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• Health Resolutions For The Year 2000 •
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| The new millennium is now here, so start it off right by committing to a healthier lifestyle. A few simple and practical changes in your lifestyle can make a positive impact on your health this year and can also prevent you from experiencing a variety of painful health problems in the future. |
| 1.0 |
Limit your intake of caffeinated coffee, sodas and teas. The caffeine in these drinks can cause dehydration and can rob the body of essential nutrients. Stick to water, juices and other decaffeinated beverages. |
| 2. |
Avoid carrying a heavy purse or briefcase with its strap over your shoulder, unless you place the strap over your head on the side opposite the bag. Wearing a shoulder strap over one shoulder unevenly places the weight of the bag on one side of the body, potentially causing shoulder and back pain. |
| 3. |
Do not (or do not allow your children to) carry backpacks that weigh more than 10 percent of your (or their) body weight. Beyond that weight, the backpack will cause the wearer to begin bending forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back rather than on the shoulders, by the straps. |
| 4. |
Avoiding lifting heavy objects over your head. These types of movements can strain muscles and affect nerves, causing severe neck, shoulder and arm problems. |
| 5. |
Never turn your torso while lifting relatively heavy objects. This rotates the spine and can bring on a "back attack." |
| 6. |
Try not to consistently cross the same knee over the other. Such a habit can also eventually cause misalignment of the spine. |
| 7. |
Try to keep moving while you're at work. If sedentary for the majority of the work day, it is very important to take periodic stretch breaks throughout the day. Get up from the desk and take a brief walk, and stretch arms and legs as frequently as possible to avoid postural and spinal stress. |
| 8. |
When using a shovel - in winter or summer - remember to push rather than lift, whenever possible. |
| 9. |
Use luggage with wheels whenever possible. Carrying, lifting and moving a heavy suitcase can ruin a vacation. |
| 10. |
Avoid over-medicating yourself and your family. Many over-the-counter and prescription medications have unknown side effects. Discuss alternative remedies with a doctor of chiropractic. |
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| SOURCE: American Chiropractic Association |
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• Chiropractic Helpful For Arthritis •
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| Findings from a recent study suggest that approximately two thirds of arthritis patients utilize alternative remedies for the treatment of their arthritis including herbs, chiropractor visits, high-dose vitamins, and elimination diets.
In the study, 232 arthritis patients living in North Carolina were surveyed. The participants had suffered from arthritis for an average of 10 years and over half of them reported experiencing severe arthritic pain. Of the respondents who relied on a single alternative method, 73% said that chiropractors were helpful.
Nearly half of the respondents reported turning to alternative therapy "because their prescribed medications were ineffective," noted researchers. In addition, many arthritis drugs, such as those used for rheumatoid arthritis, suppress the immune system and can lead to further serious problems. |
| SOURCE: Annals of Internal Medicine 1999;131:409-416. |
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• Vegetables Lower Prostate Cancer •
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| According to researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle, prostate cancer risk is substantially reduced with the intake of vegetables.
Researchers studied 628 men aged 40 to 64 who had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer along with 602 men without prostate cancer. The men were questioned about their consumption of 99 food items over a 3 to 5 year period.
Their findings indicated that men who consumed 4 or more servings of vegetables per day had a 35% lower risk of prostate cancer compared with men who ate fewer than 2 servings per day. Also, men who ate 3 or more servings of cruciferous vegetables (such as cauliflower and broccoli) per week had a 41% decreased risk of prostate cancer compared with men who ate less than one serving per week, even after the researchers accounted for total vegetable intake.
Researchers stated that cruciferous vegetables, in particular, are high in substances called isothiocyanates, which activate enzymes that detoxify carcinogens. Although the strongest association in the study was between intake of cruciferous vegetables and lowered prostate cancer risk, researchers noted that eating a variety of vegetables is probably important in lowering the risk. |
| SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute 2000;92:61-68. |
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• The Importance of Prevention •
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| A new report based on the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates children aged 2 to 10 in the 1970s had about 1 or 2 cavities in their baby teeth (average: 1.42) compared with 0 or 1 cavity (average: 0.63) in the 1990s.
