25 April 2013 by Erik Davis
About a year ago, I had my first attack of gout. It sucked. It came on during the weekend we were moving into our house, and I was convinced I’d somehow broken my big toe in the move. I’d dropped a box on it or rolled a dolly over it or something — I must [...]
Posted in Alternative Medicine, Diet and Nutrition, Featured, Health, Medical Conditions, Skepticism6 Comments
17 January 2013 by Erik Davis
The following is a guest post by Jeremy Petch, health policy researcher and Opinions Editor at healthydebate.ca. Follow Jeremy on Twitter @JeremyPetch. Dr. Oz has become a ubiquitous television icon. His daily talk show, broadcast in Canada on CTV (owned by Bell Media), rules the daytime TV ratings. In real life, Dr. Oz is a [...]
Posted in Alternative Medicine, Canada, Featured, Guest Post, Health Policy, Skepticism24 Comments
14 November 2012 by Erik Davis
I’ve been on a quest to lose weight over the last 6 months. It had been a long time coming, and I’d put it off for too many years. But while I have been achieving my goals, it’s got to be a statistical fluke, because I’ve done just about everything wrong! 1) I ate wheat! [...]
Posted in Diet and Nutrition, Featured, Health, Skepticism45 Comments
01 November 2012 by Erik Davis
I often work from a home office. For the most part it’s quiet and allows me to work uninterrupted, but there is one thing guaranteed to break my concentration: telemarketers. On a typical day I get between 1-3 calls from someone trying to sell me something. Some of these are rather benign — charities, blood [...]
Posted in Health, Skepticism12 Comments
16 October 2012 by Erik Davis
The following announcement is posted on behalf of CFI Ottawa. Skeptic North’s own Sara Mayhew will be speaking at this event. THE WORLD IS PROBABLY NOT ENDING. NOW STOP WORRYING, AND CELEBRATE REASON! Join us for the first large scale CFI Conference in Eastern Canada: Come to Ottawa for a weekend gathering of scientists, [...]
Posted in Skepticism6 Comments
10 October 2012 by Erik Davis
Got something to say? Want to add your voice to those calling for science and reason in Canada? Over the last three years, Skeptic North has become a central Canadian hub for scientific skepticism, with authors hailing from PEI to BC and most parts in between. To fill some recent vacancies in our roll, we’re [...]
Posted in Announcements, Canada, SkepticismComments Off
01 October 2012 by Erik Davis
Practitioner Iva Lloyd (Markham, Ontario) Qualifications Naturopathic Doctor (ND), Registered Polarity Therapist & Educator (RPE), and Reiki Master Founder of Naturopathic Foundations Health Clinic Claims That… Intravenous Vitamin C kills cancer. Cancer can be fed by the food that you eat. Infra-red saunas can eliminate chemicals that promote cancer growth. Homeopathy and hydrotherapy are useful [...]
Posted in Alt-Med or Alt-Menace?, Alternative Medicine, Ontario, Skepticism7 Comments
12 September 2012 by Erik Davis
Throw a stone in a supermarket, pharmacy, or bookstore, and you’re almost certain to hit a product that promises to make you thinner. From diets books to Health Check seals to herbal supplements, I’d wager there’s no more persuasive marketing message in the world than “Helps You Lose Weight”. At first blush, it’s tempting to [...]
Posted in Diet and Nutrition, Health, Skepticism9 Comments
07 September 2012 by Erik Davis
Practitioner Sat Dharam Kaur (Owen Sound, Ontario) Qualifications Naturopathic Doctor Claims That… Teenagers can prevent breast cancer by wearing a looser bra, spending an hour a week in the sauna, filtering their shower water, not Scotchgarding their furniture, celebrating Rachel Carson Day, and 60 other easy to implement strategies.
Posted in Alt-Med or Alt-Menace?, Alternative Medicine, Ontario, Skepticism1 Comment
06 September 2012 by Erik Davis
Practitioner Joanny Liu (Calgary, Alberta) Qualifications Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine Registered Acupuncturist Claims That… Parkinson’s Disease is caused by uncomfortable feelings, which make you shake with anger, grief, and fear. Then the shaking doesn’t stop.
Posted in Alberta, Alt-Med or Alt-Menace?, Alternative Medicine, Health, Skepticism8 Comments
Erik is a technology professional based in Toronto, focused on the intersection of the internet and the traditional media and telecommunications sectors. A reluctant blogger, he was inspired by the great work Skeptic North has done to combat misinformation and shoddy science reporting in the Canadian media, and in the public at large. Erik has a particular interest in critical reasoning, and in understanding why there’s so little of it in the public discourse. You can follow Erik's occasional 140 character musings @erikjdavis
