Vitamins
Dr. Sydney Bush: Why Not the Nobel Prize?
What a sad day for me! I should also add, for the world. I have just learned that Dr. Sydney Bush has died. During my 43 years of writing this column, I have never devoted a memoriam to a colleague. But one is needed for Dr. Sydney Bush. In part, I’ll miss his presence. But more important, his scientific discovery should have been awarded the Nobel Prize. And it could yet save millions of lives from cardiovascular disease. Ten years ago I learned that Dr. Sydney Bush, an English researcher, claimed he had made a huge scientific discovery. But I questioned its validity. So I travelled to England to interview him and spent several days at his laboratory. Bush, an optometrist, knew...Read More
Medicine
Are You Taking These Medicines Too Long?
What will be your 2019 New Year’s resolution? Losing weight? Finally deciding to get off the couch and get more exercise? Hopefully to convince yourself smoking means 20 years less life? These are all healthy ways to start the year. But I’d like to add another New Year’s Resolution. Many North Americans are taking medicines for the long run when they’re only intended for the short run. This can have a huge impact on well-being. The January Reports on Health claims that one-third of Americans over the age of 55 take too many medications. Michael Steinman, an expert on aging and Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, says, “Some medicine are more effective and safest when you...Read More
Miscellaneous
What Did You Learn in 2018?
How much have you been paying attention in 2018? I hope that during that time you’ve learned to live a better lifestyle, and to circumvent medical hazards that will enable you to live longer. So let’s see how well you do on this true or false test. 1. Heroin is available for addicts at injection sites in Canada. But it is not available at hospitals for terminal cancer patients in pain. 2. Neo40 is a natural remedy that increases the production of nitric oxide by the inner lining of arteries. This dilates arteries decreasing blood pressure and risk of heart attack and stroke. 3. A report from the University of California shows that, in the spring when we lose one hour of sleep...Read More
Miscellaneous, Psychiatry
Prescription for Holiday Loneliness? Call a Friend Who Needs Help
What’s the most important gift you could give this holiday season? The Greek philosopher, Plato, once remarked, “Whoever likes being alone must be either a beast or a God.” I’d say Amen to that statement. Crisis workers tell us that at this time of the year, depression and suicide risk is highest. So what can we all do to decrease holiday melancholy? I’ve never seen it in the index of disease in medical texts, but loneliness should be listed in big print. It’s an illness that sooner or later disrupts the lives of many people. Chopin, the great pianist and composer, must have been deeply depressed. He complained of being, “alone, alone, alone.” Some people deny loneliness. One man who hated mankind...Read More
Alternate Treatments
Low Intensity Laser Therapy for Bruised Brains
How far have we come since Egyptians drilled holes in the skull in an attempt to cure a variety of diseases? We’ve seen tremendous advances in brain surgery. But relatively little progress in how to treat concussion. Basically, medical advice has been to rest while waiting for the brain to recover. But research now shows Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT) can dramatically speed up the healing of bruised brains. So why isn’t it used more by doctors, and for more conditions? To learn about this therapy I interviewed Dr. Fred Kahn, founder of Meditech International. Last year, his Toronto clinic treated over 800 concussion patients, those who have been in a car accident, suffered a fall, or who years ago had...Read More
Vitamins
How To Decrease the Risk of an Aortic Aneurysm
Ask anyone about AAA and they will immediately think of the American Automobile Association. But in this case it stands for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Sir William Osler once remarked, “There is no disease more conducive to clinical humility than aneurysm of the aorta.” He could have added that it’s a lethal disease, so prevention is better than cure. Every year over 20,000 North Americans die from a ruptured aorta. Albert Einstein, the physicist who expounded the Theory of Relativity, and Lucille Ball, the TV star that made us laugh, both died of AAA. So, what causes the aorta, about the size of a garden hose, the largest artery in the body, to rupture? Getting a little stiff in various parts of our body...Read More
Vitamins
What Can a Psychiatrist Tell Us about Vitamin D?
