Infection
Beijing Trots And Other Travel Hazards In 2008?
How many people will travel to China for the Olympics this summer or elsewhere on this planet? I don't know. But I do know many will raise this silent prayer to the Almighty, "Please, above all other worldly goods, grant me a bathroom". Desperately needing a toilet is as close to panic as it gets when one isn't available. But toilets can be the least of your worries if you fail to take other precautions when travelling. To get an update on medical problems facing travellers I interviewed Dr. Jay Keystone, Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and Director of Medisys Travel Clinic in Toronto. He is emphatic that long before you pack your bag it's prudent to obtain...Read More
Philosophy
Religious People: Shame, Shame, Shame
Why would I rather deal with the Mafia than some religious people? Because I hate hypocrisy above all other things. I know the mob has a code they follow strictly and it's crystal clear to everyone what it's all about, such as it is. But religious people talk constantly about brotherly love and yet condemn fellow humans to death. It's hypocrisy at its worst. A report in the Medical Post says that Canadians are being forced to travel to China and India to purchase heart and kidney transplants. Their only alternative is death. How can you blame these people for seeking what's been labelled "transplantation tourism" buying an organ in a foreign land? We all share the desire to live at any...Read More
Cardiovascular
The Holiday Heart Syndrome: A Seaboard Romance?
What does the figure 's 2,575,440,000 indicate? It's not the national debt, or the increase in the world's population in the next 10 years. But, if you live to 70 years of age, your heart will beat this many times. But sometimes it gets weary and develops an irregular rate called atrial fibrillation (AF). So can chocolate help to prevent this problem? AF is not a rare problem. A report in the journal, Circulation, says that one-quarter of North Americans will develop this condition at some time during their lives. Not surprising, since electrical equipment tends to be unpredictable. We know cars get into trouble when their electrical systems falter. It's the same problem with hearts as their beats are controlled by...Read More
Medicine
Natural Ways To Treat Common Diseases
Years ago a speaker abruptly stopped his talk. He said, "I know you're bored with this topic and I'm bored, so let's quit and we'll all go out and have beer". This is how I felt writing this column and nearly tossed it in the basket several times. I know it's boring to tell you to exercise and lose pounds if you're overweight. Why bother to write about things you already know, so why don't we all go out and have a beer? Because so many people are taking pills when these two changes in lifestyle can help to prevent and treat several common problems. Today there's good reason to be concerned about the depressing economic news. However, at the moment,...Read More
Medicine
Dummy Pills, Guns and Doctors
Winston Churchill, Britain's wartime Prime Minister, remarked, "To almost every question there is an answer that is clear, concise, coherent and wrong"! For years we've been told that anti-depressant drugs were the be-all-and-end-all for depressed patients. Now, a recent report claims that placebos are just as effective for many patients. So should doctors use placebos (dummy pills)to trick patients? The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) helps to answer this dilemma. The opponents of placebo therapy say physicians should never resort to deception. They argue that placebos have no therapeutic value and should be consigned to the Dark Ages. After all, this is 2008 the age of scientific medicine. But how scientific have we been in the past? Henry Beecher, a former professor...Read More
Dermatology
Rosacea : An Overlooked Skin Condition
What did former President Bill Clinton have to blush about? We all know the answer to that delicate question! Like Princess Diana, Rosie O'Donnell and the comedian W.C. Fields also suffered from Rosacea. This April is designated Rosacea month, in an effort to alert people to the warning signs of this condition and the importance of early treatment. Red may be the colour of love, but this is one flush people would prefer not to show. The general public and sometimes doctors, confuse Rosacea with acne, seborrheic dermatitis or lupus. Fortunately, Rosacea is not life-threatening, but the flushing episodes are socially embarrassing and in some instances their psychological impact can be devastating. Some patients shy away from social contacts when pustules appear...Read More
Cardiovascular
How Long Are Your Legs?
