0:00:02 > 0:00:05My name's Xand van Tulleken. I'm a doctor, and every day,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09I make decisions based on years of training and medical experience.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12But when it comes to health stories, in the news or on the telly,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15I'm frequently at a loss.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Every day, we're bombarded with sensational headlines.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Now, some of them are so bizarre, they're a complete delight...
0:00:25 > 0:00:29..but sometimes, they're downright irresponsibly terrifying.
0:00:29 > 0:00:32I'm going to have a look at last year's health headlines,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35and find out the truth. Coming up tonight -
0:00:35 > 0:00:38could paracetamol be turning us into a nation of psychopaths?
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Could you be going to the loo all wrong?
0:00:40 > 0:00:42An Israeli study showed that it halves your pooping time.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45And could Noel Edmonds really have stumbled across
0:00:45 > 0:00:47a magic box that can tackle cancer?
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Well, the answer might surprise you. This is Second Opinion.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01APPLAUSE
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Welcome to Second Opinion, the show that's knowledgeable enough
0:01:08 > 0:01:10to pull the nonsense out of the headlines,
0:01:10 > 0:01:14and professional and discreet enough not to ask how it got in there.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18I read medical news all the time - I'm fascinated by it, I love it.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22Whether it's a headline that claims juicing makes you live forever,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25or this one weird tip to cut belly fat, I'll make that juice,
0:01:25 > 0:01:26I'll click that link,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30and the only thing I'm forgetting when I read this stuff
0:01:30 > 0:01:34is that I spent seven years training not to believe any of it!
0:01:34 > 0:01:36So, here's what I want to do tonight - we're going to go through
0:01:36 > 0:01:39the headlines, and see if we can make sense of them.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41We've got experiments, we've got correspondents,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44we've spoken to medical experts.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47What I want to do is take the year's medical news gently
0:01:47 > 0:01:50in the palm of a warm, gloved hand, and ask it to cough.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Here are my top five headlines from last year.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01At five, from November...
0:02:05 > 0:02:06Wrong!
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Everybody has an equal likelihood of death,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13and that likelihood of death is, for the optimists among you,
0:02:13 > 0:02:14100%.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Sorry to break it to everyone(!)
0:02:16 > 0:02:20The study, from the University of California, San Diego,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22in association with Facebook,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25found that in any given year,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29someone who uses Facebook is about 12% less likely to die
0:02:29 > 0:02:32than someone who doesn't, but are they really alive,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34or have they just not updated their status yet?
0:02:36 > 0:02:39At number four, from September...
0:02:42 > 0:02:45On the face of it, this does seem absurd.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Let me remind you what kidney stones are.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50They're waste products that have crystallised out of your urine,
0:02:50 > 0:02:53a little bit like limescale in your kettle.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55They turn into little rocks in your kidneys,
0:02:55 > 0:02:57and if you can shake them loose before they get too big,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01that will save you lots of pain and possibly some emergency surgery.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Professor David Wartinger, a urological surgeon from Michigan,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08heard from an unusual number of his patients that riding
0:03:08 > 0:03:11a particular roller-coaster was a good way of helping kidney stones
0:03:11 > 0:03:13to pass out, so what did he do?
0:03:13 > 0:03:17Of course - he 3D printed a model of a kidney with kidney stones in it,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20put it in a backpack at kidney height, and
0:03:20 > 0:03:23rode around Disney World's Big Thunder Mountain railroad repeatedly.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26What he found was that sitting at the back of the roller-coaster
0:03:26 > 0:03:29resulted in successful passing of a kidney stone
0:03:29 > 0:03:32in the model 64% of the time.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35The front was not so good, at 17% success rate.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Let's be clear - despite what the headline would have you believe,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41this is not a cure for kidney stones.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43If you have a family history of kidney stones,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47and you like riding roller-coasters, maybe you should give it a go,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49but it's more important to stay hydrated.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51In at three, from September...
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Now, this was an article back in September about cat scratch disease.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01You can get it from a bite or a scratch from
0:04:01 > 0:04:05a cat infected with Bartonella henselae bacteria.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08In humans, this can cause fever, pustules,
0:04:08 > 0:04:12and in extreme cases, it can cause death. It sounds awful.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16So, should we not be cuddling these death-dealing felines any more?
0:04:16 > 0:04:18Well, the answer is - it's fine.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Of course it's fine!
