Doctor Chopra Says: Medical Facts and Myths Everyone Should Know

by Sanjiv Chopra

As Faculty Dean of Continuing Medical Education at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Sanjiv Chopra provides the most up-to-date medical information to thousands of doctors from around the world each year. Now, in this book, he and Dr. Alan Lotvin bring this important, life-changing information directly to people everywhere, so that you too can benefit from the best, most reliable medical knowledge available today.
Not every study that the media reports on is reliable, and Drs. Chopra and Lotvin show readers how they can tell which ones to pay to attention and which to ignore. In this book they explore medicine's most controversial and exciting subjects, revealing new breakthroughs that affect your health and debunking the myths that you've always wondered about. It answers questions about a wide range of topics. Highlights

-Food and Is coffee a lifesaver? Is there really a "best" diet for you?\

-Drugs, Vitamins, and Does Vitamin D prevent cancer? What supplements have value, and which are a waste of money? ( almost all of them!)

- What cancer screening methods are effective? What's the truth about stem cells?

-Alternative Does acupuncture work? Can meditation or yoga make you healthy?

-Health Can cellphones cause tumors? Is it dangerous to drink from plastic bottles?

Using only the most current, most trustworthy scientific studies and interviews with the world's top authorities, A Longer Life, A Healthier Life explodes dozens of medical "facts" we all believe and provides surprisingly hopeful information about the latest research breakthroughs.

Genres: Health

Audible Audio

First published October 1, 2007

About the author

Dr. Sanjiv Chopra is Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. For 12 years he was the Faculty Dean for Continuing Education at Harvard Medical School. He is also a bestselling author and sought after motivational speaker. He has seven books, including The Big Five, Live Longer, Live Better, Brotherhood, Leadership By Example, and Dr. Chopra Says. In addition, he has over one hundred publications to his credit and he has received numerous awards including the Excellence in Teaching Award from Harvard Medical School.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know it has older info in it (written in 2011), but it was fascinating and interesting. The good doctor looks into the fads and news blurbs to sort out what studies and advice are good and which are myths.

A.C.E.D. L.I.F.E. and nuts. That's all you need to remember.

A= aspirin (low dose) and alcohol (red wine)
C= coffee (4-5 cups a day)
E= exercise (3-4 times a week)
D= vitamin D (d3)

L= laughter (be social, celebrate often)
I= go inward- meditate or pray daily
F= fish (2 times/ week) or fish oil (omega 3)
E= empathy (be kind)

nuts= eat a handful a day

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of valid questions presented with medically sound reasonable answers.
Basic questions like is drinking wine a good medicine, does aspirin prevent cancer, does pizza prevent prostate cancer, does marijuana have legit benefits... yoga, stem cells, plastic bottles, sleeping, balding and more.
Worth reading
I think it should be housed in my pcp's office personally... it's a bit heavy reading and not so enjoyable

recommended none the less

[Brenden Gill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a decent book for exploring some commonly discussed topics in science, nutrition, and health. Having read other books that promoted certain regiments and nutritional paths, this book took a refreshingly cautious tone with the various available possibilities out there concerning nutrition, health, and science.

[Manli Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative.

[Ice]

In this groundbreaking book, Dr. Sanjiv Chopra teams up with renowned cardiologist Dr. Alan Lotvin to give you the most cutting-edge medical research available. Doctor Chopra Says explains how you can tell the difference between true medical news and irrelevant media hype, covering such vital topics as:· Is wine the best medicine?· Which cancer screening methods are effective?· Is there a “best” diet for you?· What one vitamin should everyone be taking? (And why you can throw away all the rest.)· Are statins the new miracle drug?

Filled with authoritative advice from many of the top medical experts in their respective fields, Doctor Chopra Says gives you the tools you need to lead a healthier, happier, and longer life.

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I do agree with some of the things mentioned in the book, I have to say that there were far more instances of the author making statements like "but the medicinal claims for (fill in the blank) have yet to be proven" and the FDA this and that. Well, if you don't know it yet, the FDA is full of a lot of crap because they don't believe in alternative ways and alternative medicine. It is all about money folks.....
Is that why out of this 430 page book, the authors only dedicate 40-50 pages to alternative medicine? Hhmmmmm
The book was just published but outside of that, I walked away from it feeling like I hadn't really learned anything all that new or groundbreaking.

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dr. Chopra has created an exceptional medical guide based on scientific research. The book is divided into five parts:
l. Food and Drink
2. Drugs, Vitamins, and Supplements
3. Medicine
4. Alternative Medicine
5. Health Risks
He uses a format with chapters that ask questions such as:
Is coffee truly a lifesaver?
Can tea prevent or cure disease?
Is wine the best medicine?
It is a book that is worth reading and keeping as a reference for when medical questions arise.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why should I believe what he thinks is a fact or a myth. I disagree with some of his ideas, and he does not convince me he knows much about alternative medicine. I think he means well, but puts a lot of faith in the FDA,

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty boring, no surprises here. Vaccinations are safe, alternative medicine is a waste of money. There are no secret cures They are hiding from you. Exercise and eat your vegetables. Books like this would be unnecessary if people applied a little common sense.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

It really seemed to me like he was just trying to site as may Harvard studies as he could in his book and then tell you what he thought about the topic anyway even if the evidence wasn't really there. Not a helpful book at all!

[Kathleen]

I love to read medical self-help books for some reason. This is one of the best.

[Denese · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not enough on alternative medicine. He says the only supplement you need is D but that's if you eat right, who does that every day? But a lot of good information backed by thorough research.