Posts Tagged ‘health’

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Who Else Wants To Get Busted By An Undercover Holiday Elf?

Monday, January 23rd, 2012

Here’s an interesting fact: If you were driving in December and saw an elf –and you didn’t slow down, you were in trouble. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office (in Florida) hatched a new plan to stop speeders. And it’s unlike anything you have probably seen before.

Here’s how it worked: a sheriff’s officer standing on the side of the road DRESSED AS AN ELF and clocked cars using a radar gun and then radioed ahead to a motorcycle deputy to stop the speeders and give them a ticket.

Did it work? I’d say so. More than 150 tickets were written in just over two hours. But, some people thought the “elf disguise” just wasn’t right, and complained about using a holiday icon to trick speeders. In response to complaints, Ken Wyne of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said, “We didn’t choose a nativity scene. We chose an elf. An elf is known for their impish behavior. If you’re going to speed in Orange County, you never know who’s going to be on the street corner.” Who else wants to see the Easter Bunny arresting muggers? Now that’s something they should have on pay-per-view!

All kidding aside, many have the wrong attitude about this elf speeding sting operation. And here’s why. They think they are being tricked into getting a ticket. When the truth is: If you speed… and only slow down when you actually see a police officer… you are eventually going to get caught. It’s plain and simple odds. It’s the same when it comes to selecting the right doctors or chiropractor to work on your back condition.

Selecting the correct doctor for your spine problem is imperative. Selecting the wrong doctor all the time will only get you in trouble. At New Century Spine Centers in San Diego, the chiropractors are some of the best in the field and specialize in treating back conditions with advanced therapies like spinal decompression therapy.

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Looking for a safe and effective back pain treatment? Breaking Back Pain News: Survey Says Chiropractic Outperforms Other Back Pain Treatments – Even Medication

Saturday, November 12th, 2011

SURVEY SAYS!!!! If you have back pain, you are probably old enough to remember Richard Dawson first yelling that phrase on the popular 70s and 80s game show, The Family Feud. If not – it doesn’t matter – you just learned something interesting about American pop culture and game show history.

 

So, What Does The Survey Really Say?

 

According to an August 9, 2011 article on chiroeco.com, “In a new survey, chiropractic outperformed all other back pain treatments including prescription and over-the-counter medications, deep-tissue massage, yoga, and Pilates. According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), this news reinforces the use of conservative care options as a first line of defense against pain.

 

The survey, released by a leading consumer product rating and survey publisher in late July, found that 65 percent of those surveyed using chiropractic care for back pain said it helped a lot. Only 53 percent of respondents using prescription medications found them as helpful.

 

“Additionally, about half of those surveyed who are using, yoga or Pilates said those treatments helped a lot and only 28 percent of respondents using over-the-counter medications reported that they helped a lot.

 

“Current evidence-based guidelines support the use of conservative care such as chiropractic for conditions such as chronic lower back pain.” One serious eye-opener was that only 28% of respondents said over-the-counter medications helped a lot. It has been known for quite some time that common over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID) have serious side effects. One of these side effects is that an estimated 16,500 people die every year.

 

Natural, conservative options like Chiropractic, deep tissue massage, yoga, and Pilates are most likely better and safer choices when it comes to relieving back pain.

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Chiropractic Care – A Wise Decision For Injuries After An Auto Accident

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

Most are still in the dark about the importance of having a chiropractic consultation and exam after an automobile accident. Usually attention is only given to the obvious injuries. Commonly, one may wonder about the need of visiting a chiropractor when they are already admitted in a hospital with so many doctors around. There are different types of doctors with different approaches and philosophies. Hospital doctors look for fractures and internal bleeding.  Chiropractors look for spinal misalignments and soft tissue inflammation.

