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Healthy Life Newsletter January 2012
Looking for a simple resolution to improve your overall health? Start drinking green tea. My beverage of choice, green tea is a potent source of catechins - healthy antioxidants that can inhibit cancer cell activity and help boost immunity. Need more reasons to drink green tea? It can also:
- Lower cholesterol levels and rates of heart disease
- Help protect against bacterial infections
- Promote joint health and stronger bones
- Reduce inflammation
- Enhance the effects of antibiotics, even against drug-resistant bacteria and "superbugs"
Green tea is available in a wide range of varieties - introduce yourself by substituting a cup of green tea for a cup of coffee, or add a glass of iced green tea to your afternoon ritual and you will soon be enjoying the health benefits of this delicious beverage! Learn to appreciate the subtle fragrance of good-quality green tea and use teatime to unwind, meditate and take respite from your stress du jour
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http://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=1506
When it comes to neck pain, many people seek relief and ways to make sure they do not have to endure it ever again. This is where prevention comes in. Often times, it is age-related wear and tear that is responsible for many aches and pains in the neck area, but there are also other everyday things that can contribute to ongoing pain and discomfort.
Let's take a look at some of those along with ways on how to prevent neck pain from occurring on a daily basis.
One of the first places to start prevention of neck pain is in the bedroom where you spend most nights asleep – often in the wrong position, which may be contributing to ongoing neck pain.
Here are some tips to make sure you are protecting yourself from neck pain while napping and sleeping throughout the night:
- Sleep on your side or your back with a pillow that can support your neck. Look for pillows that offer built-in neck support. When sleeping on your side make sure to keep your neck supported with a high pillow.
- Use memory foam pillows or cervical pillows that can help your neck to adjust properly and avoid neck pain in the morning.
- Try to keep your head leveled when sleeping upright making sure you don't keep your neck to one side the whole time.
- Get enough sleep and rest – Make sure to talk to your chiropractor if you are having Sleeping problems such as difficulty falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, waking early in the mornings, and non-restorative sleep. People with these issues are more likely to develop chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Comment by Dr. Mha Atma: Perhaps the most important approach to preventing neck pain during waking hours is to practice the chin tuck exercise to strengthen the front neck muscles and reduce the postural strain of forward head posture, and to be aware of keeping the chin slightly tucked whenever possible. We have a great handout about this, so ask for it on your next visit to the office or email me (just hit reply to this email) and I'll send you a copy.
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I always recommend that we improve our ability to take deep breaths and expand the lungs capacity. Using the cue "breath into the back" helps improve posture.
Let me be perfectly clear – you can improve your posture – first become aware of your posture. Second requires training your body with simple exercise maneuvers and progressing to more challenging strength exercises.
Here are some simple exercises to get you started:1. Engage in daily use of the foam roll to provide self-myofascial release and self massage. Spend 3-5 minutes rolling out the thoracic spine and shoulders.
2. Make sure you know how to go from "sitting to standing" properly. Stand upright (tall spine) imagining a sting attached to the base of the skull is lifting you upright, rather than leaning forward at the waist when going from sitting to standing. Once you are up, raise the hands above the head with the arms extended and with the elbows in line with the ears. Lean or bend backward as far as possible, making sure the hips go forward and the arms go backwards simultaneously. Repeat this maneuver 10 times.
3. Perform "Chair Decompression": The person sits in an upright chair with their arms behind them, slightly bent, hands on the seat of the back of the chair. They push downward, straightening the arms and leaving the buttocks in the chair, unloading the trunk and spine. Keep the arms externally rotated; this moves the upper body into something similar to Brugger's.
4 .Perform Brugger's relief position: Sit at the edge of a chair; Put your knees apart (wide) and your feet under the knees: Arch your back; Rotate your arms outward so your palms face forward; Separate your fingers and point your thumb backward; Tuck in your chin; Hold this position while taking a deep breath in though your abdomen. HOLD the position for 5 seconds, release for 3 seconds, Repeat 3-5 times. (Note from Dr. Mha Atma--ask or email me if you'd like an illustrated handout of Brugger's.)
