in stimulating bone regeneration.
Led by Graduate School of Medicine student Yuta Sawada and Dr. Shinji Takahashi, the Osaka research team used ADSCs to create bone-differentiated spheroids and combined them with β-tricalcium phosphate, a material commonly used in bone reconstruction. The mixture was applied to rats with spinal fractures, resulting in significant improvements in bone healing and strength.
The researchers also observed that genes responsible for bone formation and regeneration became more active after the treatment, suggesting that the approach stimulates the body’s natural healing processes.
Promising Outlook for Future Treatments
“This study has revealed the potential of bone differentiation spheroids using ADSCs for the development of new treatments for spinal fractures,” said Sawada. “Since the cells are obtained from fat, there is little burden on the body, ensuring patient safety.”
Dr. Takahashi added, “This simple and effective method can treat even difficult fractures and may accelerate healing. This technique is expected to become a new treatment that helps extend the healthy life of patients.”
The findings were published in Bone & Joint Research.

If you’re one of the 620 million people who regularly go for a run, you probably like to get an early start. But if you haven’t slept well the night before, you could be putting yourself at greater risk of injury.
A new study led by Professor Jan de Jonge, a work and sports psychologist at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands (and Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia), found that insufficient and poor-quality sleep significantly increases the chance of getting hurt while running.
In a survey of 425 recreational runners, the researchers discovered that participants who reported shorter sleep duration, lower sleep quality, or frequent sleep problems were almost twice as likely to experience an injury compared to those who slept well.
The results, published in Applied Sciences, provide what Prof de Jonge calls “compelling evidence that sleep is a critical yet often overlooked component of injury prevention.”
“While runners specifically focus on mileage, nutrition and recovery strategies, sleep tends to fall to the bottom of the list,” he explains. “Our research shows that poor sleepers were 1.78 times more likely to report injuries than those with stable, good quality sleep, with a 68% likelihood of sustaining an injury over a 12-month period. That’s a strong reminder that how well you rest is just as important as how hard you train.”
Sleep: The Missing Element in Runner Recovery
Recreational running remains one of the most popular sports worldwide, yet it carries a substantial risk of injury. Studies estimate that up to 90% of runners will be injured at some point, resulting in millions of dollars lost each year in medical bills and missed work.

Prof de Jonge’s team took a comprehensive approach, examining sleep not only in terms of duration but also quality and disorders. This broader view helped identify how different aspects of sleep contribute to physical vulnerability.
“Sleep is a vital biological process that allows the body and mind to recover and adapt to the physical and mental demands of training,” says Prof de Jonge. “When sleep is disrupted or insufficient, the body’s ability to repair tissues, regulate hormones and maintain focus diminishes, all of which can increase injury risk.”
The study revealed that runners who struggled with falling asleep, woke up frequently during the night, or rarely felt rested were the most prone to injury. In contrast, those who maintained consistent sleep schedules and felt well-rested reported significantly fewer injuries.
Rethinking Training: Why Sleep Deserves Equal Priority
Prof de Jonge emphasizes that the research carries important lessons for both recreational and competitive runners, as well as for coaches and health professionals.
“We often assume that more training equals better performance, but that’s not necessarily the case,” he notes. “Runners (especially those balancing training with work, family and social commitments) may actually need more sleep than average adults to recover properly. Sleep should be treated as a performance priority, not an afterthought.”
Experts generally recommend seven to nine hours of sleep per night, though athletes often benefit from additional rest, including short naps, to enhance both physical and mental recovery.

To improve sleep quality, consistent bedtimes, limiting screen use before sleep, reducing caffeine and alcohol, and maintaining a quiet, cool environment are all advised.
“Sleep quality and sleep duration are both important, but quantity often provides the bed-rock,” Prof de Jonge concludes. “Sleep should be recognized not only as a recovery tool, but also as a potential predictor of injury vulnerability in recreational sports.”
The study, “Sleep Matters: Profiling Sleep Patterns to Predict Sports Injuries in Recreational Runners,” was published in Applied Sciences.