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Anyone who's ever met or seen a person who's handled a cat
0:04:23 > 0:04:25knows it's fine.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28To help prevention efforts, scientists in America
0:04:28 > 0:04:31conducted a survey of disease patterns over an eight-year period.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34It's extremely uncommon.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37Most cases resolve spontaneously, and it's very treatable.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Only one case in the UK last year, and they survived just fine.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43So how should you read this story?
0:04:43 > 0:04:46If you get ill after handling a cat,
0:04:46 > 0:04:48or after not handling a cat,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50go and see your doctor!
0:04:50 > 0:04:53At number two, from April...
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Yes, it's a classic "thing causes cancer" story,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03but maybe it is time to eat less meat and eat more rice.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Or maybe it's time to go fully veggie.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15God, this is awful! I need a sit down and a nice cup of tea.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20What?!
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Look, unfortunately, the problem with things that cause cancer
0:05:23 > 0:05:25is that they are almost unavoidable.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28I know it's frightening, but one in two of us will get it.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It's built into who we are as humans.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Lots of the things that give us pleasure, or improve our health,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37like sunlight, can also give us cancer,
0:05:37 > 0:05:42so I, for one, won't judge you if you take the attitude that it's all going to end at some point anyway,
0:05:42 > 0:05:44and we may as well just go out and enjoy ourselves.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Ah! APPLAUSE
0:05:49 > 0:05:51And at number one, from May...
0:05:55 > 0:05:58An American study looked into paracetamol, also known as
0:05:58 > 0:06:02acetaminophen, and its effect on different kinds of pain.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06Now, there are three kinds of pain - physical pain, emotional pain,
0:06:06 > 0:06:09and pain that you feel on behalf of other people -
0:06:09 > 0:06:11and if you don't believe me, watch this.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP
0:06:13 > 0:06:16and my new band is called Syskill.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20AUDIENCE GROANS
0:06:20 > 0:06:22You felt that pain, right?
0:06:22 > 0:06:24You enjoyed it, but you felt it.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27In the study, the scientists found that if you read a short story
0:06:27 > 0:06:31about someone in pain or in distress, you were less empathetic
0:06:31 > 0:06:34- you felt their pain less - if you had taken paracetamol.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36The authors say...
0:06:42 > 0:06:46But if this is true, I don't think this is a side effect.
0:06:46 > 0:06:47It's the banner headline!
0:06:47 > 0:06:50It's a painkiller! It does exactly what it says on the tin!
0:06:51 > 0:06:53They say it like it's a bad thing,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56but I think it could be incredibly useful.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57Life is full of stresses.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01My dog has to be put down, my marriage is on the rocks,
0:07:01 > 0:07:03and I've got to fire all these people.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06I used to care about other people's feelings,
0:07:06 > 0:07:09but then I discovered paracetamol.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Now I'm wrapped in a lovely warm blanket of human indifference.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Thanks, paracetamol.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Off you go.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Go on, out you go. Go on, you're done. You're fired.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Benji, here, boy. Come on.
0:07:25 > 0:07:26Come on. DOG BARKS
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Back in June, Noel Edmonds got into a bit of a spat
0:07:45 > 0:07:50after he tweeted that he had found an unusual way to tackle cancer.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53"A simple box that slows ageing, reduces pain,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56"lifts depression and stress, and tackles cancer.
0:07:56 > 0:07:58"Yep, tackles cancer!"
0:07:58 > 0:08:02With radio stations for pets and cosmic ordering among
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Noel's interests, you can perhaps understand why people
0:08:04 > 0:08:07weren't ready to believe these remarkable claims.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22But Noel does really seem to believe in the product,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and he appeared on This Morning to defend it.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28I believe doctors and scientists who say...
0:08:28 > 0:08:30So far, so good.
0:08:30 > 0:08:36..that disruption of our immune system by negative energy...
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Oh, there we go.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42..makes you prone to diseases, of which cancer is one.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46That is a scientific medical fact, and I agree with those doctors.
0:08:46 > 0:08:51The other belief I have is that pulsed electromagnetism
0:08:51 > 0:08:53can help with tackling cancer.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58OK, one thing - cancer isn't caused by negative energy
0:08:58 > 0:09:01any more than his contestants can use positive energy
0:09:01 > 0:09:04to guess how much money is in box number four.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07It is important to note that the company distanced themselves
0:09:07 > 0:09:10from Noel's claims, releasing a statement saying this:
0:09:19 > 0:09:23That's three ways of not agreeing with Noel Edmonds - not bad.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24And indeed, on their website,
0:09:24 > 0:09:28they don't say that the EMPpad will tackle cancer,
0:09:28 > 0:09:31but I am a bit confused by some of the things they do say.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33So, it's time to call in an expert.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35Here he is - computational physicist
0:09:35 > 0:09:39and electromagnetic safety expert Dr Richard Findlay.
