Cardiovascular, Nutrition
Changez votre santé cardiaque en trois mois ou moins
On dit souvent qu’il est acceptable de commettre une erreur, mais qu’il est inacceptable de répéter cette erreur. Pensez-y donc à deux fois si vous croyez qu’une alimentation riche en poissons suffit à elle seule pour vous apporter suffisamment d’acides gras essentiels (EPA et DHA) pour réduire votre risque de crise cardiaque. Quelle ne fut pas notre surprise lorsque nous avons constaté, en étudiant les tests sanguins, que malgré une alimentation très saine, notre apport en huiles de poisson ne faisait pas le poids! Mais qu’est-ce qu’on n’a pas compris? Et comment faire pour rectifier la situation? C'est connu, la plupart des huiles traversent notre organisme, qui est à base d’eau, jusqu’à ce qu’elles soient décomposées par les enzymes dans l’intestin...Read More
Cardiovascular, Nutrition
Change Your Heart Health in Three Months or Less
It’s said, “Being wrong is acceptable, but staying wrong is unacceptable.” So think twice if you believe a high fish diet alone is providing you with enough essential fatty acids (EPA and DHA) to decrease your risk of heart attack. We were shocked when blood tests showed, despite our healthy diets, that our absorption of fish oils was not making the grade. What are people getting wrong? And how can you get it right? Oil and water do not easily mix, and most oils pass through your water-based body until enzymes in the small intestine break down fats. But it’s a mistake to believe this process is perfect. We wrote previously about a supplement called Omega3X which uses digestive enzymes to facilitate...Read More
Cardiovascular, Lifestyle, Neurology
Keep Blood Pressure Under Control
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” Avoiding disease may be the gift of lucky genetics, but it helps to put some work into managing your chances for health and longevity. Maintaining rubbery arteries is key to the delivery of oxygenated blood to the heart’s muscle that guards against hypertension, stroke, and heart attack. A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that what’s good for the heart may also be good for the brain. The study involved 9,300 people ages, 50 and older with an average age of 68, with hypertension. They also had one other cardiovascular risk factor, history of stroke, or dementia. It was a huge study involving patients...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Dermatology, Infection, Pain
The Agony of Shingles: How to Decrease the Risk
“It was like going through hell,” he said. A friend had developed facial shingles, involving his ear, and despite medication the pain continued for weeks. So what is the best way to prevent an attack of shingles? Take action quickly. If you delay, you’ll wish you hadn’t when the pain from hell strikes. Today, most children are vaccinated against chickenpox. But it was not in the mix of common childhood shots until the mid-1990s. It’s a rare older person who escaped this childhood infection. Unlike other childhood diseases, the varicella zoster virus never leaves the body. Rather, it goes into hiding in nerve cells near the spinal cord. These cells transmit messages from skin to the central nervous system. The virus...Read More
Lifestyle, Neurology
Eating Disorders Combine Secrecy and Compulsion
It’s plainly evident that many people are eating too much. But several serious eating disorders can be harder to see, especially when they deliberately hide the problem. Recent research indicates that pandemic-related stay-at-home orders have ramped up anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorders. With COVID capturing all the headlines, it’s easy to lose sight of the looming mountain of mental health issues that are changing our healthcare horizon. Mental illnesses are the leading cause of premature death in Canada. In the U.S., Johns Hopkins University estimates that 26% of Americans ages 18 and older – about 1 in 4 adults – suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Eating disorders are serious but treatable mental illnesses. Girls and young women...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Nutrition, Sports, Vitamins
Can Athletes Escape Covid Virus?
