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
Sex
Sex After a Heart Attack?
I've always believed that being shot at 95years of age by a jealous lover is the ideal way to depart this earth. But suppose you survive a coronary attack much earlier in life, how is it going to affect your sex life? Is it time to forget about "amour" and switch to backgammon or hooking rugs? Or, is a little romp in the bed still safe? Dr. Randal Thomas, Director of the Cardiovascular Health Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, says, "A person's life is essentially thrown upside-down following coronary attack. They see their frailty and how close they came to dying, and it can lead to a lot of psychological issues and need for recuperation." Another cardiologist, Nieca Goldberg, at Lennox Hill...Read More
Dermatology
A Skin Cream That Prevents Cancer
I'd bet that 99 percent of readers have never heard of the name,"Actinic Keratosis", (AK). But thousands of people have this type of skin lesion that if left untreated can develop into skin cancer over time. Now there's a unique skin cream that can prevent or stop this from occurring. Since the primary cause of AK is excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays, this problem is often called "Solar Keratosis". Like an elephant, human skin never forgets all the UV radiation it gets during a lifetime. We forget the times when UV rays have bounced off snow and water, either tanning or burning our skin. And with today's thinning of the ozone layer, more ultraviolet rays are hitting the...Read More
Nutrition
The Constipated Battleship King George V
Recently a patient, who is extremely health conscious, asked, "If you had to pick the most important food what would you choose?" I replied, "fiber". I've believed for years that fiber is the corner stone of a healthy diet and without adequate amounts people are headed for a variety of health problems. The National Academies' Institute of Medicine formulates dietary recommendations for the government. It recently reported that the average North American consumes only 14 to 15 grams of fiber a day. This is a failing grade as it's less than half of what people should be eating. Fibers primary benefit never crosses the minds of most people. Fiber is bulky and therefore filling. Years ago, my father-in-law called it "roughage" and...Read More
Nutrition
Lobster : The Cadillac Of The Sea
Why do I look forward so eagerly to that crate of lobster that arrives from Clearwater Seafoods at regular intervals? Because it's my reward for eating bran cereal every morning. I'd much prefer ham and eggs or French toast loaded with maple syrup. Besides, lobsters provide great health benefits in addition to a delicious food experience. Several years ago I had the good fortune to attend a cardiovascular conference in Norway and visit the Institute for Nutrition Research at the University of Oslo. During the conference Professor Daan Krommhout, of the Institute of Public Health and the Environment in the Netherlands, reported the cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 fatty acids present in fatty fish, lobsters, scallops and many other species of seafood. In...Read More
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Nutrition
Eggs Decrease Risk of Macular Degeneration
"Don't you worry about cholesterol in eggs?" a friend recently asked me. I had ordered ham-and-eggs for breakfast which I often enjoy. But my friend was sure that eggs were a nutritional relic of the past, only good for a display at the Smithsonian Institution. I told him he was suffering from "cholesterolphobia", should upgrade his thinking about eggs, and that if he would order the same breakfast it would decrease his risk of heart disease and macular degeneration. I've written for years that we should trust farmers, hens and cows and cast a suspicious eye at manufactured processed foods. I have not changed my mind after many years of research. Blaming farmers and hens for the epidemic of heart disease is...Read More
Cancer
Seven Things To Know About Prostate Cancer
One: Benjamin Disraeli, Queen Victoria's Prime Minister, once remarked "There are three kinds of lies, lies, damned lies and statistics". Disraeli, if he had been a doctor, could have been referring to the PSA test for prostate cancer. For instance, the New England Journal of Medicine has just reported a European study that showed that this blood test cut the death rate of this disease by 20 percent. But this impressive figure refers to a relative reduction in deaths. There's another way to look at the reduction in the number of deaths. 162,000 men were followed for 10 years. Of those given the PSA test 261 died, compared to 363 deaths of those who received routine care. A difference of 102...Read More
Genitourinary
The Billion Dollar Erectile Race
The race of the century has started. No, it's not a recap of the great horse race between Sea Biscuit and Northern Dancer. It's the erectile dysfunction (ED) contest between three giant pharmaceutical companies. The prize for the winner? Billions of dollars. If you haven't heard of Viagra it's time for a nursing home. But if this name gets you thinking about romance, what should you know about these competing drugs. Moreover, what should you do if they don't produce results? And how many times a week are we supposed to make love? All three impotence drugs work by blocking an enzyme that relaxes muscles and allows increased blood flow into the penis. If you have heart trouble and are taking a...Read More
Cardiovascular
Campbell Soup With 32 Percent Less Sodium
Why would any company want to change a product that's stood the test of time for 112 years? After all, in this fast moving world most products either change every few years or perish. But Campbell soup, first produced in 1897, has finally made a healthy change in its ingredients. Each serving will now have 32 percent less sodium which will help tame one of the big killers, hypertension. High blood pressure is the leading cause of death in the world. It's estimated that 25 percent of North Americans have hypertension and five million Canadians suffer from it. But this disease is a silent killer as you're unable to see or feel its presence. Sir William Osler, Professor of Medicine at McGill,...Read More
