Say Goodbye to Low-Back Pain With Regular Chiropractic Care

It is estimated that in the United States, the annual costs associated with the treatment of low back pain (LBP) total approximately $100 billion. High recurrence rates and chronic disability are believed to play a large role in the overall cost of back pain, and studies have shown that only a fraction of LBP patients remain pain free and recover completely, even one year after the problem first occurred.

In a recent study, 30 patients with chronic, nonspecific low back pain lasting at least six months were separated into two groups. The first group received 12 treatments over a one-month period, but no treatments for the subsequent nine months; the second group received 12 treatments over a one-month period, along with "maintenance spinal manipulation" every three weeks for the following nine months.

Results: Patients in both groups experienced significant decreases in low back pain scores after the first series of treatments. The greatest difference, however, was seen in disability scores over the duration of the study. Analysis of the data showed that in patients who received maintenance spinal manipulation, "the disability scores were significantly lower after the 10-month period than before the initial phase of treatment." In the other group, however, "the mean disability scores went back to their pretreatment level."

Based on these results, it is clear that regular chiropractic care not only helps reduce LBP and disability associated with LBP, but that continued chiropractic treatment following the acute treatment phase assists in keeping pain from recurring. If you suffer from LBP or any other dysfunction, your doctor of chiropractic can design an effective treatment plan.

For more information on the benefits of chiropractic click here.

Reference: Descarreaux M, Blouin JS, Drolet M, et al. Efficacy of preventive spinal manipulation for chronic low-back pain and related disabilities: a preliminary study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics; October 2004;27(8):509-514.

High Folate for High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a dangerous condition associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney failure. Often, high blood pressure is just another consequence of aging, but new research suggests that folate intake may reduce the risk of hypertension, especially in younger women.

In a study presented at a recent American Heart Association conference, scientists presented data obtained from two separate studies of women between the ages of 43 and 70, and 26 to 46, respectively. In each study, the women completed detailed questionnaires about their diet, food preparation, physical activity, health habits (including folate intake), and blood pressure levels every two years, for an average of eight years. None of the women had high blood pressure when they enrolled in the study.

The study found that older women who consumed 800 or more micrograms per day of folate were 13 percent less likely to develop high blood pressure over the eight-year followup period compared to women who consumed less than 200 micrograms daily, while younger women had a 29 percent reduction in the risk of developing hypertension. Younger women who consumed 800 micrograms of folate daily had a 39 percent reduction in the risk of hypertension compared to those who did not supplement with folic acid. The researchers suggested that high folate intake "may reduce the risk of hypertension," and that folic acid supplements "may contribute to this decrease in risk."

So load up on those foods high in folate, including citrus fruits, asparagus, brussel sprouts, spinach, chicken, brown rice, kidney beans and lentils. Need more information about hypertension or general health? Ask your doctor of chiropractic, and for more information about women's health click here.

References: Forman JB, Rimm E, Stampfer M, Curhan G. Folate intake and the risk of incident hypertension in U.S. women. Presented at the American Heart Association 58th Annual Fall Conference and Scientific Sessions of the Council for High Blood Pressure Research, Chicago, Ill., Oct. 11, 2004.

Don't Be a Stiff...Have a Heart and Exercise

Did you know that as we age our heart muscles can stiffen? This stiffening of the muscle causes pressure that in turn resists blood flow into the heart. As a result, the heart's main pumping chamber, the left ventricle, cannot pump blood throughout the body in a normal capacity, and this can eventually lead to complete diastolic heart failure.

Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas compared the function of the left ventricle in 12 healthy but sedentary senior citizens, 12 senior Masters athletes, and 12 young, sedentary adults (average age 29) to determine if aging was the primary cause of left ventricle failure, or if physical inactivity was also partly to blame.

Researchers found that sedentary hearts were stiffer than those of the Master athletes; moreover, the function of the athletes' hearts was virtually the same as that of the younger study participants - something that came as a surprise to the researchers. "We found that older, sedentary individuals' hearts were 50 percent stiffer than the Masters athletes, which we expected," said one of the researchers Benjamin Levin, MD, professor of internal medicine at the university. "What we didn't expect was that the hearts of these senior athletes were indistinguishable from those of the healthy younger participants."