Professional sporting events have never been entirely about the game. Team owners, player sponsorships, media contracts, ticket sales, and merchandising licenses are the playgrounds of big business. But the tiniest of offensive players, the novel coronavirus, has upended the sporting world. It has become a matter of great debate whether your grandmother or your favourite sports star should have priority for a vaccine. Take NHL hockey as an example. A delayed season has started. Only a handful of arenas are allowing limited spectators to attend the games. The league is working hard to keep players safe from COVID-19, but games have been delayed and postponed due to positive tests among players, coaches and staff. As one wise sage remarked, “It’s hard...Read More
Nutrition
Depleted Soil at the Root of Poor Health
We recently wrote about the gut microbiome – the remarkable digestive ecosystem that influences how nutrients and bacteria contribute to weight management, organ function, and even our mental health. But did you know there is a soil microbiome, and that this too affects your health? It turns out, we’ve not taken good care of it. Perhaps you already worry about the air you breathe and the water you drink. You are, at least, choosing healthy foods that deliver the nutrition you need. You don’t buy processed products, don’t drink soda, and limit salt intake. Maybe you are even vegan, feeling good about both your health and your carbon footprint. But you may need to consult with a farmer, not a doctor,...Read More
Cardiovascular, Surgery
Why Doctors Must Think Like Sherlock Holmes
A 57-year-old woman, receiving physiotherapy for an injured ankle, suddenly suffered a seizure, became unconscious, and was rushed to Emergency. The obvious diagnosis, a sudden stroke. But as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the English doctor and writer who created the fictional private detective, Sherlock Holmes, wrote, “There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.” A report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that Doyle was right. Doctors must sometimes think like Sherlock Holmes. The ultimate diagnosis was not a stroke. Rather, a complication from the triple A disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). It’s a problem that doesn’t receive much press. But it killed Albert Einstein, the famous scientist, Lucille Ball, the TV star, and the actor George C Scott. Unless...Read More
Nutrition, Obesity
Questions About the Ketogenic Diet
What is a ketogenic diet? How does it differ and is it more effective than other diets? Apart from the hype surrounding this diet, what are the medical concerns about it? Recent marketing of the ketogenic diet suggests it’s a new one. But a report from the University of California says it’s been used for years to treat medical problems such as epilepsy in children. But what is it about the ketogenic diet that causes weight loss? A major factor is that it’s low in carbohydrates and high in fats. Blood sugar (glucose) is normally the body’s main source of energy. But when blood sugar is diminished by eating less carbohydrates, the body is unable to maintain needed levels. To compensate, the body...Read More
Cardiovascular
What You Should Know About a Silent Heart Attack
Lao Tzu, the Chinese philosopher, wrote that “Silence is a source of great strength.” Possibly sound advice in some situations. But for people who’ve had a silent heart attack, silence is far from a virtue. In fact, according to a report from the University of California, up to one half of heart attacks are totally silent! So, how dangerous are these myocardial infarctions, and what is the treatment? The first indication of an attack may be when an electrocardiogram (ECG) is done for another medical reason and shows a damaged heart. But it may remain undiscovered until an autopsy revels scarring in the heart’s muscle. Why does the silent heart attack fail to cause symptoms? Some people have a higher threshold of...Read More
Gastroenterology, Nutrition, Obesity
It takes guts to have good health
Why is it that some people eat to their heart’s content and never gain a pound, while others gain weight with a glance at the plate? As Bill Gates said, “Life is not fair. Get used to it.” But fair or unfair, is there a complex, unseen system that plays a role in weight management for each of us? Your ability to maintain a healthy weight involves factors beyond diet and exercise. Some people’s metabolism, or operating system, is faster than others, requiring more energy to run. But there’s more than speed and efficiency. The gut microbiome contains microbial cells, including bacteria, that outnumber the cells in the body. Having evolved with us for millions of years, they all serve important functions,...Read More
Miscellaneous
What Did You Learn in Disastrous 2020?
How carefully have you been reading our column over the past year? Take our True or False quiz. #1: Excessive amounts of fructose, one of the main carbohydrates in refined sugar, is converted by the liver into fat. Glucose, the other component of sugar, is burned up as energy by all cells. #2: It’s prudent to brush the tongue after eating, not just your teeth, as this removes bacteria, fungi, and even protozoa from deep fissures with benefits for your overall health. #3 Magnesium found in dark leaf greens and whole grains helps to dilate arteries and lower blood pressure. #4 The World Health Organization and 15,000 scientists have signed a petition warning humanity to cut back on eating meat, citing the environmental harm...Read More
Miscellaneous, Neurology, Philosophy, Psychiatry
Stay with the happy people
This year, the holidays aren’t what they should be. At least the vaccine’s roll-out brings anticipation that 2021 will see a return to normal. Until then, what would be our health advice to cooped up readers in this unusual holiday season? Here are a few suggestions: Say hello. Connecting with extended family by phone is our best option for now. It’s a great time to reach out to old friends too. Behavioural scientists at the University of Chicago and UC Berkeley report we underestimate the positive impact of connecting with others for both our own and others' well-being. Their research shows that we tend to abhor a conversation with a perfect stranger until we have it. So when the pandemic subsides,...Read More
Infection
How Would You Treat Your Own Mother?
