3 Foods An Expert Thinks Are Ruining Your Sleep

Posted on 24/09/2025 by Boris Clair

You might already know that sleep experts have preferred dinner times, because eating less than two to four hours before your bedtime can mess up your kip.

But speaking to HuffPost UK, sleep psychologist Dr Katherine Hall (who has paired with Comfybedss) shared that the type of food you eat matters, too.

“If you can’t fall asleep or struggle to stay asleep,” she advised, your diet might be at least partly to blame.

Here are three foods she skips before bedtime:

1) Salty food

“Sodium-rich meals result in fluid retention and increased blood pressure, making it hard for the body to switch off completely after eating snacks like crisps or salted nuts,” Dr Hall told us.

A 2006 paper found that salt can lead to delayed bedtimes, increased awakenings in the middle of the night, and less satisfying sleep.

That’s because, the sleep expert said, a salt overload leads to “superficial sleep, where the sleep isn’t very deep and can often involve disturbances like going to the toilet more”.

She recommends avoiding foods like gammon and bacon, as well as other salty snacks, before bed.

2) Acidic food

Though many associate these with heartburn, Dr Hall says not all acidic foods are created equal.

“If we take a deep dive into certain acidic foods, those struggling to sleep will want to avoid some more than others. Tyramine is an amino acid that is normally a great addition to anyone’s diet as it stimulates natural brain activity,” she said.

This acid encourages the release of norepinephrine, which can stimulate the brain too much and keep you awake.

“Foods that are high in tyramine include tomatoes, aubergines, soy sauce, red wine and cheeses,” the psychiatrist shared.

3) Spicy food

“For anyone struggling to sleep, avoid spicy foods altogether,” Dr Hall said.

That’s because “Digesting the various spices and chillies you have in your curries or other hot dishes can severely disrupt our body’s ability to thermoregulate, which essentially means managing our temperature”.

And anyone who’s suffered through a sleepless hot night will know how important temperature is to our sleep.

“Capsaicin is the chemical in spicy food that causes our temperature to skyrocket, so combine this with the energy your body needs to digest the remainder of the meal, and you can really struggle getting some solid sleep,” the expert ended.

This Much Reading May Reduce Dementia Risk

Posted on 23/09/2025 by Boris Clair

In his book How To Prevent Dementia, neurologist Dr Richard Restak extolled the virtues of reading fiction.

“Cognitive reserve theory refers to the representation stored within the brain of the knowledge, experience, and life events that accumulate during the course of a person’s lifetime,” he wrote.

This “reserve,” he argues, acts as a sort of ballast against dementia – and in his words, “Reading for pleasure is perhaps the single most effective activity you can engage in for increasing cognitive reserve.”

No wonder, then, that a 14-year longitudinal study found “a reduced risk of cognitive decline” among people who read more frequently.

How much reading does it take to lower dementia risk?

In this paper, more seemed to be better.

Though reading was generally “protective” of cognitive function in older age, among these participants, “a reduced risk of cognitive decline was observed among older people with higher reading frequencies versus lower ones”.

In this case, a higher reading frequency was classed as reading “twice or more a week”.

And though this was not proven in the study, the scientists added, “We speculate that those with reading habits may read more than an hour a day” – ie every reading session they engaged in lasted more than an hour.

The reduced dementia risk was observed at six, 10, and 14-year follow-up intervals, and applied to participants regardless of education level.

“In conclusion, the current study presents the evidence that more engagement in reading independently predicted a reduced risk of cognitive decline in later life,” the author wrote.

Reading may counterbalance the cognitive risks linked to a lower education level

A lower level of education has been linked to an increased dementia risk.

Not only did this paper find that reading lowered dementia risk regardless of educational background, though, but a 2022 review found that reading more can help to “compensate” for the cognitive health disadvantages of less education.

“Reading activities help to maintain and improve cognitive function in people with low levels of education,” it found.

Well, looks like it’s time to update my library card…

4 Hair Changes A Dermatologist Would Never, Ever Ignore

Posted on 22/09/2025 by Boris Clair

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about the signs lymphoma doctors and GPs would never ignore.

