Back Clinic Health Team. The level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living organism. In humans, it is the ability of individuals or communities to adapt and self-manage when facing physical, mental, psychological, and social changes in an environment. Dr.Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T, a clinical pain doctor who uses cutting-edge therapies and rehabilitation procedures focused on total health, strength training, and complete conditioning. We take a global functional fitness treatment approach to regain complete functional health.
Dr. Jimenez presents articles both from his own experience and from a variety of sources that pertain to a healthy lifestyle or general health issues. I have spent over 30+ years researching and testing methods with thousands of patients and understand what truly works. We strive to create fitness and better the body through researched methods and total health programs.
These programs and methods are natural and use the body’s own ability to achieve improvement goals, rather than introducing harmful chemicals, controversial hormone replacement, surgery, or addictive drugs. As a result, individuals live a fulfilled life with more energy, a positive attitude, better sleep, less pain, proper body weight, and education on maintaining this way of life.
Whether we�re starting our day with a strong cup of coffee or indulging in a mid-afternoon pick-me-up (preferably of the dark chocolate variety), caffeine is a drug that many of us don�t want to quit. And thankfully, we don�t have to: A new scientific review offers reassurance that, in moderate amounts, caffeine is perfectly healthy.
Specifically, the paper confirms the results of the last big review done on caffeine safety, way back in 2003: that intake levels of up to 400 mg a day, or about four 8-ounce cups of coffee, are not associated with health risks for adults. (Yay!) The results, published in Food and Chemical Toxicology, were presented over the weekend at the Experimental Biology conference in Chicago.
�After decades of research and thousands of papers, we know a lot about caffeine,� says lead author Daniele Wikoff, PhD, health sciences practice leader at ToxStrategies, a private scientific consulting firm. �And what our findings truly confirm is that having caffeine as part of your daily diet is still acceptable and without adverse effects.�
Pregnant Women and Caffeine
The new review also found that existing upper limits for pregnant women (300 mg a day) and children (about 1.1 mg per pound) continue to be supported by scientific data, as well. �This should give pregnant women some comfort that they do not need to eliminate caffeine from their diet,� says Wikoff.
Although there�s no change to the current recommendations, an update was long overdue, says Wikoff. Since the widely-cited 2003 review on caffeine was conducted by Health Canada, more than 10,000 papers have been published on the drug�s effects on various aspects of health.
That’s why the North American branch of International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), a nonprofit foundation dedicated to advancing the understanding of nutrition and food safety, decided to commission an analysis on more recent literature. To start, the Institute recruited ToxStrategies to comb through more than 700 studies conducted on humans and published between 2001 and 2015.
The researchers narrowed those studies down to 426 for inclusion in the review, all of which focused on how caffeine related to five specific topics: toxicity, bone health and calcium intake, cardiovascular effects (including blood pressure and heart rate), behavioral health (including headaches, mood, and sleep), and reproduction and development (including fertility, miscarriage, and birth defects).
The Effects of Caffeine on Americans
Despite all the new research, the paper�s conclusions remain generally the same as the previous review�s. More than 90% of Americans currently consume less than 400 mg a day of caffeine, the authors wrote, and the findings of the new review “support the safety of standard consumption practices in the United States.�
The authors did note that studies on caffeine in children were limited. While they found no need to recommend a change in current recommendations, they do say that more research on this age group would be valuable. (The American Academy of Pediatrics maintains a long-held position that caffeinated beverages, especially energy drinks, should be avoided in children.)
And because research on the general safety of caffeine is so plentiful, they also recommend that future studies shift their focus to unhealthy populations, sensitive groups, and ways that people may be affected differently on an individual level.
ILSI North America receives funding from the American Beverage Association and the National Coffee Association. Both organizations �received periodic progress reports but did not participate in any aspect of the systematic review,� the authors note in the paper. In addition to scientists from ToxStrategies, the research team consisted of seven scientific advisory board members from academic institutions across the U.S. and Canada, with expertise in the paper�s different areas of focus.
The studies included in the review looked at a variety of caffeine sources, including coffee, tea, chocolate, other beverages, and supplements, but the review did not evaluate the health effects associated with these different sources separately. When considering your caffeine intake, says Health�s medical editor Roshini Raj, MD, it’s important to keep in mind the entire food or drink.
Plain coffee, for example, is rich in antioxidants and may reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Soda and fancy coffee concoctions, on the other hand, can be high in calories or contain artificial sweeteners, while energy drinks can contain sugar and other stimulants that have been associated with health risks.
