Warning: Sciatica Ahead!

Sciatica affects about five percent of adults in the United States and is one of the most common causes of chronic disability. Scientists have identified a genetic mutation that significantly raises the risk of sciatica, a common cause of back pain. In a recent study, individuals with this gene mutation were three times more likely to have sciatica, a spinal disc disease that affects the body's largest nerve and causes pain in the lower back and legs. This study, appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, states that sciatica has been linked to environmental factors such as improper lifting and sitting for long periods. This new findings suggest that people with the genetic variation are especially vulnerable to such stresses. The mutation is though to damage a protein in the disk called collagen IX. This can make the disc prone to rupture, sometimes resulting in pressure on the sciatic nerve, which runs from the pelvic area down each leg. The variation can be found in a relatively simple blood test, offering a new way to diagnose sciatica which often does not show up on MRI scans. Your doctor of chiropractic can provide you with more information on testing for and the potential causes and most effective methods of managing sciatica and other back conditions. Reference: Paassilta P, Lohiniva J, Perala M, et al. Identification of a novel common genetic risk factor for lumbar disk disease. The Journal of the American Medical Association 2001:285(14), pp. 1843-1849. For more information on back pain, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/backpain.html.

Which Shoes to Choose?

For many women, the classic stiletto high-heeled shoe can make an outfit sing. However, too often these shoes can also make the feet ache. But did you know that they could also cause long-term damage? Studies have shown that narrow high-heeled shoes are bad for the knees, causing osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, in which joint cartilage degenerates. In this study, published in The Lancet, U.S. researchers found that wide-heeled shoes caused 30% greater pressure on the knees than walking barefoot. The particular parts of the knee affected are those which deteriorate as osteoarthritis develops. A particular kind of pressure, called varus torque, placed on the knee was measured. It was found that pressure makes the quadriceps muscle in the thigh work harder, which in turn places more pressure on the kneecap. This study shows that wide-heeled women's dress shoes cause the same, if not greater alterations in knee torques (pressures) as narrow-heeled shoes, and recommends the wearing of shoes with low or no heels. Your doctor of chiropractic can tell you more about appropriate foot attire and help you choose a shoe that is safe and suitable to your needs.. Reference: Kerrigan C, Lelas J, Karvosky ME. Women's shoes and knee osteoarthritis. The Lancet 2001:357, pp.1097-1098.

Eating Away at Wrinkles

A fountain of youth may be as close as your kitchen, new study findings suggest. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and unsaturated fats may ward off wrinkles by boosting the skins natural defenses against sun damage. In an international study of eating patterns and skin aging, investigators found that dark and fair-skinned people who ate plenty of wholesome foods but passed on butter, red meat and sugary confections were less prone to wrinkling. Some of the skin-smoothing foods included green leafy vegetables, beans, olive oil, nuts and multigrain breads, researchers reported in The Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Many of the skin-protecting foods the study turned up are rich in antioxidant vitamins, which may fend off environmental damage. More than 400 adults, aged 70 and older, who ate more of the foods that are universally recommended for good health had smoother skin. The study authors speculate that certain foods offered skin protection due to their high levels of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E. Monosaturated fats such as olive oil may offer beneficial protection through the same mechanism. Fatty acids are present in the skin, and monosaturated fats resist oxidative damage. How do you know what fruits and vegetables have high levels of antioxidants? Ask your doctor of chiropractic, or ask that your local grocer post nutritional information about the products that you choose, if they don't already. For additional information on senior health issues, visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/senior.html. Reference: Purba M, Kouris-Blazos A, Wattanapenpaiboon N, et al. Skin wrinkling: can food make a difference? Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2001:20(1), pp. 71-80.

To "B" or Not to "B"

Giving the B vitamin to patients with chronic hepatitis B improves signs of the disease, a small study has found. The study, reported in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, could point to a cheap and non-toxic way of treating the infection. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is spread through contact with the blood or body fluids of an infected individual. HBV infects the liver, and in severe cases can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. Symptoms can be treated with antiviral drugs and interferon, but there is no cure. An astute patient noticed that his high aminotransferase enzyme levels, or catalysts for the transfer of amino acids, indicated a more active infection of the liver. After a review of the patient's chart, a relationship was found noting that the patient's aminotransferase levels fell when he took thiamine. While patients were on thiamine treatment, their aminotransferase levels fell from abnormally high to normal levels, which increased when the Thiamine was withdrawn. This is the first study to investigate thiamine for treating hepatitis B infection, however, thiamine is cheap, and without side effects. Watermelon, green beans, oysters, and sunflower seeds are all great sources of thiamine. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about the essentials of proper nutrition and the negative impact poor diet can have on your future health and wellness. For more information on nutrition, visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html. Reference: Wallace AE, Weeks WB. Thiamine treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection. The American Journal of Gastroenterology 2001:96(3), pp. 864-868.

