Gastroenterology
Don’t Let Your Dignity Kill You – Colonoscopy
"Why in the name of Heaven do I submit to this procedure every five years? To be forced into such an undignified position makes me wonder each time if there's a God." My answer remains conclusively the same. I'd rather face15 minutes of immodesty to months of dying slowly from cancer of the large bowel. So don't be fooled by a recent newspaper headline stating that colonoscopy isn't 100 percent foolproof. If you use this report as an excuse for not lying on the colonoscopy table it could be a fatal error. The gold standard for diagnosing colon cancer has always been colonoscopy. But scientists with the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and the Universities of Toronto and Western Ontario recently reported...Read More
Orthopedics
Build Muscle Strength From a Bottle?
How can young people prevent being in a wheelchair later in life? Visit any nursing home and you see examples of "Sarcopenia", a loss of muscle strength, that robs the elderly of their independence. But can you stop this creeping frailty and build up muscle strength from a bottle? Or is a steak a day, jogging or weightlifting the best way to prevent sarcopenia? I've had many interesting talks with Dr. John Morley, an expert on endocrine therapy at St. Louis University. He describes how the public is often mislead by Madison street ads for snake oil therapy. So I asked him to give me a run-down on what had merit in the prevention of sarcopenia, and what is best tossed...Read More
Women's Health
A New Computerized Technique To Detect Breast Cancer
What would I do if I were a woman and worried about breast cancer? I would hope that someone would devise a way to improve the accuracy of mammography. Now, a new computerized ultrasound technique can help to determine what breast lumps are benign or malignant. The result? Fewer sleepless nights waiting for biopsy results. Mammography has always been a questionable procedure. Dr. Peter Gotzsche, a leading Danish researcher, claims there is no convincing evidence that annual mammograms decrease the risk of death from breast cancer. To reach this conclusion Gotzsche and his colleagues analyzed international studies of half a million women. The cruel truth is that the benefits of mammography are modest. Experts say that 2,000 women have to be screened...Read More
Lifestyle, Nutrition
A Unique Way To Lose 100 Pounds
"Would you like to see a picture of me taken two years ago?" a patient asked me. I was curious and said, 'Yes". But I was surprised when she produced a photo of a short, plump 200 pound woman She was now half that weight. I asked the obvious question, "How did you do it?" She replied that her lifelong ambition had been to be a jockey, and the following day she would be riding a horse at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto. You may not want to ride a racehorse, but she proved there are several ways to lose weight. One Motivation is a huge factor in success, so find a motive. Why not save money in these trying financial times...Read More
Gynecology, Women's Health
What Partners Should Know About Wrong-Way Births
What's one of the worst things a baby can do to a mother (and her partner) at the time of delivery? It decides to be born feet or bottom first, rather than head first. Wrong-way birth is called breech birth, and it can have major health consequences for the baby and for family, lasting a lifetime. So women and their partners should never, ever make a hasty or emotional decision on whether or not to have a Cesarean section. The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC) recently stated that doctors should no longer opt for cesarean section for breech birth. They claim there is no difference in the complication rate between a right-way and wrong-way delivery. This decision is adding...Read More
Gynecology, Women's Health
Hey Guys! There’s Another Kind of Headache
"Not tonight dear". We all know what that message means. But there's a type of pain that isn't at all questionable and 99.9 percent of males haven't a clue about it. But can you blame them when so many people have no idea of their own anatomy? A recent report in the British journal BMC Family Practice is hard to believe. King's College researchers asked 722 patients where certain anatomical organs were located. Only 46 percent knew the location of the heart, 31 percent the lungs, 42 percent kidneys, and 38 percent had no idea where the stomach was located. Both sexes scored the same! No one apparently asked where the vagina was located. But in view of this report, it's...Read More
Nutrition
Calcium Causes 64 Percent Increase in Hip Fractures
