Review by gigi83 -- Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks

gigi83 · Post by **gigi83** » 24 May 2018, 02:52

[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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Anyone who is enthusiastic about health, health myths and scams should read HEALTH TIPS, MYTHS, AND TRICKS: A Physician’s Advice by Morton E. Tavel, MD. The author is an internist/cardiologist with a wealth of experience who claims he has no financial interest other than providing current scientific advice on a healthy lifestyle as well as avoidance of wasting money on useless treatments. As the title implies, the book is divided into three sections.

Firstly, there are some contemporary health and wellbeing tips that the readers can integrate into their daily lives without wasting a lot of money. The author discusses a range of topic from the importance of eating breakfast and aids to losing weight to e-cigarettes and back pain. This wide range of topics ensures that everybody can find something of interest. Some information may be revealing even for somebody who studies this subject frequently, like me. For example, regular exercise does not usually cause much weight loss, of course, there are other benefits of exercising. Moreover, there are high levels of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, in rice, especially in brown rice that many people consider being a healthy option. Importantly, the reason why people crave junk food is that of the right combination of fat, sugar and salt that our brains love.

Secondly, the author examines myths about almost anything regarding our health, food and drinks, such as the impact of GM food on human health and its effect on the environment, the safety of radiation of food, and interestingly, the accuracy of the polygraph (the lie detector). This second part seems to be designed for those readers who like reading magazines that publish articles without the support of references. The author warns against these sources of faulty and fraudulent information that don’t provide advice based on scientific research.

Thirdly, the last part of the book scrutinised tricks and scams that are used to obtain money from people believing or looking for a magic treatment that does not exist. The reader can peruse about false advertisement, TV talk shows with ‘experts’ without possession of authentic medical credentials, alternative medicine with no scientific proof of being useful, the danger of dietary supplements and effectiveness of cheaper generic alternatives of medication. It is clear, this part of the book is not for those who merge themselves into alternative treatment as the author is a firm believer of evidence-based medicine.

Dr Tavel expertly summarises current issues surrounding health and myths using many trustworthy sources. He had done a lot of research and used his expertise before publishing this book. Readers can find plenty of references at the end of the publication. The book is written well, and it seems the author bears in mind that many laypeople may read it. It appears to be professionally edited. I didn’t notice any grammatical errors or misprints. However, there are some crossovers and repetition between the sections. Some readers, especially laypeople, may find the amount of information overwhelming.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. As somebody with a background in diabetology, I appreciate this read because it draws together a lot of useful information. However, I believe that some of the chapters are too short. Mostly, I enjoy articles on healthy or junk food, exercise and conspiracy theories and so, I love this book. This publication is based on evidence and peer-reviewed medical journals. For this reason, somebody who is a firm believer in alternative medicine may not find this book pleasant or satisfying. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in improving their health as there is a rise in obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases due to our sedentary lifestyle and eating habits.

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Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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Post by **Kibet Hillary** » 28 May 2018, 09:09

Wow, thanks for the nice review. It is indeed a nice book especially given that the rates of non-communicable diseases are increasing day-in-day-out and it is already a problem in some places. I, however, believe that there is still a place for alternative medicine and this is something that is scientifically proven as well.