The Doc Replies

I am a man in my 40s and have always been skinny for my height. I’d like to gain weight. How can I do that safely?

It is not good to be underweight, with a body mass index of below 18.5, GPS would want to know if there had been any weight loss, particularly if relatively sudden.

They would also check for medical causes such as an overactive thyroid or undiagnosed cancer. They would look at diet and whether stress is a factor.

However, if none of those things are the case, the sort of thing a GP would recommend is eating and drinking high-energy foods on a regular basis, like porridge with full fat milk, eggs on toast, meat or oily fish. Milkshakes and peanut butter on toast are good snacks. More exercise to build muscle will help as muscle is heavier than fat.

Can I have laser eye surgery on the NHS?

You can have laser surgery on the NHS for conditions that threaten your sight, for example diabetic retinopathy and some types of macular degeneration. Sometimes after cataract surgery the capsule that the lens sits in can thicken, so that may qualify, as do some corneal conditions.

Do I have the right to refuse medical treatment?

You have to give consent for any medical treatment, and if you refuse it doctors have to respect that.

But for consent or refusal to be valid it has to be voluntary and informed. If a person lacks capacity to make an informed decision on treatment, then it needs to be made for them, either by someone with power of attorney or guardianship.

What is flossing? My dentist has advised I do this.

Dentists advise using interdental brushes alongside normal brushing as part of your daily oral health routine. But some people may not have large enough spaces between their teeth to do this so flossing is a good alternative.

Dental floss is a soft, thin thread. You should use it to firmly, but gently, scrape the tooth from the top down. Don’t be too rough with it or you will risk harming your gums.