Todd's Blog
Meat: A Benign Extravagance
Todd's Blog - 2011
Saturday, 26 November 2011 23:48
Recently I was given a review copy of Simon Fairlie's new book entitled Meat: A Benign Extravagance, published by Chelsea Green (2010), right around the same time I wrote what some might consider a rather controversial blog on the subject of meat on urbandiner. The issue of eating meat is a touchy one, especially here in Vancouver - a trend-setting city that has more than it's share of anti-meat advocates, who inspired by films such as Forks Over Knives, have come to equate meat-eating with everything that's bad in the world: from agricultural run-off and global warming, to cardiovascular disease and cancer.
New changes at toddcaldecott.com
Todd's Blog - 2011
Sunday, 25 September 2011 19:01
We've made a few changes at toddcaldecott.com, some of which are still being worked out so please be patient. First off, we have added a free registration function to the website to help us better understand who is visiting this site, what they use it for, and how we might be better able to serve their needs in the future. In addition, we have included a donate button on the registration page. Both of these changes will allow us to grow as we move forward. Soon all of the content will be updated and revised, so please keep checking back over the next few months. We welcome your comments!
Food As Medicine
Todd's Blog - 2011
Tuesday, 21 June 2011 18:16
This year marks 15 years in clinical practice since I graduated from college, and over this time I have worked with hundreds of patients, in both Canada and the United States, as well as India and the Caribbean. During this time, as I have worked to help my patients discover and resolve their health problems, one of the issues I most frequently encounter is just how confused people are on the subject of diet.
Hyperlipidemia 101
Todd's Blog - 2011
Tuesday, 15 March 2011 00:39
A couple days ago I blogged on the issue of hypertension and whether it is actually disease. I described it as a tautology, a self-reinforcing concept that appears to be true, but only if you accept the erroneous premise of the argument. Hypertension I argued is not a disease but merely a diagnostic sign, and that by treating a diagnostic sign we simply mask our ability to monitor the progression of the disease. There are many other diseases in Western medicine that are defined, at least in terms of treatment, not by their symptomology or cause, but by their diagnostic signs. I call this tautological medicine.
Is hypertension a disease?
Todd's Blog - 2011
Friday, 11 March 2011 22:21
Simply put, hypertension is an increase in blood pressure. It is a diagnostic feature developed during the early 1900s with the invention of the sphygmomanometer, and over the last 100 years or so of experimental evidence has been associated with an increased risk of chronic illness and death. Very clearly chronic high blood pressure is not a good sign, and as such it has received a lot of attention.
Should Salvia divinorum be banned?
Todd's Blog - 2011
Wednesday, 02 March 2011 18:33
Two days ago I received notice that the Canadian government wants to place the herb Salvia divinorum as well as the isolated trans-neoclerodane diterpenoid salvinorin A in schedule III of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, essentially making illegal for personal use. Although I use other Salvia species in my practice, including Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Dang Shen (Salvia miltiorrhiza) I have never tried Salvia divinorum so I can't claim to have first-hand experience of its effects.
A question about pea protein...
Todd's Blog - 2011
Sunday, 16 January 2011 19:39
I recently posted an article to the urbandiner.ca website on the subject of the legumes ("Beans, beans, the magical fruit?"), in part taken from a chapter of my upcoming book "Food As Medicine" The Theory and Practice of Food". In the last part of my blog I discuss the issue of the vegan protein powders that seem all the rage these days. I have spent some time on medline researching these ingredients, chief among them being pea protein isolate. If you do a google search on it, most of the "information" is marketing, about how it's well-tolerated, well-digested and hypoallergenic. But is it really?
The Wonders of Chyavanprash
Todd's Blog - 2011
Monday, 10 January 2011 20:26
Among the thousands of different herbs and formulas used in Ayurveda, there is perhaps none better known and celebrated than the medicated herbal jam called Chyavanprash. It is named after Chyavana muni, a forest-dwelling sage that had long turned his back on the world, who was enticed into marriage by the great beauty of the princess Sukanya. Being withered and aged, Chyavana enlisted the help of the Ashwin Kumaras, the celestial physicians, to create a formula that would restore his youth, and the result of these efforts was Chyavanprash.