 

Any automobile accident causes bad reactions in the body, even with a slow or low impact crash. This can result in misalignment along your spine that eventually will lead to problems elsewhere, such as an organ or system malfunction. Remember, all parts of the body are connected and work in unison with each other. A problem in one part of the body will lead to other troubles elsewhere. In such scenarios, receiving chiropractic treatment is a good idea. A doctor of chiropractic is trained to find these misalignments and work to correct them naturally thru adjustments.

 

If vertebra moves out of its normal alignment, it can cause pressure in your head, neck, and back resulting in pain immediately after the accident. Due to shock and the initial worries of the car’s damages, many auto accident victims do not experience symptoms until a few days after the accident. If you are experiencing any such symptoms, it might be an indicator that there is some kind of sprain or strain resulting in tears of the various soft tissues in the body.

 

Sometimes damage is not detected until months or even years after an accident. Just like someone discovering they are dying from cancer or AIDS has actually been sick with the disease for a long time, they just didn’t know it until they had outward signs of health which unfortunately comes in the final stages. Absence of symptoms does not necessarily equal a clean bill of health! The cause always comes before the symptoms.

 

Visiting a chiropractor for a chiropractic consultation is a wise choice when one is involved in an automobile accident. There is no reason that someone should live with chronic neck and back pain for years due to the result of an automobile accident. Chiropractic care is gentle, easy, and safe. It can relieve neck and back pain with non-surgical alternatives such as spinal decompression, pro adjuster, and other safe, approved techniques. Do not let the consequences of an automobile accident diminish the quality of your life. Visit your local San Diego chiropractor at New Century Spine Centers right now for an evaluation.

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Popular Obesity Surgery Worse Than They Thought

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

As a chiropractor in San Diego, I regularly help patients with nutrition for losing weight and I also encounter patients that undergo weight loss surgery. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height, and provides a reasonable indicator of body “fatness” and weight categories that may lead to health problems. Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and Type 2 Diabetes.

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. In 2009, only Colorado and the District of Columbia had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-three states had prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; nine of these states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.”

 

Obviously, obesity is a big problem, but, what if a treatment is worse than the “Disease?” This may be the case, according to a study on the long-term effects of laparoscopic gastric band surgery. Researchers of the study, published in the Archives of Surgery, said, “The bands eroded in almost one in three patients. Sixty percent had undergone additional surgery, including 17 percent who went on to have gastric bypass.” Researchers concluded the adjustable gastric band surgery, which is growing in popularity in the United States, “appears to result in relatively poor long-term outcomes.”

 

A related article in The New York Times added: The results “are worse than we expected,” said Dr. Jacques Himpens of the European School of Laparoscopic Surgery and St. Pierre University Hospital in Brussels, lead author of the new study. Dr. Himpens advised those considering gastric band surgery not to “nourish exaggerated expectations,” adding that “anyone who has had the procedure should see a care provider on a regular basis and be vigilant about signs of infection or band erosion.”

 

Is there a better solution? Once again, research has shown there are almost always unwanted side effects to every drug or surgery. So, the question becomes – is the potential benefit worth that negative side effect? But, an even smarter question is – is there an all natural alternative that does not come with the same inherent risks of drugs and surgery? In this case, the answer for many people is… YES!

 

For many people, obesity and weight problems can be accomplished by permanent lifestyle changes. In other words, finding what foods work for your body chemistry, eating those foods, and exercising correctly for the rest of your life. This may seem like a daunting task, but the alternative is chilling. As research shows, quick fixes tend to lead to more problems. Nothing in life worth having comes without a price. To achieve real health, the price is putting in the effort to eat right, exercise, reduce stress and keep your body working properly.

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Chiropractor In San Diego Reviews Groundbreaking Study Noting Anti-Depressants May Be No Better Than Placebo

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

As a chiropractor in San Diego, I see many patients suffering from everything from back pain to stress and more. Researching some of the latest studies helps me help my patients in many ways. And since pain being a common cause for depression, I find this article fitting.