These include rapid weight loss, constant exhaustion, and recurring headaches – stuff many of us might disregard as “normal”.

But what about hair changes, which can be literally and figuratively brushed off as not a big deal?

Well, Dr Jonathan Richie, a dermatologist at Dermatology Specialists of McKinney shared four things he’d never ignore when it comes to his hair on YouTube Shorts.

These are:

1) An itchy scalp

“Don’t ignore” an itchy scalp, the dermatologist said.

This could be a sign of dandruff, ringworm, hives, lice, scalp psoriasis or dermatitis, an allergic reaction to your hair products, and (rarely) issues with your nerves.

And even itchiness caused by not washing your hair could point to scalp inflammation and irritation, which may, in turn, eventually contribute to hair loss.

2) Losing more than 200 hairs a day

Per the dermatologist, losing up to 200 hairs a day is completely normal.

But “if it’s more than that, you’ve got to get it checked – there may be something more serious going on”.

The 200-a-day figure is standard for thicker hair, the Cleveland Clinic writes, but for thinner strands, 50-150 hairs is more expected.

Either way, dermatologist Dr Wilma Bergfield said: “If you continue to shed long after you’ve shampooed or you suddenly find it all over your clothes, that could signal a problem”.

Issues like stress, hormonal changes, or thyroid or nutritional disorders may cause this.

3) Starting to get patches of complete baldness

New patches of complete baldness are worth solving as soon as you can, Dr Richie said, because “if it’s there too long, sometimes it can become permanent”.

These are sometimes caused by an autoimmune condition called alopecia areata, the second most common cause of hair loss.

This can often be treated with medication.

4) Changes to your hair texture

The doctor “wouldn’t ignore” changes in the texture, including the “waviness,” of hair.

This can change due to natural ageing, but it can also be down to androgenic alopecia, which leads to thinner hair with less volume.

It may also sometimes be linked to thyroid issues.

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3 Habits I Thought Were Normal But Were Actually Sleep Apnoea

Posted on 21/09/2025 by Boris Clair

Recently, my kids started teasing me about snoring. I didn’t realise I was snoring, so I headed down a Google rabbit hole.

I searched through the reasons why people snore, and soon I discovered that lifelong habits that I thought were normal were actually warning signs for obstructive sleep apnoea.

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition that involves a person’s airway closing when they sleep. It might close partially or completely.

Of the nearly 30 million Americans who live with obstructive sleep apnoea, up to 80% have never been diagnosed, according to a report from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

How are so many people missing the signs of sleep apnoea? I asked experts to break down the symptoms and explain why they can be easily overlooked.

Snoring is the biggest red flag ― but it’s not always consistent.

Snoring is a well-known sleep apnoea sign, but many people don’t realise they’re doing it. I missed this sign for years because I was asleep, my husband was asleep, and I wasn’t doing it consistently. Sleep apnoea can look a little different for women, and snoring isn’t always the No. 1 sign.

Snoring can also get easily overlooked by a person who lives alone. Eventually, they might move in with a significant other or share a room while traveling with friends who will point out their noisy sleep habits.

Once the person’s snoring becomes bothersome, they might decide to get checked by a specialist.

“The most common reason why people end up in my clinic is because they have what we like to call ‘unacceptable snoring,’” said Dr. Robson Capasso, chief of sleep surgery at Stanford Medicine in California.

While most snoring tends to feel unacceptable, it’s not always caused by sleep apnoea, and it’s not always a health risk. When you breathe, air passes the tissues at the back of your throat, causing them to vibrate and make noise. This is called primary snoring, and there’s no disruption to airflow. It might be annoying to others, but it’s not dangerous.

With sleep apnoea, those tissues can relax and collapse, causing your airway to become fully or partially blocked. Snoring is the sound of air working its way through the tissues. It can also cause pauses in breathing, choking or gasping, depending on the severity of the blockage.

“I would say that for almost everybody who has received complaints about their snoring, it really doesn’t hurt to have a further evaluation and see if this is primary snoring versus sleep apnoea,” Capasso said.