Winter’s coming, so how much vitamin D do we need? How much time do you have to spend in the sunlight to obtain adequate amounts? How does obesity affect the dosage? How many diseases can be prevented by adequate amounts of this vitamin? And what can a psychiatrist tell us about this vital vitamin? Years ago I reported that Dr. Catherine Gordon, a professor of pediatrics at the Harvard Medical School, tested the vitamin D levels of teenagers 11 to 18 years of age. She found that 14% of these adolescents were deficient in vitamin D. Today about 30% of adults are low in D. Dr. Glenn Braunstein, professor of medicine at the University of California, said her research was a wake-up call....Read More
Cancer, Gynecology
Ovarian cancer, the one that whispers
What couldn’t I believe? Discovering that it’s been 42 years since I last wrote about ovarian cancer! During my time as a surgeon, what was my primary concern about this malignancy? And what has happened in the last four decades to bring hope to those diagnosed with this disease? Ovarian cancer is the third most common malignancy of the female pelvic organs, after uterine and cervical cancer. But it is also the most fatal pelvic malignancy. The risk of ovarian cancer increases with age. It’s also more likely to occur if close relatives have developed the disease. Also at risk are childless women and those who have had breast cancer. Vulnerable too, are those with early onset of menstruation, or a late...Read More
Diabetes
Options for Treating Chronic Disease
I wrote years ago that, “If you keep going to hell, you’ll eventually get there.” Today, half of North Americans suffer from chronic disease. One in four has several chronic diseases, and 30 per cent of children struggle with chronic illness. Chris Kresser, an integrative medicine clinician at the California Center for Functional Medicine and author of the book, “Unconventional Medicine”, reports that conventional medicine has failed those suffering from chronic disease. So, how can we prevent so many from finding their way to hell? For centuries, doctors knew the main cause of death was acute infectious disease, such as typhoid fever, tuberculosis and pneumonia. Today, they know another cause is lifestyle chronic disease, of which diet is a leading factor. Medical treatment in the...Read More
Alternate Treatments
Can Stem Cell Injections Replace Hip and Knee Surgery
What should you do if the doctor says, “You need a hip or knee replacement due to severe arthritis? The time – honoured treatment has been a major operation to replace the injured joint. This may still be the best option for some patients. But how many of these joints could be repaired by stem cell injections, thereby saving the potential complications of surgery? Today, it’s a question many people are asking. Stem cell procedure is fairly straightforward. Bone marrow and fat are extracted from the patient and placed in a centrifuge. This separates valuable stem cells which are then injected into the hip or other affected joints. Stem cells, our body’s raw material, has the ability to develop into bone, cartilage,...Read More
Infection
What You May Not Know about Vaccines
Every year readers ask me if I get flu shots. I reply, I don’t. I rely on high daily doses of vitamin C to build up my immune system. But I may be wrong. So, I’ve sought the opinion of experts in the field. Their primary message is that informed consent is vital. Most people believe vaccines would not be advised unless researchers and doctors deemed them safe. But I’ve often stressed, there’s no such thing as 100 percent safe surgery. The same is true of vaccines. That’s why 3.6 billion dollars has been awarded to families due to the complications of vaccines. Here is a typical parent’s story. “My child was healthy, was given a vaccine and then something happened.” The...Read More
Lifestyle
Healthy Lifestyle Can Add 12 to 14 Years of Life
What results in good health and longevity? I’ve said for years that it’s good genes, good lifestyle and good luck. But since we can’t choose our parents, or know what fate holds in store for us, we must treat lifestyle with tender, loving care. Now, a report in the publication, Circulation, proves that a sound lifestyle adds 12 to 14 more years to life. Two epidemiological studies of health professionals involved 120,000 men and women. This group was followed for 34 years. The study concluded that for people over 50 who had never smoked, exercised daily, had good dietary habits, a moderate use of alcohol, and maintained a healthy weight, ended up the winners. The rewards are significant. For instance, a woman,...Read More
Surgery
Gallstones: For Surgery or the Crematorium?
