Healthy Life Newsletter, August 2023
Chiropractic: The Best Choice for Seniors with Spinal Pain
Compared to what? How about pain medication, including opioids, which continue to be associated with misuse, abuse, addiction and death in simply unacceptable numbers. Opioid use within the senior population is particularly concerning because older adults are often already taking multiple medications (known as polypharmacy); and because many seniors suffer acute and chronic pain. Here’s one big reason why the best choice is chiropractic.
Seniors with spinal pain who receive chiropractic care are considerably less likely to use opioids, suggests research; we’re talking more than 50 percent less likely. Among 55,000+ Medicare beneficiaries 965-99 years of age) diagnosed with spinal pain whose claims were analyzed over a five-year period, the odds of filling an opioid prescription within one year of diagnosis were 56 percent lower among chiropractic care recipients vs. non-recipients. The study authors’ conclusion speaks for itself:
Medicare enrollees with spinal pain who saw both a chiropractor and a primary care physician had less than half the risk of filling an opioid prescription, as compared to those who received primary medical care alone. The association was most pronounced among those who saw a chiropractor within the first 30 days of care.”
What these study findings, published in Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, don’t mention is that avoiding opioids isn’t the only reason chiropractic is seniors’ best choice; chiropractic is also incredibly effective for both treating and preventing spinal pain! That’s a win-win every senior deserves.
Cranberries for UTI
Ever heard that cranberry products can help prevent urinary tract infections? It’s not just a wives’ tale or ancient practice; research supports the value of cranberries in preventing this common, frustrating condition. Case in point: a new global review study that evaluated 50 recent studies involving more than 9,000 participants.
Published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, this study determined that cranberry products reduce the risk of symptomatic, culture-verified urinary tract infections in women with recurrent UTIs, children, and people with susceptibility to UTIs because of an intervention. The researchers point out that compared to antibiotics, cranberry products may make “little or no difference” in the risk of UTIs – but wouldn’t you rather take a safe, natural cranberry product instead of an antibiotic, which has numerous potential side effects and can lead to antibiotic resistance with overuse?
Keep in mind that while some women are more susceptible to UTIs than others, there are definite factors that can reduce your risk, including drinking plenty of water, not delaying urination if you need to pee, urinating immediately after sexual activity, and proper bathroom habits (wiping front to back). Your doctor can tell you more about the value of cranberries and other strategies to prevent the pain and discomfort of UTIs. The take-home message: more natural prevention, fewer antibiotics.
Acid Suppressants Linked to Fracture Risk
Proton-pump inhibitors sound like something right out of Star Wars, but they’re actually common - far too common, considering their potential risks - here in the real world.
This class of drugs, which includes Nexium, Prilosec and Prevacid, among others, is prescribed to treat digestive tract issues such as gastroesophageal reflux, chronic dyspepsia (indigestion) and peptic ulcer disease. These conditions are all characterized by excessive production of stomach acid. The intended mechanism of action of proton-pump inhibitors, as you might expect, is to reduce acid by blocking the gastric proton pump; a decidedly unintended mechanism of action is increased fracture risk.
Following a recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review of studies, the administration posted a “class labeling change” notice on its Web site alerting health care professionals and consumers that proton-pump inhibitors will now feature a label warning regarding “a possible increased risk of fractures at the hip, wrist and spine” attributable to their use. According to the FDA, people ages 50 or older who had been taking the medication for one year or more, often in high doses, were at the greatest risk.
If your doctor tells you proton-pump inhibitors are in your immediate future, ask about the potential side effects and if you can avoid taking medication altogether.
Recommending Turmeric for Much More than Pain Relief
Ajay Goel, PhD, AGAF
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
In addition to relieving pain, curcumin can protect the cardiovascular system, reduce gastrointestinal inflammation, alleviate symptoms of depression, and defend against tumor formation.
A clinically studied curcumin that is blended with turmeric essential oil helps it absorb more efficiently and remain in the bloodstream at meaningful levels longer than standard extracts.
To read the full article go to dynamicchiropractic.com
Diet and Miscarriage Risk
Any woman who’s experienced a miscarriage can tell you if they could have done anything to prevent it, they would have. While some factors are entirely outside of a pregnant woman’s control, one lifestyle variable that may help reduce miscarriage risk is what foods they eat (or refrain from eating). Let’s see how diet can reduce miscarriage risk, courtesy of a new research analysis of previous studies.