How many people in this country haven't had their blood cholesterol level tested? Or had their doctor suggest a stress test or electrocardiogram to evaluate the risk of heart disease? I doubt that many have escaped some of these tests. But has your doctor ever said, "I want to measure the length of your legs?" Or examined your ear lobe? These are examples of the KISS principle, "keep it simple stupid". Dr. Kate Tilling reports an interesting finding in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Tilling and her colleagues at Bristol University in the U.K. measured the leg lengths of 12,252 men and women aged 44 to 65. They discovered the longer the leg, the less risk of heart attack and stroke. But...Read More
Genitourinary
The Powder Room : Course 101 In Overactive Bladder
Whoever remarked, "Timing is everything", was right. I recently wrote about simple ways to prevent urinary infections. This triggered numerous requests from readers saying, "But what can be done when you're constantly rushing to you know where?" Their timing couldn't have been better. The Powder Room web site now has a bilingual course 101 on overactive bladder (OAB). It contains "Everything you've always wanted to know about OAB and didn't know who to ask". OAB can range from a terrible nuisance to a problem that has a dramatic effect on lifestyle. And, if you think you're the only one in town that suffers from this disorder, think again. Several years ago one of my patients hit the nail on the head with...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle
A Good Postal Code Leads To A Longer Life
I've just returned from a "Canadian Medical Education Course" on Cardiology aboard Norweigen cruise line. Being a former ship's surgeon I love being at sea. Besides, a sea voyage is a great way to recharge your batteries. And it provided an opportunity to listen day after day to a diverse group of international cardiologists who discussed the nation's number one killer. Now I know the importance of one's postal code. And why North Americans should never forget "Matthew's Law" Dr. Stuart Smith, one of Canada's leading cardiologists, reported that heart failure is the new cancer of our society. Each year over one million people in North America suffer heart attack. Half of these patients die within an hour. The rest may...Read More
Gynecology, Sex, Women's Health
Chocolates and Sex, The Wrong Gift for Valentine’s Day
"What did your husband give you for Valentine's Day?" I jokingly asked a 55 year old patient. She replied, "He brought home the usual gift, chocolates, but that won't solve my pain with sex. Nor can my own doctor, as he never talks about sexual matters." This is a scenario I often see in my office and it's time to break the hush that so often surrounds this problem. This woman had started into menopause at 50 years of age, suffering from flushes, insomnia and increased irritability. These symptoms had gradually faded without any treatment over a two-year period. But slowly she noted that sexual intercourse was becoming increasingly painful. And by Valentine's Day this year it was causing problems in...Read More
Cholesterol
It Felt Like Somebody Had Put Lead On My Legs – Cholesterol Drugs
What sells newspapers? Bad news! And every morning I get tired of reading more of it. Good news is exceedingly hard to find, but there are exceptions. Medical publications continue to publish "good" news about cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs), that doctors should strive to get blood cholesterol lower and lower, that CLDs can be used to treat an increasing number of other medical problems. But since I'm more than a trifle skeptical about these drugs, it's refreshing to me to read the less than perfect news about CLDs from the Harvard Medical School. Focus, Harvard's news bulletin, reports the medical problem of Dr. Ikas Sukhatme. He's Professor of Medicine at Harvard's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and like many...Read More
Nutrition
Dangers and Benefits of The Cup of ‘Joe”
What's so important about the year 1657? It was the year that coffee was first imported into London, England from the Middle East. This glowing ad stated "A very wholesome and physical drink that helpeth indigestion, quickeneth the spirits, maketh the heart lightsom, is good against eye sores, coughs, head-ach, gout and the King's evil". 351 years later we don't have to worry about the King's evil. But the evil gyrations of the stock market may cause many to reach for several extra cups of coffee. So how much harm or good is there in our cup of "o'Joe"? Recently Tufts University in Boston reported the findings of a panel of experts who discussed this matter at an Experimental Biology meeting held...Read More
Genitourinary
Preventing Urinary Infections
Today, the Golden Rule of medicine should be, "Keep it simple." The reason is simple. The less complicated the treatment, the fewer the complications. Besides, in an increasingly complex medical environment doctors tend to overlook simple treatments that work. It's a simple as that. So this week, simple ways to prevent annoying urinary infections (cystitis). It's estimated that every year 30 t0 50 million North Americans, mostly women, suffer from cystitis. Few ever forget the first attack. Its severe pain on urination and the constant running to the bathroom. Then the shear terror if blood appears in the urine. Urinary infections can be due to a variety of causes and are usually cured by antibiotics within a few days. But in recent...Read More
Sex, Sports
Do The Toronto Maple Leafs Need More Sex?
