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Your Heart Is Slowly Dying From Chronic Scurvy
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
October 21, 2007
Why is research that could save countless lives unknown to Canadian and U.S. doctors?� This week, a report that Dr. Sydney Bush, an optometrist in Hull, England, has made an historic discovery. He claims that atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) can be reversed. And his research, which could save millions from heart attack, should have made headlines around the world.�
Are Rare Steaks Good For Your Heart?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
July 22, 2007
"One of these days you're going to push your luck too far", my wife often says to me. She's not complaining that I'm spending too much money on horse races. Or betting the farm on a gold mine in Zimbabwe. Rather, for years I've told waiters I want my steak rare. Is this risky or can it fight heart failure?
Sudden Sports Deaths in Young People
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
July 1, 2007
“How could this possibly happen?” is the usual soul-searching response. A young healthy athlete has left home to play in a sporting event. Then in a matter of seconds, collapses and dies before anything can be done to save his or her life. The big question is why these premature deaths occur, and can they be prevented?
Tortilla Chips To Lower Blood Cholesterol?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
What's one of the most important rules in medicine today? It's "Never take a drug if a natural and safer remedy provides the same relief". Today millions of people are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs to prevent heart attack. But this therapy comes with a price. Some patients develop muscle cramps, liver and kidney problems and some have died. Good sense dictates that it's prudent to first try other ways to lower blood cholesterol.
Think Twice Before Arranging a Surprise Party
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Friday, December 8, 2006
Are you considering a surprise party for a loved one or an old friend? It's normally a generous thought and an enjoyable gathering. But a report in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that sudden surprises can have unexpected consequences.
President's Choice Is Helping To Fight Hypertension
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Interested in a simple way to live longer? No, not medication to lower blood cholesterol. But a much easier prescription. Just decrease the amount of salt you consume every day. Incredibly, most people are unaware of the huge amount of salt they're ingesting, and it's killing them. Now President's Choice is helping to educate consumers on ways to prevent a lethal blowout from excess salt. How are they doing it, and why are there no TV ads about the dangers of salt?
Children Choked By Their Own Fat
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Monday, September 26, 2005
"Three year old child dies of heart failure due to obesity". This British headline recently shocked the nation. What an appalling situation when a generation of obese children may die before their parents. So what about fighting this problem with Britain's proposed "Red Light" approach?
What Women and Husbands Don't Know About Heart Attack
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
September 19, 2006
"Vive le Difference". We all know what Maurice Chevalier was thinking when he uttered these words about boys and girls. But there's a "difference" between the sexes that Chevalier wasn't referring to and that few women or their husbands know.
Natural Ways To Ease The Arthritis Pain of Aging
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
"Why are you taking drugs when you haven't tried natural ways to ease the pain of arthritis?" I often ask patients. I remind them they're not swallowing M and M candy, but powerful drugs that can cause major complications. Moreover, they forget that many natural drugs can be used to not only treat, but also prevent wear-and-tear arthritis (osteoarthritis) that comes with age.
2006: Make It The Belly Year
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Sunday, January 8, 2006
What's your waist measurement? I'd bet you don't know. So let's start 2006 by putting a bit of old-fashioned horse sense back into medicine. As has been aptly said, "keep it simple, stupid (KISS). Moreover, this approach could save your life.
Infection and The Nation's Number one Killer
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
December 26, 2005
For centuries infection has been the number one killer. But several years ago it appeared that antibiotics and vaccines had largely eradicated this menace. Then unexpectedly the AIDS virus struck with a vengeance. Lately, to the surprise of everyone, scientists are now linking infection to, peptic ulcers, heart attack and cancer. So how can you protect yourself and your family from these problems?
Why Diabetic Patients Need Aspirin
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
November 13, 2005
Why do diabetic patients die? Over 60 years ago, Joslin, the founder of the world famous Boston Diabetic Clinic, remarked, "With an excess of fat diabetes begins, and from an excess of fat diabetics die." Years ago diabetic patients died in coma due to a lack of insulin. Today, since the discovery of insulin, patients are dying from premature cardiovascular disease. Why does this happen and can Aspirin save many of these deaths?
