Honolulu Chiropractor

Amidst a great deal of emotion and rhetoric coming out of Connecticut this week regarding the stroke issue The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation has just released a very clear position statement on the issue of chiropractic and strokes.

Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes.

“While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney.

According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists.

“What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.”

While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.”

Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.”

Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.”

In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe.

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Though movement can often be painful if you have arthritis, achy knees and joints are not reason enough to stop exercising. In fact, not exercising can make the symptoms of arthritis much worse. Regular, modest exercise improves joint stability and strengthens muscles, according to the December issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s healthSource. In addition, exercise  improves mood, sleep, energy levels and day-to-day functioning. People with arthritis who exercise regularly actually report less pain.That’s right. Exercise can actually relieve the aches and pains of arthritis.

Why is this so? When a person avoids exercise, joints become even less mobile and the surrounding muscles shrink, causing increased fatigue and pain. Read more…

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ScienceDaily — Laboratory experiments suggest that the resin of certain trees of the Middle East, known commonly as the “myrrh” of the Christmas story, may have cholesterol-lowering properties. Research published in the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public health discusses the hypocholesterolemic effects of myrrh and other plant products.

Myrrh is a rust-coloured resin obtained from several species of Commiphora and Balsamodendron tree, native to the Middle East and Ethiopia. It is perhaps best known as one of the gifts of the Magi offered to the infant Jesus, along with gold and frankincense. At the time, myrrh was revered as an embalming ointment and is also an ingredient in incense.

Nadia Saleh Al-Amoudi of the Department of nutrition and Food Science, at the King Abd Al-Aziz University, in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, explains that myrrh is known to have medicinal properties, including antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Read more…

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Breathing properly can make a huge difference both mentally and physically. Unfortunately there are several barriers that may prevent you from breathing from your abdominal area. Poor posture, stress and anxiety and even tight clothing may prompt you to breathe using your chest muscles rather than the diaphragm.

Diaphragmatic breathing, also called belly breathing, is an easy deep breathing practice that coaches you on how to use your diaphragm for breathing. The diaphragm is the sheet of muscle located at the bottom of your lungs. When you inhale properly, the diaphragm flattens and shrinks while your chest area expands. The vacuum this action creates pulls air into your lungs; as you exhale, the diaphragm relaxes and the chest cavity is reduced.

Deep breathing exercises are often prescribed as a complementary treatment for people with excessive stress and anxiety in their life. If you often feel tense and anxious or you simply want to want to boost your energy levels and endurance, try diaphragmatic breathing.

Clear your Mind

You can stand, lie down and sit comfortably in a chair; no yoga cross-legged positions are necessary. Try to clear your mind of the stresses of life such as the chores left still to do or the fact you still have a ton of holiday cards to send off. If you cannot calm yourself, you will not be able to adequately perform the deep breathing exercises for your mental and physical health.

Develop Better Posture

How you hold your body, your posture, is an important facet to performing diaphragmatic breathing properly. With the right posture, you can get a lot more air into your lungs which in turn mean more energy because of the increase of oxygen flowing throughout the blood vessels. Imagine a string stretching from your diaphragm to your chest. When your posture is correct and you breathe deeply, that imaginary string will pull taut, feeling like the area from your chest to your belly button is lengthening. Read more…

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Good news for my fellow cheese lovers: A study in The American Journal of Clinical nutrition shows that women who indulged daily in one ounce of full-fat cheese gained fewer pounds over time than their peers who refrained.

Self.com, which shares this little slice of information, says that conjugated linoleic acid found in whole dairy may actually fuel the metabolism. One ounce — a 1-inch cube or a piece about the size of your thumb — may not seem like enough cheesy goodness, but Self offers the following ways to enjoy a smaller portion of some of your favorite full-fat cheeses (No more of that reduced-fat cheese imposter!):

>>Goat cheese
One ounce of this creamy choice contains 76 calories and 6 grams of fat (4 g saturated) and boasts 5 g of filling protein. It’s also a good source of copper, which keeps your immune system humming. Swap out mayo and smear goat cheese on a wrap or mix with chopped nuts and dried fruit for a filling toast topper.

>>Parmesan
At 111 calories per serving, it seems like a splurge, but Parmesan comes with loads of needed nutrients: A single ounce contains nearly as much bone-building calcium as a glass of milk and 10 g protein—more per ounce than chicken breast. Grate and sprinkle over a bowl of salad greens for a punch of flavor.

