I have been seeing a lot of people recently with horrendously itchy skin. They often arrive with a diagnosis of dermatitis, psoriasis, eczema, urticaria (hives), shingles and at this time of year I've even seen a few cases of orf - which is a virus you can catch from sheep - all different complaints but the same endless painful, maddening scratching, often until their skin bleeds.

I think this must be what an autoimmune condition might feel like.  I often see people who have this hunted look about them.  Life for them is like tiptoeing through a field of landmines.  A food that was fine yesterday might cause a massive reaction today, is it pollen, dust, the moon phase, the dog?  Their liver, histamine, hormones?  Something in their environment or inside them is harmful for them but they often don’t know what and therefore how to avoid or control it.

Am I too old to run? With encouragement from the Couch to 5K app, some homeopathic remedies and the odd trip to the osteopath it turns out my knees are just fine.  Taking it steady, building gradually, there was a week near the beginning where they were a bit sore but now, so long as I get out there three times a week I don’t feel any pain. The boost to my physical confidence has been huge.