Dr. Raj also says that just because 400 mg a day of caffeine is safe, that doesn�t mean it�s right for everyone. �We don�t all metabolize caffeine the same way: Some people find that even a little cup of coffee or tea can make them restless,� she wrote in a recent column for Health. �Listen to your body, and if you tend to get jittery, try spacing out your caffeinated beverages,� she added.
If you find that you�re becoming dependent on caffeine, make sure you�re getting enough sleep�or talk to your doctor about why else you might be so tired, Dr. Raj adds. You can always try an all-natural energy enhancer, too: A recent study found that 10 minutes of stair-walking provided a better boost than a 50-mg caffeine pill.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Weight Loss Eases Back Pain
Back pain and symptoms of sciatica can affect a majority of the population throughout their lifetime. Research studies have demonstrated that people who are overweight or obese experience more back complications than people with a healthy weight. A proper nutrition along with regular physical fitness can help with weight loss as well as help maintain a healthy weight to eliminate symptoms of back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care is also another natural form of treatment which treats back pain and sciatica utilizing manual spinal adjustments and manipulations.
Energy drinks are known for their high caffeine content, which often tops that of soda and even coffee. But they seem to affect people�s hearts and blood pressure differently than other caffeinated beverages, suggests a small new study published in the Journal of the American HeartAssociation.
In the study, researchers divided 18 men and women into two groups. Half were given a 32-ounce commercially available energy drink with 320 mg of caffeine, as well as other ingredients like taurine and ginseng (both dietary supplements). People in the other group were given a soda-like control drink of the same size that contained the same amount of caffeine with a bit of lime juice, cherry syrup and carbonated water. After six days, the groups switched and drank the other beverage.
Results of Consuming Energy Drinks
The researchers measured everyone�s blood pressure at the start of the study and one, two, four, six and 24 hours after drinking the beverage. They also measured everyone�s heart activity using an electrocardiogram.
People who drank the energy drinks had a QT interval�meaning the time it takes the heart�s ventricles to prepare to beat again�10-milliseconds higher than those who drank the caffeinated control beverages. Irregularity in the QT interval can sometimes lead to abnormal heart beats. Fletcher says that the disparity may be important, since some medications that affect the QT interval by 6 milliseconds carry warning labels.
Both groups had higher blood pressure after their drinks, though never out of normal range. The blood pressure of people who had the control drink returned to baseline levels after six hours. But when people drank the energy beverage, their blood pressure remained elevated for more than six hours. The researchers believe that could mean that the other ingredients in energy drinks may alter blood pressure beyond the effects of caffeine alone.
�What the growing body of evidence is pointing to is that there are effects on the heart that are different than caffeine alone,� says study author Emily Fletcher, a deputy pharmacy flight commander from David Grant U.S.A.F. Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in California. �Consumers should be aware that drinking an energy drink is not the same as drinking coffee or soda.�
More research is needed. The study was small, and researchers only looked at the effects of the beverages on people who were healthy�and not at the differences over the long term. The American Beverage Association, which represents the non-alcoholic beverage industry, said in a statement that �energy drinks have been extensively studied and confirmed safe for consumption by government safety authorities worldwide including a recent review by the European Food Safety Authority.�
Fletcher says that the findings suggest people should approach energy drinks with some caution, especially those who have risk factors for heart issues. �I would recommend only moderate consumption of energy drinks and particular avoidance in people with underlying cardiac disease or hypertension,� says Fletcher, �or during activities that would also increase your blood pressure and heart rate, such as exercise or sports.�
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Weight Loss Eases Back Pain
Back pain and symptoms of sciatica can affect a majority of the population throughout their lifetime. Research studies have demonstrated that people who are overweight or obese experience more back complications than people with a healthy weight. A proper nutrition along with regular physical fitness can help with weight loss as well as help maintain a healthy weight to eliminate symptoms of back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care is also another natural form of treatment which treats back pain and sciatica utilizing manual spinal adjustments and manipulations.
In the study, researchers divided 18 men and women into two groups. Half were given a 32-ounce commercially available energy drink with 320 mg of caffeine, as well as other ingredients like taurine and ginseng (both dietary supplements). People in the other group were given a soda-like control drink of the same size that contained the same amount of caffeine with a bit of lime juice, cherry syrup and carbonated water. After six days, the groups switched and drank the other beverage.
The researchers measured everyone�s blood pressure at the start of the study and one, two, four, six and 24 hours after drinking the beverage. They also measured everyone�s heart activity using an electrocardiogram.
