Clinic Wellness Team. A key factor to spine or back pain conditions is staying healthy. Overall wellness involves a balanced diet, appropriate exercise, physical activity, restful sleep, and a healthy lifestyle. The term has been applied in many ways. But overall, the definition is as follows.
It is a conscious, self-directed, and evolving process of achieving full potential. It is multidimensional, bringing together lifestyles both mental/spiritual and the environment in which one lives. It is positive and affirms that what we do is, in fact, correct.
It is an active process where people become aware and make choices towards a more successful lifestyle. This includes how a person contributes to their environment/community. They aim to build healthier living spaces and social networks. It helps in creating a person’s belief systems, values, and a positive world perspective.
Along with this comes the benefits of regular exercise, a healthy diet, personal self-care, and knowing when to seek medical attention. Dr. Jimenez’s message is to work towards being fit, being healthy, and staying aware of our collection of articles, blogs, and videos.
To the age-old question �Is coffee bad for you?�, researchers are in more agreement than ever that the answer is a resounding �no.�
A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine found that older people with low levels of inflammation � which drives many, if not most, major diseases � had something surprising in common: they were all caffeine drinkers.
�The more caffeine people consumed, the more protected they were against a chronic state of inflammation,� says study author David Furman, consulting associate professor at the Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection at Stanford University. �There was no boundary, apparently.�
Coffee and Aging
In the study, Furman and his colleagues analyzed blood samples from 100 young and old people. The older people tended to have more activity in several inflammation-related genes compared with the younger group � no surprise, since as people get older, inflammation throughout the body tends to rise. Chronic diseases of aging, like diabetes, hypertension, heart problems, cancer, joint disorders and Alzheimer�s, are all believed to have inflammation in common. �Most of the diseases of aging are not really diseases of aging, per se, but rather diseases of inflammation,� Furman says. The more active these genes were, the more likely the person was to have high blood pressure and atherosclerosis.
What�s more, even among older people, those with lower levels of these factors were more protected against inflammation � and they had something else in common too. They all drank caffeine regularly. People who drank more than five cups of coffee a day showed extremely low levels of activity in the inflammatory gene pathway. Caffeine inhibits this circuit and turns the inflammatory pathway off, the researchers say.
The goal isn�t to make every trace of inflammation disappear, the scientists stress. In fact, inflammation is an important function of the immune system, which uses it to fight off infections and remove potentially toxic compounds. But with aging, the process isn�t regulated as well as it is in a younger body. �Clearly in aging something is breaking down, and we become less effective at managing this inflammation,� says Mark Davis, director of the Stanford institute. �But now in this paper, we identify a particular pathway that was not associated with inflammation before. We are able to point, with a much higher resolution picture, at aging and the things that should be markers for inflammation.�
The key will be to figure out when the inflammatory response starts to spiral out of control. In an upcoming study, Furman and others will soon investigate the immune systems of 1,000 people; he hopes to use that information to develop a reference range of immune-system components to tell people whether their levels are normal, or if they�re at higher risk for developing chronic conditions driven by inflammation. In the meantime, following the example of caffeine-drinking adults with lower levels of inflammation � by having a cup of joe or two � might be a good idea.
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: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
The first rule of diet success is to make changes you can stick with for the long term. And that means scheduling — not skipping — meals and snacks. This keeps you feeling satisfied and helps you say no to tempting high-fat foods.
You might do best on a plan with many small meals throughout the day. Or maybe a schedule of three meals, two small snacks and a low-calorie dessert would work better for you. People often find that mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks help them stick to a diet.
For a small-meal schedule, you might plan out five 200- to 250-calorie meals for 7 a.m., 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. For a three-meal/two-snack schedule, you could schedule breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack and then dinner with dessert. Schedule snacks for about two hours after breakfast and lunch.
Once you decide on a schedule, plan out your meals and snacks. Using a diet diary can help keep you on track. Pick and choose from lean protein, low- or no-fat dairy, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and some heart-healthy fats.
