Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Miscellaneous, Neurology
How You Breathe Affects Your Health
An old Chinese adage goes, “If you know the art of deep breathing, you have the strength, wisdom, and courage of ten tigers.” When a kung fu master takes a meditative moment before delivering the kiss of the dragon, these powers are summoned, and woe be the opponent! But is this practice of deep breathing also responsible for the seemingly long lives of these great masters? Breathing is something we do naturally and without thought. But ask people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or lung cancer. There’s no taking the lungs for granted, and a great deal of thought goes into the process. Does it matter, how you breathe? Breathe in, breathe out, isn’t that enough? It turns out, you may...Read More
Surgery
Surgical Rule Number One: If It’s Not Broke, Don’t Fix It
The most important lesson is often taught in the first class. This was the case at Harvard Medical School where a professor of surgery gave sound advice to students aspiring to hold the scalpel. He told them, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Another professor echoed this advice when he said, “There is no such thing as minor surgery.” How tragic when this simple message is ignored and the result is death. It should not happen. But it did recently in Canada, twice. Two children died following tonsil and adenoid surgery, shocking the nation with a wake-up call to alert that common procedures are not risk-free. What went wrong is being investigated. But it’s nightmare occurrence for the doctors and families...Read More
Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Diabetes, Infection, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Pain, Surgery, Vitamins
Why C is the Forever Vitamin
There’s an irony about the advertising woman who, in 1948, penned “A Diamond is Forever” to signify the enduring love of two people. Her name was Frances Gerety and she spent the bulk of her life alone. Diamonds do sparkle, but there’s a better “forever” companion. Longtime readers will know I’ll choose vitamin C over diamonds or any other glitzy trend, and definitely over cholesterol lowering drugs. Vitamin C doesn’t have the high cost or glamourous glitter of diamonds, and it makes no one rich. But making high doses of vitamin C a part of my daily routine has allowed me to spend another quarter century with my wife and family after a heart attack that nearly ended things for me...Read More
Alcohol
Are Non-Alcoholic Beverages the Better Choice?
Do we enjoy alcoholic drinks? We do! A relaxing drink before dinner with our loved ones is standard practice. We are supported by a landmark study involving 490,000 people involving the American Cancer Society, World Health Organization, and Oxford University that found one alcoholic drink daily decreased the risk of death by 20 percent. Moreover, moderate drinkers have increased levels of the good cholesterol. Platelets, part of the blood clotting process, are more slippery making them less likely to form a fatal blood clot. Medically, for moderate drinkers, it’s a win-win. But irresponsible and heavy drinkers cause too many road deaths year after year. Excessive alcohol can also lead to family violence and many other societal ills. This is why non-alcoholic...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Neurology, Obesity, Pain, Psychiatry, Sports
Get Fit in Virtual Reality
Lao Tsu, the ancient Chinese philosopher, said, “If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.” Unfortunately, a lot of people are speeding to the wrong destination, each year putting on extra pounds and becoming more sedentary. But people do have choices. Make a change now to be more active, one way or another, or anticipate the inevitable earlier than necessary. What’s a new way to get active that may seem unappealing to those who haven’t tried it yet? New research suggests that virtual reality (VR) might be the ticket, including for older adults. Strapping on a bulky headset and learning to use the technology are the first obstacles, but the benefits for those who get...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Infection, Medicine, Nutrition, Philosophy, Vitamins
A Too Uncommon Theory of Medicine
Are your health care providers trained in integrative medicine? It’s not an area of medical specialization, like gynaecology or gastroenterology. Think of it as a theory of medicine. Doctors practicing integrative medicine respect the roles of prescription drugs and surgery when the situation calls for these treatments. But they also study and embrace the potential for natural remedies, lifestyle modifications, nutrition, and traditional practices in both health promotion and disease treatment. Hippocrates, born in 460 BC, was the most influential philosopher of integrative medicine. He believed the human body should be treated as a whole, not as the sum of its parts. Benedict Lust, born in 1872 in Baden, Germany, is regarded as the “Father of Naturopathy”, a form of alternative medicine whose...Read More
Nutrition, Pain
Weight and Diet Strain Knees and Hips
How many thousands of knee and hip replacements, and how much pain, could be avoided by the right diet? Arthritis has been called the chronic-care challenge of the 21st century. It is no small problem in economic terms either. A few months ago, The Lancet, a peer-reviewed medical journal, published startling statistics. Over the last 30 years, the global incidence of osteoarthritis has risen by132% to 595 million people. There is no sign of the disease slowing down and there’s no cure. What does this mean? For public healthcare systems like Canada’s, it means ever more costs to the taxbase for higher and higher numbers of expensive knee and hip replacements. Osteoarthritis is the “wear and tear” form of arthritis. Like aging car...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Cholesterol, Nutrition, Vitamins