Should We Be Hooked On Fish?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
September 29, 2005
Where would I go for one final meal? There's no doubt it would be the Union Oyster House in Boston. Since I spent many years studying surgery in the home of the Boston bean I've always loved fish. And we've all been told that eating fish is good for you. But is it? Lately we've been warned that now there's mercury in fish. So is it a case that you're damned if you eat fish and damned if you don't? Moreover, millions of pounds of fish are now "farmed". So how do they compare with those swimming freely in lakes and oceans?
Osler's "Defective Rubber" Kills Us
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
May 1, 2005
We all know that serious consequences can result when a tire blows. But today most people have little knowledge of human blow-outs. The fatal strokes that kill or paralyze people with little or no warning. Moreover, many people at high risk are not taking Aspirin that can often prevent this tragedy.
Why Cholesterol-Free Foods Can Be Dangerous
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
March 27, 2005
Today the word "cholesterol" has become as familiar to Americans as motherhood and apple pie. But unlike these two it's unloved and meant to be avoided. So if you're a marketing whiz kid, would you try to increase sales with a red label stating your product is "cholesterol free"? Unfortunately, life is never so simple and there are several marketing conundrums for both promoters and unsuspecting consumers. And do cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs) exchange one devil for another?
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Diet for All Ages
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
March 1, 2005
What is the most prudent diet to follow today? Some swear it's the Atkin's high protein diet. Others believe the low fat Ornish diet is the answer. And I've often stressed that a high fiber diet promotes health. But what about The Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
Super Aspirin Not So Super
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
December 21, 2004
In 1673 J.B. Moliere wrote, " Nearly all men die of their medicines, not of their illness". And while imprisoned on the island of St. Helena Napoleon commented, "Take a dose of medicine once and in all probability you will be obliged to take an additional hundred afterward". So neither party would be surprised at the bombshell announcement that Vioxx, heralded as the "Super Aspirin" for arthritic pain, has been found to increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, and removed from the market. It's the old story of "caveat empor", let the buyer beware. But think again if you naively believe Vioxx is the only problem.
Rx : Take This Polypill Once A Year!!
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
October 10, 2004
"Damn it, why didn't I think of it. Maybe I could have won the Nobel Prize." This thought occurred to me several years ago while reading a newspaper while having a beer in a English pub. Professors Nicholas Wald and Malcolm Law of the University of London announced they were working on a Polypill aimed to cut heart disease by 80 percent.
Will President's Clinton's Physicians Prescribe Coenzyme Q-10?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
October 3, 2004
I would have given my right arm to be at the press conference following President Clinton's Heart surgery. Why? Because I knew that the journalists would ask the same old question. How would the bypass operation affect Clinton's longevity? I also knew his doctors would tell journalists that he would be on cholesterol-lowering drugs for the rest of his life. And I knew that hell would freeze over before anyone asked, "Will the President also be given coenzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) to protect against the adverse effects of cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs)?"
President Clinton And Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
September 26, 2004
Former President Clinton has joined 400,000 Americans who required coronary bypass surgery in the last year. Clinton had high blood cholesterol and took cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs). But these drugs, along with superb medical care, neither prevented nor cured his disease. And nothing was said of the risk of taking CLDs?
Grandchildren, The Long Visit Can Be Lethal
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
April 11, 2004
"Would you like to look after the grandchildren for us?" is an often heard request these days. Sometimes it's a request for a few hours of baby-sitting to allow parents a quiet evening on their own. But today with both parents working, caring for grandchildren can result in months or years of reliving earlier days. Some grandparents thrive on this routine. But a report in the American Journal of Public Health shows that caring for grandkids can trigger more than a headache. It can also cause increased risk of heart attack.
Joe Hudson, The Omega-3 Egg Man
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
February 28, 2004
Who is Joe Hudson? I hadn't heard of him either until I decided to do some grass routes research and visited Burnbrae Farms in Brockville, Ontario. Joe has been raising chickens for 40 years, and millions of eggs later he's the producer of the Naturegg brand, the # one Omega-3 eggs in Canada. But what's so healthful and special about the super egg?
