Vitamin D Plus Calcium, a Supplemental Plus?
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on January 13th, 2010
Okay, I know that all of us are secretly looking for a “silver bullet” that will guard against everything from cardiovascular disease and cancer to bone fractures and sagging skin. But, the truth is that there will likely never be just one thing to “fix” any one problem, much less one thing to fix all the problems at once! As a case in point, I offer the results of a recent study about a wonderful vitamin, Vitamin D, and calcium, both of which shouldn’t be neglected, but aren’t “the answer” either.
Vitamin D Plus Calcium Guards Against Fractures
But the vitamin alone doesn’t offer significant protection, researchers say
(HealthDay News) — Daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D reduce the risk of fractures in women and men of all ages, even if they’ve suffered previous fractures, but vitamin D supplements alone don’t offer significant protection, a new study has found.
Researchers analyzed data from 68,517 people, average age 70, who took part in seven studies that looked at the effect vitamin D or vitamin D plus calcium had on reducing fractures.
The analysis revealed that vitamin D given alone in doses of 10 micrograms to 20 micrograms per day doesn’t prevent fractures. However, calcium and vitamin D given together reduce the risk of hip fractures, total fractures and possibly vertebral fractures.
The study, published online Jan. 12 in BMJ, called for additional studies of vitamin D, especially vitamin D given at higher doses without calcium.
There’s a growing consensus that a combination of calcium and vitamin D is more effective than vitamin D alone in preventing nonvertebral fractures, Opinder Sahota, of Queen’s Medical Center in Nottingham, England, wrote in an accompanying editorial.
Further research is need to determine the most effective dose, treatment duration and method of taking the calcium/vitamin D combination, Sahota said.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has more about calcium and vitamin D.
No Evidence that Chiropractic Causes Stroke According to Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on January 8th, 2010
Amidst a great deal of emotion and rhetoric coming out of Connecticut this week regarding the stroke issue The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation has just released a very clear position statement on the issue of chiropractic and strokes.
Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes. “While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney. According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists. “What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.” While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.” Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.” Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.” In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe.How Did You Sleep Last Night?
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on January 7th, 2010
Getting enough sleep is an important component for a healthy life. Many people work too many hours, enjoy a “demanding” social life, and have lots of commitments with their families. Worries, to do lists, arguments, and forgotten tasks creep into their minds when it is time to wind down at the end of the day, keeping them from getting a restful nights sleep. Getting enough sleep is essential for a healthy immune system. It also helps to reduce stress, is necessary for the body to make repairs, and makes you more alert. If you are are one of the many who are lacking enough rest, make a New Year’s resolution that will impact your whole life. Get to bed!
Some tips for getting a night of rest that will make you feel your best:
1. Make your bedroom a place where you either sleep or have sex. Don’t bring work to bed with you, stop checking your Blackberry, and turn off the TV!
2. Reduce caffeine; have your higher caffeinated drinks earlier in the day and don’t have any 7-8 hours before bed.
3. Give yourself a bedtime. If you know what time you have to rise, set the clock 8 hours before that and give yourself no more than 30 minutes to get in bed.
4. Take a hot shower or bath and use essential oils like lavender that help induce sleep.
5. Figure out if exercise energizes you or makes you tired and decide when you should incorporate your routine into your day.
6. Try Dr. Andrew Weil’s breathing exercises. Calming the mind to reduce the internal chatter will do amazing things for your bedtime routine. How are you sleeping at night? Do you have any tips for the chronic insomniacs? Please share your comments at Integrative Nutrition.
Oakland Chiropractic Explains the Symptoms of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo and How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help
Posted by admin in balance problems on January 3rd, 2010
What does the term, “vertigo, ” indicate? Vertigo is a name for the dizzy disturbance a person suffers within a stationary location. The perception is that the outer world is tilting or perhaps spinning. Vertigo might be quick and short- lived or chronic. Of course, in either case, the actual root cause of vertigo needs to be diagnosed and the correct professional therapy undertaken.
There’s a lot of reasons for the disorder of Vertigo. An inner ear ailment, known as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, can occasionally occur as the outcome of a sustained head injury or very bad cold. Quite often this particular vertigo is caused by the aging process. The root cause, often times though, fairly often is not known. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo is a wordy diagnosis, but it characterizes perfectly this non- progressive condition that is attributable to, as its name connotes, a sudden change in head posture. The symptoms are inherently unpredicted and varied.
It can be advantageous to look at the functionality of the inner ear in an effort grasp what causes the ofttimes crippling discomforts of this kind of vertigo. The brain senses motion and maintains balance employing the fluid found in the inner ear. Also in the inner ear are minute calcium carbonate crystals, generally known as otoconia. The crystals are inclined float in the inner ear fluid if dislodged. As the crystals strike against the sensitive nerve endings in the inner ear, they stimulate the disorder of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo or BPPV.
