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By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Sunday, November 19, 2006
What’s in a bottle of beer? 99.9 per cent of my beer-drinking friends didn’t realize that beer contains health benefits. A Canadian brewer agreed that distributing information about the contents of this popular drink in beer cases would be beneficial. He also agreed that it must be stressed that excessive alcohol consumption causes serious health problems. But he soon learned the government forbids beer companies to claim any health benefits of any kind.
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
“How can I rid myself of recurrent urinary infections?” a distraught patient asked me. Several courses of antibiotics had failed to end her discomfort. Now, with Cranberry Women’s Formula, there’s a natural treatment that helps to prevent frequent bladder infections, improve general health and, in the bargain, fights obesity.
By Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Friday, November 10, 2006
Every year in coastal regions of the U.S. 1,500 people are killed by lightning and only 12 by sharks. During that same time worldwide, more people are killed by elephants, crocodiles and insect stings than sharks. Yet sharks get the scary headlines. So it’s time to give sharks some credit since they’re responsible for a new medication that’s taking a big bite out of bone and joint pain.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Monday, October 23, 2006
"I'd prefer to have the red snapper without the spinach", my wife said to the waiter. Like many people she was concerned about the recent outbreak of infection resulting from contaminated California spinach. But if you think the "All Clear" has been given to eat spinach and other greens, you had better think again. Bacteria such as E.Coli 0157:H7 always win when you toss caution to the wind. And does organic foods really protect you from this disease, as some believe?
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
It was not a good day at the office. My morning was just ending, when two female investigators from the College of Physicians and Surgeons arrived without notice and asked to see me. I was handed an envelope by one and the other immediately started to take notes. This was not a good sign. So I asked the reason for the sudden visit and was shocked to hear I had been accused of sexual misconduct.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Monday, October 2, 2006
Have you just checked into a hotel, gone to the health club in dire need of relaxation? So now you're sitting in a hot tub and the world looks a lot better? Unfortunately, you should know there are pleasures and hazards to most things in life and hot tubs are no exception. One of the hazards is "Hot Tub Lung" (HTB) infection, and you may want to think again.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
"Vive la 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.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Friday, September 15, 2006
Can you remain healthy during a hospital stay? It's not as easy as you think. This column is not intended to make you run for the woods rather than seeking medical attention. But by being a well-informed patient you can decrease the risk of falling into hospital traps.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Have you ever had the desire to cry out, "The hell with it. I'm tired and I don't give a tinker's damn what the boss thinks. I'm closing the door and taking a nap." In our North American society what we want to do, and can do, without getting fired, are two different things. But is it time for employers to agree that South Americans are not crazy for shutting their doors and having an afternoon siesta?
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Interested in another sure way to make money? Several months ago I suggested investing in hearing aids. I predicted that today's teenagers would be tomorrow's deaf from the excessive noise created by I Pods and rock bands. Now there's another sure-fire way to become rich, rich, rich.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Friday, August 25, 2006
Destroying yourself slowly with alcohol has never made any sense. Even worse, destroying an infant physically and mentally before birth is maternal madness. But year after year alcohol-riddled babies are born suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Alcohol is now known to be the leading preventable cause of mental and physical birth defects in North America. Its an immense medical and social tragedy.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
"Why are you taking drugs when you havent tried natural ways to ease the pain of arthritis?" I often ask patients. I remind them theyre 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.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Imagine that every day of the year four fully loaded Boeing 747s crashed, killing everyone. This is the number of people who die every year from cancer. Two Montreal reseachers, Drs Richard Beliveau and Denis Gingras, say in their book "Foods That Fight Cancer" that 30 percent of these deaths are caused by poor dietary habits. But that if youre cancer smart with food you can have a safer flight through life.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Monday, July 31, 2006
Going camping in Newfoundland in August? If so, dont paint your toenails with bright blue, blueberry-scented nail polish. A report in The Medical Post shows this can be hazardous to your health. According to the Post, a young woman, while camping, was attacked by a mouse. The mouse bit her toe, refused to let go, and was finally killed with a broom. But what provoked the attack?
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
A reader from Windsor, Ontario writes, "Im a frequent traveler and some bathrooms are filthy. Were Mothers right when they said, never sit down on a public toilet seat? If you do, what is the risk of acquiring an infection? Or am I worrying needlessly?"
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Monday, July 17, 2006 In 800 B.C. Homer wrote, "Now the night comes and it is wise to obey the night". In his time there were frequent muggings at night and home robberies. Not much has changed since then. But today were even more vulnerable, by being involved in tragic car accidents as the sun goes down. Our eyesight may be to blame. So what happens to our sight as we age, and how can we decrease the risk of death on the highway?
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Tuesday, July 4, 2006 Whats one of the worst results from visiting a doctor? Its getting the impression that a serious problem has been diagnosed when the exact opposite is true. Its called "iatrogenic disease" which means a disease created by a doctor. And when patients are told they have mitral valve prolapse (MVP) it often opens a Pandoras box of anxiety.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Friday, June 30, 2006 How much equality is there between the sexes? In recent years women have made strides in their struggle to gain equality with men. But surprisingly in one area men are getting the short end of the stick. Today the majority of people being treated for depression are women. The majority of men, however, suffer silently from undiagnosed and untreated depression. Why the gender bias in this case? And how can wives and families recognize this problem and urge men to accept treatment?
