Well-researched: New book on healthy aging from pharmacist who banned homeopathic products and sugary drinks from his store

Like most pharmacists, Graham MacKenzie has spent the last two years in a busy haze, at one point leading the team at his small Cape Breton pharmacy as they administered thousands of COVID vaccines between March and July 2020. Yet somewhere between running his business, Stone’s Pharmasave in Baddeck, N.S., carrying out the many responsibilities of a pharmacist and even writing a blog for this site, MacKenzie has also managed to write a book. Healthy Logic: Evidence Based Healthy Aging tackles a range of topics–including sleep, pain, weight loss, common diseases and longevity–to help readers make sense of what’s mere opinion versus what’s based on robust research. “For example, there’s a lot of opinion out there that says organic food is better for you or that you live longer when you eat organic food. Or some people say we should be taking mega dose of vitamin D or consuming lots of Omega 3,” said MacKenzie. “I took these topics that we commonly hear or read about and explored them through the lens of good, evidence-based studies.” Read: Small Cape Breton pharmacy administers 5,000 vaccines Readers will likely find many surprises in the book, said MacKenzie, who made waves a few years ago when he decided to stop selling homeopathic products and sugar drinks in his pharmacy–a move that led to significant reductions in beverage consumption in his community, according to researchers from the University of Waterloo. For example, one chapter that examines the common practice of stretching before a workout or sport concludes that there isn’t a lot of evidence to support it. Another chapter, on micronutrients, offers reassurance about certain medications known to deplete nutrients such as vitamin B12 and iron. “It turns out a lot of those nutrient depletions from medication clinically did not have an effect on longevity,” said MacKenzie. Given the abundance of health-related information out there–including many that gained credence because they made media headlines–MacKenzie said he felt it was important to educate readers on the various types of studies. The book dedicates a chapter on explaining such concepts as randomized studies, cross-sectional studies, meta analyses and case reports. “A lot of things make news when they have a conclusion that seems to grab headlines but as consumers of this information we need to ask questions like, can that study be duplicated, and if it’s done in another geographical area or centre might it come up with a different answer?” said MacKenzie. “It’s tough to beat a duplicated, multi-centre randomized control trial.” Healthy Logic is written for a wide audience, but MacKenzie said he believes pharmacists and doctors will find information in the book they can apply in their practice. “I would hope that they get useful knowledge from the book to help their patients,” he said. “And I hope they can use it to take care of themselves too.” Healthy Logic: Evidence Based Healthy Aging is available for purchase on Amazon and on HealthyLogicBook.com. Read: Pharmacy Leader Teresa Pitre: "Have big dreams."

Well-researched: New book on healthy aging from pharmacist who banned homeopathic products and sugary drinks from his store

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