Cardiovascular, Nutrition
Sugar, Not Fat, Responsible for Heart Attack
What can we learn from history? Dr. John Yudkin, Professor of Nutrition at Queen Elizabeth College of London, made headlines in 1972 when his book was published, “Pure White and Deadly”. Yudkin’s research convinced him it was not fat that caused heart attack, but sugar. So has history proved him right? And is sugar the main reason for today’s epidemic of cardiovascular disease and other health problems? Damning sugar obviously did not win Yudkin popularity with the sugar industry. It’s sad that great efforts were taken, even by academic colleagues, to discredit his work. In fact, one researcher labelled his studies “science fiction”. But Robert Lustig, professor of endocrinology at the University of California, has hailed Yudkin’s research as “prophetic”. He says...Read More
Miscellaneous
How Much Did You Learn in 2019?
Another year has come and gone. I wonder how much readers learned about lifestyle in 2019? Here are 20 statements, true or false. #1 17 million North Americans take a daily heartburn drug, such as Nexium, Prilosec or Prevacid every day. Taking them for a year or longer increases the risk of heart attack and bone fractures. #2 Dr. Sydney Bush, an English optometrist, proved that high doses of vitamin C could prevent and reverse hardening of arteries. #3 The first Gifford-Jones Prize for Service to Humanity was awarded to a seeing eye dog. #4 The risk of a fatal car accident is five times greater with alcohol use and 40 times greater when both alcohol and marijuana are consumed. #5 The U.S Center for...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
Why It’s Important to Sign Up at docgiff.com
What do newspaper editors do if they don’t agree with what you write? They fire you. I’ve annoyed some editors by expressing an opinion on controversial subjects. Or by stressing that natural remedies can be safer, less expensive, and more effective, than synthetic drugs. Today, drugs kill 100,000 North Americans every year and are responsible for sending hundreds of thousands to emergency departments because of adverse drug interactions. I have often said that in the next life I want to own all the newspapers, as freedom of the written word is only enjoyed by those who control the media. But I’m still alive on this planet and have been fired, basically for fighting the establishment. So editorial truth is under attack. Newspapers,...Read More
Gastroenterology
Hiccups: Are They a Nuisance or a Medical Problem?
Hippocrates, in 400 B.C., counselled that, “Sneezing will stop a hiccup.” But for centuries the hiccup also triggered laughter when it happens while talking to friends. But medical reports show there are occasions when a hiccup is no laughing matter. We all know that everyone encounters hiccups at some time in their life. Most of the time they’re completely harmless and eventually stop after a brief period. Hiccups happen when the diaphragm, the muscular structure separating the chest and abdominal organs, experiences a sudden involuntary spasm. This spasm is followed by closure of the slit-like opening between the vocal cords causing the hiccup. Dr. Timothy Pfanner, assistant professor of medicine at Texas A&M University College of Medicine, says persistent hiccups may last more...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
My Final Column for Post Media Newspapers
Life is full of surprises. It's ironic my recent column explained why I still work at 95 – that avoiding retirement is a healthy choice. To keep up with technology, I recently upgraded my computer to Windows10, an exercise that challenged my sanity. But despite my efforts, I was informed last week that Post Media has decided to discontinue my column! So, what can I say to my many readers in Sun newspapers? First, my thanks to Sun Editors for publishing my column for so many years. It’s been a privilege to discuss medical matters with your readers. The column began 45 years ago, and for many years, the Sun papers have helped me reach a wide audience. Although your readers...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy, Surgery
The Greatest Gift to Give at Any Time of the Year
This holiday season there will be joy, intimacy, and affection around many family dinner tables. But for some families it will be a difficult time with little laughter. They know that next year a family member may be missing. They are waiting for the donation of a kidney, heart or other vital organ to keep a loved one alive. But it may not arrive in time. So here’s a story of compassion from a man who gave the ultimate gift to a perfect stranger. I recently came across an article written by Naazneen Karmali, Asia Wealth Editor and India Editor for Forbes Asia. She relates the story of a wealthy Indian tycoon, Kochouseph Chittilappilly. He acknowledged that, as his 60th birthday...Read More
Lifestyle
Why Am I Still Working at 95?