The good news is that chiropractic treatment can relieve the discomforts of BPPV very quickly and effectively using a technique that is known as the Epley maneuver. Through the use of this treatment, a chiropractor turns the head of a BPPV sufferer into a number of different positions, letting gravity move the calcium carbonate crystals into a local of the inner ear that is away from the nerve endings where they will result in no further dizziness.
Your chiropractor has helped hundreds of persons for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo employing the Epley Maneuver technique. Usually, with just one treatment many patients no longer suffer from dizziness. Call Oakland Chiropractic to make an appointment today!
Athletes Warned Against The Misuse Of NSAIDs
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on December 18th, 2009
Athletes’ superstitions and rituals can help them get psyched up for contests, but when these rituals involve non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which many athletes gobble down before and during events, they could be causing more harm than good.
“These agents are treatments for the symptoms of an injury, not the injury itself,” says Stuart Warden, whose research at Indiana University focuses on musculoskeletal health and sports medicine. “They may allow an athlete to exercise or train at a certain level, but pain occurs for a reason. It is basically the body’s mechanism of saying, ‘Hang on, you’ve got some sort of injury that should not be ignored.’”
Natural Herbal Products to Stock in Your First Aid Kit
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on December 15th, 2009
from Alternative Medicine and Natural Health Information
Keeping a first aid kit around the home and carrying one around during outdoor excursions such as camping and hiking is a smart idea. While many over-the-counter conventional remedies are standard in a first aid kit, you should not discount adding a few natural herbal products as well. In some instances, the natural herbal remedies actually speed healing and reduce infection risk.
Natural Herbal Products in your First Aid Kit
Your first aid kit will always carry the basics such as sterile gauze, adhesive bandages, sterile needles, tweezers, scissors, thermometer, sterile water and even hot and cold packs. However, your medicines for scrapes, cleaning wounds and bruise treatments can easily be treated with natural herbal remedies. Here are some handy products to consider:
- Lavender Oil – Lavender has antiseptic properties. If you have minor cuts, scrapes or even bug bites, applying lavender oil to the affected areas can help them heal, sometimes twice as fast as treating them with a conventional method.
- Honey – Honey has antimicrobial as well as anti-inflammatory properties. After rinsing a minor wound or burn with water, you can apply honey directly onto the affected area and cover with a bandage.
- Tea Tree Oil – Tea tree oil is a powerhouse herbal remedy because it has antifungal, antibiotic and antiseptic properties. You can treat a wound, rash and insect bite with tea tree oil.
- Cayenne Pepper – This spicy pepper not only opens nasal passageways and lower blood pressure if consumed, it also has the power to stop bleeding and reduce pain in a wound such as a cut, abrasion or scrape. Sprinkling the cayenne pepper straight onto the affected area may sound strange, but the throbbing pain will lessen and bleeding stops quickly.
- Calendula – Tincture made from calendula oil can be effective and safe for skin rashes, cuts and abrasions. It helps alleviate the pain, swelling and stinging sensations of a wound.
- Comfrey –A powdered form of comfrey can be mixed with distilled water to form a paste which could be applied directly to wounds. Comfrey contains a compound called allantoin which speeds the healing process as well as reduce swelling and inflammation. This herbal concoction has both antifungal and antibacterial properties.
- Vinegar – Containing natural antiseptic properties, vinegar can be used to cleanse wounds by mixing it with water. Vinegar also soothes rashes and insect bites. Sunburns are also soothed by a rag or bandage soaked in vinegar and then applied to the affected area.
- Yarrow – Powdered yarrow leaves can be mixed with a little distilled water to form a paste which can be applied to cuts and other minor wounds. The yarrow stops bleeding and even disinfects the affected area.
If you use an herbal essential oil for your first aid kit, be sure to pack a carrier oil such as almond oil, olive oil or coconut oil. You typically have to mix a few drops of essential oil with the carrier oil to prevent skin irritation. With the basics along with some or all of these natural herbal products, you have a solid first aid kit that can handle virtually any minor emergency.
How to Get Your Kids to Eat More Fiber!
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on December 10th, 2009
Getting your kids eating their fiber is important. Here are a few suggestions to sneak fiber into your kid’s diet. Try these tips and avoid the struggle!
(By Shannon Clark for Bodybuilding.com)
Of all the nutrients that your kids need to be taking in, one of the biggest ones that often gets neglected is dietary fiber. In today’s world where most lunches consist of a sandwich, a pudding, some type of ‘fruit bar’, and a soda, fiber is not something that’s found.