3 hours agoShareSavePallab GhoshScience CorrespondentShareSaveGettyThe government has detailed for the first time how it aims to fulfil its manifesto pledge to work toward phasing out animal testing.The new plans include replacing animal testing for some major safety tests by the end of this year and cutting the use of dogs and non-human primates in tests for human medicines by at least 35% by 2030. The Labour Party said in its manifesto that it would “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”.Science Minister Lord Vallance told BBC News that he could imagine a day where the use of animals in science was almost completely phased out but acknowledged that it would take time.Animal experiments in the UK peaked at 4.14 million in 2015 driven mainly by a big increase then in genetic modification experiments – mostly on mice and fishBy 2020, the number had fallen sharply to 2.88 million as alternative methods were developed. But since then that decline has plateaued. Lord Vallance told BBC News that he wants to re-ignite the fast downward trend by replacing animal testing with experiments on animal tissues grown from stem cells, AI, and computer simulations.Asked by BBC News if he could envisage a world where animal tests were “near zero”, he said: “I think that is possible, it’s not possible anytime soon, the idea that we can eliminate animal use in the foreseeable future, I don’t think is there.”Can we get very close to it? I think we can. Can we push faster than we have been? I think we can. Should we? We absolutely should.””This is a moment to really grasp that and drive these alternative approaches,” he said.According to the government’s newly detailed plans, by the end of 2025, scientists will stop using animals for some major safety tests and switch to newer lab methods that use human cells instead.As a former government chief scientific advisor and former head of research for a major pharmaceutical company, he will know that many scientists believe reaching “near zero” tests on animals will be extremely difficult, even in the longer term. That includes those who are the greatest advocates of non-animal methods.”I very strongly believe that that is not possible for reasons of safety,” said Prof Frances Balkwill, of Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London.Prof Balkwill is working on finding ways stop ovarian cancer recurring, using mice as well as non-animal approaches, of which she is a huge fan.”These non-animal methods will never replace the complexity that we can see when we have a tumour growing in a whole organism, such as a mouse,” she said.Kevin Church/BBC NewsOne of the world’s leading centres for developing alternatives to animal testing is the Centre for Predictive in vitro Models (CPM) at Queen Mary University of London.Researchers here are developing the extraordinarily sounding “organ-on-a-chip” technology, conjuring up alarming images of throbbing brains and beating hearts sitting on top of electronic circuits.The reality, though, is far less sci-fi.Some small pieces of glassware containing tiny samples of human cells from different organs from the body, such as the liver or brain, are connected to electrodes which send information to a computer. What is amazing, said the CPM’s co-director, Prof Hazel Screen, is that cells from various parts of the body can be connected together to mimic how different organs work together.”In theory, you can build any organ on a chip. Then I can use it to test a new drug,” she said.”And because we’re taking human cells, we should be able to do better quality science.”The safety tests that the government says will no longer use animals by the end of this year include the practice of giving rabbits a small dose of a new drug – called the pyrogen test. It says this will be replaced by a test using human immune cells in a dish.All tests that used animals to check for dangerous germs in medicine will also be done with cell and gene technologies, the government says.Between 2026 and 2035, the government plans to speed up the use of non-animal techniques, including the organ-on-a-chip devices and artificial intelligence.The proposals group animal tests into two main groups: those which could be immediately replaced because safe and effective alternatives already exist and simply need laws or guidelines to be updated; and others, where alternatives exist, but still need work to prove that they are reliable enough to be widely used.To speed up the latter, the government plans to set up a Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods. Ministers also promise to give an unspecified increase in funding and investment for developing new alternatives, including £30m for a research hub and more grants to support innovative methods and training.The RSPCA has cautiously welcomed the plan, describing it as a “significant step forward”, but has urged the government to deliver.Some scientists working with animal experiments, such as Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, are deeply concerned about what they fear may be a premature push toward alternatives, and its potential negative consequences for science and medicine.”How about the brain and behaviour? How can you study behaviour in a petri dish? You just can’t,” he says.”With complex areas of biology where no current non-animal model gets anything close to the real biology, how is forcibly pushing this strategy going to help?”

