Infection, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
The Health Consequences of Cats
Dog lovers may want to skip this week’s commentary. For cat lovers too, this column may prove a disappointment. A health risk assessment of household cats might be all you need to recommit to a dog. Cats are the darlings of the Internet. And that may be the safest way to enjoy them. There can be no doubt that cats provide crucial companionship for many people. Their entertainment powers rival dogs. But here are a few thoughts on the ways cats can have an impact on human health. First, the killer instinct of cats has a startling effect on biodiversity. About a decade ago, the journal Nature published a study that estimated domestic cats kill 1.3–4.0 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals annually!...Read More
Dental, Lifestyle
Good Oral Health Demands Manual Labour
Mickey Mantle, former star of the New York Yankees baseball team, often remarked, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” He was only 63 when he died. Now, with many of us getting a good chance to live beyond 100, what’s one of the best investments in maintaining good health? It’s cheap, easy, and right inside your mouth. Tooth decay affects 96 percent of North American people 50-64 years old. The statistics for tooth decay are almost as high for people aged 20-49. One in five North Americans over age 19 have lost teeth. One in four over 75 years of age have no teeth. Last year, the World Health Organization...Read More
Cardiovascular, Infection, Lifestyle, Neurology, Pain
Are Canadians Better at Preventing Lyme Disease?
It’s tick season and the little pests are out with a vengeance. Tiny as they are, ticks are a huge nuisance and a hazardous vector of disease. Their ability to latch onto unsuspecting hosts has made them one of the most successful blood-sucking parasites on the planet. Ticks are the primary carriers of Lyme disease, infecting people with their bite. But do ticks or people account for the sizable difference in the number of reported cases in the US and Canada? Every year, in the United States, about half a million people are diagnosed with Lyme disease. Based on population, all other things equal, one would expect about 50,000 cases annually in Canada. Other things, however, must not be equal. Because...Read More
Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Don’t Let Food Safety in the Kitchen Lapse
It’s an age-old problem, but not one that should come with age. Yet, compared to younger culinary novices, elderly people may be more prone to making mistakes in food preparation that can lead to food poisoning. Kitchens can be a dangerous place. So no harm in having a refresher to make sure food safety in the kitchen doesn’t lapse. You know why. Recall that occasion when it seemed like a good meal – until later, when cramps, nausea and diarrhea had you vowing never to eat again. Unless you’ve been visiting uncared for places or you are victim to an outbreak of foodborne illness, there’s no excuse for food poisoning other than an unfortunate mistake. Unfortunately, mistakes happen, and with some frequency...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Neurology
Fire the Canons! It’s Daylight Savings Time!
In a letter to the editor of the Journal of Paris in 1784, Benjamin Franklin wrote, "Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." In his advocacy for people to wake up and leverage the day, Franklin joked there should be a tax on window shutters, candles should be rationed, and canons should be fired at sunrise! But it was the small town of Port Arthur in northern Ontario that first changed the clocks by enactment on July 1, 1908. In recent times, one of the main arguments for shifting the time to align with the sun focuses on energy savings during evening hours. But dozens of studies have shown the effect to be negligible. Now, the...Read More
Lifestyle, Vitamins
100th Trip Around the Sun
People often ask me, what’s my secret to a long and healthy life? This week, I start my 100th trip around the sun. So I must acknowledge that Lady Luck has been on my side. But it’s not just good luck, or good genes. As a medical doctor, I learned early that the best way to stay healthy is to avoid getting sick. Doctors can occasionally work miracles. But these are rare, and you should not count on them as a strategy for a long and healthy life. Your physical body is your only vehicle on this journey of life. It’s been said, “If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?” So take this to heart. Rule...Read More
Lifestyle, Philosophy
Millennials Opting Out of Having Children
