Cardiovascular, Genitourinary, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition, Sex
What You Should Ask Before You Say, “I Do”
We've often heard a minister ask, "Mary MacTavish, do you take John MacDuff to be your lawful husband, to love and cherish, till death do you part?" But in 2014, hasn't life become more complicated for such a lifetime vow? Shouldn't Mary ask John, "Do you toss your dirty socks on the floor?" Or, "What is your risk of obesity?" She might demand "Before we go roaming in the gloaming, send me a copy of your sperm count and what you wear underneath your kilt." A report from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, should make every prospective bride, who wants to be a mother, take a second look at her husband-to-be before she says, "I do". Scottish researchers now repeat what we...Read More
Cancer, Cardiovascular, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Genetics, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Tight Collar? It Increases Risk of Glaucoma
What's the best way to diagnose disease? Today, as never before, there are many scientific tests such as ultrasound, CT scans, MRIs and more blood and genetics tests available every year. But is it possible to spot a potential disease without using these expensive procedures? Instead, how about the KISS approach (keep it simple, stupid)? Researchers at Britain's Warwick University report in The British Journal of Cancer that prostate cancer kills about 250,000 men every year. But who are the most likely to develop this disease late in life? After studying males with prostate cancer, and those without this disease, researchers discovered an interesting physical finding. Males whose index finger was longer than their ring finger were 33 percent less likely to...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
Potassium: Like Sex and Money, Just the Right Amount
"Why would anyone be so foolish to carry on this asinine habit for so long?" This was my immediate reaction to an article, published by LiveScience and reported at the European Heart Rhythm Association. In effect, the article shows how a most innocent habit, carried out for a long period, can send you to hospital. A woman living in Monaco was admitted to emergency following a fainting episode. She had no family history of heart problems. Doctors quickly discovered that she had an irregular heart rate. When results of the blood study were reported they were shocked to find her blood potassium was in the hazardous range. But why would it be so low? A detailed questioning revealed that she had consumed...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition
They Tried To Hang Me In 1981
What had I done so wrong 33 years ago? I had written a column about the health hazards of excessive amounts of sugar. The Canadian Sugar Institute asked The College of Physicians and Surgeons to discipline me for making false charges. It was only after many hours of testimony that democracy prevailed. The College decided that, as a journalist, I had the right to a personal opinion. So is the linking of sugar to heart disease a new idea? A report in the journal, JAMA Internal Medicine, claims that those who consume 25 percent of more of their daily calories from added sugar are three times more likely to die of heart disease. The Heart and Stroke Foundation is...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
My Number Is 18924
Why am I mad as hell? This week I finally joined "Dignitas", the Swiss organization that allows freedom of choice in death. Now I'm Registered Member 18924. I hope I don't get a chance to use it soon or ever. But if I develop a debilitating illness, Dignitas will be available. Many share my view. We want to cry out "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore." Let's first get mad as hell at gutless politicians, such as any Prime Minister who claims our Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects us all from injustice, yet denies freedom from the agony of terminal cancer pain, Lou Gehrig's disease and other degenerative diseases. Some justice! Then let's get...Read More
Lifestyle, Vitamins
Can Vitamin C Stop an Aging Brain?
