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Articles

Sex, Women's Health

Testosterone for Sexually Frustrated Women

September 7, 2009

Three weeks ago my column, "Do you want better sex?" struck a resounding note with female readers. But also with many husbands who want their wives to have fewer headaches! The general response was, "Please write more about testosterone and how it can increase female libido". Testosterone, the male hormone, has been called "the hormone of desire". In males the "Big T" builds muscle for boys and ultimately turns boys into sexually well-functioning men. Women also produce testosterone during puberty, about one-tenth as much as males. Later in life they produce less, and this is why some authorities believe women lose interest in sex. How do women learn whether they have less testosterone and therefore "less tiger in the tank"? There's a...Read More

Diabetes

Don’t Become A Diabetes Statistic

September 2, 2009

When a man applied for a job at the railway station he was asked, "Suppose you saw a train coming from the east at 100 miles an hour. Then noticed a train coming from the west at 100 mph. The trains were both on the same track and just a quarter of a mile apart. What would you do?" The man replied, "I'd run and get my brother." "Why would you ever do that at such a critical time?" he was asked. The man said simply, "Because my brother's never seen a train wreck." Today, diabetes and its complications make the perfect medical train wreck. It's destroying tens of thousands of lives and will eventually decimate our health care system. Every...Read More

Orthopedics

Why Would I Write About a Lame Racehorse?

August 31, 2009

How would you like to own a racehorse who won hundreds of thousands of dollars? I'm sure we'd crack open the champagne after each race. But how would you feel when the horse develops arthritis and chip fractures in the knee? Then, four veterinarians and two trainers say, "This horse could not and should not run again". This is when we start crying in our champagne. But what has a racehorse to do with our aches and pains? In one word, plenty. Dr. Fred Kahn, Founder of MediTech Laser and Rehabilitation Clinic in Toronto, told me he inherited this horse in an "exchange ownership" in lieu of paying an outstanding account. But when the horse became lame he decided to see...Read More

Dermatology

Reversa :A New Eco-Friendly Skin Cream

August 27, 2009

What's the latest eco-friendly product? It's not a new discovery to run your car or get rid of your garbage. Rather, it's an eco-friendly skin cream that contains green tea extract. I thought green tea was for drinking. But a report in the American Academy of Dermatology claims that 150 studies prove green tree is beneficial to skin in several ways. Dr. Stephen Hsu at The Medical College of Georgia, says a five year study was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health. The purpose was to find a non-toxic method to prevent the increasing number of people developing skin cancer. Every year one million Americans are diagnosed with this disease. A shocking report from the U.S. National Cancer Institute indicates a...Read More

Neurology

Vitamin C and Alzheimer’s Disease

August 26, 2009

What causes Alzheimer's Disease? No one knows the answer. But a recent report in the journal, Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, claims there is an important link between heart disease and Alzheimer's Disease. The link is atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries). What amazes me is that since it's been shown that vitamin C can reverse atherosclerosis in coronary arteries, why isn't any one advocating its use in trying to prevent Alzheimer's Disease? Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Center in Oakland, California, and the University of Kuopio in Finland, tracked 10,000 people for 40 years. They found that high blood cholesterol was associated with a 66 percent higher risk of Alzheimer's Disease. More worrying was that those with borderline levels of blood cholesterol...Read More

Infection

Super Mushrooms Fight Swine Flu Virus

August 20, 2009

"What's the best natural way to boost immunity against the swine flu virus (SFV)?" a reader from Winnipeg inquires. It's a good question, as currently this virus is killing small numbers of people. But some researchers believe 1N1that H1N1 will return in a few weeks with a vengeance, killing thousands of North Americans. If this happens, can it be possible that a group of powerful medicinal mushrooms can decrease the risk of succumbing to this virus? But first, during an epidemic, never forget these basic precautions. Bow like the Japanese rather than shaking hands, which has always been an unhealthy habit. Handshaking is a prime way to spread infection whether or not there's an epidemic of SFV. Get further protection by...Read More

