Cardiovascular
The Perfect Storm for Hypertension
It’s a devastating time. A pandemic and economic disaster rolled into one that’s killing thousands and bringing society to a standstill. So how can we keep our blood pressure from shooting through the roof during this perfect storm? Keeping our heads cool may help to prevent a stroke, heart attack, even kidney disease and blindness. The World Health Organization says that 1.3 billion people worldwide have hypertension or high blood pressure, including about 1 in 3 North Americans. But extensive research shows that hypertension, a silent killer, can be prevented and lowered. In 1997 researchers published the results of a clinical trial called DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension). They concluded that a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy...Read More
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
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
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
Cardiovascular, Vitamins
Believing Myths is Bad for Your Heart
George Orwell, the English journalist, wrote, “Myths that are believed in tend to become true.” Today cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer. Yet there are still myths about this disease which can be dangerous to your health and longevity. I don’t have high blood pressure because it’s only high when it’s taken by my doctor. You may be right. Some people do have what’s called, “White Coat Hypertension” due to anxiety when a doctor takes the blood pressure. But you may also be wrong. Studies show that in your home you may still be having spikes of increased blood pressure, a prelude to hypertension. Having blood pressure taken by a nurse may show a lower reading. But if in...Read More
Cardiovascular, Nutrition
Eating nuts good for health
How would you like to decrease the chance of life-threatening diseases such as diabetes and heart attack? Also lower blood cholesterol at the same time without the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs)? If you don’t have a peanut allergy, researchers at Pennsylvania State University report that eating peanuts every day is not a nutty idea. Today, there’s a worldwide epidemic of Type 2 diabetes. Every 40 seconds a new case of diabetes is diagnosed in North America. Even before the development of Type 2 diabetes, a dangerous lull before the storm, called “insulin resistance” occurs. Insulin resistance, or pre-diabetes, begins when the body’s cells that normally accept insulin to lower blood sugar, get tired of doing so. This means the pancreas has...Read More
Cardiovascular
Tune-Up Your Heart in 30 Days
Have I been missing a vital remedy to maintain a healthy heart? I wondered if that was the case when I read an article in LifeExtension titled, “The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up.” The subject, Dr. Steven Masley, is a Fellow of both The American Heart Association and The American Academy of Nutrition. He has devoted his career to heart disease and aging. So how does his treatment differ from that of other cardiologists? Masley reports that most doctors rely on lowering blood cholesterol and blood pressure to prevent heart disease. He says this is a boon for Big Pharma, but not necessarily for patients. He admits that, although statin drugs are needed in some instances, they increase the risk of diabetes. Unfortunately,...Read More
Cardiovascular
Heart Failure, What You Should Know About Mitochondria
Ask anyone what is the nation’s number one killer and most people will say heart attack. But how many know that congestive heart failure (CHF) is the fastest growing cause of heart disease in North America? Why is this happening? And why are mitochondria of vital importance, particularly as we all grow older? Congestive Heart Failure occurs for several reasons. A coronary attack may have destroyed cardiac muscle. Or hypertension over a period of years has weakened it. Or obesity and diabetes has resulted in hardening of coronary arteries, decreasing blood flow to the heart. So, in addition to aging, a series of events may injure the heart. As the “Gifford-Jones Law” states, one problem leads to another and another. In the...Read More
Cardiovascular
A Great View, But Will it Kill You?
What is the greatest threat to having a heart attack, the nation’s number one killer? Ask this question and most people will answer it’s having high blood cholesterol. Or they respond, it’s due to hypertension, obesity, diabetes, or a stressful lifestyle. But suppose you ask what things will improve the chance of surviving coronary attack? I’d predict that after some hesitation the answer will be having someone nearby to administer cardio-pulmonary respiration (CPR). But how many will know it depends on the floor you’re living on in a high rise building? And what should you know about the 26th floor? I’ve now been living for 35 years in a high rise condo in Toronto. But my wife and I never considered that...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Nutrition
The Nitric Oxide Key to Prevent Heart Attack
Ask anyone what causes a sudden coronary attack and they will say it’s the result of high blood cholesterol, lack of exercise, obesity or smoking. Now, a report in the publication “LifeExtension” says doctors must start thinking “endothelium”. I’d bet few readers could even spell this word. So why is it so vital? And what natural remedies make it healthy? The endothelium is the ultra-thin, one cell thick, innermost lining of arteries. It produces nitric oxide. And it’s ironic that just this single layer of cells, if unhealthy, results in decreased blood circulation, hardening of arteries, and is a major cause of the big killers, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. During our early years, a youthful endothelium is due to...Read More
Cardiovascular, Vitamins
How “GAADD” Is Slowly Killing North Americans
A wise sage once remarked, “It’s not things you don’t know that gets you into trouble, it’s the things you know for sure that ain’t so!” Most doctors and patients are convinced cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs) prevent heart attack. I say, it ain’t so. So what may prove me right? And why is GAADD so important? Fact # One Years ago I interviewed Dr. Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner. He explained that animals make their own vitamin C and rarely suffer a heart attack. For example, guinea pigs manufacture 13,000 milligrams of C daily, but if infection occurs these animals increase the amount to 100,000 mg daily! It indicates that nature provides vitamin C for health. Unfortunately, humans, due to a...Read More
Cancer, Cardiovascular, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Neurology, Pain, Vitamins
What Did You Learn From Me in 2017?
