Healthy Life Newsletter, October 2020
Short research and health factoids:
For each pound of weight loss there is a 4 pound reduction of forces hitting the knee while walking (8 pounds when running)
— Arthritis and Rheumatism July 2005.
Eating strawberries significantly reduced serum biomarkers of inflammation and cartilage degeneration, and significantly decreased chronic, intermittent and total pain in obese adults diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis.
— Nutrients 2017 Aug 28;9(9)
Ingestion of regular supplements of Omega-3 fatty acids has been consistently shown to reduce the number of tender joints on examination the amount of morning stiffness (lasting over 30 minutes) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Jan 2000
Supplementation of potassium and magnesium citrate was associated with decreased urinary calcium excretion, increased bone density and decreased fracture.
— Journal of Clinical & Endicronologic Metabolism 2013.98.207-217
Epidemiologic and cross cultural data show positive correlation between dairy intake and osteoporotic fractures. —Hippocrates, July/Aug 1999 53-55
A 12 year Harvard studyof over 77,000 women showed an increase in osteoporotic fractures with increased milk consumption.
— American Journal of Public Health 1997.87.992-997
A 4 1/2 year study of nearly 75,000 aged 40-70 found steadily decreased incidence of bone fractures with steadily higher intake of soy foods. (ie the higher the amount of soy consumed the lower the incidence of fractures)
— Archives of Internal Medicine 2005.165,1890-1895
Various studies indicate that treatment for concussion should include Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), vitamin D, magnesium and spices (like turmeric). Many animal studies have shown that daily fish oil supplementaton for 30 days post concussion had a 98 percent reduction in brain damage compared with animals that did not receive the supplement.
15 Fold Higher Risk of Death Due to COVID-19 with Low Vitamin D Levels <12 ng/ml
What did the study look at?
A study by Radujkovic et al. analyzed data from 185 COVID-19 patients to see if vitamin D status at hospital admission had any association with COVID-19 disease severity and survival. Patients were either admitted for outpatient care or inpatient care. Those who were outpatients (n=92) had mild to moderate symptoms, and were visited at home on a regular basis for care and evaluation. Those with severe or critical symptoms were admitted as inpatients (n=93) and treated with standard supportive care for COVID-19 disease. Inpatients were older, more likely to be male, and had a greater number of comorbid conditions.
What were the results of the study?
The average vitamin D level of all patients was 17 ng/ml (42 nmol/L), with the average for inpatients at 15 ng/ml (37 nmol/L) and outpatients at 19 ng/ml (47 nmol/L). Overall, 22% of patients had vitamin D levels below 12 ng/ml (30 nmol/L) and 64% had levels below 20 ng/ml (50 nmol/L).
Patients admitted for inpatient care were more likely to have a vitamin D level below 12 ng/ml (30 nmol/L). By the end of the study, a total of 16 patients had died, and 23 patients required invasive mechanical ventilation. Those with a vitamin D level below 12 ng/ml had a 6-fold higher risk of severe disease resulting in the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and/or death, and approximately 15 fold higher risk of death.
Results from observational studies such as the one above, as well as the first published randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplementation and patients with COVID-19 which showed a 96% lower risk of ICU admission for those receiving vitamin D, add to the growing list of evidence of the importance of vitamin D and avoiding deficiency.
(Note from Dr. Mha Atma: Healthy vitamin D levels are 40 to 60 ng/ml, and optimum levels may be 60 to 80. So ALL the folks in this study were very low on D, and those under 12 ng/ml were extremely deficient. For many folks taking 5 to 10,000 IU daily of vitamin D is necessary to optimize blood levels, with a great many benefits and virtually no downside, although it is wise to get blood tests for your D level at least once per year.)
Why Chiropractic Is Your Best Option for Pain
Pain is a major problem, but so is medication used to help relieve the pain. If you haven’t realized by now that chiropractic care, not drugs, is your best option for pain, perhaps you’ll be swayed by some recent research. Let’s take a quick look at two studies in particular. Follow along and see how the latest research supports our conclusion. It’s not too late to avoid the pain-reliever epidemic. It’s never too late to choose chiropractic.
First, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Aleve), Motrin and other commonly administered pain relievers, are more effective than opioids for relieving chronic back, knee and hip pain. NSAIDs also win out over opioids in terms of reducing limitations in the ability to perform activities of daily living (walking, working, sleeping, etc.). So, point #1: Opioids aren’t your best option for pain.
But neither are NSAIDs, at least when compared to chiropractic, according to a study that also appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Chiropractic spinal manipulation reduced pain and improved function in back pain patients after six weeks of treatment, and results were similar to that achieved with NSAID use – but without the side effects and other risks associated with medication use (particularly use for more than 10 days at a time). So, point #2: NSAIDs aren’t your best option, either.
