The cure for everything
Contents:
We are told to avoid pharmaceuticals. We are told to get our meridians centered. We are told to get healthy, damn it! Of course, it is true that there has never been more evidence--of vastly differing degrees of quality--to support this advice. We live in the health-science era. Pick up a newspaper: Often the stories are frivolous reports describing new diets or exercise routines. But others may be about the latest big science discoveries--for instance, a scientific breakthrough that promises life-enhancing treatments for a particular disease will be available in just a few years.
There are also stories that come from the scientific fringe. My local newspaper seems to have at least one article a week on the benefits of some form of alternative remedy, practices deriving from the realms of homeopathy, chiropractic, and naturopathy. Regardless of their sources, all of these stories have a common theme: Newspapers, of course, are hardly our only source of health and science stories. An ever-rising tide of information can be found on television, on radio, in government reports, on blogs, on iPhone apps, in books and magazines, and, of course, in advertising about pharmaceuti- cals, diets, and fitness programs.
We live in a sea of purportedly science- based health information. What are we to do, really, with all this information? Can one actually use it to live a healthier life? What information can we trust? Can emerging areas like genetics solve our health problems? Do any diets work? Can we ever believe pharmaceutical companies? Is the simple answer really that we all just need to clean our colons? Is there a cure for everything? In this book, I will seek to answer these, and other related questions. What will we find? It may also be twisted by our own beliefs, evolutionarily determined predilections, or market- leveraged desires.
We need to recognize the deep irony of it all. At a time when scientific knowledge has never been more important, it is being subjected to an unprecedented number of perverting influences. Not that this should come as a surprise. As science becomes more central to our lives, the stakes grow higher, and the incentives to twist the scientific message multiply. In some countries, health care consumes from one-third to one-half of government spending. Both the pharmaceutical and alternative medicine industries generate hundreds of billions of dollars in annual sales. And many billions of dollars have been invested in research initiatives such as the Human Genome Project.
When she saw him, he pleaded with her to take him away. She let the trucks depart to take the tribe to Xavantina, but quickly regretted the decision. When she reached the compound, she found out that the Cure had been the only member of the tribe who preferred freedom over the safety that the compound provided. Maria left the compound with The Cure in her Jeep, mutually deciding wherever they go, they can't go back to Xingu.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. External links [ edit ] Complete Story v t e. Yes, I am that passionate about this topic. If I could wave a magic wand, I would bring together both mainstream and alternative medicine practitioners and force them to start working together. I feel the two worlds working together could make a huge difference in better health for everyone. Every human body is unique and deserves to be treated that way. What works for one person may not work for anybody else. Don't cookie cut yourself out of living healthier because somebody fed you bogus information.
While I do accept the data around placebo effects, statistics are just numbers and numbers have deviations. Be open-minded and surround yourself with all the information you can. Know how studies are conducted. Sometimes its a process that needs to be tossed in the garbage along with the trash. In the meantime, I continue to be jaded, mistrusting and enormously disappointed in the health and fitness information we are fed each and every day. I am my own health care advocate and if I could make a living from it, I would be health care advocates for others.
If monetary resources were not limited, I would personally be doing a lot of things differently in my life. The theme of this book is to look through all of the hype surrounding healthy lifestyles and see what science actually recommends. I saw it as sort of a mixture of Gina Kolata's books Ultimate Fitness and Rethinking Thin, at least as far as topic is concerned.
Caulfield first tackles the subject of fitness - what it means, and how to "get fit. I was hoping to see more of a critical look, The theme of this book is to look through all of the hype surrounding healthy lifestyles and see what science actually recommends. I was hoping to see more of a critical look, or at least a bit of insight, into the papers he cites as scientific basis for his fitness thesis. I've read a lot of books about exercise, and many of the studies are faulty in many ways. It's difficult to determine what kind of exercise works for people, and many of the studies use small sample sizes of relatively fit men based on relatively strict metrics.
Without explaining the studies to the reader, the reader is left to trust Caulfield implicitly, and my skeptical mind isn't convinced. Caulfields thesis is that to get fit requires interval training mixed with a bit of resistance training. I agree that the consensus with weight training is to use heavy weights not the "high rep low weight" mantra you hear all over the place to build muscle.
However, interval training is sort of a specific cardiovascular routine, and I think that prescribing it for all people regardless of their beginning fitness level or what their goals are is kind of foolish.
