Many myths surround the consumption of alcohol, its effects on the heart and the question 'can alcohol make you live longer?'. One myth proposes that if some alcohol is good for the heart, more must be better. Another myth contends that the best way to protect the heart is to avoid alcohol altogether. Like all…
Is Soda Really the Leading Cause of Obesity?
Making waves in the news recently is California’s proposed law to place a health warning on all sugary drinks in much the same way as is seen on cigarettes. Whilst on the surface this seems like a great idea, is the reasoning behind it all that valid? The lawmakers claim research shows that consumption…
Is Chocolate Good For Your Heart?
By Stephen Russell MD It’s the season of love during Valentine’s day. A time for romance. For greeting cards. For heart-shaped decorations. And for chocolate. Since antiquity, couples have called on the memory of St. Valentine to profess their love for one another, and perhaps no other gift better represents those emotions than a box…
How Exercise Can Save Your Life
I cut my teeth on country music in college. Having come from Alabama, one would think that country music was in my blood, but it took a move to Nashville to have the country melody course through my soul. In a line from a country music classic at that time, Clint Black sang: “Walking away,…
Should I Take an Aspirin Every Day?
Should I be taking an aspirin everyday? What if I’m healthy? If I believe a TV commercial I saw today, then absolutely yes I should. Millions and millions of patients who take it almost religiously on a daily basis hold the same view, under the assumption it will protect them against heart disease mainly by…
The 35-45 year old health check – (Part III) – The Physical Examination
By Murtaza Ahmed MD So hopefully before reading this you have already read Part I and Part II and understand why it is so important that you have a health check and what kind of things should have been focused on in the history. Only after a good thorough history has been taken should…
The 35-45 Year Old Health Check – (Part 2)- The History
By Murtaza Ahmed MD Many people have come to think that the bulk of a health check consists of blood tests. While blood tests are very important and have their role, they are by no means the be all and end all when it comes to deciding if you are healthy. There are some Physicians…
The 35-45 Year-Old Health Check – (Part 1) – Why is it so important?
By Murtaza Ahmed MD As I mentioned in my previous post, the obesity epidemic, one of the most common presentations of the 35-45 year old patient is for a ‘general health check’. There is something about this age that makes people conscious that there may be aspects of their health that require attention. The…
The Obesity Epidemic – Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
By Murtaza Ahmed MD There is no doubt that the third, fourth and fifth decades of life are a crucial and important period of life when it comes to our health and well being. This is the transition stage from youth to our senior years and what we do during this time plays a huge…
The Fish Oil Diaries – Part 2 – Supplements and a Western diet
By Julian Booker MD What is the Western diet pattern or Western diet? The western diet is a common dietary pattern found in a number of developed countries and is growing in popularity in developing countries. There are two common characteristics found in the Western diet: The food tastes awesome The food is generally really…
