4 out of 4 stars
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Dr. Morton E. Tavel M.D., a physician specializing in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases, answers what you would like to know regarding matters of health and related medical issues in his recent book Health Tips, Myths, And Tricks: A Physician’s Advice. Backed by sound research and studies, the book could shatter the myths you might be harboring, or if not, reinforce the healthy regimen you have adhered to. Ideas in this book were distilled from documented and referenced materials, with some of these, he himself had published in peer-reviewed national medical journals.
Have you felt like you always wanted a second opinion on the current medical lore? But let me warn you, the second opinion Dr. Tavel gives could be reassuring if it goes along in line with your own thoughts, or it could be shocking if otherwise. For starters, would you consider that “bottled water” is just a waste of money? Or that the much-hyped “Alkaline Water” is virtually a scam? Dr. Tavel says that tap water is just as good for drinking, and alkaline ionizers—the gadget producing alkaline water -- do not remove contaminants in the water. Neither does the ionized water contribute to the acid-alkaline balance of the body. The body does not need any help with this job.
In one chapter, Dr. Tavel zeroed in at another scam, the “Detoxifying” process supposed to cleanse the body of toxins absorbed from the environment or from the food we ate. He says that at the very start this concept is flawed, for our natural body process, as a function of the kidney and liver could not be better done by other substances or practices. These are only a few of the health schemes in the market contrived to waste our money which the book exposed in the “Tricks” section.
This book, Health Tips, Myths, And Tricks: A Physician’s Advice, is designed to be a reference book and may be read on a “need-to-know” basis. It is a rich source of compiled information on different subjects of medical interest, and as such, the mind may fall short of accommodating all together in one loading. But rather, the book could best belong to your shelf for instant perusal once needed.
Dr. Tavel has concisely written the various chapters of the book (62 Chapters, in all) in a conveniently readable format, complete with references at the end. Therein he shared several tips, deactivated many myths, and exposed tricks employed by unscrupulous medical practitioners and manufacturers of drugs and other health products. He generously included topics most relevant today, like say, “Can sunscreen prevent premature skin aging?” Or the upcoming studies to be made in the age of the internet: “WIFI – is it a health hazard?” And then, he divulged the findings of “gluten-free” diets, “Vitamin E” effects on cardiovascular disease or prostate cancer.
This book is very enlightening. For instance, it came to me as a revelation when he stated that “Raw Milk” still needs to be pasteurized in the face of so many advocates saying the opposite. But it came as a bit of shock for me to know that people eating rice are also ingesting arsenic at the same time. And it seemed ironic that the “Common Cold” stays till now without a known “cure” despite the tremendous leaps Medical Technology has made, for the symptoms are all that gets treated, and the headache medicines are not cures, but just painkillers.
There were few typos not worth mentioning, and my overall impression is Health Tips, Myths, And Tricks: A Physician’s Advice merits a well-advised rating of 4 out of 4 stars. There is no restrictive clause for the readership of this book. Anyone with eyes that see and a brain that could comprehend may read it.
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Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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