Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
More Natural Ways to Decrease Blood Cholesterol
“Should I stop taking my cholesterol-lowering drug (CLD) and switch to the natural product Sytrinol?” “Can I take this remedy along with a CLD? “Are there other natural ways to lower blood cholesterol?” These and other responses to my column about Sytrinol indicate that large numbers of people on CLDs are worried about their potential side effects, and would prefer a natural product. To recapitulate, Sytrinol consists of citrus and palm fruit extract. This is why these products are often called plant sterols as they’re found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals and vegetable oils. Sytrinol has been available for several years and passed the test of time by lowering total cholesterol 30 percent, LDL bad cholesterol 27percent, triglycerides 34 percent,...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
How to Decrease A Big Gut
“How did this happen?” you wonder when you look in the mirror. Your stomach used to be flat. The conclusion is obvious. You’ve developed a large gut, like millions of other North Americans. It’s called “killer fat” and it increases by four times your risk of heart disease. But here are ways to reverse this dangerous problem. One – Stop Being Surrounded By Food You can’t eat what’s not there. So get rid of the cookie jar that contains 150 calories per cookie. By enjoying four you’ve already used up 600 of your 1,800 calorie limit per day. Get rid of cola drinks with eight teaspoons of sugar, another 120 calories. Get smart, buy a calorie book and stop living...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Will Your Child Die Before You?
What is the greatest tragedy that can befall parents? It’s that a child will die before they do. It’s tragic when this happens and we may see it more often. Many years ago I attended a service in Westminster Abbey in London, England. I can’t recall the sermon. But I do remember seeing chubby choir boys. I realized then how obesity was starting to affect children. Since then several studies have shown the growing extent of childhood obesity. One study involved 5,517 grade 5 students in 291 public schools in Nova Scotia. Of these students 32.9 percent were overweight and 9.9 percent obese. One in 10 is a frightening figure. We don’t...Read More
Lifestyle, Surgery
I Should Have Locked Up the Shotgun
Why was it so hard for me to have a good night’s sleep? It wasn’t the continuing uncertain state of the economy. Rather, every time I rolled over in bed my shoulder reminded me it wasn’t happy. This wouldn’t have happened if I’d been smarter and taken my own advice about prevention. But luckily Low Intensive Laser Therapy (LILT) has saved me from surgery a second time. Several years ago I became involved with trap shooting. I enjoyed the eye-to-hand coordination that’s required, but one day I got careless and shot too many rounds. That’s when the excessive recoil of the gun caused a rotator cuff tear (RCT) in my shoulder. I would have told anyone...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
A Unique Way To Lose 100 Pounds
"Would you like to see a picture of me taken two years ago?" a patient asked me. I was curious and said, 'Yes". But I was surprised when she produced a photo of a short, plump 200 pound woman She was now half that weight. I asked the obvious question, "How did you do it?" She replied that her lifelong ambition had been to be a jockey, and the following day she would be riding a horse at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. You may not want to ride a racehorse, but she proved there are several ways to lose weight. One Motivation is a huge factor in success, so find a motive. Why not save money in these trying financial times...Read More
Lifestyle
Lions Don’t Buy Nike Running Shoes
Have you ever seen lions running? You bet they run when they're hungry and chasing prey. The only other time they exercise is at mating season when they're having sex every 20 minutes! But most of the time they lay around or sleep. Exercise is simply not high on their priority list and they survive well without buying Nike running shoes. Questioning the value of exercise to humans, however, is like damning Motherhood and apple pie. But every year in my office I see examples of excessive exercise causing needless injury, and it results in many aggravating problems. One of my 60 year old female patients decided it was time to build up muscles and hired a personal trainer. At each visit...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle
Glabrinex – A Natural Remedy For Pot Bellied “Killer Fat”
Never before in human history have so many North Americans been so obese and pot bellied. It's causing an unparalled epidemic of diabetes with disastrous complications. But research shows that it's the abdominal fat, called visceral fat, that kills. Now, a natural remedy Glabrinex, can help to decrease this "killer" fat. Years ago, Dr. Timo Lakka, a Finnish researcher, urged pot-bellied people to take heed after studying 1,800 apple-shaped Finns for 10 years. He reported that men who were not overweight, but had a pot belly, had four times the risk of heart disease than men without one. Then, in 1988, Dr. Gerald Reaven at Stanford University in California described what is known as the "metabolic syndrome". It's the stage before type...Read More
Lifestyle, Obesity
Can You Be Hefty and Healthy?
