Cardiovascular, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Rake Up the Leaves this Fall
What’s the most absurd image of healthy living? It’s a picture of a young woman using a leaf blower to clean up leaves in her yard while wearing ear protection, eye protection, and a mask covering her nose and mouth. The only thing that makes good sense is the mask. It’s the leaf blower that is most offensive. The first offense is the condoning of laziness. A leaf blower nearly eliminates the physical effort needed to clean up the leaves. In the past, we may have looked upon this as a good thing. Less work equals better life. False! Raking up those leaves offers a wonderful cardio workout, in the lovely outdoors, resulting in the satisfaction of a job well done. It’s exercise...Read More
Miscellaneous, Philosophy
A Different Kind of Sickness
It’s a despicable human who preys on people to defraud them of money. What kind of sickness drives a person to such lows? It’s a sad fact that every year, millions of seniors fall victim to fraud. They are prime targets because they tend be trusting, have savings and good credit, and struggle to identify scoundrels posing as government agencies, tech support, repair people, or even family members. Another tragic group of victims are the thousands of international students seeking an honest education abroad. Perpetrators raise false alarms about their visas or take money for fake scholarship applications and non-existent accommodations. What a horrible opening experience for the very people the world needs as global ambassadors. What drives a person to have no...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology, Vitamins
Constipation Causes More Trouble Than You Think
Now and again, friends confide in friends that they have big problems. Dreaded are the occasions when the problem is a serious medical diagnosis. But when the problem is persistent constipation, it’s better to air the issue and not suffer in silence. Drug store remedies for constipation can fail to have effect. For many sufferers, the ailment involves days without a bowel movement. Ignoring the problem can lead to disturbing complications, to be avoided at all costs. Dr. Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, believed we are all living with sub-optimal levels of vitamin C. His primary interest was in studying the effects of high doses of vitamin C in protecting against heart disease. But in an interview with him, he...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cancer, Diabetes, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity, Vitamins
A Windfall of Science on Apples
We write about natural remedies we believe are good for human health. Why this focus? It’s not to encourage avoidance of pharmaceutical drugs when medical care is an imperative. To the contrary, Canadians and Americans have the luxury of the world’s best doctors, medicinal drugs, and healthcare facilities. But health systems are overwhelmed. To ease the crush, people who are not yet ill should take up responsibility to stay healthy. Good health is not achieved through inaction. Live a poor lifestyle and illness will come as sure as night follows day. But the talents of doctors and the cure of drugs are best reserved for the unlucky who lose the health lottery. For young people and the healthy aging population, a proactive,...Read More
Alcohol, Lifestyle
Is Now the Time to Quit Alcohol?
Alcohol in moderation can be good for your health. We have written dozens of articles on the topic and an entire section of our website is dedicated to the topic. In short, there are plenty of good reasons to enjoy a drink at the cocktail hour. But is there a time for quitting altogether? Some people think so. And the idea seems to be catching on. You may have heard about the “sober curious” movement. Coined by writer, Ruby Warrington, being sober curious is about enjoying the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle. It has nothing to do with achieving sobriety after problems with alcoholism. Some efforts are short-term, like “Dry January” and “Sober October”. These trendy campaigns are often paired with charitable causes. But...Read More
Nutrition
The Seedy Story Beneath Healthy Cranberries
Cranberries are a superfood. They are known to fight urinary tract infections. They have anti-inflammatory properties. Cranberries promote heart health. Researchers are even exploring a potential role in reducing cancer risk. But a myopic view that sees only the nutritional value of cranberries misses the larger not-so-pretty picture. It's a cruel irony that so healthy a berry has endured the unhealthy violations brought on by industry’s unthinking push for production and humankind’s fixation with sugar. Cranberries have been a staple of Thanksgiving celebrations for centuries. Harvard University served them at commencement dinner as early as 1703. A recipe for cranberry sauce appeared in a 1796 cookbook. General Ulysses S. Grant ordered his Union Army be served cranberries with the holiday meal in...Read More
Obesity
Ignoring Hazards Leaves Little Hope for Longevity
