A combination of advanced scaffold material and so-called adult stem cells improves the healing of rotator cuff tendon tears over surgery alone, a study in rats suggests.
“As an orthopedic shoulder and knee surgeon and chemical engineer, I think the combination of advanced materials and adult stem cells holds great promise,” Dr. Cato T. Laurencin from University of Connecticut in Farmington told Reuters Health. “For the shoulder, we are looking next to bring this type of technology to clinical use for the treatment of partial thickness and full thickness rotator cuff tendon tears,” he said by email.
Rotator cuff tendon tears are common and often require surgical repair, but most severe tears recur and require additional surgery. Because tendons are made mainly of collagen fibers, with few cells, they have little capacity for regeneration on their own, Laurencin’s team writes in the online journal PLoS ONE.
To see if mimicking the environment in which tendons normally grow would help repaired tendons to heal better than surgery alone, the researchers tested an artificial scaffold embedded with stem cells in a rats with a surgically repaired tendon tear. They compared how well it healed to the same kind of repair in rats that had only the surgery.
The tears repaired with stitches alone continued to show disorganized tissue 12 weeks after surgery, while tendons appeared much more normal after repair using the approach that combines advanced scaffold material with cells to engineer ideal conditions for tissue regeneration.
The addition of stem cells in the matrix, or scaffold, also led to increased mechanical strength and more normal characteristics of the replacement tendon tissue, compared with suturing alone, the study authors note.
The stem cells themselves disappeared over time, suggesting that the therapeutic effect resulted from their release of growth factors or other signaling molecules, rather than from the stem cells turning into tendon.
“We believe they can change the local environment and make it more compatible for regeneration,” Laurencin said. “The stem cells don’t have to become new tissue; they can work by influencing the environment to make better, regenerated tissue. The use of a nanotechnology based matrix is important in making it happen. That’s what this study suggests.”
“We are also developing this type of technology for use in treating problems of the knee,” he noted.
“We believe that the future for tissue regeneration lies in the combination of a number of areas of science and technology: advanced materials science, stem cell science, understanding how physical forces work in regeneration, developmental biology, and clinical translation,” Laurencin said.
“The work presented here combines many elements of regenerative engineering. The real successes will see not just using stem cells alone, but the convergence of different technologies. This new direction in thinking will provide exciting new possibilities for patients in the years to come,” he said.
About 80% of patients visiting a chiropractor receive some type of spinal manipulation, while chiropractors offer a number of treatments for musculoskeletal conditions. Spinal manipulation is a distinctive type of hands on treatment (manual therapy) that’s different from several other kinds of manual therapy such as massage and mobilization. While chiropractors sometimes consult with spinal manipulation as an “alteration” or a part of an adjustment, the term spinal manipulation is simpler to define, more accurate, and more widely used global.
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What’s Spinal Manipulation?
Spinal manipulation is the use of a force (a rapid, shallow push) to spinal joints that moves the goal joint or nearby joints slightly beyond their normal range of movement. Spinal manipulation is often accompanied by an audible “pop”. This can be considered to be dissolved gas discharged from joint fluids with a quick drop in pressure. This gas abruptly joins into little bubbles, making a popping sound. Studies have demonstrated that it is not always essential to hear the audible pop for a spinal manipulation to work.
Chiropractors perform the majority of spinal manipulations in the US, followed by osteopathic physicians, physical therapists, and medical doctors.
What is the Aim of Spinal Manipulation?
Restore function to mechanical disorders of the spinal column and the aim of spinal manipulation is to reduce pain in.
Your chiropractor is trained in this highly-specialized form of manual therapy and may discover if your condition is suitable for this type of treatment. Spinal manipulation continues to be demonstrated to be most successful when coupled with lifestyle adjustments, as well as active treatments, such as stretching and exercise.
What Conditions Does Spinal Manipulation Treat?
While the precise mechanism through which spinal manipulation works is doubtful as of this time, numerous theories are being studied, including stretching tight muscles, stimulating the nervous system, unlocking trapped spinal joints and freeing entrapped joint folds.
Spinal manipulation was proven to be safe and effective for specific types of recent start neck and back malady, along with for more lasting or recurring musculoskeletal ailments. Your chiropractor is trained to identify any serious underlying conditions that might preclude spinal manipulation or perhaps manual treatment in virtually any form. She or he would then refer you to the appropriate medical specialist.