>>Cheddar
It’s easy to warm up to this classic queso: It gets perfectly gooey—not greasy—when heated and has 6 percent more calcium than American cheese. An extra sharp cheddar adds zing to favorite foods like tacos and veggie burgers.

>>Monterey Jack
Nosh on Monterey Jack and a piece of fruit for a salty-sweet balance of carbs, fiber, protein and fat that can tide you over until your next meal. In the mood for something spicy? Choose pepper Jack cheese, a twist on Monterey Jack that includes hot peppers such as jalepeños. Eat 1 ounce of either to secure about 20 percent of your daily requirement of calcium and 6 g protein for 110 calories.

>>Ricotta
Good news, lasagna lovers! Even full-fat ricotta is a low-cal wonder: It weighs in at a scant 49 calories and 4 g fat (2 g saturated) per ounce and has the lowest amount of sodium of any cheese out there. For a decadent-tasting dish, toss ricotta with pasta and fresh herbs or stir into jarred tomato sauce for an easy upgrade.

>>Provolone
This mellow, firm cheese is versatile enough to go with most deli meats. One slice offers 21 percent of your daily requirement for calcium, along with other bone-building minerals phosphorus and selenium. Layer it on top of lean meat for 100 calories and 7 g fat (5 g saturated).

>>Mozzarella
Net 22 percent of your daily calcium with one serving of this luscious pick. Mozzarella contains 85 calories and 6 g fat (4 g saturated) per ounce. It’s an ideal fit for omelets because it won’t overwhelm the mild flavor of eggs and meshes well with most vegetables. Cheese for breakfast? Yes, please!

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Officials at the new Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute announced today the center's participation in a novel Parkinson's study aimed at determining the physical and neurological impact of simple exercise on Parkinson's patients. Participants' brains will be monitored to determine if increased physical activity actually helps protect the neurons in the brain from the disease.

The study, "Exercise training in Parkinson's disease: Neural and functional benefits", in partnership with Arizona State University is funded by the National Institutes of health and begins as Ali, who has suffered from Parkinson's disease for more than 20 years, helped unveil the new Parkinson's center at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. The 10,000 square-foot center is the most comprehensive of its kind in the nation and double the size of the original center that first opened in 1997.

From its beginning, Ali and his wife, Lonnie, have wanted the focus of the center to be helping Parkinson's patients stay active and involved. This research study underscores that focus and passion. In conjunction with Arizona State University, researchers will test the participants who are aged 50-70. During the trial participants will follow a structured exercise program called "pole-striding", which is walking with ski-like poles.

"Until now we have had only anecdotal evidence that regular physical activity is disease modifying," says Darolyn O'Donnell, who will help lead the study at the center. O'Donnell explained that participants will undergo 12-weeks of pole-striding for three days a week as they walk for about 45 minutes during each training session. "One of the key elements of this study is that we are using a simple exercise that can be duplicated by anyone."  Read more…

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Do you experience pain in one or both hips whenever you twist them or when you cross your legs?  Does the pain keep you awake at night and make it hard to get a good night’s sleep? When you get out of bed in the morning, or when you get out of your car, are you stiff and do you find it initially difficult to move your legs? If you answered “yes” to any or all of the previous questions you may have imbalances and alignment problems in the lower part of your body that, in addition to creating hip pain, can in the course of time produce degenerative joint disease in your hips if not addressed.

Even though hip pain and related problems can often be traced to age-related degenerative conditions, especially osteoarthritis of the hip joint, osteoarthritis isn’t always the “bad guy”. In fact, instead of creating the original problem, osteoarthritis of the hip joint can be the ultimate result of damage to your hips earlier.

Damage as the result of biomechanical problems, such as an ankle sprain or knee strain, can cause changes in your gait that create hip pain. Furthermore, your gait may vary to compensate for new activities such as a job change, an alteration in the way you sit, a new sport or activity, or if you start driving for long periods of time on a regular basis..

In addition, gait imbalances can be caused by carrying a baby or small child on your hip, leg length discrepancies, or foot pronation challenges. Strictly speaking, anything that generates an asymmetry or imbalance when you are in motion can cause painful hip problems.