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Would I allow Ritalin or other similar drugs to be prescribed to my children because they fidgeted, squirmed in their seat or were inattentive? Hell would freeze over a thousand times before Id submit to such idiocy. But today an estimated five million Canadian and U.S. children are prescribed medication for this condition.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Thursday, June 15, 2006
"What brand of vitamins should I buy?" is a question readers often ask when I write about them. Ive never been able to provide any good answer with so many brands available. But I recently read "A Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements" written by Lyle MacWilliam. I was shocked to learn that some well known brands Id often purchased failed to make the grade. As a Scot, wanting to get value for the dollar, I interviewed MacWilliam who gave me course 101 on how to buy vitamins.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Tuesday, June 6, 2006
Have you ever had to crawl on your hands and knees because of severe back pain? Its not a dignified position. But it recently happened to me. What caused this problem and how did I finally get relief?
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Thursday, June 1, 2006
A West African Proverb says, "There is only one kind of common sense and 40 varieties of lunacy". Every summer proves the Africans right. Needless injuries and deaths occur primarily because people have momentary relapses of good old-fashioned horse sense.
Dr. David Bishai at Johns Hopkins reports in Annals of Emergency Medicine that an 11-year-old ballet student lost her foot. She had fallen off a power lawn mower while having fun cutting the grass.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Tuesday, May 30, 2006
"We know where youre going!" is not a phrase that women want to hear. But due to an aging population increasing numbers of women are rushing to the bathroom. Some are suffering from urinary infection or an overactive bladder. But increasing numbers of women need frequent changes of diapers due to urinary stress incontinence. Unfortunately, many women with this problem are too embarrassed to seek help. But there are ways to help relieve patients of this annoying disorder.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Sunday, May 21, 2006
Hell will freeze over before I stop eating Prince Edward Island potatoes. I admit I love, love potatoes. Any kind, any way! But this isnt just an irrational addiction on my part. Rather, the lowly and much maligned potato has great nutritional value. Some of my patients say they avoid them like the plague. Its all because of the recent hulabaloo about the so-called virtues of a "low-carb" diet.
By Mark Borkowski
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
According to Rosalie Moscoe, RCNP, President of Toronto based Harmony Health, "Theres a buzz in the air; times are-a-changing; this is the best one yet". That was the underlying feeling of most attendees at the 35th Annual Conference - Nutritional Medicine Today,
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Saturday, May 13, 2006
Charles de Talleyrand, the noted French diplomat, once remarked to Napoleon Bonaparte, "Sire, worse than a crime you have committed an error." Today tens of thousands of North Americans have developed a crippling disease, osteoporosis (brittle bones). They too have committed a major error that could be prevented.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Saturday, May 6, 2006
Years ago Superman escaped from the explosion of the planet Krypton in the Superman movie. But few know that micro cinematography of an exploding human mast cell was used to depict the planets end. Humans are not as lucky as Superman. Every year thousands of Canadians suffer anaphylactic reactions due to exploding mast cells and many die from the massive allergic eruption. Planning ahead can prevent this tragedy.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Saturday, April 22, 2006
A recent report shows that theres also good reason for teenagers to ponder, "Where are my parents tonight and what are they doing?" Studies show that STD rates, particularly chlamydia, are soaring in middle-aged adults.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Friday, April 14, 2006
Anyone interested in a hot tip on how to make a lot of money without any risk? Its not my job to pass along financial advice, but in this instance I cant resist the urge. Invest in a hearing aid company, because the next generation is going deaf and they dont know it.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Monday, April 3, 2006
This week I'm mad as hell. My 102-year-old aunt-in-law, a Yankee of independent spirit, lives alone in her own house and has been robbed. The scoundrel stole $200.00 in her petty cash box and then grabbed her bottle of Irish Cream Sherry as well. Now she's anxious, has to lock her door, making it harder for friends and neighbours to drop by and check on her. Recently another elderly Vancouver woman was robbed and injured, in a similar way. She cried, "He's a low down beast and he needs the lash."
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Monday, March 20, 2006
It was August 16, 1985 and the day started in horrendous fashion for Guy Condelli. A five-year old boy in Medford, Massachusetts, he had his right ear bitten off by a dog. Dr. Joseph Upton, a reconstructive surgeon at Children's Hospital, Boston, reattached the ear during a tedious 12-hour operation.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Do many rapists know that a condom could put them on the operating table? Not many. And how many people believe that barbecuing can have a lethal outcome? Not many. Life is indeed full of surprises.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Wednesday, March 1, 2006
How good are you at following a healthy lifestyle? This week you can compare how you rate with the faculty of The Harvard Medical School that has 15,329 faculty. Equally important, are they paragons of virtue, practicing what they preach?
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Do you want to have a body free of imperfections? In an ideal world we would all say "Yes". But how important is it to be perfect? A recent report shows that in some surgical operations it's prudent to live with a slight imperfection.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Civil wars and corruption helped to bring down the Roman Empire. But how much was due to mad emperors? Some authorities suspect that their brains had been so poisoned by lead that they could no longer govern wisely.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Tuesday, January 31, 2006
"How much do our kids know about sex?" is a question parents often ponder. But how many ask, "What do our children know about food?" A study conducted by the British Heart Foundation shows it's appallingly little. And the Foundation is using a shocking approach to change this situation.
by Dr. W. Gifford Jones Monday, January 23, 2006
"Why bother shaving today when I'm not going anywhere?" I thought. But I suddenly changed my mind. Dr. Shah Ebrahim, at the University of Bristol in England, reports that men who don't shave daily enjoy less sex and are more likely to suffer stroke and heart attack. It seemed to me that shaving is a small price to pay for increased amour and keeping alive!
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