According to the review study, published in Fertility and Sterility, what a woman eats may make a miscarriage less likely. Foods associated with a reduced miscarriage risk when consumed at high amounts (vs. low amounts) include:
Vegetables
Dairy products
Whole grains
Seafood
Eggs
In the study, which involved nearly 64,000 women of reproductive age, and focused specifically on diet during the preconception and early-conception (first three months of pregnancy) time frame, high intake of fruit was associated with a 61% miscarriage risk reduction compared with low consumption; high vegetable intake with a 41% risk reduction; 37% for dairy, 33% for grains, and 19% for seafood and eggs.
Naps: Good for Brain Health
Who couldn’t use a nap these days? More people than not slog through life getting poor sleep, not enough sleep, sleep that doesn’t leave them feeling refreshed, or all of the above. The result: a tired, irritable, underperforming, and over time, unhealthy population that desperately needs one thing: more quality sleep!
Your brain doesn’t do well without quality sleep, but fortunately, the simple act of napping appears to help when it comes to brain health. Specifically, short daytime naps may help preserve brain volume, according to research published in a recent issue of Sleep Health. That’s significant because brain shrinkage (loss of brain volume) is associated with a higher risk of cognitive / neurodegenerative diseases.
Among a study population of more than 35,000 adults, ages 40-69 at baseline, adults who reported regular daytime napping had larger brain volumes – the equivalent of 2.6 to 6.5 fewer years of aging. More naps, bigger (younger) brain!
OK, so you’re probably asking yourself the same question we’re thinking: How do I possibly work more (or any) daytime naps into my schedule? If you work all day Monday-Friday, your best bet is the weekends, of course. Find time for a 20- to 30-minute nap on Saturday and/or Sunday, and then see if you can increase the frequency (on off days during the week, vacations, etc.). Remember: More naps, better brain health.
About Magnesium
One of the most important minerals in the body is magnesium. Magnesium is essential for energy production, important for your brain and bone health, blood glucose control, DNA and genetic material, blood pressure, detoxification processes, and for helping activate vitamin D in your body. In fact, low magnesium can prevent vitamin D levels from increasing with supplementation and can alter the effects of vitamin D on health outcomes.
It’s believed that about 80% of Americans don’t get enough magnesium , and as you age, your body becomes less efficient at absorbing magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is common world-wide and low magnesium levels have been linked to atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rate), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and migraines. Magnesium has also been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, decreased post-exercise pain and anxiety, and improved cognitive health.
(Note from Dr. Mha Atma: I recommend magnesium supplements to most of my patients, along with a healthy diet that includes sources including green leafy vegetables, nuts,seeds and beans. The two best absorbed types are magnesium glycinate or citrate, and a dose of 200 to 600 mg/day is usually the best. Too much magnesium can cause loose bowels, to it’s best to take just enough to avoid that side effect.)
Say No to Migraine Medication and Yes to Natural Care
If you’ve ever experienced a migraine headache, you know how debilitating it can be. According to the Mayo Clinic, “a migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours to days and be so severe that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down.“
Nearly 30 million American suffer migraine headaches, with women more than three times as likely as men to be victims. Too often, medication is the first-line treatment strategy to control symptoms – particularly the pain – despite the fact that natural options are being shown to be just as, if not more, effective.
Case in point: a recent study that divided 91 adult migraine sufferers into three groups for comparison. One group received topiramate (brand name: Topamax), an anti-convulsant also approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment and prevention of migraines; a second group exercised 40 minutes a day, three times a week; and the third group performed relaxation exercises over the course of the study period. After three months, results showed no significant differences between the three groups: all three interventions reduced the frequency of migraine occurrence.
If you suffer from migraines, your doctor of chiropractic may recommend exercise or relaxation techniques to help treat your problem without having to resort to drugs, all of which come with a substantial list of side effects that can make you feel even worse. For example, among the potential side effects of topiramate are nausea, diarrhea and fatigue – just what you don’t need when you’re dealing with a debilitating migraine.
Of course, your chiropractor may also perform chiropractic adjustments, which have been shown to be effective for headache symptoms. One study showed spinal manipulation to be as effective as amitriptyline for migraine symptoms; another study showed a significant reduction in frequency, duration and severity of migraines, as well as need for medication, following chiropractic manipulation. And nutritional support, such as magnesium supplementation, has also proven to be effective.
If you suffer from migraines, talk to your doctor of chiropractic about the drug-free options. Say no to medication and yes to natural care.
Flavanols Preserve Memory
We could probably all benefit from more flavanols in our lives, but before we discuss how they specifically affect memory, let’s start with the obvious question for most people: What the heck are they?
Flavanols are a class of flavonoids (not much help, right?) – a class of compounds found in many fruits and vegetables. Good examples include leafy vegetables, apples, onions, broccoli, and berries. They’re important from a health perspective because they exert anti-inflammatory effects and protect cells from oxidative damage. In other words, they help prevent the circumstances that can lead to major diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s and dementia. And this last point leads us to our discussion about their role in preserving memory.