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan, led by graduate student Tatsushi Oura and Dr. Hiroyuki Tatekawa, discovered that the Alzheimer’s treatment lecanemab, which removes amyloid plaques from the brain, does not improve the brain’s waste clearance system in the short term.
The results indicate that even after treatment, the nerves of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients remain damaged and the brain’s natural waste-removal ability does not recover quickly. This finding highlights the disease’s complexity and the need for therapies that target more than one biological pathway at once.
Alzheimer’s Disease: A Complex and Multifactorial Disorder
The study adds to growing evidence that Alzheimer’s is a multifaceted disease. It is the most common form of neurodegenerative disorder, yet remains one of the most difficult to treat because it develops through several overlapping causes.
One major contributor to nerve cell damage in AD is the buildup of the protein amyloid-β (Aβ) in the brain. In healthy individuals, a network called the glymphatic system circulates cerebrospinal fluid through spaces around arteries into brain tissue. There, it mixes with interstitial fluid to remove metabolic waste, including Aβ. The term “glymphatic” comes from the glial cells that play a key role in this process.
How Alzheimer’s Disrupts the Brain’s Cleanup System
In people with Alzheimer’s, Aβ accumulates and causes arteries to stiffen, slowing the flow of fluids between brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid. This disruption blocks the brain’s ability to clear out waste, setting off a cascade of damaging neurodegenerative effects that lead to the symptoms of the disease.

Lecanemab, a recently approved antibody therapy, is designed to reduce the buildup of amyloid-β. To test its effects, the Osaka Metropolitan University team examined the glymphatic system in patients before and after receiving lecanemab treatment. They used a specialized imaging measure known as the DTI-ALPS index to track changes.
No Short-Term Improvement Detected
Despite expectations, the researchers found no significant difference in the DTI-ALPS index between pre-treatment and three months after therapy.
They concluded that while anti-amyloid drugs like lecanemab can lower plaque levels and slow cognitive decline, they may not be enough to restore lost brain function. By the time symptoms appear, both neuronal damage and waste clearance impairments are likely well established and difficult to reverse. This underscores how Alzheimer’s involves a network of biological problems, not just plaque buildup.
Next Steps: Understanding Why the Brain Doesn’t Recover
“Even when Aβ is reduced by lecanemab, impairment of the glymphatic system may not recover within the short-term,” Oura said. “In the future, we want to look at factors like age, the stage of the disease, and degree of lesions in the white matter to further understand the relationship between changes in the glymphatic system due to lecanemab treatment and the outcome of treatment. This will help understand the best way to administer treatment to patients.”
The research was published in the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