In conclusion, your chiropractor is extraordinarily trained to determine if you are a candidate for spinal manipulation and can also offer alternative kinds of manual therapy, together with active self-treatment recommendations.
Back pain may be common, but it is not normal. It is so common that half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year. That means there are potentially 150,000 people who suffer from back pain in the city of St. Louis alone. Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide per the Global Burden of Disease 2010 and it is also one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor�s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.
Imaging will show all my back problems
Imaging may not reveal everything. Back pain is often a complex and multi-factorial issue, meaning that a spinal diagnosis isn�t always straightforward. To uncover what�s causing your back pain and what�s necessary for recovery requires a full clinical diagnostic process. This typically requires three steps. First you need a review of your medical history. To get to the root of your back pain, your physician should spend time asking you a series of questions about your symptoms, history, activities, positions, treatments, and more. After that is explored you will need a physical examination. A competent physician should check your spine to determine function, strength, discomfort in certain positions, and more. Lastly, you will go through diagnostic testing. Only after a physician has reviewed your medical history and given you a physical examination is imaging appropriate. Everything from an X-ray to CT scans and MRI scans can be appropriate to assess certain conditions.
Back pain that comes and goes isn�t a problem
Our bodies are incredible at adapting. However, what we know is that in nature nothing stays the same.� When someone tells me that their problem comes and goes it concerns me because it due to something that they are doing or not doing that�s causing them to either notice the problem or not notice the problem. Either way the underlying problem is still there and needs to be corrected. When the pain comes and goes, it�s usually the lead up to your back �going out� without warning. The reality for many individuals is that back pain is a result of a cumulative effect from simple movements.�� There�s always a cause for back pain and seeing a physician is your best chance for appropriate diagnosis and recovery
In fact if you find yourself saying, �back pain runs in my family� or �I just learned to live with it,� those are concerning statements because it means that the current approach you�re taking to correct the problem isn�t working, and you should make a change in order to actually correct the problem.
Drugs and Surgery are the only way to correct your back pain
In 2013 The Journal of the American Medical Association suggested chiropractic care as an option for people suffering from low back pain and noted that surgery is usually not needed and should only be tried if other therapies fail. In fact, after an extensive study of all available care for low back problems, the federal Agency for Health Care Policy and Research recommended that low back pain sufferers choose the most conservative care first. They also recommended spinal manipulation as the only safe and effective, drugless form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems in adults
�Back pain is a normal part of aging
While we see back pain in older populations we also see it in younger populations as well.� We are seeing more and more people starting to have more back pain and arthritis at younger ages.� There are even times where I hear patients ask if arthritis in their spine is normal at their age. Again this may be common, but it is not normal.� If it were normal it would likely be seen in the entire spine not just in specific segments of the spine.
Tips to Prevent Back Pain
�Maintain a healthy diet and weight.
�Remain active�under the supervision of your doctor of chiropractic.
�Avoid prolonged inactivity or bed rest.
�Warm up or stretch before exercising or physical activities, such as gardening.
�Maintain proper posture.
�Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
�Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.
� Lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist when lifting.
�Quit smoking. Smoking impairs blood flow, resulting in oxygen & nutrient deprivation to spinal tissues.
�Work with your doctor of chiropractic to ensure that your
Dr. Vidan�is�a private practice Chiropractor in St. Louis. He�is very passionate about helping athletes from peewee�s to pro�s get back on the field after an injury and stay on the field. This allows athletes to enjoy the most out of their sporting experience. Dr. Vidan provided chiropractic care for the St. Louis Cardinals players and staff during the 2011 World Championship season, and continues to enjoy the opportunity to help athletes and organizations at the highest levels.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas � Kaitlin Ryder blasted a career-high two home runs and Taylor Grohmann threw a complete game (no earned runs) as the Miners clipped Cardinals, 11-3 [5], in game two on Monday�afternoon at Cardinal Softball Field.
The Miners (10-26) split their two contests against Incarnate Word (7-29) as the Cardinals won game one 5-2.
UTEP 11, UIW 3 [5]
Courtney Clayton, who registered her 13th multi-hit game of the season, led the contest off with a single that set up Ryder for her first dinger of the afternoon. The junior cranked a two-run shot on a 2-1 pitch over center to give the Miners an early 2-0 edge.
