/oss/taxonomy/term/3753/all en /oss/article/medical-health-and-nutrition/intermittent-fasting-and-perils-fast-facts <hr /> <p><em>This article was first published in <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-intermittent-fasting-and-the-perils-of-fast-facts">The Montreal Gazette</a>.</em></p> <hr /> <p>Recent headlines proclaimed that <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-intermittent-fasting-versus-other-calorie-counting-diets">intermittent fasting</a> can double your chances of dying from a heart attack. It’s not true though. Understanding why forces us to examine a fundamental feature of statistical randomness.</p> Fri, 29 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9883 at /oss /oss/article/medical-general-science/athletes-vaccines-and-cardiac-deaths <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the</em> <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-athletes-vaccines-and-cardiac-deaths"><em>Montreal Gazette.</em></a></p> <hr /> <p>It beggars belief, but I still sometimes hear people claim that waves of young athletes have died suddenly after being vaccinated. It is a pervasive hoax and still repeated by people to express doubts about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. Fortunately, we don’t have to speculate about whether young athletes are dying or not. We can simply check.</p> Fri, 24 Nov 2023 14:41:35 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9740 at /oss /oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/cockroach-scorpion-and-turpentine-extract-heart-disease <p>What would you think if after a heart attack your doctor prescribed capsules of extracts of ginseng, Chinese scorpion, cockroach, leech, peony root, sandalwood and turpentine? I suspect this might evoke a touch of skepticism. But believe it or not, that is just the treatment that 1899 Chinese heart attack patients received to prevent further complications.</p> Fri, 10 Nov 2023 14:50:53 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9717 at /oss /oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/bare-facts-about-coated-aspirin <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the</em> <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-the-bare-facts-about-coated-aspirin"><em>Montreal Gazette.</em></a></p> Fri, 27 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9702 at /oss /oss/article/medical/size-matters-blood-pressure-cuffs <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the</em> <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-size-matters-with-blood-pressure-cuffs"><em>Montreal Gazette.</em></a></p> Fri, 15 Sep 2023 10:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9644 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/nattokinases-clot-busting-promises-sway-scientists-who-should-know-better <p>It has been called a “powerful all-natural supplement,” one that shows “exceptionally potent” clot-busting action. This same enthusiastic source even refers to it as a “miracle food.” No, this was not written by a naturopath on Facebook; it comes from <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fijms18030523">a scientific paper</a>, whose authors really ought to be more objective.</p> Fri, 04 Aug 2023 12:44:02 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 9593 at /oss /oss/article/medical/we-can-mostly-stop-worrying-about-triglycerides <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-we-can-mostly-stop-worrying-about-triglycerides">Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> Fri, 13 Jan 2023 11:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9357 at /oss /oss/article/medical-health-and-nutrition/when-take-your-blood-pressure-meds <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-when-to-take-your-blood-pressure-meds">Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> Mon, 12 Sep 2022 19:11:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9232 at /oss /oss/article/health/studies-about-safety-exercise-are-reassuring <p> </p> <hr /> <p><em>​</em><em>This article was first published in</em><span> </span><a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-studies-about-safety-of-exercise-are-reassuring">The Montreal Gazette<span>.</span></a></p> <hr /> <p><span>Is it safe to exercise?</span></p> <p>There can be very little doubt that exercise is good for you. In the constant back and forth of which foods are good for you and which foods are bad for you (if you’ve been keeping track, eggs are bad for you again), exercise is the one thing that seems to survive unscathed.</p> Wed, 20 Mar 2019 20:03:47 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 7658 at /oss