0:09:39 > 0:09:40Now, I asked him to have a look at
0:09:40 > 0:09:44the claims made on the EMPpad website, so let's start with this.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56Sounds good. Richard, has health got a frequency?
0:09:56 > 0:09:58Health hasn't got a frequency.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02OK, fair enough. How about this one?
0:10:09 > 0:10:10Does it, Richard?
0:10:10 > 0:10:13It doesn't. The earth's magnetic field is static,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16and the fields they're generating are time varying,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19so they're very, very different quantities.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22OK, but the website is full of scientific references.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Surely some of those are pretty good, aren't they?
0:10:24 > 0:10:26All over the place, really.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29OK, keep it civil, Richard!
0:10:29 > 0:10:31So, heal or no heal?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33We asked EMPpad for a box for Richard to test,
0:10:33 > 0:10:35but they didn't send us one.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37We asked for peer-reviewed clinical studies about the product,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39but they didn't send us any.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41They did send us this statement.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45EMPpad disagreed with Richard on a number of points, saying...
0:10:58 > 0:11:01But here's what really annoys me about this story -
0:11:01 > 0:11:04pseudo-science poisons the well for real science
0:11:04 > 0:11:08that could help people, and that's a huge problem, because in fact,
0:11:08 > 0:11:13electromagnetic field therapy IS currently being investigated
0:11:13 > 0:11:14as a means of treating cancer.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17There's a company in America called Novocure,
0:11:17 > 0:11:20who have developed a device that appears to keep tumours at bay
0:11:20 > 0:11:22using electromagnetic fields.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24This is Marsha Miller.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Her brain tumour was surgically removed,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30but it was expected to grow back, and the Optune device seems, so far,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33to be preventing this happening.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37It's really important not to dismiss new research like this,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40so am I saying Noel Edmonds was right?
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Look, I'm not even saying Noel Edmonds is real.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48The one thing I'd need to part with my cash is a well-designed,
0:11:48 > 0:11:52well-conducted clinical trial, in humans, published in a reputable
0:11:52 > 0:11:56journal, that demonstrates a statistically significant benefit,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59and that trial does not exist, so for me, it's no deal.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07Now, if you've been keeping up with Australian tax news...
0:12:07 > 0:12:08LAUGHTER
0:12:08 > 0:12:10..you'll be well aware of the next story.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Back in August, The Sun revealed that the Australian Tax Office
0:12:14 > 0:12:17has installed squat toilets in one of its buildings in Canberra.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20The large number of South-East Asian employees are used to
0:12:20 > 0:12:22a squat toilet, one of these,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24rather than a Western-style toilet,
0:12:24 > 0:12:25as you can see
0:12:25 > 0:12:26from this helpful sticker.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31So, this is just your typical hysterical story about
0:12:31 > 0:12:36the dangers of immigrants, with a nice new scatological twist, right?
0:12:36 > 0:12:38So how should you read this story?
0:12:38 > 0:12:40What if we approach this from a medical point of view?
0:12:40 > 0:12:45In the UK, 80% of people will suffer piles in their lifetime.
0:12:45 > 0:12:4725% will suffer regularly.
0:12:47 > 0:12:53As a nation, we spend £48 million a year on prescription laxatives,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56and that doesn't include over-the-counter purchases.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01But in Asia and Africa, by contrast, where squat toilets are more common,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04in seems instance of piles and colorectal disease is lower.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07So, are squat toilets actually better for us?
0:13:07 > 0:13:10In America, they've invented a clever way of turning your
0:13:10 > 0:13:13traditional Western toilet into a squat toilet, but they've had
0:13:13 > 0:13:16to work pretty hard to make it an attractive proposition.
0:13:16 > 0:13:17When you sit on a porcelain throne,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19this muscle puts a kink in the hose
0:13:19 > 0:13:22and stops the Ben & Jerry's from sliding out smoothly.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25But what happens when you go from a sit to a squat?
