Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
So You Know How to Detect Poison Mushrooms?
“Are you sure you know how to identify poisonous mushrooms?” I asked my neighbour. He assured me he had studied differences in this fungus and had been picking them for years. But one night I received a call from his wife saying her husband was desperately ill. I found him lying on the bathroom floor, ghostly white, breathing heavily and in agony. I discovered he had been picking mushrooms and they had been a part of his dinner. He was rushed to the Emergency and nearly died. Now a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal says that foraging and eating wild mushrooms can result in liver failure and even death. And that mistaking toxic mushrooms for edible varieties is...Read More
Miscellaneous
Readers’ Reaction to Self-Inflicted Disease
Recently I asked readers to respond to the column, “Want to be a Millionaire?” I received a ton of mail. A Quebec judge had ruled that smokers could be rewarded for ill health and death even though they knew smoking had been a health hazard for 50 years. So I proposed getting rich similarly by starting a class action suit against food companies for creating the perfect storm of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. After all, this is a monumental crisis compared to smoking. L.P. from West Kelowna, British Columbia, writes, “I totally agree with your every word. These poor saps didn’t know that tobacco was harmful to their health? What a society we live in. The next...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Burnout 101 for Caregivers
Here's a possible Trivial Pursuit question, "What's the fastest growing unpaid profession in North America?" I admit I wouldn't have known the answer. But, according to the "Family Caregiver Alliance", more than 65.7 million Americans, that's 29 percent of the population, provide care to a family member, loved one or friend who is ill disabled or aged. But when does such labour of love trigger burnout anger in the caregiver? A report from Johns Hopkins University states, "The average unpaid, or informal, caregiver is a 46 year old female with a full or part-time job who spends about 20 hours a week catering for her mother". But for those caring for a loved one older than 65 the average age is...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
Want to Be a Millionaire?
What would I do if I wanted to be rich? I'd start a class action suit against food companies for their role in creating "the perfect storm", the three major epidemics in this country. After all, a judge has recently created the "perfect guidelines" for a win/win situation. He ruled that smokers can be rewarded for ill health or death. Of course, it's not their fault they ignored health warnings for 50 years about smoking! But since obesity causes more deaths than smoking, why shouldn't food companies also reward us for our ill health? Faced with a class action suit, food companies wouldn't have a leg to stand on in court. Consider the junk they've been selling unsuspecting customers for years....Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Vitamins
Are Calcium Pills Killing us?
Is there anything sacred anymore? For years researchers have stressed that people are not getting sufficient calcium to build strong bones and prevent osteoporosis (brittle bones). But now a research report claims that calcium supplements increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, a largely unknown vitamin can prevent this tragedy. Dr. Ian Reid and his colleagues at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, studied 14,000 women who were taking 1,000 mg (milligrams) of calcium daily. They report in the British Medical Journal that these women showed a 31 percent increased risk of coronary attack, stroke and death. This means 14 extra heart attacks, 10 more strokes and 13 more deaths over a two to five year period than women not taking...Read More
Cancer, Gastroenterology, Genitourinary, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
Do You Need a CT Scan?
How many people will die from excessive radiation exposure? Today, more patients get CT scans for a variety of problems. So how can patients decrease the risk of excessive exposure? “Consumer Reports on Health” says the number of CT scans in the U.S. in 1980 was under 3 million. Now in 2015 it’s 80 million. Experts claim that about one-third of the scans have little medical value. And the report adds that some doctors and technicians don’t take measures to reduce radiation exposure. In the past it’s been said that the radiation threat is greatest in children. But some research now suggests that certain radiation induced cancers place adults at risk as well, more than previously realized by doctors. So when is a...Read More
Cancer, Miscellaneous
What Oscar Knows That Doctors Don’t Know
Years ago the family cat, usually aloof, suddenly decided to spend time on my father-in-law’s lap months before he died of pancreatic cancer. Why? Another family reports in a Toronto newspaper that their pet feline recently began a vigil on a loved one’s lap just before he died. So what did the cat know that wasn’t taught to me at The Harvard Medical School? The New England Journal of Medicine, not noted for publishing trivia, surprised doctors several years ago by publishing a photo of Oscar, the cat. This male feline had become famous for his uncanny ability to predict death. Oscar did not have a noble background. Rather, he had been saved as a young kitten, by staff members of a...Read More
Miscellaneous
How Much Did You Learn in 2014?