5 hours agoShareSaveGuy LynnBBC Investigations, LondonShareSaveBBCA pharmacist filmed selling Botox without seeing patients has been suspended from practice for 18 months after a BBC undercover investigation exposed a dangerous black market in injectable cosmetic drugs.Cornelius Agoye, who ran Pharma Aesthetics London in Rainham, east London, was recorded supplying licensed Botox to an undercover BBC researcher posing as a beautician, and explaining how to falsify paperwork to make it appear legitimate.The investigation found multiple nurses and pharmacists breaking the same rules — agreeing to issue or sell Botox without ever meeting patients in person, putting them at risk.Mr Agoye later admitted his behaviour fell below professional standards. He also apologised, saying he had not intended to cause harm. Mr Agoye has been suspended under an interim order imposed by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) while a full fitness-to-practise investigation continues.Botulinum toxin – commonly known by the brand name Botox – is also sold under several other licensed brands in the UK, including Azzalure, Bocouture and Dysport.It is a prescription-only medicine and, while many people now receive injections from High Street beauticians, the law requires a doctor, dentist, nurse prescriber or pharmacist prescriber to examine the patient face to face and issue a prescription confirming it is safe to proceed.Experts told the BBC that bypassing those consultations removes a vital medical safeguard designed to ensure the drug is suitable for each individual — and allows counterfeit or unsafe products to enter the market. Misuse of Botox can cause drooping eyelids, blurred vision, headaches and, in rare cases, respiratory failure or paralysis.Over several months, BBC researchers filmed registered professionals across England sidestepping the rules. Transactions were captured in clinics, pharmacies and online, showing how illegal Botox has spread across the country’s booming aesthetics industry. Market analysts estimate the UK botulinum toxin market was worth £115m in 2024 and is forecast to reach nearly £295m by 2031.What happened inside the pharmacyIn east London, Mr Agoye met an undercover BBC reporter at his Rainham pharmacy, believing she was a beautician seeking Botox stock and prescriptions for her clients. Hidden cameras recorded him agreeing to help without asking to see any patient or carry out the legally required assessment.He instructed the reporter to falsify the records, saying she should enter notes claiming a consultation had already taken place. “I did face-to-face consultation today… I’ve just done it,” he said.He then explained how beauticians could use a genuine patient’s prescription to order extra vials and keep the spare doses for other paying clients. “You just order two Botoxes like you’ve done one, for one patient,” he told the reporter. “You hide one. I didn’t say anything to you, you just hide one.” When asked if that was legal, he replied: “Yeah, you’re going to do it illegally… That’s what you’re doing. I didn’t tell you anything.”Prescribing a drug in one person’s name for use on another constitutes fraud.Interim ordersThese are urgent measures used when early evidence suggests a pharmacist may pose a continuing or immediate risk to patients, or when public confidence in the profession could be seriously damaged if a pharmacist continues to practise without restriction.They can be applied before a hearing concludes if a pharmacist’s behaviour appears to present a “serious, continuing, immediate or real” threat to safety or trust.Wider malpracticeThe BBC’s Botox Black Market investigation uncovered wider misconduct among nurses and pharmacists supplying Botox to beauticians without prescriptions — and selling unlicensed toxins for cash.In Dorset, nurse prescriber Sally Jackson was filmed offering to issue Botox prescriptions via WhatsApp without ever meeting patients, saying she was “too busy” for in-person checks. She admitted she could put extra orders under an existing patient’s name so beauticians could stock up and use them on others.In north London, clinic owner Prakash Gurnani — who falsely claimed to be a doctor — was recorded selling cheap, unlicensed Korean toxin vials, telling clients to call them simply “anti-wrinkle” injections and keep quiet. He described holding “Botox parties” for groups of young women and was also filmed offering prescription-only weight-loss drugs and an illegal anaesthetic.Both Ms Jackson and Mr Gurnari declined to comment; when confronted by the BBC, he denied offering Botox illegally or asking clients to break the law.Medical experts told the BBC that such shortcuts by qualified professionals stripped away basic safeguards and pushed potentially counterfeit products into the beauty trade. The UK Health Security Agency recently linked 41 confirmed cases of botulism to the use of an unlicensed toxin bought from beauticians over the summer.The GPhC said it was “very concerned” by the findings but would not comment further while its investigation continued. The Department of Health and Social Care said it was considering tighter licensing for non-medical injectors.More from the London and East Investigations team

