FEATURE How good is your digestion?

Get a snapshot of the state of your entire gut with these simple do-it-yourself home tests, says Sara Davenport

FEATURE Is barefoot running good for you?

So-called barefoot running is all the rage, but is it actually good for you? Charlotte Watts investigates.

FEATURE 'How I beat fibromyalgia'

How I Beat

Ten years ago, teacher and artist Lisa Pugh was depressed, housebound, in constant pain and could only get up the stairs by crawling. She'd just been given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia—after suffering on-and-off with aches and pains, severe fatigue and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for nearly two decades—and was told by her doctor that she'd only get worse.

FEATURE ME: the cure that went away

Diseases

Chronic fatigue and ME could be dramatically improved with exercise and therapy, a landmark study discovered. But it was bad science, and the cure was never there.

FEATURE Natural remedies to help manage hairballs

These simple tips and natural remedies can help manage hairballs in cats, says holistic vet Rohini Sathish.

FEATURE What doctors don't tell pregnant mothers

Diabetes, Diseases, Drugs

On Christmas day, 1956, in Stolberg, Germany, a baby girl was born with no ears. Her father was a chemist at the company Chemie Grünenthal, and his wife had taken samples of the company's sedative drug, Distaval, which were handed out to employees. Distaval—containing the active ingredient thalidomide—was sold over-the-counter as a remedy for a variety of ailments, including morning sickness. No one realized at the time that this baby would be the first of thousands to suffer tragic deformities and disabilities from the drug.