When Work Causes Back Pain

We're all subject to back problems - it's one of the drawbacks (no pun intended) of walking upright on two legs. Couple that with life's variety of daily stresses, and it's all but guaranteed that most people eventually suffer from back pain.

No matter what your occupation is, it's a source of daily or near-daily stress. Work-related factors have long been implicated as potential contributors to back pain, a hypothesis supported by recent research in the journal Spine. Four hundred and eighty-four men and women participated in a 24-year study to determine specific occupational factors related to low back pain (LBP). The study also evaluated whether interactions between psychosocial and physical factors, and between work-related and leisure-related factors, affected LBP. Results showed that:

* Heavy physical workload and sedentary work (i.e., jobs involving prolonged sitting or limited movement) increased the risk of LBP among men and women.

* Among women, smoking and the combination of "whole-body vibrations" (a phrase used by researchers to designate jobs involving driving or operating machinery, etc.) and low influence over work conditions increased the risk of LBP.

* Among men, high perceived load outside work (i.e., exercising, household responsibilities and/or repair, etc.) and the combination of poor social relations and overtime increased risk of LBP.

What can you do about back pain? First, be aware of "red flags" - factors at work and at home that may increase your risk. Second, schedule regular chiropractic appointments. Your doctor of chiropractic will evaluate any current back pain you might be experiencing and help prevent future back pain from occurring.

Thorbjornsson CB, Alfredsson L, Fredriksson K, et al. Physical and psychosocial factors related to low back pain during a 24-year period. Spine, Feb. 1, 2000: Vol. 25, No. 3, pp369-75.

For more information on back pain, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/backpain.html --

Avoid Alcohol During Pregnancy

Even a Single Drinking Binge May Cause Brain Damage

Don't drink when you're pregnant - we've all heard the general warnings, but exactly how much is too much? Some health experts claim that expectant mothers can safely consume small amounts of alcohol (one drink per day) and still deliver a healthy baby, while others warn of the potential effects of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) - impaired growth, learning and coordination difficulties, and deformed facial features.

According to a study published in the February issue of Science, even the smallest amount of alcohol can jeopardize fetal health. researchers administered a 20% solution of alcohol to seven-day-old rats in two separate treatments given two hours apart; a control group was treated with a saline solution for comparison. Twenty-four hours after the initial treatment, large numbers of neurons had been deleted from several major regions of the developing brain in the group exposed to alcohol.

Although the study involved rats, the authors are quick to point out that this developmental stage (the first two weeks of birth in rats) coincides with human fetal development from the sixth month of pregnancy until birth. They warn that if a pregnant mother consumes alcohol for even a few hours in a single drinking episode, she could be putting her developing fetus at risk for neurological damage. Consult your team of health care professionals during pregnancy to ensure the health and safety of your child.

Ikonomidou C, Bittigau P, Ishimaru MJ, et al. Ethanol-induced neurodegeneration and fetal alcohol syndrome. Science, Feb. 11, 2000: Vol. 287, pp1056-60. --

Vegetarian Diet May Reduce PMS Symptoms

Women and men share many of the same health concerns. However, women must also contend with specific health issues raised by their female physiology: painful menstruation (dysmenorrhea) and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS symptoms have long been associated with hormonal changes, particularly elevated levels of estrogen. It has been hypothesized that plant-based diets may help bind estrogen, thus reducing PMS symptoms. To test this hypothesis, 33 women followed a low-fat, vegetarian diet for two menstrual cycles, then followed their customary diet for two additional cycles while taking a supplement placebo pill.

The dietary regimen included grains, vegetables, legumes and fruits; animal products, fried foods, avocados, olives, nuts, butter and seeds were prohibited. Results showed that duration of PMS symptoms and pain intensity (particularly behavior changes and water retention) were significantly less during the diet phase compared with the placebo phase. Levels of "serum sex-hormone binding globulin," a protein known to reduce estrogen in the bloodstream, were also higher during the diet phase.

So what can you do about PMS? As these findings suggest, PMS symptoms may be mediated by dietary influences, specifically a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and whole grains, and low in fats, salt, sugar and caffeine. Consult with your doctor for more information.

Barnard ND, Scialli AR, Hurlock D, et al. Diet and sex-hormone binding globulin, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual symptoms. Obstetrics & Gynecology, Feb. 2000: Vol. 95, No. 2, pp245-50.

If you'd like more information on women's health, visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/women.html --

Lots of Antibiotics, Little Success

Otitis media refers to inflammation of the middle ear area just behind the eardrum. Two out of three children under the age of three suffer at least one episode of otitis media, and up to one third experience six or more episodes by the time they start school. Common symptoms include irritability, difficulty sleeping, fussiness (in younger children), and ear pain and hearing loss (in older children).

Antibiotics are standard treatment for this condition, even though little scientific evidence supports their use. A case in point comes from the British Medical Journal, which published a study comparing antibiotic treatment vs. placebo (no treatment) for acute otitis media. Among 53 general practices in the Netherlands, 240 children between six months and two years of age were randomly selected to receive either amoxicillin or placebo. Results showed only slight differences between the two groups with regard to symptom resolution (more common in the antibiotic group at day four, but similar by day 11); duration of fever (shortened by one additional day in the antibiotic group); and crying and/or pain (no differences between the two groups).

The authors conclude that if seven to eight children with acute otitis media are given amoxicillin treatment, only one child will experience symptom improvement by day four. They suggest that the effectiveness of antibiotics for this condition is limited, especially in children under two years of age. Contact your chiropractor for information on nonmedical approaches to resolving otitis media.

