Gynecology, Pain
Why Do Some Women Have Pain During Sex
Why do some women shy away from sex? It might be fatigue after a long day where everything, everything, has gone wrong. But before men jump to conclusions, they should know about a disease called endometriosis. This problem causes severe pain during sex. It occurs in about 10 percent of women and has a profound effect of their lives. And, about 30 percent will have trouble becoming pregnant. Some women with endometriosis may be fortunate. In spite of extensive disease, they are completely free of symptoms. Others, with minimal amounts of endometriosis bitterly complain of a variety of symptoms. What is endometriosis? At the end of a menstrual cycle women experience vaginal bleeding. The inside of the uterus, called the endometrium, starts...Read More
Infection, Miscellaneous
Make a Stink for Better Public Washrooms
When asked how to become a famous comedian, Steve Martin replied, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” It’s true, bad performers can usually be ignored. But there’s no ignoring bad public washrooms. Public washrooms have a reputation for abysmal filth, as evidenced by dirty toilets, overflowing trash, empty or broken soap dispensers, sloppy countertops, and door handles not to be touched. An American survey found that 21 percent of respondents used a public washroom at least six times a week, sometimes over 15 times! The reason was not always obvious. Youth tend to visit washrooms to use their phones, change their clothes, or “get away”. In fact, 21 percent of youth acknowledge the use of public washrooms to take a mental health...Read More
Cardiovascular, Infection, Lifestyle, Neurology, Pain
Are Canadians Better at Preventing Lyme Disease?
It’s tick season and the little pests are out with a vengeance. Tiny as they are, ticks are a huge nuisance and a hazardous vector of disease. Their ability to latch onto unsuspecting hosts has made them one of the most successful blood-sucking parasites on the planet. Ticks are the primary carriers of Lyme disease, infecting people with their bite. But do ticks or people account for the sizable difference in the number of reported cases in the US and Canada? Every year, in the United States, about half a million people are diagnosed with Lyme disease. Based on population, all other things equal, one would expect about 50,000 cases annually in Canada. Other things, however, must not be equal. Because...Read More
Cardiovascular, Gastroenterology, Nutrition
Fish Oil: Superhero of Supplements
You may be forgiven if you are unfamiliar with Aquaman, a superhero who breathes underwater, communicates with sea creatures, and possesses superhuman strength and agility. But revisit past columns if you haven’t learned that fish are the real superheroes. Why? Because when mere mortals consume fish, their bodies gain extraordinary powers to fight the arch-nemesis of illness. Studies have repeatedly shown that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have remarkable health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, improving cognitive function, and reducing inflammation throughout the body. To gain these benefits, eating enough fatty fish, like salmon and mackerel, isn’t easy, especially with high food prices. For a fraction of the cost, fish oil supplements are a no-brainer. What’s preventing...Read More
Cholesterol, Gastroenterology, Nutrition, Obesity
What Is the Best Nutritional Advice Ever Given?