Starting a Dietary Plan
Snacks can be a great way to get more fruits and vegetables into your day.
Great veggie snacks include:
Bell pepper strips.
Baby carrots.
Pea pods.
For fruit snacks, consider:
Small apples or pears.
A cup of melon chunks or berries.
A dozen red or green grapes.
A diet-friendly dessert of frozen yogurt and berries after dinner will keep you from missing high-calorie pies and cakes.
But what about calories? In general, aim for 1,000 to 1,200 a day if you’re a woman, 1,200 to 1,600 if you’re a man.
Bottom line: It might take some time to find the right eating schedule for your lifestyle, but nailing this first step will help you lose weight and keep it off.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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.
Chronic fatigue syndrome, a baffling disorder that affects an estimated 1 million Americans, has been strongly linked to imbalances in gut bacteria in a new study from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
The researchers found abnormal levels of specific gut bacteria are found in people with the condition — formally known as myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), according to the study published in the journal Microbiome.
The findings offer new hope for an effective new way to diagnose and treat ME/CFS, a complex, sometimes-debilitating disorder that can interfere with activities of daily living.
Symptoms include extreme fatigue after exertion, muscle and joint pain, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbances, and orthostatic intolerance (light-headedness, dizziness, or fainting when standing upright).
Up to 90 percent of ME/CFS patients also have irritable bowel syndrome IBS, past research has shown. But the Columbia University study is among the first to disentangle microbiome imbalances in individuals with ME/CFS and IBS.
“Individuals with ME/CFS have a distinct mix of gut bacteria and related metabolic disturbances that may influence the severity of their disease,” says co-lead investigator Dr. Dorottya Nagy-Szakal.
The findings suggest sufferers may be able to ease their symptoms by incorporating certain probiotics — healthy bacteria — in their diets, to balance their gut bacteria.
To reach their conclusions, the researchers tracked 50 ME/CFS patients and 50 others without the condition. They tested subjects’ fecal samples for bacterial species, and blood samples for immune molecules.
The study’s key findings show that:
Levels of distinct intestinal bacterial species —Faecalibacterium, Roseburia, Dorea, Coprococcus, Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Coprobacillus — are strongly associated with ME/CFS.
The abundance of these species appears to be predictive of a ME/CFS diagnosis.
An abundance of Alistipes and low levels of Faecalibacterium are the top biomarkers of ME/CFS with IBS. Increased Bacteroides abundance and decreased Bacteroides vulgatus are the top biomarkers of ME/CFS without IBS.
The researchers also noted the severity of patients’ symptoms — such as pain and fatigue — correlated with the abundance of distinct bacterial types.
“Our analysis suggests that we may be able to subtype patients with ME/CFS by analyzing their fecal microbiome,” says co-lead investigator Dr. Brent L. Williams, Ph.D. “Subtyping may provide clues to understanding differences in manifestations of disease.”
The study also points toward a possible mechanism behind the development of ME/CFS.
“ME/CFS may involve a breakdown in the bidirectional communication between the brain and the gut mediated by bacteria, their metabolites, and the molecules they influence,” explains senior author Dr. W. Ian Lipkin.
“By identifying the specific bacteria involved, we are one step closer to more accurate diagnosis and targeted therapies.”
So far, researchers have not identified the cause of ME/CFS. Nor are there any standard diagnostic lab tests or federally-approved treatments for the condition. For reasons that are unclear, women are two to four more times likely than men to have ME/CFS.
Because MD/CFS is so variable, treatment focuses on individual symptom control. Conventional approaches include prescription medications to treat anxiety, depression, and insomnia; graded exercise, physical therapy, and psychological counseling including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
Adjunctive therapies to help manage pain and fatigue include:
Acupuncture.
Biofeedback.
Deep breathing exercises.
Hypnosis.
Massage.
Meditation.
Muscle relaxation techniques.