A sleep assessment will show if you are having drops in oxygen frequency, which point to sleep apnoea. It’s important to get treated since the condition can lead to health issues like heart disease, stroke, or accidents.

If you’re curious about whether you snore, Capasso recommended the SnoreLab app, which helps you track the frequency and intensity of your snoring. While it can’t diagnose sleep apnoea, it can give you a clearer picture of your habits, like whether you’re snoring for five minutes or several hours.

Don't ignore these three major indicators of sleep apnoea. — Don’t ignore these three major indicators of sleep apnoea.

Feeling tired during the day is also a sign (even more so if you believe you’ve had a full night’s rest).

We live in a rise-and-grind culture in which it’s easy to tie our exhaustion to a full-time job, a busy schedule or parenthood. But if you’re getting less oxygen and experiencing breathing disruptions all night long, you’re not just going to be tired. You’re going to be sleepy to the point of passing out at inappropriate times.

Ever since I started driving at age 16, I’ve had trouble staying awake on trips that take more than 20 minutes. It’s grown worse as I’ve aged, and I always thought this “highway hypnosis” was normal. Now, I’ve learned that it’s a warning sign.

In addition to getting sleepy while driving, sleep apnoea sufferers might drift off in situations in which a well-rested person wouldn’t be struggling to stay awake.

“You’re allowed to be bored, but dozing off or falling asleep whenever you are sedentary — watching TV, reading a book, sitting in the theatre —those are not normal things,” said Dr. R. Nisha Aurora, a sleep clinician and AASM spokesperson.

Of course, the key here is determining whether you’re still falling asleep in these situations despite getting consistent, lengthy sleep most nights.

“If you’re having a good number of hours of sleep … and the sleep schedule is regular … you shouldn’t be sleepy; if you are, you should see a sleep specialist,” Capasso said.

Before ordering a sleep test, physicians will typically evaluate environmental factors: Does the person work overnight shifts? Do they drink or smoke? Do they stay up late bingeing movies?

The first step is fixing those issues. Once good sleep hygiene is established, if problems persist, a provider might recommend a sleep test.

Sleep apnoea can also be confused with normal signs of aging or stress.

Beyond snoring and sleepiness, I was surprised to discover that insomnia, nighttime awakening, and certain daytime problems like mood changes and cognitive issues can be connected to sleep apnoea. These are symptoms that can easily be attributed to other conditions like aging, stress, menopause, or, in my case, the challenges of being a parent.

Aurora said that there’s a “glaring issue with underdiagnosis in women who really tend to present differently, especially once they’re post-menopausal.”

Many post-menopausal women experience insomnia, and physicians might focus on that rather than testing for sleep apnoea. Other markers of sleep apnoea in women can include headaches, depression, brain fog, and frequently waking up to urinate.

Research shows that the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea increases as women experience menopause, which can disguise the symptoms and make diagnosis even more difficult.

“We can’t just say, ‘this is normal, this is part of aging,’” said Aurora. “It could be just menopause alone … but they still should get checked out.”

So… what should you do?

Report any symptoms to your doctor, even if they seem “normal.” As awareness has increased, physicians are more likely to proactively evaluate a person with symptoms that look a little different.

“You’re always going to find that one paper that’s going to link sleep apnoea to almost everything… golf scores, hair loss, skin health,” Capasso said.

While sleep apnoea can affect various aspects of a person’s life, it’s important to avoid obsessing over sleep perfection or less-established symptoms.

“You hear sleep apnoea is underdiagnosed, and therefore, untreated,” Capasso said.

“My feelings are actually kind of mixed about this, as I believe there is a significant dichotomy. On one side, there is a community that’s super tuned to their health, longevity-oriented, wellness-oriented … I jokingly say there is almost hyperawareness of sleep apnoea, as sleep tests are positive in a significant percentage of adults.

“On the other hand, perimenopausal women, underserved communities, people with cardiovascular diseases – this is the population where we should work harder to increase awareness. This is a population that needs to be more proactively investigated.”