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Voila! This muscle relaxes,
0:13:27 > 0:13:28and that kink goes away
0:13:28 > 0:13:31faster than Pegasus laying sweet sherbet dookie.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33Truly, a footstool fit for a constipated king.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39APPLAUSE
0:13:39 > 0:13:44After this advert, sales in America went up by 250%,
0:13:44 > 0:13:49but interestingly, in the UK, there was not the same sales spike.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51It seems like we Brits just don't like to think
0:13:51 > 0:13:53about how we go to the loo.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56But I'm convinced Britain CAN find a way to take squatting
0:13:56 > 0:13:59into our hearts, so we sent Second Opinion's in-house GP,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Dr Ahmed Kazmi, to try and sell it
0:14:01 > 0:14:04to the unsuspecting shoppers of South London.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Today, I'm going to be posing as an undercover salesperson
0:14:14 > 0:14:17in this showroom, where we've installed a squat toilet.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Right, let's sell some squat toilets.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34- Hello, sir, are you OK?- Yeah, I'm OK, how you doing?- Very well.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36Are you looking for anything in particular?
0:14:36 > 0:14:39- Erm, a whole new bathroom, to be honest.- Oh, OK.- So, erm...
0:14:39 > 0:14:41I'll just show you something a little bit novel.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44It's the most popular toilet model worldwide.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46It's definitely compact.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48It's the traditional squat toilet.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49Have you ever used one?
0:14:51 > 0:14:54So there's loads of health benefits, actually.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57It reduces the risk of haemorrhoids, piles, diverticulitis.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Because of the hip flection,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01it pulls the anal rectal junction
0:15:01 > 0:15:04into a much more favourable position for opening the bowels,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07so you need to apply less strain, which is why it helps with
0:15:07 > 0:15:09- diverticulitis and with haemorrhoids.- Yeah.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11It's good for your joints, too.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14A Japanese study showed that, because of the hip flection,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17it pulls the anal rectal canal into the correct position,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- so you don't have to strain to pass the motion.- Right.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23An Israeli study showed that it halves your pooping time,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25so everyone could benefit from that.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28It makes it less than one minute that you'd spend on the toilet.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Have you ever tried one? Like, on holiday, or...?
0:15:30 > 0:15:34- Yeah, I hate them. You tend to get splashes on your feet.- Yeah?
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Oh, yeah, I know what you mean. That's a technique thing, though.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Do you know, actually, the majority of the world poops like this?
0:15:42 > 0:15:44- Is it something you'd ever consider? - I don't think so.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Do you want to have a quick go, just see how it feels?
0:15:47 > 0:15:50- I think I'm all right with that. - Oh, just try, go on.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52You're not going to sell it to me, I'm afraid.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56- It's only £150.- OK.- Is it something you might consider?- No.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57Xand, I really tried my hardest,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01but I'm afraid I wasn't able to sell any squat toilets.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04My diagnosis is that England is not ready yet,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06but I'm taking one home myself.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10APPLAUSE
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Dr Ahmed there, with no sales,
0:16:12 > 0:16:17thus guaranteeing himself a place on the next series of The Apprentice.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20It seems Brits just aren't ready for squat toilets,
0:16:20 > 0:16:22so are we damaging our health?
0:16:22 > 0:16:23Well, I went along to see
0:16:23 > 0:16:26consultant gastroenterologist Dr Lisa Das to find out.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32- Hello.- Hello. Is it Lisa? - It is.- Xand.- Nice to meet you.
0:16:32 > 0:16:33Very nice to meet you.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Lisa, you're a world-class gastroenterologist.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37You've worked in the US and the UK.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40You've won prizes. You've passed all the exams.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42I have a burning question -
0:16:42 > 0:16:43are we going to the loo wrong?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45I think we are, so it's a massive problem.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49About 60% of my practice is about disorder defecation,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51people not going to the bathroom properly.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53So why do you think we're getting this all wrong?
0:16:53 > 0:16:56I would probably say a large part is because we don't pay attention
0:16:56 > 0:16:59to our bodies, and that normal urge, that call to stool,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01when your body's telling you you need to open the bowels,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04we tend to inhibit that, and that's because we're busy,
0:17:04 > 0:17:05we're going to a meeting,
0:17:05 > 0:17:07we're sorting out the children in the morning.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09OK, Lisa, scenario -
0:17:09 > 0:17:12you and I, we're on a date, we're in a restaurant.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13I get the urge.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15I get up and excuse myself, walk around the table,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18our eyes meet, and you whisper three pieces of advice
0:17:18 > 0:17:22about how to go to the loo. What are those pieces of advice?