1 hour agoShareSaveChloe Hayward, Nick Triggle & Daniel WainwrightBBC NewsShareSaveBBCAlmost every hospital trust in England is failing to meet the key NHS waiting time target for cancer care, BBC analysis shows.Just three trusts out of 121 in England are treating cancer patients quickly enough – within 62 days – with experts warning delays could be putting lives at risk.The government accepted waits were too long, but said it was investing in the NHS to improve performance.Research shows getting treatment quickly is crucial, with every four-week delay reducing patient survival by an average of 10%.Dr Timothy Hanna, a leading global expert on cancer who led that research, said the BBC findings were “worrying”.”It’s not a few outliers. It’s the norm for trusts in England to not hit these waiting time targets and they are set for a reason – timely treatment can improve survival rates.”Paul, who has stage three colon cancer, is one of many patients who has faced delays. His first biopsy was taken in January 2024 when cancer was suspected. He did not receive any further contact from his cancer services, despite his best efforts, until January this year. He eventually had surgery on his colon in February.Although his cancer has not spread to distant body parts, it had spread to nearby lymph nodes.”The waiting was horrendous and now I think that if I had been treated properly and not had to wait so long it wouldn’t have progressed to stage three.”He is due to have further surgery next year.Hospitals say demand for testing and care is outstripping capacity.The BBC has also been told about when things go wrong, including scanning and radiotherapy machines breaking down, GP referral letters being lost and staffing issues mean appointments are cancelled at the last minute.BBC Verify looked at performance across every major cancer service in England over the past 12 months – from September 2024 to August 2025.There are targets for each part of the cancer journey. Hospitals should:diagnose or rule out cancer in 75% of cases within 28 days of urgent referralbegin treatment in 96% of cases within another 31 daysensure the whole journey takes no longer than 62 days in 85% of casesNearly one in four trusts have been missing all three targets over the past 12 months.Some of the major regional cancer hubs say they are struggling with inherited waits.Larger hospitals that offer specialist services often get complex patients passed on to them from smaller hospitals.’We can’t deliver care we want’One service that is struggling with inherited waits is London’s Royal Free NHS Trust, which is ranked 109 out of 121 when it comes 62-day waits – although, like so many low ranking trusts, the performance is improving. It acts as a specialist kidney cancer centre for patients across south-east England. And while it has some new equipment, including robotic surgery theatres, administration problems can result in operations being cancelled. The day before the BBC filmed a report at the hospital, the theatre sat empty as a patient had not received the letter confirming surgery.Radiotherapy is another area the Royal Free wants to improve. One of its two machines is more than 10 years old – the age at which they should be retired because they become less efficient and less reliable.Claire Hartill, head of radiotherapy at the Royal Free, said: “We can’t deliver the service we want to and it can cause delays to patient treatment.”We need a newer machine – it delivers better treatment faster so means we can treat more people per hour.”The trust submitted a business plan to the government earlier this year for funding to buy a new machine, but was turned down.How best-performers are doing itThere are just three cancer services that are achieving the 62-day target over the past 12 months – Calderdale and Huddersfield, East and North Hertfordshire and Bolton NHS trusts.Streamlined communication, state-of-the-art equipment and joined-up team work appear to be key.Paul, who is in his 50s, was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few weeks ago at the Lister Hospital in Stevenage, part of East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.On the day he was told his diagnosis he also met with a surgeon and an oncologist to discuss his treatment options.His treatment choice was between a long course of radiotherapy or to have the prostate surgically removed.Once he had made up his mind to have an operation, it was booked in. His procedure will be done using robotic surgery. It not only reduces side effects, but also helps speed up recovery. Paul will only be in hospital for one night so the bed he uses will be free for another patient after only 24 hours.”He [the surgeon] got his diary out, flicked through a couple of pages and gave me a date. I said, that’s a Saturday. The surgeon said, yes, I work Saturdays,” laughs Paul.Over in the chemotherapy ward there are more steps being taken to ease capacity issues. A new initiative – one of the first in England – is allowing patients on certain types of chemotherapy to be taught how to do the treatment for themselves at home.Josephine Hoskins is one of them. She has to have chemotherapy injections every three weeks and lives between London and Devon. “It’s revolutionised things for me,” she said.Moving patients like Josephine to ‘at-home chemo’ immediately opens up another slot for someone that needs more complex treatment.’Determined to improve’The government said it was determined to improve waiting times. A new cancer strategy is expected to be published by the government early next year. It comes after cancer was named as a ‘core priority’ in the 10-year NHS plan published in July.A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “Cancer care is a priority as we turn around more than a decade of neglect of our NHS.”We’re working at pace to ensure patients get timely diagnoses and treatment – building more community diagnostic centres, offering evening and weekend appointments and spending £70 million on new radiotherapy machines to get patients faster access to the tests, checks and scans they require.”But Sarah Scobie of the Nuffield Trust health think tank believes ministers will struggle to address the problems highlighted by the BBC analysis.”The reality for the government is that it will be incredibly challenging to make meaningful progress on waiting times when finances are so tight.”About the dataBBC News analysed official cancer waiting time statistics from NHS England, covering the 12 months from September 2024 to August 2025.The NHS publishes data monthly, but we have analysed the performance over the whole year.We looked at performance against the three national targets.Trusts were ranked according to their performance on the 62-day measure, which covers the entire waiting time between urgent referral and starting treatment.Additional reporting by Jess Carr and Muskeen Liddar