Are these questions true or false? If you want to increase the chance of picking up an infection on a plane, ask for an aisle seat. A young woman who carried her cell phone in her bra developed a breast cancer that was the shape of her cell phone. Swedish researchers discovered that when they treated brain tissue of mice suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease with vitamin C, the amyloid plaques dissolved. A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association followed 1,774 heart attack patients. It found that there was only a 20 in 1,000,000 risk of a second heart attack during sex. DNA in the cell’s nucleus comes from both parents. But mitochondria are passed down by the mother and they determine whether...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition, Vitamins
EP = a2 Has Killed More People than E=mc2
It’s been said Einstein’s E=mc2 (energy=mass x C speed of light squared) is the world’s most important scientific equation. Unfortunately it created the atomic bomb that killed thousands in World War II. But I believe my equation EP = a2 (extra pounds = atherosclerosis squared) is the world’s important medical equation. Regrettably, it’s killing more millions every year than E=mc2.Think again if you believe this is exaggerated. Consider human obesity. Nothing, including the thousands of books on weight loss and diet, has been able to stop the epidemic of obesity which gets worse world-wide every year. Nor does anyone have the solution to the problem of increasing numbers of people developing Type 2 diabetes. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...Read More
Miscellaneous, Vitamins
Health Canada and CBC Television Distort Medical Facts
Do you remember the movie, “Network?” Howard Beale portrays the evening news anchor on national TV and he’s depressed about corruption, crime, unemployment and other societal ills. So angry he decides to speak his mind during the evening broadcast, to everyone’s surprise. Finally, after raving about injustices, he shouts, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore”, repeatedly. Then Beale tells listeners to go to their windows and shout, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore.” This week, like Beale, I’m also mad as hell. Why? Because I was commissioned to do a 30 second commercial on CBC about a product I support. It’s a high combination of vitamin C and lysine...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Genetics, Miscellaneous, Nutrition, Pain, Vitamins
BioSil: A Natural Remedy Fights Arthritis and Osteoporosis
What brings millions of North Americans to their knees late in life? Today, with an aging population many people now end their lives in wheelchairs due to brittle bones (osteoporosis) or are crippled by the pain of osteoarthritis, the wear and tear type. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is an inflammatory condition involving the destruction of cartilage. Its gel-like nature normally acts as a shock absorber. Without cartilage, bones rub on bones causing daily pain. Studies show that one in two people will develop osteoarthritis in their latter years, and two in three obese people will suffer from it at some time during their life. Now, studies done at the Netherlands Institute of Rheumatology and other European centers found that a natural remedy,...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Pain
Not All Lunatics Are in the Asylum
I'm often asked, "What have you learned as a medical journalist?" In one word "Plenty". After writing a column for 38 years you would have to be an imbecile not to learn something about medicine, human personality and hypocrisy. But above all else I've concluded that common sense is an uncommon commodity, and not all lunatics are in the asylum. Let's start with the Supreme Court of Canada. It's composed of legal experts who, having reached this exalted position, you'd expect to be the "crème de la crème" of this country. But how much horse sense do they possess about medical matters? How much understanding of their fellow men? And why are they so out-of-tune with the wishes of the populace? I'd bet...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Burnout 101 for Caregivers
Here's a possible Trivial Pursuit question, "What's the fastest growing unpaid profession in North America?" I admit I wouldn't have known the answer. But, according to the "Family Caregiver Alliance", more than 65.7 million Americans, that's 29 percent of the population, provide care to a family member, loved one or friend who is ill, disabled or aged. But when does such labour of love trigger burnout anger in the caregiver? A report from Johns Hopkins University states, "The average unpaid, or informal, caregiver is a 46 year old female with a full or part-time job who spends about 20 hours a week catering for her mother. But for those caring for a loved one older than 65 the average age is...Read More
Cardiovascular, Genitourinary, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Medical Tidbits
It's summertime and the living is easy" is a favourite expression at this time of year. But health hazards don't care what month it is. You can stub your toe at any time. And, for instance, how many parents worry that their children face a hazard simply by brushing their teeth, summer or winter? Can a roller coaster ride cause more than thrills? Can binge drinking result in more than a hangover? And, in summer, never mess around with 300,000,000 volts. Dr. Jurgen Kuschyk, a cardiologist at University Hospital in Mannheim, Germany, reports that anyone over 14 years of age should get a physical checkup before taking a roller coaster ride. This should include an electrocardiogram and, even better, an echocardiogram. Dr....Read More
Gastroenterology, Infection, Medicine, Miscellaneous
How Many Would Agree To a Fecal Enema?
John Dillinger, the notorious bank robber, was once asked why he robbed banks. He replied, "That's where the money is." Today, if you asked infectious disease experts where Clostridium difficile resides, they would reply, "It's in hospitals. It's dangerous and can be lethal." Other experts might warn that many C difficile infections could be avoided if North Americans would stop looking for pills to treat every human complaint. Rather than seeking pills they should be following a healthy dietary lifestyle. In fact, getting smart could even save 40 bowel movements a day, and, at times, a life. We have millions of bacteria living in our large bowels, usually not making war with one another. Studies show that about 3 percent of adults...Read More
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
Infection, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Vitamins
Death by Measles??
How would you react if your unvaccinated child or grandchild died from measles? No doubt your response would be one of agonizing grief. What you wouldn't know is that this personal tragedy did not have to happen in 2014. Unfortunately, I bet not one doctor in a thousand knows how Dr. Frederick Klenner successfully treated this viral infection over 60 years ago. Doctors are not the only ones unaware of Dr. Klenner. One of Canada's leading newspapers recently reported that there was no specific antiviral treatment for this highly infectious disease. It was wrong. This newspaper editor committed a major error by not reading history. Worldwide measles has been, in the past, one of the major causes of death among young children....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, 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
Miscellaneous
How Much Have You Learned?
Am I a good teacher or do I get an F for effort during the last year? The best way to find out is to see how much you have learned from this column. Good luck in the Q and A test. Q- 95 percent of patients with Type 2 diabetes are obese. Obesity, diabetes and the complications of these diseases will eventually cripple this nation's health care system. Q- Today 85 percent of seafood used in North America is imported and much of it is farm-raised. Small fish contain the least contaminates. Q – Zona Plus is a computerized device that helps to lower blood pressure without medication. The idea resulted from research on fighter pilots and the medical problems that result...Read More
Miscellaneous
What I Learned as a Medical Journalist
"Have you ever thought you'd like to be a journalist?" Well, here's the good and the bad. First, I was well trained at the Harvard Medical School, but as a journalist I've had an unprecedented learning experience searching for information I would never have sought before, on all sorts of topics. The bad? The profession requires responsibility, discipline, thick skin and recurring deadlines. So I've written about the experience in a book titled, "What I Learned as a Medical Journalist." I quickly learned that hypocrisy and distortion of the truth can affect doctors and humanitarian organizations. Years ago I urged the government to legalize heroin to ease the agony of terminal cancer patients. I won the battle with great difficulty but...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