0:17:22 > 0:17:26- So diet, fibre, water and exercise. - Fibre, water, exercise.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28It's a bit late for that, it's the middle of the date,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31but let's say I had the salad and I've had a glass of water.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- I'm on the move. - You're doing the right thing.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36You've attended to that call to stool, which is when you feel
0:17:36 > 0:17:39like you need to go, you have to take advantage of that.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41That's the great thing about being on a date with
0:17:41 > 0:17:42a gastroenterologist -
0:17:42 > 0:17:44they don't mind when you answer the call to stool.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46So, I make my way through the restaurant, I get to the loo,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48I open the door, I sit down, I'm straining.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Dial back that straining,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52because too much straining can cause problems with haemorrhoids,
0:17:52 > 0:17:57- so 80% strain.- 80% effort. Take it down a little bit, relax.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Just calm down, it's all right, we've got time,
0:17:59 > 0:18:00we're in this for the long haul.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Third piece of advice - you shout it across the restaurant,
0:18:03 > 0:18:04into the toilet, what is it?
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Get in the right position and raise your legs.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- Get your knees up?- Indeed.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10This date's going better than I expected.
0:18:10 > 0:18:11Could I get your phone number?
0:18:13 > 0:18:14APPLAUSE
0:18:14 > 0:18:16So, there we go, or rather, there we COULD go,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19if we ate well and got into the right position.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22This is a much bigger problem than most of us are prepared to admit.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25Look, I know you're going to ignore me about drinking more water
0:18:25 > 0:18:26and eating your greens
0:18:26 > 0:18:28- you've been ignoring doctors about that stuff for years -
0:18:28 > 0:18:31but if you are having problems, try getting your knees up,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33and don't ignore the call to stool.
0:18:33 > 0:18:34APPLAUSE
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Now, smoking - one of the biggest health issues we face.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43A study in March claimed if you're trying to give up,
0:18:43 > 0:18:47going cold turkey could be the best option, though, to be honest,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49it is a lot easier these days than it used to be,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52when cigarette brands could make adverts like this.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55According to this repeated nationwide survey...
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Speaking as a doctor, I'd probably rather you smoked an actual camel.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08If you are trying to quit smoking, this year,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10you might find it a little bit easier
0:19:10 > 0:19:13without even knowing it, thanks to recent government legislation.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17New laws are coming into force from May, meaning that all tobacco
0:19:17 > 0:19:20packaging that we now see on the shelves will have to be plain.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25This means that, as well as standard sizes, fonts,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27and large health warnings, the government has chosen
0:19:27 > 0:19:32the world's ugliest shade of green for the new cigarette packets.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34It's officially known as...
0:19:37 > 0:19:39It's not a coincidence that The Beatles never wrote a song
0:19:39 > 0:19:43called We All Live In A Pantone 448C Opaque Couche Submarine.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46These aren't the most beautiful things you've ever seen,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48but maybe people will still love them.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Previously, this has only been researched with focus groups
0:19:51 > 0:19:55where people picked out that colour as the least appealing one.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58So, we at Second Opinion teamed up with Bristol University to do
0:19:58 > 0:20:02some original research into people's subconscious colour preferences.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Can a colour by itself really make any difference
0:20:05 > 0:20:06to people's smoking habits?
0:20:06 > 0:20:10We sent Second Opinion's smokin' correspondent...
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Oh, sorry - we sent Second Opinion's SMOKING correspondent,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Dr Emily Grossman, to find out.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I'm here at Bristol University. We've got some volunteers,
0:20:22 > 0:20:23and we're ready to put this to the test.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29Good afternoon. Thanks for coming to help us with this demonstration.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31We are the tobacco and alcohol research group,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34and we are interested in lifestyle behaviours, and in particular,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37why people smoke and drink, and so this afternoon,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39you're going to be doing a short test on these computers that
0:20:39 > 0:20:42you have in front of you, and we can talk about the results afterwards.
0:20:42 > 0:20:46In this test, we have to work as quickly as possible to sort words
0:20:46 > 0:20:48like "fresh," "clean," and "damaging,"
0:20:48 > 0:20:50into positive and negative categories,
0:20:50 > 0:20:53and then do the same with blue and green cigarette packages.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56So what exactly is this weird test that you've had us do today?