Yoga or tai chi.
Preliminary but inconclusive research suggests that some natural remedies may be helpful for ME/CFS, according to the Mayo Clinic. These include:
Magnesium injected into the muscles of people with low red blood cell magnesium.
A combination supplement containing fish oil and evening primrose oil.
Melatonin.
Nicotinamide.
Adenine dinucleotide hydrate (NADH).
Coenzyme Q10.
Propionyl-L-carnitine.
D-ribose.
Although the new Columbia University study suggests that probiotic supplements may be helpful for ME/CFS, more research is needed, experts say.
A 2009 study of 39 ME/CFS patients, however, showed that the Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) was associated with significantly reduced anxiety symptoms compared to placebo.
Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Alexander Jimenez takes a closer look at turmeric and its benefits.
Is the herb turmeric actually the new wonder drug? Or can it be just that recent scientific studies have demonstrated North Americans that there really may be something to the claims. This relative of ginger has been touted as a cure for everything from osteoarthritis to ringworm to depression. A study has linked it to delayed onset of type 2 diabetes and, other information suggests it may help patients with cancer.
How Turmeric Relieved My Back Pain
My first introduction for this wonder spice was in the whispering of a fellow customer at physical therapy�a lovely dancer recovering from knee surgery. While she was hobbling around on crutches, she never stopped grinning. Make that laughing and smiling. I wondered what her secret was. I mean come on�I have chronic back pain resulting from degenerative disc disease, and the favorable mind-set tactic had attempted, but that wasn�t always easy.
One morning during our daily exercises we began to speak. She told me turmeric was her go to drugs for inflammation. At the time, I discounted it and distinctly remember thinking��Yeah, right How could something as easy as a spice that may be easily added to any diet be powerful enough to remove pain and stiffness?
Months passed. Physical therapy became a distant memory. The stiffness in my own back diminished but still lingered. I was too young to feel this damn old! The exact instant of action is uncertain to me now but somewhere along the way I woke up stiff yet again, along with thinking of turmeric came dashing over me. A light bulb have been turned on that wasn�t burning out. �Why not?� I presumed. What do I have to reduce?
Turning To Turmeric
I started with nutritional supplements and added one 450 mg capsule (about a teaspoon full) from Nature’s Bounty to my day-to-day yogurt. I dumped it in and just broke it open. I liked it so much I began adding the spice to my food�sprinkling it liberally on my salads, yogurt, mashed potatoes, soup…you name it. And sure enough, my back was even less stiff than before.
Please note, it may possibly not be helpful or safe to others while turmeric has worked wonders for me. Much like the ramifications of over the counter and prescription anti inflammatory medications, turmeric may thin the blood. In the event you take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, adding turmeric to your own diet may not be advisable.
I began looking more deeply into my remedy as I used myself as a guinea pig for testing. I had been utterly fascinated by the wide-ranging research behind this wonder drug. Turmeric has been used in India and over years for over 2,500 4,000 years in Ayurvedic medicine!
One of my favorite recipes is Butter Chicken and Rice (Recipe below). Not only does the recipe call for turmeric in the butter as well as on the chicken, however you can sprinkle it on your own rice, also. I’ve even discovered that substituting turmeric for salt provided new chances to add the spice to my food with a lot less sodium!
Turmeric�s Active Ingredient
Curcumin is the active substance that provides turmeric its distinctive golden color. Combined with the vibrant, shining color it provides, in my experience, the medicinal properties are equally as lovely. Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory potentially Alzheimer’s Disease, Crohn’s disease, and effects imply it can benefit patients with arthritis.
Head, my health and my body rejoice and have already been glad to the superpower spice ever since. Approach and my energy level are among the most noticeable changes. When you’re able to move and exercise more, a confident approach is much more easy to adopt. When you get the key to alleviating it, your life changes, as anyone who has endured quietly with chronic pain can tell you. Without pain, you become alive. I discuss this story hoping turmeric will help to release other long-time sufferers from their prisons. Stay tuned for turmeric upgrades in my personal blog.