Damoiseaux RAMJ, van Balen FAM, Hoes AW, et al. Primary-care-based randomized, double-blind trial of amoxicillin versus placebo for acute otitis media in children aged under 2 years. British Medical Journal, Feb. 5, 2000: Vol. 320, pp350-54.

To learn more about chiropractic management of childhood conditions, visit http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/childhood.html --

On the Safety of the Chiropractic Adjustment

The term "chiropractic" comes from the Greek word "Chiropraktikos," meaning "effective treatment by hand." Effective treatment by hand is exactly what chiropractors do, delivering gentle adjustments to the spine and musculoskeletal system to maximize wellness and prevent dysfunction.

Complications resulting from any procedure are always unfortunate, regardless of the health care professional administering care. While a certain degree of risk accompanies all health interventions, specific concerns have been raised over the safety of spinal manipulation.

But have no fear: As a study in the Chiropractic Journal of Australia professes, the chiropractic adjustment is "one of the most conservative, least invasive and safest of procedures within the health care professions." The study compared complication rates, specifically cerebrovascular accidents(CVAs)and/or death attributable to spinal manipulation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and numerous medical procedures. The author emphasizes that the potential risk of "catastrophic" side-effects from spinal manipulation is substantially lower than most common medical procedures.

If you're interested in safe conservative care for yourself and your loved ones, schedule an appointment with a doctor of chiropractic. For more information on chiropractic, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/find/whatis.html

Rome PL. Perspectives: an overview of comparative considerations of cerebrovascular accidents. Chiropractic Journal of Australia, Sept. 1999: Vol. 29, No. 3, pp87-102. --

Too Much Added Sugar

Carbohydrates, including sugars, comprise the body's primary source of energy. Sugar occurs naturally in many foods (i.e., fruits and dairy products), but there are countless processed foods that contain high amounts of refined sugar. A little sugar is OK, but too much can contribute to poor overall diet and poor health. The figures show that Americans consume far too much sugar on a daily basis.

As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals, 15,010 people two years of age and older recorded a 24-hour recall of dietary intake. researchers calculated intake of added sweeteners, paying specific attention to average intake from all sources and from specific categories; contribution of added sweeteners to total energy intake; and percentage contribution of each food category to total added sweetener intake.

* An average of 82 grams of carbohydrates per day came from added sweeteners, accounting for 16% of total energy intake. (nutritional guidelines recommend that between 6-10% of carbohydrates come from sugars.)

* Adolescents consumed the most added sweeteners as a percentage of energy (20% of total energy intake).

* The primary sources of added sweeteners were soft drinks (33%), sweets (candies, syrups, honey, table sugar - 16.1%), and sweetened grains (cookies and cakes - 12.9%).

If you're consuming a lot of sugar, you're probably not getting enough of the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your body needs to function properly. In fact, the sweeteners Americans seem to consume most frequently (non-diet soft drinks, candy, syrups and jellies, etc.) possess no nutritional value whatsoever except for the sugar. Teach your children about the importance of a balanced diet that minimizes consumption of refined sugar. Your doctor of chiropractic can evaluate the nutritional status of your family and suggest appropriate modifications to maximize wellness.

Guthrie JF, Morton JF. Food sources of added sweeteners in the diets of Americans. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2000: Vol. 100, pp43-48, 51. --

Body Fat and Breast Cancer

A number of factors have been implicated as substantial risk factors for breast cancer, including family history of the disease and early onset of menstruation. Recent research also hints at a link between hormone replacement and breast cancer (See "Hormone Therapy May Contribute to Breast Cancer" in the April 2000 issue of To Your Health).

A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology reveals another possible contributor to this devastating disease: body fat distribution. As part of the Nurses' Health Study (1986-1994), 47,382 U.S. registered nurses reported their waist and hip circumferences at entrance and were monitored for the next eight years for incidence of breast cancer.

Increasing waist circumference was significantly related to breast cancer in postmenopausal, but not premenopausal, women. This association was maintained even when considering overall obesity and other breast cancer risk factors, and was even stronger among women who had never received hormone replacement therapy. Consult with a health care professional to learn how to minimize your risk of developing breast cancer.

Huang Z, Willett WC, Colditz GA. Waist circumference, waist:hip ratio, and risk of breast cancer in the Nurses' Health Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, Dec. 1999: Vol. 150, No. 12, pp1316-24. --

Losing weight with Green Tea

Green tea is rich in flavonoids, a group of plant pigments commonly known as bioflavonoids. Flavonoids function as antioxidants, protecting the body against some types of cancer; evidence that a subclass of flavonoids called "tea catechins" helps control fat oxidation suggests that green tea may play a role in weight management.

The December 1999 American Journal of Clinical nutrition included a study that explored this potential influence of green tea on weight loss. The authors began by explaining that "fundamentally, there are only two ways to treat obesity: reduce energy intake or increase energy expenditure." Relying on this premise, they compared the effect of green tea vs. placebo on 24-hour energy expenditure (EE - a higher EE means the body is burning more calories) and respiratory quotient (RQ - a lower RQ means the body is metabolizing more fat).

On three separate occasions, subjects (10 men) randomly received one of three treatments at breakfast, lunch and dinner: green tea extract (50 mg caffeine, 90 mg epigallocatechin gallate); caffeine (50 mg); or placebo. Subjects who ingested the green tea extract demonstrated a significant increase in EE and a significant decrease in RQ compared to subjects who ingested caffeine or placebo. The authors note that caffeine had no effect on EE or RQ, even in amounts equivalent to those found in the green tea extract (50 mg). Their results emphasize the potential ability of green tea (independent of caffeine) to "influence body weight and body composition."

Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, et al. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechins polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. American Journal of Clinical nutrition, Dec. 1999: Vol. 70, pp1040-45.

For additional information on nutrition, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html --