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Vitamins

It’s arthritis month and millions of North Americans are suffering from osteoarthritis, the wear and tear type, associated with aging. Why does this happen, and why does one remedy never hit the headlines? A French professor started his class by saying, “This has been said before, but must be said again, because no one listened.” So it must be said again about osteoarthritis because not enough people listened! An aphorism states, “If you keep going to hell, you’ll eventually get there.” Millions of people eventually get to an arthritic hell because they’re obese. How can anyone not expect to develop painful hips and knees when they are subjected day after day to 50 or more extra pounds of stress?...Read More

Lifestyle, Medicine

Who are the master chemists that control water balance in our bodies, keep the blood neither too acid nor alkaline, rid us of dangerous waste, filter every drop of blood in our bodies every 30 minutes and weigh a mere five ounces? They’re our kidneys. But millions of North Americans are so abusing this vital organ that their lives depend solely on renal dialysis. What lethal mistakes are they making? History provides much of the answer. Fifty years ago in Australia, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, people developed a bad habit. They were using mixtures of Aspirin, codeine, phenacetin and caffeine, not only for pain relief, but also for their mood-altering qualities. In fact, at watch factories in Switzerland, workers were...Read More

Lifestyle, Sports

So you’ve decided to get into shape and join the local health club? No one can fault that idea. But remember, there are pluses and minuses to most things in life, including health clubs, that result in unintended consequences. Health clubs by necessity have a large number of hot, perspiring, less than clean bodies. So you don’t need to be an infectious disease specialist to know there’s potential infection everywhere. This means that precautionary measures must be taken seriously by the health club, its clients and, particularly, you. It’s hard to decipher the brains of some people. For instance, a female patient of mine stopped going to a fitness center in downtown Toronto. She was tired of repeatedly finding used...Read More

Nutrition

Why do people eat more than they should? You say you’ve heard all the reasons? But I bet you’re dead wrong. Why? It’s because a report in The Nutrition Action Health Letter is written by a marketing expert, not a doctor. As well, there’s a way to get rid of unwelcome dinner guests, and trick a bartender. Brian Wansink, Professor of Marketing at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, directs the Food and Brand Lab. He asks people “When was the last time you ate to the point of regretting it?” He follows that with, “Why did you do it?” He receives the usual answers, “It was a tough day” or “I was depressed” etc, etc. But most replied...Read More

Cardiovascular

What do the swinging doors of a western movie have to do with mitral valve surgery? They’re the easiest way to describe what’s wrong with the heart’s valves and what surgical procedure is needed to correct mitral valve prolapse (MVP). To get a first-hand look I watched Dr. Tirone David, one the world’s great cardiac surgeons, perform this operation at the Toronto General Hospital. The mitral valve separates the two left chambers of the heart. Each time the heart beats the valves open, like the swinging doors of a western saloon. But after opening they firmly close while the heart pumps blood to the body. The problem is that swinging doors of saloons often develop loose rusty hinges which don’t close well....Read More

Cancer, Dermatology

“Is it a benign mole or a malignant melanoma?” you wonder. This is an important question as the number of cases of melanoma continues to increase. It’s shocking that the incidence of new cases is now greater than the combined number of breast, lung, prostate and large bowel cancers. So how can you prevent dying from this disease? Rudyard Kipling, the English novelist, gave some sound advice when he wrote, “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun”. Too much sun exposure is the cause of many melanomas. Remember that if your shadow is shorter than you, it’s time to get out of the sun. Dr. Allan Halpern, chief of dermatology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York...Read More

Lifestyle, Miscellaneous

If your company makes soup, what’s the best way to shoot yourself in the foot? Try selling soup with a little less salt. In 2009 Campbell Soup made a brave and healthy decision. Each serving of its soup would have 32 percent less sodium to help tame one of North America’s big killers, hypertension. Now the foolish consumer has forced Campbell Soup to put the sodium back again. For years the medical profession has lambasted food manufacturers for loading our food with salt, thus stoking the epidemic of cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure is the leading cause of death in the world. It’s estimated that 25 percent of North Americans have hypertension and five million Canadians suffer from it. It’s a...Read More

Cardiovascular, Lifestyle

Think you know everything on how to lower blood cholesterol? I’m sure it’s no news that excessive amounts of sugar can cause obesity, diabetes and more visits to the dentist. But a report from Tufts University School of Nutrition says this is the first study to show that too much sugar is also bad news for blood cholesterol. It appears they’ve forgotten the work of Dr. John Yudkin. North Americans love sugar because it tastes good and food companies know it. Studies show that they get 16 percent of their total calories from sugar added to foods during manufacturing. Thirty five years ago it was 10.6 percent. It’s the “silent sugar” hidden in a variety of everyday foods such as...Read More

