Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Inside stomach Ramen Noodle digestion goes viral

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Mini-review of THE PLAN by Lyn-Genet Recitas

I just bought the book, THE PLAN by Lyn-Genet Recitas, after hearing about it on either Dr Oz or some other health-related show. 
The book’s main claim is “Eliminate the surprising “healthy” foods that are making you fat –- and lose weight fast”. While I don’t fall for claims that promise fast weight loss, I was intrigued by the idea of so-called “healthy” foods that contribute to weight gain since my diet consists of “healthy” foods and I struggle to keep my weight down.
So I started reading THE PLAN...It is full of case studies of people (fictional or real...hard to tell), and not a single reference to any study that would support any of the claims made throughout the book (to me it’s always a red flag)! While Recitas is convincing in her tone, and her unsupported claims almost make sense, but lack of references, for me, puts this book into FICTION category.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Canagliflozin: “new class” of diabetes drug approved in the U.S., and under review in Canada

Canagliflozin -- the once-a-day oral pill  -- belongs to a “new class” of diabetes medication has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 29, 2013. The drug's mode of action is in the kidneys to inhibit sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2). 

"After glucose is filtered from the blood into the kidneys, canagliflozin suppresses SGLT2 transporters from carrying the glucose back into the blood. Instead, the glucose is diverted and released into the urine. This effectively pushes excess blood glucose out of the body via the kidneys and urinary tract."

Canagliflozin is currently pending approval by Health Canada.

To download full-text article, Click Here



Source: Published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (www.cmaj.ca). June 3, 2013.

In the UK, doctors will have to show fitness to practise every five years


"Doctors with a licence to practise in the United Kingdom from the General Medical Council (GMC) are now legally required to undergo revalidation, that is, to provide evidence of ongoing fitness to practise every five years."

To download full-text article Click Here.



Source: Published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (www.cmaj.ca), May 31, 2013.

Acupuncture: Effective or placebo?


David Colquhoun PhD and Steven Novella MD, wrote an article which concludes that acupuncture is worthless for pain relief. [Colquhoun D, Novella S. Acupuncture is theatrical placebo. Anesthesia & Analgesia 116:1360-1363, 2013] Their report concludes that "the benefits of acupuncture are likely nonexistent, or at best are too small and too transient to be of any clinical significance." Click here for the ink to the article.

For more information, Colquhoun's blog (http://www.dcscience.net/?p=6060) contains links to supportive documents.

[Source: Consumer Health Digest Digest #13-21, May 30, 2013, edited by Stephen Barrett MD]