People who drank the energy drinks had a QT interval�meaning the time it takes the heart�s ventricles to prepare to beat again�10-milliseconds higher than those who drank the caffeinated control beverages. Irregularity in the QT interval can sometimes lead to abnormal heart beats. Fletcher says that the disparity may be important, since some medications that affect the QT interval by 6 milliseconds carry warning labels.
Both groups had higher blood pressure after their drinks, though never out of normal range. The blood pressure of people who had the control drink returned to baseline levels after six hours. But when people drank the energy beverage, their blood pressure remained elevated for more than six hours. The researchers believe that could mean that the other ingredients in energy drinks may alter blood pressure beyond the effects of caffeine alone.
�What the growing body of evidence is pointing to is that there are effects on the heart that are different than caffeine alone,� says study author Emily Fletcher, a deputy pharmacy flight commander from David Grant U.S.A.F. Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in California. �Consumers should be aware that drinking an energy drink is not the same as drinking coffee or soda.�
More research is needed. The study was small, and researchers only looked at the effects of the beverages on people who were healthy�and not at the differences over the long term. The American Beverage Association, which represents the non-alcoholic beverage industry, said in a statement that �energy drinks have been extensively studied and confirmed safe for consumption by government safety authorities worldwide including a recent review by the European Food Safety Authority.�
Fletcher says that the findings suggest people should approach energy drinks with some caution, especially those who have risk factors for heart issues. �I would recommend only moderate consumption of energy drinks and particular avoidance in people with underlying cardiac disease or hypertension,� says Fletcher, �or during activities that would also increase your blood pressure and heart rate, such as exercise or sports.�
If you�ve never taken a yoga class before, the numerous poses can be pretty intimidating. Downward facing dog, crow pose, cat and cow, wheel, warrior, the list goes on. And if your first experience is in an overflowing class, the instructor likely won�t have a chance to make sure you�re perfectly positioned in each posture.
Granted, yoga is all about going with what feels right for your body. But doing certain poses incorrectly can lead to muscle imbalances and possibly even injuries down the road. And it�s important to note that newbie yogis aren�t the only ones susceptible to mistakes. Even if you�ve been practicing yoga for years, there�may be room for improvement.
Watch this video and follow along as celebrity instructor and Health contributing editor Kristin McGee guides a 10-minute Pilates workout that�s perfect for beginners and pros alike.
During this sequence, McGee focuses on targeting your abs, especially the transverse abdominals, the deepest layer of muscle in your core. According to McGee, we should lead all of our daily activities from those muscles. They support us, give us good posture, and help us with twisting and movement. Plus, that deep transverse core muscle is what helps make your spine nice and long.
As you do this workout, there are a few crucial things to keep in mind. For starters, tune into your body, and really try to feel the connection both to your pelvic floor muscles and to your transverse abdominals. McGee suggests imagining you�re wearing a wetsuit, and it�s pulling everything in your torso inward.
While your core and pelvic floor should feel tight and engaged, be sure to keep your shoulders soft. It also helps to maintain a slight �C curve� in your spine, which allows your lower abs to be pulled even farther in, helping to activate and tone them.
Finally, use your breath to connect to your pelvic floor muscles and scoop in your abs as you go through each move.
Some of the moves may seem really subtle and simple�but don�t be fooled! This sequence is sure to have your abs aching the next day, in the best kind of way.
Alzheimer’s disease claims nearly twice as many American lives annually as it did just 15 years ago, a new report shows.
“And that’s frankly alarming,” said Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs and outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association, which produced the report. “Now, a lot of people will think it’s because we’re living longer,” he added. “And there is some truth to that. But there’s also an assumption that we should just expect to get Alzheimer’s disease as we get older. And that’s not true.
“Most people do not get Alzheimer’s, even if they live into their 80s or 90s. It’s not normal. It’s not something that we should accept. We’ve definitely got to do something about it,” Fargo said.
The Cost of Alzheimer’s Disease
The report also found that more than 5 million American seniors aged 65 and older now live with the memory-robbing disease. That represents approximately 10 percent of all the nation’s seniors, and that number is projected to jump to nearly 14 million by 2050. In fact, nearly half a million seniors are expected to develop the disease in 2017 alone.
Another 200,000 Americans under the age of 65 also struggle with the disease, the report found. And those statistics come with a hefty price tag: It costs $259 billion a year for Alzheimer’s care. That amount is expected to reach $$1.1 trillion by 2050, the report estimated.
Dr. Anton Porsteinsson is director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Care, Research and Education Program at the University of Rochester School of Medicine in Rochester, N.Y. He said the rising numbers likely reflect a number of different factors in play.