0:20:56 > 0:20:58It's called the implicit association test,
0:20:58 > 0:21:02and it's designed to capture people's unconscious attitudes.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04One of the problems we have in psychology is that,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08when we want to understand what people think, what they tell us
0:21:08 > 0:21:11isn't always an accurate reflection of what they really think.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14So, by getting people to automatically pair colours
0:21:14 > 0:21:16with positive and negative words,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19we can measure how quickly people associate the colours with
0:21:19 > 0:21:21positive words compared to negative words,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25and that gives us a sense of the unconscious strength with which
0:21:25 > 0:21:28they associate a colour with a positive or a negative image.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30So what do our results actually tell you?
0:21:30 > 0:21:31It's interesting that all of you showed
0:21:31 > 0:21:33a preference towards the blue colour,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35and that's the colour that's been used on
0:21:35 > 0:21:37a number of different cigarette packs over the years, because
0:21:37 > 0:21:40it conveys a sense of lightness and happiness and healthiness.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42So, hang on - you're saying that we basically don't like
0:21:42 > 0:21:44the colour green. I've got loads of green clothes.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Am I wearing stuff that people don't like?
0:21:46 > 0:21:50That's a different question, really, but it's possible that
0:21:50 > 0:21:53different colours have different associations depending on how
0:21:53 > 0:21:56you use the product associated with those colours, so anything that
0:21:56 > 0:21:58you're putting into your mouth, for example, if it has a slightly
0:21:58 > 0:22:01rotten colour associated with it, might be more unappealing.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05So, we found out today that our volunteers felt more negative
0:22:05 > 0:22:08about green cigarette packaging, and that these colour preferences
0:22:08 > 0:22:11might also apply to other things that we put in our mouths.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12APPLAUSE
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Prof Munafo's team will now expand this into a proper study,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17so watch this space,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20and maybe they can look into getting kids to eat their greens.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Healthcare innovations now, and it seems I'm soon to be
0:22:27 > 0:22:31out of a job, if this headline from July is anything to go by.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33This is Pillo, a healthcare robot
0:22:33 > 0:22:35currently being developed in America
0:22:35 > 0:22:36that's always on,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39and watches everything you and your family do,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42turning your house into a friendly, electronic North Korea.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46It dispenses medication by plopping it out its bottom,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and it makes darn sure you take it.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Wait, John, it's Tuesday. Here's your blood pressure medication.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54You're right. Thank you, Pillo.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59And if you want, he'll notify your care takers in case of an emergency,
0:22:59 > 0:23:02like when he forgot his heart medication.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Hey, Dad. I just got a message from Pillo.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06Everything OK?
0:23:06 > 0:23:09"Dad, Pillo says you've been having capitalist thoughts!"
0:23:11 > 0:23:15And, if the idea of an in-home robot Big Brother tracking your
0:23:15 > 0:23:19every move wasn't troubling enough, it also has thoughts on your dinner.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Since Pillo's always connected,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24he can answer all of your health-related questions.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Pillo, how many calories are in a celery stick?
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Six calories, Clara. Celery is excellent for your health.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Great, I'll have a bunch, then.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33Aww!
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Ugh!
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Look, if there's one thing science fiction has taught us,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41it's that we should definitely entrust artificial intelligence
0:23:41 > 0:23:44with keeping us alive, and this will never, ever backfire.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Pillo's going to be on the market from summer. Good luck, everyone.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52Right, what should we tackle next? I fancy something really easy.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54How about the junior doctors strike?
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Now, this was the biggest health story of last year,
0:24:04 > 0:24:08and for very good reason - doctors pretty much never go on strike.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13The last junior doctors strike in the UK was back in 1975,
0:24:13 > 0:24:18but last year, they walked out five times from January to April.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Now, for doctors to go on strike, there has to be something
0:24:21 > 0:24:23pretty wrong, so let's tackle what happened,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and I'm using "tackle" in the Noel Edmonds sense of
0:24:27 > 0:24:28"not solve at all".
0:24:30 > 0:24:34I'll start with what we think we all know - that doctors are lovely,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, is not.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41But I would say that - I'm a doctor - so let's try to be fair here.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Why did Jeremy Hunt want to change the junior doctors' contract
0:24:44 > 0:24:45in the first place?
0:24:45 > 0:24:51Around 6,000 people lose their lives every year because we don't have
0:24:51 > 0:24:53a proper seven-day service in hospitals.