The scoring onslaught happened in the second frame as the Miners batted around the order and racked up seven runs on six hits.
In the second, Lindsey Sokoloski, who was perfect at the plate, singled to right on a one-out, first pitch toss. Clayton knocked Sokoloski across the dish after she singled to right to make the score 3-0, while an error in right advanced Clayton to third. Ryder registered another RBI, this time on a single to right that scored Clayton.
Cortney Smith was hit by a pitch to put two on base for Kiki Pepi. Smith and Ryder recorded a double steal before Pepi came up with a two-run double through the left side to make the score 6-0.
The inning continued when Taylor Sargent singled on a bunt, advancing Pepi to third. Sargent went on to steal second and Pepi took home when the fielder dropped the ball on Sargent�s steal attempt, giving the Miners a 7-0 advantage. Cross and Bryanna Molina drew back-to-back walks that set up back-to-back RBI by Sokoloski and Clayton to make the score 9-0.
Incarnate Word would score a run in the bottom second and tacked on two more in fourth (9-3).
But the Miners wanted to finish the contest early as Ryder led off the top fifth with her second long ball of the contest over center on a 3-1 hurl. Following a pair of outs, Sargent doubled off the fence in center and Cross connected on an infield single that took a crazy bounce away from the first baseman that paved the way for Sargent to score for the eight run lead.
Starting pitcher Grohmann (1-1) allowed a lead-off single by Danielle Ramirez, but Marcela Lopez and Christy Trevino each popped out to Smith. Alex Alonzo grounded out to end the contest.
Grohmann won her first contest of 2017, walking none on 84 pitches.
Ryder tied her career high in knocks with a 3-for-4 effort, while recording four RBI in the process. Sokoloski also tied her career high in hits with her 3-for-3 game, along with scoring a run and registering her fourth RBI of the season. Pepi upped her RBI total to a team-best 30, while Ryder ranks second with 26 RBI. Clayton scored a pair of runs and tallied a pair of RBI on her 2-for-3 outing. Clayton is tied for no. 5 with Kayla Oranger on the program�s all-time hit�s list (174). Sargent also tied her career high in hits (3-for-4) and scored two runs.
UTEP 2, UIW 5
The Cardinals used a four-run second as the Miners couldn�t dig themselves out of the hole. Ryder put her squad on the board with a sac-fly to center that scored Ariel Blair to make the score 4-1.
Incarnate Word got the run back in the sixth.
Clayton used her first hit of the game to plate pinch runner Brianna Red, but the Miners couldn�t figure out Cardinals� pitcher Joanna Velencia. The starting hurler struck out nine batters in a complete game effort.
Blair and Clayton tallied the Miners� only two hits.
Up Next
UTEP will return to Conference USA action as it hosts WKU for the first time in program history. The Miners and Lady Toppers will play a doubleheader on April 8, starting at 3 p.m., while Sunday�s series finale is set for a 1 p.m. start. WKU (20-20, 4-8 C-USA) stands in fifth place in the East Division.
I�m an original member since the gym opened 2 � years ago.
I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas.
I�m single and I have one child
I wake put at 6:00 a.m. and get to work about 8:00 a.m. When I get to work there is not time to waste. I�m on an adrenaline rush until I clock out for the end of the day; yet I am not really ever off. I work out at the Femmefit class at 6:00 p.m. I make it a point to WOD at least five days a week.
My biggest accomplishment was just being able to WOD and finishing a WOD. When I walked into the box, I was morbidly obese and unsure if I could do it. I remember being so scared, but willing to try because I was tired of just going through the motions. Since being a BULL, I have been able to accomplish things I never thought I could ever do. I�ve snorkeled, kayaked, zip-lined, played basketball�Most importantly I, now, enjoy life. I�m no longer a spectator but an active participant.
It�s hard to just pick one favorite WOD or movement. I love almost all of them. I guess if I had to pick something it would be rowing. Least favorite, that�s easy. I hate burpees.
My goal is to lose 70 more pounds and, hopefully, one day compete at Boxtoberfest. A girl can dream, can�t she? LOL.
I make it a priority. It is an investment in myself. I make sure that I get my work done on time so I can get to the Box on time. Cross Fit is part of who I am now and not being in the BOX with my peeps just doesn�t feel right.