"I want to die with my boots on!" is an oft-heard expression. But it poses a problem. Today, many are living and dying not even knowing their boots are on. So does Alzheimer's disease have to happen? Are cholesterol deposits in arteries starving our brain cells of oxygen? And can we do anything about it? A report in the journal Dementia and Geriatric Disorders claims there's a link between heart attack and Alzheimer's disease. The link is atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) due to cholesterol. Sir William Osler, Professor of Medicine at both McGill and Johns Hopkins University, once remarked that "It's lucky to be born with good rubber." Namely, it's best to have flexible, open arteries that carry sufficient amounts of oxygenated...Read More
Cancer, Lifestyle, Women's Health
The Worst Place to Carry A Cell Phone
Could smart phones be slowly killing us? Some experts feel we're living in an Alice-in-Wonderland world if we ignore radiation from these electronic devices. So today, here's an example of what can go wrong. The Environmental Health Trust's Newsletter reports an unusual case. A young woman, with no predisposing risk factors for cancer, made a practical decision. She decided to carry her cell phone in her bra. Today with so many cell phones being snatched from people, I give her top marks for ingenuity and increased security. Unfortunately, she developed breast cancer. But what shocked doctors was that the pattern of the cancer lined up perfectly with the shape of the cell phone. This single case does not prove that radiation...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
A New Year’s Resolution That Makes Sense
Where do I get ideas for this column? Normally, from reliable medical sources. But this New Year's resolution comes from The Daily Reckoning, a financial publication. Its advice is sound for all of us as we start 2014. Its topic is "The Parable of Taganga". A U.S. investment adviser was visiting a small fishing village in Colombia called Taganga. As he strolled along the pier, a fisherman appeared with his daily catch. The basket contained four tilapia. When the American was told the fish had been caught quickly he said, "So why didn't you catch more fish?" The fisherman replied, "This is all I need to feed my family." So the American asked, "How do you spend the rest of the day?" The...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Vitamins
The Darkness Hormone
"Do you think melatonin is of any value?" a doctor recently asked me. And if a doctor is wondering about this natural remedy, many people must be asking the same question. So, what do we know about it? Melatonin has been labeled "the darkness hormone" because it's produced at night in contrast to vitamin D, "the sunshine hormone", that's manufactured during sunlight hours. Melatonin is found in some plants such as bananas, cherries and grapes. A report in the Journal of Medicinal Food showed that tart cherry juice, compared to a placebo drink, helped some older people sleep better. But it required 16 ounces a day, (the equivalent of 100 cherries) to have a modest effect. It also added 250 calories to...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
Overweight and Fit?
"How much do you think this weighs?", I occasionally ask patients. What I've handed them is a large, fatty, yellow, glob of fake tissue, similar to human tissue. But what surprises patients is that it feels quite heavy, yet only weighs one pound. Suddenly they realize the significance of the 20 pounds they've gained since their last checkup. But can they be overweight and fit at the same time? Dr. Jean-Pierre Despres of Laval Research Centre in Quebec City reports in the Archives of Internal Medicine what is good news for some men, and what should be a wakeup call for others. Despres and his colleagues studied 169 healthy men by comparing their cardiovascular fitness to the amount of belly fat they...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Medicine, Nutrition
Stein’s Law and Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
Stein's Law says that if something can't go on forever, it has to stop. It's just a matter of when. Stein's Law always wins. But when will this Law stop the increasing number of North Americans taking cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs)? Surely enough is enough. Recently the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology issued new broader guidelines that in one fell swoop have added millions of healthy people to the list of those who will be prescribed CLDs. Dr. John Abramson at the Harvard Medical School and Dr. Rita F. Redberg, cardiologist at the University of California, report that these guidelines will primarily benefit the pharmaceutical industry, not patients. Abramson and Redberg state this decision would be good news for patients...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
Be Careful How Many Friends You Invite For Dinner
Who doesn't like the feast of the holiday season? For most it's a time of laughter, revelry and the bounty of food and drink. It's also a time when will-power takes a holiday. Much too much eggnog and other calories are consumed. So do you just give up, or do you decide to be a smart eater? Here's Menu 101 for smart holiday eating. Dr. Susan B. Roberts, Director of Tuft's University Energy Metabolism Laboratory, says, "Faced with a six week never ending onslaught of fattening foods, you know you can't win, so you resign yourself in advance and let yourself go." But what happens to the calorie count on holidays is shocking. For instance, Roberts says between U.S. Thanksgiving and the...Read More
Cardiovascular, Endocrine, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Too Little Salt Or Too Much Salt?