Likewise, as soon as they get home they’re quick to go straight for the cupboard and reach for some variety of convenience snack that’s jam packed with simple processed carbohydrates that do nothing for overall weight control.
Getting your kids to eat their fiber, while an extremely challenging goal, is important. It’s going to help keep their digestive system healthy, keep them regular, and also help prevent them from snacking needlessly, filling up on empty calories that contribute to a growing weight problem down the road. Read more…
Urine Sample May Reveal Sleep Disorder in Kids
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on December 7th, 2009
Procedure could negate need for more complicated testing, expert says
MONDAY, Dec. 7 (HealthDay News) — A simple urine test could be developed to detect whether a child has obstructive sleep apnea, U.S. researchers say.
Such a test "would alleviate the need for costly and inconvenient sleep studies in children who snore, only about 20 to 30 percent of whom actually have OSA," or obstructive sleep apnea, Dr. David Gozal, a professor and chairman of pediatrics at the University of Chicago, said in a news release from the American Thoracic Society.
An estimated 3 percent of children younger than 9 have OSA, which can lead to cognitive, behavioral, cardiovascular and metabolic problems. Read more…
Herbal Remedies for Fighting Athlete’s Foot
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on December 3rd, 2009
If you have ever had an itching, burning sensation on your feet or between your toes, you probably had athlete’s foot. It is a common fungal infection known by the scientific name tinea pedis. This fungus is at home in moist, warm environments such as indoor or heated swimming pools, locker rooms, public area showers and even the gym and locker room of health clubs.
Besides the itching, burning sensation on the bottom of your feet and between your toes, athlete’s foot presents itself in other ways as well. You could have what looks like simple dryness of the skin on the bottom and sides of your feet. The more unappealing appearance of this fungus is cracking, scaly or peeling skin between the toes or on the soles of the feet. Blisters may form as well. And if left untreated, this fungal infection can spread to the toenails where it is much harder to treat and get rid of.
Herbal Remedies for Athlete’s Foot
A doctor’s diagnosis is best for identifying the fungal infection that causes athlete’s foot as there are other health conditions that could present the same symptoms. With the proper athlete’s foot diagnosis, you can try a few herbal remedies before breaking down and filling your doctor’s prescription or request for over the counter medications.
1. Tea tree oil – Tea tree oil is derived from an Australian tree and has long been touted for its antiseptic, antifungal and antibacterial properties. The tea tree oil should be mixed with carrier oil as it can have cause burning or itching when applied undiluted. Almond, grapeseed and olive oil are good carriers to use. Apply up to a 50% tea tree oil solution onto the fungal infection using a cotton ball and then wear a sock over the area so the solution does not rub off. Apply it at least twice a day until you see improvement.
2. Garlic – Garlic contains antifungal compounds which can help kill the infection. While you can cook with garlic and receive some healthful benefits, the best thing to do is rub a few cloves of raw garlic on the affected areas of your feet. Or, crush a few cloves and spread them like a paste on affected areas and leave on for about 30 minutes before rinsing with cool water. Applying garlic once a day for about week should do the trick in eradicating the fungal infection.
3. Vinegar – Soaking your feet in equal parts vinegar and water for about 20 minutes twice a day can help kill the fungus that causes your athlete’s foot. The acid in vinegar kills the infection and soothes the itching.
4. Lavender and myrrh oil – Mixed together with carrier oil, these herbal essential oils have healing properties including antimicrobial and antifungal qualities. Apply to the athlete’s foot infection with a cotton ball up to three times a day. A side benefit is softer skin which helps alleviate the scaling and itching.
Give your herbal remedy of choice about week to work its magic on your athlete’s foot. If there is no change or it gets worse, perhaps you may have to resort to that doctor’s prescription or over the counter treatments. The majority of people who go au natural with athlete’s foot treatment do find relief though, so you can expect to as well.
Studies: Fighting global warming reduces diseases
Posted by author in Oakland chiropractic on November 26th, 2009
Cutting global warming pollution would not only make the planet healthier, it would make people healthier too, says officials, as they releases studies calculating the health benefits of a less sickly climate.
Slashing carbon dioxide emissions could save millions of lives, mostly by reducing preventable deaths from heart and lung diseases, the studies show. They are published in a special issue of The Lancet British medical journal, released Wednesday.
The calculations of lives saved are based on computer models that looks at pollution-caused illnesses in certain cities. The figures are also based on the world making dramatic changes in daily life that may at first seem too hard and costly to do, researchers concedes.
Cutting carbon dioxide emissions will also reduce other types of air pollution, especially tiny particles that lodge in the lungs and cause direct health damage, doctors says. Other benefits can come from encouraging more exercise and less meat consumption, to improve heart health, researchers says. Read more…
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