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The Health Review - Is Visualisation the Missing Piece of the Health Puzzle?
Hey!
Emily here, Editor of The Health Review.
I hope your week’s going well.
First up, an update on my routine that I’d like to share with you.
Lately, I’ve been experimenting with a few small changes to support my brain — simple tweaks to calm the dopamine rollercoaster and explore how visualisation can actually shift the way we feel.
After a few days of back-to-back inspiration — first at the Healf Experience in London, then at Dr. David Hamilton’s mind–body visualisation event — I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s really shaping our moods and motivation.
At Healf, neuroscientist TJ Power spoke about how overstimulated our dopamine systems have become thanks to constant scrolling. The result? That new buzzword everyone’s throwing around: brain rot 🌀🧠 His advice was simple — start the day without your phone. Leave it in another room overnight, make your bed, brush your teeth, tick off a few small wins before letting any notifications in. I’ve been trying it most mornings this week, and honestly, I do feel calmer and more focused for it.
I’ve also started taking “unplugged” morning walks — no podcasts, no music, just space to think. I expected it to feel dull at first, but it’s actually been surprisingly energising and relaxing at the same time.
And after hearing Dr. Hamilton speak (who’s coming up on the podcast soon), I’ve been experimenting with short visualisation exercises in the evenings. It’s early days, but the science behind how imagery can influence everything from stress to strength is fascinating — and I’ll share some of that later in this issue.
For now, I’m in this new phase of rebalancing my brain: less dopamine chasing, more presence. And if you’ve been feeling scattered or overstimulated lately, maybe you’ll want to join me in trying a few of these small shifts this week.
This week’s edition covers:
🧪 Health News: AI designing thousands of potential new antibiotics, just two hours of exercise per week helps joint pain and could even light drinking increase the risk of dementia?
🧠 Feature: Better You, Backed by Science: The Power of Visualisation
🌿 Trends: Spending time in nature might be more powerful than we think.
Thanks so much for reading — and as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Emily x
Top Health News
Here’s what’s been trending in the health world:
🧪 AI tackles antibiotic crisis
Researchers are using artificial intelligence to design thousands of potential new antibiotics—an exciting step in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria. A team led by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has used machine learning models to generate over 2,500 candidate molecules with possible antibacterial properties.
These AI tools analyse chemical structures and predict which ones might be effective against specific bacterial targets. The hope is to speed up a process that traditionally takes years and involves costly trial and error. Now, the real challenge begins: testing whether any of these molecules actually work in the lab and, eventually, in people.
🏃♀️ Two hours, less joint pain
Just two hours of exercise a week could make a real difference for people dealing with joint pain, according to a large UK study.
Researchers tracked 40,000 people with hip, knee or back pain who took part in two one-hour exercise classes each week for 12 weeks. On average, participants reported 35% less pain, visited their GP 29% less often, and took nearly half as many sick days. They also needed 21% less help from family members.
💉 Half-price Ozempic at Costco
In the US, Costco is now offering popular weight-loss injections like Ozempic and Wegovy at roughly half the usual cost — but only for members paying out of pocket. Thanks to a new deal with drugmaker Novo Nordisk, a four-week supply of these GLP-1 medications is available through the retailer’s prescription programme for $499.
These drugs, originally developed for type 2 diabetes, have surged in popularity for their weight-loss effects. However, demand has outpaced supply, and prices have remained high, especially for those without insurance coverage. Many insurers still don’t cover these medications for weight management, leaving patients to shoulder the full cost.
🍷 Light drinking, heavy risks
For years, the idea that a glass of wine might be good for your brain has been widely repeated. But a new large-scale study challenges that belief, suggesting that even light drinking may increase the risk of dementia.
Published via ScienceDaily, the study combined observational data with genetic analysis to track alcohol’s impact on brain health. The researchers found a clear pattern: as alcohol consumption increased, so did dementia risk—without any evidence of a 'safe' threshold.
This finding adds to a growing body of research questioning the health benefits once attributed to moderate drinking. While previous studies hinted at protective effects, many were limited by confounding factors like lifestyle or socioeconomic status.
🌿 Just 20 minutes outside
Spending time in nature might be more powerful than we think. According to a recent BBC report, just 20 minutes outdoors can lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate and ease stress levels—factors closely linked to hormone regulation.
The piece highlights how short, regular exposure to natural environments—like parks, woodlands or even tree-lined streets—can help calm the nervous system. This, in turn, may support a healthier hormonal balance, especially stress-related hormones like cortisol. Similar findings have been echoed in past research, including work published in Frontiers in Psychology.
With stress-related conditions on the rise globally, accessible, low-cost strategies like this are worth considering.
🧠 Better You, Backed by Science: The Power of Visualisation
As mentioned at the start of this newsletter, this week, I went to two fascinating workshops on visualisation — one with Maya Raichoora, and another with Dr David Hamilton, who also joined me in the studio for a new episode of The Health Review (coming soon!).
I’ve always been aware of the mind–body connection, but this week really opened my eyes to just how powerful it can be. Visualisation isn’t just a mindset trick — there’s now real science showing how imagination can influence biology.
As Dr David Hamilton explained at his event, the brain doesn’t always distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagined. That’s why simply thinking about something can trigger a physical reaction. Imagine biting into a lemon and your mouth waters. Think of an embarrassing moment and your face flushes. Imagine a loving thought and your heart literally softens — arteries dilate, blood flow increases, and feel-good hormones are released.
Researchers have found that this extends beyond fleeting reactions. People who imagine lifting weights actually become stronger. Visualising stretching improves flexibility. And when it comes to healing, visualisation can play a remarkable supporting role:
🧩 Stroke patients recover faster when they combine physiotherapy with visualisation.
💗 Women receiving breast-cancer treatment had a stronger immune response when they imagined their immune cells destroying cancer.
💪 People with osteoarthritis reported less pain after visualising treatment sessions.
The common thread is consistency — and an end state of wellness. Some people picture their immune cells as Pac-Men gobbling up disease; others imagine light flooding their body, or a “pain dial” they can turn down. The brain interprets these images as instructions, engaging the same neural pathways as real experience.
But as Dr Hamilton reminds us, visualisation works best as an add-on, not an alternative, to medical care. The biggest benefits are seen when it’s used alongside treatment — not instead of it.
I can’t wait for you to hear his insights on how belief and imagination can shape the body in ways that still surprise even scientists. That episode will be out very soon.
The Health Review Podcast
Have You Checked Out The Podcast Recently?
🎧 This Week on The Health Review:
Understanding Commitment Issues, Anxiety & Emotional Triggers with Psychotherapist, Toby Ingham.
Why do so many of us struggle with commitment in relationships? Is anxiety really just a chemical imbalance — or something deeper? And what’s going wrong for teenage boys right now when it comes to mental health?
In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, psychotherapist and author Toby Ingham returns to The Health Review to unpack some of the emotional issues dominating today’s headlines — and our private lives.
We explore:
Why fear of commitment often starts in childhood
How emotional avoidance and “flight mode” can sabotage relationships
The neuroscience of attachment and why early trauma lingers in the body
How anxiety presents in modern life
The hidden mental health crisis facing teenage boys
What parents and partners can do to break intergenerational patterns
Toby explains how psychotherapy helps people connect the dots between past and present — and why understanding your emotional patterns can change everything.
If you love the episodes, please do subscribe and give the show a rating! 😊