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
Lifestyle, Nutrition
How to Make Takeout Meals Healthy
Eating takeout meals can be a way of life, often driven by the necessity for fast, convenient food. During the pandemic, enthusiasts for restaurant dining have created a surge in demand for takeout meals. Unfortunately, fast food outlets have never been beacons of nutritional value. But have times changed? With the plethora of new home meal delivery services and more conscious consumers, is it possible to eat healthy delivery or pickup meals? Here are three tips. First, watch out for sugar and salt. Today, most sodium consumed is from added salt during commercial food processing. Fast food outlets often use high levels of salt. Restaurants also tend to use excess salt. One study by Tufts University found that a single full-service meal...Read More
Lifestyle, Obesity, Sports
Weightlifting, Not Just for a Medal
When asked how they exercise, people often report jogging, bicycling or walking. But what about weightlifting? Authorities say that picking up weights is not about winning a medal. Rather, as we age, strength exercises can help circumvent medical problems. Take if from Arnold Schwarzenegger, who famously remarked, “The best activities for your health are pumping and humping.” Let’s leave the humping part aside for now. When it comes to pumping weights, there are a lot of myths. First, lifting dumbbells is not just for building muscles. In fact, it helps to fight one of the problems that can change your life in a split second. Getting older is invariably fatal. But long before the final event, we begin to lose bone density,...Read More
Lifestyle, Philosophy
Good Health Includes Healthy Financials
Vaccines are now reaching the wider community, and Spring is near. As we emerge from isolation, there are predictions for the “Roaring 20s” ahead. But is this a good time for an assessment of your financial health? If you reach your 90s and are in good health, congratulate yourself. You are among the fortunate. In fact, more and more North Americans are living longer. In Canada, between 1921 and 2011, average life expectancy at birth increased from 57.1 years to 81.7 years, a gain of nearly two and a half decades. In the U.S., the Population Reference Bureau reports that the number of Americans ages 65 and older will more than double from 46 million today to over 98 million by 2060,...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Neurology
Keep Blood Pressure Under Control
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” Avoiding disease may be the gift of lucky genetics, but it helps to put some work into managing your chances for health and longevity. Maintaining rubbery arteries is key to the delivery of oxygenated blood to the heart’s muscle that guards against hypertension, stroke, and heart attack. A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that what’s good for the heart may also be good for the brain. The study involved 9,300 people ages, 50 and older with an average age of 68, with hypertension. They also had one other cardiovascular risk factor, history of stroke, or dementia. It was a huge study involving patients...Read More
Lifestyle, Neurology
Eating Disorders Combine Secrecy and Compulsion
It’s plainly evident that many people are eating too much. But several serious eating disorders can be harder to see, especially when they deliberately hide the problem. Recent research indicates that pandemic-related stay-at-home orders have ramped up anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorders. With COVID capturing all the headlines, it’s easy to lose sight of the looming mountain of mental health issues that are changing our healthcare horizon. Mental illnesses are the leading cause of premature death in Canada. In the U.S., Johns Hopkins University estimates that 26% of Americans ages 18 and older – about 1 in 4 adults – suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental illnesses. Girls and young women...Read More
Infection, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Go Ahead and Catch the Travel Bug
William Shakespeare wrote, “In the night, imagining some fear, how easy is a bush supposed a bear!” For many families having lost loved ones to the coronavirus, this has been a devastating year. The death numbers are broadcast relentlessly. Small wonder people have become paranoid about travelling. But does this anxiety make sense? Normally airports are chaotic and unpleasant. Joyless crowds stand toe-to-toe in long lineups through insufferable screenings and baggage checks, only to be herded like sheep onto cramped planes. But now could be the best time to travel. Airports are not crowded and much cleaner. Some flights leave the middle seat empty – a welcome move. Skeptics worry about contact with the coronavirus while seated for hours breathing shared air on...Read More
Lifestyle, Sports
What Are the Benefits of Walking?
Dr. Paul Dudley White, former Professor of Cardiology at the Harvard Medical School, used to ride his bike to class even in his later years. He remarked, “If you want to see how good your brain is, feel your leg muscles!” Biking may not be for everyone, but research shows the simple act of walking is tremendously good for you. Stronger brain and leg muscles are just the beginning. If COVID has got you hunkered down, you’d do well to get out in fresh air for a daily walk. Metabolic benefits A study in Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology reports that a brisk walk can decrease the risk of hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease just as much as running....Read More
Infection, Lifestyle
Can Flushing the Toilet Spread the Virus?