I’m often asked, “Why don’t you stop working?” It’s a good question as many of my friends have left this planet. But I don’t want to get rusty, so I’m happy to have a work routine. Besides, an article from the Harvard Medical School indicates there are health benefits to working longer. At the time of the Roman Empire, people often died in their twenties. Infectious diseases were the primary cause of death. Nicole Maestas, an associate professor of health policy at Harvard studies the economics of aging, health and disability. She says, “Today, people who reach 65 years of age, will on average live to 84 years for men and 86 for women. So it’s natural they may be working longer.” Maestas...Read More
Lungs
Popcorn Disease: A New Way to Injure the Lungs
“What’s your secret for good health and longevity?” I have been asked repeatedly on radio, TV, and in interviews. My reply is simple. “You must learn early in life to practice a sound lifestyle and continue it forever.” This should be easy. Yet we are not learning from history. The Canadian Medical Association Journal has reported the case of a 17-year-old boy, who has been seriously injured from smoking e-cigarettes. Several cases of lung injury have been reported recently in North America. But this particular patient should get more headlines than others due to its unique cause. The CMAJ reports that the vaping injury was similar to, “Popcorn Lung”. This is a condition seen in workers exposed to the chemical flavouring,...Read More
Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Neurology, Vitamins
The Perfect Omega-3
It’s been aptly said, “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that ain’t so.” For instance, most North Americans believe that when they eat fish twice weekly as recommended, or take omega-3 fish-oil supplements, that they have sufficient omega-3 essential fatty acids. But a Canadian study using the Omega-3 Index shows that ain’t so. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) including omega-3 are needed for growth, healthy cellular membranes, many reactions in the body, and are crucial for brain, mood, joint, and cardiovascular health. So EFAs have been called, “nutritional missing links”. Two of these essential acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) are key to the reduction of cellular inflammation and they...Read More
Cancer
Stomach Cancer – The Orphan Malignancy
Napoleon Bonaparte, John Wayne, and Peter O’Toole all succumbed to stomach cancer. Yet, when we talk about cancer, all the attention usually goes to lung, breast, prostate or colon cancer. This is why stomach cancer is often called the “Orphan Malignancy”. But stomach cancer strikes over 32,000 North Americans every year. It also demands a dramatic change in lifestyle when this vital organ is lost. So it’s well worth the effort to decrease the risk. Early stomach cancer usually has no symptoms. In fact, when indigestion, bloating, and weight loss occur, it can be due to several benign reasons. So it’s often only when fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain begin that patients realize there’s a problem and seek medical advice. The...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Tests That Prevent Severe Disability or Death
It’s been said that if the U.S. Constitution was rewritten afresh, its authors would not stress the pursuit of happiness, but rather the pursuit of health. Today, when people get together, their topic of discussion eventually turns to health concerns, such as losing weight, blood pressure, bone density or other medical issues. Now there are tests to indicate the condition of your health. And if tests show an early abnormality, rule #1 is prevention. Rule #2 is never forget rule #1. Blood Pressure Hypertension is one of the main causes of heart attack, so what number should you try to maintain? Dr. William Dale, spokesperson for the American Geriatric Society, says that “regardless of age, North Americans should shoot for a blood...Read More
Surgery
Appendicitis: To Operate or Not to Operate
This year about 700,000 appendectomies will be performed in North America. And although the lowly appendix does not get the attention associated with other problems, each year nearly 3,000 people will die of appendicitis. But do all cases require surgery? We’ve come a long way since the French surgeon Dupuytren ridiculed the idea that the appendix could be the cause of infection. Later, Henry Sands, a New York surgeon, simply stitched up a hole in an appendix! It’s also hard to believe that another surgeon, just straightened out the kinks in the appendix! If these patients survived, it was the Almighty who saved them. The appendix is a fingerlike tube about four inches long that’s situated in the lower right side of...Read More
Pain
Are Your Facet Joints Causing You Pain?