0:24:53 > 0:24:556,000 deaths!
0:24:56 > 0:24:59Is that really true? Well, this study says it is.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02And lots of others say it isn't.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05It's a heavily disputed figure, but for the sake of argument,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07let's buy it. Let's buy that number
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- 6,000 extra people dying, but slow down -
0:25:10 > 0:25:14are those 6,000 deaths caused by a lack of junior doctors?
0:25:14 > 0:25:18Well, like most complicated things, this is probably best explained
0:25:18 > 0:25:19in terms of cheese.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24Imagine the junior doctors as a wedge of cheese.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27There are more of them around during the week,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29and they taper off a bit at weekends.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Now, there's already a shortage of doctor cheese.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36There are gaps in the rota, so now, our cheese...
0:25:36 > 0:25:38is getting smaller, and looking pretty Swiss.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40And what Jeremy Hunt wants to do
0:25:40 > 0:25:44is stretch this cheese over the weekend, but here's the problem -
0:25:44 > 0:25:46he isn't making any more cheese!
0:25:46 > 0:25:50He's just trying to smoosh the cheese across a seven-day week,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53and clearly, when you smoosh cheese over a seven-day week,
0:25:53 > 0:25:57this isn't going to improve the cheese.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00You can't just smoosh it over the week, Jeremy.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02It gets sweaty, and it gets over-stressed.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07This is no longer top quality cheese. It is sub-standard.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11What Jeremy should do is make more cheese - train more doctors,
0:26:11 > 0:26:13or hire more doctors from other countries.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15APPLAUSE
0:26:15 > 0:26:18But even if he did that, this is only junior doctors.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20You need the whole cheese board.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23You want the brie, the camembert, the cheddar, the stilton,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26the radiographers, the lab techs, the MRI operators,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29crackers, grapes, quince jelly, a little glass of port.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Jeremy Hunt isn't saying anything about the other contracts,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35or getting more of them in at weekends,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39so as far as we know, he won't save any of those 6,000 lives.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Ironically, like an exhausted, stressed-out junior doctor,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Jeremy Hunt was misdiagnosing the problem,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46and giving the wrong treatment.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49APPLAUSE
0:26:49 > 0:26:51But still, he won, he broke the strike,
0:26:51 > 0:26:55so why am I still talking about this story when it's all over?
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Because record numbers of doctors are now leaving the profession
0:26:58 > 0:27:02after training, and late last year, the GMC revealed that the number of
0:27:02 > 0:27:05requests from doctors seeking certificates to work abroad
0:27:05 > 0:27:09had increased by 30 times.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Now, I've worked as a junior doctor, and it IS a hard job,
0:27:11 > 0:27:13but it's really rewarding.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16There's a reason why getting into medical school is competitive -
0:27:16 > 0:27:19it's fascinating, and it's fun, and some days,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21you get to feel like a hero who can save lives.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23That's what you want from a doctor -
0:27:23 > 0:27:25someone with warm hands and a soft voice,
0:27:25 > 0:27:27who'll hear your problems, examine you properly,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29have time to make a considered diagnosis,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32and then come back and check on you and make sure the treatment worked.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34But if there aren't enough doctors,
0:27:34 > 0:27:36if you're juggling too many patients,
0:27:36 > 0:27:37being constantly paged to another ward,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39if all the support staff are thin on the ground
0:27:39 > 0:27:41and everyone's stressed and stretched and miserable,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45it becomes much less fascinating and much more like playing Whack-A-Mole.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47And before you go,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50"Oh, boo-hoo, poor doctors, having to play Whack-A-Mole,
0:27:50 > 0:27:54"I love Whack-A-Mole," bear in mind, in this scenario, you're the mole.
0:27:57 > 0:27:58So, yes, the strikes are over,
0:27:58 > 0:28:01but the underlying issues are still there,
0:28:01 > 0:28:03and if you leave an underlying condition untreated,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05it will come back to bite you. Just ask a doctor,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07if you can still find one.
0:28:08 > 0:28:09So that's our show!
0:28:09 > 0:28:13I hope it's been as entertaining and informative for you watching
0:28:13 > 0:28:15as it was for us making it, and of course,
0:28:15 > 0:28:19if you didn't enjoy it, you can just numb the pain with some paracetamol.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20Either way, I hope the next time
0:28:20 > 0:28:23you see or read something about your health, you'll think,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25"Do I believe this, or do I need a second opinion?"