Cardiovascular Health 101
Heart attacks are common and deadly. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control acknowledges that one person dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease. The Government of Canada reports about 14 adults aged 20 and over with diagnosed heart disease die every hour. But how many of these deaths are premature and preventable, and why don’t people take simple steps to save their lives? Atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries, is a leading cause of heart disease. What doctors don’t do enough is educate patients on natural alternatives to prescription drugs. Why? Because most doctors aren’t trained in natural approaches to disease prevention. Vitamin C and lysine can help prevent this condition by inhibiting the formation of arterial plaque. Linus...Read More
Cancer
Large Bowel Cancer in Younger People on the Rise
New statistics published by the American Cancer Society should be alarming. The numbers point to an increase in colon malignancy in people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Yet, there’s been a decrease in large bowel cancer among those over the age of 65. In people under 50, the rate has been increasing by about two percent a year since the 1990s. This data goes against a basic law. Most malignancies occur in older people, and this has been true of colon cancer. This new data sends up a red flag that should not go unnoticed. Moreover, this is not just a North American trend. Large bowel cancer is on the also rise around the world. The question is, why has...Read More
Philosophy, Psychiatry
Are the U.S. Presidential Candidates Too Old?
It’s a question on the minds of most Americans, and others too. Biden is 81 and Trump 77. Are they sufficiently health of body and mind to be President? Neither candidate has agreed to a comprehensive and transparent assessment of their mental health. But their state of mind is important, particularly now, when Putin is threatening the use of nuclear weapons. Are they both afraid of getting a D result? And what about being honest with the American public, knowing they face an exhausting campaign? At their ages, with a ton of luck, both have a life expectancy of around eight years. As for the chances of remaining healthy during that time, we would not bet on it. Biden walks with...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Infection, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Philosophy, Vitamins
The Forever Formula for Good Health and Longevity
Readers often ask me what it takes to reach 100. My answer is always the same. Good genes. Good luck. And a lifetime of good choices about my health. “What about your daily regimen of high dose vitamin C, lysine, magnesium, coenzyme Q10, quercetin, and proline?” That’s right, I say. It’s my forever formula for health and longevity. I’ve recommended all kinds of things to readers, like stepping on the bathroom scale every day, taking good care of teeth, getting sufficient fibre in the diet, and being wary of medication. My website (docgiff.com) has thousands of my articles posted, and although maybe not all of them have aged as well as I have been fortunate to do, readers can find all...Read More
Lungs, Medicine, Philosophy
Life in an Iron Lung Is a Test of Tolerance
Reading a recent tribute to the life of Paul Alexander brought back horrible memories for me. Paul Alexander was only six years of age when he developed polio. The result? He spent the rest of his life enclosed in an iron lung. I too had polio in my final year at the Harvard Medical School. If my fate had been life in an iron lung, I would have begged someone to kill me. It’s not just memories of polio that trouble me. It’s also some people’s long-festering misinterpretation of my stand on vaccines, including some editors who got my message totally wrong. The polio vaccine hadn’t been invented when Alexander and I contracted the disease in the 1940s. Given the consequences for...Read More
Genitourinary, Lifestyle, Medicine, Surgery
Kidney Disease Has No Good Ending
Will humans ever learn to care for their kidneys? Or will they live to count mixed blessings – staying alive but reliant on a machine to clean the blood. This, or a kidney transplant, is the result of end-stage kidney failure. Over 40 million North Americans are living with the precursor, chronic kidney disease. Astonishingly, nine in ten sufferers are unaware they have the problem. But the body knows, and as the disease progresses, other health problems including stroke and heart attack can result. A dialysis machine can remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when kidneys stop working. Dialysis patients require treatment 3 to 7 times a week, for three or more hours per session, in a hospital, clinic,...Read More
Surgery
Some Advice Never Ages
After 10 books, over 2,500 columns, and nearly 50 years of writing it, some things bear repeating. This week revisits a column from three decades ago about how to prepare for surgery. Has anything changed? From that old column, “What would God do if He were a surgeon? If it is true God helps those who help themselves, He would refuse to operate on many, telling us, ‘Respect your own God-given body and then I’ll do what I can.’” Next came a case. “A 45-year-old woman underwent an operation for extensive vaginal repair. For this type of surgery, her surgeon warned her repeatedly about the hazards of smoking and her persistent smoker’s hack. Ten days later she was rushed to hospital because...Read More
Gynecology, Pain, Sex
What Women Suffer Most from Menopause?