 

Napoleon Hill, author of the self-help bible “Think and Grow Rich”, is quoted as saying: “What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” He also said we become our dominant thoughts. Research is showing he may be 100% accurate with those statements… especially the latter. Here is why: Starting in 1998, studies began to raise questions about the “scientific proof” behind the widespread use of antidepressants versus placebos.

 

University of Connecticut researchers, Irving Kirsch and Guy Sapirstein, found antidepressants seemed to get results, but so did placebos. In 38 studies conducted with over 3,000 depressed patients, placebos improved symptoms 75 percent as much as legitimate medications.

 

“We wondered, what’s going on?” said Kirsch in a 2010 interview with Newsweek. The medical community, skeptical of his analysis, asked him to instigate a more comprehensive study with the results of all clinical trials conducted by antidepressant manufacturers, including those unpublished – 47 studies in total.

 

Over half of the studies showed no significant difference in the depression-alleviating effects of a medicated versus non-medicated pill. With this more thorough analysis, which now included strategically unpublished studies from pharmaceutical companies, placebos were shown to improve symptoms 82 percent as much as the real pill.

 

According to the Citizens Commission on Human Rights International: “However, if experts and antidepressant manufacturers are aware of this, the general public certainly isn’t … Millions of people every year feel better, simply because they believe they’ll feel better.”

 

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How To Maximize Your Results From Working Out

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

According to a Study published in the Journal of Physiology on November 1, 2010, “A fat-rich energy dense diet is an important cause of insulin resistance.”

Insulin resistance is a condition in which the body produces insulin but does not use it properly. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas and it helps the cells of the body absorb glucose. When people are insulin resistant, their muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond properly to insulin. As a result, their bodies need more insulin to help glucose enter cells. The pancreas produces more and more insulin until it basically gets worn out and starts to fail. This can lead to diabetes.

How is this all linked to exercise? According to the study’s author, “This study, for the first time, shows that fasted training is more potent than fed training to facilitate adaptations in muscle and to improve whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity during hyper-caloric fatrich diets.”

In other words, the best time to work out seems to be on an empty stomach, which is usually first thing in the morning. Working out in the morning also has some additional benefits. Generally after working out in the morning, the day seems to be more productive. And of course it’s always great to start off the day knowing that you got a healthy workout out of the way.

New Century Spine Centers in San Diego has regular healthy classes monthly at their Mission Valley location. To register, contact them at 619-630-9153. The classes are free of charge but you must be pre-registered to attend. They go over great stretches, exercises and more. This is a class you won’t want to miss.

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Scientists Warn That Television Watching and Computer Game Playing May Damage The Heart

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Are you sitting down? If you aren’t, please find a seat because when you read this, you might get a little weak in the knees. According to The Telegraph, a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found, “The risk of heart disease and premature death from any cause doubled for those spending more than four hours a day glued to a screen, it was claimed. Metabolic factors and inflammation may be partly to blame, the report said. “Research revealed those who devote more than four hours watching television, surfing the web, or playing computer games are more than twice as likely to have major cardiac problems.”

Here’s the really shocking part. The study found there was a 48% increased risk of all-cause mortality and an approximate 125% increase in the risk of cardiovascular events in those spending more than four hours in front of a screen. “The risks were irrespective of factors such as smoking, hypertension, BMI, social class, and even exercise.” In other words, from the results of this study, the negative effect of watching television and being on a computer may not be lessened by exercise.

Like most health issues, more research is always needed for definitive answers, but limiting television and computer time may not only make you more productive, it might save your life.

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Did You Know That Tea Is A Great Food For Health!

