A Painful Lesson

When it comes to handling pain, are you a pill-popper? If you're one of the millions who reach toward the medicine cabinet when you feel a headache or other pain coming on, take note: According to a recent study, you might actually be making the pain worse over the long run.

Researchers found that daily or near-daily use of over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription painkillers was associated with chronic headaches (especially chronic migraines), and to a lesser extent, with other common, chronic pain conditions, including neck and back pain. For example, daily use for one month increased the likelihood of suffering chronic migraines nearly threefold, and chronic neck pain and chronic back pain nearly twofold.

If that isn't frightening enough, researchers discovered that subjects who took painkillers daily for more than six months (more common than you might think) were more than 20 times more likely to suffer chronic migraines, 3.5 times more likely to suffer chronic neck pain, and 3.5 times more likely to suffer chronic back pain.

If just thinking about these figures gives you a headache, don't reach for the medicine cabinet! Schedule an appointment with a doctor of chiropractic, who is trained to manage these types of conditions - and prevent them from recurring. For more information on the potential dangers of OTC and prescription medications click here.

Reference: Zwart J-A, Dyb G, Hagen K, et al. Analgesic overuse among subjects with headache, neck and low-back pain. Neurology 2004;62:1540-44.

Start Smart, Stay Healthy

Getting children off "on the right track" has been shown to positively influence educational achievement and overall fitness in later life. In other words, start smart, stay smart, and start healthy, stay healthy. But did you know that starting your children off smart might actually help them stay healthy?

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health interviewed 633 adults, ages 30-39, whose parents had enrolled them (from birth up to age 7) in a health study more than 30 years ago. After performing a variety of tests, and comparing the results of an IQ test administered to each subject at age 7, the researchers reached an interesting conclusion: "Higher cognitive performance at age 7 was related to a significantly reduced risk of serious illness in adulthood."

Specifically, they noted that a 15-point increase in IQ correlated with a 33 percent reduction in the risk of illness. This association was independent of parents' socioeconomic status and study participants' attained level of education. The researchers suggest that smart children may acquire better skills to help avoid illness, particularly with respect to successful management of their health care.

These findings underscore what you should already know - the inherent value in exposing your children to a wide variety of stimulating experiences that help develop their cognitive skills. For more information on the essentials of childhood health and wellness click here.

References: Martin LT, Fitzmaurice GM, Kindlon DJ, Buka SL. Cognitive performance in childhood and early adult illness: a prospective cohort study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health August 2004;58:674-79.

When Baby Comes, "Good" Cholesterol May Go

Ah, the joy of pregnancy - in spite of the hormonal changes, unavoidable weight gain, increasing inability to sit down or sit up on your own, and a host of other frustrations, most women say it's one of the most magical times of their lives. The culmination of this nine-month adventure is a bubbly bundle of wonderment and perfection. Life couldn't be better, right? Well, according to a recent study, there might be at least one unforseen drawback to a first pregnancy: a reduction in your HDL cholesterol.

"HDL" or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol is also known as "good" cholesterol because evidence suggests that it actually helps protect against heart disease, and may remove excess low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol from plaque on arterial walls. The more HDL cholesterol we have, the better. Researchers tracked nearly 2,000 U.S. women from 1986-96, establishing lipid profiles at baseline and tracking changes over three time intervals (baseline to years 3, 5 and 7). Results showed that "pregnancy exerts persistent adverse effects on HDL cholesterol," according to the study authors. LDL cholesterol did not change over any interval based on pregnancy/childbirth status.

If you're expecting, be sure to meet regularly with your health care team to ensure a healthy pregnancy - for you and for your soon-to-arrive child. Ask about ways you can stay healthy, both during pregnancy and following delivery. And whether you're pregnant or not, ask your doctor about improving your cholesterol profile with appropriate nutritional modifications. A number of foods may help increase HDL cholesterol levels, including fish (particularly salmon), olive or canola oil, spinach, avocado, and soy products.

To access a wealth of information on women's health, including pregnancy click here.

