No-nonsense advice for good health.


Politicians Have the Brains of Amphioxus

Politicians Have the Brains of Amphioxus

November 2, 2024

Fight the Good Fight

Fight the Good Fight

November 4, 2024


No-nonsense advice for good health.



Daughter of W. Gifford-Jones, Diana continues the no nonsense tradition with a keen eye on the determinants of health, global health trends, and healthcare policy.


Introducing Giff’s Own CardioVibe


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Who Is

W. Gifford-Jones, MD

Dr. Ken Walker (who writes under the pseudonym of Dr. W. Gifford-Jones, MD) is a graduate of the University of Toronto and the Harvard Medical School. He trained in general surgery at Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, Montreal General Hospital, McGill University and in Gynecology at Harvard. His storied medical career began as a general practitioner, ship’s surgeon, and hotel doctor. For more than 40 years, he specialized in gynecology, devoting his practice to the formative issues of women’s health. In 1975, he launched his weekly medical column that has been published by national and local Canadian and U.S. newspapers. Today, the readership remains over seven million.

His advice contains a solid dose of common sense and he never sits on the fence with controversial issues. He is the author of nine books including, “The Healthy Barmaid”, his autobiography “You’re Going To Do What?”, “What I Learned as a Medical Journalist”, and his latest book, “90+ How I Got There!”.

Many years ago, he was successful in a fight to legalize heroin to help ease the pain of terminal cancer patients. His foundation at that time donated $500,000 to establish the Gifford-Jones Professorship in Pain Control and Palliative Care at the University of Toronto Medical School. At 93 years of age he rappelled from the top of Toronto’s City Hall (30 stories) to raise funds for children with a life-threatening disease through the Make-a-Wish Foundation.  His hobby is trap shooting.

He is married to Susan and has four children and twelve grandchildren.

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Today’s Issues

What You Need to Know

Health Tips

Fight the Good Fight

November 4, 2024

Dante wrote, "There is no greater grief then, in misery, to recall happier times." When something knocks you down, there's little to gain from dwelling on the upset. Get up to fight another day. Keeping...

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Philosophy

Politicians Have the Brains of Amphioxus

November 2, 2024

Years ago, about people who were not too bright, we’d say, “They don’t have the brains of Amphioxus.” It’s a tiny fish with no intelligence. Today, more North Americans face the possibility of developing Alzheimer’s...

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Nutrition

It’s Mindboggling That Scurvy Is Back

October 26, 2024

Scurvy is a terrible disease that has been eradicated, right? The disease is caused by a deficiency of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), found in oranges and other fruits and vegetables. But that simple fact was...

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Diabetes, Obesity

Poverty and the Failure of Medical Care in North America

October 19, 2024

Recently, The Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper, reported on a depressing study about diabetes and it’s costly and horrendous medical complications. Readers of this column would already know it. Fifty years ago, and countless...

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“You’re Going To Do What?”

How is such a busy, professional, well-traveled doctor and writer able to extol great advice at 90+? By leading a healthful, intentional life, and by applying his knowledge and common-sense approach — gained from years of research — to his own daily routines. Journey with Dr. W. Gifford-Jones through the remarkable career as a hotel doctor, ship’s surgeon, family physician, surgical specialist, syndicated medical journalist, and maverick. Along the way, learn the “do’s and don’ts” of reaching the age of wisdom.

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