How long has this column recommended a high-fiber diet? Since March 1978 when readers were informed that processed foods create a “slow assembly line” in the bowels. Now some of the world’s most highly regarded nutritional scientists at Imperial College London say dietary fiber is “the best health advice of all time”! What is it about fiber that is so important? Soluble fiber dissolves in the stomach and can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. Insoluble fiber passes through the digestive system, supporting a faster assembly line that moves waste out, reducing the risks for hemorrhoids and colon disease that creep up when hard stools loiter the bowels. Experts agree that women need about 25-30 grams of fiber daily, and men...Read More
Nutrition
Ecosystem Biodiversity Important to Human Health and Nutrition
The routine of modern-day life for most of us involves regular trips to the grocery store and three meals a day. The regular patterns of our diet can be a source of comfort or a rushed necessity. But is eating the same familiar foods – often the same recipes, products, brands, over and over, day by day – good for us? As nutritious as a “well-balanced” diet may be, there are good reasons to strive for a more diverse diet. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the acclaimed Nigerian writer, was not referring to plant and animal ecosystems when she wrote, "Diversity is not about feeling included, it's about feeling valued." Yet, she’d surely agree. Unless biodiversity is valued, it will lose ground, quite literally. Now,...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Genitourinary, Gynecology, Obesity, Surgery
What to Do When Things Fall Down
The law of gravity means our bodies are pulled down to Earth. This fact inevitably spells trouble over time. But for some women, it causes inconvenient and annoying issues, and sometimes surgery, to address what’s called vaginal prolapse. Not all women are born equal. Some inherit tougher pelvic tissues and do not experience prolapse, even after bearing several children. But the more pregnancies, the greater the risk in older age of weakened all pelvic structures leading to the sagging of the vagina, urinary bladder and often the rectum. The most common complaint is the loss of urine on coughing and sneezing. A large survey of women in North America revealed that four percent suffer from this annoying problem. Apart from pregnancy, what else...Read More
Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Don’t Let Food Safety in the Kitchen Lapse
It’s an age-old problem, but not one that should come with age. Yet, compared to younger culinary novices, elderly people may be more prone to making mistakes in food preparation that can lead to food poisoning. Kitchens can be a dangerous place. So no harm in having a refresher to make sure food safety in the kitchen doesn’t lapse. You know why. Recall that occasion when it seemed like a good meal – until later, when cramps, nausea and diarrhea had you vowing never to eat again. Unless you’ve been visiting uncared for places or you are victim to an outbreak of foodborne illness, there’s no excuse for food poisoning other than an unfortunate mistake. Unfortunately, mistakes happen, and with some frequency...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Neurology
Fire the Canons! It’s Daylight Savings Time!
In a letter to the editor of the Journal of Paris in 1784, Benjamin Franklin wrote, "Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." In his advocacy for people to wake up and leverage the day, Franklin joked there should be a tax on window shutters, candles should be rationed, and canons should be fired at sunrise! But it was the small town of Port Arthur in northern Ontario that first changed the clocks by enactment on July 1, 1908. In recent times, one of the main arguments for shifting the time to align with the sun focuses on energy savings during evening hours. But dozens of studies have shown the effect to be negligible. Now, the...Read More
Lifestyle, Vitamins
100th Trip Around the Sun
People often ask me, what’s my secret to a long and healthy life? This week, I start my 100th trip around the sun. So I must acknowledge that Lady Luck has been on my side. But it’s not just good luck, or good genes. As a medical doctor, I learned early that the best way to stay healthy is to avoid getting sick. Doctors can occasionally work miracles. But these are rare, and you should not count on them as a strategy for a long and healthy life. Your physical body is your only vehicle on this journey of life. It’s been said, “If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?” So take this to heart. Rule...Read More
Vitamins
Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin
Vitamin D is often referred to as the "sunshine vitamin". This is because it is synthesized in our skin in response to sunlight. The beauty of Vitamin D is that it's free – a great model for “all things in moderation” too. There are two main forms of vitamin D: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is the form that is synthesized in the skin, while vitamin D2 is found in some plant-based foods and supplements. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in maintaining bone health by promoting the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the diet. It also helps to regulate the immune system and may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, such as colon, breast, and prostate...Read More
Miscellaneous, Philosophy
If Only It Was Only an Email Nightmare
This month marks twenty years since the Gifford-Jones newspaper column became accompanied by a “medical update” sent by email to subscribing readers. In early February 2003, the column printed in newspapers was titled, “My E-Mail Nightmare”. It began like this: My daughter said, "Dad don’t do it. You don’t need the headaches. Just write your column.” My three sons cautioned, "You have no conception of what you’re getting into. There will be loads of technical problems. Stick to your column." Well I didn’t take their counsel and they were right. Agreeing to provide readers with free medical updates by E-mail has given me E-mailitis. The response was massive, a bloody nightmare. And I keep hearing voices "don’t do it." It’s a wrinkle...Read More
Miscellaneous, Surgery
The Promise of 3D Printing in Healthcare
In healthcare, it’s the elusive breakthrough to a cure for diseases like cancer that has us all hoping. But sometimes it’s the bit-by-bit advancements, rarely getting headings, that make for greater impact. An example is the field of 3D printing, not even a medical technology by inception, but now a major disruptive force in the healthcare industry. Also known as additive manufacturing, 3D printing allows the construction of physical objects based on three-dimensional digital models. A futuristic notion until recently, such printers are now commonly found in high schools, university libraries and labs, and also in a fabulous array of high-tech companies producing medical devices, and yes, body parts of all kinds. Hearing aid manufacturers were early adopters of 3D printing technology....Read More
Alcohol
Is It Safe to Have an Alcoholic Drink Before Dinner?
