Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Infection, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Philosophy, Vitamins
The Forever Formula for Good Health and Longevity
Readers often ask me what it takes to reach 100. My answer is always the same. Good genes. Good luck. And a lifetime of good choices about my health. “What about your daily regimen of high dose vitamin C, lysine, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, quercetin, and proline?” That’s right, I say. It’s my forever formula for health and longevity. I’ve recommended all kinds of things to readers, like stepping on the bathroom scale every day, taking good care of teeth, getting sufficient fibre in the diet, and being wary of medication. My website (docgiff.com) has thousands of my articles posted, and although maybe not all of them have aged as well as I have been fortunate to do, readers can find all...Read More
Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Lifestyle, Obesity
Never Ignore the Symptoms of Early Heart Failure
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, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Obesity, Sports
An Active Lifestyle is the Right Resolution
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
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Obesity, Pediatrics
Heart Disease Prevention Begins with Children and Good Parenting
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
Alcohol, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Lifestyle, Philosophy
Think Before you Drink Alcohol
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, Cardiovascular, Infection, Philosophy, Sex
More Amore for Good Health
Have you had enough of the daily news about endless epic failures of humankind to get things right? What if everyone just made love a little more? Would we all be in a better place? The fact is, having sex – or more to the point, making love – is downright good for you. We’ve said it before, and it bears repeating. Good sex is good exercise. Interesting acrobatics between two people involve a little stretching to limber up the muscles. Vigorous aerobic activity consumes calories. Good exercise, no matter how you get it, will help fight off the demon of obesity. If couch potatoes traded watching TV with chips for a regular romp with their partners, there would be a...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Neurology, Nutrition, Obesity, Philosophy
Starving the Gut Feeds the Brain
If our bodies could speak to our brains, many would hear this: “Dear brain, please know the difference between being hungry and bored. Sincerely, I’m getting fat!” Who doesn’t turn to food when the doldrums set in? The smart brains would offer their hosts three pieces of advice. One, eat nutritional food. Two, limit portion sizes. And three, now and again, engage in fasting. Why fasting? Because studies show that for obese and skinny people alike, after prolonged reduction of food intake, the body’s defences improve against stresses. Cardiovascular risks decline. And the brain functions better. Temporary cessation of eating provokes chemical changes throughout the body. Ketones are a type of chemical the liver produces when it breaks down fats. The body...Read More
Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Medicine, Obesity
New Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes
Albert Einstein wrote, “Everything is a miracle.” Is it possible that a new class of drugs is finally providing a miracle in the fight against diabetes? Ozempic and Trulicity, produced by Novo Nordisk and Ely Lilly, are examples of the brand-name prescription drugs gaining attention for fighting type 2 diabetes and showing success. Type 2 diabetes is among the leading killers globally. But information about these drugs is running wild. The hoped-for miracle needs a measure of grounding. Consider Ozempic, a prescription drug, injected weekly by pen. It’s approved in Canada and the U.S. to treat type 2 diabetes, a lifestyle disease linked with obesity and a major risk factor for heart attack, blindness, kidney failure, and gangrene of the legs...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
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
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
Cardiovascular, Nutrition
The Right Omega-3 Reduces Risk of Heart Disease
How many readers still neglect to reduce their risk of heart attack? Can’t cut the sugar and salt? Still addicted to tobacco? Must have those harmful fatty foods, and moderate exercise is just too tough? This column has been like a broken record repeating the same song for years. “If you keep going to hell, you will eventually get there.” Despite clear evidence that fish oil significantly lowers risk of coronary heart disease, why is this still a niche market, as compared to, say, ubiquitous potato chips? Some readers, though, are listening. In a previous column, we reported on the benefits of MaxSimil, a high-absorption form of omega-3 containing the two main nutrients in fish oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Our bodies...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Have a Little Laugh When Angry