For years this columnist and others have been screaming from the rooftops that excess pounds are unhealthy. Now several reports show that it's not that simple and it's possible to be both hefty and healthy. So how can you do it? A study of 2,600 people published in the Journal of The American Medical Association showed that physically active people had about the same mortality rate regardless of whether they were underweight, normal weight or overweight. In fact, the news was even better for those who were overweight. People who were obese, but fit and in good cardiovascular health, had a strong survival edge over those who were thin couch potatoes. I've told patients for years to buy a scale and step...Read More
Lifestyle
I Was Married By A Judge I Should Have Asked for A Jury
What's the chance of living to 85 years and beyond? Dr. Bradley J. Wilcox is the lead author of a longevity study carried out by the Pacific Health Research Institute in Hawaii. It's one of the longest studies on aging and it followed the health of 5,820 Japanese-American men for 40 years. At the start of the study their average age was 45 and they were all healthy. What happened to them depended on nine key factors. You can calculate your longevity with simple arithmetic. One - How good is your grip strength which is measured by how hard you can grasp an object? So the next time you squeeze a lemon estimate your strength. If your grip strength is strong...Read More
Lifestyle
How The “Neat” Theory and “Magic Underwear” Keep You Thin
Why is it that some people are thin and others prone to obesity? Hundreds of books have been written to explain this dilemma. Some blame the under active thyroid. Others cite genetics. But Dr. James Levine, an endocrinologists and Professor of Nutrition at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has a "neat" theory supported by "Magic Underwear" to explain the difference. In Nutrition Action Health Letter he reports a unique experiment. He gathered together a combination of thin people and obese couch potatoes who never went to the gym. He then gave both groups an extra 1,000 calories a day above their usual caloric intake for eight weeks to see what would happen. They were also fitted with underwear that was equipped...Read More
Lifestyle
Read This, Then Go Out And Have A Beer
Years ago a speaker abruptly broke off his speech. He said, "I know you're bored with this topic and I'm bored, so let's quit and have a beer". I felt this way and nearly tossed this column out. Why bother to waste paper on something you already know? But on the other hand a report from The Harvard Medical School shows it's absolute madness that so many people are taking pills when two simple changes in lifestyle could prevent and treat some health problems. We can also learn from it what happens to a person who loses an arm. Today, there's good reason to be concerned about the depressing economic news. But if you're worried about investments, researchers at Harvard say...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
A Good Postal Code Leads To A Longer Life
I've just returned from a "Canadian Medical Education Course" on Cardiology aboard Norweigen cruise line. Being a former ship's surgeon I love being at sea. Besides, a sea voyage is a great way to recharge your batteries. And it provided an opportunity to listen day after day to a diverse group of international cardiologists who discussed the nation's number one killer. Now I know the importance of one's postal code. And why North Americans should never forget "Matthew's Law" Dr. Stuart Smith, one of Canada's leading cardiologists, reported that heart failure is the new cancer of our society. Each year over one million people in North America suffer heart attack. Half of these patients die within an hour. The rest may...Read More
Cancer, Lifestyle, Philosophy
An Instrument That Could End Medical Madness?
