Orthopedics, Sports, Women's Health
What Medical Advice Would I Give Bianca Andreescu?
What an historic moment for Canada as we all watched Bianca Andreescu defeat Serena Williams at the U.S. Tennis Open and capture her first major tennis championship. I’m sure that this talented teenager will win more trophies in the future. So is there any medical advice to help her avoid injury and end a promising career? One thing quickly caught my eye when the cities of both Mississauga and Toronto gave her a hero’s welcome. Her appearance in civilian attire gave us a chance to see her style off the court. But it was her shoes that shocked me. I wondered why a high performance athlete had not been warned of the hazards of high heels. One unfortunate misstep could cause...Read More
Alcohol, Women's Health
The Great Tragedy of a Damaged Brain at Birth
The Charter of Rights and Freedoms says that all Canadians receive justice. The U.S. Constitution states that “All men are created Equal”. But some children are born who do not receive justice. Nor will they ever be equal. It’s because they have damaged brains at birth, due to mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy. Recently, in Canada, there was an outpouring of public anger when police removed a newborn baby from her indigenous mother. I have no knowledge of whether this action was justified. Authorities claim that the woman was drunk when admitted to hospital. Others deny this. But regardless of who is right or wrong, there are startling facts about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disease (FASD) that may make your hair stand...Read More
Genitourinary, Women's Health
Mother’s Rx for Recurrent Urinary Infections
Is Mother sometimes right about medical treatment? This week a report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that, at times, her batting average is better than that of doctors. Drs. Blayne Welk and Duane Hicklings report the case of a 35 year old woman with a 24 hour history of urinary frequency. She had experienced two previous urinary tract infections (UTIs) due to a common bladder infection caused by a bacteria called E coli. Doctors advised the usual recommendations, such as increased fluid intake and voiding after sex. But Welk and Hicklings say a large study showed these precautions had little effect on recurrent UTIs. Rather, it was the use of spermicidal jelly that was interfering with normal vaginal flora. The...Read More
Lifestyle, Women's Health
Wired Bras, Unwatchful Parents And Summer Tragedies
An African proverb says “There is only one kind of common sense, and 40 varieties of lunacy”. Unfortunately, this summer will again prove it right. There’s also 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 as a quadriplegic, or with other severe injuries. And it happens to all ages. It is mind-boggling that every year 1,400 children drown in wading pools!!! It could not happen if parents and grandparents were watching children every minute by the water. Women can fall victim to an unusual injury while water-skiing at high speeds. The impact of a fall is like hitting a brick...Read More
Women's Health
Who Sent You These?
Years ago in my medical office I was convinced that tight jeans and panties were causing repeated pelvic infections in women. So, in jest, I wrote a column about it suggesting that Yves St Laurent should design better jeans and panties. Then I forget about the article until my wife asked with astonishment “Who sent these panties?” One day a package had arrived at my office and I tossed it into my briefcase. Later that evening while enjoying a pre-dinner drink with my wife, I opened it. To my surprise, I pulled out a pair of pink panties. They were sent by a reader who had a design solution. It was not the ideal way to start the cocktail...Read More
Gynecology, Sex, Women's Health
STD: The Horizontal Mambo Has Hidden Hazards
A member of the Russian ski patrol was asked on TV what he did first on his arrival home from work. He replied, “I make love to my wife”. “I understand, as you’ve been away a long time”, said the interviewer. “But what do you do next?” “Oh, I make love again” he replied. Frustrated, the interviewer said, “But what do you do next?” “Oh, I take off my skis!” The elderly can only dream of this scenario. As one wise sage remarked, “in every older person there is a young person wondering what the hell happened!” But there’s evidence that more seniors have learned to do the “horizontal mambo.” Senior sex comes as a surprise to younger people. One University survey...Read More
Women's Health
Medical Inequality between Men and Women
Today, it’s almost heresy to say there’s inequality between sexes. Everyone is supposed to enjoy equal rights and I have no problem with this philosophy. But, in medicine, the sexes are far from equal. A report in the health publication, “Nutrition Action”, shows that a head-in-the-sands approach to sexual inequality can have a severe effect on the diagnosis and outcome of an illness. Ask anyone what causes a heart attack and they are likely to respond, high cholesterol, lack of exercise, smoking, obesity or diabetes. Some might be aware that a heart attack produces the feeling of an elephant standing on your chest. They would be right as this is what often happens when men suffer a coronary attack. But what...Read More
Alcohol, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Women's Health
Readers’ Response to Drinking Mothers and Brain-Injured Childre
I recently reported that in the U.S. every year 40,000 children are born suffering with fetal alcoholic syndrome disease (FASD). In Canada there are 300,000 living with this problem. I asked, “Why doesn’t this human tragedy get as much attention as drunk driving?” And “Should some of the women involved be sterilized?” I’ve received a ton of responses. SR writes, “I believe the Mothers against Drunk Driving lobby gets more attention because the media provides many dollars of free air time.” R0 responds, “Dr, you are so-o-o-o-o right. Women who drink during pregnancy need to be sterilized. Full stop. Thank you and keep up the good work”. NB wrote, “Your column should be made mandatory in every bar, liquor/beer store,...Read More
Lifestyle, Sex, Women's Health
A Pink Pill for Female Sexual Equality?????
