Alcohol, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
Will A Drink a Day Keep the Doctor Away?
We’ve been told for years that a nutritious apple a day helps to keep the doctor away. But could alcohol have the same result during this holiday season and the New Year? Or, is alcohol a wolf in sheep’s clothing, detrimental to our well-being? I recently mentioned during a talk that I believed that alcohol in moderation was the best medicine ever invented. The audience responded with a big applause. But was it justified? Critics damn alcohol because some people abuse it. I agree when people are killed by drunken drivers. But no one bans cars because some idiots cause needless deaths. My research on alcohol dates back many years. Why? Because I’ve always enjoyed a moderate drink and wanted to know if...Read More
Philosophy
Do Not Take Liberties with the Gods
What could solve many of the world’s problems this holiday season? There’s no more sage advice than the words, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Yet time and again, the very opposite happens day after day in medicine, politics and unfortunately, even religion. I wonder what the Gods are thinking when they survey the world today? Confucius wrote in the Book of Rites in 500 B.C, “Do not take liberties with the Gods or weary them.” Today, we certainly must be pushing our limits of both. This year, people of all religions will celebrate their holy days at shrines around the world. TV will promote a message of love to millions. But the Gods must surely be...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Just Say “NO” or Just Say “Yes”
Nancy Reagan, wife of Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States, sent a direct, simple message to those who were tempted to take illegal drugs. Her advice was “Just say ‘NO’”. So what has this message to do with the ongoing controversy about assisted death in Canada and the United States? Quebec, a Roman Catholic province, has always been ahead of the rest of Canada in social change. Now it appears that it won’t be too long before Quebec will be the first province to allow assisted death. But for the rest of Canada, those opposed to it will use every legal measure to defeat this procedure. So is there any way that the two opposing forces, for and...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine, Miscellaneous
How to Reverse Pre-Disease
Samuel Johnson once remarked, “Nothing sharpens the wit so much as the knowledge you’re going to be hanged in the morning.” So if a doctor says, “Your blood sugar is borderline for diabetes” or “your bones are getting fragile”, he’s giving you a pre-disease warning. But does it ring the bell of trouble ahead unless you do something about it? Dr. H. Gilbert Welch, Professor of Medicine at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, is also the author of “Less Medicine, More Health.” Welch says we should keep in mind that, “Virtually everyone, as they get older, develops some sort of pre-disease”. The outward appearance of wrinkles and graying hair are for all to see. But kidneys, hearts...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Medicine, Vitamins
There Are Still No Dead Bodies!!!
Why is it impossible for investigative media reporters to get it right about health supplements? In March of 2013 medical research showed that every day 290 North Americans die from prescription drugs. To kill the same number of people a jumbo jet plane would have to crash every day. I asked Health Canada’s forensic bureaucrats to explain where the dead bodies are who took natural supplements? I have never had a reply. Now the media are using a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S Food and Drug Administration to damn supplements. Its study of 63 hospitals over a 10 year period showed 3,667 emergency room (ER) visits and 2,154 hospitalizations from the use of...Read More
Cardiovascular
Heart Failure = 2.1 to 5 Years of Life
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves”. Shakespeare wrote this over 400 years ago. The immortal bard could easily be referring to the epidemic of congestive heart failure (CHF) in this country. So what does this disease mean to us, and our health care system? To find out, I visited the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC) at the University of Toronto. Dr. Michael McDonald, an expert on CHF, says, “Today, if you’re over the age of 65, heart failure is the most common reason for being admitted to hospital”. It’s prudent to read his remark twice as this diagnosis means a life expectancy as low as 2.1 to 5 years! McDonald says CHF can result from a...Read More
Cancer, Gynecology