What is the greatest hazard to your longevity? Ask around and you will get a variety of answers: heart disease, cancer, genetics, or humankind’s own folly with warfare and planetary destruction. But it has become taboo to mention obesity. Yet, for decades, this column has stressed that obesity is the greatest health hazard of them all. Amid all of society’s penchants for weight gain, daily unrelenting efforts of individuals to maintain healthy weights would save more lives than any other prescription. Supportive public policies and improved private sector responsibility would help. Today, all over the world, people are disturbingly obese and ill. Among the root issues is one simple fact. People are devouring too many calories, too often combined with sedentary lifestyles....Read More
Dermatology, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Infection
Tattoos and Piercings Still Come with Risks
Jack London, the American novelist who wrote Call of the Wild in 1903, said, “Show me a man with a tattoo and I’ll show you a man with an interesting past.” But in 2022, with tattoos found on more than a third of North Americans and on nearly one in two young people, what is the great allure? And what are the risks? According to the Wellcome Collection, a museum and library specializing in the connections between medicine, life and art, tattoos date from 5000 BCE. They permeated ancient societies, often representing battle valour or sacrificial rituals. Some tattoos seem to have resulted from scaring from medicinal treatments and others seem to have been purely decorative in purpose. Piercings have a long...Read More
Cardiovascular
Know and Love a Woman? Protect Her Heart
How many people realize women’s coronary arteries are understudied, underdiagnosed, and undertreated? The Cleveland Clinic, a leading cardiology centre, says heart disease is seven times deadlier for women than breast cancer. Build up of plaque in the heart’s arteries contributes to the death of one in every three women, more than all cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and accidents combined. But heart disease kills even more men. This fact and the historical focus on heart disease in men means most people are unaware of the risk factors for heart disease in women. A report from the American Heart Association (AHA) says there have been stunning improvements in death rates of both sexes from coronary heart disease (CHD) since 1980. But women have not...Read More
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat
When Is the Right Time to Hang Up the Car Keys?
Helen Keller, the disability rights advocate who lost her sight and hearing at 19 months of age, famously warned of “having sight but no vision”. Hers was a metaphor on living. But what happens to our eyesight as we age? And how common is it to have sight, but poor vision? More specifically, how do we know when we need to make changes in our lives because we are not seeing as well as we used to? Driving, for example, is an intensive visual undertaking. But glare sensitivity and reductions in visual field are significant predictors of involvement in a crash. No amount of wisdom will help in the seconds before an accident you did not see coming. Macular degeneration is a...Read More
Miscellaneous
Fainting Frightens, But Is Usually Benign
People have been swooning for joy since at least the 13th Century when the earliest recorded use of the word can be found. By the 20th Century, losing consciousness for love and rapture was a necessary attribute of a Southern belle. Even today, swooning has a positive connotation, defined as, “a few steps beyond being happy, but not so over the top that you scare children.” But change the language describing the same loss of consciousness and "blacking out like a light" is not so glamourous. Parents fainting with a thud on the floor most certainly gives the kids a fright. But how dangerous is fainting? And how common a problem is it? There have been some famous faints. Most recently, the 74-year-old...Read More
Diabetes, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Obesity
Online Grocery Shopping a Cause for Concern
Food products in stores are changing. Shoppers easily find more processed, attractively packaged, and conveniently prepared meals. With online shopping, the way these products are now selected and put in the cart has changed too. For that, consumers may be paying more than just the price of inflation. Online food shopping has become the norm for many people. Home delivery of groceries may be a convenience, but consumers are losing their moment of discernment. Even if online customers take the time to click through product pages checking nutritional information, in-store shopping assistants frequently turn to substitute products and don’t take notice when ingredients in products have changed. Food deliveries arrive with frequent surprises. “That’s not what I ordered,” must be among the...Read More
Miscellaneous, Pain
No Guff – Swearing Eases Pain
A taboo forbids a practice that is deemed unacceptable. Swearing, especially in polite company, is an example. But here’s good news for the foul-mouthed. Swearing can have surprising benefits – including a remarkable effect in reducing pain! Dr. Emma Byrne knows a lot about letting the filth fly. She published “Swearing is Good for You”, a book presenting research that may change the way you behave when you next stub your toe. For the well-mannered, silent fortitude is the response when something hurts. Studies show, however, swearing like a sailor can ease the pain. One study by psychologist Richard Stephens compared the pain tolerance of people holding their hands in ice-cold water. As compared to yelling a neutral word, they endured the freezing...Read More
Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat, Infection, Vitamins
Viruses Love a Weak Immune System
Justin Bieber, the mega-successful pop icon, has had better days. His mental health and addiction issues are common to many superstars. He’s had Lyme disease and infectious mononucleosis. COVID infections interrupted concert dates. Now, he is suffering from a viral disease that has affected his speech and made him cancel more concerts. At only 28-years of age and all the wealth one could want, what’s going wrong? Doctors have determined his latest problem, a condition known as Ramsay Hunt syndrome. It occurs when the same virus that causes chickenpox activates in the ear and facial nerves causing facial paralysis and hearing loss in the affected ear. He is being treated and will be back on the stage soon. But Ramsay Hunt syndrome is...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Cancer, Diabetes, Infection, Medicine, Philosophy
The Original Medicine of Stingless Bees
The American poet Emily Dickinson understood the profound gifts of nature. She wrote, “The lovely flowers embarrass me, They make me regret I am not a bee –” If bees could speak, they might add, “Let me do my work, so that you may live.” Bees are vital pollinators, ensuring the success of a wide variety of the world’s most nutritious agricultural crops grown for human consumption. Most people associate bees with painful stings and the tasty product of the Western honeybee. Being “busy as a bee” is a homage to the industrious nature of this pollinating insect that collects nectar in a dozen or more foraging trips each day. A small percentage of people who are stung by a bee or other insect...Read More
Alternate Treatments
Ease Arthritis Pain Naturally
“Why shoot a mouse with an elephant gun?” It’s a good question to ask those suffering from osteoarthritis (the wear-and-tear type of arthritis). Why is it that so many of these people have never been advised to try natural approaches before using strong drugs which can cause major side effects and complications? High Dose Vitamin C This vitamin is the most overlooked natural remedy in treating aging joints. Vitamin C is needed to produce healthy collagen, a vital component of cartilage. Deteriorated cartilage leads to bones grinding against one another causing pain. Researchers at Boston University Medical Center studied the vitamin C intake of 640 people. They discovered that those with a higher intake of vitamin C were protected against progression of...Read More
Philosophy
Québec Set to Assist Alzheimer’s Patients
How ironic that Québec, the most Roman Catholic province in Canada, is proposing progressive legislation for Alzheimer’s patients. It’s time for other Canadian provinces and American states to show similar humanity. Québec’s Health Minister, Christian Dubé, has tabled Bill 38 that would allow patients with severe Alzheimer’s disease to receive an assisted death by allowing written consent to be given before they are mentally and physically incapable of doing so. Under the proposed rules, a doctor would have to be certain that the patient was requesting death without pressure from any other people. Moreover, patients would be able to reverse this request at any time including at the time of the procedure. To provide extra precaution, the patient must choose a trusted third party...Read More
Cancer, Medicine, Miscellaneous
Can AI Help Fight Cancer?
The short answer is yes – cancer and other health problems too. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a game-changer. Not only can this rapidly advancing technology improve the speed and accuracy of disease diagnosis and treatment, it has enormous potential to predict health problems, allowing for far more effective prevention programs that target at-risk populations. Take, for example, children born with congenital heart defects. This fate currently falls to about 40,000 babies born in the U.S. each year, and about 1.35 million newborns worldwide. What causes defective heart structures in the developing embryo is open to debate. But genetics, diet, environment, medications, and smoking are all on the list. But what if AI could analyse vast quantities of data and learn from patterns...Read More
Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Philosophy
Bend So You Don’t Break
Getting older takes a toll. Weakening bones, increasing aches and pains, and failing balance, flexibility and strength can make the body feel like worn-out baggage. But there’s a curious truth in an ancient Hindu text that states, “Everyone else is conquered by the body, but the body is conquered by yogis.” For centuries, yoga has been practiced by people all over the world for religious, spiritual rehabilitation or fitness reasons. The older set may see the neighbourhood yoga studio as a place for the young and nimble, but there is ample evidence that aging seniors benefit physically and mentally from instruction in the “sun salutation”, “tree pose”, or amusingly named positions like the “chair pigeon” or “cat-cow pose”. Yoga combines movement (asana)...Read More
Vitamins
How Do You Know You’re Deficient in Vitamin C?
