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The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
Original broadcast date: July 12, 2009 We like to believe that we are a rational species. If, the assumption goes, we are presented with information that is cogent, specific and valid, we will respond by incorporating these ideas for the betterment of our lives. What we decide to eat and drink is a world onto…
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The "Oprah"fication of Medicine
Original broadcast date: July 5, 2009 The general principle in science and medicine is to challenge claims and research findings in order to evaluate its veracity and repeatability. It takes evidence, solid evidence as the fuel for debate and contrarian viewpoints, not opinion based on anecdotal evidence. To wit, the news that Oprah Winfrey is…
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What do cancer cells need to survive?
Original broadcast date: June 28, 2009 What do cancer cells need to survive? We know that gene mutations contribute to the development of cancer and research continues to identify the aberrant genetic sequences as cataloged in the Cancer Genome Atlas. However, are mutations and the proteins that they code for the principle components that ensure…
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Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America
Original broadcast date: June 21, 2009 It is a jungle of medical information out there on TV, radio, newspapers and journals. Reports appear daily espousing or refuting the latest finding to cure our ills and prevent disease. The contradictions abound and foster confusion for the public and health practitioners alike. It is creating a situation…
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Overcoming persistent insomnia
A common concern for many of my patients at some point in their lives is the inability to sleep. Indeed, this is a common problem in our society with many remedies, medications and therapies portending to provide “the solution” to our sleep disorders. What does the evidence say regarding the best approach to help those…
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Bacteriophages kill resistant bacterial ear infections
Original broadcast date: June 14, 2009 Pathogenic or disease-causing bacteria want to survive. To that end, they have complex mechanisms that will allow them, over time, to adapt and resist antibiotic treatments. The pace of new antibiotics being introduced into the market is slowing and other approaches are needed to help fighting difficult to treat…
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Binge drinking effects on the developing adolescent brain
Original broadcast date: June 7, 2009 We tend to associate rapid developmental changes in cognition, socialization and behaviour with infants, toddlers and children. Parents try to promote positive changes and maximize their child’s potential by avoiding potentially hazardous materials, substances and poor food choices that could have a negative impact on their child’s development. However,…
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Lice on mice makes the immune system nice!
Original broadcast date: June 7, 2009 It may not be for the squeamish but in our hygiene-centric universe, the thought of parasites contributing to human health seems foreign and for some, repulsive. Recent research presents interesting biological mechanisms within this host-parasite relationship that can regulate or influence our immune system. In the April 22, 2009…
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Detecting how well a cancer treatment is working in real time
Original broadcast date: May 31, 2009 How well can cancer specialists, oncologists, assess how well a particular treatment is destroying a tumour? It is true that there are methods to make this determination but it could take weeks of observation before knowing whether the tumour has shrunk. Is it possible to develop a means of…
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