Lifestyle, Nutrition
Salt: Is Too Much Causing Autoimmune Disease?
What comes crashing down with excessive salt? Dr Stephen Havas, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Maryland says, "The number of deaths from excess salt is equivalent to a commuter jet crashing every day in the U.S." During a recent visit to the Harvard Medical School, I also learned that too much salt may be causing autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's Disease and psoriasis. For years doctors have linked excessive amounts of salt to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Dietary guidelines suggest no more than 1,500 milligrams (mgs) of salt daily. But the majority of North Americans consume a whopping 4,000 mgs daily. Studies show that one in two North Americans over the age of...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
Defending Cows
"Don't buy any more butter", I told my wife many years ago. I was a naïve young doctor at that time and I believed my cardiologist who advised the use of margarine instead to prevent heart attack. But this dutiful switch did not last long. Later, as a not-so- naïve-medical-journalist, I questioned my cardiologist's reasoning. Now, the cows are having the last laugh. The Annals of Internal Medicine reports 27 clinical trials that involved 600,000 participants. Researchers concluded that the use of margarine, namely a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, did not have any beneficial effect on cardiovascular health. Hence, some nutritionists are saying "Butter is back". But the question is, should butter have ever gone away? So what is the...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
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
Cardiovascular, Nutrition, Sex
Beetrootburgers, To Lower Blood Pressure and Boost Amour
Why would I want to eat beets? Because my mother happened to like beets and said they were good for me. You did not say "No" to my mother. Besides, I thought they might be better than spinach. Now it appears my mother made an excellent choice as research shows the lowly beet packs a powerful punch. Beets are a traditional vegetable in Eastern and Central Europe and India. Fortunately, beets are easily grown most of the year, have long storability and adapt to a wide variety of climates. The medicinal value of beets dates back to early times. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, recommended beets for binding wounds, blood cleansing and digestive problems. The goddess of love, Aphrodite, believed her romantic...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
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, 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
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
Miscellaneous, Nutrition
How Safe Is Your Seafood?
"You should eat more fish" is a remark I often make to patients. But I find that recently more patients reply, "But are fish safe to eat?" They worry about the amount of mercury and PCBs that may be in fish. So today when it appears that everything has a touch of contamination, how safe are fish to eat? A report from the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future, published in Environmental Science and Technology, analyzed seafood inspection data from the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. It states that today 85 percent of seafood used in North America is imported and much of it is farm-raised (a practice called aquaculture) in Asia and elsewhere in the developing world. One negative is that...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition, Vitamins
Don’t Become A Diabetes Statistic In 2013
When a man applied for a job at the railway station, he was asked, "Suppose you saw a train coming from the east at 100 miles an hour. Then, you noticed a train coming from the west at 100 mph. The trains are both on the same track and just a quarter of a mile apart. What would you do?" The man replied, "I'd run and get my brother". "Why would you ever do that at such a critical time?" he was asked. The man replied, "Because my brother's never seen a train wreck". Today, diabetes and its complications make a perfect medical train wreck. According to The World Health Organization every 40 seconds a new diabetic is diagnosed in North...Read More
Alcohol, Lifestyle, Nutrition
Preventing Sugar Bellies at Christmas and 2013
"Look at that beer belly!" is an often heard remark. But are beer drinkers getting a bad rap? There's good evidence that may be the case as some beers contain a mere 60 calories. This is why a recent study from the Harvard Medical School says it's about time we renamed this problem, the "Sugar Belly". So can you fight this universal problem during the holidays? Vasanti Malik, a researcher at The Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, reports in Nutrition Action Health Letter that the average North American consumes at least 15 teaspoons of sugar daily. This is mostly from sucrose (table sugar), fructose and glucose. Malik says these calories are contributing to the sugar belly. It's not just...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
A Unique Way to Stop Bean Flatus
Do you suffer from chronic abdominal pain, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea and constipation? If so, there's a good chance the diagnosis is "irritable bowel syndrome" (IBS). This condition is one of the most commonly diagnosed problems in this country. However, most people are treating it the wrong way, destroying their bowels with laxatives. It's smarter to use natural therapy. Dr. Linda Lee, Professor of Gastroenterology at Johns Hopkins University, says that when patients complain of IBS symptoms she first rules out serious disease such as stomach ulcers, ulcerative colitis and bowel malignancies. These more serious problems are more likely to be present if patients also complain of weight loss, being wakened by pain, or seeing blood in the stool. Dr. Lee...Read More
Nutrition, Vitamins
Hell Will Freeze Over Before I Stop Eating Steak
"Are you sure you want your steak blue?", waiters often ask. I've learned the word "blue" is the best way of ensuring a rare steak. But lately I've noticed I'm the only one eating meat. Friends are ordering either chicken or a vegetarian diet. They claim this is the way to better health. But I'm a cocktail- before- dinner guy, and hell will freeze over before I give up steak. Now, I've found an ally in Professor Duo Li, Professor of Nutrition at Zhejiang University, Hangahou, China. Li reports, in The Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, that my veggie friends may be lacking in iron, zinc, vitamin B-12 and essential Omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients are needed for cardiovascular health. So how...Read More
Nutrition, Obesity
PGX Fights Constipation, Cholesterol and Obesity
W. C. Fields, the comedian with the bulbous, red alcoholic nose, when asked if he would like a glass of water, always replied, "Water is for flowing under bridges." But Fields didn't know about "The Ultimate Volumetrics Diet", or PGX. Dr. Barbara Rolls, Professor of Nutritional Sciences at Penn State University in Pennsylvania, reports in the publication "Nutrition Action" that, when she was studying the effects of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in food intake, she had a "Eureka moment". People, she concluded, were not regulating their calories. Rather, they were regularly eating the same weight or volume of food. Her next "Eureka moment" came with the observation that it's possible to eat a large volume of food and still lose weight if...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
What Does North America Offer Immigrants?