How many of us are not taking calcium supplements today? Not many if my patients are a good sample of what's happening. But do you know that calcium supplementation may cause an increased number of hip fractures? And can meat help to make stronger bones? Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari, Professor of Clinical Research at the University Hospital in Zurick, Switzerland, is a world authority on calcium metabolism. She's also visiting professor at Tufts University in Boston and says the science behind calcium is not as simple as most people believe. Bischoff-Ferrari reports in Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter that two major studies have come up with contradictory findings. The first study analyzed 19 different trials and found no overall benefit to taking greater than average...Read More
Miscellaneous
The Error that Ended James Bond’s Life
Can you prove anything you want by statistics? You bet. But here's one case where there's no need to manipulate figures to prove a point. It's a straight, simple, indisputable fact that women live 5.4 years longer than men. So was the Almighty just unkind to men or is this problem the result of their own stupidity? Male vulnerability starts early. The pregnancy of a male fetus is more likely to end in miscarriage or stillbirth. Even as infants the mortality is higher among premature boys. They have a higher rate of developmental disabilities and autism. And are more likely to be born colour blind. They also die more often than women from almost all of the leading killers, coronary attack, cancer,...Read More
Psychiatry
How Embalmed Psychiatrists Could Help Patients
Are you worried that you may need psychological help? Or have you been diagnosed with an emotional illness and desire a second opinion? Today, getting speedy appointments isn't easy if you're concerned about mental illness. But there is a way to solve this dilemma. And what should you know about embalmed psychiatrists? Dr. Michael Van Ameringen, is co-director of the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario. He recently reported to the meeting of the American Psychiatric Association how the internet can be used to help people self-diagnose emotional illness. Or how the web can suggest you're not too crazy. This study reminded me of a psychiatry book I read in medical school. The book contained chapters about schizophrenia, manic...Read More
Gastroenterology
Natural Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Dr Basil Morson, a pathologist in London, England, is a world authority on colon cancer. Dr Morson says, "All colon cancers come from polyps". In effect, you do not develop cancer of the large bowel unless you first grow a polyp. These fleshy growths arise from the inside lining of the bowel. It's estimated that about one person in three over the age of 50 has one or more colon polyps. A report from The Mayo Clinic shows that after five years 2.5 percent of polyps become malignant. Ten years later the figure jumps to 10 percent and after 20 years 24 percent. Is there any way to decrease the risk of this common malignancy? Some authorities believe that eating less fat may...Read More
Gastroenterology
Bull Elephants Advice on Treating IBS
Would you like to have your picture taken in the nude sitting on a toilet? Then have the photo published in The Globe and Mail, Canada's national newspaper? Surely, we'd all sue for such an indignity. But a recent photo showed Diew, a bull elephant whose been trained to sit on an elephant-sized toilet. No doubt the photo meant to stress that the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an elephant-sized problem. But editors published the wrong photo. It's ironic that an elephant can be trained to sit on a toilet seat, but humans can't be taught how to avoid IBS. It's estimated that 25 percent of North Americans suffer from this disconcerting disease. Diew sitting on the throne, would question whether IBS...Read More
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat
What I Leaned About Coronary Disease in England – Vitamin C
Why would I travel to snowy England in January? I had the chance to spend a week studying with Dr. Sydney Bush, a distinguished English professor of optometry. This week why I believe his research on the cause of coronary artery disease deserves a Noble Prize and how you can benefit from this research. What causes coronary attack? Authorities say it's due to increased blood cholesterol. But I've always questioned this theory since interviewing to Dr. Linus Pauling (the only person to receive two Nobel Prizes). Years ago Pauling told me animals manufacture vitamin C, but humans do not. For instance, goats produce 13,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily! Humans lost this ability during the course of evolution and it's why cats...Read More
Sports
How a Bra Killed Two Young Women
