Tuesday, May 17, 2011

May Blog and Nutrition/Health News

Office Hours Notice for May:
  • We will be closed Memorial Day, May 30, 2011 to celebrate the holiday.  If you have an emergency, call 911.
Carpal Tunnel Treatment

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:  carpal tunnel syndrome is compression of the median nerve as it travels through the carpal tunnel causing intermittent numbness of the thumb, index, long and radial half of the ring fingers.  The pain is generally worse at night.  It it is chronic, permanent damage can be causes to the nerve with constant numbness, muscle atrophy and weakness of squeezing the hand.  Although consided a repetitive stress problem, studies have not confirmed this.
Treatment:  Medical treatment consists of night splints and corticosteroid injections or surgery.  Conservative/Chiropractic Treatment:  splinting is used by chiropractors as well as mobilization or manipulation of the wrist joints, deep tissue work (Graston technique) to stretch the carpal ligament, exercises, icing, activity modification, and in my practice cold laser therapy.  I get the best results with LASER therapy and Graston technique (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization), stretching, exercises and splinting.  I also find working the whole shoulder arm and wrist complex helps relieve tension.  Sometimes CTS is misdiagnosed when it is real a pronator entrapment of the median nerve in the forearm.


NUTRITION NEWS:
  • Apple polyphenols extend fruit fly life span by 10% by apparently working on SOD (superoxide dismutase) and catalase.
  • Cup of Joe:  a Swedish study found less strokes in coffee drinkers.
  • Parkinson's and Vitamin D:  vitamin D insufficiency was highly prevalent in cases of recent onset of Parkinson's Disease.
  • Vitamin D and Lung Cancer: increasing vitamin D could help prevent lung cancer recurrence.
  • Vitamin E Supplementation and ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease):  a 23% reduced risk for ALS was found in supplementing for 2-4 years and 36% for over 5 years of supplementing.
  • Peripheral Neuropathy:  old dysfunctional mitochondria (cell powerhouse) might cause peripheral neuropathy (John Hopkins).
  • Green Tea vs. Alzheimer's:  green tea consumtion may protect against Alzheimer's disease.
  • Green Tea and Kidneys:   green tea is rich in catechins and flavinoids is a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant with health benefits against, cancer, cardiovascular disease, body weight and insulin sensitivity as well as protecting the kidneys.
  • Glaucoma Nutrition:  a nutritional formula of maritime pine bark extract and standardized bilberry extract shows promise in reducing intraocular pressure.
  • Aging Eyes:  a special topical formula of soy and rice bran extracts supported by phytonutrients found in blueberries and antioxidants from pemgranate and tea extracts have been show to quickly target dark circles and eye puffiness.
  • Triglycerides:  tocotrienols (class of vitamin E) in a recent study lowered triglycerides by 28%  At doses of 100-200 mg/day they have been shown to reduce LDL and total cholesterol by as much as 37%.
  • Echinacea: echinacea in one study resulted in a 10% decrease in cold severity and about a half a day less of symptoms.
  • Calcium Supplements for Osteoporosis: Calcium supplements with/without vitamin D moderately increase cardiovascular events including heart attacks and warrants a reassessment of their role in managing osteoporosis.
OTHER HEALTH NEWS:
  • Optimal Heart Health:  Blood Pressure below 120/80 mmHg, Body Mass Index (BM) below 25, fasting glucose below 100 mg/Dl, and cholesterol below 200.
  • Prescription Drug Abuse:  The FDA has taken steps with the Department of Justice, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, and Defense and others to deal with the recreational use of prescription drugs via focusing on removing unused prescription drugs from homes, and dealing with "pill mills" and doctor shopping through law enforcement.  Unused prescription drugs have shown up as party drugs where drugs are dumped in a bowl without knowledge of their effects, what they are for, or the risks and side effects of taking them.  The drugs are often stolen from parent's medicine cabinets and could include opiods as well as things like heart medications, and pain medications to name a few.
  • Allergies:  Allergies are inflammation.  The following foods can help fight allergies naturally:  Salmon: Fatty coldwater fish like salmon (EPA and DHA) are omega 3 fatty acids.  Trout, tuna, nuts and seeds are also omega 3 sources.  Grape juice: Grape juice is a good source of resveratrol and antioxidant (may reduce asthma inflammation), red wine (even more resveratrol), blueberries, (may help lower blood sugar) and peanuts all contribute to resveratrol Beans: loaded with the B vitamin folate which may reduce allergic reactions.  Cutting back of pro-inflammatory red meat is also good.  Apples have quercetin a flavonoid which may stem histamine production and cool inflammation. Yogurt: has loads of probiotics for gut bacterial which lowers immune substances that affect allergies. Carrots:  colorful diets (veggies) have cartoneoids may have an allergy-quelling effect.  Mix It Up: mix up your diet but avoid inflammatory foots:  sugar, high saturated fats, red meat, heavy carbohydrate diets, and heavy fast foods.
  • CAMS and Osteoarthritis:   What complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) work with osteoarthritis.  A recent review found that capsaicin gel, SAM-3 were the most supported and some evidence that MSM, rose hips (vitamin C) and  Indian Frankincense (5-loxin or boswellia) may be effective.   
Sources:  Google images, Medscape, Real Age, Life Extension.