weekend warriors take note. something i pay attention to. first, something more important. something that i think can save lives. i'm taking a closer look at a problem that killed more than 250,000 people every year. it may be totally preventible. we're talking medical mistakes. in my 20 years of practicing medicine, hard to believe, i have witnessed things that will stay with me forever. for two decades i have been keeping notes on these meetings because i want to learn from mistakes other people have made. there are stories i wanted to share with the world, but couldn't figure out how to do it. i thought the best idea was make it a novel, a fictional version. it came out this week. the book is called "monday mornings." i put my character will no doctor wants to be, confronting mistakes. for obvious reasons, it is fiction, but the issues we take on are very real, and the mistakes are often avoidable. that's what i want to talk about today. joining me, my colleague elizabeth cohen. you have been talking about these issues for a long time.

"the empowered patient" i read it, it was terrific. what got you started? >> mistakes that happened in my family, myself and my children. nobody talks about this. i wanted to talk about people to find out what their experiences are. it's one of the reasons why your book resonated with me so much because these mistakes really do happen and by writing about it so beautifully and so openly, i think you are really going to help people confront what's happened because as a patient when it happens, you feel terrible, and no one really talks to you about it. >> i don't know if you knew about these, you probably did. i read about what happened with your family. there was probably a version of that, a gathering of doctors. not lawyers or administrators but they talk about what happened in the spirit of not letting it happen again and not letting it happen to other doctors in the room as well. >> patients don't know that. something bad happens and i have spoken to hundreds of people across the country, bad things

happen and you don't know what the follow up is. i was reading your book and i'm like oh, oh, this is what happened. they sit around and talk about this. i knew about them, but not the nature of the meetings. this is the first time i have seen an account of it. you have pulled back the curtain. i think it was brave of you to show what really happens. as i read it, i wonder, the mistakes that were made in the book, are they mistakes you have seen over the years? or sort of an amalgem of different things. >> yeah, a lot of them. some of them were thing that is were frankly in the press. for example, you know, even people who had the wrong side of the body operated on. you and i reported on stories like that. i sort of told the story from the hospitals and doctors perspective as well. you saw it. you saw what a meeting might look like after a mistake like that occurs. it can be tough inside those meetings. people really can be defensive,

or use black humor to try and place blame somewhere else. i wanted to give people a sense. simple things happen as a result of that. it's unlikely that doctor will operate on the wrong side again. again, for the other doctors as well, they realize some simple things, strategies torevent that from happening. >> these meetings are great and seem to help doctors. but you do wonder, what next steps need to happen so everybody can learn. if one person makes a mistake, everybody, not just that one set of doctors should learn from it. >> they should get that information quickly as well as opposed to a pier review a year or two later. let's bring in dr. peter. he's a great guy to talk about solutions. he's director of the research group at john hopkins university. welcome, doctor. good to have you on the show. >> thanks for having me. great book, i loved it. >> thank you. can you help set up how big a problem medical mistakes are in the first place? we hear a lot of numbers. up to 250,000 now. how big of a problem is this?

>> you are right, sanjay. one of the concerning things is we don't know how big of a problem it is. it's a travesty. 100,000 people die from infections we give them. 100,000 people die from blood clots. 100,000 die from diagnostic errors. tens of thousands die from not getting the recommended therapy. or from teamwork problems. add it all up and you have probably the third leading cause of death. >> it's interesting. one thing with the book, i did not want to make it a hospital populated by super heroes in scrubs. i wanted to talk about things that work to some extent. in the operating room where i work, you may know there, this, but there's a time-out that occurs before and after the operation. let's look at what it looks like. we are about to do a time-out. it's a new safety protocol.

carolyn is going to make sure everything we are about to do is the right thing on the right patient. time-out. >> everybody, time-out. has antibiotics been given? we have four units of blood in the rool. we have the aneurism clip, and everything is here. everybody agree? >> i agree. >> thank you. >> elizabeth brought up an interesting point. you see something like that. first of all, does it help? it seems like it would help. does it reduce mistakes? >> they do. medicine has been relatively understandardized. what you just saw in that video clip is picking out the mission critical steps in the surgery, or planning for the surgery having blood available, giving antibiotics on time, and then confirming that they were done. allowing them to break down barriers so anybody can raise a concern, the surgeon, the nurse, the anesthesiologist.

