Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Holiday Wishes for Good Health
What would be the one thing we’d wish for to make the world a healthier place? Unhesitatingly, it would be peace. Peace in the world and all our homes, schools and workplaces – peace everywhere. If so-called humankind weren’t so busy cultivating hate, we would have a lot more resources for taking care of ourselves and each other. But this is not going to happen, so let’s try for something simpler. Next on our wish list? It would be to curb the smoking of tobacco. Anyone still smoking needs to ask themselves why. There are simply no good answers. If it’s you, and you are having trouble quitting, then be open to and ask for help. There’s ample help available. As...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Rx for Terrible Loneliness
The Christmas season is one of the joyful times of the year. The homecomings, parties, and sentiments we are still lucky to be a part of this messy, troubled world. But we also know those who have lost loved ones and are now alone. For all the people we are packing onto a smaller and smaller planet, it’s noteworthy that loneliness is becoming a greater problem. And not just for solitary seniors. People in nearly every age group and every location are reporting more loneliness. One would hope, for example, that happily married people are not lonely. Fortunately, it remains a minority of married people who are not happy. But loneliness is creeping into more and more marriages. The statistics vary....Read More
Lifestyle
Are Retirement Residences a Good Move?
Yes, at 100 years of age I’ve written another book! After ten other books sharing health advice with readers, why add another one? Because I’m now living in a retirement residence and I have new perspective on the many health hazards that seniors encounter when relocating into these homes, but which rarely get mentioned. And I’ve got views on how to avoid them. My book is titled Healthy Retirement Residence Living: What Does the Doctor Say? In it, I describe the security these homes offer and the many facilities that can be enjoyed. But there is also an old saying, that when porcupines make love, they do so very, very carefully! I’ll use the same caution to prepare you for the...Read More
Cancer, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Infection, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Surgery
How to Decrease Risk of Large Bowel Hernias
Mention a hernia to anyone and they immediately think of a bulge in the lower abdomen or groin. But hernias also occur in the large bowel. If constipation or infection results, the individual will experience worsening pain, nausea, and sometimes the urgent need for a major operation. The good news is that a little prevention will decrease the risk of large bowel hernias. What’s the even better news? The same preventative action will also reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, as well as cardiovascular, infectious, and respiratory diseases. And this is just the beginning. It might sound like fake news if we were to add that studies show this same simple daily remedy is also proven to increase lifespan! Let’s...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Infection, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Philosophy, Vitamins
High-Dose Vitamin C and Lysine
It’s an uncommon gift to reach 100 years of age – and be healthy. But apart from good genes and good luck, there are steps you can take to increase your chances for healthy longevity. Long time readers will know what I’ve said over and over again. Too many people gain excessive weight, eat poorly, neglect exercise, and fall victim to other lifestyle problems. They experience chronic diseases too early in life, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. My message has been, to prevent the onset of heart disease, a top killer, high doses of vitamin C taken over the long term can make a difference. If you hear contrary views, ask about the dose. What doses are used in clinical trials? Peewee...Read More
Genitourinary, Lifestyle, Medicine, Nutrition
Stop Killing the Kidneys with Garbage
Multiple studies have shown that a diet of fruits and vegetables reduces blood pressure. Since hypertension kills millions of people each year, the message seems clear. But this is not the first time consumers have been told that a veggie diet is superior to one of meat. Now there’s another important message that millions of North Americans have not learned. It’s that people of all ages keep killing their kidneys by eating highly processed garbage day after day. Despite the evidence, they embrace this silent killer until the doctor says they need kidney dialysis or a renal transplant to save their life. First, know the basic facts. The kidneys, like the gastrointestinal system, remove waste. These two bean-shaped organs, each the...Read More
Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition, Obesity, Psychiatry
How To Kill Yourself Slowly with Terrible Complications