Infection, Surgery

Surgery Without Any Complications

August 20, 2009

Would jump at the chance of back surgery that has zero risk of post-operative complications, is free of pain and provides relief of all your symptoms? Or do you choose a back operation that provides the same result, but has none of these guarantees? This first choice may sound like being sold swamp land in Florida. But a recent study shows this is not science fiction. Dr. Rachelle Buchbinder of Monash University in Malvern, Australia, recently reported in The New England Journal of Medicine an operation called vertebroplasty. During this surgery medical "cement" was injected into a fractured spinal bone to provide extra strength to it. The surgeons hoped that this approach would relieve back pain as compression fractures of the...Read More

Orthopedics

Spaceflight – No Calling 911 In an Emergency

August 20, 2009

Have you ever dreamed of being an astronaut? Walking in space and looking back at our small planet must be one of life's greatest experiences. But whether you're a star hockey player, mountain climber or astronaut, a healthy price must be paid for the experience. Dr. Robert Thirsk, a Canadian astronaut, reports in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the health hazards and other dangers that lurk in the harsh environment of space. We all complain about jet lag after a flight to Europe. But astronauts orbit the earth once every 90 minutes. This means in 24 hours they see 16 sunsets and sunrises. This is big-time jet lag and it can have a major effect on their sleep pattern, increasing fatigue. Decompression sickness...Read More

Gastroenterology

Don’t Let Your Dignity Kill You – Colonoscopy

August 13, 2009

"Why in the name of Heaven do I submit to this procedure every five years? To be forced into such an undignified position makes me wonder each time if there's a God." My answer remains conclusively the same. I'd rather face15 minutes of immodesty to months of dying slowly from cancer of the large bowel. So don't be fooled by a recent newspaper headline stating that colonoscopy isn't 100 percent foolproof. If you use this report as an excuse for not lying on the colonoscopy table it could be a fatal error. The gold standard for diagnosing colon cancer has always been colonoscopy. But scientists with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and the Universities of Toronto and Western Ontario recently reported...Read More

Orthopedics

Build Muscle Strength From a Bottle?

August 3, 2009

How can young people prevent being in a wheelchair later in life? Visit any nursing home and you see examples of "Sarcopenia", a loss of muscle strength, that robs the elderly of their independence. But can you stop this creeping frailty and build up muscle strength from a bottle? Or is a steak a day, jogging or weightlifting the best way to prevent sarcopenia? I've had many interesting talks with Dr. John Morley, an expert on endocrine therapy at St. Louis University. He describes how the public is often mislead by Madison street ads for snake oil therapy. So I asked him to give me a run-down on what had merit in the prevention of sarcopenia, and what is best tossed...Read More

Women's Health

A New Computerized Technique To Detect Breast Cancer

July 27, 2009

What would I do if I were a woman and worried about breast cancer? I would hope that someone would devise a way to improve the accuracy of mammography. Now, a new computerized ultrasound technique can help to determine what breast lumps are benign or malignant. The result? Fewer sleepless nights waiting for biopsy results. Mammography has always been a questionable procedure. Dr. Peter Gotzsche, a leading Danish researcher, claims there is no convincing evidence that annual mammograms decrease the risk of death from breast cancer. To reach this conclusion Gotzsche and his colleagues analyzed international studies of half a million women. The cruel truth is that the benefits of mammography are modest. Experts say that 2,000 women have to be screened...Read More

Lifestyle, Nutrition

A Unique Way To Lose 100 Pounds

July 22, 2009

"Would you like to see a picture of me taken two years ago?" a patient asked me. I was curious and said, 'Yes". But I was surprised when she produced a photo of a short, plump 200 pound woman She was now half that weight. I asked the obvious question, "How did you do it?" She replied that her lifelong ambition had been to be a jockey, and the following day she would be riding a horse at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. You may not want to ride a racehorse, but she proved there are several ways to lose weight. One Motivation is a huge factor in success, so find a motive. Why not save money in these trying financial times...Read More