The Triple A Disease That Can Kill
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
January 25, 2004
A healthy 60 year old man played two sets of tennis and later in the day developed low back pain. He surmised he had simply strained his back. But by evening he experienced severe abdominal pain, lost consciousness and was dead on arrival at the hospital.
Should You Fly Over That Big Gaping Hole?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
October 26, 2003
A picture is often worth a thousand words. One recently caught my eye. The picture shows a small plane circling a huge active volcano. A passenger says, "Let's take a closer look at the volcanic crater". The pilot replies, "We can't, it's not worth the risk". And a recent report similarly questions whether the mass consumption of cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs) is worth the risk.
Is Impotence An Alarm Bell For Heart Attack?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
September 21, 2003
What caused the sudden heart attack? Ask anyone this question and many would accuse too much cholesterol, chronic stress, smoking, obesity or bad genetics. But what about the role of the male hormone testosterone in causing cardiovascular disease? Is erectile dysfunction (ED) an early warning sign of heart attack? And what can we learn about testosterone treatment from a London Harley Street specialist?
Research in a London pub
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
September 1, 2003
Why would I become depressed in an English pub? It happened during a recent trip to London to interview prominent researchers. Later, I stole away to the English countryside and the relaxing atmosphere of quaint pubs. The last thing I wanted to do while enjoying the local ambience was to think about the dilemmas of medicine. But there in the newspaper was a large headline I couldn't miss, "Polypill aims to cut heart disease by 80 percent." So I had to read on.
CRP Predicts Heart Disease Better Than Cholesterol
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
June 29, 2003
How much trust would you put in a test when it's results are 50 percent wrong? It would do little to ease the psyche. Yet for years millions of people have shown blind faith in the cholesterol blood test as the prime predictor of heart disease. This year another one-and-a-half million North Americans will experience the crushing chest pain of coronary attack. But half of these patients will show normal blood cholesterol levels. Now a study from The Harvard Medical School may make another blood test a household word.
Aspirin Can Prevent Many Serious Diseases
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
April 6, 2003
How long does it take for good news to reach the public? It appears a long, long time. For several years the medical community has known of the multiple benefits of Aspirin. Yet, I still see patients whose lives could be extended by Aspirin who are not taking it. This is tragic when it can also help patients escape several deadly diseases.
A New Technique For Coronary Bypass Surgery
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
March 23, 2003
How would you like to stitch together two small vessels the size of a piece of spaghetti while riding a bucking bronco? And realize that if you failed the patient would die? This is a tedious task under the best of circumstances. That's why cardiovascular surgeons have shied away from performing coronary bypass operations on a beating heart. Now, a new technique is being used for some bypass cases without the heart skipping a beat.
Eating Almonds To Lower Blood Cholesterol!
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
November 10, 2002
Would you like to lower blood cholesterol without having to use cholesterol-lowering drugs (CLDs)? In view of the millions of people taking this medication (I've been one of them) you may think this is a nutty suggestion. But if you were to be nuts about almond snacks every day, this would result in a significant drop in blood cholesterol.
How About A Laugh This Week?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
September 29, 2002
"Why do people instantly dislike to me when they find out I'm a lawyer?" a man asked. His friend replied, "It just saves time".
Rhabdomyolysis And Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
October 27, 2001
I doubt if one person in a million has ever heard of rhabdomyolysis. Least of all been able to spell it But recently this disease made us all sit up and take notice. This happened when Bayer Pharmaceuticals suddenly withdrew its cholesterol©lowering drug (CLD), Baycol, from the market. Baycol has been linked to deaths from rhabdomyolysis. What is this disease and are other CLDs safe?
A New Drug To Lower Bad Cholesterol
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
March 25, 2001
Are you tired of hearing friends talk about their cholesterol level? Have you had your cholesterol level tested? What drug are you taking? How important is the amount of triglyceride in the blood? The questions go on and on. Now, there are new more potent drugs to help lower blood cholesterol.
Should You Put Your Toothbrush in the Dishwasher?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
September 24, 2000
Why did the patient die from a sudden heart attack? The victim was a thin, middle©aged who had never smoked and exercised regularly. Blood cholesterol values had always been normal and there was no history of diabetes. Moreover, both parents were still living and well. Could this death have been prevented by the household dishwasher?