Point #3 should be clear by now: When it comes to pain relief, chiropractic care is the effective, safe option to turn to first – a point emphasized by an increasing number of major health care organizations these days. Talk to your doctor about the risks associated with opioids and other pain relievers, and why chiropractic care is the natural, drug-free first choice. Make the right choice … choose chiropractic today.
Drink Green Tea, Live Longer
Green tea may have originated in China centuries ago, but it’s made its way to the U.S. and is rapidly becoming a popular beverage option – and not just for tea enthusiasts. That’s because the health benefits of green tea are profound, including perhaps the biggest health benefit one could want: living longer.
Recent research supports this connection. According to findings reported in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, habitual tea consumption is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease and overall death. The study assessed tea consumption by frequency and type via two surveys conducted nearly a decade apart, and then tracked participants for another five years thereafter. No study participant had any history of heart disease, stroke or cancer when the study began.
Tea drinkers who maintained their habit (three or more times weekly) had a significantly lower risk of incident heart disease and stroke, fatal heart disease and stroke, and death by any cause compared to participants who never or only occasionally drank tea (less than three times weekly). With regard to tea type, analysis supported the protective effect of green tea, but not black tea.
Keep in mind that tea is beneficial not just because of the health-promoting compounds it (particularly green tea) contains (e.g., polyphenols), but also because it’s a significantly healthier option than soda or sugar-sweetened beverages, consumption of which has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. over the past several decades.
(Note from Dr. Mha Atma: When buying tea, purchase ORGANIC whenever possible, since conventionally grown tea may contain significant levels of pesticides.)
Losing Muscle with Age? Vitamin C Could Be Part of the Solution
We’ve talked about it before, but it deserves repeating because so many people fail to heed the warnings: You lose muscle as you age – even if you work out religiously. As we get older, it becomes increasingly challenging to maintain, much less build, muscle mass like you could when you were younger.
If you don’t do anything to prevent that age-related decline, it can lead to major health issues, because it’s not just the size of your muscles that wanes with age - it’s also muscle function and strength.
Fortunately, research suggests exercise and diet can help preserve muscle mass with age to the highest degree possible. A new study explores another option, nutritional supplementation – specifically vitamin C – that can also play a key role in muscle preservation. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found that among more than 13,000 middle-aged to older adults (ages 42-82), those with the highest levels of vitamin C in their diet or blood also had the greatest estimated muscle mass compared to those with the lowest levels.
Remember, you’re going to lose muscle mass every year after age 30 or so. You don’t want that to happen, but it’s going to happen. When you talk to your doctor about ways to help counteract this natural aging process, don’t forget to mention vitamin C, because it appears to be an important part of a healthy lifestyle that will keep your muscles – not to mention the rest of your body – healthy into your Golden Years.
Keep Your Kids Cardio Fit
You’re probably already realized this unfortunate reality, but the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions have made it abundantly clear: Kids don’t get enough exercise anymore. Gone are the days of “releasing them into the wild” with a reminder to be back before dinner. Now it’s technology, screen time and couch lazing in plentiful portions, all day – every day.
You also probably know why that’s a disturbing trend (think obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.), but you may not realize how much it will affect children when they become adults. In fact, research shows that fitness levels in youth predict fitness levels in adulthood, which means the path your children might currently be on (see above) might lead them in the wrong direction for life.
According to a new research analysis in JAMA Pediatrics that reviewed 55 studies involving more than 37,000 children and adolescents, cardiovascular fitness (or lack thereof) influenced the expression of various risk factors including body-mass index (BMI), cholesterol, insulin levels and cardiometabolic risk. When cardiovascular fitness changed (improved) over a one-year follow-up period, the risk factors also changed for the better, which the study authors note “were associated with lower risk of developing obesity and cardiometabolic disease later in life.”
The bottom line, particularly in our current state of affairs: Get your kids moving! Every extra moment of exercise counts, not just for their short-term fitness (and sanity), but for their long-term heart health as well.
Probiotics Help Fight Depression?
I take probiotics for gut health, but what does that have to do with depression? A great deal, suggests research. Probiotics are “healthy bacteria”: live microorganisms that may help restore gastrointestinal flora.
Our GI tract contains trillions of such bacteria naturally, but antibiotics, poor diet – particularly the processed, sugary, high-animal-fat variety too many of us are accustomed to – and other factors can decrease good bacteria, causing health issues.
Enter probiotics, which may do more than just help restore damaged gut health, perhaps even helping fight depression, according to researchers. In reviewing previous studies that met the study authors’ criteria, probiotic use (one strain or multiple strains) was associated with a significant reduction in anxiety and/or depression symptoms compared to not taking probiotics. One study that included combined therapy with probiotics and prebiotics (a type of dietary fiber that, among other health functions, nourishes “good” GI bacteria) also was effective at reducing symptoms.
Talk to your doctor to learn more about the power of probiotics (and prebiotics) for gut health, and as this review study suggests, mental health. Learn more about probiotics in general and how healthy gut bacteria help optimize our valuable intestinal “microbiome”.