The iconic Marvin The Martian from Looney Tunes, frustrated by Bugs Bunny in his efforts to blow up Earth, would quickly walk away declaring, “You make me very, very angry.” He offered kids an entertaining lesson in how to handle heated confrontations. A refresher course for adults would be a good prescription. How people manage anger can make a big difference for personal health and much more. Anger, itself, is not always a negative thing. Anger can be a natural and useful emotional response to perceived wrongs. For example, getting angry can be highly motivational. Individuals can deploy anger to break a bad habit and groups can work together in the same way. The #MeToo movement rallied collective anger against injustice to...Read More
Cardiovascular, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Rake Up the Leaves this Fall
What’s the most absurd image of healthy living? It’s a picture of a young woman using a leaf blower to clean up leaves in her yard while wearing ear protection, eye protection, and a mask covering her nose and mouth. The only thing that makes good sense is the mask. It’s the leaf blower that is most offensive. The first offense is the condoning of laziness. A leaf blower nearly eliminates the physical effort needed to clean up the leaves. In the past, we may have looked upon this as a good thing. Less work equals better life. False! Raking up those leaves offers a wonderful cardio workout, in the lovely outdoors, resulting in the satisfaction of a job well done. It’s exercise...Read More
Cardiovascular
Know and Love a Woman? Protect Her Heart
How many people realize women’s coronary arteries are understudied, underdiagnosed, and undertreated? The Cleveland Clinic, a leading cardiology centre, says heart disease is seven times deadlier for women than breast cancer. Build up of plaque in the heart’s arteries contributes to the death of one in every three women, more than all cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and accidents combined. But heart disease kills even more men. This fact and the historical focus on heart disease in men means most people are unaware of the risk factors for heart disease in women. A report from the American Heart Association (AHA) says there have been stunning improvements in death rates of both sexes from coronary heart disease (CHD) since 1980. But women have not...Read More
Cardiovascular
Watch Out for Warm Summer Nights
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John sang about romance in “Summer Nights”, the opening song in the hit movie, Grease. But now, at 68, he, more so than she, may want to watch out for a different kind of summer heat. New research shows that warm summer nights increase the risk of heart-related death among men in their 60s. The study involved analysis of 39,912 deaths due to cardiovascular disease in England and Wales between 2001 and 2015. After controlling for other factors, a rise of 1° Celsius (1.8° Fahrenheit) in summer nighttime temperature was associated with a 3.1% increase in the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease among men aged 60 to 64 years. Replicating research results helps validate findings, and...Read More
Cardiovascular, Sex
Boosting Nitric Oxide the Antidote to Getting Older
The French existentialist, Gabriel Marcel, asserted “Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be experienced.” Nevertheless, scientists remain intent on figuring it out. The cells in our bodies are susceptible to damage. A sunburn is a visible example. Ultraviolet rays scorch skin cells, causing rapid death. Damage occurs at a slower pace from poor diet, excessive alcohol, smoking, and all kinds of physical and mental stress. Over time, the biological process of replacing damaged cells through replication involves compounding errors, and cells die completely. When too many cells die, biological systems start to falter. This, in short, is aging. Researchers are exploring experimental drugs, essential trace minerals, and even calorie restriction as avenues to longer lives. What is the...Read More
Cardiovascular, Vitamins
Why Wouldn’t You Take Care of Your Heart?
Diana Gifford-Jones: You are starting your 99th year. To what do you attribute your good health? Gifford-Jones, MD: I’ve been fortunate, but it nearly didn’t happen. I suffered a major heart attack when I was 74. My cardiologists insisted on cholesterol-lowering drugs to fight heart disease. But I knew of two-time Nobel Prize winner Dr. Linus Pauling’s research on high-dose vitamin C. I opted for a regimen of 10,000 mg daily which I still continue. Diana: Why not take cholesterol-lowering drugs? Giff: There are side-effects I preferred to avoid. Everyone needs to make their own decisions with their doctors, but mine was anchored in the belief Dr. Pauling was right. He knew that animals produce vitamin C and humans do not. This is...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Do You Have an Inflammatory Lifestyle?