I have so many great memories here. I love the coaches. I love the difficult WODs. I love the friends I�ve made here. If I had to pick up�the first time I competed at a Labor Day event. It was when I first started. It was so difficult, but I don�t know the meaning of the work quit. I remember throwing up in my mouth and swallowing it, because quitting was never an option. I also remember Coach Jessa. She was one of my first coaches. I remember having a biggest loser moment with her and her encouraging words as she left me cry my little heart out. Sometimes, I still hear her encouraging me. She was amazing!
You can do anything you set your mind to. Your greatest obstacle is your own mind. If you can get out of your mind, you can accomplish anything.
Lucila Pineira aka Lucy or P.
I�ve been a member at Bullstrong since it opened on July 29, 2013
I was born and raised in El Paso, TX!
Currently in a relationship
I am a mommy of four kids whom are 10,7,3,1.
My typical day involves dreading hearing my alarm at 415am, then realizing it�s
the best way to start off your day at a 5am CrossFit class. After that it consist of
showering, getting my kids ready, feeding them, heading out to school/ work
which involves me being a TEACHER. After my work day it involves me going
back to CrossFit at 4/5pm to work on my goats (weakness in CrossFit skills).
After that, it involves picking up my four kids, making dinner together, talking
about our day, getting them ready for bed, then finally sitting down or laying down
in my bed.
Where do I even begin to describe my biggest accomplishment at Bull Strong. I
would have to say one of the biggest accomplishments I have had at the facility
was GAINING my dedication, motivation and determination in becoming a better
version of myself. I have always been over weight, low self esteem and even
more after having my kids I lost a lot of self confidence. Now that I�m fully back
after having my miracle baby, it�s been a reminder of how dedicated, determined
an motivated I am to be a better version of myself. Bull Strong coaches and
members have given me that confidence that I am capable of reaching goals that
I never saw myself accomplishing. My biggest weakness in life has always been
trying to exercise and having others tell me what to do, I�m the type of person
who had the mentality of MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY, but thankfully it�s
completely different now. Now I allow myself to hear others advice and allow
them to show me and tell me how to do things correctly. Bull Strong has definitely
been a life changer and I wouldn�t change facilities for anything.
Where do I even begin to mention my favorite WOD! I would honestly have to
admit that as much as we all hate every movement I honestly LOVE them all.
Reason being because the more we work at them the better we get at them.
Even though I might not have every movement down or lift a lot of weight, I�m
slowly getting up there and I�m slowly starting to truly enjoy this way of staying fit.
Definitely a unique and amazing way of getting your body moving.
Honestly my goal in CrossFit is to one day become a CrossFit Kids Coach. I truly
enjoy teaching kids. Teaching is honesty my true passion in life and to be
surrounded by kids, what a better way to accomplish more goals then by showing
kids different ways to stay fit and also learn new things. Kinesthetic learning is
the new way of learning. I would love to embrace this type of learning into
workouts to show kids that learning can also be completely adventurous and fun.
Ohhhh my alarm at 4:15am is the one who tells me to get up and workout daily.
That�s how it�s become a routine in my life. I started going 3 times a week then
5/6 times a week, it�s just part of my daily routine. Don�t get me wrongs, there�s
days I am dead tired and sleepy, but I still remind myself that the only person who
can change, is myself.
I don�t think I have an ultimate favorite experience/story in CrossFit because
honestly everyday is AMAZING! So if you ask me, to me everyday is my favorite
experience, everyday I learn something different about CrossFit but better yet
everyday I�ve learned something about myself and how to improve myself.
Food writer and author of The Goodness of Nuts & Seeds, Natalie Seldon has this advice for refreshing your diet this spring�
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EAT THE RAINBOW
Sweep away the dull winter with spring�s colourful fruits and vegetables; a great way to load up on fibre, vitamins and other disease-fighting compounds. The pigments that give fruits and vegetables their colour are vital antioxidants. Include three or more colours in each meal; scramble eggs with spinach and red pepper, add strawberries and apricots to green salads, brighten up sandwiches with shredded carrot and rocket, and blend blueberries, peaches and banana into smoothies.
SLOW EATING
Make a commitment to regularly preparing fresh food and eating it at the table � cute placemats and all. Firstly, you�re worth it. Secondly, your body will thank you. Eating in front of the TV significantly increases your calorie intake, plus nutritional research evidence shows that eating out, or relying on ready-meals are almost always more likely to provide higher mounts of salt, unhealthy fats and calories than a meal you prepare yourself. Plus, once you have the store cupboard essentials, you�ll actually save money prepping at home. Bonus!