The Miracle Cure for Everything – Science-Based Medicine
For one thing, a completely sedentary individual should not look to start a life of fitness by doing meter sprint intervals on a track; it makes more sense to start with short walks and maybe, if the individual is interested in running, make their way to a more tailored routine. For me, training for a marathon will include some interval training, but also long runs, base runs, hill runs, and tempo runs.
Swimmers, bikers, skiiers, rowers and the like may have completely different goals. One thing you learn as a scientist is that there is never a one-size-fits-all solution, which is what Caulfield seems to believe. Compared with the second part of the book, however, I thought the first was amazing. In the next chapter, Caulfield explores the science behind dieting. The first thing that absolutely annoyed me about this chapter was the implicit assumption that thin equals healthy. Nowhere in the book does the author look into debunking that false relationship.
Recent research is showing that being healthy and thin are not related, and having a healthy lifestyle which does not necessarily include being "thin" is more important than weight. Second the author uses spotty evo-psych arguments that humans are hard wired into desiring flat abs Caulfield meets with a team of experts in the field of losing weight and goes on a calorie restricting diet. He loses weight, and is extremely excited with how simple it is, and exclaims that diets absolutely work, except that he feels hungry and miserable all the time.
But it's worth it, because he lost 26 pounds! The third and last part of the book was about medication, both alternative and conventional. I would say that this section of the book was probably the most informed but least interesting. Science does bear out that homeopathy is not any more effective than a placebo.
However, the author dismisses chiropractic techniques without looking into them I honestly don't know if it works, but I would at least expect the author to look into it and suggests that acupuncture might work. He then discusses the long and horrible saga of the pharmaceutical industry without getting to in detail, which is best left for a different book to note that even the "scientific" way that we currently use in North America to find relief and cures is not exactly scientific. Ultimately, I would suggest skipping this book and reading Gina Kolata instead.
She actually goes into the science with you, the reader, instead of asking you to take her on faith. And she doesn't come to conclusions such as "I lost 26 pounds, so diets work even though I'm miserable and am gaining back the weight as we speak! Jan 23, Tasha rated it it was amazing Shelves: I love that the author is Canadian, and includes experts, statistics and other information which is relevant to our country most books reference the USA or UK exclusively, and not everything translates over to this country.
Dec 30, Jodi Graham rated it did not like it.
With any book I choose to read, I always hope for an open and un-biased perspective, which this book regrettably did not have. There are many over-generalizations regarding alternative therapies, the most startling being that it is related to religion, myth and has only placebo effects. I wondered why your perspective was so extreme and one-sided….
Then it was explained when I read that your wife and sister-in-law are doctors, your brother-in-law an orthopaedic surgeon and your neighbour a pathologist. On what scientific research did you base the following comments: Have you studied homeopathy? On page you also noted a study that states acupuncture is a placebo only — why are you quoting only one study? I believe you acknowledged correctly at the beginning of the book that meta-analysis is the best way to examine results? I also just want to note another comment I found insulting, not to myself, but to all journalists: Sep 26, Desiree rated it it was amazing.
Thank you Timothy Caulfield! You should read this book. It explains everything, like it says. OK, maybe not everything It will make you a little bit sad, because a good part of the message is sort of "stop eating so much" and "everything you think about exercising is wrong," which isn't what we want to hear.
But it makes tons of Thank you Timothy Caulfield! But it makes tons of sense, is backed up by the kind of research that matters replicated, long-term, etc. What a great book! Four chapters, full of common sense information supposed by science. He's preaching to the converted here - but I did learn a few new things - like stretching - not so important. Loved the remedy chapter - even being a health care provider I have always been suspicious of both CAM and big pharma. The genetics chapter was my least favorite, but overall think this book is worth a read by anyone interested in health - and that should be all of us!
Untangling Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness, and Happiness
Timothy Caulfield was the closing speaking at a pensions and benefits conference I attended in October. I found him interesting and entertaining so thought I'd read some of his books. This book is about health and about the science associated with health. There is a lot of information available to us about what to eat, whether to cleanse, whether to take supplements, how to exercise, whether you get your meridians centered, and more.
In this book, Caulfield seeks to answer the questions about the Timothy Caulfield was the closing speaking at a pensions and benefits conference I attended in October. In this book, Caulfield seeks to answer the questions about these issues and other related questions. He felt it was essential to experience the journey rather than just speak with the experts and read relevant research his findings are listed in the large notes section of the book.
As such, there are four chapters in the book: Fitness - he went to a personal trainer he includes his recommended exercise routine 2. Diet - he went on a diet he includes his eating suggestions 3.