This column should make every doctor, nutritionist, health care worker, and anyone else who is sane shake their heads. A Coney Island competition to devour the most hotdogs in ten minutes should be the shame of New York and the promoters who support it! Why would people want to ruin their bodies by participating? Why did reporters covering the event celebrate instead of criticizing such an asinine act of self destruction? Barnum and Bailey were right. There is a sucker born every minute. The winner was a 26-year-old man from Chicago who gulped down 58 hot dogs! After his bizarre triumph of winning, he was so upbeat that he described it as a “life changing” event. That’s for sure. He remarked that...Read More
Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Infection, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Pain, Surgery, Vitamins
Why C is the Forever Vitamin
There’s an irony about the advertising woman who, in 1948, penned “A Diamond is Forever” to signify the enduring love of two people. Her name was Frances Gerety and she spent the bulk of her life alone. Diamonds do sparkle, but there’s a better “forever” companion. Longtime readers will know I’ll choose vitamin C over diamonds or any other glitzy trend, and definitely over cholesterol lowering drugs. Vitamin C doesn’t have the high cost or glamourous glitter of diamonds, and it makes no one rich. But making high doses of vitamin C a part of my daily routine has allowed me to spend another quarter century with my wife and family after a heart attack that nearly ended things for me...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Neurology, Obesity, Pain, Psychiatry, Sports
Get Fit in Virtual Reality
Lao Tsu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, said, “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” Unfortunately, a lot of people are speeding to the wrong destination, each year putting on extra pounds and becoming more sedentary. But people do have choices. Make a change now to be more active, one way or another, or anticipate the inevitable earlier than necessary. What’s a new way to get active that may seem unappealing to those who haven’t tried it yet? New research suggests that virtual reality (VR) might be the ticket, including for older adults. Strapping on a bulky headset and learning to use the technology are the first obstacles, but the benefits for those who get...Read More
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
Genitourinary, Lifestyle, Medicine, Surgery
Kidney Disease Has No Good Ending
Will humans ever learn to care for their kidneys? Or will they live to count mixed blessings – staying alive but reliant on a machine to clean the blood. This, or a kidney transplant, is the result of end-stage kidney failure. Over 40 million North Americans are living with the precursor, chronic kidney disease. Astonishingly, nine in ten sufferers are unaware they have the problem. But the body knows, and as the disease progresses, other health problems including stroke and heart attack can result. A dialysis machine can remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when kidneys stop working. Dialysis patients require treatment 3 to 7 times a week, for three or more hours per session, in a hospital, clinic,...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, Lifestyle, Philosophy
Do Unto Others Lesson Needs Retelling
What do you hope for each morning as your tired eyes read the news? You try to be a positive person, but day by day, things are getting worse. The world is in an awful mess. If there is a God, how cruel a deity to let suffering continue. Is it sacrilegious to ask, what exactly will it take to have the Second Coming of Christ? How much bloody war, climate chaos, and civil disintegration is required before we learn to follow a simple and sane edict? “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” The problem is times have changed. The only Christ we can anticipate in 2024 is a “deep fake”. The dumbing-down of social media preys...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Philosophy, Vitamins
Jobs One, Two and Three for Lifelong Health
By the time you are reading this article, the stakes establishing the life course of your health have long been set. Your genetic inheritance, location, and family circumstances, combined with a complex set of early life factors determine how your health trajectory will begin. Through childhood and adulthood, you have opportunities to influence your well-being, but in the grand scheme, it’s tinkering at the margins. As you age, the question becomes, what can you do to maximize good health and minimize the impact of the inevitable decline? Taking good care to avoid the obvious pitfalls is job number one. Parents need to teach children about safety as early in life as possible. And everyone needs to practice safety daily and for...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
Diabetes, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity
Why Some People Die Early and Others Live On
What’s the most depressing part of a newspaper? It’s the obituary section where you see many people dying too early in life. What causes these untimely deaths? A Gifford-Jones Law states that one bad health problem inevitably leads to another and another, causing people to die early. One of the cardinal sins is not having a healthy and sensible breakfast. Where to lay blame? It’s the neglectful practices of food companies, governments, schools, and parents, all of whom are commonly ignoring the hazard. The breakfast sin is found everywhere. Nearly every restaurant serving breakfast is guilty of pushing the wrong foods. We recently found sinful breakfasts in a high-end retirement residence in Toronto. Even upon request for a high fibre cereal,...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