I hope my columns during 2017 have helped readers live longer and healthier. So which of the following are true or false? There’s evidence that regular activity lowers the risk of dementia. Also a suggestion that high daily doses of vitamin C can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at The Harvard Medical School report the magical ingredient in fish to decrease the risk of heart disease is omega-3 fatty acids, which like Aspirin, add oil to the blood making it less likely to clot. The survival rate of cancer of the prostate has little to do with the type of treatment. Rather, it’s related to the biological nature of the malignancy. Some cancers are pussy cats, others raging...Read More
Cardiovascular, Medicine
Ten Vital Facts to Know About “Baby Aspirin”
IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A HEART ATTACK One – You’re in your 50s. The Medical Publication, Health After 50, reports that a panel of experts has updated the guidelines for taking Aspirin at various ages. It says you, in your 50s, have a 10 percent or greater risk of coronary attack or stroke in the next 10 years, and a life expectancy of at least 10 years with no increased risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. If you meet one of these requirements it says you may be a candidate for a daily baby Aspirin (81 milligrams). You can calculate your risk of heart attack at www.cvriskcalculator. Two – You’re in your 60s. In this case, the publication says you have a...Read More
Cardiovascular, Surgery
Surgery More Effective Than Drano for Stroke
How would you feel if you suffered a stroke and were left paralyzed? Then later discovered that if you had been aware of early signs of stroke, paralysis could have been avoided? This column might help to prevent this tragedy. Moreover, the good news is that surgery is superior to anti-clotting drugs for treatment of this devastating event. A report in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that surgery, rather than TPA, a clot dissolving drug that works like household Drano, produces a better outcome. There are two kinds of stroke. 80 percent of the time “blockage strokes” are caused by a clot that prevents oxygenated blood from reaching the brain. The other type of stroke happens when an artery ruptures...Read More
Cardiovascular, Vitamins
Vitamin K2: How It Helps Heart and Bone
Ask people what they know about vitamin C and some will reply it’s good for preventing common colds. Maybe they’d add heart attack, if they’ve read my column. But ask the same question about K2 and most people will give you a blank stare. Now, Dr. Dennis Goodman, cardiologist and Director of Integrative Medicine at New York University, says ignoring vitamin K2 is dangerous. In 1929 Danish scientist, Dr. Henrik Dam, discovered vitamin K. Since then researchers have discovered two types of K, K1 and K2. Leafy green vegetables are rich in K1. It plays a vital role in blood clotting. But K2 isn’t easy to obtain in the diet, placing many at risk of being deficient of this vitamin. Goodman, in...Read More
Cardiovascular, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Miscellaneous, Surgery
A Miner Will Save Millions from Blindness
Would I, as a doctor, ever expect to meet a miner? As Mark Twain remarked, “A mine is a hole in the ground with a liar at the top”. Luckily, I accepted an invitation to do just that, and discovered there is something new under the sun. This week, how “DIAGNOS”, a Canadian company in Montreal, has developed what’s called “computer assisted retinal analysis (CARA)”. This computer software will save millions of people around the world from blindness due to Type 2 diabetes. So, did a miner become a retinal expert? The slogan of DIAGNOS is “Beat it in a blink”. Patients simply look into a camera and a photo is taken of their retina, the back part of...Read More
Cardiovascular
Cruising With Cardiologists to Alaska, and What I Learned
I have a passion for ships so I’ve travelled and seen much of the world this way. But I’d never been to Alaska. So I recently joined a group of cardiologists on an educational cruise to a U.S. State blessed with magnificent scenery. It was a good learning experience, with one glaring omission. Towards the end of the conference I asked a specific question. For several days all the speakers had discussed the value of Cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs) to prevent heart attack. They had also discussed drugs to treat heart failure. But none had mentioned the vital importance of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) to either prevent or treat a failing heart. Studies show that CLDs decrease the amount of this enzyme, and...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
Are Hens An Endangered Species?