Why do so many people leave the toilet seat up all the time? After all, it’s not the most attractive display object. Now, convincing medical evidence confirms we should cover the potty before flushing. Researchers at Yangzhou University in China utilized computer modeling to show that flushing toilets does not keep all viruses and water in the bowl. They report in the journal Physics of Fluids that spray can fly as high as three feet! Ji-Xiang Wang, one of the researchers, added that the velocity of the spray could be even higher at public toilets. Readers will understand that researching toilet seats has not been high priority for this column. But years ago, a female reader triggered curiosity about potties. She wrote,...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
Will Saying No to Meat Save Us?
As governments, workers, and health authorities debate reopening meat packing plants hit by outbreaks of the coronavirus, maybe now is the time to rethink how much meat we eat. In 1989 Margaret Thatcher, former U.K. Prime Minister, gave an impassioned speech before the United Nations General Assembly. The greatest threat to the world community, she said, “is more and more people, and their activities: The land they cultivate ever more intensively; The forests they cut down and burn; The mountain sides they lay bare; The fossil fuels they burn; The rivers and seas they pollute.” Some would now add, people are eating too much meat. Dr. Walter Willet, Harvard University’s renowned advocate for healthy diets, has argued for years that health consequences...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Obesity
Is Home Confinement a Good Time to Try Fasting?
Today, nearly all of us are in enforced home confinement due to an invisible foe, the coronavirus. So, how do we amuse ourselves? Some pick up books they’ve always wanted to read. Others get household chores done. But how about some of us losing weight? If typical busy schedules have interfered with your efforts in the past, could the current context support a concentrated effort on fasting to shed pounds? And what are the best ways to fast? Fasting diets have generated considerable buzz among diet gurus in the media, not only as an approach to weight loss but also as a way to improve overall health. But do facts back it up? Researchers say that animals and humans share some comment...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
Why It’s Important to Sign Up at docgiff.com
What do newspaper editors do if they don’t agree with what you write? They fire you. I’ve annoyed some editors by expressing an opinion on controversial subjects. Or by stressing that natural remedies can be safer, less expensive, and more effective, than synthetic drugs. Today, drugs kill 100,000 North Americans every year and are responsible for sending hundreds of thousands to emergency departments because of adverse drug interactions. I have often said that in the next life I want to own all the newspapers, as freedom of the written word is only enjoyed by those who control the media. But I’m still alive on this planet and have been fired, basically for fighting the establishment. So editorial truth is under attack. Newspapers,...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
My Final Column for Post Media Newspapers
Life is full of surprises. It's ironic my recent column explained why I still work at 95 – that avoiding retirement is a healthy choice. To keep up with technology, I recently upgraded my computer to Windows10, an exercise that challenged my sanity. But despite my efforts, I was informed last week that Post Media has decided to discontinue my column! So, what can I say to my many readers in Sun newspapers? First, my thanks to Sun Editors for publishing my column for so many years. It’s been a privilege to discuss medical matters with your readers. The column began 45 years ago, and for many years, the Sun papers have helped me reach a wide audience. Although your readers...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy, Surgery
The Greatest Gift to Give at Any Time of the Year
This holiday season there will be joy, intimacy, and affection around many family dinner tables. But for some families it will be a difficult time with little laughter. They know that next year a family member may be missing. They are waiting for the donation of a kidney, heart or other vital organ to keep a loved one alive. But it may not arrive in time. So here’s a story of compassion from a man who gave the ultimate gift to a perfect stranger. I recently came across an article written by Naazneen Karmali, Asia Wealth Editor and India Editor for Forbes Asia. She relates the story of a wealthy Indian tycoon, Kochouseph Chittilappilly. He acknowledged that, as his 60th birthday...Read More
Lifestyle
Why Am I Still Working at 95?
