These tiny particles are polluting the planet, including our bodies. How bad for us are they really?

Do artificial sweeteners encourage bloating, raise insulin levels and encourage obesity? We asked the experts

How cold is too cold? There’s nothing wrong with channelling your inner Rocky Balboa, but might you be risking your health – or even your life – by braving the frost?

Is it OK to start the day on an empty stomach? Or could that leave you not just weak but craving unhealthy food?

It’s often overlooked and left to its own devices, but should you listen to your gut more, or is it listening to you? Here’s what the science says

The NHS wants you to floss. Your dentist wants you to floss. But do the benefits really outweigh the tedium?

Do you have an unexplained bruise? A bruise in an unlikely place? A bruise that seems to be getting worse rather than better? Here’s what might be going on – and what you should do about it

It’s a natural defence against disease that helps clear our airways. But what are the signs that it signifies something more serious?

How hot should a hot drink be? And is it time to dilute your herbal tea with some cold water?

Salt, AKA sodium chloride, has been used to preserve food and enhance flavours for thousands of years. Can it really be a health hazard?

As the light levels fall and the temperature drops, is it OK to just hunker down and take it easy till spring? Or will that bring on the blues?

Is modern life making us ill – or are we just a little underslept?

Our knees, shoulders, necks and hands make all sorts of pops and clicks. Sometimes we even encourage them. But is this the sound of damage being done?

It’s most likely due to tiredness, stress or too much screen use – but it can indicate a more serious condition

Is the glow from phones, tablets, computers and other devices really bad for our health?

More traffic, more construction, more drum‘n’bass-loving neighbours – society’s volume is going up. What are the impacts on our health and is there a solution?

How healthy is the stuff that comes out of your kitchen tap? Is it lacking essential minerals, or tainted with microplastics? Here’s what the science says

We’ve been sleeping next to dogs and cats for thousands of years, but are they doing us more harm than good? Here’s what the science says

Push your body too much and you could end up in A&E – or worse. But how much is too much? And which activities are most likely to end in tears?

Devised almost 200 years ago, body mass index is used as a marker of health by many, yet called useless by others. What’s the truth?