No one in our family has ever needed to cling to a telephone pole on the way home after drinking too much alcohol. Rather, we have long held that moderate amounts of alcohol can be healthy. But are we right? Now, a new Canadian report claims more than one or two drinks a week increases the risk of health problems, such as heart disease, stroke and cancer. Professor Dan Malleck of Brock University, who specializes in alcohol regulation, and who has written several books on this topic, is skeptical of these generalized guidelines. He says they remind him of the Temperance Movement of long ago. Moreover, he states, the study used relative rather than absolute risk. This means that just three...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Neurology, Philosophy, Psychiatry
Magic Mushrooms Are Moving Mainstream
You may have preconceived ideas that magic mushrooms are the party drugs of days past. However, in Canada and other countries, regulations are starting to ease on these prohibited psychedelics. The impetus stems from clinical trials showing remarkable results in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and treatment-resistant depression. The question begs, when should you plan for a mind-altering trip? "Magic mushrooms" grow naturally in many parts of the world. They contain psilocybin, which produces hallucinogenic effects when eaten. A good many readers may have personal experience. According to data from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health in the US, an estimated 21 million Americans reported having tried psilocybin at least once. Despite remaining illegal for the most part in Canada,...Read More
Cardiovascular, Obesity, Pain
Edema Is a Common Problem Often Ignored
What is one of the most common health problems that develops in people as they age, and also one of the least discussed? The answer is chronic swelling of the legs. At best, it’s a natural consequence of aging. But also known as peripheral edema, there can be medical, nutritional, or lifestyle causes and serious health consequences. Edema is a general term meaning swelling. Peripheral edema occurs in the legs, ankles, feet, as well as arms and hands. Swelling in other parts of the body include pulmonary edema (in the lungs), cerebral edema (in the brain), and macular edema (in the eye). It’s a medical emergency when the lungs or brain are affected, and a life-altering condition when vision is impacted. But...Read More
Lifestyle, Philosophy
Millennials Opting Out of Having Children
A Moroccan proverb claims, “If a man leaves little children behind him, it is as if he did not die.” A Sanskrit saying translates as, “A house without children is only a cemetery.” Having children may be central to sustained human life. But over the past several years, there has been a crescendo of voices arguing for restraint. The most fervent views are expressed by women concerned about climate change. We know some couples decide on a childless marriage in exchange for personal freedom. Others worry about the risk of a difficult child or the effect of a child on an unhappy marriage. And there are other reasons people opt out of parenthood. As Napoleon Bonaparte concluded while in exile on...Read More
Lifestyle
Aging Well at Home
It’s been said that parents should be nice to their children. “After all, they are going to choose your nursing home.” So it is punishment or reward when children choose to help their parents stay living in their own homes? Some lifestyle choices are clear as night and day. Don’t smoke. Do exercise. Don’t lose sleep. Do eat a nutritious diet. But there is no clear answer to the question of where it is best to live out the senior years of life, with significant consequences for everyone in the family. Factors affecting in the decision are plentiful. Healthcare needs and cost of care. Housing suitability and safety considerations. Family location and friend groups. Availability of transportation and other services. And there’s...Read More
Cardiovascular
Think Twice Before Shoveling the Snow
What should we conclude when health experts say people over 45 should not shovel snow? That’s a young age! What could be so threatening about clearing the snow to people in the prime of life? A winter storm may inspire some to curl up under a blanket. But for others, it’s a call to arms. Driveways must be cleared. Sidewalks too. And there’s no point in doing only half the job. But caution is the order. Shoveling snow can be a dangerous activity. Several years ago, the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported on the link between heart attack and snowfall. Researchers matched weather data against hospital data for the 65,000 heart attacks in Quebec between 1981 and 2014. Among men, who tend...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