to make sure the patient gets a safe operation. >> i read about this in your book as well. you want to empower everyone in the hospital. i like to think i listen to everybody. if a nurse says you forgot to wash your hands, i would listen. in your researching and reporting, are people likely to listen? >> some doctors say it's not always the case. when a nurse says something or a junior level doctor says something, the head doctors don't listen. that's sometimes when mistakes happen. peter and i talked a lot about that. >> i hope that culture changes. i think anybody she's describe issing that doctor is not me. you are absolutely right. hopefully that culture does change. doctor, at the end of the day, there's a lot of people watching who say look, how do i protect myself? how do i protect my family and loved ones? are there tips you give people

in the hospital? >> you are absolutely right. there are many things that patients and families do to keep themselves safe. when you are selecting a hospital, make sure you select a hospital and a doctor who does what you are going to go in for a lot. that we know that practice makes perfect and going to a place that people are familiar with the procedure, you are more likely to have a better outcome. the second is actively participate in your care. join rounds with the doctor. speak up. ask questions. i know it's scary for patients. it was scary for me when my children were sick. there's overwhelming data you will get better faster and get better outcomes. when leaving the hospital, be confident that you know how to care for yourself. a great strategy is to read back the instructions the doctors and nurses give you to make sure you understand them in your own terms and your own language, not

the fancy language we use in the hospital but simple terms to know exactly what you are going to do to get better. >> good advice. anybody can find themselves in the role of patient. i always tell people that. if you are young and healthy, good add viles. thanks for joining us. my colleague, elizabeth cohen as well. thank you so much. coming up, we are putting your kitchen under the micro scope. how to avoid hidden toxins. it gets dangerous sometimes when i'm in the kitchen. we got good tips from "this old house." stay with us. place. and why you still feel the same. but your erectile dysfunction -- that could be a question of blood flow. cialis for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medications, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sexual activity. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain,

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i'm not having a heart attack, it's my head. no, bayer advanced aspirin, this is made for pain. [ male announcer ] bayer advanced aspirin has microparticles, enters the bloodstream fast, and safely rushes extra strength relief to the sight of your tough pain. feel better? yeah...thanks for the tip! [ male announcer ] for fast powerful pain relief, use bayer advanced aspirin. we are going under the micro scope this morning, toxic america. today, we are going focus on your kitchen. there's no way to eliminate harmful substances but you can limit it. here to help us, "this old house" editor, deb. thanks for joining us. this is something that everybody needs to pay attention to. not just talking product that is can be harmful but what you can

do instead. >> there are every day products we use with harmful side effects. we are going through alternatives this morning. >> pans. i like the teflon. it's easier to cook with when i do cook. >> it's easy to clean up. the concern is with older teflon pans, ten years or more older. they were made with a chemical that is linked to birth defects and reproductive problems. if you have 10-year-old teflon pans, it's better to get rid of them. newer teflon has been deemed safe, but if you are concerned, you can use stainless steel with a cooking spray and get the same effect. >> what about cleaners. you like the smell of ammonia to smell like your kitchen is clean. >> it's harsh. ammonia and chlorine bleach, these are harsh synthetic chemicals, and ammonia can be irritating to the eyes and to the throat. >> right. >> really, the danger is, particularly with chlorine bleach and ammonia, mixed they form a toxic gas.

be very careful about that, and it's better to look for alternatives. there are all kinds of commercial cleaners that are labelled voc-free, phosphate-free, chlorine-free. these are easier not only on our health, but on the environment and so they're always good options. in the kitchen, we have lemon juice, white vinegar, baking soda. you can make cleaning products out of these. >> what about dish washing soap. i was surprised. you si the anti-bacteria may not be a good idea? developed to kill germs in a hospital setting, not a home setting. not in a home setting. they do this with a chemical called tryclostan. >> that's right. >> bacteria are becoming resist tent to it. the more we use these products, the less they work. frankly, the stronger the germs become. in your household, you are fine using regular soap and water. studies show and doctors agree, it's just as safe and kills germs as effectively at home as

antibacterial. it can be a public health problem, exactly. >> can fruits and vegetables, things like that develop because they are so easy to use, people like it because of that? what about the canned foods? >> vegetables in soups in particular, they are in a plastic called bpa. this is something that's been in the news a lot lately. it's a class of chemical that is are endocrine disrupters. they mimic our body's hormones, and that can lead to health problems. they've been linked to higher incidents of heart disease, problems with the reproductive system, with your thyroid. really, there are good alternatives here. if you are buying soup, look for soups packaged in a tetra pack paper box that does not have the lining. rely on frozen vegetables instead of canned. you can always buy fresh and cook your own soups and such, but there are convenience products out there that don't,

you know, have this concern. >> there is that option to buy real food. >> always. always if you have the time. >> good to see you. really appreciate it. i'm going to have much more in terms of tips right here about making your entire hope as healthy as it can be. carter osterhaus, he will show us simple changes to make inside your house to make it breathe easier. >> the most common sports injuries. they are problems anyone can have. i have had them myself. now it's time to show you how to avoid them. stay with us. i am loving this greek yogurt. i like yoplait. it is yoplait.