Is everything I've written about salt wrong? As well as that of Stephen Havas, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Maryland? He claims that "the number of deaths from excess salt is equivalent to a commuter jet crashing every day in the U.S. And that people should be outraged". Now, a report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) suggests instead that low sodium intake can be harmful for some people! IOM analyzed nearly 40 studies and found that high amounts of sodium are associated with increased risk. This has always been the theory of the American Heart Association. But the report proposed that low sodium intake could be risky for those suffering from heart failure. Moreover, the report showed no...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
What I Learned While Being On-The-Road
I am travelling across Canada! Come out to my free lecture in North Vancouver on October 16 at 7 pm at the Silver Harbour Senior’s Activity Centre. What's it like to be a medical journalist? It's a combination of hard work, deadlines and loneliness. After all, computers are hardly good company. This is why, for several months, it's been exciting meeting and greeting live humans across Canada. And what was the number one question and worry of readers? I wasn't surprised to find that health consumers today are confused about medical care. Countless numbers of readers handed me a list of prescription drugs they were taking. Most had only a vague knowledge of why they were taking them. I wondered too, and...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
ThorupGaarden: a Big Hit with Seniors
I recently reported the Danish retirement home, Thorupgaarden, allows pornographic movies on Saturday night and even prostitutes on occasion. These have proven to have a calming effect on seniors more powerful than Prozac. So how did readers react to this news? From RS in Winnipeg, "I've always wanted to find a nursing home that allowed cocktails, never mind the pornographic videos and prostitutes. I agree that seniors should be allowed more than just pulling up the covers at bedtime. Bravo to you for writing about the need for sexual satisfaction for us elders." From Vancouver, "Great article in 24 hours. I work with a geriatric population and am tempted to put it up on the bulletin board. Now I know where I'll...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Update on the “Cup of Java”
A glowing ad once stated "A very wholesome and physical drink that helpeth indigestion, quickeneth the spirits, maketh the heart lightsome, is good against eye sores, coughs, head-ache, gout and the King's evil". It was the year 1657, when coffee was first introduced into London, England from the Middle East. And what was the King's evil? In recent years people have considered coffee drinking a questionable habit with some refusing coffee for health reasons. So what are the pros and cons for drinking a cup of java? First, the good news. Coffee contains over 1,000 naturally occurring chemicals. Caffeine is actually a natural pesticide that helps to protect coffee plants from predators. Brewed coffee contains between 60 to 120 milligrams of caffeine...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Pain
Reader Response on Assisted Death
I recently applauded the Province of Quebec which is attempting to legalize assisted death. There is no better example of what's wrong with the Charter of Freedoms when it does not allow freedom from pain on the death bed. I did not ask for reader response, but received a ton of it.... From WP, "I enjoy your column in the Kelowna Courier and I couldn't agree more on assisted suicide. I'm a volunteer counsellor at a hospice. The problem is that families will not let go even though the patient is ready for the big trip. I have seen them rescind "do not resuscitate" and have to remind them this decision is not about them, but the wishes of the patient"... From...Read More
Cancer, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Less Meat in the Diet? Why I Hope that’s Wrong
"Yes, waiter, I want my steak blue!" I've found that statement the easiest way to get a rare steak. But should I be eating meat, rare or not? A recent report in Nutrition Action, which often provides sound advice, gives six reasons why a high intake of red meat is associated with coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and premature death. One In a Harvard study, 120,000 health professionals were followed for 28 years. Those who ate the most meat had a 30 percent higher risk of dying earlier. In another study, the National Institute of Health followed half a million people for 10 years and came to the same conclusion. Two Dr. Adam Bernstein, research director at the Cleveland Clinic's...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine
Drug Reactions a Leading Cause of Death
Napoleon Bonaparte was not only a brilliant military strategist, but he hit the bull's eye when he remarked, "Most men die from their medicine, rather than from their disease". Now, a report published by the Canadian Institute of Health, says that adverse drug reactions send too many seniors to hospital. It's because North Americans have become the most over-drugged society in history. What an ironic situation! In the underdeveloped world people are dying from the lack of medical care. Now, in the developed world, unintended harmful drug reactions are causing thousands of deaths and hospital admissions every year. It appears that all our medical benefits come with a caveat. Too much of anything can often be worse than none at all. The...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition, Pain, Vitamins