A Fast for the Holidays
As 2022 comes to a close, grave existential questions loom. Is the doomsday clock ticking louder? Have we harmed our planetary home beyond repair? Is the global economy headed for collapse, or will a reckless war end all things? These are some of the debates that friends and families will have when they gather in groups around the dinner table. This year, those holiday meals themselves may be the source of despair. The higher costs for food make entertaining large groups an expensive proposition. It may not be practical to suggest fasting as an alternative. But it’s good food for thought. And research findings suggest ample benefits. As a new year’s resolution, fasting could have personal health and economic benefits. A global...Read More
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Infection, Lungs
All Stuffed Up for the Holidays
There’s a lot of “stuff” this time of year – the stuffing in the turkey, for example, or all the meaningless commercial stuff we buy for the holidays that ends up in landfills. The holidays are a good time to look around and assess what is good stuff and what is bad. It might disappoint some readers to learn that this week the “stuff” we are choosing to look at is the mucus in your nose. There can be quite a volume of this sticky, or runny, or plugged up stuff at this time of year. A very stuffed up nose can be symptom of trouble. Our thoughts are with the many anxious families dealing with young children battling respiratory syncytial...Read More
Cancer, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Miscellaneous, Neurology
What A Dog’s Nose Knows
What a wonderful world if people could be as generous to humankind as dogs. Regardless of our faults, dogs provide unfailing loving care. A new study suggests dogs may be able to use their sniffing powers to know when someone is having a really bad day. Who knew there is an aroma to being stressed, but dogs seem to detect it. In this, they have a huge advantage over humans. The nose of a dog has 220 million smell cells compared to a meagre 5 million in humans. The powerful sniffers of dogs have long been effective in detecting cancer. A report years ago in the British Journal Lancet reported that a woman’s dog repeatedly sniffed at one mole on her thigh...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Sports
Sarcopenia, Not Cancer, But a Deadly Word
Can you improve muscle mass even as you age? As Mickey Mantle, star player of the New York Yankees, remarked, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” Such is my worry in my 99th year. I was recently having more difficulty getting up from chairs and recalling patients who admitted they could no longer stand up from the toilet seat. They had slowly developed “sarcopenia”, weakened muscles from aging that robs one’s independence. Sarcopenia begins at about age 45 and causes skeletal muscle mass and strength decline at a rate of about one percent a year. By age 65, people who spend most of their time inactive on the sofa watching television...Read More
Diabetes
What Have We Learned in 30 Years?
This week entails a visit to the Gifford-Jones archives. What follows is an excerpt from a column about diabetes published thirty years ago. What has changed in society? You be the judge. November 1992: Diabetes results from an abnormal handling of food by the body. Normally some food is converted into a sugar called glucose. This stimulates the secretion of the hormone, insulin, which acts as a "key" to allow glucose to enter the cells. Glucose is then used as "fuel" to provide energy. There are two types of diabetes. Type I is inherited. It usually occurs before 30 years of age. In these cases, the pancreas produces little or no insulin. It's believed that the immune system in some people gradually destroys...Read More
Miscellaneous, Neurology, Pediatrics
Game On for Video Games
Wandering poorly prepared into a discussion about video games is ill-advised. Yet, people who don’t play video games commonly argue that long hours spent focused on digital playthings, especially by children, rot their brains. It is an uninformed point of view. There are plentiful misconceptions about video games. That label itself is outdated. Video games have evolved in many different directions and “gamification” is rapidly becoming part of the most important aspects of society, from education and healthcare to banking and retail. But what about those children isolated in their bedrooms or basements playing games endlessly? Recent research, published in JAMA Network Open, suggests the kids will be fine. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is a long-term study inviting 11,880 children...Read More