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a little update on a fit nation challenge participant. glenn came to atlanta for the kick off last month. he weighed 300 pounds. that extra weight took its toll, especially when we all climbed stone mountain. by the end of the hike, one of glen's hamstrings was really

hurting him. our trainers did try to help him with some stretching, and he has been gradually working back into stretch. i'm glad to report that glen has lost more than 20 30u7bdz. he is stretching after every workout, and he says his hamstring feels a lot better. it's a perfect segway to my next guest. he sees patients like glenn all the time. we have a few things in common. among them, you have a book out, which is a great book. it's the athletes book of home remedies. this should be on everybody's shelf if you are thinking of athletics. thanks for being on the show. >> great to see you. pleasure to be here. >> i have to ask about glen right away. stretching the way that glen was doing there, is that something you recommend? what's the skinny on stretching? >> in the book, i go through how to make your body active and keep active. somebody like glenn is fighting with his weight and trying to be active. stretching is helpful. strengthening is more helpful. i try to teach exercises to get strengthened. so they can do activities like

climb stone mountain or do whatever they muscles. >> the thing that people worry about, i'm sure you do as well, i can't do that, i'm going to get injured. what is the way to not injure the muscles. >> the key is, i want you to basically set yourself a goal and then make your body the strongest body you can have so you can do that goal and meet that goal. >> what i like about this book, jordan, people say that kind of stuff all the time but you have a lot of examples and pictures as well of how to do these tips of it exercises. that eps had. you practice what you preach. i've got to say, you and i both know, you've done nine ironmans,

29 marathons. how do you do it? you're a busy guy as well. how do you fit it all in? >> i'm a huge believe in goal setting. for me it's an iron man. others it may be to climb a mountain. the goal setting is so important and you schedule the way it works for you. what i've tried to do is give people examples of things to do at home. they can do the exercises there on their own. >> if someone is feeling like they are injured or hurting in some way, how do they know, look, a home remedy is not enough? >> i try to go through every injury that i see. what's the injury, like your knee hurts or your back hurts. what do you do? what can you try at home? if that is not working, what kind of doctor can you see? lastly, if you need surgery, we make that decision as well. >> the other question i get,

it's almost silly, people talk about ice versus heat, for example. if you have a sore knee or ankle after a run, that's strategy. >> ice is nature's best remedy. cold plunge, if you can tolerate that. i like frozen vegetables. that's a great way. i don't like peas. 125 minutes after you exercise. it helps a lot. >> broccoli? >> i'm more likely to eat broccoli. >> you know, i'm going to keep this book. i really appreciate that you wrote it. again, this whole idea that we need to practice what we preach. people watch you. they watch me. hopefully they will start doing some of this on their own. thank you. >> exercise is medicine, you know. >> it is. >> dr. jordan metzel, thank you so much.

>> great tips to keep you injury-free. a fisherman who proves that you're never too old to learn. we'll explain after this. ? it's the amino acid metabolite, hmb to help rebuild muscle and strength naturally lost over time. [ female announcer ] ensure muscle health has revigor and protein to help protect, preserve, and promote muscle health. keeps you from getting soft. [ major nutrition ] ensure. nutrition in charge!

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welcome back. imagine hiding something from your family, your friends, your whole life. something you know would change the way they thought about you. and then one day, in your 90s, you decide to come clean. for 90, mostly sea fairing years, he couldn't read or write. >> i was so ashamed of myself that i never told anyone. >> growing up with a strict portuguese father, he was put to work. his father didn't care about school so he seldom went to class. >> i didn't learn a thing. i didn't know nothing, absolutely nothing. >> and yet his teachers kept

promoting him to the next grade. henry got married and used his street smarts to get by. his wife knew he couldn't read a word. friends and families had their suspicions but never asked. it wasn't until his wife became ill that he finally openly admitted he was illiterate. >> he says, i got to do something. i can't go all my life this way. >> with the help of family and friends, henry began to teach himself. >> he went through the entire dictionary from back be to front, reading. >> as the brain ages, it's more difficult to learn a new skill, especially at the age of 90. but henry thought time might be running out. he hired a tutor to help him and two years laterer he succeeded. he had all of these stories stuck inside his head with no way to pass it along. he put them in a book called "in a fisherman's language."

he published it at the age of 96. it's become very popular, especially among those with learning disabilities. >> i never realized that this would happen, that this book could be so popular. >> today, henry shakes his head when someone calls him an author. it's hard to process the last few years but says it's been a journey like no other. >> i don't know how i survived, but here i am. >> and just one month from monday, april 19th, jim henry will turn 100. is he chasing life to 100 and he's close. he says one of his secrets is getting eight hours of sleep a night. most people need at least seven hours. chronic sleep deprivation can cost you one year of life.

grab that rest, if you can. we measure our lives in different ways. sometimes we think of them linearly but most of us think about it in a series of moments. one of the ways i want to share my life with you is introducing you to my own mother and father who have been helping me chase life. they are in town for a book party and my parents were nice enough to come as well and join me. it's a moment i'll never forget. hug your mom, hug your dad, that will help you chase life. have you got any tips? you guys look great. how do you keep chasing life? >> well, we've really been enjoying with sons and two beautiful daughter-in-laws. >> three. >> three and three grand granddaughters. >> and fourth one on the way. >> not me.