Is there a device that could stop people from destroying themselves? An instrument that could prevent lunatic behaviour and premature death of millions of North Americans? It's a tall order. But Eureka, with the help of my children there's finally a solution. During a family dinner I told them about a frustrating situation that had occurred that day. My patient was taking her Mother to Florida for the winter. She also had to take along an oxygen tank. Unfortunately, her Mother suffered from incapacitating emphysema. She had destroyed her lungs from years of smoking. The daughter, a well-educated woman, was also smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. During our talk she was constantly coughing and it was obvious that she would...Read More
Lifestyle
Want To Get Smarter In 2008?
One Only imbeciles send messages on cell phones or put on lipstick while driving. They are one of the reasons why injuries are the leading cause of death in this country up to age 44. So protect yourself and your children from foolish accidents that should not happen. Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in your home, store toxic products out of the reach of children, wear life-jackets while boating and helmets while biking to stop becoming a statistic. And beware the imbeciles! Two Stop eating junk food that is half sugar for breakfast. It's safer to eat the packaging. Rather, start the day with all-bran cereal that contains 14 grams of fiber. A Harvard study shows this decreases the risk of heart...Read More
Lifestyle
Men Need A lesson From New York City Fireman
Can you prove anything you want by statistics? You bet. But here's one case where there's no need to manipulate figures to prove a point. It's a straight, simple, indisputable fact that women live 5.4 years longer than men. So was the Almighty just unkind to men or is this problem the result of their own stupidity? Male vulnerability starts early. The pregnancy of a male fetus is more likely to end in miscarriage or stillbirth. Even as infants the mortality is higher among premature boys. They have a higher rate of developmental disabilities and autism. And are more likely to be born colour blind. They also die more often than women from almost all of the leading killers, coronary attack, cancer,...Read More
Lifestyle, Philosophy
Pogo Was Right – Consumer Responsibility
How long should we be our brother's keeper? A report in the British newspaper, The Guardian, claims that being a Samaritan is coming to an end in England. Smokers and overweight people will soon be asked to sign contracts with their doctors. They will have to agree to a program to quit smoking and lose weight under a radical medical plan drawn up by the Labour government. Health secretary, Alan Milburn says it's an attempt to remind people of their own responsibilities. The document will not deny medical care to those who refuse to sign the agreement. But the government wants to make it clear that smokers and overweight people must play a role in caring for themselves by stopping smoking,...Read More
Lifestyle
Why Your Child May Die Before You
What is the greatest tragedy that can befall a parent? Most parents will reply, "That one of our children will die before we do." The call that a child has been killed in an accident is a tragedy impossible to measure. Equally tragic is that today's obese children may die before their parents. But this is a preventable tragedy and parents can do something to avoid it. Many years ago I attended a service in Westminster Abbey in London, England. I can't recall the sermon. But I do remember seeing chubby choir boys. I realized then how obesity was starting to affect children. Now, a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows the extent of childhood obesity and how it...Read More
Lifestyle
Do Doctors Practice What They Preach?
How good are you at following a healthy lifestyle? This week you can compare how you rate with the faculty of The Harvard Medical School that has 15,329 faculty. Equally important, are they paragons of virtue, practicing what they preach? The faculty receives top marks for following a good diet. 82 per cent eat breakfast and study after study shows a healthy breakfast is the best way to start the day. And large numbers eat at least three servings of fruits and vegetables most days. The majority of these doctors also turn a cold shoulder to fast food restaurants. 59 percent rarely go to one and 29 per cent never darken their doors. The rest go to a fast food restaurant one...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
Soda Pop – Do You Know What Your Child Is Drinking?