The moral of the story here is obvious: Exercise can keep the heart muscle from stiffening, which means a decreased risk of heart failure and overall better health. But this shouldn't be your only reason for exercising. Regular exercise boosts mood, decreases stress, and keeps joints and muscles limber--all important aspects to maintaining health into the golden years. And remember to make routine chiropractic care a part of your health regimen.

For more information on general health and wellness click here.

Reference: Zadeh AA, Dijk E, Prasad A, et al. Effect of aging and physical activity on left ventricle compliance. Circulation 2004; 110:1799-1805.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients May Benefit From High-Intensity Exercise

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a painful joint disease characterized by inflammation and swelling of the lining of the joints, and can affect anyone at any age, including children. Though a person living with RA may not feel inclined to exercise, a recent study has found that high-intensity exercise does not increase joint damage in RA patients, and may even be beneficial.

Researchers in the Netherlands compared 145 usual care (UC) physical therapy patients with 136 patients engaged in high-intensity weight-bearing exercises over a two-year period. Study participants were evaluated for the rate of radiologic joint damage of the hands and feet. Disease activity, use of drugs, changes in physical capacity and bone mineral density (BMD), and participant attendance at exercise sessions were factors that had been determined could possibly affect the study outcome.

Results: “Participation in a long-term, high intensity weightbearing exercise programme comprising improvement in aerobic fitness and impact generating activities does not increase the rate of radiologic joint damage of the hands and feet in patients with RA,” the researchers noted. “On the contrary, it seems that these exercises have a protective effect for the joints of the feet."

If you suffer from RA, consult your physician before starting any fitness program and remember, routine chiropractic care can also help ease your pain. For more information on the benefits of chiropractic click here.

Reference: Jong de Z, Munneke M, Zwinderman AH, et al. Long term high intensity exercise and damage of small joints in rheumatoid arthritis. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 2004; 63:1399-1405.

Broccoli Compound May Suppress Growth of Breast Cancer Cells

Sulforaphane is a chemical compound found in green vegetables such as broccoli and brussel sprouts. Previous research has shown that sulforaphane can inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors in animals and can induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in colon cancer cells. Now, a new study suggests that sulforaphane may also slow the spread of breast cancer cells.

Researchers treated samples of a malignant tumor in a lab with various concentrations of a sulforaphane solution (SUL). The cells were observed every few hours to determine rates of cellular division. The scientists found that within 48 hours, sulforaphane "inhibited cell proliferation" and "induced significant inhibiation of DNA synthesis" in the tumor cells. It appeared to do so by disrupting the action of certain protein microtubules in the cells, which are vital for successful cell division.

The scientists concluded that their study "is the first to report the effectiveness of SUL as an inhibitor of human mammary carcinoma proliferation and to provide confirmatory evidence of a recently identified novel mechanism of SUL action." They further recommended that future studies be conducted to "ascertain further implications of SUL intake."

For more information on general health and wellness click here.

Reference: Jackson ST, Singletary KW. Sulforaphane inhibits human MCF-7 mammary cancer cell mitotic progression and tubulin polymerization. Journal of Nutrition September 2004;134:2229-2236.

Fruit May Boost Bone Health In Young Girls

Osteoporosis is a major health problem that is growing in importance as the population ages. It is thought that augmenting bone mass during adolescence is useful in preventing osteoporosis since this stage may be the last chance to substantially increase bone mass before skeletal consolidation. Although bone Mineral Density (BMD) is affected by many factors, nutrition is considered especially important because it can be modified.

Researchers in Northern Ireland recently conducted a study to determine whether usual fruit and vegetable intakes reported by adolescents have any influence on BMD. In the study, a random sample of 12-year-old boys and girls, and 15-year-old boys and girls were evaluated for BMD in the heel and forearm, and fruit and vegetable intake.

Researchers found that 12-year-old girls who consumed high amounts of fruit had considerably higher heel BMD than moderate fruit consumers did. No other associations were observed between fruit intake and forearm BMD, or between vegetable intake and either forearm or heel BMD. High fruit intake may be important for bone health in girls; however, additional studies are required to confirm the findings of this observational study.

For more information on pediatric health click here.

Reference: McGartland CP, Robson PJ, Murray LJ, et al. Fruit and vegetable consumption and bone mineral density: the Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004; 80(4):1019-1023.