A Moroccan proverb claims, “If a man leaves little children behind him, it is as if he did not die.” A Sanskrit saying translates as, “A house without children is only a cemetery.” Having children may be central to sustained human life. But over the past several years, there has been a crescendo of voices arguing for restraint. The most fervent views are expressed by women concerned about climate change. We know some couples decide on a childless marriage in exchange for personal freedom. Others worry about the risk of a difficult child or the effect of a child on an unhappy marriage. And there are other reasons people opt out of parenthood. As Napoleon Bonaparte concluded while in exile on...Read More
Lifestyle
Aging Well at Home
It’s been said that parents should be nice to their children. “After all, they are going to choose your nursing home.” So it is punishment or reward when children choose to help their parents stay living in their own homes? Some lifestyle choices are clear as night and day. Don’t smoke. Do exercise. Don’t lose sleep. Do eat a nutritious diet. But there is no clear answer to the question of where it is best to live out the senior years of life, with significant consequences for everyone in the family. Factors affecting in the decision are plentiful. Healthcare needs and cost of care. Housing suitability and safety considerations. Family location and friend groups. Availability of transportation and other services. And there’s...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
A Fast for the Holidays
As 2022 comes to a close, grave existential questions loom. Is the doomsday clock ticking louder? Have we harmed our planetary home beyond repair? Is the global economy headed for collapse, or will a reckless war end all things? These are some of the debates that friends and families will have when they gather in groups around the dinner table. This year, those holiday meals themselves may be the source of despair. The higher costs for food make entertaining large groups an expensive proposition. It may not be practical to suggest fasting as an alternative. But it’s good food for thought. And research findings suggest ample benefits. As a new year’s resolution, fasting could have personal health and economic benefits. A global...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Sports
Sarcopenia, Not Cancer, But a Deadly Word
Can you improve muscle mass even as you age? As Mickey Mantle, star player of the New York Yankees, remarked, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” Such is my worry in my 99th year. I was recently having more difficulty getting up from chairs and recalling patients who admitted they could no longer stand up from the toilet seat. They had slowly developed “sarcopenia”, weakened muscles from aging that robs one’s independence. Sarcopenia begins at about age 45 and causes skeletal muscle mass and strength decline at a rate of about one percent a year. By age 65, people who spend most of their time inactive on the sofa watching television...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Neurology
Poor Sleep Can Lead to Inflammatory Problems
An old Irish proverb says, “A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” But research suggests it would be wiser to think of good sleep as an ingredient of wellbeing – a starting point for health, not a fixer-upper. Sleep is an essential building block of good health, along with quality nutrition, moderate exercise, socioeconomic connectivity, mindfulness, and ample good luck. Guidelines recommend “7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep for adults aged 18 to 64, on a regular basis, with consistent sleep and wake times for health benefits.” For adults aged 65 and older, a slightly modified “7 to 8 hours of sleep” is advised. But sleep is too often neglected – insufficient in both...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle
Loneliness Among Men
Loneliness is worse for health than obesity – as bad as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It can increase the risk of death by 26 percent and of cognitive decline on the way. But a recent story on the Good News Network offered a heart-warming take on loneliness among older men. At 67 years of age, “Phillip Jackson moved back to England from Australia,” the story reads, “and immediately felt like a stray dog in his native town.” He may have felt out of place, but he should not have felt alone. There is an abundance of people who feel isolated, even when they are living in vibrant communities. Age UK’s report All the Lonely People forecast the number of people over...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Have a Little Laugh When Angry