As part of the chiropractic management of your hip problem, along with adjustments, your chiropractor may prescribe orthotics. Your chiropractor will also offer suitable progressive rehabilitative exercises that include muscle stretching and strengthening.

Hip pain won’t vanish on its own. Hip pain is a sign that something needs to be corrected. Your chiropractor can help to get you out of pain, get back into balance, and get your life back!

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If you sit for extended periods at a computer, you may be experiencing lower back pain, upper back pain, and/or neck pain that also radiates down one or both of your arms generating additional pain, pins and needles, or numbness. Neck and shoulder pain are, in fact, the most common upper-extremity musculoskeletal problems among computer users. In a 2002 study tracking 632 computer users newly hired at major Atlanta companies, Dr. Fredric E. Gerr, an occupational medicine physician and ergonomics investigator at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and colleagues observed that roughly 60 percent developed neck or shoulder pain in the first year, though the study did not track how long symptoms persisted.

Younger generations growing up in the digital age are also joining the ranks of the “typing wounded.” Surveys at two universities found that 40 to 50 percent of undergraduates experienced upper-extremity pain from using their computers. Colleges do not build dormitory furniture to be ergonomically adjustable, said Dr. Benjamin Amick, scientific director of the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, who was a co-author of those studies. “They build it to be indestructible.”

In addition to repetitive stress problems, sitting at your computer too long places your upper back in a sustained, stressful posture, especially if you tend to lean forward when you’re working. This also puts your neck at an unnatural and strained angle. Lower back pain, in addition to being generated by simply sitting for long periods of time without getting up and moving around, is aggravated by bad posture.

Problems caused by extended computer use can not only lead to an inability to perform your work duties, but can keep you from enjoying the rest of your life, too. Your Honolulu chiropractor can assist in eliminating the lower back pain, upper back pain, and/or neck pain that you are currently experiencing. After that, it is important for you to become mindful of your body as you sit at your computer, and to give your body what it naturally needs. You can cultivate the habit of both sitting straight in your chair (as opposed to slouching) and relaxing your shoulders. This will help to relieve tension in your lower and upper back and neck. Take time to stretch periodically to ease muscle tension and encourage healthy blood flow. If your work station permits, sitting on an exercise ball can not only aide in keeping you in a beneficial posture, but can help to strengthen your core muscles as well. (Make sure that the ball is the right size so that when you are seated on it your arms are at a ninety-degree angle to your keyboard.)

Good posture for ease of movement, variety in the motions that you do, and short breaks to relax and stretch will go a long way in keeping your computer work (or play) pain-free.

Partial source: The New York Times, Health Review, June 22, 2009

Technorati Tags: chiropractor, lower back pain, neck pain, pins and needles, upper back pain

Are you ready for this? For years (and years) chiropractors like me, plus nutritionists and other health-conscious professionals have been advising men, women, and children to lay off the fast foods. Everyone is aware already of the artery-clogging, fat-producing effects of a fast food diet. So, tell you something you don’t know, right? Well, here it is: It’s not just the fast food, itself, that can shorten your life span, but the wrapper it comes in that is a risk to your health and longevity, as well!

Add to the growing list of chemicals showing up in human blood, chemicals called diPAPs. They’re found in the compounds that make food wrappers grease-proof. These chemicals are fairly new and scientists don’t know yet if they are harmful to human health. But diPAPs break down into another worrisome chemical, called PFOA (perfuorooctanoic acid), which is in a class of compounds called perflurochemicals, and may be carcinogenic.

PFOA and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate, another perflurochemical) are resistant to oil and water, which makes them perfect for use as fast food wrappers, and as liners on nonstick pans, microwave popcorn bags, and pizza boxes, not to mention carpets clothes, and electronics among many other applications. The problem is that these compounds end up in the environment, our food and our bodies.

“The take-home message is that some chemicals that make our lives easier, better and more satisfying end up in our bloodstream with unknown toxicological consequences,” said Scott Mabury, a chemist at the University of Toronto. “We should be smart enough to design chemicals that do what we want them to do without causing a chemical pollution problem.” Imagine that — designing chemicals that wouldn’t harm our bodies or pollute the environment. I wonder why no one has thought about that until now?

For the complete article, go tohttp://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/05/15/food-wrapper-chemical.html?campaign=w01-101-ae-0001

Technorati Tags: diet, fast food, health, pollution