Miscellaneous

Do doctors get better medical care? Today, patients frequently complain that doctors don’t spend enough time with them. Or never communicate after diagnosis. But at a class reunion of The Harvard Medical School I discovered that doctors who are often specialists themselves don’t always end up with adequate care from their colleagues. Several of my former classmates had undergone surgery after seeking the best surgeons and hospitals available. It was uncanny how many had suffered bad results. But high on their list of complaints was the lack of empathy from colleagues. One classmate had a long history of neck pain. Years earlier he had suffered a sudden blow to the head which had left him with a “pins and needles” feeling in...Read More

Miscellaneous

Samuel Johnson once remarked, “Nothing sharpens the wit so much as the knowledge you’re going to be hanged in the morning.” Today, doctors can predict when medical endings will happen and what can be done to prevent them. But too many patients are using the wrong prescription to treat “pre-disease” problems. In the past, doctors could inform patients they had diabetes, hypertension or a fractured bone. Today, they’ve moved a notch higher and often are able to predict these ailments before they strike. But this ability has pitfalls. What’s the negative? It’s the possibility of being over-treated for a number of common diseases. For instance, blood studies can now tell patients they have “pre-diabetes”. And studies...Read More

Lifestyle, Miscellaneous

How did this country, and the U.S., become such drug-addicted societies? A recent report states that the pain killer, Oxycontin is now the number one drug used by addicts in North America. But whether it’s this drug, crack cocaine, crystal meth, or others, the result is always the same, wasted lives, needless deaths, crime, and tons of taxpayers’ money that should be used for productive purposes. It’s a cop-out when Ministers of Health claim there’s no easy answer. What’s appalling is how Oxycontin , so ill used, is so easily available in Ontario alone. In 2008 provincial pharmacies dispensed prescriptions for Oxycontin that were more than double the national average. Then in 2009-10 the Ontario Drug plan processed 3.9...Read More

Miscellaneous, Nutrition

What shocks my friends when I order a “blue” steak? No, it’s not the fact that it’s extra rare that gets their attention. It’s the fact that I also always tell the waiter, “Don’t forget the double order of mashed potatoes!” Now, a report from the University of California shows I’m not committing a mortal, dietary sin. In fact, potatoes can even help weight loss. Critics of mashed potatoes contend they have a high glycemic index (GI). This means that potatoes are quickly broken down into sugar, triggering a rapid increase in blood sugar and production of insulin. But it’s a myth that the potato’s high GI is responsible for the epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes....Read More

Cardiovascular, Lifestyle

“Should I stop taking my cholesterol-lowering drug (CLD) and switch to the natural product Sytrinol?” “Can I take this remedy along with a CLD? “Are there other natural ways to lower blood cholesterol?” These and other responses to my column about Sytrinol indicate that large numbers of people on CLDs are worried about their potential side effects, and would prefer a natural product. To recapitulate, Sytrinol consists of citrus and palm fruit extract. This is why these products are often called plant sterols as they’re found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and vegetable oils. Sytrinol has been available for several years and passed the test of time by lowering total cholesterol 30 percent, LDL bad cholesterol 27percent, triglycerides 34 percent,...Read More

Surgery

What’s the most catastrophic illness that can befall us? To me it’s a spinal cord injury (SCI) that results in total paralysis. During a recent visit to Israel I interviewed Dr. Shimon Rochkind, world-renowned neurosurgeon at the Tel Aviv University Sourasky Medical Center, an expert on SCI. Every year 12,000 North Americans sustain spinal cord injury. The people involved are usually under the age of 30 and 80 percent are males. Some, like Christopher Reeves of Superman fame, fall from a horse. Others dive into shallow water or are involved in car accidents. Dr. Rochkind has spent his life trying to accomplish what’s said to be impossible. Time and time again we’ve been told...Read More

Gastroenterology

How could North Americans have so many ill stomachs? Why does treatment cost so many billions? And why are so many taking the wrong medication? According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, 10 years ago one in eight Canadians over 65 years of age was taking PPIs (proton pump inhibitors), the strongest medicine available to stop gastric acid secretion. Now, one in five is on this medication. A report from Johns Hopkins University says that every year 113 million Americans take these pills. But how many people need PPIs and what are the dangers of long-term use? In 2009 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned those taking PPIs along with...Read More

