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.
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.
With any type of sport, injuries are not uncommon. You can often times avoid getting injured in a particular sport by discovering what injury is apt to happen, and then do as much as you can to avoid it. Sadly, sports injuries can’t always be avoided. As a result, it’s advantageous to take excellent care of your body to make injury less likely, or less traumatic. The most valuable thing that you can do is to be sure that you have the proper fitness level prior to starting to play a sport, such as golf. You will probably keep your body safe from injury if you adhere to these general guidelines: Maintain a healthy lifestyle; keep your joints mobile and your muscles limber; prepare your body prior to activity; use proper form and good postures while actively playing; give yourself plenty of cool down and relaxation time.
It isn’t simply amateur golfers who get injured. Close to a third of pro golfers playing in the same time frame are playing with injury. The good news is that overall good health and fitness can decrease the number of injuries that you may incur and may possibly deter them altogether.
Effective body strength in the muscle areas most utilized during golf is crucial. However, before you try to build muscle strength, it’s essential to make sure your spine is aligned and has good mobility. A injury-free golf swing is contingent upon your spine’s facility to efficiently move in a rotational manner. Back injuries are the most widespread kind of injuries suffered by golfers. To insure that your spine is in appropriate alignment and there is efficient movement in the vertebrae, see your chiropractor in Sacramento. Chiropractic treatment can go a long way in helping you to prevent back injury.
Once you’re “straightened” it’s time to strengthen. Being prepared for your round of golf is essential to safe, injury-free action on the green. Golf stretching and flexibility exercises will warm up your muscles and make injury them less likely. Complete body range of motion (ROM) exercises will enhance flexibility, fairly fast, in all regions of the body. Furthermore, elastic band conditioning offers functional golf range of motion improvements and can increase needed strength in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, such as your chiropractor, are adding elastic band training to their golf conditioning programs because the bands provide dynamic resistance that general weight lifting does not provide.
Along with back injuries, a large number of golfers suffer from “Golfer’s Elbow.” There is a small difference between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow though they are almost the same. Whereas the outside of the upper arm is disturbed in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow impinges the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can result from a single intense action, such as (in golf) hitting the mat at the driving range or thrusting down on a hard fairway surface. Repetitive stress from smaller shocks, though, is more commonly the protagonist. In addition, it can happen to those who all of a sudden begin to play too much golf. As a case in point, if players that ordinarily play golf once or twice a month elect to enter into a tournament, they are conceivably at risk for developing the injury.
Golf makes distinctive requirements on our body. Fatigue can be a problem because the game ordinarily lasts longer than most other sports. Whenever the body is fatigued, bad posture and impeded coordination normally follow. This combination can create an assortment of injuries. Moreover, the shoulder muscles are prone to injury because of the continuous swinging of the golf clubs. Just as it is crucial for you to stretch and warm up before you start your golf game, be sure that you rest your body suitable between games.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is, perhaps, an unexpected injury associated with golf. But, as it a condition that occurs due to repetitive stress, numerous games of golf played over several months repetitively may create this injury. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a severe injury creating incapacitation and on occasion necessitating surgery. However, chiropractic treatment and, sometimes the use of a brace will relieve the problem if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, detects it at an early stage.
Injuries are assumed to be inevitable part of life for many golfers. Nonetheless, a healthy, mobile spine, good preparation, appropriate exercise and muscle conditioning, reaching and sustaining a a good fitness level, and prudent rest and recuperation after your game is over, can help to make injuries much less a part of your golfing experience.
Dr. Yong Kim is a Sacramento chiropractor with over thirteen years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1707 Professional Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. He has special training in the area of sports injuries. Dr Kim is himself an avid health enthusiast. For more information go to his website at http://www.sacramentochiropractor.org
by Integrative Nutrition 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.
(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.