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The Health Review - Are Full-Body Scans Worth the Hype?
Hello, and welcome back to The Health Review!
These dark mornings and early evenings are starting to hit hard, aren’t they? 🌧️ I’ve been trying to keep my routine of getting outside for at least an hour a day — even if it’s gloomy or drizzling. After spending the summer prioritising morning sunlight for the reported circadian rhythm and mitochondrial health benefits, this time of year can feel like a real step backwards. I’m curious — how is everyone else coping? Are you still managing to get your light exposure in, or have you tried using a SAD lamp to fill the gap? I’m tempted to invest in one!
This week’s edition covers:
Health News: 💊 FDA removing the warning on HRT treatments, employers failing to support workers going through IVF and a stretching studio expands in the UK.
Feature: 🧬 Are full-body scans worth the hype? We explore my experience with Neko.
Trends: 🌿 Lymphatic-Drainage Moves: The Social-Media Trend Worth Trying.
Thanks so much for reading — and as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Emily x
Top Health News
💊 FDA Removes Long-Standing Warning on Hormone Replacement Therapy
Big news for women’s health: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially removed the “black box” warning from hormone replacement therapy (HRT) — a label that for decades linked HRT to higher risks of breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke. The decision follows years of new research showing that, for many women, especially those under 60 or within 10 years of menopause, the benefits often outweigh the risks. Doctors hope this shift will help more women feel confident exploring HRT to manage symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, and sleep disturbances.
🤰 Fertility and the Workplace: The Hidden Cost of Ignoring IVF
A new UK study has found that companies failing to support employees undergoing IVF could be losing £217 million a year in hidden costs — from absenteeism to staff turnover. Fertility Matters at Work, which carried out the research, found that many employees experiencing IVF treatment felt compelled to call in sick or even quit their jobs due to lack of understanding and flexibility from their employers.
This data underscores the urgent need for better workplace policies — flexible leave, compassionate leadership, and open dialogue around reproductive health.
📱 Tech Giants Accused of “Silencing” Women’s Health Ads
A new investigation by The Independent has found that Meta, TikTok, and Google have all been accused of unfairly rejecting adverts related to women’s health — including campaigns about menopause, fertility, pregnancy, and period care — while allowing similar men’s-health ads to run freely. Wellness brands and charities say their educational posts have been flagged or banned under vague “adult content” or “sexual health” rules, making it harder to reach women who actually need this information.
📲 When Health Tracking Backfires
Fitness and calorie-tracking apps might be designed to motivate us — but new research from UCL and Loughborough University suggests they can also fuel guilt, shame, and burnout. After analysing nearly 60,000 social-media posts about popular health apps, researchers found many users felt pressured and judged by constant reminders to log meals or hit daily goals, especially when they fell short.
The study’s authors say we need a shift toward more compassionate, holistic tracking tools that support mental wellbeing as much as physical health.
☕ Caffeine and Headache Relief
If you're prone to recurring, mild headaches, a few everyday habits might help ease the discomfort — and caffeine could be one of them. According to a recent BBC article, a small dose of caffeine may help reduce headache symptoms by narrowing blood vessels and boosting the effectiveness of common pain relief medicines like paracetamol.
But timing and moderation matter. Too much caffeine or consuming it too late in the day can disrupt sleep, which in turn may trigger more headaches. Other tips include staying well hydrated, taking regular screen breaks, and managing stress — all of which can play a role in reducing headache frequency.
🧘♀️ Stretched Expands to Manchester
After winning over Glasgow and Edinburgh, Stretched — the UK’s first clinically led one-to-one assisted stretching studio — is limbering up for its Manchester debut next month. The concept takes inspiration from the booming stretch-studio trend in the US and Japan.
Designed for every age, ability, and flexibility level, assisted stretching promises improved posture, mobility, and recovery — plus a little more ease in everyday movement.
Trending Right Now
You may have spotted videos popping up on Instagram or TikTok of people doing wild arm-swings, light jumping and body-bobbing routines — all in the name of “lymphatic drainage.” These moves are rooted in ancient Chinese medicine and qigong practices (for example, the arm-swinging technique known as Ping Shuai Gong) that encourage the body’s lymphatic system to flow.