It’s been aptly said, “They preach patience who never felt pain.” Chronic severe pain can be soul destroying, particularly when the diagnosis is not known. One of the most troublesome categories is back and neck pain. It can render people immobile, making even the simplest activity a challenge. Because it involves the spine, and therefore a wide range of muscles as well as the delicate and complex central nervous system, back and neck pain is also a worry due to the risks of treatments that go wrong. Unfortunately, all too often, the diagnosis and treatment of spinal problems involves expensive tests, risky surgical procedures, and powerful drugs. But as regular readers will know, I have always been loath to recommend surgeries...Read More
Dental, Nutrition, Pediatrics, Philosophy
Halloween Should Scare Up a Big Boooo!
If you are looking for a holiday tradition that has lost any semblance of common sense, look no further than Halloween. Today, it has few redeeming qualities. Let’s focus on only the health issues associated with children consuming ridiculous quantities of junk. Halloween candy comprises the lowest quality food on the market – cheap, sugary chocolate bars, chewy treats, hard candies, salty chips, soft drinks, and who knows what else – all questionably packaged, and gleefully handed out to unsuspecting youngsters as if it were the best thing on Earth. What a crock! Mary Poppins sang that a “spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”, but that should be a rare occasion. Today, I see children spooning far more than that...Read More
Nutrition
The Truth about Sugar Substitutes
Have I been leading readers astray? For years this column has stressed that we’re all consuming too many calories, and in particular, too much sugar. I’ve always practiced what I write, so for years I’ve made sure it is a sugar-free cola that I add to my rum before dinner. But are these alternatives to sugar safe? Scientists at Tufts University report that the research on sugar substitutes continues to advance – yet few clear answers are apparent. For over 40 years, highly refined sugar substitutes have been on the market and common additives in drinks and foods. But for food safety, a cloud has always hung overhead. Dr. Alice H. Lichenstein, Director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at the USDA’s Human...Read More
Infection, Lifestyle, Pediatrics
Are we keeping our kids too clean?
Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India’s independence movement, popularized the expression, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Any doctor would agree that cleanliness is on the pathway to health nirvana. But are we going too far in keeping young children isolated from common germs? Are some parents doing a disservice to their youngsters by keeping them too clean? For decades, immunologist have been studying whether exposing young children to a little dirt might strengthen the ability of their immune systems to fight infection later in life. Research by Sir Mel Greaves, Professor of Cell Biology at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, England, shows that children raised in cleaner environments are more likely to have weakened immune systems. But experts are concerned an...Read More
Philosophy
Gun Response Proves Politicians Have the Wrong Answer
A recent column argued that gun deaths in North America could only be stopped by following Singapore’s strict gun laws and severe penalties. This resulted in many responses now posted at docgiff.com/reader-mail-on-the-rule-of-law. They reveal an utter loathing by the public of politicians who are too weak-kneed to tackle this cancerous social problem that’s undermining society’s well-being. From P.P., “My little city of 100,000 has now become the most criminal and dangerous city in Canada in the last few years. It’s no longer the same city I loved. I plan on moving.” This sad reaction was echoed by several people who have become afraid of being in large public places. D.O. replies, “Finally someone talks about the impact of gun violence on one’s...Read More
Orthopedics, Sports, Women's Health
What Medical Advice Would I Give Bianca Andreescu?
What an historic moment for Canada as we all watched Bianca Andreescu defeat Serena Williams at the U.S. Tennis Open and capture her first major tennis championship. I’m sure that this talented teenager will win more trophies in the future. So is there any medical advice to help her avoid injury and end a promising career? One thing quickly caught my eye when the cities of both Mississauga and Toronto gave her a hero’s welcome. Her appearance in civilian attire gave us a chance to see her style off the court. But it was her shoes that shocked me. I wondered why a high performance athlete had not been warned of the hazards of high heels. One unfortunate misstep could cause...Read More
Pain, Philosophy
Rotten Law, Rotten Politicians, Rotten Eggs
Months ago, I wrote a bracelet could be worn by those opposed to medical assistance in dying (MAID). The bracelet would protect those individuals, and the law’s restrictive, now seemingly unconstitutional, conditions could be relaxed for those who want access to MAID. I sent a letter and the column to every Member of Parliament (MP) and Senator in Canada urging a rewrite of the law. I’ve delayed writing another column on this topic so our elected and appointed leaders could respond. So what happened? First, there was an avalanche of mail from readers in response to my initial column. From JR – It’s a brilliant solution to a difficult problem. Congratulations for your efforts to ensure human rights for all. SW says – Your...Read More
Philosophy
The Rule of Law Could End Mass Shootings
Campaigning politicians in Canada and the U.S. are arguing for stricter gun laws to address the epidemic of gun deaths. I predict they will fail. Why? Because politicians consistently demonstrate they have not read history or studied psychology. Furthermore, it’s been my experience they do not have the intestinal fortitude to pass justifiable, tough-on-crime laws. I believe this issue is no longer just an issue of security, crime and punishment. Due to all its ramifications for our bodily, mental and societal well-being, I believe it has become a health issue. California has the most restrictive gun laws in the U.S., but they are clearly not tough enough. California suffers the most mass shootings in the country. When penalties are not severe, these...Read More
Medicine, Pain
Did you hear about the North American wimp epidemic?