George Carlin, the American comedian, when referring to God, once remarked, “He, and if there is a God, I am convinced he is a he, because no woman could or would screw things up this badly”. I agree that if more women were in charge, this world would be a safer planet. But a recent medical announcement about female sexuality makes me wonder if women should be careful of what they wish for, like the pink pill, Addyi (flibanserin). It’s just been approved in the U.S., but not yet in Canada. We know that the blue pill has had a major impact on male sexuality. It’s been 17 years since Viagra was approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED). Since then...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition, Sports, Women's Health
Sarcopenia: A Needless Path to a Wheelchair
What’s the worst health problem that can happen to you? I’m sure many readers would say cancer, stroke or Alzheimer’s Disease. I agree these are all frightful diseases. But there’s another one that occurs gradually as we age. It’s called Sarcopenia ( the loss of muscle mass), and this creeping frailty forces many elderly into nursing homes because their muscles are so weak they can no longer get off the toilet. A recent report from Tufts University in Boston says, sarcopenia robs people of their independence and often leads to the risk of falls, resulting in serious injury. Visit any nursing home and you’ll see multiple examples of sarcopenia. Studies show that sarcopenia begins around age 45 and increases at the rate...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition, Women's Health
Weight Gain Is Contagious? And Snacking Fights it?
How many people in mid-life can fit into their wedding clothes? Not too many, because predictably, most have exchanged muscle tissue for body fat and more pounds. Now, a report from Johns Hopkins University claims there are proven ways to limit and even reverse weight gain in both sexes. Women, as they start into menopause along with decreased activity, develop what’s been labelled the “Menopot”. With lowered estrogen, testosterone begins to transfer fat from the hips and other areas to the belly. It’s not just a cosmetic problem, but one that can increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems. The Women’s Healthy Lifestyle Project studied 535 women between the ages 44 to 55 for five years. One group received...Read More
Infection, Lifestyle, Medicine, Sex, Women's Health
“DILI” Is Killing More People Every Year
North Americans must rid themselves of a major misconception. Too much Cabernet Sauvignon is not the only way to damage the liver. Today liver injury is being caused by prescription drugs, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and some herbal supplements. More than 1,000 drugs and supplements have been associated with drug induced liver injury (DILI) which is increasing every year. Everything we consume, with both good and toxic ingredients, are eventually filtered by the liver. This organ has great regenerative powers, but it is not indestructible. Moreover, advanced age and being a woman can decrease the liver’s ability to metabolize toxic products, resulting in DILI. For example, many people take Tylenol (acetaminophen). It’s an effective pain killer if label instructions are followed, but there’s...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, 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
Cancer, Lifestyle, Medicine, Miscellaneous, Women's Health
Sorry, But What We Told You Is Wrong
Winston Churchill, Britain's wartime Prime Minister, once remarked, "To every question there is a clear, concise, coherent answer that is wrong". In medicine there are also many questions, and all too often the answers from experts are found years later to be wrong, sometimes with devastating consequences. A report in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that 13 percent of research articles published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine in 2009 reported reversals in medical findings involving drugs, screening tests and invasive procedures! For example, for years we've been told that increasing good cholesterol is a prudent move. But new research shows it does nothing to protect against heart attack, strokes and early death. Here's another hummer. Doctors have urged...Read More
Sex, Women's Health
Testosterone for Sexually Frustrated Women
Several weeks ago my column, "Do you want better sex?" struck a resounding note with female readers. But also with many husbands who want their wives to have fewer headaches! The general response was, "Please write more about testosterone and how it can increase female libido". Testosterone, the male hormone, has been called "the hormone of desire". In males the "Big T" builds muscle for boys and ultimately turns boys into sexually well-functioning men. Women also produce testosterone during puberty, but only about one-tenth as much as males. Later in life they produce less, and this is why some authorities believe women lose interest in sex. How do women know if they have less testosterone and therefore less "tiger in the tank"?...Read More
Genitourinary, Gynecology, Women's Health
Do Not Teach Your Dog This Trick
Why did this patient and her partner repeatedly suffer yeast infection in spite of treatment? It’s often said there is nothing new under the sun. But just when you believe you’ve seen everything, something new and surprising turns up. So please don’t teach your dog her specific trick! It can give you more than you bargained for. Studies show that 75 percent of women suffer at least one yeast infection during their lifetime and up to 50 percent face repeated episodes. Anti-fungal vaginal medicine used to be available only by doctor’s prescription. But in the mid 1990’s common medications such as Monistat and Canesten cream became over-the-counter items (OTC). This resulted in huge sales. But millions of dollars may as well have been...Read More
Gynecology, Women's Health
“Gifford-Jones, They Don’t Want To Hear That!”
