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Articles

Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Nutrition

Protecting Eyesight with the Right Food

March 16, 2024

It was 200 years ago that Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French lawyer and culinary writer, first wrote “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.”  It’s a simple and enduring message. But people are not being watchful of what they eat, and it is having far-reaching consequences, not just around the middle. Like other organs, the eyes are affected by diet. Many research teams have shown that a poor diet increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) of the eye. Today AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss for those over the age of 65. By 75 one in three North Americans have early signs of AMD. A command given to American soldiers at the...Read More

Cancer, Radiation

What to Know About the Mammography Debate

March 9, 2024

At what age should women’s breasts receive radiation to detect breast cancer? In Canada, some provinces are lowering the age of eligibility from 50 to 40, even before a task force releases an update on breast cancer screening guidelines. The current guidelines do not recommend routine screening for women in their 40s. In the U.S., a separate task force urges women ages 40 to 49 to get this procedure every two years. Why the conflicting advice? Mammography has been swirling in confusion for decades. In the past, some experts were adamant there was no evidence regular mammograms decreased the risk of breast cancer. Others, equally qualified authorities, were concerned that repeated exposures of breast tissues to radiation could cause breast malignancies. A...Read More

Philosophy

A Failing Grade in Basic Mathematics

March 2, 2024

Have even one in a thousand North Americans ever heard of Kissick’ s Law?  More than 25 years ago, if you were reading the Ontario Medical Review, you would have seen an article, written by Dr. Samuel Vaisrub, explaining the message. Kissick stated that if the U.S. Declaration of Independence was written in contemporary times, it would declare the pursuit of health, rather than happiness, after life and liberty, as the third inalienable right of Americans. About 50 years ago Kissick, a professor at the renowned U.S. Wharton School of Business, stunned Canadians and Americans with a showstopping speech about the economic laws of health care economics. Considering the ongoing healthcare mess in both countries today, it’s a shame his wise...Read More

Philosophy

Work Hard to Be 100 and Healthy

February 24, 2024

Few children have the good fortune of wishing “Happy 100th Birthday” to a vibrant, healthy parent reaching that esteemed age. But that’s what my brothers and I are doing this week. We’ve had the incredible journey of growing up with Dr. W. Gifford-Jones as our dad! Countless people have asked, what’s the secret to reaching 100? The truth is lots of people are figuring it out. In Canada, there are about 10,000 centenarians, people aged 100 or older. In the U.S., the figure is nearing 100,000. And worldwide, it’s an astounding 722,000 people. Some centenarians are living well.  Unfortunately, there is a darker side such longevity, as many are not living well at all. There is wide variation in the research, but a conservative...Read More

Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Lifestyle, Obesity

Never Ignore the Symptoms of Early Heart Failure

February 17, 2024

Years ago, after interviewing Dr. Michael McDonald, I asked, “Will you be my cardiologist?” Now, as I reach my 100th year I’m grateful his sound advice has kept me alive. He’s associated with the world class Peter Munk Cardiac Center affiliated with the University of Toronto. During my visit he stressed that more patients would be living longer if they reported to their doctors the early signs of heart failure. Prevention is always better than cure. Never forget this fact. We are all living longer and so is our heart. Today, if you’re over the age of 65, heart failure is the most common reason for being admitted to hospital. And when heart failure starts, this means a life expectancy of...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Philosophy

Do Unto Others Lesson Needs Retelling

February 10, 2024

What do you hope for each morning as your tired eyes read the news? You try to be a positive person, but day by day, things are getting worse. The world is in an awful mess. If there is a God, how cruel a deity to let suffering continue. Is it sacrilegious to ask, what exactly will it take to have the Second Coming of Christ? How much bloody war, climate chaos, and civil disintegration is required before we learn to follow a simple and sane edict? “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” The problem is times have changed. The only Christ we can anticipate in 2024 is a “deep fake”. The dumbing-down of social media preys...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Neurology, Psychiatry