I’m often asked, “Why don’t you stop working?” It’s a good question as many of my friends have left this planet. But I don’t want to get rusty, so I’m happy to have a work routine. Besides, an article from the Harvard Medical School indicates there are health benefits to working longer. At the time of the Roman Empire, people often died in their twenties. Infectious diseases were the primary cause of death. Nicole Maestas, an associate professor of health policy at Harvard studies the economics of aging, health and disability. She says, “Today, people who reach 65 years of age, will on average live to 84 years for men and 86 for women. So it’s natural they may be working longer.” Maestas...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Tests That Prevent Severe Disability or Death
It’s been said that if the U.S. Constitution was rewritten afresh, its authors would not stress the pursuit of happiness, but rather the pursuit of health. Today, when people get together, their topic of discussion eventually turns to health concerns, such as losing weight, blood pressure, bone density or other medical issues. Now there are tests to indicate the condition of your health. And if tests show an early abnormality, rule #1 is prevention. Rule #2 is never forget rule #1. Blood Pressure Hypertension is one of the main causes of heart attack, so what number should you try to maintain? Dr. William Dale, spokesperson for the American Geriatric Society, says that “regardless of age, North Americans should shoot for a blood...Read More
Infection, Lifestyle, Pediatrics
Are we keeping our kids too clean?
Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India’s independence movement, popularized the expression, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Any doctor would agree that cleanliness is on the pathway to health nirvana. But are we going too far in keeping young children isolated from common germs? Are some parents doing a disservice to their youngsters by keeping them too clean? For decades, immunologist have been studying whether exposing young children to a little dirt might strengthen the ability of their immune systems to fight infection later in life. Research by Sir Mel Greaves, Professor of Cell Biology at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, England, shows that children raised in cleaner environments are more likely to have weakened immune systems. But experts are concerned an...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine
Natural Remedies Could Help Finance Pharmacare
It’s soon voting time and politicians will again try buying your votes with freebies. One is universal Pharmacare. England, France, and New Zealand have varying types of free drugs. Canada and the U.S. should have the same. But the U.S. debt is $22 trillion and Canada’s $2.2 trillion. The “Debt Time Clock” shows these debts are increasing by millions every hour. If this doesn’t scare you, nothing will. But could increased use of natural remedies help make Pharmacare more affordable? The National Pharmacare Advisory Council tells us it will cost $15 billion. But we’re all suffering from chronic amnesia if we do not remember that the costs always balloon when politicians get involved. Pharmacare is not a cheap proposition. Costs will...Read More
Cancer, Lifestyle, Obesity
Death in Both Sexes due to the “Stupidity Factor”
What’s a great medical tragedy? It’s being diagnosed with a disease for which there is no cure. Possibly an even greater tragedy is dying from what’s been called the “Stupidity Factor”. These cases occur because patients ignore symptoms which indicate cancer may be present. But due to either fear or the hope it won’t happen again, they do nothing, thereby signing their own death warrant. This folly occurs in both sexes, resulting in failure to get a test done. The prime example is colonoscopy, which detects polyps in the large bowel that can be removed. This procedure can save people from premature death. Another major folly is to ignore rectal bleeding. I recall a friend who confided he had noticed rectal bleeding....Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Psychiatry
Fighting Insomnia Without Drugs or Doctors
Do you have trouble getting to sleep? Are you counting sheep and getting nowhere? Today, for many people a good night’s sleep is an elusive dream. Now, a report from the Harvard Medical School says that anxiety and stress often cause insomnia. And it’s refreshing to read that its solution doesn’t involve doctors or drugs. A prolonged lack of sleep can have devastating consequences. For instance, the huge oil spill by the Exon Valdez and the Chernobyl nuclear disaster were both believed to be related to sleep deprivation. But chronic insomnia can be life-threatening in other ways. Dr. William Dement, a renowned sleep researcher at Stanford University in California, says there’s compelling evidence that how well and how long we sleep is...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Shocking figures about falling
Getting older is a very dangerous disease. As we all get older, we’re likely to die from one of the big killers: heart failure, stroke, or cancer. But there’s another threat, falling down! It’s been said, “Never let a stumble in the road be the end of the journey.” Sounds easy, but the figures of elderly falls would make the dead sit up and take notice. The risk of falling increases with age, and is greater for women than men. Each year, falls are reported by one-third of people over the age of 65 and the leading cause of death. It gets worse. More than half of falls involving people 75 and older are fatal. And 25% of seniors who break...Read More