There’s a universal fact for women. If they live long enough, their capacity to bring forth children will end, and they will become menopausal. Menopause can be when the thermostat becomes their most prized possession. But not all women have hot flashes. Some go through this period wondering why they have no symptoms. The best advice for them is, “Enjoy the smooth sailing!” Other women endure needless suffering. There are treatments, and these women should see their doctors. The medical journal, The Lancet, has urged women to become educated about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Menopause should not be considered a disease. It is a natural process. Be cautious with commercial interests of pharmaceutical companies’ propaganda. Seek information from a medical specialist. The authors of...Read More
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Nutrition
Protecting Eyesight with the Right Food
It was 200 years ago that Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French lawyer and culinary writer, first wrote “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.” It’s a simple and enduring message. But people are not being watchful of what they eat, and it is having far-reaching consequences, not just around the middle. Like other organs, the eyes are affected by diet. Many research teams have shown that a poor diet increases the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) of the eye. Today AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss for those over the age of 65. By 75 one in three North Americans have early signs of AMD. A command given to American soldiers at the...Read More
Cancer, Radiation
What to Know About the Mammography Debate
At what age should women’s breasts receive radiation to detect breast cancer? In Canada, some provinces are lowering the age of eligibility from 50 to 40, even before a task force releases an update on breast cancer screening guidelines. The current guidelines do not recommend routine screening for women in their 40s. In the U.S., a separate task force urges women ages 40 to 49 to get this procedure every two years. Why the conflicting advice? Mammography has been swirling in confusion for decades. In the past, some experts were adamant there was no evidence regular mammograms decreased the risk of breast cancer. Others, equally qualified authorities, were concerned that repeated exposures of breast tissues to radiation could cause breast malignancies. A...Read More
Philosophy
A Failing Grade in Basic Mathematics
Have even one in a thousand North Americans ever heard of Kissick’ s Law? More than 25 years ago, if you were reading the Ontario Medical Review, you would have seen an article, written by Dr. Samuel Vaisrub, explaining the message. Kissick stated that if the U.S. Declaration of Independence was written in contemporary times, it would declare the pursuit of health, rather than happiness, after life and liberty, as the third inalienable right of Americans. About 50 years ago Kissick, a professor at the renowned U.S. Wharton School of Business, stunned Canadians and Americans with a showstopping speech about the economic laws of health care economics. Considering the ongoing healthcare mess in both countries today, it’s a shame his wise...Read More
Philosophy
Work Hard to Be 100 and Healthy
Few children have the good fortune of wishing “Happy 100th Birthday” to a vibrant, healthy parent reaching that esteemed age. But that’s what my brothers and I are doing this week. We’ve had the incredible journey of growing up with Dr. W. Gifford-Jones as our dad! Countless people have asked, what’s the secret to reaching 100? The truth is lots of people are figuring it out. In Canada, there are about 10,000 centenarians, people aged 100 or older. In the U.S., the figure is nearing 100,000. And worldwide, it’s an astounding 722,000 people. Some centenarians are living well. Unfortunately, there is a darker side such longevity, as many are not living well at all. There is wide variation in the research, but a conservative...Read More
Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Lifestyle, Obesity
Never Ignore the Symptoms of Early Heart Failure