Barbers Now Being Trained to Spot Clients with Troubled Minds

February 3, 2024

Is necessity or curiosity the mother of innovation? Sometimes good old common sense is the driving factor, and there will be no Nobel prize for seeing the obvious. That, however, is what’s behind a new development in barber shops and hair salons. What’s the buzz? It’s that barbers and hairdressers are be trained to detect mental health problems among the clients sitting in their chairs. It makes perfect sense. People regularly confide in their trusted barber or hairdresser the most personal details of their lives. And these chats are enough to detect signs of troubled mental health. With a small amount of training, hair stylists can help direct their customers to sources of support. Using barbers and hairdressers as a portal to...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology, Infection, Nutrition, Vitamins

In the Lab with Natural Immune Formulas

January 27, 2024

This week let’s look behind the scenes, in the labs where doctors and scientists are designing health supplements that address specific goals. What’s motivating them? What are they trying to do? And how successful are they? There are thousands of natural health supplements on the market – from vitamins and minerals to botanicals and proteins, plus all kinds of things falling into categories like enzymes and fatty acids. Then on top of this, there all the natural therapies offered by physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and so on. Collectively, it’s a mega-billion set of industries. Complicating the scene are corporations, like Proctor & Gamble, Bayer, and Abbott. Going toe to toe in the marketplace with these giants are small businesses, whom we can...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Nutrition

Postbiotics for the Gut, Body, and Brain

January 20, 2024

Last week’s column suggested we are minnows in the grand life adventure. This week we’ll look at little beings in our bellies that seem to have outsized influence. What is it about these microscopic components of the gut-brain connection that leads us to thinking that a postbiotic supplement might be a very good investment. The gut microbiome is like a neighbourhood of friends you carry around in and on your body for your entire life. Just as the environment outside your body and the way you live your life have consequences for your well-being, this gooey world in your gut has enormous impact on your health, from head to toe and cradle to grave. What exactly is it? The gut-brain microbiome refers...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Philosophy, Vitamins

Jobs One, Two and Three for Lifelong Health

January 13, 2024

By the time you are reading this article, the stakes establishing the life course of your health have long been set. Your genetic inheritance, location, and family circumstances, combined with a complex set of early life factors determine how your health trajectory will begin. Through childhood and adulthood, you have opportunities to influence your well-being, but in the grand scheme, it’s tinkering at the margins. As you age, the question becomes, what can you do to maximize good health and minimize the impact of the inevitable decline? Taking good care to avoid the obvious pitfalls is job number one. Parents need to teach children about safety as early in life as possible. And everyone needs to practice safety daily and for...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Obesity, Sports

An Active Lifestyle is the Right Resolution

January 6, 2024

One week into the New Year, and how are you doing on your resolutions? Most people make ambitious plans at the end of December and by this point can’t remember what they were. A few people overdo it, like those who commit to running a marathon before they’ve had success with a daily walk. If you are constantly worrying about how to strike the perfect balance, that’s also a waste of your time and no help for your heart. The best habits for health are regular moderate exercise, a healthy diet, good sleep, and an upbeat outlook. First thing in the morning, every morning, is a natural time to check in with yourself. Step on a scale and make sure the...Read More

Sex

Talking about Sex, Love, and Safety

December 30, 2023

Marilyn Monroe, the American actress and sex symbol of the 1950s, said, “Sex is a part of nature. I go along with nature.” It was scandalous then, and speaking about sex is still difficult terrain for many people. A reader recently asked for our thoughts on how to advise young people about sex. The New Year is as good a time as any other to talk about sex – how it relates to life, love, luck, and liberty, and to pain, panic, power, and other potential problems. For those hoping we’ll disclose the information and tools you need to talk about sex with your loved ones, it’s necessary to splash a little cold water. This week’s column is full of cautionary notes,...Read More

Gastroenterology, Infection, Pain

The Season for Sorrows and Joys

December 23, 2023

Why is it that the scariest and toughest illnesses occur at the festive time of year? Instead of family gatherings at home with music and merriment, for some people the holidays involve hushed tones at the bedside in a hospital. It may have started as nothing serious. An ache. Maybe stomach flu. But when symptoms turn serious, getting to an emergency room is not to be delayed. One common cause of trouble is the appendix. This odd, little finger-shaped organ was poorly understood in medical history until more recent times. The fact that a ruptured appendix could be removed without apparent implications for the patient had doctors convinced it was an evolutionary leftover. More recent research suggests it functions as a “saferoom”...Read More

Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Obesity, Pediatrics

Heart Disease Prevention Begins with Children and Good Parenting

December 16, 2023

Heart disease is called the “silent killer”. Why? Because the first symptom can be a fatal attack. Most people lead their lives unaware of the ticking time bomb within, neglecting lifestyle changes that could radically reduce the risk. The fact is, preventing heart disease needs to be a lifelong practice, starting in childhood. Pediatric cardiologists and researchers who focus on identifying and mitigating risk factors for cardiovascular disease in children and young adults are proving the case. Studies show that obese children have higher levels of insulin resistance and inflammation than their non-obese peers, both of which are known risk factors for heart disease. Obese children also have stiffer arteries, which can lead to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. But...Read More

Diabetes, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity

Why Some People Die Early and Others Live On

December 9, 2023

What’s the most depressing part of a newspaper? It’s the obituary section where you see many people dying too early in life. What causes these untimely deaths? A Gifford-Jones Law states that one bad health problem inevitably leads to another and another, causing people to die early. One of the cardinal sins is not having a healthy and sensible breakfast. Where to lay blame? It’s the neglectful practices of food companies, governments, schools, and parents, all of whom are commonly ignoring the hazard. The breakfast sin is found everywhere. Nearly every restaurant serving breakfast is guilty of pushing the wrong foods. We recently found sinful breakfasts in a high-end retirement residence in Toronto. Even upon request for a high fibre cereal,...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Infection, Neurology, Orthopedics, Pain, Psychiatry, Surgery

Alternative Medicine Makes a Good Gift

December 2, 2023

What’s the gift we’d like to have in stock for our readers this holiday season? It would be a healthy dose of common sense, and a reminder that not every health problem needs a medical solution. Unfortunately, few people open their minds when confronted with a swollen joint, an injury to the skin, back pain, broken bones, or even brain injuries. Yet, instead of costly, dangerous drugs that come with side effects, or surgical treatments that involve other risks, these are examples of problems that respond well to alternative forms of therapy. We have written in the past about low-intensity laser therapy (LILT). It’s now known as photobiomodulation (PBM), which involves the application of light to instigate a natural healing process....Read More

Alcohol, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Lifestyle, Philosophy

Think Before you Drink Alcohol

November 25, 2023

The festive season is a time for social gatherings and alcohol often aides the merrymaking. Yet recent headlines advise to avoid alcohol at any time of year. The claim is that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. But the truth about alcohol is more nuanced, and recommendations for abstinence can be misleading. The recent research concluded that even moderate alcohol consumption – about one drink a day – is dangerous for your health. But the study took a narrow look. Many studies of alcohol use neglect to consider the healthy benefits of socializing. But when people are socially connected, they make healthier choices, have better physical and mental health, and cope better with everyday pressures, meaning less anxiety and...Read More

Alternate Treatments, Medicine, Philosophy, Surgery

Have Faith in the Doctor, with Limitations

November 18, 2023

Is it wise to believe what the doctor tells you? Or are there misleading types, not entirely honest with their patients? Does the medical system place the patient’s best interests first, as commonly stated on health center posters? Or do other factors, like pressure to ease wait times for a high-demand treatments, mean that some people aren’t informed of their best options. The truth is, having implicit faith in the medical profession is risky business. There are ample reasons to place your faith in doctors and medicines. Antibiotics save people from dying of pneumonia and a host of other diseases. Cortisone enables people to be free of wheelchairs. Cardiac pacemakers add years to the lives of heart patients. Surgeons (and organ...Read More

Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy

Beware of Falling, It May Kill You

November 11, 2023

What a sad way to lose a friend. Not from a heart attack or cancer. Rather, a slip and backwards fall caused a strike of the head on a hard unforgiving surface. The traumatic injury resulted in death a few days later. As Aristotle wrote centuries ago, “To have a good friend you must partake a peck of salt together.” Losing such friends as you get older is very disturbing, often leaving a void in life never refilled. Recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the immense costs of falls. In North America there are over five and half million incidents yearly costing more than $45 billion! The average cost of a fall that results in injury is...Read More