GET YOUR CRUNCH ON
Nourish yourself by including one of the hottest health trends of 2017, nuts and seeds to your diet. These versatile little guys pack a powerful nutritional punch, being high in healthy fats, fi bre and calcium, whilst providing an abundance of antioxidants and minerals. And just to help matters, their gratifying versatility and moreish richness lend themselves to a myriad of both�savoury and sweet dishes, allowing us to conjure up all kinds of culinary magic on any given day. My new book The Goodness of Nuts & Seeds is full of simple and delicious recipe ideas. (Available now via Amazon, most book stockists and Chic et Tralala, Hollybush, Sevenoaks).
VEG FOCUS
It�s official, the healthiest diets in the world have one very important thing in common � they�re all based on plant foods rather than meat. Overwhelming evidence from studies around the world proves that plant foods are your most powerful allies in protecting against several lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Veganism has surged by 35% and is gaining serious momentum. Eating a diet high in veggies, beans, fruits and healthy oils, as well as fish and whole grains � aka the Mediterranean diet � is good for your brain as well as your bod. Shift towards a plant based diet by swapping legumes, meaty veg and tofu for animal products a few meals per week, or try meat-free Monday.
GO GREEN
Using fresh herbs is a great way to add extra flavour to your meals along with getting plenty of health benefits. For example coriander helps remove heavy metals from the body, parsley is rich in immune boosting vitamin C, and rosemary and sage are excellent memory enhancers. Fill your cupboards with healthy alternatives and buy seasonal produce as they are more likely to be even more nutrient dense, as well as more affordable.
FRESH START
Start your day off right with a glass of water and a freshly squeezed lemon or lime. This is a fantastic way to improve your digestion, alkalize your body, and boost your vitamin C levels to support healthy immune function and radiant skin.
EAT YOUR WORDS
To change the way you think about food and bring the joy back into eating, you need to rethink the way you talk about it. Referring to any food as �good� or �bad� has no place in a healthy, balanced approach to eating. As a food writer, I know many people struggle to make peace with eating certain foods as we are programmed by the world around us to use powerful language to describe a range of food we eat. Indeed, an interesting change happens when you remove these negative connotations � you don�t feel the need to hastily shovel food in, or go back for seconds before your conscience catches up with you. You actually enjoy these foods even more, and therefore require them less. Win win!
Sciatica is a disabling condition characterised by pain in the leg along the distribution of the sciatic nerve. It can be accompanied by back pain, tingling, numbness, reduced strength and reflex changes in the leg.
Sciatica is most commonly caused by irritation of the nerve roots emerging from the lower spine. For this reason it is often considered a type of nerve pain.
It is estimated that around 5 to 10% of people with low back pain have sciatica, equating to around 200,000 to 400,000 Australians. It is notoriously difficult to treat sciatica with over-the-counter medications and complementary therapies.
Our study released today examines the commonly prescribed nerve pain treatment pregabalin for acute and chronic sciatica. The results show that pregabalin does not improve pain symptoms or function, but is associated with unwanted side effects such as dizziness when compared to a placebo.
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Huge Uptake Of New Drug
Medicines that have shown to be effective for treating nerve pain were considered to be an exciting new treatment option for sciatica.
Pregabalin became subsidised by the Australian government for nerve pain in 2013 and quickly became widely prescribed for conditions such as sciatica. In its first year of listing, nearly 1.4 million prescriptions were written and in its second year, this figure increased to 2.4 million. This was 32% more than the government predicted.
Since its first approval in 2004 pregabalin has become the most widely prescribed medicine for nerve pain globally, with worldwide sales of between US$3-5 billion annually. The astonishing growth is likely to be a consequence of many factors but may partly be a reflection of the lack of effective treatments for sciatica.
But while pregabalin has been shown to be effective for other types of nerve pain, there was little evidence it helped patients with sciatica. There were also emerging concerns of increased harmful effects, including risk of suicidality and misuse.
We designed our study to examine whether pregabalin is effective and has tolerable side effects in patients with sciatica.
