Lifecare Chiropractic
James Bogash, D.C.

1830 S. Alma School Rd
Bldg 7, Ste 135
Mesa, AZ 85210
(480) 839-CARE (2273)

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March 2006 Newsletter

 

In this issue of To Your Health:

Low Back Pain Makes You Less Fit

It's a generally accepted theory that people who have chronic low back pain are less physically fit than people who don't have low back pain. There are several reasons for this theory. In some people, for instance, the pain may be too great to exercise; other people may be afraid that strenuous activity might lead to an injury, causing even further pain. A recent study has found that while people with chronic low back pain are indeed less physically fit than people who are pain free, the reasons for being less fit aren't as clear as you might think.

In the study, 108 people with chronic low back pain completed a series of questionnaires and performed a modified cycling test to measure heart rate and oxygen consumption. Results of the tests were then compared to a group of healthy people who were similar in age and activity levels.

Only 84 patients with low back pain were able to complete the cycling test; 86 percent who did complete the test had lower aerobic fitness levels compared to the healthy group. While the authors of the study believed their research provided evidence of a link between low back pain and reduced fitness levels, none of the "usual suspects" associated with the theory, such as fear of injury, pain and low activity levels, seemed to support the link.

If you suffer from low back pain, it doesn't necessarily mean you will become less physically fit. Talk with your doctor of chiropractic about creating an exercise program that will keep you in shape without injuring your back or causing any undue pain. For more information, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/sports/exercise.

Smeets RJEM, Wittink H, Hidding A, et al. Do patients with chronic low back pain have a lower level of aerobic fitness than healthy controls? Spine 2006;31(1):90-97.

Delay Heart Problems With a Good Diet

As we age, our hearts don't function as well as they used to. Studies conducted on animals have shown that reducing caloric intake can help them live longer. Reducing calories has also been shown to lower the risk of atherosclerosis in humans. A new study shows that while reducing the amount of calories you consume may help your heart continue to function normally with age, it is just as important that you consume a balanced diet.

In this study, scientists examined heart function in two groups of people. One group consumer a "typical Western diet" that averaged 2,445 calories per day, with 31 percent of the calories derived from fat. A similar group at a "nutritionally balanced" diet that averaged 1,671 calories per day, with approximately 28 percent of the calories derived from fat. People who consumed the reduced-calorie diet had significantly lower levels of certain inflammation markers in the blood. In addition, their hearts appeared to show greater elasticity and less stiffness than patients who consumed the Western diet.

The point of this study? Eating less alone won't reduce your risk of certain heart problems; you also need to make sure the food you eat is high in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Doctors of chiropractic are well-versed in nutrition, and can provide you with a wealth of information on choosing a diet that is low in calories, yet extremely nutritious. For more information, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/.

Meyer TE, Kovacs SJ, Ehsani AA, et al. Long-term caloric restriction ameliorates the decline in diastolic function in humans. Journal of the American College of Cardiology 2006;47(2):398-402.

Preserving Your Brain Through Meditation

Meditation has been practiced for centuries as a way of helping to balance a person's physical, mental and emotional states. Research has shown that meditation can produce significant positive changes in the brain. However, the bulk of this research has been conducted on people who make meditation a central focus of their lives, or who practice it for significant periods of time each day. What about the effect of meditation on the general population?

To answer this question, researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to compare the brains of 20 meditation practitioners and 15 people who had no experience with meditation or yoga. The meditation practitioners all practiced a type of meditation called Insight an average of six hours per week, and had practiced Insight an average of 9.1 years.

The MRI scans showed that certain regions of the brain associated with sight, hearing, emotional processing and cognitive function were significantly thicker in the meditation group compared to the control group. The thickness was more pronounced in older, more experienced meditation practitioners, which suggested that meditation could help reduce thinning of the frontal cortex, which occurs as people age.

There are literally dozens of meditation techniques that can be practiced. Some are quite simple and can be picked up with only a little practice; others may require months or even years to master. If you would like to learn more about meditation, talk to your doctor about some of the different methods available.

Lazar SW, Kerr CE, Wasserman RH, et al. Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. NeuroReport Nov. 28, 2005;16(17):1893-1897.

 

The Rehabilitation of Low Back Pain: What Works Best

Back pain is an extremely common condition; by most estimates, 80 percent of all people experience it at some point in their lives. Chronic low back pain is an especially common disorder. Evidence suggests that using rehabilitation techniques to treat low back pain patients is more effective than doing nothing. The question is, which types of rehabilitation work best?