It’s claimed these daily movements can help reduce puffiness, boost circulation, and improve energy levels by encouraging the lymph — the clear fluid that carries immune cells and waste — to move more efficiently through the body. While there isn’t much hard data behind the trend yet, we do know that the lymphatic system relies on movement and muscle contractions to function well. That means light exercise, deep breathing, and stretching genuinely do play a role in helping it flow.
Here’s a standout social account from 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 showing simple sequences (e.g., “stand with feet hip-width, arms swing to shoulder height, knees soft, breathe deeply for 1-2 mins). Enjoy!
🧬 Are Full-Body Scans Worth the Hype? My Experience with Neko
Preventative health has become one of the biggest wellness trends of 2025 — and I can see why, it’s also something we discuss a lot on the podcast. The idea is simple: by understanding the state of your health today, you can catch potential issues early and take steps to prevent illness later. After seeing the hype around Neko online — with its minimalist, sci-fi-style clinics and promises of “a full-body health MOT” — I decided to book in and see whether it really lived up to the hype.
For £300, Neko claims to map your entire body using lasers, cameras, and ECGs in under an hour. Compared to the cost of the individual gut and hormone tests I’ve done before (which often run over that), it actually seemed good value. The experience itself felt more like stepping into a spaceship than a clinic — all sleek surfaces and glowing tech. The staff were friendly and reassuring, and the whole process was non-invasive. I was scanned head to toe, mole-mapped in seconds (every freckle captured and later reviewed by a doctor), had blood taken, eye pressure monitored, and even my grip strength tested. My blood sample shot off through a wall chute — and minutes later, my results appeared on screen.
The highlight came during the consultation: a clean digital dashboard displaying an image of my body and my key health stats — think Spotify Wrapped, but for your health. I learned my heart health is seven years younger than my chronological age (I’ll take it!) and that my cholesterol and blood sugar are both in the optimal range. The consultation felt a bit scripted — likely a reflection of how many patients they see daily — but it was still informative and efficient.
There were a few teething issues. Part of my ECG didn’t record properly, so I had to return the next week for a quick re-scan, but the team handled it well. Overall, I left feeling reassured and surprisingly motivated. Even though I live a very health-conscious lifestyle, there’s something powerful about seeing the data confirm that your efforts are paying off. I’ve already booked in again for next year (with a £50 discount), and I can see how tracking changes annually could help build a real picture of your long-term health.
Neko isn’t the only option, of course. At the top end of the market, Echelon Health in London offers ultra-high-resolution MRI and CT “Health Assessments” for around £2,500–£10,000, aimed at early detection of cancers and cardiovascular disease. Scan.com provides more targeted MRI or CT scans from £300–£800, while Human Longevity (HLI) and Prescan UK cater to those wanting deep-dive, data-rich diagnostics and genome mapping. These options are pricier and more clinical, whereas Neko sits somewhere in the middle — sleek, tech-driven, but still accessible to many health-curious consumers.
So, are full-body scans worth it? For me, yes — especially if you’re proactive about your health and like data you can actually understand. Neko feels like the future of preventative healthcare: part-medical, part-wellness, all wrapped together but made simple with the right tech. It’s not perfect — there’s still a touch of commercial gloss, and the doctor consults could feel more personalised — but as a once-a-year health MOT, it’s hard to beat.
🎧 This Week on The Health Review:
This week, I sit down with Andy Ramage — known as the Godfather of the alcohol-free movement — to explore how even small amounts of alcohol can impact your energy, focus, and motivation.
Andy has been alcohol-free for 12 years and has helped hundreds of thousands of people transform their relationship with drinking through OneYearNoBeer and his Dryy app. In this conversation, we talk about the hidden effects of “middle-lane drinking,” why a 90-day break can be truly life-changing, and how to build the mindset needed to show up as your best self every day.
It’s an inspiring listen for anyone curious about what life could feel like with more clarity, energy, and purpose.
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or watch on YouTube.
If you love the episodes, please do subscribe and give the show a rating! 😊