Pregabalin Does Not Work For Sciatica
The research compared the effects of pregabalin against placebo (identical inactive capsules) in 207 patients with sciatica.
Patients were randomly assigned to take up to eight weeks of pregabalin or placebo, prescribed and monitored by a general practitioner or a medical specialist. To keep the results as unbiased as possible, patients, doctors and study staff were kept blinded to who was treated with pregabalin and who received placebo capsules.
This study found after eight weeks there was no difference in the severity of leg pain between those who took pregabalin and those who took placebo capsules. The same result was seen at one year. There were also no differences in other relevant outcomes, such as back pain severity and function, at either eight weeks or one year.
However, people who took pregabalin reported more adverse effects. The most common adverse effect reported in the trial was dizziness.
The study shows that taking pregabalin does not improve your sciatic symptoms when compared with placebo, but you are more likely to have adverse effects when taking pregabalin.
Treatment Options For Sciatica
Few alternative treatment options exist for people suffering from sciatica.
There is limited data describing the effects of nonsurgical treatments such as exercise, spinal manipulation or acupuncture on sciatica.
There is also no convincing evidence to show medicines such as anti-inflammatory drugs, oral corticosteroids or opioid analgesic medicines are effective. Epidural corticosteroid injections have been shown to have a small benefit in the short-term only.
Surgery confers a short-term effect in selected patients with sciatica, but after a year people with sciatica who have not had surgery do just as well as people who�ve had the procedure.
The good news is that sciatica does get better with time. It�s important to stay as active as possible and to avoid prolonged bed rest (as this can delay recovery).
If you�re currently taking pregabalin, speak to a doctor about your condition, and mention any improvement or adverse effects you�ve experienced since starting pregabalin. It�s important not to stop pregabalin abruptly � usually doses should be reduced slowly over a few weeks. Abruptly stopping pregabalin can have some ill effects and should be done with care, close monitoring and advice from a doctor.
It�s unfortunate, but we do not currently have a lot of effective treatment options for people with sciatica. Speak to your doctor or treating clinician (such as a physiotherapist) about what may be appropriate for you, including specific advice on how you can stay as active as possible.
Regular exercise is potent medicine for older adults with heart disease, a new American Heart Association scientific statement says.
Physical activity should be a key part of care for older adults with heart disease who want to reduce their symptoms and build their stamina, said geriatric cardiologist Dr. Daniel Forman. He’s chair of the panel that wrote the new statement.
“Many health-care providers are focused only on the medical management of diseases — such as heart failure, heart attacks, valvular heart disease and strokes — without directly focusing on helping patients maximize their physical function,” Forman said in a heart association news release.
Yet, after a heart attack or other cardiac event, patients need to gain strength. Their independence may require the ability “to lift a grocery bag and to carry it to their car,” said Forman, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
“Emphasizing physical function as a fundamental part of therapy can improve older patients’ quality of life and their ability to carry out activities of daily living,” he added.
And, no one is too old to get moving. “Patients in their 70s, 80s and older can benefit,” Forman said.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a crucial tool for elderly patients, providing exercise counseling and training to promote heart health, and manage stress and depression. But Forman said it’s not prescribed often enough.
“When treating cardiac patients in their 70s, 80s and 90s, health-care providers often stress medications and procedures without considering the importance of getting patients back on their feet, which is exactly what cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to do,” he noted.
Daily walking and tackling more chores at home also can be helpful, Forman said. Resistance training and balance training can help prevent falls. Tai chi and yoga employ strength, balance and aerobic features, he explained.
The statement also outlines ways for heart doctors to assess patients’ levels of physical functioning.
The statement was published March 23 in the journal Circulation.
Heart disease in older Americans is a growing concern because the number of people 65 and older in the United States is expected to double between 2010 and 2050.
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.
Exercise Beats Weight Loss At Helping Seniors Hearts
Seniors who want to give their hearts a healthy boost may want to focus on exercise first, a new study suggests.
The research found that getting active may do more for cardiovascular health in older adults than losing weight does.
“Any physical activity is positive for cardiovascular health, and in elderly people of all weights, walking, biking and housework are good ways to keep moving,” study author Dr. Klodian Dhana said in a news release from the journal European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. The findings were published in the journal on March 1.
In the study, Dhana’s team tracked 15-year outcomes for more than 5,300 people. Participants were between 55 and 97 years old, and free of heart disease when the study started.