What current lifestyle problem bothers me the most today? It's seeing obese children guzzling cans of liquid candy. Parents must be totally unaware of the can's contents. But if they know the health consequences, and do nothing about it, they should see psychiatrists. Harvard researchers have linked soft drinks to childhood obesity. Today there are over 18 million obese children in North America, a disaster waiting to happen. Children and adults are consuming soda pop in increasing amounts. In 1947 100 cans of soda pop were consumed per person per year. By 1997 it had escalated to 580 cans. Sugar itself is not the problem. It's the amount of sugar consumed by children. If parents noticed a child adding 10 teaspoonfuls of sugar...Read More
Lifestyle
Bugs Bunny Carrots to Lose Weight
What is the best incentive to lose weight? We've all heard numerous ways. But Alberta's new Health Minister thinks that people need a new approach to be svelte. Her formula? Give people financial incentives to shed pounds. And unlike me she's not being tarred-and- feathered, and called obeseophobic. Iris Evans says, "We need to create an atmosphere of wellness". And unlike most politicians this one is practicing what she preaches. The 62 year old former nurse has lost 60 pounds in the last two years. So what's her idea? The Minister suggests giving tax write-offs, like a carrot to a donkey, to those who sign up for gym memberships and other athletic activities. Her idea is still in its early stages, but...Read More
Lifestyle, Philosophy
Eight Good Reasons to Make Love
Are you fed up reading about war, our failing health care system and crooked CEOs? If so, let's discuss a more pleasant topic, the way to ensure a long and healthy life. Some are convinced that jogging, a variety of diets or a daily glass of red wine is the answer. But what about sex? The fact is that making love is downright good for you. Here are eight reasons why you should put more amore into your life. It's Good Exercise Since making love involves some interesting acrobatics having sex three times a week burns about 7,500 calories in a year. This is the equivalent of jogging 75 miles! And vigorous sex consumes up to 200 calories each time. At three...Read More
Lifestyle
Who Says 10,000 Steps a Day?
How many steps do most people take daily, and how many are needed for good health? I had no idea how many I take and thought it would be interesting and prudent to find out. And who is right about exercise, Mark Twain or the Earl of Derby? The first step was to purchase a pedometer. It's a small battery operated device (the cost $30.00) that fits on the hip and counts your steps. Mine has more gizmos than I need. But the main button counts steps and another the calories burned up. My normal day involves a 25 minute walk to my office and the same route home in late afternoon. During the day I don't run a marathon in the...Read More
Lifestyle, Psychiatry
10 Ways To Beat Stress In 2005
Voltaire was right when he wrote, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation". As we enter another year the desperation seems to be getting worse. There's the escalating violence in Iraq, the concerns about our economy and more headlines warn us of another prescription drug that causes heart attack and stroke. So here are 10 non-prescription ways to help you relax in 2005. One The laying-on-of-hands cures more stress and sore muscles than a cartload of pills. In fact, this message has not been lost on industry where anything to help the bottom-line becomes top priority. Some companies are now using massage as a form of stress management to decrease fatigue, headache and back strain in their employees. This results in greater...Read More
Lifestyle
What You Don’t Know About Tylenol Can Kill You
Socrates, the Greek philosopher, cautioned in 410 B.C. "Nothing in excess". Others since that time have added, "Too much of a good thing is worse than none at all." But North Americans don't believe it. Every year people unwittingly poison themselves with excess acetaminophen, better known by the brand name, Tylenol. It's easier than most realize to damage the liver and cause death. They do it to themselves and sometimes their children. In the U.S. Federal health officials report that 56,000 Americans end up in emergency rooms each year due to a Tylenol overdose. And that 16,000 die from complications related to over-the-counter painkillers. These figures may be higher since some cases are not reported. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...Read More
Lifestyle
Super Aspirin Not So Super – Vioxx
What can we do to shorten the long waiting lists for surgery? How can we stop the massive increases in the cost of health care? Politicians and health care workers continue to struggle with this dilemma. They always conclude that more money is the answer. But this approach is doomed to failure. How can it work when it's taken 40,000 years for humans to get into such horrible shape? How did it happen? And is there a solution? Dr. Barry Bogin is a professor of anthropology at the University of Michigan. He says we all envision our Paleolithic ancestors as being short, bent- over people with small brains. Actually they were a tad taller with brains as large as ours. And...Read More