According to experts, dentists of today have better preventive and alternative therapies to help maintain oral health.
Chiropractors have embraced preventative measures as a primary means of avoiding injury, disease and sickness for more than 100 years.
Similar to dentists, chiropractors also recommend periodic checkups. Why? Like your teeth, your spine also suffers from disease and deterioration which similar to your teeth, can often be avoided or minimized with periodic spinal checkups and the practice of proper spinal hygiene.
How long has it been since your last spinal checkup? :) |
| SOURCE: Journal of the American Dental Association 2000;131:93-100 |
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• 11 Minutes of Life Lost Per Cigarette •
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| According to the latest research, male smokers on average lose 11 minutes of their lifespan for every cigarette smoked.
Although 11 minutes compared with an entire lifetime may appear to be a drop in the bucket, considering that the typical male smoker consumes a total of 311,688 cigarettes! It doesn't take a genius to realize the significant impact on one's lifespan. |
| SOURCE: British Medical Journal 2000;320:53. |
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• Touch Reduces Pain in Newborns •
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| A new study shows that hugging and skin-to-skin contact between mothers and their newborns reduces pain such as the pain experienced during uncomfortable newborn procedures.
Researchers used crying, grimacing and heart rate to determine pain levels.
According to researchers, for hugging to be most effective mothers must relax, hold their baby close, and put light but firm pressure on the infant's back.
This study highlights the importance and power of touch in humans. |
| SOURCE: Pediatrics 2000;105:e14. |
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• Olive Oil... A Healthy Choice •
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| Two recent studies have found olive oil to be very beneficial for one's health.
According to one recent study, olive oil was found to have a possible chemoprotective effect against colon cancer.
In another study, researchers studied people living in southern Greece that ate hearty amounts of olive oil and cooked vegetables and found this may be associated with a lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints. Its cause is unknown, but genes, infectious agents, hormones, and diet have been suggested as possible causes.
In this study, the consumption of more than 100 food items was determined through interviews. Researchers found that people who consumed the least olive oil were 2.5 times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than those who consumed the most olive oil.
The typical American diet is rich certain types of fat that are broken down to hormones that promote inflammation. The fatty acid in olive oil, on the other hand, is broken down to hormones that inhibit inflammation. |
SOURCE 1: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1999;70:1077-1082.
SOURCE 2: Gut 2000;46:191-199. |
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• Tap Water Linked to Increased Elderly Illnesses •
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| According to the a new study, even where drinking water standards meet state and federal standards, the elderly may be at increased risk for waterborne gastrointestinal infections from tap water.
Researchers examined Medicare records of Philadelphia residents between 1992 and 1993, as well as daily water exposure measures. The records suggested a correlation between water quality and gastrointestinal illness 9 to 11 days prior to the hospital admission.
The researchers noted that other studies have found an association between gastrointestinal disease and drinking water elsewhere in the US and Canada.
In an accompanying editorial, researchers from Spain noted that a more comprehensive public health surveillance strategy is needed to control water quality and reduce the risk of waterborne gastrointestinal disease.
Such a system could include greater surveillance for cases of diarrhea and vomiting, particularly among high-risk groups like the elderly; standardization of laboratory detection; designating particular disorders as reportable to federal bureaus; and investigating and controlling waterborne outbreaks. |
| SOURCE: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2000;54:3-5, 45-51. |
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• We Need More Fruits and Vegetables •
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| A recent survey shows that although many of us have cut back on dietary fat, we have failed to increase the intake of dietary fiber, particularly fiber from fruits and vegetables.
Many experts attribute this to a lack of general education about the sources of fiber. Most people tend to think fiber is primarily obtained through cereals and don't realize that fruits and vegetables are also an importance source of dietary fiber.
So remember, eat your fruits and vegetables to meet your daily requirements of fiber as well as other essential vitamins and minerals. |
| SOURCE: Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2000;100:52-58. |
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