Several years ago a friend asked if I’d talk to a women’s organization about breast cancer, how mammography could detect malignancy in its early stages. But when I gave her a short version of what I intended to say, she remarked, “But they would not like to hear that!” End of the talk. So what do women not want to hear? Anytime I’ve questioned the use of mammography, it’s been like damning motherhood and apple pie. Now, a blue ribbon panel of experts reports that women under 50 years of age should not have mammograms. And that postmenopausal women should submit to this procedure only every two or three years, rather than annually. The blunt fact is that if mammography had been...Read More
Women's Health
Baby Time Mini-Microscope for Infertile Couples
What is one of the most frustrating problems for married couples? It’s the desperate hope of having a child when nothing happens month after month. Now, the “BabyTime Mini-Microscope Saliva Ovulation Tester” can help. It is 98 percent accurate in timing ovulation. There’s no better way to take Russian roulette out of sexual timing and help couples enjoy the anticipation of a new arrival. Infertility is a problem affecting 10 percent of North American couples of child-bearing age, an estimated six million people. Studies show that one couple in six has trouble conceiving during the first 12 months of marriage. This presents a huge emotional seesaw, particularly when many people think getting pregnant is as easy as switching on a light...Read More
Women's Health
Tests For Men And Women That Cause Huge Troubles – PSA and Mammogram Tests
It's been aptly said that, "All would be well if there were no "Buts". Today, 20th century medicine has provided us with many positive advantages. But it's also given us some minor and few major "Buts". Recently, two separate reports show why it's so difficult for medical consumers and doctors to make the right decisions due to conflicting evidence. A recent report in The British Medical Journal contained shocking news. Dr. Richard Ablin states that doctors should stop using the PSA (prostate specific antigen) test to diagnose early prostate cancer. At this point it's reasonable to ask, "What gives Dr. Ablin the right to make such a dramatic announcement in such a prestigious medical journal?" The answer? He discovered the PSA...Read More
Gynecology, Women's Health
My Wife Is Driving Me Crazy. She’s Menopausal.
A husband asks, "Can you provide advice on how to treat my wife's problem? It's now impossible to live with her due to menopause. Her doctor has suggested hormones, but she refuses to take them because her mother died of breast cancer. Do you have any suggestions?" Newspaper headlines linking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to cancer and heart disease have left an indelible mark on the minds of many women. Fortunately, there are other natural ways to ease menopausal problems. Some women sail through menopause without trouble. For others, it means sleepless nights, embarrassing hot flushes, decreased sex drive, painful intercourse, urinary incontinence, headaches and an urge to kick the cat, or their husband, for trivial reasons. One patient, a high school principal,...Read More
Genitourinary, Philosophy, Women's Health
Should Women Who Deliver Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Children Be Sterilized?
Destroying yourself with alcohol is one thing. Destroying an innocent fetus by excessive use of alcohol is maternal madness. Yet every year alcohol-riddled babies are born in this country suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). FAS is the leading cause of mental retardation and birth defects in North America. In 1976 the Journal of the American Medical Association reported a study of 41 infants born with FAS, having both physical and mental defects. Since that time studies show that nine in every 1,000 babies born in this country have some form of FAS. One in three will have the severe form with wide-set eyes, thin upper lips, low birth weight and small head circumference. We now know that FAS occurs in about...Read More
Gynecology, Women's Health
The Doctors Didn’t Even Examine Me
"Time To End Pelvic Examinations Done Without Consent", was a recent headline in one of Canada's national newspapers. But there should be another headline, "Why Are So Many Tests Being Done Without An Examination?" Dr. Sara Wainberg reports in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that pelvic examinations being done by students without a patient's permission. They were performed after patients were anesthetized prior to hysterectomy or other pelvic procedures. This gynecological learning process has been utilized for years in teaching hospitals without newspaper headlines. The criticism is that the procedure is done without informed consent. This is a valid ethical complaint and is easily corrected by obtaining a patient's consent. But this teaching technique, to my knowledge, has never resulted in...Read More
Dermatology, Gynecology, Women's Health
The Lies And Truths Of Mammography
Never before have women been more confused about breast mammography. A U.S panel of experts now reports that women under 40 years of age do not need mammograms, and those over 50 require them only every two years. So here are eight points women should know about mammography. One - During this debate no expert has mentioned one vital fact. Mammography is a "lump" diagnosis. This means that years have gone by before a cancer lump is large enough to be detected by X-rays. This provides time for a malignancy to spread. I've stressed for years it's a lie to tell women mammography diagnoses early cancer. It does not. Rather it diagnoses breast cancer as early as it can be diagnosed....Read More
Women's Health
Oprah, Now She’s Become a Hormone Specialist!
Oprah is rich, immensely popular, internationally known, and very, very media smart. But is she a legitimate doctor dispensing hormonal advice to women? Two internationally known endocrinologists claim she gets an E for misinforming women on this important matter. Oprah stated publicly that menopause caught her "off guard" so she now takes natural bio-identical hormones. This is a hormone supplement identical to the ones produced by her own body. Oprah claims they've made a big difference in how she feels. But are natural hormones any better or safer than other hormone therapy? Dr. Robert Reid, an endocrinologist at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, posed this question at the annual meeting of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada in Halifax. Reid reported...Read More