What measures one inch in diameter and kills more people than hurricanes and tornadoes combined in the U.S.? Is 50,000 times hotter than the sun and strikes this planet 3.6 million times every year? No doubt you have the answer, "lightning". But you may not know there's less chance of dying from this underrated killer if you remember "the 30 second rule". And how could a bra kill two English women? Lightning packs a huge punch when it strikes. If you're unlucky to be the victim 100,000,000 to 300,000,000 volts will pass through your body with instant and deadly consequences. On July 10, 1926, lightning exploded a navy ammunition depot in Mount Hope, New Jersey, killing 19 people. The cost to rebuild...Read More
Nutrition
Put Some Spice In Your Life
"Give Fae ginger ale for her queasy stomach", I suggested to my daughter. But, "What's in ginger ale that's going to help?" she asked me. Telling her that my Mother gave me ginger ale for this ailment wasn't the scientific reply she expected from me. Unfortunately, my Mother had never mentioned the magic ingredient in this drink. So I decided to research the health benefits of ginger and other spices. A report on spices in Nutrition Action Health Letter contained a initial surprise for me, and probably some mothers. It reports little or no ginger in most ginger ale! And whether ginger is effective depends on to whom you listen. Dr. Suzanna Zick, an epidemiologist at the University of Michigan, reports four...Read More
Miscellaneous
Medical Tidbits
During long plane flights I always ask for a glass of wine with dinner. Wine helps me to catnap and relieve the boredom of night travel. But why does red wine cause drowsiness? In the past we understood that melatonin, a soporific, was only produced by mammals. Now, a report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture claims that melatonin is also produced by plants. Italian scientists report that the skin of grapes used to make red wine contains high levels of melatonin. So enjoy your merlot or cabernet sauvignon for relaxation and sleep. Obesity : Threat To U. S. Security? The U.S. army won the Battle of the Bulge 60 years ago. But Major General Thomas Bostick says...Read More
Nutrition, Vitamins
What You Don’t Know About Calcium
How many of us are not taking calcium supplements today? Not many if my patients are a good sample of what's happening. But do you know that calcium supplementation may cause an increased number of hip fractures? And can meat help to make stronger bones? Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari, Professor of Clinical Research at the University Hospital in Zurick, Switzerland, is a world authority on calcium metabolism. She's also visiting professor at Tufts University in Boston and says the science behind calcium is as simple as most people believe. Bischoff-Ferrari reports in Tufts Health and Nutrition Letter that two major studies have come up with contradictory findings. The first study analyzed 19 different trials and found no overall benefit to taking greater than average amounts...Read More
Gastroenterology
Can A Fart Kill?
What are the Ig Noble prizes? These prestigious awards are given each year at Harvard University to those engaged in strange scientific research such as fast repetitive ticks (FRTs). Canadian researchers showed that farts can actually be lethal. Ig Noble Prizes were awarded to the Vatican and a soft drink company to show that Harvard's horn-rimmed professors also have a sense of humour. Rectal gas (flatus) happens to Kings, Queens and the rest of us, and is a constant reminder that we're all quite human. And when the urge to pass flatus happens in delicate situations, we would prefer to be in the middle of the Sahara Desert. It's never been easy to obtain medical information on flatus. After all, what doctor...Read More
Lifestyle
Lions Don’t Buy Nike Running Shoes
Have you ever seen lions running? You bet they run when they're hungry and chasing prey. The only other time they exercise is at mating season when they're having sex every 20 minutes! But most of the time they lay around or sleep. Exercise is simply not high on their priority list and they survive well without buying Nike running shoes. Questioning the value of exercise to humans, however, is like damning Motherhood and apple pie. But every year in my office I see examples of excessive exercise causing needless injury, and it results in many aggravating problems. One of my 60 year old female patients decided it was time to build up muscles and hired a personal trainer. At each visit...Read More
Gastroenterology
Charcoal Activated Underwear For Distressing Flatus
An embarrassed patient once asked me, "Doctor, what can I do to control flatus (farts)? I'm becoming a social pariah." I didn't have an answer for this distressed woman at the time as no one had discovered the ultimate cure. But I've finally found the right prescription, "Charcoal Activated Underwear". We've all heard about the whoopee cushion used to embarrass friends at parties, and the usual jokes about passing gas. However, it's not amusing for those who have food allergies or suffer from bowel problems. But it's never been easy to get information about flatus. After all, how many researchers want to say, 'I'm a specialist in farts?" Kings, Queens and the rest of us pass flatus discreetly 15 to 25 times...Read More
