Friday, January 8, 2010

January Blog and Health News

Scheduling StuffI will be closed Friday January 22nd and Saturday January 23rd.  Marty is having surgery.  (Friday will most likely be all day but we don't have the schedule yet.  February and March will bring some seminar activity but should only affect Saturday's.  I will keep you posted.

Happy New Year to everyone.  I do hope it was a safe holiday season.  Marty and I enjoyed a week of vacation visiting family in snowy Michigan (2 feet deep) and almost did not make it back due to lake effect snow (11 inches the night before we left).

HEALTH and NUTRITION NEWS
  • The Mediterranean Diet is considered one of the more healthy diets for cardiovascular health.  However, most peiople do not get enough olive oil which has polyphenols which enhance its healthy effects.  The diet mainly consists of abundent plant foods, olive oil, fish, red wine and other substances rich in fiber, fruits and vegetables, and omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Ginko biloba apparently has protective effects from radiation.  So if you plan on getting yourself nuked soon stock up on the ginko.
  • Higher vitamin D levels in older women seems to ensure longer survival.
  • Catechins in tea help promote fat loss in overweight individuals.
  • Lower vitamin D levels before menopause predict hypertension and predicts higher heart and stroke related deaths in blacks.
  • Researchers estimate that 40% of Americans are deficient in vitamin B12. 
FROM CHIROPRACTIC AND MEDICINE
  • Macromastia (large breasts) leads to numerous problems for women.  Complaints of neck and upper back pain, thoracic outlet syndrome, low back pain, headaches and muscle aches and pains are common.  Soft tissue deformity from bra straps undoubtedly damages the underlying fascia and muscles as well as the skin.  A recent study showed that reduction mammaplasty (breast reduction) decreased back compressive loads by 35% and improved dysfunction and pain related to travel.  Now, good luck on getting an insurance carrier to authorize it as medically necessary.
  • Headaches:  The International Headache Society (IHS) has classified headaches into two broad categories, primary and secondary. Primary headaches are headaches with no known organic cause and are classified into 4 groups 1) migraine 2) tension-type 3) cluster and 4) other primary headaches (1). The subject of this paper, episodic tension-type headache (ETTH), is one of three sub-categories of tension-type headache. The others being chronic tension-type headache and probable tension-type headache.  Treatment/Prevention:  stress/tension, menstruation, weather, TMJ problems, trigger points, and water deprivation have been implicated as well as, to a lesser extent, sleep deprivation, frequent traveling, consumption of alcohol, withdrawal from caffeine, smoking, hunger, glare, relaxation after stress, exhaustion and odors.  Treatment includes avoiding triggers as well as treating problems such as mechanical neck joint dysfunction, TMJ problems and trigger points.  These problems can be effectively treated with manipulative therapy and soft tissue therapy or physiotherapy.
  • Chiropractic care is being expanded to include more Veterans and military facilities.  DCs are highly qualified to take care of the many non-surgical soft tissue and joint problems resulting from carrying heavy field packs and the stresses and strains of combat.