What's wrong with the Toronto Maple leafs? They haven't won a Stanley Cup since 1967. This year they're again floundering and may once again miss the playoffs. Their coach has shifted lines without any effect. Hockey analysts have suggested other solutions. But I've got a prescription for their coach Paul Maurice. The problem may be a lack of a little nookie before games. "Nothing after Wednesday if you're playing on Saturday" was the gospel preached to British soccer players in the 1970s. Even today many coaches tell their players to avoid sex the night before a game. And some famous sport personalities have agreed to the big "No" to pre-game sex. Mohammed Ali remarked, "When you don't get sex for awhile it...Read More
Philosophy
Six Things You Should Know About A Living Will
Why have a Living Will a skeptical patient recently asked? I replied "Because no one in this world will care as much about how you die as you will". So don't say no to a LW because of unfounded myths. One I'm not going to sign a Living Will because it allows doctors to quickly pull the plug and end my life. In fact, the very opposite is true. North American doctors today spend much of their time worrying about lawyers in treating all medical situations. But when faced with a decision of whether to terminate a life they back away from it like the plague. They worry that any move to end a life may result in legal action by the...Read More
Cancer, Lifestyle, Philosophy
An Instrument That Could End Medical Madness?
Is there a device that could stop people from destroying themselves? An instrument that could prevent lunatic behaviour and premature death of millions of North Americans? It's a tall order. But Eureka, with the help of my children there's finally a solution. During a family dinner I told them about a frustrating situation that had occurred that day. My patient was taking her Mother to Florida for the winter. She also had to take along an oxygen tank. Unfortunately, her Mother suffered from incapacitating emphysema. She had destroyed her lungs from years of smoking. The daughter, a well-educated woman, was also smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. During our talk she was constantly coughing and it was obvious that she would...Read More
Infection
The Hazards Of A Well-Made Bed – Dust Mites
What do you sleep on? Of course, the normal reply is the mattress. But few people realize they're also resting on millions of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinuscan (dust mites). So what are these crawly creatures doing in your bed and how can you decrease the risk of their intrusion? And you had better think twice before you makie the bed. Dust mites are related to spiders and will never win a beauty contest. They're ugly, menacing, micrsoscopic in size, have eight legs and you can put either 1,000 mites or 250,000 of their fecal pellets in half a teaspoon. Dust mites accumulate in rugs, fabrics, and furniture. But they prefer our warm beds, pillows and blankets where they live along with vast amounts of...Read More
Dental
Donald Trump To Larry King “Your Breath Is Bad”
Are you having trouble getting a second date? Do you see friends backing away when you're speaking to them. Or has your faithful dog started to sit on the other side of the room. If so, you may be suffering from "halitosis". But before you lose your last friend there are ways to fight this problem. A good start is to take the blueberry test. It will also help to save your teeth. I've often thought that being a dentist must be an awful job if your patient has halitosis. How can he or she back away while doing a root canal? Or how can singers facing each other still smile when one has halitosis? But the reverse can also be...Read More
Cardiovascular
How To Control Cholesterol Numbers by Natural Means
"Why don't you take my advice and start cholesterol-lowering drugs? You quote the expression in your column that "he who treats himself has a fool for a patient.' And that's exactly what you're doing!" My cardiologist believes I'm making a huge mistake by saying no to cholesterol-lowering drugs. I start the day with the right breakfast. Not a Tim Horton doughnut and a cup of coffee. A report from The Mayo Clinic suggests oatmeal and oat bran. These soluble fibers reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL), the bad cholesterol, by binding with bile (which contains cholesterol). So rather than being absorbed from the intestines, cholesterol is excreted by the bowel. You say you don't like oat bran. I don't either. But by adding...Read More
Neurology, Pain, Surgery
How The Horse’s Tail Can Paralyze You – Cauda Equina Syndrome
Why call 911 when it's the same old pain? After all, John X had suffered from occasional bouts of back pain for years and usually the discomfort subsided within a few days. However, two or three times he had been totally disabled from severe bouts of sciatica, requiring bed rest for several weeks. But, with the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs the severe pain that radiated down his leg gradually went away. One afternoon, after a sneeze, pain struck with a vengeance. This time the usual medication failed to numb the agony, but he refused to seek help. Three days later when he was unable to urinate, or have a bowel movement, his family finally called 911 and he was...Read More
Nutrition
Suffering From The “Pissy Mood Syndrome”?
