Chronic pain is a complex and distressing problem for an estimated 20% of people worldwide, and this number is increasing year on year. In the United States, annual costs related to health care delivery and lower worker productivity due to chronic pain is estimated to be around $600 billion dollars, far greater than heart disease ($309 billion), cancer ($243 billion), and diabetes ($188 billion). For many, the source is often unseen and persistent, for example, a slipped disc or trapped nerve. It can be mild or severe, it can be continuous as in osteoarthritis, or it can be intermittent as in migraines. However, in around one-third of cases, no physical cause for the pain can be found, or pain persists long after the injury has healed.

So, you’ve finally accepted that you need to make some changes in your life. You’re spending too much time watching TV when you should be working or studying, and you have a few bad habits that are affecting your health and wellbeing such as drinking too much alcohol and eating too many take-aways. You’re motivated to make changes… but do you have the willpower to follow through and achieve your goals?

Our bodies need cholesterol to function properly, but not too much. The waxy, pale yellow fat is found in our blood, and is crucial to the production of cell membranes, vitamin D, hormones (including testosterone and oestrogen), and fat-dissolving bile acids.

Unfortunately, around half the adult population in most developed countries do have too much cholesterol, usually as a consequence of consuming excessive amounts of saturated fat in the form of meat, dairy, and processed foods such as pies, burgers, cakes, and ready meals.