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
Beware of Falling, It May Kill You
What a sad way to lose a friend. Not from a heart attack or cancer. Rather, a slip and backwards fall caused a strike of the head on a hard unforgiving surface. The traumatic injury resulted in death a few days later. As Aristotle wrote centuries ago, “To have a good friend you must partake a peck of salt together.” Losing such friends as you get older is very disturbing, often leaving a void in life never refilled. Recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the immense costs of falls. In North America there are over five and half million incidents yearly costing more than $45 billion! The average cost of a fall that results in injury is...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
Giving Away a Lifetime Is Bittersweet Medicine
We find ourselves in the midst of change. During this 100th trip around the sun, it’s finally time for a move to a retirement residence. While the comforts and care of an elegant assisted-living community are welcome, the upheaval is overwhelming! It’s hard to say goodbye to the family home of nearly 50 years. When children and grandchildren visit to savour the memories together, they just as eagerly eye the furniture and appliances! The truth is, being able to give away a lifetime of treasured possessions is a luxury we are grateful to enjoy. Looking around the world, a lot of people would give an arm and a leg to have what we have. For anyone though, there is something universal...Read More
Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Philosophy
An Excess of Stupidity Is Still the Problem
At a breakneck pace, today’s world threatens to leave us gasping for breath. You name it – climate change and pollution, the global demographic explosion, autocratic rulers trampling civil society, or the threat of AI’s unintended consequences. But for all the things where meaningful influence is out of the hands of most of us, why are these still so many things well within our control that we do so little to change? Consumers have a lot of power, for example, but too infrequently use it. If you don’t like the microplastics in the ocean, stop buying food sold in excessive packaging. When affordable public transportation is available, we spend far more to drive our own vehicles. We buy enough clothing to...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
Unsung Sentinels of Home Healthcare
The British author and playwright, B.G. Stern, wrote, “Silent gratitude isn’t much use to anyone.” It’s apropos to home healthcare workers, who have been acknowledged as essential, but that’s where the appreciation seems to stop. Personal support workers (PSWs) as they are called in Canada, Home Health Aides (HHAs) or other titles in the U.S., don’t get the spotlight as do doctors, nurses, and other specialists. And they certainly don’t get the pay. Yet, in the vast realm of healthcare, there exists this group of workers who quietly care for the most vulnerable – the elderly, disabled, sufferers of chronic disease, and people with health issues who can live at home or in long-term care but only with assistance. The profile...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Diabetes, Infection, Lifestyle, Vitamins
Preventing Diabetes Risk Due to COVID-19 Infection
Will COVID-19 and the complications associated with this disease ever vanish? Never bet on it. Virus experts say COVID-19 will rise its ugly head again this fall. With it, they add, the complication of both types of diabetes will increase. It’s the last thing we need when obesity is already causing a worldwide pandemic of type 2 diabetes. So, how can you reduce the risk? It’s easier than you think. First, type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas does not make enough insulin. Lifelong replacement and management of this hormone is the only option. With the more common type 2 diabetes, the body does not respond normally to insulin. We call this “Lifestyle Diabetes”. Why? Because it is preventable by avoiding...Read More
Lifestyle, Philosophy
More Fire and Smoke to Come
Fires are a natural part of life in the forests that extend across Canada and the northern US. But it is not normal for these forest fires to consume entire communities, take lives of unsuspecting citizens in a surreal panic, and leave thousands of people and animals displaced. Tragedies happen sometimes. Now however, experts tell us, we can anticipate more monstrous fires on a more frequent basis. Just when you think the great Canadian outdoors might offer a safe escape from all the maladies in the world, the lakeside campsite has become another danger zone. Climate trends are making northern summers hotter, drier, and longer. That means we can expect plenty more fires, more smoke, and more forced evacuations of campsites...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