5. Perform Cobra: Laying face down on the floor-in prone position, have arms beside your hips. Activate the core by drawing in your navel towards spine and squeezing the glutes. With your core and glutes activated, lift the chest off the floor, lift arms up and back towards the hips rotating thumbs towards the ceiling. Pause momentarily at the top of the lift then return to starting position; at all times keeping the chin tucked into the chest and the feet on the floor. Upon completion of the movement, repeat. Don't over emphasize arching of the back to the lift the chest off floor. Only lift to where you are comfortable - no lower back pain should be felt. Note: hold for 2-3 seconds. Repeat 5 times.
6. Core training including the abdominals, lower back, gluteus, and hips is important for pelvis alignment. (Note from Dr. Mha Atma-- We can give you handouts illustrating and describing several good core trainingexercises.)
7.Strength training exercises include A) Bent over back rows. Bend over from the hips with the torso parallel to the floor. Pull either bands or free weights up, squeezing your shoulder blades as close together as you go). B) Standing or seated rowing exercises - start with your arms in front of the body holding on to a band or cable machine. Pull straight back bending at the elbows with the hands moving back along the sides of the body. C) Back Flys - Gripping on to a cable machine or bands, extend your arms into a wing span position.
For more, go to http://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=1497
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More from Dr. Weill:
If the cold weather and reduced sunlight of the winter months are getting you down, consider trying St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). This extensively researched herb may be effective for supporting optimal day to day functioning, including:
Supporting a healthy outlook
Promoting optimal mood
Supporting healthy sleep
Sustaining optimal appetite
Maintaining skin health
St. John's wort is available in tablets, capsules, tinctures, fluid extract, powdered extract and infused in oil. I recommend products standardized for hyperforin and hypericin. Take 300 milligrams three times a day. To support optimal mood, it may take six to eight weeks to work. If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), you may want to try St. John's wort in conjunction with a light box or other type of bright-light therapy commonly used for SAD.
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Latest Vitamin D Research
Diabetes risk: An Australain study assessed 5,200 adults for glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. They were reasssessed five years later and 199 had developed type 2 diabetes. Folks with low blood levels of vitamin D were more likely to develop diabetes-- each increase of 10 ng/ml in blood levels was associated with a 24 percent lower diabetes risk. (Diabetes Care, 2011;34:1133-1138)Insulin function: A study at Tufts University Medical Center in Boston enrolled 92 prediabetic middle-aged obese adults who were give 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D and/or calcium and/or placebos. People taking vitamin D, but no calcium or placebos, had improvements in pancreatic function and increases in insulin secretion. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011:doi 10.3945/ajcn.111.011684)Metabolic syndrome: Also known as Syndrome X, Metabolic Syndrome is a cluster of clinical findings (elevated blood sugar or insulin, abdominal obesity, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol) known to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Reserachers at Georgia State University, Atlanta studied 5,867 adolescents and found that those with the lowest vitamin D blood levels were 71 percent morelikely to have signs of metabolic syndrome. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2011;94:225- 233).Pregnancy: A study at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleson, found that pregnant women can savely take at least 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Women take 4,000 IU were more likely to achieve normal D levels, as were their newborns, compared to women taking 400 or 2,000 IU. (Journal of Bone Mineral Research, 2011).
Allergies: A study at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, found vitamin D deficiency to be associated with greater risk of IgE mediated allergies to pollens and some foods. Doctors measured D levels and IgE allergic sensitization in 3,100 children and 3,400 adults. Seventeen allergies were tested and 11 were more common in children and adolescents with D deficiencies, especially peanut, ragweed and oak allergies. (Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2011;127: 1195-1202).
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Omega-3 Fish Oil Supplements Ease Depression in Seniors-- Italian researchers gave fish oil capsules or placebos to 46 depressed women in a nursing home for two months. The supplements provided 1,670 mg of EPA and 830 mg of DHA daily. The women taking the fish oil had a significant decrease in symptoms of depression. They also reported notable quality of life improvements as defined by their general satisfaction with various aspects of their lives. (Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 2011;15: 37-44.)
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Dangers of acid-blocking proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs-- TheU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has previously warned that these drugs (including Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid) interfere with the absorption of vitamins B12 and C. Recently they warned that PPI use for over a year interferes with magnesium. Low magnesium levels can cause muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat, and seizures. In 2009, 21 millions prescriptions were filled for these drugs. (Note from Dr. Mha Atma: Even without these drugs, studies have shown that most Americans are deficient in dietary magnesium. Low magnesium levels can contribute to inflammatory conditions including asthma, arthritis and chronic pain.)