5 hours agoShareSaveEmily HoltBBC NewsShareSaveGetty ImagesNow the clocks have gone back and the evenings are darker, many of us are trudging to work and back in the dark and sometimes our mood is lower as well.We can feel more tired than normal, lack energy or find it difficult to concentrate. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or “winter depression” can affect anyone. For those struggling to stick to their normal daily activites, the NHS advises contacting their local GP. For those with milder symptoms, here are three ways to help you manage the darker days and even embrace them.1. Focus on what you can do Getty ImagesPsychologist Kari Leibowitz says growing up in the US in a summer-centric town meant she used to view winter as limiting and uncomfortable, but travelling to Norway where some places get almost no daylight in the depths of winter changed her mindset.She found that instead of people succumbing to a darker mood, they embraced their circumstances, finding different hobbies from snow sports to knitting and cooking. “They’re looking at winter as a time of year that’s full of opportunities,” she says. Kari said it taught her that changing your approach to focus on what you can do during this time, rather than what you can’t, was surprisingly effective.This could include winter walks, movie nights, cooking a new meal or ice skating.”So often we only focus on the things that are harder to do in the winter when really there’s a whole world of seasonal activities that feel better when it’s cold out.” 2. Accept you need more restGetty ImagesWith our work and social calendars ticking along as normal, we may wonder why we feel so tired but Kari says we need to accept our bodies need more rest in winter.”It’s actually good not to be as productive or active as you would be during the summer months because our bodies are biologically hardwired for rest during winter,” she says. Just like animals and plants, she says we should be slowing down and changing our behaviour.Dr Em May Armstrong, a plant researcher, says the key is finding the balance between resting more and becoming too lethargic. She suggests so called “active dormancy” – mixing a slower restful lifestyle with activities that still keep us mentally engaged. This could include activities such as knitting, repairing clothes or practices that help get you ready for the year ahead. “And while that’s not as active as, say, travelling or camping, it’s just as active in a more restorative way.”3. Make plansGetty ImagesWhile resting more is natural, it is still important to make time for the things that make us happy and to mix with other people, according to GP Gavin Francis.”We’re very social animals, even the most solitary human being doesn’t live completely alone. We all depend on others.”He suggests planning activities in advance, focusing on spending time with those who make you feel good, and activities which can boost your mood.Doing this means you’re committed, and a low mood nearer the time won’t be able to stop you.”You can then start planning in your diary to do more things with these people over winter,” he says. Simple practical things to improve your mood, such as making sure you get a good night’s sleep, avoiding too much alcohol or late night parties and maintaining a healthy diet are also important, he says.”These things are not rocket science, but they’re really fundamental to having a good, healthy circadian rhythm and a good healthy physiology through the winter.” Other stories you may enjoy

19 hours agoShareSaveAlys DaviesShareSaveAFP via Getty ImagesThe Prince of Wales has described how he and the Princess of Wales approached telling their children about difficult moments they have faced over the past two years, such as Catherine and King Charles’ cancer diagnoses. “We choose to communicate a lot more with our children… most of the time, hiding stuff from them doesn’t work”, Prince William said during an interview in Brazil.”Every family has its own difficulties and its own challenges. It’s very individual and sort of moment-dependent as to how you deal with those problems”, he added.The prince visited the Latin American country for the first time last week to mark the fifth Earthshot Prize, of which he is the founder and president.The prize celebrates people who have come up with ideas to help tackle issues affecting the planet. The winners of each category win £1m to further develop their ideas.Speaking to Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the awards ceremony, which took place on 5 November, Prince William was asked how he and Catherine navigated the difficult things they have faced over the past two years.”Sometimes you feel you’re oversharing with the children”, said Prince William, who is father to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven. “But most of the time, hiding stuff from them doesn’t work, and so explaining how they feel, why that’s happening, giving them other viewpoints as to why they might be feeling like they are sometimes helps give them a bigger picture, and they can relax more into it rather than being really anxious about ‘what are you hiding from me’?”.”There’s a lot more questions when there’s no answers.””But it’s always a balancing act”, he added, “How much do I say? What do I say? When do I say it? There’s no manual for being a parent, you’ve just got to go with it”.The Princess of Wales revealed she was in remission from cancer in January. King Charles continues to undergo treatment.In the interview, which covered a range of subjects, Prince William also said they do not allow their children to have phones.”It’s really hard. Our children don’t have phones, I think when George moves onto secondary school then maybe he might have a phone that has limited access,” he said.”It’s getting to the point where it’s becoming a little bit of a tense issue but I think [Prince George] understands why, we communicate why we don’t think it’s right, and again I think it’s the internet access we have a problem with. “I think children can access too much stuff they don’t need to see online,” he said.He added that either he or Catherine do the school run most days and jokingly referred to himself as a taxi driver when conversing with Huck.Speaking about the Earthshot Prize, being held in Brazil for the first time this year, Prince William said: “We’re halfway through the ten years that we’ve identified as the decade of change, where if we want to leave a lasting legacy and really change the way we protect and restore and live on the planet we have to do it in this decade of change. “So am I pleased with the progress the Earthshot has made and where the world is headed in environmental and climate leadership? Yes, I think we’ve made progress. Is there a lot more to do? Yes.” Winners of this year’s prize included a project to restore tropical forests and a global ocean treaty initiative.Following the trip to Rio, officials announced they would be making Prince William an honorary citizen of the city, known as a carioca.