Is This Water Trick The Key To Preventing Coughs And Colds?

Posted on 20/09/2025 by Boris Clair

If you’re trying desperately hard to keep the nasty bugs at bay – especially now everyone’s back at work and school, and the mercury is dropping – you’ll want to know about a really simple, not to mention free, hack medical experts (and teachers) swear by.

The health practice is common in Japan – and appears to prevent upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs).

So, what is it?

Gargling water in the throat a handful of times a day could play a part in helping prevent nasty respiratory infections.

Obviously it’s not foolproof, but one study found people who gargled water at least three times a day were roughly 36% less likely to develop URTIs than those who didn’t.

Even compared to participants who gargled an iodine solution, the group gargling water seemed to come down with less illness.

The researchers concluded: “Simple water gargling was effective to prevent URTIs among healthy people. This virtually cost-free modality would appreciably benefit the general population.”

One ICU pharmacist shared the study’s findings on Instagram recently, noting it’s the “the easiest cold prevention hack you’re not doing”.

He said “sometimes the simplest habits are the most powerful” and continued: “A few seconds at the sink, a couple times a day, and it might help you stay healthier when everyone else is sniffling.”

And it seems to work among those who’ve tried it. A school teacher said they used to get three or four respiratory infections a year. “Now I get 0-1 because I gargle plain water twice daily, morning and night. It really works!” they added.

Another said gargling warm salt water at the onset of a tickling throat tends to help them reduce coughing when they have a cold, too.

A study from the University of Edinburgh found using a simple sea salt water solution for gargling and also nasal irrigation helped to reduce symptoms of a cold, as well as how long people were sick for.

Another commenter on the pharmacist’s post said: “As soon as I feel that little twinge for a sore throat – I gargle warm salt water and eat more vitamin C foods. I worked in 24 different schools last year with special ed students and had ONE cold.”

Superintendent pharmacist for Chemist4U, Ian Budd, previously told HuffPost UK he recommends gargling with salt water to reduce throat irritation and discomfort.

7 Sneaky Signs Of Resentment In Relationships

Posted on 20/09/2025 by Boris Clair

Over the course of a relationship, you’ll likely encounter complex and difficult emotions, from jealousy to grief to shame. All sorts of feelings can test a couple’s bond, but one of the more stealth yet destructive emotions is resentment.

“Resentment in a relationship can be toxic and harmful if left unaddressed,” Damona Hoffman, host of The Dates & Mates Podcast, told HuffPost. “It often builds up over time when one or both partners feel hurt, ignored or misunderstood.”

Often in relationships, there’s resentment around unequal division of labor or feeling unappreciated.

“It can begin to occur due to imbalances in your relationship, such as one partner carrying more of the mental load, whether it’s pressure to manage parenting, financial or domestic responsibilities,” said Samantha Burns, a couples therapist and relationship coach.

Resentment can manifest in subtle ways that aren’t always super apparent to your partner – or even to yourself. HuffPost asked Hoffman, Burns and other experts to share some of the sneaky signs of resentment in relationships.

Changes in communication

“Pay attention to shifts in communication and in how you express yourselves and react to one another,” said Tracy Ross, a licensed clinical social worker specialising in couples and family therapy. “Is there more sarcasm, more edginess or a negative tone?”

Take a look at what might be happening beneath the surface if you detect changes in the tone, frequency or style of your communication with your partner.

“Signs of resentment can be insidious and small verbal and nonverbal behaviours, such eye-rolling, sighing, criticising, a general lack of respect or value for your partner’s opinions or actions, and invalidation that overtime builds up and overtakes many of your interactions,” Burns said.

Passive-aggressive comments, subtle digs, scoffing and belittling what the other person says can all point to resentment. There could be a sense of moodiness or short closed-end statements that cut off actual conversation as well.

Keeping score

“Partners harbouring resentment may start keeping track of each other’s mistakes or past wrongdoings, using them as ammunition in future conflicts,” Hoffman said.

Sometimes this score-keeping is unspoken, while in other situations it might be more explicitly expressed.