Research suggests getting enough flavanols in our diet is critical, particularly as we get older and our mental acuities tend to naturally decline. In fact, insufficient flavanol intake is associated with reduced memory in adults over the age of 60. The good news, according to the same study, is that replenishing these compounds in flavanol-deficient older adults appears to improve memory.
Researchers used a pool of 3,500 healthy older adults to demonstrate the power of flavanols, randomly assigning them to receive either a daily flavanol supplement or a placebo pill (an inactive substance that participants couldn’t distinguish from the flavanol supplement, so they didn’t know which they were taking) for three years. The active supplement contained 500 mg of flavanols.
At the start of the study, seniors also completed a survey that assessed diet quality, particularly foods high in flavanols; and performed a series of tests to assess short-term memory. These tests were repeated every year for three years. After only the first year, seniors who reported lower baseline levels of flavanols saw memory scores jump by more than 10% compared to seniors taking the placebo; and by 16% compared to their own memory scores at baseline.
OK, it’s time for a quick self-assessment: Are you getting enough dietary flavanols? If you shy away from regular consumption of fruits and veggies, especially the ones noted above, the answer is probably no. Talk to your doctor to learn more about the profound impact diet can have on your body and brain, whether you’re 18, 80 or anywhere in between.
Spine Pain and Chronic Conditions
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What You Need to Know
An important new study looks at the relationship between spine pain and several chronic health conditions.
The authors focused on four chronic conditions: cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.
“These findings provide evidence to support research on the prevention and treatment of non-musculoskeletal conditions with approaches of spinal pain management.”
A new study published in the _International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health l_ooks at the relationship between spine pain and several chronic health conditions. This paper is the second in a group of studies funded by grants from the NCMIC Foundation, the first of which recognized the bidirectional comorbid association between back pain and major depression.
Other studies have reported on the relationship between spine pain and several chronic health conditions. One found a significant association between spine pain and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, overweight and obesity in older women.
The new study is an analysis of 2016-2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. The authors focused on four chronic conditions: cardiovascular, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. They also looked at other health behaviors and conditions that may be associated with spine pain.
All four of the chronic health conditions showed significantly increased prevalence of spinal pain including cardiovascular conditions (58% increased prevalence odds), hypertension (40% increase), obesity (34% increase) and diabetes (25% increase). In addition, other factors increased the prevalence of spine pain: functional disability (324-331% increased prevalence odds), sleep problems (180-184% increase), cognitive impairment (90-100% increase), mental health conditions (68-80% increase), tobacco use (45-50% increase) and insufficient activity (17-20% increase).
The authors estimate the three-month prevalence of spinal pain at 12.3%, which is higher than previously reported. This works out to almost 32 million U.S. adults with neck or back pain in a given three-month period.
The authors conclude that “these findings provide evidence to support research on the prevention and treatment of non-musculoskeletal conditions with approaches of spinal pain management.” This is yet another indication that elimination of spine pain through chiropractic care should be a component of care for various chronic health conditions.
References
de Luca K, Tavares P, Yang H, et al. Spinal pain, chronic health conditions and health behaviors: data from the 2016–2018 National Health Interview Survey. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2023;20:5369.
Connecting the Dots to Chiropractic: Back Pain = Depression, Depression = Back Pain.” Dynamic Chiropractic, June 2023.
Yang H, Hurwitz EL, Li J, et al. Bidirectional comorbid associations between back pain and major depression in US adults. Int J Environ Res Pub Health, 2023; 0(5):4217.
Oliveira CB, Maher CG, Franco MR, et al. Co-occurrence of chronic musculoskeletal pain and cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Pain Med, 2020;21:1106-1121.
Samartzis D, Bow C, Karppinen J, et al. Hypertension is independently associated with lumbar disc degeneration: a large-scale population-based study. Glob Spine J, 2014 May;4(1 Suppl).
Pozzobon D, Ferreira PH, Dario AB, et al. Is there an association between diabetes and neck and back pain? A systematic review with meta-analyses. PLoS ONE, 2019;14:e0212030.
Zhang TT, Liu Z, Liu YL, et al. Obesity as a risk factor for low back pain: a meta-analysis. Clin Spine Surg, 2018;31:22-27.
de Luca KE, Parkinson L, Haldeman S, et al. The relationship between spinal Pain and comorbidity: a cross-sectional analysis of 579 community-dwelling, older Australian women. J Manip Physiol Ther, 2017;40:459-466.