It was 1949 and I was making rounds at the Massachusetts General Hospital with Professor Edward D. Churchill, an original thinker who taught medical school students and residents the importance of science in surgical practice. The X-ray showed a small mass in one lung in a very frail elderly lady. If it was a benign lesion, an operation might kill her. If it was malignancy and we did not operate, it might end her life. After much discussion, Professor Churchill asked a question I’ve never forgotten, “How would you treat your own mother?” I told this story to Diana while discussing the number of people dying in seniors’ homes due to COVID. What treatment would we want for our family members? It’s...Read More
Cardiovascular, Nutrition
Measure Your Coronary Risk with the Omega-3 Index
Heart disease is a leading cause of death in North America. Almost half of all U.S. adults have some type of cardiovascular disease, and in Canada, a woman dies of heart disease every 20 minutes. Heart disease is not often a disease of chance or bad luck. For the most part, it is a lifestyle disease. There are things we can do to prevent it. We write columns every week to help readers avoid becoming a statistic. The fact that omega-3 fatty acids can help make the difference between life and death has been a frequent topic. But don’t take our word for it. Take a test and find out for yourself. That’s exactly what we are doing. The Omega-3 Index is...Read More
Pain
People in Pain Need Protection from False Pot Promotion
What’s the worst kind of pain? At the top of the list is debilitating chronic pain that, despite painkillers and other treatments, is unrelenting day after day. Chronic pain gradually destroys the soul. A study of suicide cases between 2003 and 2014 found evidence that as many as 10% of cases involved chronic pain. Now, with the availability of marijuana for medical treatment in Canada and most US states, is new hope being corrupted by false advertising? No one should suffer pain that can be safely managed. The addition of medical marijuana as a treatment option has helped many. But despite heavy regulation, there are unscrupulous entrepreneurs ready to make a quick buck, and they are banking on your trust. What...Read More
Nutrition
What steak lovers should know about plant-based meats
We live at a time of growing choices regarding food substitutes. But how good are these new products when compared with the old staples? Think of margarine versus butter. Or more recently plant-based meats versus the real McCoy? Was William Shakespeare right when he wrote, “A substitute shines brightly as a King, until a King be by”? A report from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University provides plenty to chew on. Deciding what to do isn’t just a personal decision. It also involved implications for our planet. According to researchers at Tufts, sales of meat alternatives increased 30% in 2018. This increase is expected to continue since plant-based, meatless “meat” has become available at several fast-food outlets....Read More
Miscellaneous, Neurology, Psychiatry
Take steps to less chronic stress
Nothing can be more heart wrenching than the sudden death of a loved one. The visualization of a wrench tightening on the heart is apt. It can feel that way and the physical harm done from such intense pressure is not good for your health. Isaac Asimov, professor of biochemistry and prolific writer of science fiction, said, “Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s troublesome.” It’s troublesome for the individual at death’s door, certainly. But it’s also tragic for family and friends. It’s devastating – and lasting – for a life partner. If we are lucky enough to face the trauma of a heart wrench only once in life, we might not need to worry about it. But 2020...Read More
Miscellaneous, Neurology
Shaking: An Annoyance or Parkinson’s Disease?
It’s fair to say, these are shaky times! In keeping with the rocky ride of 2020, have you noticed your hands shaking lately? Are you having trouble tying your shoes, signing your name, or embarrassed that the glass your holding is shaking? You think of those suffering from Parkinson’s disease. And you wonder if you are experiencing first signs of this trouble. Parents may also have concerns if their child has shaky hand movements. A report from the University of California says that a condition called essential tremor can occur in young children and young adults. This problem increases with age. At around age 60, about 5% of people notice a slight tremor. Another study states that about 1% of the...Read More
Alternate Treatments, Vitamins
What’s the Best Approach to Natural Supplements?