Baldness, Another Risk Factor For Heart Disease?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
July 9, 2000
What does a man think when the mirror reveals a patch of baldness? Unless he's Telly Savalas or Yul Brynner, few situations test his vanity more than that reflection. Now a finding may depress his psyche even further. A Harvard study suggests baldness is a symptom of heart disease.
Stress and Cholesterol
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
June 25, 2000
Does stress affect the blood cholesterol level? Today, you would have to be living in a cave not to know that high cholesterol values are linked to coronary attack. What foods should be avoided. How drugs lower blood cholesterol. But ask anyone how stress affects blood cholesterol and you usually draw a blank. It's ironic when stress is such a common complaint in our daily lives.
The Tired Heart
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
June 18, 2000
How would you like to move the muscles of your arm 100,000 times every day to push 5,000 gallons of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels? And to know you have to do it 2.5 billion times without failing? Faced with this momentous task your arm muscles would last only a few minutes.
Confused About Your Cholesterol Numbers?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
"Doctor, is my blood cholesterol normal?" I'm asked this question repeatedly by patients. It's understandable that they're concerned about blood cholesterol. After all, you'd have to be living on another planet not to believe that blood cholesterol was the leading indicator of coronary heart disease (CHD). But is there a specific number that allows doctors to answer "Yes" or "No to this question?
The "Beat" And What Happens when it Falters?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Have you ever felt your heart skip a beat? And then worry it's associated with heart disease? During a normal lifetime the heart beats 2.5 billion times. But sometimes the heart rate slows, races, becomes irregular or has episodes of palpitations. What causes these changes? And when should you consult your doctor?
Who Cares? Another Drug To Treat Hypertension
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
What's the first essential to a long and healthy life? If I had to pick one I'd choose healthy arteries, or what Sir William Osler called, "healthy rubber".
Beware of Mevacor and Grapefruit Juice
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Do you enjoy grapefruit juice for breakfast? If so be careful how much you drink if you're taking cholesterol©lowering drugs such as Mevacor, Zocor and Lipitor. Studies show that grapefruit juice carries a powerful punch. It can increase the levels of Mevacor in the blood 15 times. And this may result in rhabdomylosis, a skeletal muscle©wasting disease.
Believe Me; It's Not Like An Appendectomy
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
"Have you had your bypass operation?" and "How are you doing?" I've had a massive response from readers asking these questions. But I've delayed writing about my experience as a patient so I could sit back, reflect on it, and provide a more rational answer.
10 Ways To Lower Cholesterol Without Drugs
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Are you worried about your level of blood cholesterol? If not, you must be living on Mars. Day after day patients ask me to measure their blood cholesterol. Others who are aware of an elevated cholesterol level are wondering about taking drugs to lower it. The following are 10 ways to lower blood cholesterol without resorting to drugs.
I'm Not A Good Patient
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
What passes through your mind when you've suffered a heart attack? It's a question I wish I didn't have to answer. But I've recently returned home following a coronary attack. There's little doubt that coming close to greeting your "Maker" is an eye©opener. And editors have asked me to write about it.
The Cry Of The Heart
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
This year 750,000 North Americans will experience a heart attack. Half will not make it to the hospital. Others suffering from anginal pain are more fortunate. Listening to this cry of the heart (angina pectoris) can save your life.
A Simple Way To Predict Heart Disease
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Why do we make life so complicated? How much better our lives would be if we could only take to heart the current expression, "Keep It Simple, Stupid" (Kiss). This week I've got a big "Kiss" to pass along to readers and doctors. It's a simple, inexpensive, painless and speedy way to help people predict their chances of heart disease. And it's better than all the other complicated ways of predicting coronary heart disease (CHD).
Hungarians Are Not The Only Grave-Diggers
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Is there a lesson to be learned from the Hungarian medical disaster? And can it be avoided? By following Hungarian lifestyle habits it's obvious that its citizens were digging their own grave. But they are not the only graveªdiggers, it seems.