Pain, Surgery

The Pros and Cons of Surgery for Osteoarthritis

November 4, 2023

When osteoarthritis in the knee is causing you pain, how do you know whether to hang in there and take it or to accept the risks of going under the knife in hopes of bouncing back stronger? It’s not an easy question. Many factors need to be part of the decision. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, often described as a “wear and tear” problem, and usually found in the knees, hips and hands. Symptoms are usually mild initially – stiff joints and reduced flexibility. It gradually progresses to more noticeable swelling and aching caused by the breakdown of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. According to the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention, over 32 million Americans have...Read More

Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy

Giving Away a Lifetime Is Bittersweet Medicine

October 28, 2023

We find ourselves in the midst of change. During this 100th trip around the sun, it’s finally time for a move to a retirement residence. While the comforts and care of an elegant assisted-living community are welcome, the upheaval is overwhelming! It’s hard to say goodbye to the family home of nearly 50 years. When children and grandchildren visit to savour the memories together, they just as eagerly eye the furniture and appliances! The truth is, being able to give away a lifetime of treasured possessions is a luxury we are grateful to enjoy. Looking around the world, a lot of people would give an arm and a leg to have what we have. For anyone though, there is something universal...Read More

Infection, Vitamins

Missing Messages in Infection Prevention

October 21, 2023

Influenza, or the flu, is on the rise this time of year. That’s because the virus spreads easily when people are indoors in close contact and when the air is less humid and colder. So, it makes sense that International Infection Prevention Week takes place in October. But what doesn’t make sense is the absence of an important message. Public health officials offer a standard list of best practices to reduce the risk of infections. Hand hygiene is top of the list. It’s a fact that many people don’t wash their hands after using the toilet. But they will clutch their mobile phones, which never get washed, before during and after trips to the toilet. Hands and phones are both common...Read More

Dental

Oral Probiotics Offer Another Path to Wellness

October 14, 2023

“The mouth is the door of evil.” So said Euripides, the ancient Greek playwright of tragedy. If he were a modern-day nutritionist, it could be an observation on the very bad stuff people put in their mouths as food. Mother Teresa, however, acknowledged the mouth’s ability to do good. "Kind words can be short and easy to speak,” she said, “but their echoes are truly endless." So, is your mouth a place of good or evil? Nourishment and communication are two functions of the mouth. On the outside, a smile is a beautiful signal of happiness. But inside the mouth, there exists a complex ecosystem of friends and enemies. The mouth is home to an extraordinary community of more than 700 species...Read More

Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Philosophy

An Excess of Stupidity Is Still the Problem

October 7, 2023

At a breakneck pace, today’s world threatens to leave us gasping for breath. You name it – climate change and pollution, the global demographic explosion, autocratic rulers trampling civil society, or the threat of AI’s unintended consequences. But for all the things where meaningful influence is out of the hands of most of us, why are these still so many things well within our control that we do so little to change? Consumers have a lot of power, for example, but too infrequently use it. If you don’t like the microplastics in the ocean, stop buying food sold in excessive packaging. When affordable public transportation is available, we spend far more to drive our own vehicles. We buy enough clothing to...Read More

Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy

Unsung Sentinels of Home Healthcare

September 30, 2023

The British author and playwright, B.G. Stern, wrote, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” It’s apropos to home healthcare workers, who have been acknowledged as essential, but that’s where the appreciation seems to stop. Personal support workers (PSWs) as they are called in Canada, Home Health Aides (HHAs) or other titles in the U.S., don’t get the spotlight as do doctors, nurses, and other specialists. And they certainly don’t get the pay. Yet, in the vast realm of healthcare, there exists this group of workers who quietly care for the most vulnerable – the elderly, disabled, sufferers of chronic disease, and people with health issues who can live at home or in long-term care but only with assistance. The profile...Read More