Over the 15 years of follow-up, 16 percent of the participants developed heart problems.
In this group of older people, the researchers found no link between their body mass index (BMI) alone and heart disease. BMI is an estimate of body fat based on weight and height — the higher the number, the more fat.
However, the study did find that physical activity was tied to a lower risk of heart disease, no matter what a person’s BMI was.
“Overweight and obesity is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and it is recommended to lose weight,” said Dhana, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
However, “in the elderly this is slightly different because weight loss, especially unintentional, is associated with muscle loss and death,” the researcher explained.
She said the study’s authors aren’t refuting the idea that overweight and obesity can raise heart risk in the general population.
But, “our results show that physical activity plays a crucial role in the health of middle age to elderly people,” Dhana said. “Those who are overweight and obese without adequate physical activity are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.”
Expert guidelines currently recommend 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity physical activity to decrease the risk of heart disease, she said.
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.
Pesticides are some of the most harmful substances found in our environment today. The primary function of these chemicals is to eradicate unwanted insects, plants, molds and rodents. They are also utilized in a variety of settings, including homes and schools.
Chemicals referred to as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and bactericides are all different forms of pesticides. This includes: bug bombs, ant spray, mosquito spray, mosquito fogging, termicides, flea and tick spray, lice treatments, bee and wasp spray, weed prevention, weed abatement, crop spraying and rodent control. Individuals with allergies, asthma or nerve damage may have already be affected by the pesticides in the environment.
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The Risks of Pesticides
Prolonged exposure to pesticides has been previously associated with poor mental development, autism and ADHD. One research study even determined that pesticides may be capable of inducing some of the core characteristics of pervasive development disorders or autism. Further experimental and observational research data suggested a connection between parental pesticide exposure and physical birth defects, low birth weight and fetal death.
A research study conducted on mothers living in California’s Central Valley also concluded that children born to moms who had been increasingly exposed to organochlorine insecticides, such as DDT, dieldrin and heptachlor, applied within 500 meters of the home during days 26 and 81 of gestation, were 7.6 times more probable of being diagnosed with autism. Furthermore, in 2012, Dr. Philip Landrigan, MD, and Director of Children’s Environmental Health Center, or CEHC, listed organochlorine pesticides as one of the top 10 environmental contributors suspected of developing autism in children.
Pesticides and Children
Unfortunately, children are known to be considerably more sensitive to the hazards of pesticides. Scientific evidence has shown that the human brain isn’t fully formed until the age of 12. Because of this, childhood exposure to pesticides can tremendously impact the development of a child’s central nervous system. Children have more skin surface for their size than adults and they have not fully developed their immune system, nervous system or detoxifying mechanisms, which makes them less capable of fighting the introduction of harmful pesticides into their delicate systems.
In addition, many of the activities which children engage in, such as putting objects into their mouth, playing in the grass, even playing on the carpet, can increase their exposure to pesticides. With the increased exposure to these dangerous substances and chemicals and the lack of bodily development to combat the hazardous effects of pesticides, a substantial number of children may be suffering from exposure to these pesticides.
Allergies & Asthma Associated with Pesticides
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, determined an 18 percent increase in food allergies over a 10 year period of time. Dr. Elina Jerschow, MD and allergist, stated that there may be a strong connection between this increase and exposure to pesticides.
A research study published in the United States established that pesticides may double the risk of developing asthma. Researchers from another study conducted in Spain declared that pesticides are capable of directly damaging the bronchial mucosa and may increase the risk of developing asthma, can aggravate the condition in those who already have it and may even trigger asthma attacks.
Pesticides and Food Allergies
A new study also concluded that people who were exposed to higher levels of various of the common weed-killing substances were more likely to develop food allergies. These chemicals are known as dichlorophenols, or DCPs, They are created by the breakdown of common pesticides, including chlorinated chemicals utilized to purify drinking water. These are also utilized in air fresheners, moth balls, deodorizer cakes in urinals and certain herbicides sprayed in crops. “They’re quite common,” stated researcher Elina Jerschow, MD, an allergist at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y.