What should you do if you are diagnosed with gallstones? Today, 10% of North Americans share this medical problem. For some patients surgery is the prudent choice. But now, a report from the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA), shows that, in some cases, leaving gallstones to the crematorium can prevent serious complications and even death. In 1991, Dr. Joacques Perissat at the University of Bordeau, in France, removed a gallbladder by laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery. This innovation provided a huge advantage for patients from a technical standpoint. But is it foolproof? The CMPA reports that during a four year period the most frequent complications of gallstone surgery were injury to the biliary duct that carries bile to the intestines, bowel injury, and hemorrhage....Read More
Infection
Debunking Travel Myths
What’s the worst of times when travelling? It’s when you’re sitting on a bus tour 100 miles from the next stop and you begin to suffer the bowel spasms of traveller’s diarrhea. If the worst scenario happens, it’s a moment you will never forget. But this common risk, and the chance of acquiring other infections, can be decreased by ridding yourself of several travellers’ myths. Myth: Only in the Amazon jungle do you have to worry about mosquito-transmitted diseases. Fact: That’s not so. In the jungle, mosquitoes spread disease to humans by biting infected monkeys. In a cafe in Paris, Rome or Istanbul, mosquitoes infect you after biting infected humans. Myth: So, to prevent this infection in a Paris cafe, you’ll have two glasses of chardonnay. Fact: I...Read More
Cardiovascular
Tune-Up Your Heart in 30 Days
Have I been missing a vital remedy to maintain a healthy heart? I wondered if that was the case when I read an article in LifeExtension titled, “The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up.” The subject, Dr. Steven Masley, is a Fellow of both The American Heart Association and The American Academy of Nutrition. He has devoted his career to heart disease and aging. So how does his treatment differ from that of other cardiologists? Masley reports that most doctors rely on lowering blood cholesterol and blood pressure to prevent heart disease. He says this is a boon for Big Pharma, but not necessarily for patients. He admits that, although statin drugs are needed in some instances, they increase the risk of diabetes. Unfortunately,...Read More
Gastroenterology, Vitamins
Constipation: There’s a Sucker Born Every Minute
Why must humans be so foolish and reach for laxatives when there’s a natural, safe, and inexpensive way to treat constipation and stop grunting? Barnum and Bailey, the circus promoters, were right when they said, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” In this case, it’s the suckers who fall easy prey to T.V ads that preach health benefits of laxatives. I realize that at a dinner party one is more inclined to talk about cholesterol numbers than frequency of bowel movements. But chronic grunting with BMs is not just an annoyance. It’s also associated with increased risk of hemorrhoids and may be related to diverticulosis, small hernias of the large bowel which lead to inflammation. It’s also a sign of faulty...Read More
Obesity
Fatty Liver Disease on the Rise
Who hasn’t heard of the Mayflower – the ship that brought pilgrims to the U.S. in 1620? What is rarely known is that towards the end of that voyage, it was necessary to ration beer, and some pilgrims died as a result. In those days beer was safer to drink than water. It’s still a safe drink when used moderately, but excessive amounts can cause cirrhosis of the liver. And how many know that too much food can also cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in young people, that may require a liver transplant? Today, the worldwide epidemic of Type 2 diabetes is well known. But liver disease rarely gets headlines. Yet, according to the American Liver Foundation, and some experts,...Read More
Neurology, Pain, Psychiatry
Why Did Anthony Bourdain Commit Suicide?
Albert Camus, the French humanist, wrote, “There is only one true philosophical problem and that is suicide. Judging whether life is worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.” Pliny the Elder had said earlier, “Admit the miseries of our life on earth, suicide is God’s best gift to man.” But what prompted Anthony Bourdain of TV’s “Parts Unknown” to hang himself? And could medical care have prevented it? Suicide rates are rising in North America. For instance, among girls 10 to 19 the suicide rate has increased a shocking 70 percent. It’s easy to understand how elderly people, dying of metastatic cancer, who are in severe pain, decide to call it a day. Or, those who have lost a loving...Read More
Alternate Treatments
The Greatest Threat to Your Life
Ask anyone, “What’s the greatest medical risk of dying?” and they’ll answer “Heart attack.” The correct answer is a blood clot (Thrombosis) that occurs in the heart, brain or legs. Now, a shocking report in the health publication, “LifeExtension”, shows what can happen to our legs when we’re flying at 35,000 feet. So with an aging population, and increased air travel, what can be done to decrease the risk of a blood clot? Thrombosis can happen anytime and anywhere. But the greatest risk is a long air flight. This is when venous blood pools in the lower leg due to inactivity. But the extent of this threat has surprised researchers. Using ultrasound imaging they detected venous thrombosis in the lower legs...Read More
Medicine
“But Roosevelt Knows How To Be President!”
