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

Think Twice About Hernia Surgery

A reader asks, “Is it necessary to get a hernia repaired quickly?” The time-honoured tradition has always been to fix it. But is this approach always the right one? Or is “tincture of time”, namely watchful waiting, the best way to treat this common condition?

There’s More to Boston than Baked Beans

This fall the mention of Boston brings the Stanley Cup to mind. But there’s more to Boston than hockey and baked beans. I recently visited 711Washington Street in downtown Boston. Why? Because it’s the address of the world’s largest research center on nutrition and aging. 300 scientists there are studying a disease that affects everyone, Sarcopenia.

BioSil: The Natural Way to Prevent and Treat Fragile Bones

What causes the holes in Swiss cheese? I’m sure the Swiss know the answer, but I don’t. But I do know what makes holes in bones, causing osteoporosis. Today millions of North Americans are taking prescription drugs to treat this devastating disease. But there’s a safer, natural remedy, BioSil tm, to prevent “holey” bones.

Think You Know Everything About Arthritis?

It’s arthritis month and millions of North Americans are suffering from osteoarthritis, the wear and tear type, associated with aging. Why does this happen, and why does one remedy never hit the headlines? A French professor started his class by saying, “This has been said before, but must be said again, because no one listened.” So it must be said again about osteoarthritis because not enough people listened!

Act Like Animals To Save Your Kidneys

Who are the master chemists that control water balance in our bodies, keep the blood neither too acid nor alkaline, rid us of dangerous waste, filter every drop of blood in our bodies every 30 minutes and weigh a mere five ounces? They’re our kidneys. But millions of North Americans are so abusing this vital organ that their lives depend solely on renal dialysis. What lethal mistakes are they making? History provides much of the answer. Fifty years ago in Australia, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, people developed a bad habit. They were using mixtures of Aspirin, codeine, phenacetin and caffeine, not only for pain relief, but also for their mood-altering qualities. In fact, at watch factories in Switzerland, workers were encouraged to take this combination and provided free samples. That resulted in injured kidneys.

MRSA Infections: Razor Blades on the Floor

So you’ve decided to get into shape and join the local health club? No one can fault that idea. But remember, there are pluses and minuses to most things in life, including health clubs, that result in unintended consequences. Health clubs by necessity have a large number of hot, perspiring, less-than-clean bodies. So you don’t need to be an infectious disease specialist to know there’s potential infection everywhere. This means that precautionary measures must be taken seriously by the health club, its clients and, particularly, you.

Styrofoam Popcorn and How to Trick a Bartender

Why do people eat more than they should? You say you’ve heard all the reasons? But I bet you’re dead wrong. Why? It’s because a report in The Nutrition Action Health Letter is written by a marketing expert, not a doctor. As well, there’s a way to get rid of unwelcome dinner guests, and trick a bartender. Brian Wansink, Professor of Marketing at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, directs the Food and Brand Lab. He asks people “When was the last time you ate to the point of regretting it?” He follows that with, “Why did you do it?” He receives the usual answers, “It was a tough day” or “I was depressed” etc, etc. But most replied they were hungry and the food looked good.

Surgery for Swinging-Door Heart Valves

What do the swinging doors of a western movie have to do with mitral valve surgery? They’re the easiest way to describe what’s wrong with the heart’s valves and what surgical procedure is needed to correct mitral valve prolapse (MVP). To get a first-hand look I watched Dr. Tirone David, one the world’s great cardiac surgeons, perform this operation at the Toronto General Hospital. The mitral valve separates the two left chambers of the heart. Each time the heart beats the valves open, like the swinging doors of a western saloon. But after opening they firmly close while the heart pumps blood to the body.

When In Doubt, Cut it Out

“Is it a benign mole or a malignant melanoma?” you wonder. This is an important question as the number of cases of melanoma continues to increase. It’s shocking that the incidence of new cases is now greater than the combined number of breast, lung, prostate and large bowel cancers. So how can you prevent dying from this disease? Rudyard Kipling, the English novelist, gave some sound advice when he wrote, “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun”. Too much sun exposure is the cause of many melanomas. Remember that if your shadow is shorter than you, it’s time to get out of the sun.

Consumers Kill Campbell’s U.S. Poster Child

If your company makes soup, what’s the best way to shoot yourself in the foot? Try selling soup with a little less salt. In 2009 Campbell Soup made a brave and healthy decision. Each serving of its soup would have 32 percent less sodium to help tame one of North America’s big killers, hypertension. Now foolish consumers have forced Campbell’s soup in the U.S. to put sodium back again. Fortunately, this decision at the moment does not affect Campbell’s soup in Canada. Moreover, there are also other products here that are helping to combat these common diseases. For instance, Loblaw’s President’s Choice Blue Menu line of products, contains both decreased salt and calories. Blue Menu soup has only 400 milligrams of salt compared to 800 or more milligrams in other soups.