“Partly, it is due to increasing numbers of older individuals, partly due to success in treating other leading causes of death, and partly due to increasing awareness that AD [Alzheimer’s] is a lethal disease,” Porsteinsson said.
Among the report’s additional findings: Alzheimer’s is now the fifth leading cause of death among seniors; the sixth leading cause of fatalities among all Americans; and the only disease among the nation’s top 10 biggest killers for which there is no prevention, no way to slow progression and no cure.
“And the costs are now completely out of control,” added Fargo, with the total annual cost for Alzheimer’s and dementia care in excess of a quarter trillion dollars.
Another highlighted concern: the “especially burdensome” ordeal Alzheimer’s caregivers experience while attending to the needs of loved ones as the patient suffers across-the-board mental and physical decline.
In 2016, more than 15 million Alzheimer’s caregivers provided just over 18 billion hours of unpaid care, valued at $230 billion.
Alzheimer’s Disease: Mental and Physical Decline
And those caregivers suffer their own health consequences: More than a third (35 percent) report their health has worsened since assuming caregiver duties, compared with 19 percent of caregivers for older people without dementia. Depression and anxiety also plague dementia caregivers more often, the report found. Still, the report was not entirely bleak, spotlighting growing efforts to identify telltale signs of developing disease.
The goal is to hone in on neurological signs — including changes in brain size, shifts in spinal fluid content, and/or the growth of nerve plaques in the brain — that could allow rapid detection of pre-symptomatic Alzheimer’s.
“It’s a window into the future,” Fargo said. “If you ask where Alzheimer’s disease research is headed, that’s where it’s headed.” “We believe that in the coming years we’ll have tests that you can do in the doctor’s office that will let you know your risk for Alzheimer’s,” he noted. And that, he suggested, “could open the door for prevention.”
Fargo noted that, even in the absence of effective treatments or a cure, early diagnosis would be a boon for research and would give patients a head start on planning for their future. Yet, Porsteinsson suggested that the future of these telltale signs, known as biomarkers, remains unclear.
“Biomarkers are particularly important when it comes to research and development of future potential treatments,” he said.
On the other hand, he stressed that “the utility of biomarkers in current care is intensely debated.
“The biomarkers are expensive,” Porsteinsson noted. “And it is a question how much a positive or negative finding will change approach to care. “Having said that,” he added, “it often matters greatly to patients and their families to know exactly what they have and what to expect.”
SOURCES: Keith Fargo, Ph.D., director, scientific programs and outreach, Alzheimer’s Association, New York City; Anton Porsteinsson, M.D., professor, psychiatry, and director, Alzheimer’s Disease Care, Research and Education Program, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, N.Y.; March 7, 2017, 2017 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Brain injuries are common complications in our modern world. Approximately 2 million individuals experience a head injury in the United States alone each year. Although most brain or head injuries are not considered life threatening, they could sum up to billions of dollars in annual revenue. Brain injuries are often categorized according to patient response. Only 1 out of 4 reported brain injuries are considered moderate or severe.
A drug used to treat Alzheimer’s disease should not be prescribed to people with milder mental impairment without first giving them a genetic test, researchers urge during a new study.
The drug is donepezil (brand name: Aricept). Donepezil could speed mental decline in someone with mild cognitive impairment who has a specific genetic variation, according to Sophie Sokolow, an associate professor at the UCLA School of Nursing.
She and her colleagues found that patients with the K-variant of the butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) gene who took donepezil deteriorated faster than those who took a placebo.
Donepezil is approved in the United States to treat Alzheimer’s disease but not mild cognitive impairment — the stage between normal age-related decline and dementia. However, doctors often prescribe it “off-label” for patients with mild cognitive impairment, the study authors said.
For this study, the researchers examined data from a U.S. government-funded study published in 2005 that assessed donepezil as a possible treatment for mild cognitive impairment.
The findings reinforce the importance of physicians discussing the possible benefits and risks of donepezil with their patients, the researchers said in a university news release.
The study was published recently in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Funding was provide by the U.S. National Institute on Aging.
SOURCE: UCLA School of Nursing, news release, Feb. 24, 2017
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Brain injuries are common complications in our modern world. Approximately 2 million individuals experience a head injury in the United States alone each year. Although most brain or head injuries are not considered life threatening, they could sum up to billions of dollars in annual revenue. Brain injuries are often categorized according to patient response. Only 1 out of 4 reported brain injuries are considered moderate or severe.
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