I have a friend who has gout - he is only in his 30s.

I thought it was something that older people got?

Gout is one of the most common types of arthritis that affects men.

Gout can also affect women, although men are three to four times more likely to develop it than women.

In men, the symptoms of gout usually begin between 40 and 60 years of age. In women, the symptoms begin later, usually between 60 and 80 years of age.

Risk factors for gout include:

€¢ drinking alcohol (particularly beer)

€¢ a diet that is high in purines (a type of acid found in certain foods, such as red meat and seafood)

€¢ certain medications

Treatment for gout involves relieving the symptoms of pain and trying to prevent further episodes. This is done using a combination of medication and lifestyle changes. It is still uncertain why some people are more vulnerable to the effects of gout than others. For example, some people who have a high level of uric acid in their system never have gout while some people who are affected by gout have a normal level of uric acid.

I am fed up of my husband's snoring. Is there anything he can do to stop it?

The following lifestyle changes may help you to stop snoring:

€¢ losing weight (if you are overweight)

€¢ not drinking alcohol, particularly during the evening

€¢ giving up smoking (if you are a smoker)

€¢ taking regular exercise - this will help strengthen the muscles in your neck, which may help to prevent the airways in your neck and mouth from narrowing.

If you feel that your medication may be contributing to your snoring, talk to your GP about it. They may be able to prescribe alternative medication. However, do not stop taking any prescribed medication without first consulting your GP.

If your snoring is worse when you are sleeping on your back, stitching a pocket into the back of your pyjamas (between the shoulder blades) and putting either a golf ball or a tennis ball in the pocket may stop you sleeping on your back.

What is rickets?

Rickets is a condition that affects bone development in children. It causes the bones to become soft and malformed, which can lead to bone deformities.

Rickets in adults is known as osteomalacia or soft bones.

The most common cause of rickets is a lack of vitamin D and calcium. Vitamin D comes from foods such as oily fish and eggs, and from sunlight on our skin. Vitamin D is essential for a child to form strong and healthy bones.

In rare cases, children can be born with a genetic form of rickets. It can also develop if another condition affects how vitamins and minerals are absorbed by the body.

Rickets causes the bones to become painful, soft and weak. This leads to deformities of the skeleton, such as bowed legs, curvature of the spine and thickening of the ankles, wrists and knees.