How do people in other countries handle pain following various surgical procedures? It’s a pertinent question today in light of the debate on opioid usage in North America. A recent report in JAMA Network Open, published by the American Medical Association, confirms what I have argued, that North Americans have become wimps when confronted with pain. So who is responsible for this? I first became aware of what was happening to pain control many years ago. I had an impacted wisdom tooth which my dentist said must be removed. So I called a dental surgeon in Toronto, whom I had known for years, and made an appointment for this procedure. Following the tooth’s removal, he said, “Be sure to take this painkiller every...Read More
Cardiovascular, Orthopedics
The “Perfect Calcium” To Prevent Weak Bones
Michelangelo remarked over 500 years ago that, “Trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.” It’s a phrase often repeated when teaching young surgeons. Now, there’s a “Perfect Calcium”, an Icelandic natural remedy that helps to keep bones strong. Studies show that one in four women and one in eight men over age 50 suffer from osteoporosis (brittle bones). So due to an aging population, we can expect more hip, spinal, and other bone fractures in the future. What about the use of calcium supplements? The point is that not all calcium products are the same. Most use calcium mined from limestone, a sedimentary rock. After processing this material it contains only one mineral, calcium. But one particular product, Aquamin, is a source of calcium...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine
Natural Remedies Could Help Finance Pharmacare
It’s soon voting time and politicians will again try buying your votes with freebies. One is universal Pharmacare. England, France, and New Zealand have varying types of free drugs. Canada and the U.S. should have the same. But the U.S. debt is $22 trillion and Canada’s $2.2 trillion. The “Debt Time Clock” shows these debts are increasing by millions every hour. If this doesn’t scare you, nothing will. But could increased use of natural remedies help make Pharmacare more affordable? The National Pharmacare Advisory Council tells us it will cost $15 billion. But we’re all suffering from chronic amnesia if we do not remember that the costs always balloon when politicians get involved. Pharmacare is not a cheap proposition. Costs will...Read More
Neurology, Pain
Magnesium: A Natural Remedy to Treat Migraine
Migraine attacks have plagued humankind for centuries and they are still a major cause of disability worldwide. During a recent reunion at the Harvard Medical School, a professor told me of an interesting study. He said that Dr. Stephanie W. Goldberg, a neurologist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, has reported that magnesium can be helpful in treating these debilitating headaches. Migraine attacks are not your typical headache. Rather, they’re associated with an intense throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and an increased sensitivity to light and sound. Patients may also complain of visual disturbances, such as flashes of light, zigzag lines or stars. It’s not surprising that Statistics Canada finds 63% of those with...Read More
Sports
How Does Our Longevity Compare with MLB Players?
Today, what’s the best message that parents can give their children about sports? I’d be particularly concerned if a child wanted to get involved in football or hockey. I’d try to convince him or her it’s safer to play baseball. Now, a report in Men’s Health Resources, reveals this is prudent advice. Marc Weisskopf is professor of environmental epidemiology and physiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston. His 10-year study compares mortality rates and health of 10,500 major league baseball (MLB) players with those involved in other major league sports. First, Weisskopf has bad news for the rest of us mortals. His research reveals that MLB players tend to live 24% longer than the average American male....Read More