Ayurveda in Nepal
Todd's Blog - 2011
Saturday, 08 January 2011 22:10
I am happy to announce the official launch of "Ayurveda in Nepal", written by the late Dr. Mana Bajra Bajracharya, and edited by myself, Dr. Mana's son Dr Madhu, and Alan Tillotson. It has been a work in progress for almost a decade now, and involved me spending several weeks with Dr. Madhu last year to complete the editing process. It is a work unlike anything I have seen in the Ayurvedic literature, summarizing Dr. Mana's 800 year hereditary tradition of Newari Buddhist priests and Ayurvedic physicians.
Where the heck is Todd?
Todd's Blog - 2010
Monday, 27 December 2010 08:51
I would like to say that I've been off cavorting in idyllic pastures, but in truth I have spent that last couple months intensively focused on writing a new book on food and natural medicine. I'm super excited about this book, and about 90% done. I will be sending off some preview copies to a couple colleagues for feedback, and then making it available to the general public.
What does free range mean?
Todd's Blog - 2010
Wednesday, 06 October 2010 00:12
In my recent post on my Food As Medicine blog over at Urban Diner, I make the argument that eating meat is not only a normal and natural part of our human diet, but that meat can also serve as a medicine to treat specific diseases. For example, bones and marrow bones can be boiled to make a medicinal broth that supports the health of the joints and nervous system, whereas liver is an excellent food to promote and support detoxification.
Back to work!!
Todd's Blog - 2010
Wednesday, 25 August 2010 19:12
Hi everyone! If you've been hanging out at my website over the summer you might have noticed there hasn't been much activity lately. I also have a back-log of Q&As I will be getting to very soon - many thanks for your patience! Instead of slogging away here, I have been away on a well-deserved extended holiday up in the Kootenays, doing mostly nothing - just hanging out at the beach, relaxed dinners with family and after-hours ping pong. I did however do some teaching for Joy Morrell at the Shanti Yoga Studio in Nelson, and saw a few patients as well. I had such a good time in Nelson that I'm coming back for more, and will be offering
On the Issue of Sunscreens
Todd's Blog - 2010
Saturday, 17 July 2010 19:29
For most of us summer is an easy going time where we can cast off the burden of winter, dispense with the winter coats, hats and boots that clog up the mudroom or front hall, walk barefoot in the grass and lie in the shade of the trees, meditating on the shapes of the clouds as they pass by. Yet despite what should be a rather pleasant time, for many years we have been told that summer holds out something rather sinister and almost totally unavoidable. It has become such a problem that government health agencies have instituted warnings and policies, with a rush of companies coming to our aid as responsible corporate citizens.
A Sticky Problem at the World Cup Final
Todd's Blog - 2010
Monday, 12 July 2010 18:24
It took me awhile to figure it out, but while watching the FIFA World Cup final yesterday, I couldn't help but notice something like the sound of waves rushing up the shore punctuating the commentary of sportscaster John Helm. Falling then rising at some points to become so loud as to compete with the vuvuzelas, I suddenly realized that what I was listening to was the labored inhalations of Mr. Helm himself. And while I enjoyed his descriptive and engaging commentary, the initial image of water rippling across a pebbled beach degenerated into the realization that rather than bubbling waves I was listening to the sound of wind passing over bubbly mucus.
Gut Bacteria Could Be Key Indicator of Colon Cancer Risk
Todd's Blog - 2010
Thursday, 24 June 2010 16:53
In a paper published by the University of North Carolina the authors suggest that the balance of healthy versus pathogenic bacteria in our gut is an important element in the development of colon cancer. This is only the latest in a continual stream of research over the past decade showing the importance of a healthy gut flora. But the benefit doesn't extend to just the bowel. A quick survey on the database of the National Institute of Medicine will quickly show that these probiotic organisms are not only good for the gut, but are equally important in the proper health of the immune and nervous systems.
How to treat dandruff...
Todd's Blog - 2010
Wednesday, 23 June 2010 16:25
Dandruff is a hyper-proliferative affliction of the skin of the scalp, meaning that for some reason the skin has a rapid rate of turnover and flakes off in excessive amounts. Although emboldened with it's own scientific name (Pityriasis simplex capillitii, complete with no less than eleven syllables and a double 'ii' thrown in for good measure), the term 'dandruff' is really more of a wastebasket diagnosis, meaning that any number of factors can cause it. But even if they don't fess up directly, those dandruff shampoo manufacturers are betting that it's caused by a fungal infection.
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