The Odds Are Better With Sex Than at Las Vegas
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Every year 1.5 million North Americans suffer a heart attack and 1.2 million survive. Should this brush death affect their sex lives? Is it safe for them to continue a normal sexual life after a coronary? Or is it prudent to toss in the towel and play backgammon instead?
Does Aspirin Protect Against Several Diseases?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
It appears that with each passing year acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), commonly referred to as Aspirin, has found another important use in medicine. But what is fact and what is still questionable?
Kill the Cat or Your Child!
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Why are so many people suffering from asthma being rushed to emergency rooms or dying? Is it the fault of the doctor, the patient or both? And what is so sacred about the family cat when a child's health is at stake?
10 Things To Know About Your "Vital Rubber"
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Sir William Osler once remarked that if one wishes to live long, much depends on the quality of the arterial tissue. Or the "vital rubber" as he called it. Hypertension affects an estimated 50 million Americans and 4 million Canadians. Here are 10 points you should know about this common problem:
Why Women Must Become "Heart Smart"
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Have women been getting the short end of the stick when treated for heart disease? Whatever way you look at the problem this seems to be the case. For years research studies have focused on heart disease in men. But heart disease is not only a "man's disease". It is also the biggest killer of women.
Shoes, Eggs and Blood Cholesterol
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
What would you think if I claimed everyone could wear the same size of shoe? No doubt you'd quickly conclude I'd either gone crazy or had too many Johnnie Walkers, and it was time for me to retire. But for years doctors and the media have been telling everyone to avoid cholesterol like the plague.
10 Ways To Decrease The Risk of Heart Attack
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Here's the good news. Death from heart attack has decreased 30 per cent during the last 20 years. The bad news? It's still the number one killer. But it can be reduced further by following 10 lifestyle rules.
The Cry Of The Heart
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
This year 750,000 North Americans will experience a heart attack. Half will not make it to the hospital. Others suffering from anginal pain are more fortunate. Listening to this cry of the heart (angina pectoris) can save your life.
Can Atherosclerosis be Reversed?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
What brought Germany to her knees in World War II? It wasn't the massive damage that Allied planes wrought on German factories. The final coup de gras occurred when bombing destroyed Germany's railways, the lifeline of the nation. Just as a deteriorating transportation system can be lethal to a nation so can degenerating coronary arteries be fatal to humans.
A New Year's Resolution To End "Boob Tube Obesity"
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
What is the best New Years' Resolution for 1994? I can't imagine a better one for parents than fighting "Boob©Tube Obesity" If they don't a medical hell awaits their children later on. During the 3rd International Conference on Preventive Cardiology in Oslo, Norway I talked with Dr. Munro Proctor, School of Medicine, Boston University, about this problem.
Does Too Much Iron Cause Heart Disease?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
August 29, 1993
How much iron do we all need? For years we've been told that iron deficiency was a major nutritional concern. Now, a recent headline©making report from Finland links too much iron to heart problems. So who do you believe?
"The Golden Hour"
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Everyone has heard of T.V.'s "Golden Girls"! But are readers aware of the heart's "Golden Hour"? These precious 60 minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Or the difference between living an active life or that of an invalid.
Another Look At The Earlobe Crease
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Do people with an earlobe crease have a greater chance of developing coronary heart disease? Or is there another explanation that will reassure readers who discover a definite crease in their ear lobes?
The "Hippocratic Oath" and the "Big Boom"
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
2,000 years ago Jesus Christ preached, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Certainly good advice for doctors or anyone else. Hippocrates added further sound advice suggesting that physicians treating patients should above all else, "do no harm". So are doctors using the "Hippocratic Oath" or a hypocritic oath when patients confront the final "Big Sleep".
How a pickup truck can kill your child
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
We're all aware that carbon monoxide exhaust fumes are too often effective when suicide becomes the only escape from life's problems. But a more terrible tragedy occurs when carbon monoxide gas unexpectedly ends the lives of helpless children. Hopefully this column will help to prevent such catastrophic accidents.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs and violent death
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Would I ever agree to take cholesterol-lowering drugs? In 1988 I told readers I would take this medication if family members had all died at an early age from "familial hyperlipidemia", an hereditary condition that causes high blood cholesterol. But otherwise, I'd run for the woods if a doctor suggested this therapy for a moderately elevated blood cholesterol level. This threat is even more applicable in 1992. But to prove it an embarrassing Finnish study that backfired hasn't yet hit the headlines.