Readers of this column know, the Gifford-Jones natural health philosophy is built on the premise that the medical establishment should not be your first stop for staying healthy. Doctors are best as a last resort. Tragic bad luck aside, your first defense should be Mother Nature in combination with good lifestyle choices. But what does this mean as you age? Natural supplements are low-cost and widely available, but they are not marketed with the same multimillion-dollar budgets as most pharmaceutical drugs. So a good starting point is to adopt common sense. Unless your doctor has a strong rationale for putting you on drugs, and a plan to get you off them, you should ask more questions and do more homework. Have you,...Read More
Philosophy
Why Do Health Inequities Persist?
There’s an old adage that “when white folks catch a cold, black folks get pneumonia.” The COVID-19 epidemic has made it deadly clear. Throughout North America, wherever data is tracked, people of African heritage have higher coronavirus infection rates, higher death rates of COVID-19, and are carrying an inequitable burden of many other diseases to boot. In 1984, the US Department of Health and Human Services commissioned the Heckler Report, a landmark study of racial and ethnic minority health. Heckler declared the lack of progress on racial injustice and health care was an “affront to our ideals and to the genius of American medicine.” Since then, very little has changed. For instance, research studies to this day still identify Black populations as...Read More
Cancer, Radiation
Did Radiation Protect President Carter from Pancreatic Cancer?
What do former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Gifford-Jones have in common? They were both born the same year and have remarkable staying power! But Carter has lived under the shadow of pancreatic cancer all his life. His father, brother, and two sisters died of this disease and his mother also suffered from it. Carter has also lived through metastatic melanoma, a skin cancer that had spread to his liver and brain. How did he do it? Rod Adams, an atomic energy expert, has said that moderate radiation exposure may have helped to protect the former president from developing pancreatic cancer. During the nuclear meltdown at Chalk River in 1952, Carter was a naval officer working on the secret nuclear program. He...Read More
Alcohol
During the Pandemic Are We Drinking Too Much Chardonnay?
Winston Churchill, Great Britain’s wartime Prime Minister, once remarked that, “he had gotten more out of alcohol than alcohol had taken out of him.” During the Nazi bombing of London perhaps an alcoholic drink eased his tension. But recent reports from Tufts University in Boston and the University of California, question the increased use of alcohol during this viral pandemic. So, should we cut back on glasses of Chardonnay? How much has the viral pandemic affected us? According to a Nielsen report, alcohol sales in the U.S. increased by 55% in March 2020. In China, where the infection started, sales of alcohol increased twofold. When we drink alcohol, enzymes in the liver break down the alcohol molecule creating a compound called, acetaldehyde....Read More
Alternate Treatments, Gastroenterology
Unripe Apples Protect from Threat of a Fatty Liver
Worried about having too many alcoholic drinks during the coronavirus pandemic? Think you’re on the way to liver cirrhosis? If so, think again and wonder whether you are instead developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). It can lead to cirrhosis and possibly liver cancer. A report from the University of California says NAFLD is now the most common liver disorder in North America. So how do unripe apples decrease the risk of this growing threat? Today, it’s estimated that worldwide 25 percent of adults have NAFLD. And if you are obese, nine out of ten obese people, suffer from this condition. Researchers report that between 2000 and 2010 liver cancer associated with NAFLD soared tenfold. The result? It’s fast becoming the...Read More
Infection, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous
Go Ahead and Catch the Travel Bug
William Shakespeare wrote, “In the night, imagining some fear, how easy is a bush supposed a bear!” For many families having lost loved ones to the coronavirus, this has been a devastating year. The death numbers are broadcast relentlessly. Small wonder people have become paranoid about travelling. But does this anxiety make sense? Normally airports are chaotic and unpleasant. Joyless crowds stand toe-to-toe in long lineups through insufferable screenings and baggage checks, only to be herded like sheep onto cramped planes. But now could be the best time to travel. Airports are not crowded and much cleaner. Some flights leave the middle seat empty – a welcome move. Skeptics worry about contact with the coronavirus while seated for hours breathing shared air on...Read More
