Can full body MRI scans be good for our health?

About this episode

We investigate the growing business of full-body MRI scans. The clinics argue they can spot diseases and problems early before people feel unwell - but critics say it’s a waste of thousands of pounds and creates unnecessary anxiety about things that may never become a problem. Laura visits a clinic to learn more and also hears about the risks. Also this week, new research shows strokes are increasing among black African and black Caribbean people in the UK at a faster rate in than in white people - and it’s mainly being driven by high blood pressure. Laura meets Dr Iain Marshall, a GP who researches stroke risk factors, and Sheila Chingono, who had a stroke aged 32, to talk about why this is happening and what can be done to prevent it. And most of us hear the phrase ‘emergency food stockpile’ and think of a sad-looking kitchen cupboard full of tins we’d rather not eat. Laura speaks to a nutritional scientist about how you can still have a healthy and tasty meal with non-perishable goods, even if you’ve got no running water or way of cooking food. And crucially she learns that it doesn’t involve giving up biscuits... Presenter: Laura Foster Producer: Gerry Holt Editor