Some Murmurs are like the swinging doors og a Western Saloon
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
What is a well patient? It's been said, only partly with tongue in cheek, that "It's a patient who hasn't been examined by enough doctors". One could add, "and hasn't been tested by enough electronic equipment". This column attempts to explain why some progress in medical diagnosis is a mixed blessing. How it scares some patients half to death when they're informed a heart murmur is present. Or that they have a condition called mitral valve prolapse (MVP).
12 Cholesterol Myths
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
It's been said, "It's not the things you don't know what gets you into trouble, it's the things you know for sure that ain't so". Today there are many things about cholesterol that simply "ain't so", and the misconception has reached epidemic proportions. Down through the ages nature has visited a variety of plagues on mankind. Now there's an ironic twist. For the first time the medical profession, pharmaceutical and multinational companies have created a man-made epidemic, "cholesterolphobia". The only way to eliminate this insidious phobia is to disencumber oneself of these 12 myths.
President Bush, Eat your Broccoli!
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
The President of the U.S. enjoys many perks and huge power. George Bush has Air Force One available at a moment's notice. And with the push of a button he could start a devastating nuclear war. He can also say, "I'm President of the United States and I don't have to follow Mother's dictum to eat that damn broccoli anymore."
Is television affecting your child's health?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
William Shakespeare wrote in the play, Hamlet,"We know what we are, but not what we may be." I'd agree that no one can accurately predict the future. But the longer I practice medicine the more I'm convinced that the immortal bard was only partly right. Every week I see patients whose medical future is far from bright due to careless lifestyle habits. Few have to be reminded that smoking, alcoholism or failure to wear a seat belt in an automobile can decrease longevity. But what about children watching television? Might this also be a predictor of future health problems? And can you protect children from "eating amnesia"?
How self-medication can kill you
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Have you felt tired lately? Do you find it increasingly difficult to get through the day? If that's the case, you're easy prey to the T.V. commercial that says this may be due to "tired blood". Or you may listen to a friend's advice and buy over-the-counter medication hoping to put the spring back in your step. If you are actually suffering from anemia, you can fall into a fatal trap by being your own doctor.
Is it better to be shaped like an apple ora pear?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
It's oft said that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". But what happens if faulty lifestyle has increased the midsection so much that you're apple-shaped? Or if excess weight on the hips makes you pear-shaped? Are both forms of weight gain equally detrimental? Or is one body shape more likely than the other to cause medical problems? And what has a train wreck to do with this nation's health?
Don't put Coronary Bypass patients close to the Kitchen
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Should smokers who refuse to stop smoking be denied coronary by-pass surgery? Or placed at the end of the list? What does smoking do to the heart anyway? And should post-operative patients sue hospital staff for putting their beds too close to the kitchen?
Is it Cholesterol or Fibrinogen that causes a Coronary?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Can anyone today escape the worry of a high blood cholesterol level? Newspapers, magazines and television commercials continually preach the dangers of a high cholesterol diet and resulting risk of heart attack. The supposed link of blood cholesterol with coronary attacks has created "Cholesterolphobia" a new national disease. A recent report however, suggests too many people may be worrying about the wrong devil. Perhaps people should be wondering instead about the blood level of fibrinogen? And the blood platelet count.
Unclogging Coronary Arteries: The new way
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Plumbing and delicate heart surgery seem to be miles apart. But the basic principles of each are similar. If there's a clogged drain in your house you quickly reach for Drano. If that fails you may insert a snake into the drain. If that proves futile you may have to replace the plumbing entirely. Regrettably, doctors have never discovered a Drano which cleans out clogged atherosclerotic coronary arteries. The only recourse has been replacement of the human plumbing by coronary by-pass surgery. Now "coronary atherectomy", once in the realm of science fiction can ream out tiny coronary vessels.