The iconic Marvin The Martian from Looney Tunes, frustrated by Bugs Bunny in his efforts to blow up Earth, would quickly walk away declaring, “You make me very, very angry.” He offered kids an entertaining lesson in how to handle heated confrontations. A refresher course for adults would be a good prescription. How people manage anger can make a big difference for personal health and much more. Anger, itself, is not always a negative thing. Anger can be a natural and useful emotional response to perceived wrongs. For example, getting angry can be highly motivational. Individuals can deploy anger to break a bad habit and groups can work together in the same way. The #MeToo movement rallied collective anger against injustice to...Read More
Cardiovascular, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Rake Up the Leaves this Fall
What’s the most absurd image of healthy living? It’s a picture of a young woman using a leaf blower to clean up leaves in her yard while wearing ear protection, eye protection, and a mask covering her nose and mouth. The only thing that makes good sense is the mask. It’s the leaf blower that is most offensive. The first offense is the condoning of laziness. A leaf blower nearly eliminates the physical effort needed to clean up the leaves. In the past, we may have looked upon this as a good thing. Less work equals better life. False! Raking up those leaves offers a wonderful cardio workout, in the lovely outdoors, resulting in the satisfaction of a job well done. It’s exercise...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cancer, Diabetes, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Vitamins
A Windfall of Science on Apples
We write about natural remedies we believe are good for human health. Why this focus? It’s not to encourage avoidance of pharmaceutical drugs when medical care is an imperative. To the contrary, Canadians and Americans have the luxury of the world’s best doctors, medicinal drugs, and healthcare facilities. But health systems are overwhelmed. To ease the crush, people who are not yet ill should take up responsibility to stay healthy. Good health is not achieved through inaction. Live a poor lifestyle and illness will come as sure as night follows day. But the talents of doctors and the cure of drugs are best reserved for the unlucky who lose the health lottery. For young people and the healthy aging population, a proactive,...Read More
Alcohol, Lifestyle
Is Now the Time to Quit Alcohol?
Alcohol in moderation can be good for your health. We have written dozens of articles on the topic and an entire section of our website is dedicated to the topic. In short, there are plenty of good reasons to enjoy a drink at the cocktail hour. But is there a time for quitting altogether? Some people think so. And the idea seems to be catching on. You may have heard about the “sober curious” movement. Coined by writer, Ruby Warrington, being sober curious is about enjoying the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle. It has nothing to do with achieving sobriety after problems with alcoholism. Some efforts are short-term, like “Dry January” and “Sober October”. These trendy campaigns are often paired with charitable causes. But...Read More
Diabetes, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity
Online Grocery Shopping a Cause for Concern
Food products in stores are changing. Shoppers easily find more processed, attractively packaged, and conveniently prepared meals. With online shopping, the way these products are now selected and put in the cart has changed too. For that, consumers may be paying more than just the price of inflation. Online food shopping has become the norm for many people. Home delivery of groceries may be a convenience, but consumers are losing their moment of discernment. Even if online customers take the time to click through product pages checking nutritional information, in-store shopping assistants frequently turn to substitute products and don’t take notice when ingredients in products have changed. Food deliveries arrive with frequent surprises. “That’s not what I ordered,” must be among the...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
Bend So You Don’t Break
Getting older takes a toll. Weakening bones, increasing aches and pains, and failing balance, flexibility and strength can make the body feel like worn-out baggage. But there’s a curious truth in an ancient Hindu text that states, “Everyone else is conquered by the body, but the body is conquered by yogis.” For centuries, yoga has been practiced by people all over the world for religious, spiritual rehabilitation or fitness reasons. The older set may see the neighbourhood yoga studio as a place for the young and nimble, but there is ample evidence that aging seniors benefit physically and mentally from instruction in the “sun salutation”, “tree pose”, or amusingly named positions like the “chair pigeon” or “cat-cow pose”. Yoga combines movement (asana)...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Do You Have an Inflammatory Lifestyle?