Chronic inflammation is unlike what happens with a cut or an invading germ when the immune system mounts a fight and then stands down. In such cases, inflammation is part of the healing response. But when lifestyle issues have the immune system active all the time, there may be no symptoms, but plenty of costs. Dr. Erin Michos, Director of Women’s Cardiovascular Health at Johns Hopkins Medicine, explains, “Sustained low levels of inflammation irritate your blood vessels. Inflammation may promote the growth of plaques, loosen plaque in your arteries and trigger blood clots — the primary cause of heart attacks and strokes.” Rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes involve chronic inflammation. Immune cells and the antibodies they produce create swelling to help isolate the...Read More
Cardiovascular
A Wave of Heart Disease Among Healthcare Workers?
There has always been a lot of heart in the practice of medicine – literally and figuratively. Typically, the focus is on the beating heart of the patient. But has the pandemic, unlike any challenge to the medical profession before, impacted the hearts of front-line healthcare workers themselves? Medicine is “a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.” These words of Sir William Osler, a founding figure of modern medicine, were a warning as much as a motivation. A contemporary of Osler, Dr. Maude Abbott, a cardiac pathologist, was one of Canada’s earliest women in medicine. Her calling was challenged by refusal of entry to medical school. (She was barred from entrance to McGill’s medical program...Read More
Cancer, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Neurology
Stand Up To Read This Column
Get up on your feet. Seriously. It will be good for you. Sitting is something we have all become accustomed to doing a lot more of lately. Just prior to the pandemic, studies showed that the average adult spent about 6.5 hours a day sitting – an hour longer than had been the case a decade earlier. In 2019, teenagers were sitting for upwards of 8 hours a day, and for some much longer than that. During the pandemic, a study in the UK found that people were spending more than eight hours a day sitting. Canadians are reportedly sitting around for 10 hours a day! Dr. Jennifer Heisz, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, surveyed over 1600 people to compare physical activity...Read More
Cardiovascular, Infection, Lungs, Neurology
Who Has Lost the Logic in the Vaccine Debate?
Why would any logical person choose to face severe medical complications of COVID if they could be avoided? Most of us have weighed the issues and decided to follow vaccine recommendations. But some flatly refuse. Why? No issue is crying out louder for resolution than this vaccine debate. Now governments are set to mandate COVID vaccines to force hesitant citizens to comply. It’s been done before time and again – for childhood immunizations, for example. That’s one way to go about it. But a look at the medical evidence should help compel sensible people to opt in. A growing stack of studies shows that vaccinated people are much less likely to die from COVID than the unvaccinated. Do not people desire to stay...Read More
Cardiovascular, Miscellaneous, Neurology, Sports
Ring in the New Year with Your Inner Mountaineer
It’s not what we were hoping for at this time of year. The doom and gloom of Omicron has many people feeling down. But casting your gaze upwards might be just the right move. For a New Year’s Resolution, this might be a good time to channel your inner mountaineer. Christmas and New Years should be the season for celebration, not hibernation. Families should be together, not torn apart by differing views on vaccination. Charitable giving should be the theme, not clamouring for rapid test kits. Yet so it goes. Even among those getting out for a would-be joyous wintertime walk, you can see, in the narrow space between their toques and their masks, the melancholy in their eyes. So, what’s the...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Vitamins
Long-term survival after heart attack
Diana Gifford-Jones: You were 74 when a coronary attack nearly killed you. A short time later you had a coronary bypass. Readers often ask what you have done to prevent another coronary for so long? Gifford-Jones, MD: I have no single answer. I’m convinced it’s been a combination of factors. Diana: What’s your personal routine for heart health? G-J: I was lucky to interview Dr. Linus Pauling years ago. He believed that heart disease is partially due to a deficiency of vitamin C. This causes microscopic cracks in the inner lining of arteries. A blood clot results with possibility of death. I didn’t want to pop handfuls of vitamin C tablets, so I formulated Medi-C Plus, a powder form of C in combination...Read More