Can you score 75 on this Cholesterol test?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
How many readers can pass this test on cholesterol? If you score 75, television commercials haven't lead you astray. But if you're scratching your head for the answers it's time you separated fact from fiction on this issue. Give yourself four points for each correct answer.
Why should you exercise?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Dr. Logan Clendening in his book "Modern Methods of Treatment" wrote in 1924, "faddists are continually proclaiming the value of exercise but four out of five people are more in need of rest." Mark Twain echoed this sentiment when he stated he had gone to the funerals of many friends who believed in more exercise than he did. But in 1873 the Earl of Derby during a speech in Liverpool remarked," Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness." Today controversy remains about the value of exercise. But if you ever get into a debate on this topic or wonder if working up the perspiration is worthwhile, here are several positive sound reasons for the exertion.
The best treatment for Hypertension
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Several weeks ago I wrote about "White-Coat Hypertension", a syndrome revealed in a study from Cornell University that one in four people being treated for hypertension actually had normal blood pressures. But there was one proviso. The blood pressure had to be taken by a female technician or a recorder rather than a doctor. Suppose you're one of the 35 million in North America diagnosed as having hypertension. Is it therefore possible to treat this high blood pressure successfully by relaxation techniques rather than drugs?
Whitecoat Hypertension
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
How many people are being treated for high blood pressure who don't actually suffer from it? I've often wondered. But I've never seen scientific proof that some patients are being treated needlessly for this condition. A recent report in the Harvard Medical School Health Letter has finally ended such speculation. Its research won't win the Nobel Prize. But its conclusion can be of great value to medical consumers when the doctor says," You're blood pressure is up today and you need medication." The advice may be valid. But on occasion patients have developed "Whitecoat Hypertension."
Impotence and Longevity
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
How would you react if I said to you during an office visit, "How's your sex life?" Or enquired," Are you impotent?" Would you think it was none of my business and the doctor was being too nosy? Recent evidence suggests these are important medical questions. And whether you answer "Yes" or "No" has a direct bearing on your longevity. What is happening in the penis may also be occurring in your heart.
Is the Chest pain due to a Heart Attack?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
How do you know when you're having a heart attack? Or a bad bout of indigestion? There's never been a time when it's been more important to know. Several weeks ago I discussed how TPA , the new human Drano, dissolves blood clots in the heart's drain pipes. But to be effective the drug must be injected within the first two hours of an attack.
Have Doctors finally discovered a "Drano" for Humans?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Have we finally discovered the "Drano" that is desperately needed by millions of North Americans' coronary arteries? Year after year an estimated 1.5 million people in Canada and the US. suffer a heart attack. The result is 600,000 deaths of which 300,000 die before they reach a hospital. Now researchers have discovered a new drug, rTPA, which acts like Drano to unplug coronary vessels. Who should and who shouldn't be given this drug? How effective is this human Drano? And should an ampoule of rTPA be kept at the summer cottage?
Should your Cholesterol level be tested?
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Thank God there are still researchers like Dr. John Frank on this planet who challenge popular medical practices. Doctors who prove it's wise to take a look at the total picture rather than jump on bandwagons. Who remind physicians that before patients are routinely screened for cholesterol they should be aware of the implications of being told,"Your cholesterol is high and you need medication for this problem."
Estrogren Therapy helps fight Heart Disease
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Can any medication slow the aging process? Currently only one drug , estrogen appears to be helpful. In my clinical practice I am consistently amazed at how quickly estrogen transforms an aging vagina into one that looks like that of a sixteen year old girl. The change is so remarkable I've suspected for years that estrogen probably also has a beneficial effect on blood vessels. But I couldn't prove this suspicion. Now studies by a Harvard researcher indicate conclusively that estrogen effects coronary arteries in a positive way.
W. Gifford-Jones M.D is the pen name of Dr. Ken Walker graduate of Harvard. Dr. Walker's website is: Docgiff.com
My book, �90 + How I Got There� can be obtained by sending $19.95 to:
Giff Holdings, 525 Balliol St, Unit # 6,Toronto, Ontario, M4S 1E1
Pre-2008 articles by Gifford Jones