3 out of 4 stars
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This 2015 non-fiction book by retired physician Morton E. Tavel sorts the healthcare wheat from the chaff, calling out the hucksters and their faux health remedies. Dr. Tavel strongly touts traditional medicine as the only safe and sensible choice when making diet and health care decisions. Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice. Health information to liberate us from “Snake Oil” is Dr. Tavel’s second book on the topic. Motivated by research done for his 2012 book, Snake Oil is Alive and Well, Tavel uses this instructive book to expand on common fallacies and falsehoods present in the healthcare industry. A cardiovascular and internal medicine specialist, Dr. Tavel held a Clinical Professor position at Indiana University School of Medicine where he regularly instructed medical trainees.
Dr. Tavel crafts three overlapping sections for this 62 chapter manual. Tips, section one, delivers sound advice for a healthier and longer life - a life where you keep your hard earned cash in your wallet rather than spending it on weight loss fads and unnecessary vitamins. These chapters provide a reasonably comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of everything from salt to sunscreen. Tips abound on weight loss, nutrition, dietary supplements, exercise, sweeteners, chocolate, and more. Watch out for that chicken pot pie! Backed up by medical research, this section tackles a wide range of issues and takes up about half the book.
The second section, Myths, debunks myths and conspiracy theories about health products, fads, and foods. In addition to health and dietary myths, the author explores the safety of commercial air travel, the reliability of polygraph tests, and the value (or not) of stretching before exercising. The chapter on medical tests and check-ups contains helpful information backed up by current research on how often to have a mammogram or a colonoscopy, and other common procedures. This meaty section is informative and opinionated, if not controversial at times, coming down strong on the side of conventional food production in the chapter addressing organic vs. genetically modified foods.
The third and final section explores tricks that advertisers and product manufacturers use to hoodwink us into believing we need their products. Dr. Tavel explains the double blind research process that has informed his medical and health care positions. He takes us through the “anatomy of a scam” to support his conclusions about products hawked by television doctors, professional athletes, and advertisers. The doctor takes on his own industry briefly, addressing the deceptive practices used by legitimate drug companies to coerce us to take a certain expensive medications that we may not even need. Humira, Crestor, Cymbalta, and other drugs are cited as examples of deceptive drug advertisement campaigns. I devoured this insightful section and found it to be a useful exploration of the truth behind some ineffective and potentially harmful products and services.
This book succeeds at exploring such things as why buying bottled water may be a waste of money, whether or not to watch Dr. Oz, and how often to get medical screenings. When addressing issues such as organic vs. conventional and genetically modified foods, the author enters controversial territory. Referring to those who use alternative products and practices, Dr. Tavel declares “anyone who believes and behaves according to any or all the above nonsensical information is doing so at one’s own risk, possibly even placing his/her own very life—and that other family members—in jeopardy.” The author reduces the entire field of alternative medicine to a conspiracy theory.
Dr. Tavel claims that whenever alternative medical treatments are subjected to “the same rigorous standards demanded by modern science, they clearly do not work.” I found myself beginning to think that the author had either not fully thought through some of his declarations, or his bias was getting in the way of a full analysis. The doctor fails to mention a host of issues essential to understanding the claim. I am under the impression, from numerous sources, that it is by far more likely that alternative products and methods haven’t been studied than that their efficacy has been disproven. To claim “clearly they do not work” seems far overstated. Dr. Tavel makes some bold conclusions with regard to the issue of conventional vs. organic food production. Again, he fails to address the growing body of credible information, even in the mainstream, contradicting his claims.
I chose to review this book because I am interested in making good, informed decisions about health and medical care. I also subscribe to an integrative model of health care that honors and expands beyond conventional medicine. I was interested in what Dr. Tavel had to offer, and I was newly informed by parts of the book. I am giving this book 3 out of 4 stars. I felt the author failed to offer well-researched counter points to his claims. There is a growing field of medical research by organizations such as the Preventative Medicine Research Institute, founded by physician and researcher Dr. Dean Ornish. I felt some mention of this other research was warranted. A 4-star non-fiction book would account for the current research, including dissenting research and writing on the topic. This book lacks this level of analysis. My second reason for the one star demotion is that there is quite a bit of old news in this book. About one quarter of the content, I had read elsewhere in some form.
Tips, Myths, and Tricks addresses a growing problem of deceptive advertising and misinformation about health products and practices. The book is compelling, well sourced, and held my attention and interest. Some of Dr. Tavel’s more controversial claims come across as a reaction to a burgeoning alternative/integrative health movement that continues to grow despite the conventional medicine opposition. I recommend the book if you liked Dr. Tavel’s first book, or if you are looking to bolster your skepticism about all things alternative. If you are one who is interested in evaluating all avenues available to treat or prevent a medical condition, skip this book. Read Dr. Andrew Weil, be reasonable and cautious about trying new products, and go on having an open mind.
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Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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