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

1. Tea, without sugar or honey, only has two calories per cup.

2. Steeping tea for three to five minutes produces the most antioxidants.

3. Milk in your tea doesn’t reduce tea’s health benefits.

4. The maximum amount of antioxidants contained in tea comes from brewing loose leaves or from tea bags. (Tea in powders or bottles has little or no helpful antioxidants!) 5. Tea in products applied to the skin has little or no health enhancing properties. Teas, especially white and green teas, can help with the following: Stimulate mental clarity, reduce the risk of certain cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood sugar levels, help prevent viral infections, help prevent bad breath, and help prevent tooth decay. Also, because the water used in tea is boiled, this makes tea safer to drink than tap water.www.Backcaretreatment.com

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Childhood Obesity Linked To Health Habits

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

According to an article in Science Daily, the study suggests unhealthy habits are feeding the childhood obesity trend. “For the extremely overweight child, genetic screening may be a consideration,” says study senior author Kim A. Eagle, M.D., a Cardiologist and a Director of the U-M Cardiovascular Center. 1,003 Michigan 6th graders were examined, obese children were “more likely to consume school lunch instead of a packed lunch from home and spend two hours a day watching TV or playing a video game.

Childhood obesity has TRIPLED in the U.S. in the last 30 years, and obesity among U.S. children ages 6-11 has gone from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. “For the rest, increasing physical activity, reducing recreational screen time and improving the nutritional value of school lunches offers great promise to begin a reversal of current childhood obesity trends.”

Forty-five percent of obese students always ate school lunch, but only 34 percent of non-obese students ate school lunch. According to the Science Daily article, researchers found that 58 percent of obese children had watched two hours of TV in the previous day, compared to 41 percent of non-obese children.

Significantly less obese kids exercise on a regular basis. Fewer kids took physical education classes or were a member of a sports team. In the study, 15% of the students were overweight, but almost all had unhealthy habits. Over 30% drank regular soda within the previous day, less than 50% remembered eating two servings of vegetables in the same time period, and only 30% said they exercised for 30 minutes for 5 days during that week.

According to the American College of Preventative Medicine, heart disease and diabetes are two of the most common preventable chronic diseases. Both have their preventable causes in what we eat and how much we exercise, and both start from the habits we obtain in childhood. As adults, we can change these habits any time we want and live a longer and healthier life just about instantly, but children need guidance to make the same healthy choices. One of the biggest take home messages (besides realizing that it’s habits making us overweight — not just our genes) is that almost all the students can drastically improve their diet and exercise, not just the 15% who are obese.

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How 55-80 Year Olds Are Increasing The Size Of Their Brains!

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

Several months ago I wrote an article on how chronic pain can cause your brain to shrink. This article caused up quite a stir considering that so many people are in pain. It also brought up the question that if pain may cause your brain to shrink, is there a way to increase the size of your brain?   Of course most people would you like to have a bigger, more powerful brain? Unfortunately the hippocampus, a part of the brain key to memory and special navigation, is known to shrink with age. This brain shrinkage starts in late adulthood and it is responsible for memory loss and some impairment.

There is however new hope for this. According to the Los Angeles Times, a new study that was published by the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed that a program of aerobic exercise over the course of a year can increase the size of the hippocampus in adults ages 55-80. In this remarkable study, 120 people from ages 55-80 who did not exercise previously were split into 2 groups; 60 were put into an aerobic exercise program that consisted of walking around a track 3 days a week for 40 minutes per session; and the other 60 did a program consisting of stretching and weights.

The results were as follows according to the Los Angeles Times article: “The group doing aerobic exercise had increases in hippocampus volume: up 2.12 % in the left hippocampus, and 1.97% in the right hippocampus. The stretching group, on the other hand, had decreased hippocampus volume: down 1.40% on the left and 1.43% on the right.”

What’s important to note about this article is that is said it is never too late to start exercise and it suggested that some very simple exercise programs may be a cost-effective way to treat a widespread health problem, without the side effects of medication. Prevention is obviously always best. A regular exercise regimen, a good nutritious diet, and reduced stress has many great benefits. To read some past articles including the article on how chronic pain can cause your brain to shrink, just go the website www.BackCareTreatment.com.

 

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