Do you feel like kicking the cat? Or telling the boss to go to hell? Or feel that it's getting harder and harder to get your act together? If so, the solution may not be to reach for Prozac. Some authorities claim the answer may be on your dinner plate. So how does food affect our moods? Dr. Khursheed Jeejeebhoy, Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto, reports in The Medical Post, that certain foods are often associated with a feeling of happiness and an optimistic mood. Jeejeebhoy cites studies from the department of psychology at the University of Wales. Students were given a variety of breakfast combinations. Researchers discovered that a breakfast low in calories, carbohydrates and fat, but high in fiber,...Read More
Alcohol
What You Don’t Know About Beer
Have you ever wondered what you're drinking while enjoying a bottle of beer? I doubt that many beer drinkers ever give it a second's thought. But beer isn't just beer. I've written for years in my medical column that beer and other alcoholic drinks are often unjustly criticized. I agree that alcohol in excess causes problems, but so does excess in anything. But used in moderation beer provides several benefits. So the next time you pour yourself a bottle of beer consider these nutritional facts. One: Beer isn't just alcohol. It's 93 per cent water. Two: Beer contains no sugars. Today, excessive calories of any kind, are causing an epidemic of obesity resulting in needless disease and stress on our health care...Read More
Miscellaneous
What My Web Site Tells Me About Readers.
You should have a web site doctor", I've been told a thousand times. My reply is always "But that means I'll have to add something every week, and I'm busy enough!" Curiosity, however, eventually got the better of me and a site was created several months ago. So apart from triggering my depression, what has it told me about you? First, congratulations! It's evident many of you are interested in preventive medicine. I thought the column linking lack of vitamin C to heart disease was the most important column I'd ever written. This topped the list with the most hits. The next big hit, "Do you want Ford or Cadillac vitamins". I wrote this column after a team of nutritionists reported that...Read More
Cardiovascular
Leg Pain : The Lull Before The Fatal Storm
"Have you ever heard of Matthews Law?" I asked a journalism student who recently interviewed me. Her assignment was to find out what young people and others could do to prevent health problems. The timing of the interview couldn't have been better as I was just writing a column about peripheral arterial disease (PAD), a prime example of Matthews Law. And how many know about the ABI test? Coronary artery disease, the number one killer, always gets prime coverage, for good reason. A sudden severe pain in the chest may be the last pain you ever have on this planet. Half of its victims die before reaching a hospital emergency. Compare this to leg pain and most people don't get too excited....Read More
Gynecology, Miscellaneous
How Much Have You Learned From This Column in 2007?
Do I get an A for being a good teacher, or an E for effort? This week let's see how smart you are in answering these true and false questions. If anyone gets 100 percent they can write next week's column! A beer contains 100 calories, has no cholesterol, tryglcerides and is low in sodium. Over 20 world studies show that moderate drinkers live longer than either teetotalers or excessive drinkers. Fluoridation of water decreases the sperm count and testosterone levels in males. Montreal doesn't use fluoridation, Toronto does. That's one reason Montreal males are better lovers! Now 98 percent of European countries do not add fluoride to their water supply. 3- Astronauts living in a gravity-free atmosphere are more likely to develop...Read More