“Someone might be bringing up past grievances frequently, focusing on tit-for-tat,” said Mabel Yiu, a marriage and family therapist and founding director of Women’s Therapy Institute.

There might also be a sense of tracking who is contributing more to keeping things running smoothly or working harder.

“You might feel as if you constantly have to sacrifice your own wants and needs,” said April Henry, a licensed marriage and family therapy associate at Millennial Life Counseling. “You lack empathy for them or their excuses.”

Avoiding spending time together

“It’s healthy for couples to have their own interests and friends they see separately, but if one or both partners seem to be finding excuses to avoid another or get out of spending solo time together, that’s a big red flag,” Hoffman said.

Ask yourself if you’re feeling withdrawn or emotionally disconnected from your partner. Maybe you aren’t interacting as much as you used to.

“Are you avoiding certain conversations or spending time together? Are you making excuses for being less available?” Ross said.

Criticism and blame

“According to Dr. John Gottman, criticism is one of the biggest signs of trouble in a relationship,” Hoffman explained.

Indeed, his “four horsemen” of a relationship apocalypse are criticism, contempt, defensiveness and stonewalling.

“Are you feeling more critical of your partner’s family, close friends, work situation – and do you find yourself judging, complaining or nitpicking – or vice versa?” Ross asked. “Do you find yourself feeling superior – ‘what is wrong with him/her? I would never do something like that.’ Do you feel contemptuous instead of mildly annoyed when your partner is late, or doesn’t clean up, or any number of small things?”

Take note if the way you deal with conflict and differences has shifted to a more critical approach.

“Another sign of resentment is blaming – making the other person the scapegoat for their unhappiness,” Yiu said.

Complaining behind their back

In addition to frequently nitpicking or complaining to your partner about things they do, a sign of resentment might involve how you talk about your partner to other people.

“Do you find yourself complaining behind your partner’s back, assuming the worst instead of the best of a particular miscommunication or conflict?” Ross said.

A little venting to your friends here and there is fine, but pay attention if it starts to feel excessive. Are you only talking about your partner as though they’re a terrible person?

“Oftentimes when someone is resentful in a relationship, they may have less empathy for their partner,” said Rachel Needle, a licensed psychologist and co-director of Modern Sex Therapy Institutes.

Resentment has a tendency to bubble to the surface in one way or another.

Emotional outbursts or coldness

“Resentment is clever in the way it masks itself as anger,” Henry said. “You may think you’re upset with your partner for not unloading the dishwasher, but soon realize the gradual build-up of unmet expectations has actually turned to resentment. Resentment may have crept its way into your relationship if you find yourself in a continuous loop of feeling increasingly irritable around them.”

Resentment can manifest in emotional outbursts or cold behaviour as those pent-up feelings are released. Resist the urge to boil these deeper issues down to pure anger or sadness.

“You may find an increase of conflict about small things that always seem to come back to a larger past issue, feelings of disgust and disdain and feelings of overwhelm and high stress,” said Alysha Jeney, a relationship therapist and founder of Modern Love Counselling.

“Oftentimes resentment is a reaction of being overly stressed – being in the fight, flight or freeze part of our nervous system – for an extended period of time and not knowing how to come back to the parasympathetic nervous system of rest and digest. We feel exhausted, stressed and need help, but sometimes don’t know how to get it.”

This can make us more easily angered or annoyed by our partners. We may even villainise them because we don’t feel seen, heard or supported, which could activate inner wounds from our past.

“You might begin to assume that your partner is intentionally trying to anger, annoy or upset you, instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt – which leads to you interacting defensively and perpetuating the negative dynamic,” Burns said.

A change in intimacy

“Resentment can affect physical and emotional intimacy, causing a decline in affection, sex, and emotional connection,” Hoffman said. “I find that couples who get to the point of resentment have actually had a slowing or lack of intimacy for months or even years.”

One or both of you might pull away both emotionally and physically and show less interest in intimacy.

“Ask, are you less interested in sex, affection, being close?” Ross said. “And of course all of this can be true in the reverse as well. Maybe you notice what you’re getting from your partner doesn’t feel quite the same – less tolerance, more distance, less connecting, less prioritising one another.”