A new approach to oral care may come from an unexpected source: your own hair. Researchers have found that toothpaste made from keratin, a protein naturally present in hair, skin, and wool, could both protect and repair damaged teeth while offering a sustainable alternative to traditional dental treatments.
Scientists from King’s College London discovered that keratin can rebuild tooth enamel and halt the early stages of decay. When keratin interacts with the minerals found in saliva, it forms a coating that closely replicates the composition and protective function of natural enamel.
Dr. Sherif Elsharkawy, senior author and consultant in prosthodontics at King’s College London, explained: “Unlike bones and hair, enamel does not regenerate, once it is lost, it’s gone forever.”
Protecting Teeth from Erosion and Cavities
Everyday habits, from drinking acidic beverages to poor brushing routines, wear away enamel over time. This erosion can lead to sensitivity, discomfort, and eventually tooth loss. While fluoride toothpaste helps slow this process, the keratin-based formulation in the new study went further, completely preventing it in laboratory tests.
Keratin creates a dense, mineralized barrier over the tooth’s surface, blocking the nerve channels responsible for sensitivity. This not only protects against further damage but also provides immediate relief from discomfort, addressing both cause and symptom.
The researchers envision the treatment being available in two forms: a daily-use toothpaste or a professional gel applied by dentists, similar to nail varnish. According to the team, keratin-based enamel repair products could be accessible to the public within two to three years.

How Keratin Helps Teeth Heal Themselves
In the study, published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, scientists extracted keratin from wool and applied it to tooth surfaces. When exposed to the natural minerals present in saliva, the protein organized itself into a crystal-like structure that mimicked real enamel.
Over time, this microscopic framework continued to attract calcium and phosphate ions, gradually forming a durable, enamel-like layer. The finding marks an important milestone in regenerative dentistry and brings researchers closer to treatments that can rebuild the tooth’s protective shell rather than just patching damage.
Sustainable, Natural, and Clinically Effective
Sara Gamea, PhD researcher at King’s College London and the study’s first author, said: “Keratin offers a transformative alternative to current dental treatments. Not only is it sustainably sourced from biological waste materials like hair and skin, it also eliminates the need for traditional plastic resins, commonly used in restorative dentistry, which are toxic and less durable. Keratin also looks much more natural than these treatments, as it can more closely match the color of the original tooth.”
The research addresses growing concerns about the environmental impact of dental materials and the long-term use of fluoride. By using recycled biological materials, this approach could make dental care more eco-friendly while reducing dependence on synthetic compounds.

A New Era of Biotech Dentistry
“This technology bridges the gap between biology and dentistry, providing an eco-friendly biomaterial that mirrors natural processes,” said Gamea.
Dr. Elsharkawy added: “We are entering an exciting era where biotechnology allows us to not just treat symptoms but restore biological function using the body’s own materials. With further development and the right industry partnerships, we may soon be growing stronger, healthier smiles from something as simple as a haircut.”
The work received support from the Wellcome Trust Seed Award, King’s College London, the Academy of Medical Sciences ‘Starter Grants for Clinical Lecturers’, and the National Institute of Health Research.