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Vitamin D and Heart Disease
Taking supplements to overcome a vitamin D deficiency may cut the risk of dying by more than half compared to people who remain deficient. This finding comes from a University of Kansas analysis of data on more than 10,000 patients. The researchers first found that 70 percent of patients in the population they studied were deficient in "D" and were three times more likely to die of any cause than those whose vitamin D levels were normal. The risks of death dropped by more than half after the deficiencies were corrected with supplements. At the initial evaluation of the data, the investigators found that patients with low levels of "D" were twice as likely to have diabetes, 40 percent more likely to have high blood pressure and about 30 percent more likely to have cardiomyopathy (a diseased heart muscle) than those who weren't deficient in "D". The study doesn't prove that a vitamin D deficiency is the cause of the illnesses seen - other factors could play a role. The study was published online Nov. 7 by the American Journal of Cardiology.
You're more likely to get a good night's sleep if you perform moderate exercise for at least 150 minutes a week - that's only 30 minutes a day for five days. This finding from Oregon State University comes after reviewing data on more than 3,000 adults between ages 18 and 85 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. For a week after they were examined, the study participants wore an accelerometer on their right hip for a week. Results showed that those who did moderate exercise for 150 minutes or vigorous exercise for 75 minutes or a combination during that week had a 65 percent better quality of sleep than those who didn't put in the same amounts of time. What's more, those who did a full week's requirement of exercise reported feeling less tired during the day and having fewer leg cramps during sleep than the other participants. The study was published in the December issue of the journal of Mental Health and Physical Activity. Earlier research has linked poor sleep quality to increased inflammation in the body, high blood pressure and increased blood glucose levels and insulin resistance among people with type 2 diabetes.
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Having Coughs and Congestion?
If dry, bronchial coughs and chest congestion are bothering you this winter, consider taking mullein. The flowers and leaves of this small, hardy Mediterranean shrub are safe and effective in addressing many seasonal respiratory concerns. Products are available as tinctures, oils, powders, lozenges, capsules, extracts and even in whole leaf form - select reliable brands that are 100 percent pure mullein. For congestion and dry cough, try a dropperful of tincture in a little warm water every four hours. Mullein is safe for adults, but do not give mullein to young children for coughs. For adult ear problems, try a few drops of mullein oil, slightly warmed, directly in the ear. As with any supplement, pregnant women should discuss mullein with their doctor before use.
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http://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=1508
In the Sept. 27, 2011 posting of the Biomedical Central Journal: Family Practice, R.J. Adams and colleagues commented on concerns raised by the common prescribing of nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory medications, particularly with respect to their important and sometimes fatal adverse side effects. They state, "Non- steroidal anti-inflammation drugs (NSAIDs) are one of the most common causes of reported serious adverse reactions to drugs, with those involving the upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT), the cardiovascular system and the kidneys being the most common. Much of the focus on NSAID adverse effects has been on GIT consequences, with good reason. A U.S. study found the rate of deaths from NSAID-related GIT adverse effects is higher than that found from cervical cancer, asthma or malignant melanoma." They also point out that frequent use of NSAIDs increases risk for high blood pressure, chronic heart failure, as well as serious cardiovascular events (with certain NSAIDs).
Studies show that the risk of suffering these adverse side effects is increasing among the elderly and those with multiple health conditions. The researchers cite recent evidence suggesting that the burden of illness resulting from NSAID-related chronic heart failure may exceed that resulting from GIT damage.
Adams, et al., also cite evidence from a recent Danish population study, which suggests increased cardiovascular mortality among people without a prior history of heart disease, but who frequently use NSAIDs. This seems to be particularly true for diclofenac and ibuprofen. However, the baseline cardiovascular risk of people in this study was not reported. The researchers also note that NSAIDs promote the rapid deterioration of renal function. As such, national medical guidelines recommend avoidance of nephrotoxic drugs, including NSAIDs, in people with chronic kidney disease.