72 years ago I arrived in Boston. I’d been accepted as a student at the Harvard Medical School. That night a full moon shone on the school’s white marble buildings, an awe-inspiring sight I’ve never forgotten. I recently returned for a 68th reunion, attended lectures, and as a former student was interviewed by a film crew. At one point the interviewer asked, “What are your thoughts in this robotic age of medicine?” His question reminded me of a comment I’d heard years ago. A White House reporter once asked an assistant working with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, “Does the President really understand all of the economic bill he’s presenting to Congress?” The aide thought for a moment and replied, “Possibly not,...Read More
Miscellaneous, Philosophy
When All This Doesn’t Happen, We’re All Dead
What did I learn at my 68th medical reunion at the Harvard Medical School (HMS)? I learned, from an article written by Stephanie Dutchen, that my brilliant classmate, Melvin Glimcher, physician, engineer and professor, had created the myoelectric elbow. Dubbed “the Boston Arm”, this device is a godsend to upper arm amputees. But I learned that such a great medical achievement, and others, might be allowed to vanish in a split second. And that it’s time for the medical profession to speak up to prevent nuclear disaster. An article authored by Jake Miller, a science writer in the HMS Office of Communications and External Relations, and published in Harvard Medicine, shows how complacent we’ve become about the catastrophic consequences of nuclear...Read More
Gynecology
What Women (and Men) Should Know About HRT
The year 2002 was a worrying year for women who were taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to combat troublesome menopausal symptoms. Bold newspaper headlines reported that a study called The Women’s Health Initiative, conducted by the National Institute of Health, showed an increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, gall bladder disease and blood clots in the legs and lungs of those taking HRT for longer than five years. It was hardly prime time to be prescribed estrogen. But what are the facts in 2018? The passage of time often changes opinions in many areas. Treatment of menopause is no exception. Now, after 18 years, the Women’s Health Initiative says the potential harm of HRT was overstated for healthy women...Read More
Miscellaneous
Green Funerals: How We Can Help Green Our Planet
How would you react if you saw people dumping 800,000 gallons of formaldehyde, a carcinogenic substance, into the earth every year? Then witness them cutting down four million acres of forests annually? I suspect the environmentalists who fight underground oil pipes would be raising holy hell about formaldehyde and rampant destruction of trees. Yet this is what it takes to bury the U.S dead every year. So why are environmentalists so silent? Now, a film called “Echo Death Takeover: Changing the Funeral Industry” has been produced by The Order of Good Death, founded by funeral owner Catlin Doughty who advocates green funerals. Some readers may wonder why I’m writing about death when I’m trained to keep people alive. But pollution of many...Read More
Cardiovascular
Heart Failure, What You Should Know About Mitochondria
Ask anyone what is the nation’s number one killer and most people will say heart attack. But how many know that congestive heart failure (CHF) is the fastest growing cause of heart disease in North America? Why is this happening? And why are mitochondria of vital importance, particularly as we all grow older? Congestive Heart Failure occurs for several reasons. A coronary attack may have destroyed cardiac muscle. Or hypertension over a period of years has weakened it. Or obesity and diabetes has resulted in hardening of coronary arteries, decreasing blood flow to the heart. So, in addition to aging, a series of events may injure the heart. As the “Gifford-Jones Law” states, one problem leads to another and another. In the...Read More
Genitourinary, Vitamins
Why Humans Get Kidney Stones and Gorillas Rarely
Do large doses of vitamin C increase the risk of kidney stones? It’s a question I’m often asked, having reported the medical value of vitamin C in decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). So is this concern fact or fiction? Or does vitamin C, by making acid urine, combine with calcium and oxalate to form stones? I asked Dr. Linus Pauling this question. Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, had for years taken 20,000 milligrams (mgs) of vitamin C daily. He said, “Not a single case had been reported in medical literature. But some people who had a tendency to form oxalate stones might do so while taking large amounts of vitamin C, or those with a rare genetic problem.” Dr....Read More
