Archive for 2000
Stomach Bugs
Dear Dr. B: My doctor says I have bugs in my stomach. He gave me antibiotics to kill the bugs. Can you please tell me more about these bugs? Where do they come from? How did I get them? Will I pass them to my family? What are my chances of getting them again? Yours, Mr. Bugged! Dear Mr. Bugged: The bug (bacterium) is called Helicobacter Pylori (H. pylori).
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Breast Cancer Prevention
In the last column we asked: Can we prevent breast cancer? The answer is NO! Can we reduce the risk of breast cancer? The answer is YES! The risk of breast cancer can be reduced by use of medications, surgery and change in lifestyle. Let us first discuss the use of medication – tamoxifen. The
Breast Cancer
Can we prevent breast cancer? Probably not! Prevention implies complete protection from breast cancer. This is not possible. What is possible is to understand the risk factors and then try risk reduction. What are the risk factors for breast cancer? Being a woman is a risk factor. Men do get breast
Religion and Medicine
“Religion is the opium of the people,” says Karl Marx (1818-1883). But Marxism is almost dead and religion has survived. Does that mean religion is healthy and well and good for the people? Yes, says one reader of this column. She was responding to my question – should doctors prescribe religious
Irregular Heart Rhythm
What is atrial fibrillation? Why does one get it? How can it be prevented? Atrial fibrillation is a condition in which the heart rhythm is irregular. Normally, the heart beats on an average 72 times a minute and has a very regular rhythm. Each heartbeat normally starts in the upper right chamber of
Gambling
Sometime ago, video lottery terminals (VLT) were in the news. People in general expected VLTs and all types of gambling to disappear. Did this happen? No. In fact, Canada experienced a dramatic increase in legalized gambling in the 1990s, primarily because of governments’ need to increase revenue without
Religion and Illness
Should physicians prescribe religious activities to treat medical ailments – just like they prescribe antibiotics? Why not! In an era of complementary medicine and alternative therapies, why not add religious activities to a long list of non-traditional therapies? But the answer is not simple. There
Stuttering
Dear Dr. B: Can you please tell me about stuttering? Why do people stutter and can it be cured? Yours, Mr. H. Dear Mr. H: According to Webster’s dictionary, to stutter means to speak or utter with spasmodic repetition as a result of excitement or impediment. Stuttering is a disturbance in the normal
Summer Heat
The heat is on! The air conditioners are going crazy! And the people are asking: Hot enough for you? Many of us have been waiting for this kind of weather. But is it healthy? Is it safe? Some of you may remember the heat wave of Chicago in 1995. Many people died. About 20 years ago, heat also claimed
Smoking
In 1999, many sports writers declared Tiger Woods athlete of the year. Unfortunately, his father, Earl Woods, is battling heart disease and cancer. Tiger Woods does not smoke. But his father continues to smoke inspite of ill health. A father, who is so proud to have raised and trained a complete golfer,