Gynecology, Women's Health

What Partners Should Know About Wrong-Way Births

July 21, 2009

What's one of the worst things a baby can do to a mother (and her partner) at the time of delivery? It decides to be born feet or bottom first, rather than head first. Wrong-way birth is called breech birth, and it can have major health consequences for the baby and for family, lasting a lifetime. So women and their partners should never, ever make a hasty or emotional decision on whether or not to have a Cesarean section. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) recently stated that doctors should no longer opt for cesarean section for breech birth. They claim there is no difference in the complication rate between a right-way and wrong-way delivery. This decision is adding...Read More

Gynecology, Women's Health

Hey Guys! There’s Another Kind of Headache

July 9, 2009

"Not tonight dear". We all know what that message means. But there's a type of pain that isn't at all questionable and 99.9 percent of males haven't a clue about it. But can you blame them when so many people have no idea of their own anatomy? A recent report in the British journal BMC Family Practice is hard to believe. King's College researchers asked 722 patients where certain anatomical organs were located. Only 46 percent knew the location of the heart, 31 percent the lungs, 42 percent kidneys, and 38 percent had no idea where the stomach was located. Both sexes scored the same! No one apparently asked where the vagina was located. But in view of this report, it's...Read More

Nutrition

Calcium Causes 64 Percent Increase in Hip Fractures

July 6, 2009

How many of us are not taking calcium supplements today? Not many if my patients are a good sample of what's happening. But do you know that calcium supplementation may cause an increased number of hip fractures? And can meat help to make stronger bones? Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari, Professor of Clinical Research at the University Hospital in Zurick, Switzerland, is a world authority on calcium metabolism. She's also visiting professor at Tufts University in Boston and says the science behind calcium is not as simple as most people believe. Bischoff-Ferrari reports in Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter that two major studies have come up with contradictory findings. The first study analyzed 19 different trials and found no overall benefit to taking greater than average...Read More

Miscellaneous

The Error that Ended James Bond’s Life

June 29, 2009

Can you prove anything you want by statistics? You bet. But here's one case where there's no need to manipulate figures to prove a point. It's a straight, simple, indisputable fact that women live 5.4 years longer than men. So was the Almighty just unkind to men or is this problem the result of their own stupidity? Male vulnerability starts early. The pregnancy of a male fetus is more likely to end in miscarriage or stillbirth. Even as infants the mortality is higher among premature boys. They have a higher rate of developmental disabilities and autism. And are more likely to be born colour blind. They also die more often than women from almost all of the leading killers, coronary attack, cancer,...Read More

Psychiatry

How Embalmed Psychiatrists Could Help Patients

June 21, 2009

Are you worried that you may need psychological help? Or have you been diagnosed with an emotional illness and desire a second opinion? Today, getting speedy appointments isn't easy if you're concerned about mental illness. But there is a way to solve this dilemma. And what should you know about embalmed psychiatrists? Dr. Michael Van Ameringen, is co-director of the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario. He recently reported to the meeting of the American Psychiatric Association how the internet can be used to help people self-diagnose emotional illness. Or how the web can suggest you're not too crazy. This study reminded me of a psychiatry book I read in medical school. The book contained chapters about schizophrenia, manic...Read More

Gastroenterology

Natural Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

June 18, 2009

Dr Basil Morson, a pathologist in London, England, is a world authority on colon cancer. Dr Morson says, "All colon cancers come from polyps". In effect, you do not develop cancer of the large bowel unless you first grow a polyp. These fleshy growths arise from the inside lining of the bowel. It's estimated that about one person in three over the age of 50 has one or more colon polyps. A report from The Mayo Clinic shows that after five years 2.5 percent of polyps become malignant. Ten years later the figure jumps to 10 percent and after 20 years 24 percent. Is there any way to decrease the risk of this common malignancy? Some authorities believe that eating less fat may...Read More

Gastroenterology

Bull Elephants Advice on Treating IBS

June 16, 2009

Would you like to have your picture taken in the nude sitting on a toilet? Then have the photo published in The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper? Surely, we'd all sue for such an indignity. But a recent photo showed Diew, a bull elephant whose been trained to sit on an elephant-sized toilet. No doubt the photo meant to stress that the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an elephant-sized problem. But editors published the wrong photo. It's ironic that an elephant can be trained to sit on a toilet seat, but humans can't be taught how to avoid IBS. It's estimated that 25 percent of North Americans suffer from this disconcerting disease. Diew sitting on the throne, would question whether IBS...Read More

Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat

What I Leaned About Coronary Disease in England – Vitamin C

June 12, 2009

Why would I travel to snowy England in January? I had the chance to spend a week studying with Dr. Sydney Bush, a distinguished English professor of optometry. This week why I believe his research on the cause of coronary artery disease deserves a Noble Prize and how you can benefit from this research. What causes coronary attack? Authorities say it's due to increased blood cholesterol. But I've always questioned this theory since interviewing to Dr. Linus Pauling (the only person to receive two Nobel Prizes). Years ago Pauling told me animals manufacture vitamin C, but humans do not. For instance, goats produce 13,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily! Humans lost this ability during the course of evolution and it's why cats...Read More

Sports

How a Bra Killed Two Young Women

June 11, 2009

What measures one inch in diameter and kills more people than hurricanes and tornadoes combined in the U.S.? Is 50,000 times hotter than the sun and strikes this planet 3.6 million times every year? No doubt you have the answer, "lightning". But you may not know there's less chance of dying from this underrated killer if you remember "the 30 second rule". And how could a bra kill two English women? Lightning packs a huge punch when it strikes. If you're unlucky to be the victim 100,000,000 to 300,000,000 volts will pass through your body with instant and deadly consequences. On July 10, 1926, lightning exploded a navy ammunition depot in Mount Hope, New Jersey, killing 19 people. The cost to rebuild...Read More

Nutrition

Put Some Spice In Your Life

June 4, 2009

"Give Fae ginger ale for her queasy stomach", I suggested to my daughter. But, "What's in ginger ale that's going to help?" she asked me. Telling her that my Mother gave me ginger ale for this ailment wasn't the scientific reply she expected from me. Unfortunately, my Mother had never mentioned the magic ingredient in this drink. So I decided to research the health benefits of ginger and other spices. A report on spices in Nutrition Action Health Letter contained a initial surprise for me, and probably some mothers. It reports little or no ginger in most ginger ale! And whether ginger is effective depends on to whom you listen. Dr. Suzanna Zick, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, reports four...Read More

Miscellaneous

Medical Tidbits

May 25, 2009

During long plane flights I always ask for a glass of wine with dinner. Wine helps me to catnap and relieve the boredom of night travel. But why does red wine cause drowsiness? In the past we understood that melatonin, a soporific, was only produced by mammals. Now, a report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture claims that melatonin is also produced by plants. Italian scientists report that the skin of grapes used to make red wine contains high levels of melatonin. So enjoy your merlot or cabernet sauvignon for relaxation and sleep. Obesity : Threat To U. S. Security? The U.S. army won the Battle of the Bulge 60 years ago. But Major General Thomas Bostick says...Read More

Nutrition, Vitamins

What You Don’t Know About Calcium

May 20, 2009

How many of us are not taking calcium supplements today? Not many if my patients are a good sample of what's happening. But do you know that calcium supplementation may cause an increased number of hip fractures? And can meat help to make stronger bones? Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari, Professor of Clinical Research at the University Hospital in Zurick, Switzerland, is a world authority on calcium metabolism. She's also visiting professor at Tufts University in Boston and says the science behind calcium is as simple as most people believe. Bischoff-Ferrari reports in Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter that two major studies have come up with contradictory findings. The first study analyzed 19 different trials and found no overall benefit to taking greater than average amounts...Read More

Gastroenterology

Can A Fart Kill?

May 19, 2009

What are the Ig Noble prizes? These prestigious awards are given each year at Harvard University to those engaged in strange scientific research such as fast repetitive ticks (FRTs). Canadian researchers showed that farts can actually be lethal. Ig Noble Prizes were awarded to the Vatican and a soft drink company to show that Harvard's horn-rimmed professors also have a sense of humour. Rectal gas (flatus) happens to Kings, Queens and the rest of us, and is a constant reminder that we're all quite human. And when the urge to pass flatus happens in delicate situations, we would prefer to be in the middle of the Sahara Desert. It's never been easy to obtain medical information on flatus. After all, what doctor...Read More