What No One Tells You about Mammography
It’s been said that, “All would be well if there were no buts.” Unfortunately, for women there have always been several crucial “buts” about the benefits of mammography. Now, a new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS), says that routine mammograms may do harm if started before 50 years of age. So, what other “buts” don’t the ACS and other organizations tell women about mammograms? Timing is vital is many things in life. But for years few experts could agree on the best time to start routine mammograms. The Canadian Association of Radiologists picked 40 years of age as prime time. The International Agency for Research on Cancer pulled age 50 out of the hat. In short, no one had...Read More
Surgery
Minor Surgery That Ends In Disaster
There is one fundamental rule in surgery, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Why? Because as one of Harvard’s great neurosurgeons once remarked, “There is no such thing as minor surgery, but there are a lot of minor surgeons.” He could have added that minor surgery can also result in needless tragic deaths. And that one major operation can be avoided. The best adult example is Joan Rivers, the comedian, who allegedly had undergone several cosmetic facelifts and joked about it. But she had one too many and died of cardiac arrest during the operation. The youngest tragedy is the newborn baby who recently suffered a circumcision, apparently unwanted by his parents. He died from hemorrhage. For some families the decision for...Read More
Nutrition
Protein: What Don’t You Know
Fads in clothing come and go. Women’s skirts go up and then get longer. Men’s pants get wide and then narrower. Fads also occur in medicine. In the 1980’s it was “low fat” for packaged foods and weight loss diets. Later on the buzz word was “low carb”. Now, walk down the aisle in supermarkets or health food stores and it’s hard to miss the protein content in foods, or protein added to cereals, granola bars or shakes. So today “P” is popping up everywhere. But what is so special about protein? In the past it was recommended for athletes who only wanted larger muscles. Now, it’s also for those who want to lose weight. But a report from the University...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Pain
Does Justin Trudeau Wear Short or Long Pants?
Congratulations to Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister Elect of Canada. He’s young, handsome, carries a famous name, demonstrated he has an ear for what the public is clamoring for, and now has the most vital weapon of all, power. But will he deny democracy to the majority of Canadians who elected him? Or ignore the will of the Supreme Court of Canada? Soon we will know whether Justin Trudeau wears knickers or long pants. Trudeau, in his victory speech, fired a salvo when he uttered the words Abraham Lincoln delivered on the eve of the U.S. Civil War. Lincoln worried that leaders needed to appeal to the “better angels of our nature”. But will Trudeau, on the contrary, use devilish political tactics...Read More
Nutrition
No More Prime Rib and Mashed Potatoes?
Why is it that so many things are bad for you these days? We know that too much sugar, salt and calories are a bad combination for longevity. Now, the health publication, Nutrition Action, says red meat increases the risk of several major diseases. Horrendous news for me as roast beef and mashed potatoes are my favourite meal. So how risky is it to eat meat? Dr. Walter Willett at Harvard’s School of Public Health is a top nutritional guru. He says that 9 percent of deaths in the Harvard study could have been saved if people ate less red meat daily. In effect, the consumption of red meat was related to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, Type 2...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition, Vitamins
Martin Luther King Had a Great Dream: What’s Mine on My 40th?
To dream of what might be is a good thing. Martin Luther King had a great dream but only some of his dream has been realized. The U.S. now has a black President, Jackie Robinson became a great baseball star and a friend of mine became Professor of Medicine at The Harvard Medical School. So, this week marks the 40th year I’ve written this column and I too have a dream. But it’s far from reality. For 40 years I’ve hoped that by passing along medical information I’ve helped people live a healthier lifestyle and longer life. I believe one of my most important messages is that high doses of vitamin C and lysine can prevent and reverse atherosclerosis (hardening of...Read More
Alternate Treatments
Does Your Doctor Always Know Best?