Dental

Several months ago I started brushing my teeth with soap. Why? Because I’m of Scottish background and I don’t enjoy paying dental bills. Nor do I find it pleasant to have dentists scraping plaque from my teeth every six months. Besides, a medical report said that soap not only removes plaque, but also stops cavities and protects gums. So how did my experiment turn out? My first reaction to this report was, “Come on, Dr. Judd, you must be kidding! Who would ever brush their teeth with soap?” But Dr. Gerald Judd was no nut. He was a retired Professor of chemistry at Purdue University. So since I admire people who challenge well-established theories that may be wrong, I didn’t...Read More

Miscellaneous, Surgery

Would you 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 would you choose a back operation that provides none of these guarantees? The first choice may sound like being sold swamp land in Florida. But a recent study shows this is not science fiction. Dr. Rachelle Buchbinder is a researcher at Monash University in Malvern, Australia. She recently reported in The New England Journal of Medicine about 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 because compression fractures...Read More

Cancer

The facts are depressing. Lung cancer kills more people than prostate, breast and colon cancer combined. Only 15% of those diagnosed with lung cancer are alive in five years. Now, a study by the National Cancer Institute shows that CT scans can decrease the number of these deaths from this deadly disease. But what is the medical and economic cost? Every year, 24,000 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in Canada and 157,000 people will die from this disease in the U.S. Patients with lung cancer complain of shortness of breath, frequent coughing, weight loss or coughing up blood. But too often, an X-ray reveals an advanced cancer. For years doctors have been searching for a better diagnostic tool. In 2002, The...Read More

Surgery

Warren Buffett, believed to be the world's greatest investor says, "Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing." Risk in surgery also comes from not knowing what you're doing. But in this case, rather than losing money, you can lose a life. A report from Johns Hopkins University says that "50% of people over 65 will undergo surgery." It's a forgone conclusion that aging parents and their children will therefore be asking, "Do you believe he or she is well enough to undergo an operation?" Sometimes the answer is as easy as falling off a log. The parent simply does not need surgery. After all, why submit a 70 year old, who has only mild discomfort that's not life-threatening, to a major...Read More

Alternate Treatments

Were the judges right or wrong? A man suffered spinal injuries in a car accident leaving him with chronic pain only relieved by marijuana. His insurance company refused to pay for this medication. But Quebec judges believed that "personal experience" must be considered when deciding if a patient is helped by medication. They ruled his company must pay $5,000 so he could grow his own marijuana. When I wrote about this I asked for your opinion. DJ from Sherbrooke, Quebec, responded, "Congratulations for bringing this matter to the public's attention. My father is dying of cancer and this is the one remedy that helps to control his pain and nausea. It's ludicrous he has to obtain this illegally, but there is...Read More

Prescription drugs can kill, natural remedies rarely. It's one of the most important lessons I've learned practicing medicine. So why risk a prescription drug to lower cholesterol when a natural one is available? This week, how Sytrinol can be a safe, effective, less expensive and natural way to lower blood cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart attack. Cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs) do decrease blood cholesterol and risk of coronary attack. But to question their use is like attacking Motherhood and apple pie, even though there are several short and possibly long-term side effects. For instance, one major study showed that patients taking CLDs may be exchanging one devil for another. Those taking CLDs had 22 fewer deaths...Read More

Miscellaneous

Millions of North Americans are suddenly aware of potassium iodide (PI) since Japan's nuclear plants started spewing out radioactive material. But how much will PI protect us from radioactive particles? Who should take it, and who should not? During a nuclear explosion or meltdown, radioactive iodine (I-131) enters the atmosphere and it has a malignant effect on the thyroid gland. The thyroid normally obtains iodine from iodized salt and shellfish to produce the hormone thyroxin. This hormone acts much like the accelerator of a car, controlling heart rate, temperature and energy level. Too much of it causes hyperthyroidism and too little, hypothyroidism. But the thyroid gland isn't particular where it obtains iodine. It also has no way of distinguishing between radioactive I-131 from...Read More

Alternate Treatments

What would you do if you were the judge? A man in his 40s (his name is protected under provincial law) is involved in a severe car crash. His spine is badly damaged resulting in painful spasms. A variety of painkillers are prescribed to alleviate the pain, but none are effective. Would you agree to the medical use of marijuana? Patient X requested insurance coverage for marijuana, but it was refused. It wasn't an unexpected decision, as the use of this drug has sparked controversy for many years. But an unusual event occurred in this case. The Quebec judges wrote, "The tribunal is well aware of controversial attitudes regarding the therapeutic use of marijuana." But then they added this important message: "There...Read More