***Dysbiosis in inflammatory bowel disease: a role for bacteriophages?***
There is very strong evidence of the contribution to altered bacterial flora in the development of inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis. However, the role of probiotics in the treatment of IBD is not as clear cut. It basically appears that, once the alterations from improper flora are present, the physiology has a real time correcting itself. Which brings us back to what alters the flora in the GI tract in the first place. The answer begins at delivery. We know that infants born vaginally have a much different flora then C-section babies. Couple this with the 90-something percent of infants that have antibiotics by the time they're 2 and you've got a recipe for physiological disaster. At some point pediatricians have to crack open a medical journal and realize the massive level of harm we are causing by indiscriminate antibiotic use for largely self-limiting conditions. I have a 2 1/2 year old that's never even breathed the fumes of the ink off an antibiotic prescription. It's not that difficult to maintain healthy toddlers--you just can't follow the status quo. Make the right decisions and you can help protect your child from adult diseases.
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***Cell phone use and risk of benign and malignant parotid gland tumors***
Few people who log in more hours on the phone per month than they do sleep actually take the time to think that cell phone use might be dangerous. Personally, I think that the links between conditions like cancer are very real. It is always hard to come to conclusions when the amount of money companies stand to lose is substantial--much like it was with cigarette smoking. It took decades for the dissenting opinion that cigarette smoking was bad for you to make it to popular opinion. We know how the rest of the story goes. In the meantime, children should absolutely only use a cell phone in case of an emergencies (given that it seems that every junior high and high school student owns one, this is a problem). If you must use a cell phone, keep the antenna as far from you as possible (i.e. flip phones, blue tooth, headsets--but only with clips on the wires to absorb EMF radiation, otherwise the headsets actually concentrate the signal!!) and minimize it's use. Avoid wearing on the hip as well. Maybe the data will finally come out that there is no harm. This is probably NOT the case, but what have you got to lose by following some simple precautions?
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***Whole Body Vibration vs Conventional Physiotherapy for Parkinson's Disease***
WBV is a therapeutic procedure gaining ground. Hopefully, the clinics advertising its using for weight loss will go out of business (not very effective here) and the legitimate uses of WBV will be promoted. Improvements in bone density, lean body mass, balance / fall prevention, circulation (varicose veins, peripheral neuropathy) just to name a few. In addition, the use of WBV sends a mass of "proprioceptive input" up to the cerebellum--signals from every receptor around every joint--that can help with a variety of other problems. Given these effects, the benefits of WBV in conditions like Parkinson's are multifactorial. Given the safety, this is a treatment modality that should be implemented in every patient.
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***Comparison of Sensorimotor Disturbance Between Subjects With Persistent Whiplash-Associated Disorder and Subjects With Vestibular Pathology Associated With Acoustic Neuroma***
As a chiropractor, I find it unfathomable that a patient involved in a motor vehicle accident would not seek chiropractic care. The known involvement of the facet joints coupled with altered signals being sent up to the brain from the receptors around the joints produces a condition that ONLY manipulation will impact. Rehab exercises, medications, interferential, ultrasound, massage--these will not affect the proprioceptive input to the brain like an adjustment. This article further supports the idea that dysfunction of the facet joints following whiplash-type injuries are real, and need to be addressed to prevent long term dysfunction.
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***The Basis for Recommending Repeating Epidural Steroid Injections for Radicular Low Back Pain***
It is not unusual for the "typical" low back pain patient to be referred out by their PCP for epidurals when the 1 wk trial of ibuprofen didn't work or when physical therapy has failed. There are a large number of ESIs done in this country in patients that have never been sent to a chiropractor for treatment. There is even evidence that suggests that patients referred for an epidural have a higher likelihood of progressing to back surgery (which is again, of questionable benefit with much risk). But what the heck...it's only $12K or so....who cares if it works? Now that $300 course of chiropractic care--THAT we need to keep an eye on...
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***Gamma-tocopherol Supplementation Alone or in Combination with alpha tocopherol in Metabolic Syndrome***
We've talked before about the differentiation between the tocopherols, and that while Mother Nature provides primarily gamma tocopherol, man sees fit to give almost exclusively the alpha form. The gamma, form, however, according to most of the research, packs a much stronger punch when it comes to protection from oxidative stress then does the alpha form. This is likely why we have not seen a strong response (and some small evidence of harm) in the clinical trials using high dose alpha tocopherol alone. This study compares the alpha and the gamma form together and separately on biomarkers for metabolic syndrome and found that the combination of the two was the most effective
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***Early differences in fecal microbiota composition in children may predict overweight***
The factors contributing to the increasing levels of obesity in our children are unquestionably multifactorial. Some of these risk factors are always modifiable--exercise, high energy / low phytonutrient diet, stress. Some, however, may not be modifiable as the child ages. These, to a certain degree, may weigh heavier because the importance of identifying the risks BEFORE they produce obesity is the only strong method of modification. So where does that leave the overuse of antibiotics in infants? Do pediatricians really understand the Pandora's box they create with even one short duration of antibiotics in an infant or toddler? Can we blame pediatricians to some degree on the obesity epidemic in our children? Maybe not in the past, but going forward from here the knowledge is known--antibiotic use may very well contribute to alteration of gut flora, subsequent altering of gut derived hormonal signals, and developing obesity.
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***Alkaline diets favor lean body mass in older adults***
Sarcopenia--the age associated loss in lean body mass--is generally viewed as an inevitable consequence of getting older. This is just not true. While the ability to gain muscle mass with exercise is retained in the elderly, it is the increased breakdown that becomes a factor. Increased muscle breakdown occurs with inflammation, sedentary lifestyles, stress, etc... Anything we can do to retain muscle mass as we age is going to have a very clear cut, positive impact on quality of life and risk of chronic disease. This particular study gives us additional knowledge in how to support our lean body mass by switching to an alkaline, plant-based diet.
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***Pharmacokinetics of a single large dose of cholecalciferol***
Patients are frequently concerned with what they consider "high" dosages of Vitamin D. They look at their bone formulas, multivitamins and Vitamin D and think that they are going to overdose. While overdose is possible, the window of safety is very large with Vitamin D and usually requires dosages over 10,000 IU / day for several months before an issue MAY arise. In this particular study they used a dosage of 100,000 IU at one time and found no notable side effects, with the authors recommending this level of dosage to be given every 2 months. Kind of makes you less worried about that whopping 400 IU in your calcium supplement your doctor recommended, huh?
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***Geographic variation and risk of skin cancer in US women***
The popular press has been somewhat excited about the increase in melanoma incidence in our children and immediately cast blame on over sun exposure. As if our kids weren't sitting inside all day on the computer or XBox or wearing SPF 90 to walk to the car. It is very obvious that our children are getting much less sun exposure than the previous generation, and yet melanoma risk is going up. If the sun exposed areas of the country do not have a disproportionately high rate of melanoma as this study suggests, then the blame needs to rightfully fall elsewhere. Low intakes of healthy fats. Low phytonutrient intake. Too LITTLE rationale sun exposure (sun exposure can actually be protective against some melanomas!!). Instead of focusing on sun exposure, we need to point to the elephant in the room and allow the right choices to be made to lower risk of melanomas.
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James Bogash, DC and Amy Strock, DC
1830 S. Alma School Rd, Bldg 7, Ste 135, Mesa, AZ 85210
(Alma School Road, just south of the Superstition Freeway/Highway 60)
Chiropractic Health Care Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert & Tempe, Arizona
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