Have Arthritis? Try Eating Healthy
There's nothing good about terminal cancer pain other than the pain finally ending with death. But there's another type of chronic pain, arthritis that goes on and on year after year. It can be a living hell. It's estimated that over 50 million North Americans are afflicted with this disease. Now, a report from Tufts University claims that eating right can help the aching joints of both osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear type, and rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Miriam Nelson, an expert on nutrition, says, "You might be surprised how modifying the diet can decrease stiffness and inflammation". Her first suggestion is to start with water. This liquid provides moisture and structural support to joints. It also carries nutrients to where they are needed,...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Sports
Momentary Lapses Resulting in Injury or Death This Summer
There's an old song, "Summer Time and the Living is Easy". But it's theme can be a prelude to disaster. Every summer what's supposed to be fun turns into a lifetime of existence as a quadriplegic, or with other severe injuries. And it happens to all ages. Shriners Hospitals say that 300,000 people are treated every year in emergency rooms due to lawnmower and other garden tool accidents. 35,000 of these injuries involve children under 15 years of age who lose hands, legs or their lives. These accidents are waiting to happen when parents allow children to use power mowers. The kinetic energy imparted by the rotating blades of a mower is three times the muzzle energy of a 357 Magnum...Read More
Cancer, Genitourinary, Lifestyle
If Breasts Can Be Examined, Why Not The Testicles?
For years we've stressed to women the importance of an annual breast examination for the detection of cancer. Yet today little attention is paid to examination of the male testicles. It's time for women to remind their mates that what is good medicine for the goose is also good medicine for the gander. Routine testicular self-examination (TSE) is the answer. Dr. Joel Brenner, Assistant Professor of Sports Medicine at the University of Georgia, says, "There is a taboo about talking about the testicles, unlike breasts and mammograms that are discussed on prime-time television." Yet cancer of the testicles is one of the most treatable cancers. The case of Lance Armstrong is the best example. In 1996 this world class athlete and five...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Women's Health
The DNA Protection Cream : A Far Cry From Granny’s Cold Cream
Would you believe it's possible to have a DNA anti-aging cream that treats the whole range of skin problems? Would you think it's too good to be true? A small Canadian company has developed a cream called "Reversa Multi-Tasking Care. (RMTC)" Clinical studies show this new Tepronone DNA based anti-aging cream attacks wrinkles, dryness, loss of firmness, dilated pores and redness. You don't have to be a cosmeceutical expert to know that Shakespeare was only half right when he coined the phrase, "Vanity, thy name is woman". Today, reports show that men, even construction workers, are seeking ways to get rid of aging skin. And I know that on the rare occasion when I write a column...Read More
Alcohol, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Vitamins
Non-Toxic Ways To Lower Blood Cholesterol
"Is a natural remedy as effective as cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs)?" Or "Is it possible to lower cholesterol by just dietary changes?" These and other questions routinely arrive in my e-mail. What everyone should be asking is, "What is the safest way to lower blood cholesterol?" Moliere, the French actor and playwright, once remarked that, "Nearly all men die of their medicines, not their diseases." This was a realistic statement nearly four hundred years ago. But, even today, in this enlightened age, many people suffer serious, and sometimes lethal ends, due to medication. So I always suggest taking drugs the way porcupines make love, very, very carefully. So can you as cautiously lower blood cholesterol? First, the good news, but only if...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Vitamins
Adrenal Exhaustion The 21st Century Disease
Are you tired for no reason? Having a hard time getting out of bed? Or feel run-down and stressed all the time? If so, you may have the first symptoms of adrenal exhaustion and must learn to "adapt" before it becomes a steady habit that causes more than heartburn. As Charles Darwin, the British scientist remarked. "It's not the fittest that survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who can adapt to their environment." Or, as is often said, "It's not the work that kills, it's the worry". The thumb-sized adrenal glands are situated on the top of both kidneys and have been called the body's primary "shock absorbers". They produce a number of hormones such as adrenaline, cortisol and DHEA....Read More