Acetaminophen
It's not only NSAID medications, such as drugs containing aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin, diclofenac, COX-2 inhibitors, that raise concerns regarding frequent and significant side effects, but also for acetaminophen-containing medications. The National Kidney & Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse posted the following precautionary notes about acetaminophen on its Web site:
"Kidney Disease From Acetaminophen and NSAIDs - A form of kidney damage, called analgesic nephropathy, can result from taking painkillers every day for several years. Analgesic nephropathy is a chronic kidney disease that over years gradually leads to irreversible kidney failure and the permanent need for dialysis or a kidney transplant to restore kidney function. Researchers estimate that four out of 100,000 people will develop analgesic nephropathy. It is most common in women over 30.
A review article in Life Extension provides scientific references outlining the dangers of acetaminophen use over long periods. The authors state, "Acetaminophen is a leading cause of liver failure in the Western world and the leading cause of drug-induced liver failure in the United States (Bartlett D, 2004). People who have liver disorders or who consume large amounts of alcohol are advised to avoid acetaminophen, which can damage both the kidneys and the liver, even at therapeutic doses (Bromer MQ, et al., 2003). People who use acetaminophen on a regular basis double their risk of kidney cancer (Kaye JA, et al., 2001; Gago-Dominguez M, et al., 1999; Derby LE, et al., 1996). Most cases of acetaminophen poisoning occur because people take smaller doses over a long period of time. In this setting, doses of 4000 mg daily can be toxic."
Drugs for Autoimmune Patients
Many people with autoimmune diseases also have inflammation of joints and other tissues. Some novel medications have been developed to inhibit the overstimulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on target tissues in these cases, as well as anti-metabolite medications, such methotrexate and purine inhibitors, which decrease proliferation of the immune cells involved in the inflammatory and hyperproliferative signaling cascade.
The potential side effects of TNF-inhibitors such as infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), certolizumab pegol (Cimzia), or etanercept (Enbrel), include lymphoma, infections, congestive heart failure, demyelinating disease, a lupus-like syndrome, induction of auto-antibodies, injection-site reactions, systemic side effects and opportunistic infections. The most common side effects of methotrexate include acne, chills and fever, dizziness, flushing, general body discomfort, hair loss, headache, infertility, irregular periods, itching, loss of appetite, lowered resistance to infection, miscarriage, nausea, sensitivity to sunlight, sore throat, speech impairment, stomach pain, swelling of the breast, unusual tiredness, vaginal discharge, and vomiting.
Common side effects of purine-synthesis inhibitors include increased risk of infection, nausea, fatigue, hair loss, and rash. Azothioprine has been listed as a human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in its 11th Report on Carcinogens.
Long-term use of corticosteroid drugs, such as prednisone and dethamexasome, are known to cause weight gain – with redistribution of body fat to the upper back and neck (Buffalo hump), glucose intolerance, hypertension, increased susceptibility to infections and cancer from immune suppression, osteoporosis from demineralization, easy bruising, mood swings, insomnia, depression upon withdrawal, avascular necrosis of bone, abdominal striae, cataracts and acne.
It's not realistic to eliminate all anti-inflammatory drugs from the market due to the risk of serious adverse side effects. In some cases, these drugs are life-saving (e.g., acute flare-ups of lupus and other autoimmune diseases), or have been shown to improve the management of various inflammatory conditions and improve quality of life for certain patients when no other forms of therapy or treatment have been useful. However, there are a number of dietary and supplementation practices that should also be implemented in these cases.
The problem is that most medical doctors fail to teach patients who suffer from joint inflammatory diseases how important it is for them to follow an anti-inflammatory diet and to use natural supplements that have proven anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects to help manage their condition (as well as the use of glucosamine sulfate to support joint cartilage in osteoarthritis and cartilage injury management). These dietary practices and ingestion of anti- inflammatory and cartilage-supporting supplements can be taken concurrently with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and autoimmune medications. Their inclusion in the comprehensive management of these conditions can reduce the patient's need and dependency on synthetic medications, and thus reduce the risk of significant side effects over the patient's lifetime.
Many patients with inflammatory joint conditions respond well to chiropractic care, in addition to exercise and various ancillary modalities. An anti-inflammatory diet and anti-inflammatory supplements as part of the can help reduce dependency on NSAIDs and other anti-inflammatory, analgesic and autoimmune medications. Taking these steps can help reduce the risk of serious drug-related adverse side effects and organ damage over a lifetime. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic for more information.
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James Meschino, DC, MS, practices in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is the author of four nutrition books, including The Meschino Optimal Living Program and Break the Weight Loss Barrier.