Whether you’re experiencing a sense of physical and emotional distance, increased criticism or a temptation to keep score, just remember that resentment does not have to mean the end of a relationship.

“If you detect resentment in your relationship, talk about it as soon as possible,” Needle urged. “As soon as you sense an issue, communicate about it rather than let something fester or an issue go unresolved.”

In addition to fostering healthy communication, she recommended working on forgiveness, gratitude, compassion and finding a middle ground to deal with resentment. If resentment continues to affect your relationship, seek the help of a mental health professional.

These ‘Healthy’ Habits Could Be Staining Your Teeth More Than Coffee

Posted on 16/09/2025 by Boris Clair

Most of us know that coffee, wine, and tea can turn your pearly whites a little darker, though some people naturally have yellower teeth thanks to the thickness of their dentin and enamel.

Smoking causes staining, too, thanks to nicotine and tar settling on your enamel.

But according to Dr Edoardo Felici, a cosmetic dentist at Apa Aesthetic Clinic, sometimes “healthy” habits can lead to less-bright smiles.

“The patients I see are often shocked when I tell them it isn’t their coffee that’s doing the most staining,” he told us.

Acidic drinks weaken your enamel

When you drink acidic beverages, your enamel softens temporarily.

So, if you consume colourful foods and drinks (like turmeric and matcha) while your teeth are in this more vulnerable state, the dentist shared that this leaves you at a higher risk of staining.

“It’s often smoothies, juices and even kombucha that cause bigger issues,” Dr Fellici said.

“These drinks, while part of many wellness routines, are high in natural sugars and acids that can soften enamel, making teeth more prone to discolouration.”

Green juices, sparkling water, and apple cider vinegar all soften your teeth for a while.

If these don’t have pigmented ingredients of their own, try not to follow them with foods like berries – that colour is likely to stick longer on your gnashers.

How can I prevent staining from “healthy” drinks?

Dr Felici advised using a straw to drink acidic and/or colourful drinks and rinsing your mouth with water straight after consumption to eliminate the acids.

And because your enamel is also more exposed following brushing, the dentist said we should all be waiting for at least half an hour after our morning scrub before eating and drinking.

“Teeth are often the first thing people notice, so it’s frustrating when patients are following what they believe are healthy habits, yet still struggle with stains,” Dr Felici ended.

“Wellness should work with your smile, not against it – with a few tweaks, you can keep both your health goals and your teeth in great shape.”

This Many Sleepless Nights A Week Could Raise Dementia Risk By 40%

Posted on 15/09/2025 by Boris Clair

Scientists already think that regular poor sleep, especially in midlife, might increase your odds of developing dementia (less than five hours a night has been associated with double the risk).

And sudden changes to how long you sleep for may be linked to the condition years before diagnosis.

We aren’t exactly sure how or why sleep could have this effect on the brain. But a recent paper has added to the existing associations.

The researchers involved in the study found that those with “chronic insomnia” could face an increased dementia risk.

How much bad sleep does it take to raise my dementia risk?

In this paper, “chronic insomnia” was defined as having trouble sleeping for at least three nights a week for at least three months.

Some 2,750 participants with an average age of 70 were tracked for 5.6 years. They were all dementia-free at the start of the study, and 16% had chronic insomnia.

After conducting memory and thinking tests as well as brain scans, the scientists found that those who reported insomniac sleep patterns had more amyloid plaque formation, which is linked to dementia development.

Of those who self-reported chronic insomnia at the start of the study, 14% went on to develop insomnia, compared to 10% among those who didn’t have sleep issues.

People with insomnia were 40% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia than those without insomnia.

Speaking to MedicalNewsToday, the study’s lead author, Dr Diego Z Carvalho, said: “In our models, the impact of insomnia on the risk of mild cognitive impairment/dementia was higher than having two cardiometabolic conditions like hypertension and diabetes, or being 3.5 years older than your actual age, which are known risk factors.”

Why might insomnia affect dementia risk?

