Review by Vlg024 -- Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
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Vlg024
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- Latest Review: "Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks" by Morton E Tavel, MD
Review by Vlg024 -- Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
[Following is a volunteer review of "Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks" by Morton E Tavel, MD.]
3 out of 4 stars
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The book by Morton Tavel is written by a doctor with a great experience. It is must read to all people who care for their well-being but have no time and opportunity to closely follow health-related topics in mass media. Even more important, if they do, they can be lost in the ocean of false claims and myths which promise to cure almost from anything but often leading just to loss of money or sometimes even life. Dr. Martin has done a very good job explaining why a lot of so called alternative “medicine” is just old-fashioned snake oil.
Although most facts and ideas described in the book are not revolutionary and can be easily found in a special literature which is, by the way, extensively (and appropriately) cited, the author have done a very good job to summarize them and sort out what is known and what is not. Thus, there are few instances when he says: “these early observations are speculative” (e.g., chapter 17). I wonder though whether such speculations even need to be mentioned.
The book is divided in three parts: Tips, Myths, and Tricks and has 62 chapters in total. In the first part, the author describes some tips about losing weight, trans fat, green tea etc. Rather new for me was recommendation about beneficial effect of chocolate, which, as the author confesses, he likes. However, he supports his view by some research studies. Among important things to lose weight the author recommends to precede each meal with 16 oz of water. This would save 75 cal per meal, or 27 000 cal per year, which, he claims, would lead to 8 pounds loss of weight. Apparently understanding that this calculation is misleading, he played down it saying that water consumption can only play a secondary contributing role (Chapter 1). But why then should you read these calculations if there are not much relevant?
In the second part, Dr Tavel debanks common myths often circulated in mass media. Among them are negative effect of vaccination, GMO, gluten, tap water, wi-fi etc. Also, health benefits of organic food, bottled water, raw water are also questioned. As to probiotics, the author does consider their both positive and negative effects. Although not very relevant to the health issues of the book, it was interesting to know why polygraph test (lie-detector) is really invalid and scientifically unproven despite its wide use.
In the third part, the authors consider various tricks of charlatans to take money from their clients. Among main villains are so called alternative medicine and some other unproven schemes of treatment. Although I basically agree with the authors, I wonder why he does not explain people’s need to seek such alternative medicine. Of course, this is because a modern (evidence-based) medicine cannot help such people so and they want to try something else. Given the absence of real treatment for some diseases, I would not completely deny alternative medicine even if it, of course, does not harm, and it may even help due to placebo effect.
There are only few errors in the book, mostly misprints. For instance, it is recommended that “if Mediterranean diet is supplemented with extra virgin oil (one quart total per week)”, which looks little too much.
In conclusion, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It is definitely very helpful and easy to read, with some minor problems which I mentioned above.
******
Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
The book by Morton Tavel is written by a doctor with a great experience. It is must read to all people who care for their well-being but have no time and opportunity to closely follow health-related topics in mass media. Even more important, if they do, they can be lost in the ocean of false claims and myths which promise to cure almost from anything but often leading just to loss of money or sometimes even life. Dr. Martin has done a very good job explaining why a lot of so called alternative “medicine” is just old-fashioned snake oil.
Although most facts and ideas described in the book are not revolutionary and can be easily found in a special literature which is, by the way, extensively (and appropriately) cited, the author have done a very good job to summarize them and sort out what is known and what is not. Thus, there are few instances when he says: “these early observations are speculative” (e.g., chapter 17). I wonder though whether such speculations even need to be mentioned.
The book is divided in three parts: Tips, Myths, and Tricks and has 62 chapters in total. In the first part, the author describes some tips about losing weight, trans fat, green tea etc. Rather new for me was recommendation about beneficial effect of chocolate, which, as the author confesses, he likes. However, he supports his view by some research studies. Among important things to lose weight the author recommends to precede each meal with 16 oz of water. This would save 75 cal per meal, or 27 000 cal per year, which, he claims, would lead to 8 pounds loss of weight. Apparently understanding that this calculation is misleading, he played down it saying that water consumption can only play a secondary contributing role (Chapter 1). But why then should you read these calculations if there are not much relevant?
In the second part, Dr Tavel debanks common myths often circulated in mass media. Among them are negative effect of vaccination, GMO, gluten, tap water, wi-fi etc. Also, health benefits of organic food, bottled water, raw water are also questioned. As to probiotics, the author does consider their both positive and negative effects. Although not very relevant to the health issues of the book, it was interesting to know why polygraph test (lie-detector) is really invalid and scientifically unproven despite its wide use.
In the third part, the authors consider various tricks of charlatans to take money from their clients. Among main villains are so called alternative medicine and some other unproven schemes of treatment. Although I basically agree with the authors, I wonder why he does not explain people’s need to seek such alternative medicine. Of course, this is because a modern (evidence-based) medicine cannot help such people so and they want to try something else. Given the absence of real treatment for some diseases, I would not completely deny alternative medicine even if it, of course, does not harm, and it may even help due to placebo effect.
There are only few errors in the book, mostly misprints. For instance, it is recommended that “if Mediterranean diet is supplemented with extra virgin oil (one quart total per week)”, which looks little too much.
In conclusion, I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It is definitely very helpful and easy to read, with some minor problems which I mentioned above.
******
Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like Vlg024's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: "Health Tips, Myths, and Tricks" by Morton E Tavel, MD