Genetics - he got his genes tested 4. Remedies - he tried different potions and procedures Caulfield worked on the book for a year, interviewing experts and getting personally engaged in every topic he covered, before providing his conclusions. In the process, he discovered some things about himself. I like the writing style. I'm not a science person and I understood for the most part what he was talking about. If I wanted further information, I could check the notes section. I found this to be an interesting read and I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Aug 04, Lisalou rated it liked it. In this book Timothy Caulfield attempts to find the science to look at the idea of being fit and healthy as well as genetic testing, CAM or alternative medicine and Big Pharma. Looking at current research he discovers that while vigorous exercise like interval and strength training do provide you with a lot of health benefits, you will not lose weight from exercising.
Moderate exercise is not enough to rea "Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition. Moderate exercise is not enough to reap the benefits it has to be vigorous. If you want to lose weight you need to reduce calories, period. Michael Pollan is right with his advice of "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. However, there's no reason not to try.
Speaking of genes, genetic testing to determine your risk for diseases is mostly worthless unless you actually have an already discovered gene specific disease or chance of one. Alternative medicine is well a load of hooey.
The Cure for Everything
He makes the case that things from alternative medicine that can be proven scientifically to work aren't any longer alternative. But really most things like Naturopathic medicine, homeopathy and acupuncture have nothing backing them up to prove they work and are more often than not based on faith than anything tangible. While Alternative Medicine is based on faith big pharma is based on money. In the end what is needed is the critical skills to cut through the twist whether it's the promise of 6 pack abs, losing weight quickly, predict your future through genetics, just believe you can heal yourself with this water that contains the memory of a molecule of what ails you or the latest drug ad.
We all need to realize that there is no miracle cure for anything and that things are actually quite simple but not easy once your remove the twist. Like much of life. It was greatly enjoyable and well written and made me think. But it definitely did not cover enough and it certainly did not cover everything. I would like liked to have seen an analysis and debunking of "superfoods" , more information on herbal supplements particularly Valerian root St.
- Internet change-t-il vraiment nos sociétés ? (Tome 3): LInternet, la science, lart, léconomie et la politique (French Edition);
- Frequently bought together.
- Rock & Roll Never Forgets: Book #1 of the JP Kinkaid Chronicles.
John's Wort was mentioned and people usually mention these two as a pair. Some ideas were criticized without evidence, and I want evidence. Please explain the difference between the "cleansing" and "detoxify" It was greatly enjoyable and well written and made me think. Please explain the difference between the "cleansing" and "detoxify" myths as compared to avoiding tuna fish to lower mercury in our bodies. If one is false and the other is true, how do we know the difference? The best points of the book were at the first in the fitness chapter. I want to blare his words on a big screen for all to see, particularly with the "exercise does not lead to weight loss" and "stretching before running is bunk" parts.
My fiance still doesn't believe me. I do agree that most things out there that scientists believe are pseudoscience do not work for the general population and do not stand up in controlled studies with a general sample of participants. I can accept that most "cure" stories are non-scientific anecdotes. BUT, part of me wonders if certain remedies and treatments may work beyond a placebo effort for certain subgroups of the people who have certain characteristics.
- Twenty Years After (Oxford Worlds Classics).
- Lent for Everyone: Luke Year C.
- The Cure for Everything - Wikipedia;
- Geschichten im Religionsunterricht (German Edition).
- F & I Training Manual Your Opportunity Starts Now.
For example, some natural remedies for upset stomach may not work very well for MOST people, but might work consistently well for people who meet certain criteria like a certain medical condition, or age, or gender. I know in psychology, moderated regressions are all the rage, and I would love to poke at some of the medical data to see if positive anecdotes are really placebo effects of if certain subpopulations benefit from certain treatments.
But, that's just me. I recommend this book. Caulfield writes about all the things we're told to do to improve our health diet! He's tough an alternative medicine rightly, in my view but he also does an excellent job discussing the biases that can creep into mainstream medicine, for example how drug companies bias the research that is conducted and published. It's an engaging read, with a good mix of data and personal sto I recommend this book.
The Miracle Cure for Everything
It's an engaging read, with a good mix of data and personal stories. I was a bit disappointed by the chapter on genes. He doesn't really talk about how genes influence health, but rather discusses the genotyping industry you send in a spit sample, they give you an analysis of your risk factors. He makes the excellent point that right now the information you get this way is simply not practical and shouldn't be used to make decisions about behaviour.
But someone could be left thinking that genes don't play a role.