Headlines fool a lot of people. In March 1984 the cover of Time Magazine caught everyone’s attention. It read “Cholesterol, Now the Bad News”. It reported that cholesterol had been proven deadly and our diet should never be the same again. Researchers have since found little or no correlation between cholesterol in our food and our blood cholesterol. But since eggs contain more cholesterol than most other foods, hens have taken a brutal beating. So why have North American Egg Associations failed to defend hens more vigorously? And why have they ignored scientific facts about heart attack? At one point it looked like the hens were getting a welcome break. The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) has since ruled that it...Read More
Cardiovascular, Vitamins
What They Don’t Tell You about Baldness and Heart Attack
A Czech proverb says, “A good man grows gray and a rascal bald”. And Thomas Dekker wrote in “The Gull’s Hornbook” in 1609, “How ugly is a bald pate! It looks like a face wanting a nose”. Now, a Japanese report says that men with baldness should be less concerned about how it affects their looks. Rather, is the lack of hair associated with increased risk of coronary attack? The Japanese findings were published online in the British Medical Journal, “Open”. The study involved 40,000 males whose hair pattern was graded as either frontal, crown-top baldness or a combination of the two. The conclusion was that not all bald men are created equal. Men with frontal baldness had a 22 percent increased...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Medicine
A Double-Barrelled Package to Treat Hypertension
Today millions of North Americans suffer hypertension and 99 percent are being treated by prescription drugs. Studies show that nearly 50 percent discontinue their medication due to unpleasant side-effects. But tossing away drugs is a hazardous move which can result in earlier death. This week, a double-barrelled natural remedy that helps to prevent high blood pressure. It can also be helpful to those with hypertension who wish to try managing it first without the use of prescription medication. It’s been said that “societies get the blood pressure they deserve.” It appears we deserve a lot. It’s estimated that 75 million adult North Americans have hypertension. What is more frightening is that doctors are now seeing this disease in young children who...Read More
Alcohol, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
Will A Drink a Day Keep the Doctor Away?
We’ve been told for years that a nutritious apple a day helps to keep the doctor away. But could alcohol have the same result during this holiday season and the New Year? Or, is alcohol a wolf in sheep’s clothing, detrimental to our well-being? I recently mentioned during a talk that I believed that alcohol in moderation was the best medicine ever invented. The audience responded with a big applause. But was it justified? Critics damn alcohol because some people abuse it. I agree when people are killed by drunken drivers. But no one bans cars because some idiots cause needless deaths. My research on alcohol dates back many years. Why? Because I’ve always enjoyed a moderate drink and wanted to know if...Read More
Cardiovascular
Heart Failure = 2.1 to 5 Years of Life
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves”. Shakespeare wrote this over 400 years ago. The immortal bard could easily be referring to the epidemic of congestive heart failure (CHF) in this country. So what does this disease mean to us, and our health care system? To find out, I visited the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre (PMCC) at the University of Toronto. Dr. Michael McDonald, an expert on CHF, says, “Today, if you’re over the age of 65, heart failure is the most common reason for being admitted to hospital”. It’s prudent to read his remark twice as this diagnosis means a life expectancy as low as 2.1 to 5 years! McDonald says CHF can result from a...Read More
Cardiovascular, Surgery
Surgery for Swinging-Door Heart Valves
Mitral valve surgery can best be described by comparison to the swinging saloon door in old western movies. It demonstrates what can go wrong with the heart’s valves. And what surgical procedure is needed to correct mitral valve prolapse (MVP). To get a first-hand view of this procedure, I watched Dr. Tirone David, one the world’s great cardiac surgeons, perform the operation at Toronto General Hospital. The mitral valve separates the two left chambers of the heart. Each time the heart beats the valves swing open, like the doors of a western saloon. But after opening they close firmly again while the heart pumps blood to the body. The problem is that swinging doors of saloons often develop loose rusty hinges that...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition
How to Fight The Deadly Trio
What kills more North Americans than anything else? It’s the deadly trio of obesity, diabetes and heart attack. Each is a huge problem by itself. But when lumped together they constitute three raging epidemics completely out of control with catastrophic consequences for patients and our health care system. But there are ways for smart medical consumers to avoid becoming victims of the deadly trio. Consider what’s happened in the last 60 years. When I was a medical student 5 percent of Type 2 diabetes, better labeled as lifestyle diabetes, was due to obesity. Now, numbers have reached a shocking 95 percent. The deadly trio kills by atherosclerosis (narrowing of arteries). The resulting decreased blood supply sends patients on their way to the...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Vitamins
Waiter, Make Sure My Steak Moos only Once!
I’ve been told it many times, “One of these days you’re going to push your luck too far”. It’s because I stress to waiters I want my steak “blue”. The worst that can happen is it arrives rare. But what is the risk of a blue steak? And can well done steak be bad for the heart? No waiter has ever said to me, “You dummy, didn’t you learn in medical school that ordering a steak rare may cause toxoplasmosis? Go back and read about parasitology.” Toxoplasmosis is not a common household term such as measles. But if the parasite is contacted, it can cause enlarged glands in the neck, fatigue, fever, and an enlarged spleen. In rare...Read More