Abusing Antibiotics

Acute sinitus is an inflammation of the membranes lining the sinuses. It affects perhaps 20 million adults and children a year and is among the most common childhood ailments for which antibiotics are routinely prescribed. Serious complications such as meningitis can occur, but are rare. Despite guidelines that recommend their use when symptoms linger, antibiotics have little or no effect against most acute sinus infections in children. The most recent study to make this claim, published in Pediatrics, comes amid growing concern that the overuse of antibiotics is creating drug-resistant germs. One hundred and sixty-one children, eight years old on average, were given one of two common penicillin-type amoxicillin drugs or dummy pills for two weeks. By the start of the third week, about 80 percent of the children in all three groups showed similar improvement. Antimicrobial treatment offered no benefit in overall symptom resolution, duration of symptoms, recovery to usual functional status, days missed from school or childcare, or relapse and recurrence of sinus symptoms. The authors suggest that parents practice awareness, and doctors wait until symptoms have lasted at least three weeks before prescribing antibiotics. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about nonpharmaceutical alternatives for managing acute sinusitis and other childhood illnesses. For more information on childhood conditions, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/childhood.html. Reference: Garbutt JM, Goldstein M, Gellman E, et al. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of antimicrobial treatment for children with clinically diagnosed acute sinitus. Pediatrics 2001:107(4), pp. 619-625.

Walking Reduces Women's Risk of Heart Disease

Can a leisurely nine-minute stroll once a day reduce a woman's risk of coronary heart disease? A five-year study of some 40,000 women found that a little exercise, such as walking one hour a week, halved the risk of heart disease compared to women with no reported physical activity. Women with other risk factors, such as smoking, high cholesterol levels and obesity, greatly benefited. According to the report posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association, this study should encourage women who have no leisure-time physical activity, as the benefits are great and the effort is minimal. It was the amount of time spent walking, not the pace, that counted, the study found; women who strolled benefited as much as those who walked more rigorously. A brisk walk is more effective, but any kind of walking appears to be beneficial. So keep that body in shape! You'll look better, you'll feel better, and you'll be protecting your heart against disease. Ask your doctor of chiropractic for more information. Reference: Lee IM, Rexrode KM, Cook NR, et al. Physical activity and coronary heart disease in women. The Journal of the American Medical Association 2001:285(11), pp. 1447-1453. For additional information on women's health, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/women.html.

Lifting Strategies for the Golden Years

Elderly people are prone to injury during lifting because of the effects of decreased flexibility and strength with aging. As a result, vertebral compression is common amongst the elderly, and may result from a fall or during lifting. The relation between lifting strategy and strength and postural stability in the elderly is unknown. This study, published in Spine, attempts to help elders choose safe lifting techniques. Knee and hip muscle strength appeared to be a controlling factor in whether subjects chose a back or a leg dominant strategy. Stronger subjects, those with stronger knee and hip muscles, used a leg dominant strategy. Subjects with proportionally weaker hip muscles compared with knee muscles preferred a leg dominant style of lifting, or squat-lift. The hip muscles rotated around the pelvis, providing a stable base for the muscles to lift the trunk. In a leg-dominated strategy, the pelvis is in a rotated position at the time of liftoff. The subjects with hip muscle weakness could take advantage of the pelvic position and extend the trunk before using their knee muscles to lift their body weight. Weaker subjects appeared to prefer a back dominant strategy. The choice of a back dominant lifting style is intuitive when the knee muscles are especially weak. Beyond emphasizing strength and endurance exercise in elderly patients, weak elders should be taught to use a leg dominant lifting strategy, or if they are not physically able, to use a combined back/leg strategy. Your doctor of chiropractic can provide you with more information on proper lifting techniques and tips on managing and coping with weakened bones and muscles. To learn more about senior health issues, visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/senior.html. Reference: Puniello MS, McGibbon CA, Krebs DE. Lifting strategy and stability in strength-impaired elders. Spine 2001:26(7), pp. 731-737.

Maintain Strong Bones with Vegetable Protein

Elderly women who get too much protein from animal products like meat and cheese risk fractures and bone loss. Improving bone health can be as easy as using vegetables as a great source of protein. In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who received a higher ratio of their protein from meat or dairy products rather then vegetables, had three times the rate of bone loss. Researchers gave more than 1,000 women a questionnaire, which covered 64 different kinds of foods. They then broke the results down to show how much of each group the women ate and looked at how much protein the women got from animal products and how much from vegetables. They were then categorized by intake level of animal protein. Vegetables have some acid, but they also have a substance called base (a biocarbonate), which neutralizes acid. Our bodies don't like too much acid, like the levels found in meat/dairy protein, so our kidneys help us adjust by excreting acid in urine. Because we get older, our kidneys become less and less capable of excreting the acid. As a result, bones, which are partly made up of base, step in to try to neutralize the acid. Over decades, this process causes the bone to dissolve, causing it to lose bone mass and calcium, which increases the risk of fractures. The point is not to stop eating meat and cheese, but to eat more fruits and vegetables instead. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about the basics of a healthy, balanced diet. For online information on nutrition, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html. Reference: Sellmeyer DE, Stone KL, Sebastian A, et al. A high ratio of dietary animal to vegetable protein increases the rate of bone loss and the risk of fracture in postmenopausal women. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2001:73, pp. 118-122.