Reference: Gunderson EP, Lewis CE, Murtaugh MA, et al. Long-term plasma lipid changes associated with a first birth. The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. American Journal of Epidemiology 2004;159(11):1028-39.

Yo! How's Your Immune Function?

Just about everyone knows that yo-yo dieting - repeatedly losing and gaining weight - isn't very effective in the long term. And who wants to go through the frustration of dropping 10 or 20 pounds then putting it all back on and more? The reality is that far too many people are on yo-yo diets these days, and the consequences might expand (no pun intended) beyond simple weight loss and weight gain.

According to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, repeatedly losing and gaining weight in cyclical fashion may actually reduce long-term immune function, and the reduction is proportionate to the amount of times the person has intentionally lost weight. This is significant because the immune system is essentially the body's line of defense against infection, illness and disease. When the immune system is low, your chances of getting sick are high - the lower your immunity, the greater the risk of acquiring anything from a common cold to cancer.

Maintaining a weight appropriate to your body height/type and following a sensible, moderate exercise and diet regimen are the keys to keeping immune function high - and they're great ways to stay happy and healthy, too! Your chiropractor can evaluate your current situation and, if necessary, recommend a permanent weight-loss strategy.

For more information on proper nutrition click here.

Reference: Ulrich C, et al. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2004;104:892-94, 903.

Fishing for a Solution to Exercise Induced Asthma

Proper breathing is a vital component of effective exercise, whether you're running, swimming or lifting weights. Breathe in, breathe out; inhale on the way up, exhale on the way down. Sounds easy, right? Not if you suffer from exercise-induced asthma. It's been estimated that nine out of 10 chronic asthma sufferers, and four of 10 individuals with allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis, will feel the effects of exercise-induced asthma. Symptoms can include chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath, and fatigue.

There is hope for sufferers of this condition, however: Researchers at the University of Indiana have found that fish oil may reduce the severity of exercise-induced asthma in athletes. Subjects who consumed fish oil capsules daily for three weeks (approximately 5.4 grams of fish oil per day) showed improved postexercise pulmonary function and reduced symptoms of exercise-induced asthma compared to control subjects who received no fish oil supplementation.

Good dietary sources of fish oil include herring, albacore tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines and anchovies. And if you don't have the time (or palate) to fit fish into your regular diet, you can always get the benefits of fish oil from a regular supplement. Ask your chiropractor about the benefits of fish oil, particularly if you suffer from asthma.

For more information on vitamins, minerals and supplements click here.

References: Mickleborough TD, Murray RL, Ionescu AA, Lindley MR. Fish oil supplementation reduces severity of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction in elite athletes. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine November 2003;168(1):1146-7.

Standing Strong in the Fight Against Rheumatoid Arthritis

Approximately 2.1 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - a painful, debilitating disease that causes joints to become inflamed, leading to pain, stiffness, swelling and loss of joint function. Declining bone mineral density (BMD) and progressive joint damage are common features of this frustrating condition.

Not a pretty picture - and certainly not a physical environment conducive to exercise, particularly exercise intended to build and maintain muscle strength and mass. In fact, loss of muscle strength/mass can be another consequence of RA. However, a study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases provides evidence that muscle strength gains and normal bone mineral density can actually be maintained in people diagnosed with early RA.

In the study, 70 patients were randomized to perform either home-based strength training or range-of-motion exercises for two years. Both groups were also encouraged to perform aerobic activity two to three times a week. After two years, the research team assessed patients' muscle strength gains, and then encouraged subjects to continue strength training on their own. Three years later, researchers found that not only had subjects' initial strength gains been maintained, but also that BMD had not declined, and radiographic evidence of joint damage had not progressed.

While these findings certainly aren't definitive, they do suggest several important points: People with rheumatoid arthritis may be able to safely participate in physical activity, and exercise may help slow the progression of the disease.

If you suffer from RA, consult your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen. For more information on sports and fitness click here.

Reference: Hakkinen A, Sokka T, Kautiainen H, et. al. Sustained maintenance of exercise induced muscle strength gains and normal bone mineral density in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: a 5 year follow up. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2004; 63: 910-16.