Review by Pharris53 -- Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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Pharris53
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Review by Pharris53 -- Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
[Following is a volunteer review of "Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks" by Morton E Tavel, MD.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Health Tips, Myths and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice is a non-fiction book written by Morton E. Travel, M.D. and published by Brighton Publishing LLC in 2015. Another well-known book by Dr. Travel is Snake Oil is Alive and Well: The Clash between Myths and Reality: Reflections of a Physician also published by Brighton Publishing LLC in 2012. Health Tips, Myths and Tricks is a follow-up to his previous book because he realized after writing it that there were other myths and misconceptions to be talked about besides those mentioned in Snake Oil and he wanted to enlighten the public more on other health issues.
This book is divided into three sections. The first, Health Tips (Chapters 1 to 32) provides information on various health topics including weight loss, the importance of eating a good breakfast, trans fat consumption, coffee and health, green tea benefits, chocolate benefits, benefit of cranberries, safety issues around fish consumption, tips on some foods that are better than you may think, benefits of olive oil, nutritional supplements, exercise, and how much sleep you need.
I had always heard cranberries or cranberry juice was very effective on recurrent urinary tract infections. However, now the National Institute of Health has funded research on cranberries effects on heart disease and various infections. At the time this book was published, research has disclosed cranberries prevent plaque formation on teeth and mouthwashes containing it are being developed to prevent periodontal disease. Regular cranberry juice consumption can kill the bacteria which can cause stomach cancer and ulcers. Preliminary research shows that drinking cranberry juice daily may have effects on cholesterol, increase levels of HDL and reduce levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol. Also, they may prevent some tumors from growing rapidly.
Chapter 30 was of great interest to me because I’ve suffered from back pain for 35 years. In Dr. Travel’s opinion, most back pain is over treated and will resolve itself spontaneously within two weeks unless it is a serious spinal disorder or herniated disc. “Low back pain is defined as acute when it persists for less than six weeks, sub-acute between six weeks and three months, and chronic when it lasts longer than three months.” He says many people who suffer from back pain turn to chiropractors and many believe that chiropractic works for them. I have found that to be true in most instances but I have also had physical therapy on several occasions. Consumer Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, cautions that chiropractic manipulations can aggravate structural problems, such as a herniated disk. Also, chiropractic carries an additional warning when it concerns the neck, a slight but definite risk of damage to the spinal cord or proximal blood vessels.
The second section, Myths (Chapters 33 to 52) is devoted to myths and conspiracies in health, covering topics such as in Chapters 36 through 39 where he mentions the fortified food myth, genetically modified foods, organic foods, gluten-free diets, the effects of Wi-Fi, allergies and the health implications of rapid weight loss.
Finally, Dr. Travel tackles Tricks in Chapters 53 to 62 that companies use to scam you and trick you into buying what they are selling, i.e., the use of professional athletes to sell products, and the use of TV doctors to promote products.
This is a great book to have as a reference or give as a gift. It is a book you don’t necessarily have to read from cover to cover. You can just pick chapters at random that interest you.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is well written by an authority in his field and contains very useful information. It’s easy to read and understand for the most part and very interesting.
******
Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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4 out of 4 stars
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Health Tips, Myths and Tricks: A Physician’s Advice is a non-fiction book written by Morton E. Travel, M.D. and published by Brighton Publishing LLC in 2015. Another well-known book by Dr. Travel is Snake Oil is Alive and Well: The Clash between Myths and Reality: Reflections of a Physician also published by Brighton Publishing LLC in 2012. Health Tips, Myths and Tricks is a follow-up to his previous book because he realized after writing it that there were other myths and misconceptions to be talked about besides those mentioned in Snake Oil and he wanted to enlighten the public more on other health issues.
This book is divided into three sections. The first, Health Tips (Chapters 1 to 32) provides information on various health topics including weight loss, the importance of eating a good breakfast, trans fat consumption, coffee and health, green tea benefits, chocolate benefits, benefit of cranberries, safety issues around fish consumption, tips on some foods that are better than you may think, benefits of olive oil, nutritional supplements, exercise, and how much sleep you need.
I had always heard cranberries or cranberry juice was very effective on recurrent urinary tract infections. However, now the National Institute of Health has funded research on cranberries effects on heart disease and various infections. At the time this book was published, research has disclosed cranberries prevent plaque formation on teeth and mouthwashes containing it are being developed to prevent periodontal disease. Regular cranberry juice consumption can kill the bacteria which can cause stomach cancer and ulcers. Preliminary research shows that drinking cranberry juice daily may have effects on cholesterol, increase levels of HDL and reduce levels of LDL, the bad cholesterol. Also, they may prevent some tumors from growing rapidly.
Chapter 30 was of great interest to me because I’ve suffered from back pain for 35 years. In Dr. Travel’s opinion, most back pain is over treated and will resolve itself spontaneously within two weeks unless it is a serious spinal disorder or herniated disc. “Low back pain is defined as acute when it persists for less than six weeks, sub-acute between six weeks and three months, and chronic when it lasts longer than three months.” He says many people who suffer from back pain turn to chiropractors and many believe that chiropractic works for them. I have found that to be true in most instances but I have also had physical therapy on several occasions. Consumer Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, cautions that chiropractic manipulations can aggravate structural problems, such as a herniated disk. Also, chiropractic carries an additional warning when it concerns the neck, a slight but definite risk of damage to the spinal cord or proximal blood vessels.
The second section, Myths (Chapters 33 to 52) is devoted to myths and conspiracies in health, covering topics such as in Chapters 36 through 39 where he mentions the fortified food myth, genetically modified foods, organic foods, gluten-free diets, the effects of Wi-Fi, allergies and the health implications of rapid weight loss.
Finally, Dr. Travel tackles Tricks in Chapters 53 to 62 that companies use to scam you and trick you into buying what they are selling, i.e., the use of professional athletes to sell products, and the use of TV doctors to promote products.
This is a great book to have as a reference or give as a gift. It is a book you don’t necessarily have to read from cover to cover. You can just pick chapters at random that interest you.
I would rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. It is well written by an authority in his field and contains very useful information. It’s easy to read and understand for the most part and very interesting.
******
Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Pharris53's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks by Morton E Tavel, MD
