Long time no see

Hope you are all doing well.  It has been a while so I thought I should write and say hello.

I am sorry for not writing more.  But I have been very busy.  The demands of my practice eat up a lot of time.  The waitlist is now seven months!  Ridiculous.  But there are only so many hours to put patients.  I do triage them and keep some urgent slots for patients that are ill and really need to get in fast.  This is an ongoing problem…with no easy solution in sight.

Also I am doing my best to practice what I preach.  Gotta live the healthy lifestyle!  I spend as much time as possible with my family.  It is a delight to see my little girl grow up everyday and learn something new.  Also I have been active with running and kettlebell training.  I recently completed the Tough Mudder at Whistler which was a total blast!  Looking forward to doing it next year.

In the medical news I do not have too much new for you.  I read a great book by Paul Offit, an American infectious disease specialist, “Do You Believe in Magic?”  It is a scathing commentary on alternative medicine and supplements.  It is a very readable, succinct review of these areas, and covers very nicely how the vast majority of these therapies have no evidence for them whatsoever.  It is very readable and I highly recommend it.  I see so many patients that ask me about cutting down pills when they take four or five heart pills – with proven benefit and minimal side effects – and take twice as many supplements – which have no evidence of benefit and may even be harmful.  My response is always “get rid of the supplements.”  In fact there is evidence that high doses of vitamins may even be harmful, so the old thought “well at least these won’t harm me” is quite likely false.  By no means are drugs a great solution but at least these are studied and well understood!  Supplements for the most part are not.  I have encountered so many people with unshakable beliefs in their supplements, chelation, etc.  Shocking how credulous otherwise smart people can be, and how easily mislead.  The vast majority of this stuff just doesn’t do any good.

Anyways sorry to go off on a miniature rant there.  Leave me a comment and let me know if you have any opinions on supplements either way.  Enjoy the summer!

Best wishes

Dr. John Vyselaar