W. Gifford-Jones, MD and Diana Gifford-Jones

Ten Things to Know About the Fire in Your Belly

Nietzsche, the German philosopher wrote, “The belly is the main reason why man does not mistake himself for a god”. Heartburn reminds us we are quite human. It should also remind us that ignoring this common symptom can also be dangerous. So what should you know about it?

Antibiotics for Cleaning Teeth after Hip Replacement?

What should you do if a dentist or dental hygienist says, “I won’t clean your teeth unless you agree to take antibiotics following surgical hip or knee replacement?” Today, over one million hip and knee replacements are done every year in North America. It’s estimated that by the year 2030 this number will escalate to four million annually. But should dentists paint every joint implant patient with the same brush?

Adrenal Exhaustion ; The 21st Century Disease

Are you tired for no reason? Having a hard time getting out of bed? Or feel run-down and stressed all the time? If so, you may have the first symptoms of adrenal exhaustion and must learn to “adapt” before it becomes a steady habit that causes more than heartburn. As Charles Darwin, the British scientist remarked. “It’s not the fittest that survive, nor the most intelligent, but those who can adapt to their environment.” Or, as is often said, “It’s not the work that kills, it’s the worry”.

Cooking the Prostate Gland

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? No one knows. Nor has anyone, to this point, found the answer to treating prostate cancer. Now, a treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is available. So could this procedure be the ultimate way to cure prostate malignancy?

Health Canada : Where Are The Dead Bodies?

Do you know that every day 290 North American citizens are killed by prescription drugs? To kill the same number of people a jumbo jet would have to crash every day. So why are natural remedies being removed from health food stores while drugs that kill remain available?

How to Decrease the Risk of Pain Relievers

“Remember, you never get anything for nothing”. That’s a caution I’ve repeated over and over to patients. Why? Because some people naively believe it’s possible to get health benefit without risk. Today, millions are popping a variety of over-the-counter pain relievers while ignoring important red flags warning they may result in death.

Peewee Amounts of Vitamin C Won’t Stop Heart Attacks

How can The Harvard Medical School, my alma mater, be so backward about heart attack? It’s apparent its researchers never heard Linus Pauling when he countered critics with “It’s the dosage, idiots”. Fortunately, a new remedy, Medi-C Plus, allows readers to benefit from Harvard’s error.

New Zona Plus Device To Treat Hypertension

Why would patients choose to endure the side-effects of blood pressure pills when a new Zona Plus exercise can ease hypertension? Before you say “it’s too good to be true”, let me tell you about F-16 fighter pilots. These pilots have to withstand huge G-forces in combat to prevent them from blacking out. This presented a major dilemma for flight researchers.

How Safe Is Your Seafood?

“You should eat more fish” is a remark I often make to patients. But I find that recently more patients reply, “But are fish safe to eat?” They worry about the amount of mercury and PCBs that may be in fish. So today when it appears that everything has a touch of contamination, how safe are fish to eat?

A New Treatment to Increase Urinary Flow In Men

In March 1958 The Journal of the Maine Medical Association reported, “A successful non-surgical treatment for enlarged prostate gland is cause for rejoicing among the thousands of mature men who yearly face the possibility of becoming a victim of this painful and dangerous affliction.” Since that time there have been major advances in the non-surgical treatment of enlarged prostate glands (benign prostatic hypertrophy).

New Drug To Treat a Desperate Disease

Several months ago I wrote about a tennis partner who was slowly dying of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We both knew there was no cure for this disease. Nor could I foresee any help for many years. I was wrong on that point. But I was right about my message of hope.

A Mighty Fighter’s Worst Sexual Nightmare

What does a mixed martial arts fighter (MMA) worry about before a fight? I’ve interviewed boxers, never an MMA fighter, but I suspect losing the match is the first concern. Or possibly breaking an arm, leg or sustaining other serious injuries. But I’d bet one MMA fighter, even in his wildest dreams, never envisioned he’d encounter this sexual nightmare.

Don’t Become A Diabetes Statistic In 2013

When a man applied for a job at the railway station, he was asked, “Suppose you saw a train coming from the east at 100 miles an hour. Then, you noticed a train coming from the west at 100 mph. The trains are both on the same track and just a quarter of a mile apart. What would you do?” The man replied, “I’d run and get my brother”. “Why would you ever do that at such a critical time?” he was asked. The man replied, “Because my brother’s never seen a train wreck”.

The Perfect Pass, Self Destruction, then Recovery

What would it be like to be the highest paid athlete in the world, the toast of Boston, the winner of two Stanley Cups, the rich devil-may-care playboy? Then to find yourself broke, alcoholic, drug addicted and sleeping under bridges? In the space of 12 years this all happened to Derek “Turk” Sanderson.

Preventing Sugar Bellies at Christmas and 2013

“Look at that beer belly!” is an often heard remark. But are beer drinkers getting a bad rap? There’s good evidence that may be the case as some beers contain a mere 60 calories. This is why a recent study from the Harvard Medical School says it’s about time we renamed this problem, the “Sugar Belly”. So can you fight this universal problem during the holidays?

The Hazards of a Well-Made Bed

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 how can you decrease the risk of these crawly creatures in your bed? And why should you also think twice before quickly making up the bed.

A Unique Way to Stop Bean Flatus

Do you suffer from chronic abdominal pain, bloating, gas, stomach cramps, diarrhea and constipation? If so, there’s a good chance the diagnosis is “irritable bowel syndrome” (IBS). This condition is one of the most commonly diagnosed problems in this country. However, most people are treating it the wrong way, destroying their bowels with laxatives. It’s smarter to use natural therapy.

Hell Will Freeze Over Before I Stop Eating Steak

"Are you sure you want your steak blue?”, waiters often ask. I’ve learned the word “blue” is the best way of ensuring a rare steak. But lately I’ve noticed I’m the only one eating meat. Friends are ordering either chicken or a vegetarian diet. They claim this is the way to better health.

What Will I Do If I Get Influenza Or Step On A Rattlesnake?

“Dr. Gifford-Jones, should I agree to a flu shot this year?” Fear of this vaccine has been triggered by recent newspaper accounts of impurities found in some products. Although they are unfounded, every year some people still refuse the shot. When that’s the case, they should learn how Dr. Frederick R. Klenner saved many patients from life-threatening viral infections, and the bite of a rattlesnake.

Nature’s “Immunologic Scalpel” For Our Toxic World

Today it’s impossible to escape the endless list of toxins and chemicals that enter our environment day after day. Fumes from cars, radiation from computers, the earth’s depleted ozone layer, packaged foods that have been over-processed, pesticides sprayed onto crops, to mention a few. It’s no wonder that so many North Americans suffer from toxic inflammatory diseases. But there is a natural way to boost the immune system.