In this randomized, controlled trial, 212 people with chronic low back pain were assigned to one of four groups: active physical exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, a combination of the two therapies, or no treatment. Patients undergoing active physical exercise rode a bicycle and performed back exercises to improve fitness levels and increase back strength, while patients used cognitive behavioral therapy to help them cope with the pain and overcome their reluctance to perform physical activities.

At the end of the trial, patients in all of the treatment groups saw an improvement in function and a reduction in pain levels compared to the group that received no treatment. In addition, the ability to perform certain physical tasks improved in patients who received active physical exercise or combined therapy, but not cognitive behavioral therapy.

While exercise and cognitive therapy appear effective in helping to rehabilitate people with low back pain, they are by no means the only therapies available. Your doctor of chiropractic can draw up a treatment program that combines chiropractic adjustments with techniques such as those listed above to provide a safe, effective form of rehabilitation. For more information on the methods doctors of chiropractic use in the treatment of low back pain, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/musculoskeletal/backpain.

Smeets RJEM, Vlaeyen JWS, Hidding A, et al. Active rehabilitation for chronic low back pain: cognitive-behavioral, physical, or both? First direct post-treatment results from a randomized controlled trial. Musculoskeletal Disorders Jan. 20, 2006;7:5.

A Grapefruit a Day Keeps Heart Disease at Bay

Consider the grapefruit. While most people know grapefruit is good for you, they still prefer to eat other citrus fruits because of grapefruit's bitter taste. A new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has elevated the status of the lowly grapefruit to new heights by showing that it can reduce cholesterol levels in the blood significantly, which helps to lower the risk of other conditions that could lead to heart disease.

The study involved 57 postoperative heart bypass patients who had high levels of triglycerides in the blood. The patients were divided into three groups. All three groups followed a standard anti-atherosclerosis diet for 30 consecutive days. In two of the groups, patients also consumed one white or red grapefruit each day. The third group did not receive any grapefruit and served as a control population.

While eating either kind of grapefruit appeared to reduce cholesterol levels, the cholesterol-lowering effects were much greater among patients who consumed red grapefruit. In red grapefruit patients, total cholesterol levels were reduced 15.5 percent compared to the control patients, and total triglyceride levels were reduced more than 17 percent.

There are a number of ways to reduce your risk of heart disease. One of the easiest ways is eat a diet high in grapefruit and other foods that are high in antioxidants, which can lower cholesterol levels and provide other benefits that will keep your heart healthy. Make sure to talk to your doctor of chiropractic about antioxidant-rich foods as part of a balanced diet. For more information, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition.

Gorinstein S, Caspi A, Libman I, et al. Red grapefruit positively influences serum triglyceride levels in patients suffering from coronary atherosclerosis: studies in vitro and in humans. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, ASAP article (doi:10.1021/jf058171g), published online Feb. 3, 2006.

Here's the Dish on Candy

"Out of sight, out of mind." It's an old phrase that can apply to a lot of situations. A recent study shows that this phrase can easily be applied to the number of candies a person eats at work, with people being more likely to consume more candy per day when it's in plain sight and within easy reach.

In the study, 40 adult workers (all female) volunteered to take part in a four-week study of chocolate consumption from an office candy dish. In one phase of the study, 30 Hershey's chocolate kisses were placed either on the volunteer's desk, or 6.5 feet away (but clearly visible). In the second phase, the candies were placed in covered bowls that were either clear or opaque, again on the volunteer's desk or 6.5 feet away.

People ate an average of 2.2 more candies each day when they were visible compared to being hidden, and 1.8 candies more per day when they were on the person's desk compared to 6.5 feet away. While this may not seem like much, consider that one Hershey's kiss contains approximately 25 calories. Over a five-day work week, this could add up to 275 extra calories to a person's diet, not to mention the extra sugar and fat due to candy consumption.

While the results of this study don't mean the end of the workplace candy dish, they do mean that the closer and more visible food is, the more likely a person is to eat a lot of it. If you're going to eat snacks at work, why not snack on healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, or items that have fewer calories and are low in fat and sugar? For more information, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition/foods.

Wansink B, Painter JE, Lee Y-K. The office candy dish: proximity's influence on estimated and actual consumption. International Journal of Obesity, advance online publication (doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803217), published Jan. 17, 2006.

Dr. James Bogash, D.C.
1830 S. Alma School Rd, Bldg 7, Ste 135, Mesa, AZ 85210
(Alma School Road, just south of the Superstition Freeway/Highway 60)
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