Faced with a medical decision, patients normally allow their doctor to decide on treatment, assuming he or she “always knows best”. But “Consumer Report on Health” claims that this approach rarely works anymore. Doctors simply are unable to keep up with the flood of new information on medical therapy. Consequently, some medical decisions must consider the patient’s priorities, not just the doctor’s. This process might even decrease the cost of medical care. Often the problem is communication. For instance, a study of 1,057 doctor/ patient visits, including 3,552 clinical decisions, found that only 9 percent provided the patient with enough information to make an informed choice! So how do you figure out what is best for you? Potential traps are the now...Read More
Pain, Surgery
Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Patient Surgery
Are you scheduled for surgery? If so, there are ways to circumvent horrendous surgical errors. We’ve all heard stories about surgeons amputating the wrong leg. Or fixing a hernia on the side that didn’t need it. If you think this is past history, you had better think again as it happens every year in North America. During a 10 year period in Canada, wrong-site surgery happened 106 times. Each year, 6.3 cases involved a lower extremity and in 4.3 cases, an upper limb. The most common error was the use of arthroscopy (looking into the joint with an optical instrument) on the wrong joint. This misfortune happened to 24 patients. And in one case a total knee replacement was performed on...Read More
Genitourinary, Infection
In Europe, Nobody Chides “We Know Where You’re Going”
Have you ever heard of UTI (urinary tract infection) Drops? I doubt it, as these natural herbal drops have just recently been imported from Europe to treat troublesome, acute and chronic E Coli urinary tract infection. UTI Drops have been used successfully in Europe for over 20 years and have now been approved by Health Canada. So why are these natural herbs so effective in combating E Coli, the bacteria that’s responsible for most cases of bladder infection (cystitis)? Every year 30 to 50 million North Americans, mostly women, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems, suffer from cystitis. Few ever forget the first attack of severe pain on urination, fever and the constant rushing to the bathroom, or the...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
What Would I Want For My Final Meal?
In Thunder Bay, Ontario, recently, while giving a talk, I suddenly found my mouth watering. I mentioned that I was just 150 miles away from Quetico Park where I had spent two months alone years ago doing fish research. I said that the highest priced meal in the world could not compete with a yellow pickerel cooked over a camp fire. Which now brings me to the health benefits of eating fish today. We are often told we should eat fish as they’re a good choice for lean protein. People in Iceland eat a whopping 220 pounds of fish a year. The average North American eats a paltry 16 pounds annually, including fish sticks! This difference is in part due to the...Read More
Lifestyle, Sex, Women's Health
A Pink Pill for Female Sexual Equality?????
George Carlin, the American comedian, when referring to God, once remarked, “He, and if there is a God, I am convinced he is a he, because no woman could or would screw things up this badly”. I agree that if more women were in charge, this world would be a safer planet. But a recent medical announcement about female sexuality makes me wonder if women should be careful of what they wish for, like the pink pill, Addyi (flibanserin). It’s just been approved in the U.S., but not yet in Canada. We know that the blue pill has had a major impact on male sexuality. It’s been 17 years since Viagra was approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). Since then...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Pain
Cutting Back On Drugs Cured a Retired Minister
What’s the response that shocks me most during my many speaking tours? It’s the huge combination of drugs swallowed by many North Americans. Equally amazing, most people have no idea why they’re taking them. Over-medication is dangerous. It also results in staggering costs for the health care system. So can North Americans cut back on drugs? And what non-medication cured an ailing retired minister? The first question to ask your doctor is why you are taking so many drugs. This seems so logical it hardly needs mentioning. After all, these same people wouldn’t think twice about asking the car mechanic what was done to correct the noise in their car’s engine. So never accept a drug without asking why the...Read More
Cancer, Gastroenterology
Colonoscopy: If Good for the Queen, It’s Good For You
How foolish some people are. Even when it means dying from a large bowel cancer at an early age. I've seen it happen many times over the years. So here are 10 points that can prevent this needless tragedy. One - About 90 percent of colon cancer occurs in people over 50 years of age. This provides ample time to detect and treat this malignancy. But there is one big hurdle, and I've heard friends and patients react to it over and over again. They casually respond, "Yes, I'm going to have a colonoscopy one of these days." 99 percent of the time this means none of these days. And I've seen some of these people die horrible deaths from this...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Pain