Fragrant�Indian Butter Chicken Recipe
As a miracle spice, turmeric is touted since early time. The crucial compound, curcumin, gives turmeric it�s vibrant, golden colour and well-being boosting super powers and is being used to take care of many anti-inflammatory ailments. Try this recipe that uses turmeric for a delicious, wholesome dinner!
2 Tbsp butter
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon grated gingerroot
1-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric, ground cinnamon, ground coriander cumin and
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1-1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper
1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat cut up
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 Tbsp minced cilantro
Hot cooked basmati (optional)
Melt butter in a deep 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are soft. About 5 minutes. Add turmeric, coriander, ginger root, chili powder, cinnamon, and cumin. Cook 1 more minute.
Add brown sugar, chicken broth, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add cut up chicken and sour cream. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired. Sprinkle a little turmeric directly on the rice also for much more health benefits.
Lots of people report feeling improvement in their condition and/or general well being taking dietary, vitamin, mineral, as well as /or herbal nutritional supplements. In most cases, an appropriate diet and also a “multiple vitamin” will provide the necessary health supplements for many people. Just before taking additional dietary, vitamin, mineral, and/or herbal supplements it is strongly recommended that patients consult with their private doctor to discuss their specific supplement requirements.
Richard Overton, the oldest living U.S. World War II veteran, turned 111 on Thursday in Texas.
Overton, an Austin resident, served with the Army’s 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945.
He celebrated his 111th birthday with a lunch party at the University of Texas club, which was attended by Austin Mayor Steve Adler and other dignitaries. Overton received many gifts, including an autographed football from the University of Texas, ABC News reported.
The mayor declared May 11 Richard Overton Day and temporarily renamed Hamilton Avenue, where Overton lives, Richard Overton Avenue in his honor.
A GoFundMe campaign in January raised funds to allow Overton to stay in the home where he has lived for more than 70 years since he came home from the war, rather than be moved to an assisted living facility.
“111, that’s pretty old, ain’t it,” Overton said, USA Today reported. “I can still get around, I can still talk, I can still see, I can still walk.” Overton credits “cigars and God” for his longevity, admitting he had already had a few cigars that day.
Overton, a sharpshooter in the war, has been honored numerous times for his service, including for his 107th birthday having breakfast with President Barack Obama in the White House.
Overton was born May 11, 1906, in Bastrop County, Texas, Fox News reported.
Twitter users in his community and from far beyond it shared their appreciation and good wishes with Overton to mark his special day.
@AP Happy Birthday Richard Overton. U are much loved in our state.Hope u see many more years.My aunt lived 2 106. You’re looking good.
Dozens of studies have found that exercising can lift your spirits by boosting levels of serotonin — the “feel good” hormone — but a study from the University of Connecticut shows the exercise doesn’t have to leave you sweating and panting for breath. If you spend hours at your desk at work or sit at home watching television, just getting up and moving around can reduce depression and make you feel better about yourself.
“We hope this research helps people realize the important public health message that simply going from doing no physical activity to performing some physical activity can improve their subjective well-being,” says study lead author Gregory Panza.
“What is even more promising for the physically inactive person is that they do not need to exercise vigorously to see these improvements,” Panza continues. “Instead, our results indicate you will get the best ‘bang for your buck’ with light or moderate-intensity physical activity.”
Light physical activity is the equivalent of taking a leisurely walk around the mall with no noticeable increase in breathing, heart rate, or sweating, said Linda Pescatello, senior author of the study that was published in the Journal of Health Psychology.
Moderate intensity activity is equivalent to walking a 15-20-minute mile with an increase in breathing, heart rate, and sweating, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. Vigorous activity is equivalent to a very brisk walk or jogging a 13-minute mile with a very noticeable increase in breathing, heart rate, and sweating to the point of being unable to maintain a conversation.