Researchers believe that the increased rate of food allergies in the United States can be directly correlated to the overuse of pesticides in the environment. A 2008 study conducted by the CDC, or the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, determined an 18 percent increase from 1997 to 2007. In addition to past studies, data gathered by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES, analyzed levels of pesticides and other chemicals in the urine of 2,211 individuals who participated in the study. A majority of participants had detectable levels of DCPs in their urine and more than 50 percent of them showed sensitivity to at least one food, such as peanuts, milk or eggs, as well as to environmental allergens such as ragweed or pet dander. Those with the highest levels of dichlorophenols displayed the greatest food sensitivities.
Pesticides are Neurotoxic
These harmful substances and chemicals were once designed to function as nerve gasses for chemical warfare, meaning that they were originally designed to kill living things. When it was discovered that they were also capable of killing people, these were then used in smaller doses to eliminate insects, weeds and other small organisms.
Pesticides work by seeking out lipids, or fats, making the brain the primary target organ of the hazardous material due to its abundance of fats. Also, these substances can inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Acetylcholine is the main neurotransmitter found in the brain, it is what Dr. Sherry Rogers calls the primary happy hormone. It is the basic chemical which helps the brain, nerves and muscles function properly.
Pesticides can affect the production of this hormone. Acetylcholine also controls the body’s stress response system, commonly known as the fight or flight response. When pesticides inhibit acetylcholinesterase, then high levels of acetylcholine begin to build up, triggering the body to remain in the fight or flight state. This results in the constant release of norepinephrine, adrenaline and cortisol, which can eventually develop high levels of anxiety, increased heart rate, nervousness, insomnia, irritability and can ultimately cause the adrenal glands to burn out. They can also interfere with the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin, our natural antidepressant, which can lead to insufficient levels of serotonin, often resulting in depression.
Various research studies from previous years have determined that pesticides considerably increase the risk of developing Parkinson�s disease. At the University of California, the study concluded that a dangerous substance called maneb, increases the chances of developing Parkinson�s by up to 75 percent. When more than 90,000 licensed pesticide applicators and their spouses were followed closely, their risk of developing Parkinson�s was found to be 2.5 times higher while a study in the Archives of Neurology found that you�re twice as likely to develop Parkinson�s if you use pesticides.
Reduce Exposure to Harmful Substances & Chemicals
Utilizing a water filtration system that removes pesticides from drinking water and purchasing organic foods can help tremendously reduce your exposure to pesticides. Then, not using pesticides in your own garden to eliminate weeds or insects is another improvement. Additionally, be sure to check with your child’s school to determine which chemicals and/or substances they are utilizing themselves and find out their schedule. These could potentially be a trigger to your child’s allergies or asthma.
Chronic Illnesses Associated with Pesticides
Medical professionals and scientists are well aware of the health impacts the wide use of pesticides in the world can cause, turning it into a big concern globally. Most individuals aren’t aware of the dangerous amounts of harmful substances and chemicals they are being exposed to on a regular basis and many don’t even have a concept of the hazardous consequences these can have on our own health and wellness.
There is a huge body of evidence on the relation between pesticide exposure and the following chronic diseases and conditions:
Cancers (varying types)
Diabetes
Parkinsons
Alzheimer
ALS
Asthma
COPD
Atherosclerosis (plaquing of arteries)
Coronary Artery Disease
Kidney disease
Lupus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Hashimoto disease
Hypothyroidism
Endometriosis
Birth defects
Infertility
Depression
Anxiety
According to the World Health Organization, between 1 million and 25 million individuals experience poisoning due to pesticides each year. It is estimated that as many as 20,000 people in the United States will develop cancer each year from pesticides found on their food.
How to Further Reduce Exposure to Pesticides
Consume organic products. Conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables have high concentrations of pesticides, both externally and internally within the meat of the fruit or vegetable.
Do not utilize any substances or chemicals in your home or yard to eliminate weeds and insects. Use non-toxic and healthy alternatives for pests.
Remove your shoes before entering your home. This can be an essential practice because shoes are known to pick up pesticides everywhere you go. When you track them into the house, their potency increases and they become more toxic.
Avoid places where you know pesticides are constantly sprayed. Golf courses can be especially toxic.
Stay away from agricultural/farming areas.
It�s important to understand that any substance or chemical that is designed to kill a living creature or plant, regardless of how small it is, will be harmful to all living things. There is no safe level of pesticide. A variety of healthcare professionals as well as other health specialists can inform you further on the subject matter. Be sure to speak to who it may concern regarding the issues associated with pesticides and your health.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
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