Chronic inflammation is unlike what happens with a cut or an invading germ when the immune system mounts a fight and then stands down. In such cases, inflammation is part of the healing response. But when lifestyle issues have the immune system active all the time, there may be no symptoms, but plenty of costs. Dr. Erin Michos, Director of Women’s Cardiovascular Health at Johns Hopkins Medicine, explains, “Sustained low levels of inflammation irritate your blood vessels. Inflammation may promote the growth of plaques, loosen plaque in your arteries and trigger blood clots — the primary cause of heart attacks and strokes.” Rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes involve chronic inflammation. Immune cells and the antibodies they produce create swelling to help isolate the...Read More
Cancer, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Gastroenterology, Lifestyle, Neurology
Stand Up To Read This Column
Get up on your feet. Seriously. It will be good for you. Sitting is something we have all become accustomed to doing a lot more of lately. Just prior to the pandemic, studies showed that the average adult spent about 6.5 hours a day sitting – an hour longer than had been the case a decade earlier. In 2019, teenagers were sitting for upwards of 8 hours a day, and for some much longer than that. During the pandemic, a study in the UK found that people were spending more than eight hours a day sitting. Canadians are reportedly sitting around for 10 hours a day! Dr. Jennifer Heisz, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, surveyed over 1600 people to compare physical activity...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Happy Hour with a Hedgehog?
These days, too many things are all wrong. But now and again, everything that’s right in the world comes together. We found such a place in a local neighbourhood restaurant recently, where good food, good music, and good company combined to make everybody happy. But was it healthy? Almost, but not quite. What would be the perfect conditions for a neighbourhood restaurant to score top marks in offering good times, good food, and good health? Start by thinking about the eating and socializing places within walking distance of your home. Not everyone is so lucky to have such options. But most do. And if you do, how often do you walk there? When it comes to dining out, it’s well said “health is...Read More
Lifestyle
Goodnight Moon and Goodnight Doctor, Whispering “Stop it!”
This column, over 45 years, has begged people to make the lifestyle changes that will help them avoid the development of type 2 diabetes. Failing that, there’s mounting scientific evidence that natural supplements supporting glycemic control can help mitigate dietary obstinance and lack of exercise. And in the event diabetes takes hold, then give thanks to Banting and Best for their discovery of insulin 100 years ago. But is there one more opportunity for Gifford-Jones to get the “prevention, prevention, prevention” message out? How about the publication of a Gifford-Jones timeless classic for children? A book as good as Goodnight Moon. A story as meaningful as Ferdinand the Bull. Perhaps, a variation on The Very Hungry Caterpillar? A story of “moderation...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
The Ultimate Disease: Too Many Rats in a Cage
What catastrophic event could end all lives on this small planet? Some say nuclear war; others, another pandemic worse than the current one that’s caused over 700,000 deaths just in North America. Still others, the failure to tackle the problem of climate change. But here’s a surprise. The ultimate disease is a population time bomb that keeps ticking every second of the day – and we all ignore it. It took 123 years for the human population to grow from one to two billion people. Then, only 40 years to reach six billion, and now the population is 7.8 billion. This year, 82 million people will be added to an already packed planet. It’s like adding another city the size of...Read More
Alcohol, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Summer’s Last Hurrah the Most Dangerous
Are you gearing up to have some fun? It’s the stick-in-the-mud who dulls the sense of adventure, suggesting you think twice. But the dullard may be the wise one as the summer closes out with the traditional long weekend. Labour Day Weekend originated in North America in the early 1880s to recognize workers. The holiday marked the establishment of the 40-hour work week, or 8 hours of work daily for 5 days and then two days of rest. Labour unions of the day had it right. They advocated each day should have a balance of 8 hours of work, 8 hours of recreation, and 8 hours of rest – and the 2-day weekend offered a healthy break to refresh. But the extra day...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
Eat Healthy Without Breaking the Bank
How would you like to have a cart full of healthy foods and still save money? Anyone who does the grocery shopping will tell you, it is more expensive to buy the ingredients for a healthy diet like vegetables, nuts, fruit and fish than the refined grains, processed prepared foods and meats of an unhealthy diet. Is there a way to buy healthy and keep costs down? Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, Professor of Nutrition at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, emphasizes that it is worth spending the time to spend your grocery dollars wisely. “We have seen again and again that people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancers and...Read More