The study tracked the movements of 419 middle-aged adults for four days and then asked them to fill out questionnaires including exercise habits, depression, pain levels, and feelings of well-being.
Researchers found that those who were most sedentary were the least happy. Overall, physical activity improved their sense of well-being. But different levels of physical activity helped some people more than others.
People who were sedentary and engaged in light or moderate physical exercise showed the greatest improvement in their sense of well-being.
“The ‘more is better’ mindset may not be true when it comes to physical activity intensity and subjective well-being,” says Panza. “In fact, an ‘anything is better’ attitude may be more appropriate if your goal is a higher level of subjective well-being.”
Most previous studies found that although exercise increased serotonin levels, the most effective exercises were aerobic, like running, swimming and biking.
There are other simple ways that are clinically proven to increase serotonin levels including massage and getting enough sunlight.
Grating, cracking or popping sounds around joints may predict future arthritis, especially in the knees, according to a recent U.S. study.
Among thousands of people with no knee pain who were followed for three years, one quarter had noisy knees yet they made up three quarters of the cases of symptomatic knee arthritis that emerged by the end of the study period, researchers found.
“Many people who have signs of osteoarthritis on X-rays do not necessarily complain about pain. Presently, there are no known strategies for preventing the development of pain in this group,” said lead study author Grace Lo of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.
Especially when people have joint space loss or other arthritis-related changes visible on X-rays, their also having noisy knees can be considered a sign of higher risk for developing pain within the next year, she said.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 30 million adults in the United States, Lo and colleagues write in Arthritis Care and Research. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis, which means X-ray evidence of arthritis plus pain or stiffness, affects about 16 percent of adults older than 60, they note.
Lo and colleagues analyzed data from 3,495 participants ranging in age from about 50 to 70 in a long-term study conducted in hospitals in Rhode Island, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland. None had symptomatic knee arthritis at the start.
The researchers looked at how often people experienced knee pain, stiffness and “crepitus,” or noises and scraping feelings in their knees.
During clinic visits, people were asked questions like, “Do you feel grinding, hear clicking or any other type of noise when your right knee moves?” and “During the past 12 months, have you had pain, aching or stiffness in or around your right knee on most days for at least one month?” The patients were evaluated at the beginning of the study and again at 12, 24 and 36 months. X-rays were also taken once a year.
At the start, 65 percent of participants said they had no crepitus, 11 percent experienced it “rarely,” 15 percent had it “sometimes” and 9 percent had it “often” or “always.”
Overall, 635 participants, 18 percent, developed symptomatic arthritis of the knee during the study period.
Even after adjusting for weight and other factors, researchers found that odds of developing symptomatic arthritis rose along with the frequency of crepitus. Those who reported it “rarely” had 50 percent higher risk than those who never had it, and those with crepitus “sometimes” or “often” had about double the odds.
People with crepitus “always” were three times more likely to develop arthritis over four years than those who never had it.
Older age and having crepitus also increased the likelihood of developing arthritis, and men with crepitus were more likely than women with noisy knees to go on to develop arthritis.
“Differences across genders is interesting and unexplained. This may tell us about differences in symptom reporting or the biology of osteoarthritis,” said Daniel Solomon, the chair of arthritis and population health at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
“Knowing how to predict who will develop symptomatic osteoarthritis may give patients and providers clues to who should receive earlier treatment or even prevention,” Solomon, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Reuters Health by email.
“It would be helpful to look at the MRIs of the people who had X-ray evidence, no pain and always had crepitus to understand what is happening in their knees,” Lo said. “This could help identify ways to decrease the risk for developing knee pain.”
Since MRI scans are more sensitive than X-rays, Lo added, researchers for future studies may be able to see osteophyte formations or other symptoms around the knee that they can’t usually see.
“Not all noises coming from a knee are a bad sign,” she said. “It might be helpful to ask your doctor for an X-ray to see if you have evidence of osteoarthritis and then take precautions from there.”
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