We still can’t say for sure, but Dr Carvalho suggested this research has given him some ideas.

“We found that insomnia with reduced sleep was not only associated with Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers like amyloid, but also with poorer cerebrovascular health with greater evidence for small vessel disease as shown by white matter hyperintensities,” he said.

This matters because both the buildup of amyloid plaque proteins and poorer heart and vessel health are independently linked to increased dementia risk.

The lead researcher also recommended that more doctors include sleep tests in their regular screenings, especially with older patients.

I Just Learned Why Horseshoes Are Really Considered Lucky, And It’s Dark

Posted on 14/09/2025 by Boris Clair

It probably won’t surprise you to learn that “stealing someone’s thunder” and “spilling the beans” have a pretty unusual relationship to the weather and legumes they describe.

Common phrases like “o’clock” and “pardon my French” have unexpected origins, too.

But what about superstitions like horseshoes? How come an animal’s foot covering came to mean good luck, so much so that you can still find some nailed to the doors of people’s homes?

According to riding wear suppliers at Discount Equestrian, the answer is a little wilder (and darker) than I thought.

Why are horseshoes considered lucky?

One story, the horse experts said, related to 10th-century monk and bishop St Dunstan and the devil (oh!).

“The legend of the horseshoe is closely associated with St Dunstan, today the patron saint of goldsmiths, locksmiths, and jewellers,” they said.

“As the story goes, while living as a hermit in Glastonbury, he was visited by Satan, who asked him to use his blacksmithing skills to shoe the devil’s hoof.”

The legend says that because St Dunstan recognised the visitor for who he was, he nailed a red-hot horseshoe to his hoof.

So, the devil learned to be afraid of the iron symbol and steered clear of houses which displayed them on their doors.

Some also believe that nailing seven holes into a horseshoe attached to your door will add to its luckiness.

The ‘n’ angle, with the heels pointing down, has been believed to pour blessings on visitors, while the “U” shape may be used to keep any good fortune from spilling out.

Iron has long been considered lucky

This is not the only factor that goes into the choice, Discount Equestrian said.

Horsehoes are made from iron, which was once considered a talismanic metal used to keep witches and other supernatural forces at bay.

“The horseshoe is a perfect example of a symbol that has crossed centuries without people really knowing why they use it,” the pros explained.

“It combines practicality that iron was once precious, with deep religious folklore about protecting the home. When people hang one today, they’re unknowingly repeating a thousand-year-old superstition.”

So THAT’s Why There Are So Many Acorns This Year

Posted on 13/09/2025 by Boris Clair

You might have noticed very early browning of leaves this year, as well as a premature blackberry bounty.

That’s partly because this heatwave-packed year has sparked sooner flowering and fruiting, and sadly, drought has left many trees stressed.

But if you’ve noticed far more acorns on your forest floor than you’re used to, there may be a different cause – it seems oaks are experiencing a “mast year”.

What is a “mast year” for oak trees?

Both oak and beech trees (which produce beech nuts) experience this phenomenon, the Woodland Trust explained.

“Mast” refers to all the fruits and nuts trees release in autumn to allow them to reproduce. It comes from the Old English word “mæst”.

So, when oak and beech trees – whose seed output can change enormously from year to year – have a particularly high-yielding autumn, this is called a “mast year”.

Why do mast years happen?

We don’t know, but experts have theories.

Some think this is down to “predator satiation”, or making more food than animals who eat acorns and beech nuts (like squirrels, badgers, and mice) can realistically consume.

Because the output is so unpredictable, populations of these predators cannot optimise for the amount of seeds the trees put out. In other words, the theory goes, animal populations and eating habits would evolve to match and eat the exact amount of nuts the oaks release – leaving none to grow into other trees.

By making too many acorns some years, the plants ensure there are some left behind to grow after the feeding frenzy. And because acorn production was lower in the previous years, predator populations aren’t big enough to get through them all.

But the cost of doubling down on seeds and nuts is not insignificant. It uses so much energy, the tree’s growth might be slightly stunted.

That’s why “mast years” only happen roughly every five to 10 years.