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This archive of investigations, reports and interviews below spans from my work with What Doctors Don’t Tell you through my ‘Ecologist years’ to some of my more recent work (see also my Blogs page) with other publications and from the NYR Natural News website, which I edit and Beyond GM campaign and its associated websites.
It does not include the large body of feature work which I did as a music journalist – work I am equally proud of but which came before the internet made archiving easier!
What Doctors Don’t Tell you re-wrote the book on how journalists should approach health. Instead of rewriting press releases, blindly following the latest fads or relying on rent-a-quote experts, the team immersed itself in the medical journalist that Doctors were – or should have been – reading. These often tell a very different story to the PR that filters through to the media about modern pharmaceuticals. I was a contributing editor at WDDTY for nearly a decade and editor of Proof! – the consumer magazine that grew out of the work we did there.
The Ecologist magazine, founded in 1970, was the world’s oldest and most widely read environment magazine. It was a driving force in major environmental campaigns against climate change, toxic chemicals in household products, rainforest destruction, food additives, genetic modification and much more. Its courageous, in-depth journalism provided early-warning signs for all the environmental challenges we face now and was, for decades, hugely influential in setting the environmental and green political agendas in the UK and elsewhere. The New York Review of Magazines called it “A magazine that changes people’s lives”. I was privileged to be its Health Editor and then Editor for several years before it ceased printing in 2009 and have continued to contribute ad hoc to it’s website.
My interest in a less interventionist, more natural approach to health continues to this day. NYR Natural News is the only alternative health website based in the UK. It has a growing UK and international audience of people who want good information on health alternatives and who want to understand the connections between environment and health. It is also an increasingly powerful voice in environment and GM campaigning, exposing the toxic connections between multinational corporations and political policy and their impact on human well-being.
Most of us believe that, as we get older, we’re going to suffer increasing disability and illness, and medicine convinces us that it’s just a natural part of ageing. To deal with the symptoms of decline, we’re given a variety of prescription drugs – usually in combination. It’s now commonplace for the over-65s to be […]
Exercising is one of the most important things people can do to promote ongoing physical and mental health. Some of us exercise regularly, some erratically; some of us ‘go for the burn’ while others prefer gentle stretching. However you do it, exercising not only helps weight loss, controls food cravings, and reduces the risk of […]
Test-taking anxiety or stress is common among secondary-school and university students. It can be both distressing and debilitating. It is not uncommon for a good student who has had good grades throughout the year to find that these drop at exam time. This could be due to poor exam preparation techniques, but high levels of […]
While travellers often worry about serious diseases such as hepatitis, cholera and malaria, studies show that the risk of catching a virulent disease during a one-month stay in a developing country is remarkably small – around 0.4 per cent for viral hepatitis and 0.03 per cent for typhoid fever (J Infect Dis, 1987; 156: 84-91; […]
Moderate exposure to the sun has many benefits. Perhaps the most important of all is synthesis of vitamin D, a hormone-like substance that helps boost immunity and protect bone. Nearly 75 per cent of the body’s vitamin-D supply comes from exposure to the sun – and sunscreens can drastically lower the body’s production of this […]
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) refers to the slow deterioration of the cells in the macula, a tiny yellowish area near the centre of the retina, which contains light-sensitive cells that send visual signals to the brain. Sharp, clear, ‘straight ahead’ or central vision – used mostly for reading, writing, driving and identifying faces – is […]
Tooth decay and gum disease are widespread throughout the Western world in spite of the availability of high-tech toothbrushes, and ‘scientifically proven’ toothpastes and mouthwashes. Brushing incorrectly or not often enough is one cause, but poor dental health is also a matter of lifestyle. The end result isn’t just bad teeth. Dental problems are linked […]
Given the link with fluctuating hormone levels and the possible underlying genetic influences, many doctors believe there is no way to prevent acne. This means that most are practising disease control rather than prevention, often with powerful antibiotics, steroids or other anti-inflammatory medications. Yet, despite the advertising hype, few – if any – commercial skin […]
The diagnosis of ‘inflammatory bowel disease’, or IBD, is among medicine’s many umbrella terms. It hovers over a range of inflammatory conditions of the bowel, although two in particular – ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease – are the most common. In the gut, some degree of inflammation is necessary and desirable. Inflammatory cells in […]
An amazing four out of five adults will experience significant low-back pain at some time during their life. The most common reason, say experts, is work-related back injuries, but activities at home and at play can also result in back pain. Here are some simple, effective ways to keep the strain from turning into pain. […]
I am an award-winning campaigner, journalist and author. A former editor of the Ecologist magazine Pat has run campaigns for Paul McCartney’s Meat-Free Monday, Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) and Neal’s Yard Remedies. In 2011, my work leading the campaign, Cows Belong in Fields, won CIWF the Observer Ethical Award for Campaigner of the Year. In 2014 I co-founded the campaigning group, Beyond GM.
I am a qualified psychotherapist and the author more than 40 books for adults and children and I was inducted into Who’s Who in 2014. In addition to my work with Beyond GM, I work occasionally with the film production company Ecostorm. I also currently edit and oversee NYR Natural News – a campaigning natural health website, continue to write in a freelance capacity and make regular public speaking and media appearances.
I have been a trustee of both the Soil Association and the Organic Research Centre in the UK and am currently on the advisory board of GMO Free USA and am a trustee of the investigative media agency, Eyewitness.
To read more about me see here.
Skype: patti.t16
I am interested in and available for short- and long-term projects/consultancies, and am particularly keen on those that focus on food, sustainability and culture change. I am also an experienced public speaker.
My unique professional experience means I bring a variety of skills to any work I do, including effective and persuasive communication and writing skills, an holistic perspective on sustainability and change, and both intuitive and analytical ability. I am well known in my field and comfortable working in most fora.
Recent projects/consultancies include work with: Stella McCartney ‘Care’ range, Paul McCartney’s Meat Free Monday, Friends of the Earth, Compassion in World Farming, Soil Association, Neal’s Yard Remedies.
Recent public speaking engagements: UK Aware, Oxford University PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) Society, Durham Union Society (Durham University), Bristol Festival of Nature, World Preservation Foundation, Women’s Institute.
Please feel free to contact me by email: howlatthemoon@live.co.uk
Laura Longrigg
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I'm a highly experienced journalist and award winning campaigner specialising in environment and alternative health. I'm also the author of several books for adults and children and a qualified psychotherapist.