Supreme Court Beheaded By Boneheaded Politicians
How can you learn to become a hypocrite? It’s easy. Take a course in Politics 101, then get elected to parliament. This will make it easy to postpone matters that demand instant attention. There’s no better example of hypocrisy than parliament’s move to delay implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision on Assisted Death until after the election. The Harper government has added insult to injury by stacking the consultation panel with those opposed to assisted death. It’s like putting the fox in charge of the hens, an inhumane despicable act for those crying out for help to end their suffering. In February, The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that assisted death should be an option for those grievously and irremediably ill, and...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition, Sports, Women's Health
Sarcopenia: A Needless Path to a Wheelchair
What’s the worst health problem that can happen to you? I’m sure many readers would say cancer, stroke or Alzheimer’s Disease. I agree these are all frightful diseases. But there’s another one that occurs gradually as we age. It’s called Sarcopenia ( the loss of muscle mass), and this creeping frailty forces many elderly into nursing homes because their muscles are so weak they can no longer get off the toilet. A recent report from Tufts University in Boston says, sarcopenia robs people of their independence and often leads to the risk of falls, resulting in serious injury. Visit any nursing home and you’ll see multiple examples of sarcopenia. Studies show that sarcopenia begins around age 45 and increases at the rate...Read More
Orthopedics
Sarcopenia: The Path To A Needless Wheelchair
What’s the worst health problem that can happen to you? I’m sure many readers would say cancer, stroke or Alzheimer’s Disease. I agree these are all frightful diseases. But there’s another one that occurs gradually as we age. It’s called sarcopenia (the loss of muscle mass), and this creeping frailty forces many elderly into nursing homes because their muscles are so weak they can no longer get off the toilet. A recent report from Tufts University in Boston says, sarcopenia robs people of their independence and often leads to the risk of falls resulting in serious injury. Visit any nursing home and you’ll see multiple examples of sarcopenia. Studies show that sarcopenia begins around age 45 and increases at the rate of...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
So You Know How to Detect Poison Mushrooms?
“Are you sure you know how to identify poisonous mushrooms?” I asked my neighbour. He assured me he had studied differences in this fungus and had been picking them for years. But one night I received a call from his wife saying her husband was desperately ill. I found him lying on the bathroom floor, ghostly white, breathing heavily and in agony. I discovered he had been picking mushrooms and they had been a part of his dinner. He was rushed to the Emergency and nearly died. Now a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal says that foraging and eating wild mushrooms can result in liver failure and even death. And that mistaking toxic mushrooms for edible varieties is...Read More
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Nutrition, Surgery, Vitamins
Do I Need Cataract Surgery?
Do I get a lot of E-mail? Yes, tons of it. Do I get letters? Practically never, particularly those without a return address. So I was surprised by a recent one. All I know is the writer lives in Lethbridge, Alberta, and is elderly. She has written that she wants to be an informed patient, so is asking for my stand on cataract surgery. “Ms. X” simply believed she needed reading glasses, but was told by an optometrist that she required cataract surgery. She remarks, “I hesitated, so he sent me to an ophthalmologist for a second opinion. He also agreed that surgery was needed, suggested I simply sign on the dotted line, then called, “Next patient, please”. But the writer asked...Read More
Miscellaneous
Readers’ Reaction to Self-Inflicted Disease
Recently I asked readers to respond to the column, “Want to be a Millionaire?” I received a ton of mail. A Quebec judge had ruled that smokers could be rewarded for ill health and death even though they knew smoking had been a health hazard for 50 years. So I proposed getting rich similarly by starting a class action suit against food companies for creating the perfect storm of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. After all, this is a monumental crisis compared to smoking. L.P. from West Kelowna, British Columbia, writes, “I totally agree with your every word. These poor saps didn’t know that tobacco was harmful to their health? What a society we live in. The next...Read More