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient found in citrus fruits and as a dietary supplement. Now, a reader asks, “How do I know if I have a deficiency of vitamin C?” It’s a good question, as studies show that 14 percent of North Americans aren’t getting even the meagre recommended daily dose. Many more aren’t getting the high doses needed to decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, and chronic inflammation. What are symptoms of vitamin C deficiency? Bleeding Gums, Tooth Loss, and Easy Bruising Vitamin C is needed to produce collagen, the glue that holds cells together. If there’s too little C, weakened blood vessels bleed when brushing teeth. The tragedy is teeth are lost not just by tooth decay. Many teeth...Read More
Infection, Miscellaneous, Pediatrics
Flashy Marketing Deceives New Mothers
The global formula milk industry is huge and growing rapidly, at about US$55 billion and projected to reach US$110B by 2026. Aggressive and deceptive marketing by manufacturers is driving this growth. The World Health Organization (WHO) is ringing alarms. It charges the industry with using new digital marketing tactics to target pregnant women and new mothers with “personalized social media content that is often not recognizable as advertising.” The Internet and smart phones are wonderful tools. But they can also be dangerous. Women have breastfed babies since the beginning of time. Animals thrive without Big Pharma. Human babies do too. The WHO says the digital onslaught by industry reaches 2.47 billion people. The intention is to plant concerns in the minds of...Read More
Cardiovascular
Watch Out for Warm Summer Nights
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John sang about romance in “Summer Nights”, the opening song in the hit movie, Grease. But now, at 68, he, more so than she, may want to watch out for a different kind of summer heat. New research shows that warm summer nights increase the risk of heart-related death among men in their 60s. The study involved analysis of 39,912 deaths due to cardiovascular disease in England and Wales between 2001 and 2015. After controlling for other factors, a rise of 1° Celsius (1.8° Fahrenheit) in summer nighttime temperature was associated with a 3.1% increase in the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease among men aged 60 to 64 years. Replicating research results helps validate findings, and...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Miscellaneous, Psychiatry
A Little Nostalgia Goes a Long Way
Tracing the medical history of nostalgia involves a sharp U-turn. Centuries ago, it was considered a psychopathological disorder. Still today, nostalgia can be associated with negative feelings and sadness. But researchers are reaching new conclusions about the health benefits of wistful affection for the past. We recently witnessed the medicinal effects firsthand on a special family trip. A full seventy years later, we returned to the majestic Manoir Richelieu, a historic hotel northeast of Quebec City on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. As the former hotel doctor-in-residence, and the accompanying story-seeking family, we were treated to a wonderful walk down memory lane. It was hard not to notice the spring in our steps, the smiles, and the upbeat mood. Nostalgia comes...Read More
Cardiovascular, Sex
Boosting Nitric Oxide the Antidote to Getting Older
The French existentialist, Gabriel Marcel, asserted “Life is not a problem to be solved but a mystery to be experienced.” Nevertheless, scientists remain intent on figuring it out. The cells in our bodies are susceptible to damage. A sunburn is a visible example. Ultraviolet rays scorch skin cells, causing rapid death. Damage occurs at a slower pace from poor diet, excessive alcohol, smoking, and all kinds of physical and mental stress. Over time, the biological process of replacing damaged cells through replication involves compounding errors, and cells die completely. When too many cells die, biological systems start to falter. This, in short, is aging. Researchers are exploring experimental drugs, essential trace minerals, and even calorie restriction as avenues to longer lives. What is the...Read More
Nutrition
Is Cholesterol the Enemy?
The headline of a prestigious health and nutrition publication reads, “Do we need to limit dietary cholesterol?” For decades, the answer was yes. We were told to limit our intake of cholesterol to 300 milligrams (mg) or less daily to decrease the risk of heart attack. Was it just a catchy headline? Cholesterol is not the devil incarnate. We would die without it. Cholesterol is a part of all cell membranes, needed to make vitamin D, bile acids and some hormones. Some medical specialists have long cautioned that cholesterol is not the culprit in cardiovascular disease. One of the world’s most famous cardiac surgeons remarked that many of his heart attack patients had normal blood cholesterol levels. We know that if we consume...Read More
