Health information & guides

This is the starting point for everything on UCLH Health. Whatever brought you here — a symptom you want to understand, a supplement you're weighing up, or a question about sleep, metabolism, or muscle — the aim is the same: clear answers grounded in current evidence, with no hype and nothing to sell you.

What you'll find here

The site is organised into a few broad areas. Each section index lists everything in it, newest first:

• Conditions — plain-language explainers on common health conditions: what they are, what causes them, what genuinely helps, and the warning signs that mean you should see someone.
• Guides — practical, food-first and movement-first guidance on everyday wellbeing, plus honest reviews of what the evidence does and doesn't support for popular supplements.
• Resources — reference explainers, including level-headed summaries of the evidence behind widely sold supplements.
• News — occasional notes and updates from the editorial team.

Everything is written and checked by our editorial team against reputable sources such as the NHS, the WHO, and peer-reviewed research. You can read how we work in our editorial policy.

Understanding a symptom or condition?

If you arrived with a specific complaint, start with the explainer that fits it. Each one leads with a direct answer and covers causes, self-care, and when to seek help:

• Tonsil stones — what they are and how to remove them safely
• Acid reflux, heartburn and GERD — relief, diet, and when to worry
• Knee pain — causes by location, relief, and red flags
• Tinnitus — causes, pulsatile tinnitus, and what genuinely helps
• Plantar fasciitis — symptoms, exercises, footwear, and recovery
• Swollen lymph nodes — what's normal and the warning signs
• Canker sores and mouth ulcers — relief and when to worry
• Styes — how to clear one and what not to do

Looking for practical, everyday guidance?

Our guides focus on the things that actually move the needle — sleep, movement, and a sensible way of eating — and cut through the noise around quick fixes:

• How to sleep better — falling asleep faster and managing insomnia
• High-protein foods — a practical, food-first guide
• Muscle health — strength, movement, and ageing well
• Metabolism — how it works and what really affects it
• Vitamin D — sunlight, food, and the NHS supplement advice
• Magnesium — forms, benefits, and what the evidence supports

Trying to make sense of a supplement?

There's a lot of marketing in this space and not much of it survives a careful look at the research. These are honest, evidence-first summaries — what each thing is, what it's claimed to do, and what's actually supported:

• Creatine — what it does, how to take it, and the hair-loss question
• Omega-3 and fish oil — what the evidence says
• Ashwagandha — evidence, forms, and safety
• Turmeric and curcumin — what the evidence does and doesn't show
• Probiotics and gut health — what the evidence supports
• Collagen supplements — what the evidence says

A note on how to use this site

Everything here is general information, not personal medical advice. It's meant to help you understand a topic and ask better questions — not to replace a conversation with a qualified clinician who knows your situation. If something is severe, getting worse, or worrying you, contact a healthcare professional or the relevant urgent service.