Decrease Sugar to Sweeten Blood Cholesterol

Think you know everything on how to lower blood cholesterol? I’m sure it’s no news that excessive amounts of sugar can cause obesity, diabetes, and more visits to the dentist. But a report from Tufts University School of Nutrition says this is the first study to show that too much sugar is also bad news for blood cholesterol. It appears they’ve forgotten the work of Dr. John Yudkin. North Americans love sugar because it tastes good, and food companies know it. Studies show that they get 16 percent of their total calories from sugar added to foods during manufacturing. Thirty five years ago it was 10.6 percent. It’s the “silent sugar” hidden in a variety of everyday foods such as bread. This means that most adults consume 90 grams of sugar daily or 21.4 teaspoons (tsp).

Have A Problem With Doctors? But What About Doctors?

Do doctors get better medical care? Today, patients frequently complain that doctors don’t spend enough time with them. Or never communicate after diagnosis. But at a class reunion of The Harvard Medical School I discovered that doctors who are often specialists themselves don’t always end up with adequate care from their colleagues. Several of my former classmates had undergone surgery after seeking the best surgeons and hospitals available. It was uncanny how many had suffered bad results. But high on their list of complaints was the lack of empathy from colleagues.

What You Should Know About “Pre-Diseases”

Samuel Johnson once remarked, “Nothing sharpens the wit so much as the knowledge you’re going to be hanged in the morning.” Today, doctors can predict when medical endings will happen and what can be done to prevent them. But too many patients are using the wrong prescription to treat “pre-disease” problems. In the past, doctors could inform patients they had diabetes, hypertension or a fractured bone. Today, they’ve moved a notch higher and often are able to predict these ailments before they strike. But this ability has pitfalls.

Two Words, “Irresponsibly Permissive”, Tell a Story

How did this country, and the U.S., become such drug-addicted societies? A recent report states that the pain killer, Oxycontin is now the number one drug used by addicts in North America. But whether it’s this drug, crack cocaine, crystal meth, or others, the result is always the same, wasted lives, needless deaths, crime, and tons of taxpayers’ money that should be used for productive purposes. It’s a cop-out when Ministers of Health claim there’s no easy answer.

“Don’t Forget Double Mashed Potatoes”

What shocks my friends when I order a “blue” steak? No, it’s not the fact that it’s extra rare that gets their attention. It’s the fact that I also always tell the waiter, “Don’t forget the double order of mashed potatoes!” Now, a report from the University of California shows I’m not committing a mortal, dietary sin. In fact, potatoes can even help weight loss. Critics of mashed potatoes contend they have a high glycemic index (GI). This means that potatoes are quickly broken down into sugar, triggering a rapid increase in blood sugar and production of insulin. But it’s a myth that the potato’s high GI is responsible for the epidemic of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

“Darling, Did The Doctor Measure Your Anal-Scrotal Length?”

How would you react if your doctor said, “Remove your pants and bend over”? Then picked up a ruler and measured the distance from the middle of the anus to the base of the scrotum, the anal-genital distance (AGD). You might decide this doctor is wacky, and quickly find another physician. Dr. Shanna Swan, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Rochester, New York, reports an unusual finding in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives. Swan and her colleagues discovered that pregnant rats, exposed to phthalates, commonly used chemicals suspected of having adverse effects on hormones, produced infertile offspring.

Pray In Jerusalem, Play In Tel Aviv

“Why would you travel to Israel now when there’s a war going on?” my nurse asked. Like many others she’d been watching television, rarely a portrayal of the whole truth. Since returning home from a tour with a group of journalists I’ve concluded that North Americans have as many misconceptions about Israel as they have about blood cholesterol. Arrival at an international airport quickly reveals much about a country. My first impression at Ben Gurion airport was that Tel Aviv is a sophisticated, vibrant city that knows where it’s going. And the drive over rolling hills towards Jerusalem confirms the impression of dramatic growth since Israel became a country in 1948.

More Natural Ways to Decrease Blood Cholesterol

“Should I stop taking my cholesterol-lowering drug (CLD) and switch to the natural product Sytrinol?” “Can I take this remedy along with a CLD? “Are there other natural ways to lower blood cholesterol?”

Israeli Research Gives Hope For Spinal Cord injuries

What’s the most catastrophic illness that can befall us? To me it’s a spinal cord injury (SCI) that results in total paralysis. During a recent visit to Israel I interviewed Dr. Shimon Rochkind, world-renowned neurosurgeon at the Tel Aviv University Sourasky Medical Center, an expert on SCI. Every year 12,000 North Americans sustain spinal cord injury. The people involved are usually under the age of 30 and 80 percent are males. Some, like Christopher Reeve of Superman fame, fall from a horse. Others dive into shallow water or are involved in car accidents.

Don’t Take the Easy Route to Treat Heartburn

How could North Americans have so many ill stomachs? Why does treatment cost so many billions? And why are so many taking the wrong medication? According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, 10 years ago one in eight Canadians over 65 years of age was taking PPIs (proton pump inhibitors), the strongest medicine available to stop gastric acid secretion. Now, one in five is on this medication. A report from Johns Hopkins University says that every year 113 million Americans take these pills.