For years citizens of the United States have enthusiastically welcomed millions of immigrants to their country. But what do they offer them as they sail or fly past the Statue of Liberty? They claim their country provides Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. But what do immigrants actually receive after arrival in the U.S? And would it have been wiser for them to have stayed in their own country? Researchers at Ohio University studied 24 men and women who moved to the U.S. from countries all over the world. They discovered that after ten weeks, the new residents had already gained two pounds each. Then, after 20 weeks, they had put on another pound. But this was only the average...Read More
Lifestyle, Medicine, Nutrition
Which Do You Prefer, Heart Attack or Diabetes?
Is it getting easier for patients to make the right health decision today, compared to 50 years ago? It should be, considering the huge advances in medical knowledge since that time. But unless you’re blessed with the Wisdom of Solomon, these advances may merely help you exchange one disease for another. Or, as one wise sage remarked, “Life would be easier if there were no ‘buts’.” For instance, a study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine has depressing news for those taking cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs). Researchers studied thousands of middle-aged and older women for seven years, who were taking CLDs. Their discovery? Compared to those who were not taking this medication...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
Was I Wrong About Losing Weight?
Was my suggestion several years ago of ways to fight the obesity epidemic provocative? Since nothing was working, I proposed using money as an incentive, and tax the obese. After all, for centuries money has been a great motivator. In fact, those with millions sometimes cheat, steal and lie to get more. But no one thought I should be awarded the Nobel Prize for this idea. Some readers said I should go back to medical school and learn something about eating disorders. Or they wondered if I had even graduated. Others denounced me as obesophobic, and said I should get the stupidity award for suggesting such a demeaning tax. But was I a dunce, or just a trifle ahead of the times?...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
A Quiz: What’s The Latest Low Carb Product?
How many readers can answer this question? What kills more North Americans than anything else? I’d bet many would answer heart disease or cancer. Authorities claim heart disease is the number one killer. But I’m convinced that calories are the main culprit killing millions of overweight North Americans. Today, let’s see if the following clues help you name the latest low carb product to combat the high-calorie diet. The answer may surprise you. The first clue; this product contains no hidden sugar, a huge benefit for our sweet-loving society. Today, it’s easy to consume sugar without knowing it. For instance, how many are aware that a 10 ounce cola drink contains eight teaspoons of sugar, or realize the...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Nutrition
A Natural Remedy for
How often do you feel guilty about cheating, not during a card or golf game or trying to pay less income tax, but time and again feeling guilty about cheating on how much you eat? Since readers are always asking me for more natural ways to treat medical problems, here’s one to decrease guilt on cheat-eating days. It’s so easy to “cheat eat”, particularly on special occasions. How often do you consider that there are 14 teaspoons of sugar in a piece of cherry pie? Or, have the willpower to say no to the huge amount of calories on the table? So is it possible to cheat and not gain weight when facing a meal that is impossible to resist? The...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Genitourinary, Infection, Nutrition
How NEO40 Fights Multiple Health Problems
Feeling tired? Falling asleep in the afternoon? Losing your keys or interest in sex? Are you concerned about cardiovascular disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, diabetes and its complications? Or want to limit the pain and swelling of arthritis, calm the inflammation of asthma and assist the immune system in fighting infection? If so, you may need a new revolutionary natural remedy NEO40 to increase your level of nitric oxide (N0). My initial reaction to this news was, “It’s too good to be true!”. But three researchers received the prestigious Nobel Prize for this discovery. Louise J. Ignarro, one of the prize winners, says, “There may be no disease process where this miracle molecule does not have a protective role.” Dr. Nathan S....Read More
Nutrition
Styrofoam Popcorn and How to Trick a Bartender
Why do people eat more than they should? You say you’ve heard all the reasons? But I bet you’re dead wrong. Why? It’s because a report in The Nutrition Action Health Letter is written by a marketing expert, not a doctor. As well, there’s a way to get rid of unwelcome dinner guests, and trick a bartender. Brian Wansink, Professor of Marketing at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, directs the Food and Brand Lab. He asks people “When was the last time you ate to the point of regretting it?” He follows that with, “Why did you do it?” He receives the usual answers, “It was a tough day” or “I was depressed” etc, etc. But most replied...Read More
Miscellaneous, Nutrition
Do not Forget Double Mashed Potatoes
What shocks my friends when I order a “blue” steak? No, it’s not the fact that it’s extra rare that gets their attention. It’s the fact that I also always tell the waiter, “Don’t forget the double order of mashed potatoes!” Now, a report from the University of California shows I’m not committing a mortal, dietary sin. In fact, potatoes can even help weight loss. Critics of mashed potatoes contend they have a high glycemic index (GI). This means that potatoes are quickly broken down into sugar, triggering a rapid increase in blood sugar and production of insulin. But it’s a myth that the potato’s high GI is responsible for the epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes....Read More