Years ago, after interviewing Dr. Michael McDonald, I asked, “Will you be my cardiologist?” Now, as I reach my 100th year I’m grateful his sound advice has kept me alive. He’s associated with the world class Peter Munk Cardiac Center affiliated with the University of Toronto. During my visit he stressed that more patients would be living longer if they reported to their doctors the early signs of heart failure. Prevention is always better than cure. Never forget this fact. We are all living longer and so is our heart. Today, if you’re over the age of 65, heart failure is the most common reason for being admitted to hospital. And when heart failure starts, this means a life expectancy of...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Philosophy
Do Unto Others Lesson Needs Retelling
What do you hope for each morning as your tired eyes read the news? You try to be a positive person, but day by day, things are getting worse. The world is in an awful mess. If there is a God, how cruel a deity to let suffering continue. Is it sacrilegious to ask, what exactly will it take to have the Second Coming of Christ? How much bloody war, climate chaos, and civil disintegration is required before we learn to follow a simple and sane edict? “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” The problem is times have changed. The only Christ we can anticipate in 2024 is a “deep fake”. The dumbing-down of social media preys...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Neurology, Psychiatry
Barbers Now Being Trained to Spot Clients with Troubled Minds
Is necessity or curiosity the mother of innovation? Sometimes good old common sense is the driving factor, and there will be no Nobel prize for seeing the obvious. That, however, is what’s behind a new development in barber shops and hair salons. What’s the buzz? It’s that barbers and hairdressers are be trained to detect mental health problems among the clients sitting in their chairs. It makes perfect sense. People regularly confide in their trusted barber or hairdresser the most personal details of their lives. And these chats are enough to detect signs of troubled mental health. With a small amount of training, hair stylists can help direct their customers to sources of support. Using barbers and hairdressers as a portal to...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology, Infection, Nutrition, Vitamins
In the Lab with Natural Immune Formulas
This week let’s look behind the scenes, in the labs where doctors and scientists are designing health supplements that address specific goals. What’s motivating them? What are they trying to do? And how successful are they? There are thousands of natural health supplements on the market – from vitamins and minerals to botanicals and proteins, plus all kinds of things falling into categories like enzymes and fatty acids. Then on top of this, there all the natural therapies offered by physical therapists, chiropractors, acupuncturists, and so on. Collectively, it’s a mega-billion set of industries. Complicating the scene are corporations, like Proctor & Gamble, Bayer, and Abbott. Going toe to toe in the marketplace with these giants are small businesses, whom we can...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology, Neurology, Nutrition
Postbiotics for the Gut, Body, and Brain
Last week’s column suggested we are minnows in the grand life adventure. This week we’ll look at little beings in our bellies that seem to have outsized influence. What is it about these microscopic components of the gut-brain connection that leads us to thinking that a postbiotic supplement might be a very good investment. The gut microbiome is like a neighbourhood of friends you carry around in and on your body for your entire life. Just as the environment outside your body and the way you live your life have consequences for your well-being, this gooey world in your gut has enormous impact on your health, from head to toe and cradle to grave. What exactly is it? The gut-brain microbiome refers...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle, Philosophy, Vitamins
Jobs One, Two and Three for Lifelong Health
By the time you are reading this article, the stakes establishing the life course of your health have long been set. Your genetic inheritance, location, and family circumstances, combined with a complex set of early life factors determine how your health trajectory will begin. Through childhood and adulthood, you have opportunities to influence your well-being, but in the grand scheme, it’s tinkering at the margins. As you age, the question becomes, what can you do to maximize good health and minimize the impact of the inevitable decline? Taking good care to avoid the obvious pitfalls is job number one. Parents need to teach children about safety as early in life as possible. And everyone needs to practice safety daily and for...Read More
