Diana Gifford Jones

Common Sense Health with Diana Gifford-Jones Sign-up at [url="https://www.docgiff.com"]DocGiff.com[/url] to receive my weekly e-newsletter. For comments, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow on Instagram @diana_gifford_jones [url="https://canadafreepress.com/members/1/CanadaFreePress/691"]Older archives of Dr. Gifford Jones[/url]

Most Recent Articles by Diana Gifford Jones:

Your Nose Knows More Than You Think September 13, 2026

And if someone passes by, and you can’t explain your interest, for better or for worse, go get a better sniff;

More Information, Less Judgment September 5, 2026

More information has not produced better judgement. In fact, it’s a Gifford-Jones mantra that common sense remains a rare commodity;

Retirement Is Bad for You and the Economy August 30, 2026

Common Sense Health: If your circumstances make retirement the right choice, then by all means retire. But don't retire from life;

Organ Donors Needed – But Do Your Homework August 22, 2026

Decision to donate used to be a highly personal matter. Dying in the modern medical system is anything but. If you want your wishes honoured, do your homework about the laws & organizations involved. Make your wishes known--while you're still able;

Stay Grounded with a Blueberry Bush August 15, 2026

Not everyone has a garden, of course. Frozen blueberries are an excellent alternative, with most of the nutritional value staying intact;

Do Statisticians Pray? August 12, 2026

The gains we’ve made to extend our chances for a long and healthy life are being eroded. We had better start acting on the data. That, or pray to God a lot harder;

When Standing Up Makes You Sick August 1, 2026

With better knowledge about what’s going on, there comes an appreciation for the extraordinary things the human body does, even when just standing up.

Leave Your Earwax Alone July 27, 2026

So when should earwax be removed? Only when it's causing trouble: hearing loss, pain, fullness, ringing or when it prevents a healthcare professional from seeing the eardrum;

The Summer Kidney Stone Surge July 11, 2026

So use the toilet bowl test and make it a routine to drink replacement water regularly throughout the day. During hot weather, the requirement increases;

How Difficult Can It Get? July 6, 2026

Common Sense Health: What worries me most is the growing distance between decision-makers and patients;

The Gift of Readers June 29, 2026

If I have my father’s luck and determination, there will be another 43 years ahead of me until I write my final column, I’m looking forward and trust a good many of you are too. Please keep your letters coming. And my deepest respects;

Dying Rich and Too Young June 21, 2026

This week, another vintage Gifford-Jones column from well over a decade ago that notes the avoidable – and unavoidable – hazards that can cut a life short;

What Gifford-Jones Said a Decade Ago June 15, 2026

Next week I’ll share one of the chapters from 90+;

Will Getting Active Make Aching Joints Worse? June 5, 2026

The bottom line? If you suffer from osteoarthritis, don't assume that sitting in a chair is protecting your joints;

Too Many Pills, Too Little Thought June 3, 2026

In today’s medical machinery, common sense has been lost;

Unhiding Our Feet and Using Our Legs May 24, 2026

The legs are nothing without healthy feet. Yet the feet remain among the most neglected parts of the human body;

AI Is Coming to Medicine. But Will It Help? May 24, 2026

AI may improve medicine. It may reduce errors, shorten wait times, and help physicians make better decisions. But no algorithm replaces healthy living.

There’s No One Medical Truth May 9, 2026

When you hear a confident medical claim, ask a few simple questions; What exactly was studied? What wasn’t? Are there other experts who see it differently? And if so, why? These aren’t the questions of a cynic, but of an informed consumer;

The Easiest Thing to Fix in a Struggling Healthcare System May 2, 2026

Can communication alone fix health care? Of course not. But if we are looking for the easiest place to start, it may be right there;

Anger Is Its Own Illness April 27, 2026

When consumed in anger, people perceive even olive branches as kindling to light a bigger fire. But there is a question worth asking. That is, is the anger helping?

The Right Attitude Helps with a Fractured Hip April 18, 2026

In sports psychology, there is an expression, “The body achieves what the mind believes.” Athletes understand. Kids too. It’s just the older set that needs to internalize this;

Meeting Them in Their Game April 15, 2026

Will I play again? I’m counting on it. Much as I love a good book or a quiet walk in the woods, I’m intrigued by the potential for games like Minecraft to keep me sharp as I age.

Fighting Cancer with Precision April 5, 2026

But we are closer to a world where treatment is targeted, intelligent, and far less destructive, using microscopic tools designed with extraordinary precision;

Leading the Life You Want March 30, 2026

I did just this upon the passing of my father several months ago. And now I’m writing this column. It’s an intensely high-quality weekly experience that I hope will last for a long time;

Does Your Doctor Care? March 21, 2026

But the relationship we all want still rests with two human beings: a doctor who cares and a patient who feels well cared for;

Could Air Travel Be Any Worse? March 14, 2026

Somewhere on the other side of the discomfort is the reward of discovering the world;

Tiny Fish Offer Great Nutrition March 10, 2026

Sardines and Mackerel: Fresh or tinned, little whole fish are affordable, accessible, and ordinary. Perhaps that is the lesson. Healthful patterns tend to endure when they are woven quietly into daily life, rather than announced as resolutions;

Feeling Alone? Take Comfort — You’re in Excellent Company February 24, 2026

Common Sense Health--Diana Gifford-Jones: Winter will pass. In the meantime, don’t hibernate from life. Step outside, reach out, and give your health the companionship it was designed to enjoy;

Statins, Side Effects, and the Silence About Choice February 21, 2026

Common Sense Health – Diana Gifford-Jones: The pharmaceutical industry thrives on expanding definitions of risk and broadening treatment thresholds. That is the business model;

Gold Medals Are Not the Goal in Health February 14, 2026

Extraordinary health does not arrive suddenly. It is built methodically, one decision at a time, by ordinary people who decide that the effort is worth it;