Cholesterol
The “Ain’t So’s” About Cholesterol
Why are people so misinformed about cholesterol when so much has been published about it? After all, cholesterol has become a household name. It's even hard to go to a social gathering without someone mentioning this fatty substance and their own cholesterol level. But as one wise sage remarked, "It's not the things you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's the things you know for sure that ain't so". So what ain't so about cholesterol? It ain't so, for instance, that the only cause of coronary artery disease is cholesterol. Life is not that simple and it's totally unrealistic to believe that one risk factor sends so many people to the great beyond. Rather, Mathew's Law is the culprit....Read More
Philosophy
It’s Great Science, But All the More Need For a Living Will
It's said that "a picture is worth a thousand words". And the one that I recently saw in The Medical Post is one that's hard to forget. The picture shows a man totally paralyzed due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. To me, it illustrates the best and worst of science. Lou Gehrig's Disease is a frightful malady. It's an inch-by-inch slow paralysis that gradually and insidiously spreads throughout the entire body. The final phase is total paralysis, but with a normally functioning brain. Patients are literally "locked in" inside their bodies. At the end, patients drown in their own mucus. It must be as close to hell as one can imagine. So why is its treatment...Read More
Dermatology
Onychomycosis: It Doesn’t Make You A Big Hit In The Bedroom
How often do we look at a person's nails? Not as often as we cast an eye at other parts of the anatomy. But nails reveal much about a person's general health. So the next time you're invited to a dinner party scan the nails. But if want to be invited back, wait for another time to annoyance a guest is suffering from onychomycosis. Is the person sitting next to you a bartender, lawyer, politician, nurse or homemaker? The clue may be brittle, split nails, the result of frequently having hands in water day after day. Water passes through nails 100 times faster than through skin. This causes swelling of nails and then when the hands are out of water, the...Read More
Gastroenterology
What Caused The Death of The Grand Admiral?
Today, let's turn back the clock nearly 200 years, to an important moment in medical history. At that time a certain disease was invariably fatal. It still can be without speedy diagnosis and treatment. But, if by chance, you're in a specific English pub when this condition strikes, you're lucky. The pub owner can make the diagnosis quicker than most physicians. I wonder if you can diagnose what happened on October 30, 1723. Dr. Anthony S Patton, a retired surgeon in Salem Massachusetts, reports in the Harvard Medical Alumni Bulletin, that a celebrated Admiral of the Dutch navy, Baron Jan Gerrit van Wassenaer suffered from chronic stomach problems. For three days he had fasted. But he had recovered sufficiently to enjoy a...Read More
Alternate Treatments
How To Boost Your Immunity To The Swine Flu Virus
"What's the best natural way to boost immunity against the swine flu virus (SFV)?" a reader from Winnipeg inquires. So far the swine flu virus has killed many Mexicans, has invaded North America. The World Health Organization says this virus has pandemic potential. So here are some natural ways to increase immunity and save lives. One: Bow like the Japanese rather than shaking hands which has always been an unhealthy habit. Handshaking is a prime way to spread infection whether or not there's a potential epidemic of SFV. Get further protection by washing your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol based hand wash. Two: Keep your distance from those who are coughing or sneezing, particularly when they don't...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Lifestyle
Glabrinex – A Natural Remedy For Pot Bellied “Killer Fat”
Never before in human history have so many North Americans been so obese and pot bellied. It's causing an unparalled epidemic of diabetes with disastrous complications. But research shows that it's the abdominal fat, called visceral fat, that kills. Now, a natural remedy Glabrinex, can help to decrease this "killer" fat. Years ago, Dr. Timo Lakka, a Finnish researcher, urged pot-bellied people to take heed after studying 1,800 apple-shaped Finns for 10 years. He reported that men who were not overweight, but had a pot belly, had four times the risk of heart disease than men without one. Then, in 1988, Dr. Gerald Reaven at Stanford University in California described what is known as the "metabolic syndrome". It's the stage before type...Read More
