Healthy Life Newsletter, September 2023
A Note from Dr. Mha Atma
Wow, it’s September! Time is like a river–it just keeps flowing along, whether we’re paying attention or not. Every day is a gift, and life is precious and fleeting, so we need to take good care of ourselves so we can enjoy it more, and so we can make our best contribution to our world.
Warning: Low-Dose Aspirin
For years, daily low-dose aspirin has been recommended for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events, including stroke, in older adults. However, as is so often the case (pay close attention to the long list of potential side effects in the next drug ad you watch), the very thing the medication is designed to prevent may increase the risk that it occurs.
Such appears to be the case with aspirin. Let’s see what new research says regarding daily low-dose aspirin and stroke risk.
Among 19,000-plus healthy (free of cardiovascular disease at baseline older adults (average age: 74 years) enrolled in the Aspirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, some took a 100-mg enteric-coated aspirin daily, while others took a daily placebo (an inactive pill they thought was low-dose aspirin) for comparison. Low-dose aspirin use proved less than encouraging, to say the least, on two fronts, according to results: not only did it not significantly reduce the risk of ischemic stroke, but it also increased the risk of intracranial bleeding (which can lead to stroke).
Writing about their findings in JAMA Network Open, the study authors emphasize that “an increased tendency to bleeding may alter the balance of risks and benefits of aspirin” and that “low-dose aspirin should not be prescribed for primary prevention in healthy older adults.” This adds to a recent U.S. Preventative Services Task Force guidance that notes: “The USPSTF now recommends against its use for prevention of a first heart attack or stroke in people aged 60 years or older with no clinical evidence or history of vascular disease.”
Keep in mind that the study population did not involve older adults with cardiovascular disease or at high risk for CVD; in such cases, the risk-benefit profile of taking daily low-dose aspirin may warrant its use – something your medical doctor can discuss with you. In the meantime, remember that a balanced diet, regular physical activity, stress reduction and not smoking / smoking cessation all have a significant impact on heart health. After all, why take aspirin (or any other medication) if you don’t have to?
Two for One with Chiropractic
Can’t seem to shake that back pain? Continually plagued by headaches? You’re not alone. Chronic back and headache pain are among the most prevalent and disabling disorders worldwide. Even more troubling, experiencing one of these conditions may raise your likelihood of experiencing both. But here’s the good news: the potential reason why these two disorders may be connected points to a single solution: chiropractic care.
According to research published in the Journal of Headache and Pain, people who suffer persistent back pain or headaches are approximately twice as likely to suffer from both. Their findings are based on a review of studies involving more than 450,000 total participants suffering from back pain and headaches. Overall, the researchers found 14 studies that reported an association between “primary headache disorders and persistent low back pain.”
While the study authors do not spell out the cause of the connection between these two common, debilitating conditions, abundant previous evidence suggests musculoskeletal dysfunction, particularly involving the spine and spinal nerves, is a potential factor with both headaches and back pain.
That makes chiropractic care a great option when you’re experiencing either condition – or both. In fact, since a chiropractor can help both back pain and headaches, there’s a good chance that if you’re only suffering from one, chiropractic care may prevent the other from occurring at all. Now that’s a two-for-one win with chiropractic!
Growing Up with Antibiotics, Growing Up with Asthma?
In the latest (but probably not the last) research to associate antibiotic use during infancy with the development of asthma, three studies suggest exposure to antibiotics (either prescribed to the pregnant mother or the child during the first year after birth) increases the risk that the child will suffer from asthma.
The first study found that “both prenatal (before birth) and post-natal exposure to antibiotics was associated with an increased risk of asthma.” Building on this, the second study noted: “Antibiotic use in the first year life is associated with an increased risk of early-onset childhood asthma that egan before 3 years of age. The apparent effect has a clear dose response” (the more you take, the greater the risk).
The third study compared babies born in urban areas with those born in rural areas. While a number of factors increased the risk of asthma, “the use of antibiotics” was one factor contributing to development of the condition, particularly in urban areas.
Talk to your doctor about the risk-benefit profile of any medication you’re prescribed / recommended (including over-the-counter products); then make an informed decision on whether it’s worth the risk.
Turmeric for Knee Osteoarthritis
A Research-Supported Alternative to NSAIDs
Adrian Isaza, PhD, DC, DABCI, DACBN, CCAP
Dr. Mha Atma says: This article describes multiple studies showing that taking turmeric is at least as effective as taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuporfen, naproxen and others, and without the significant side effects. In addition, exercise to strengthen leg muscles (quadriceps and hamstrings) and reducing intake of inflammatory foods (sugar, flour products, processed foods) and yield even better results.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
OA of the knee should be prevented and treated innovatively, especially among young people.
A NSAID is often applied topically or orally as a first line of treatment, but adverse effects should be monitored.
Based on numerous studies, it seems feasible to treat knee osteoarthritis with curcuminoids due to its efficacy and safety compared to NSAIDs.
Read the whole article, with references, at dynamicchiropractic.com
For a great and cost efficient way to consume turmeric: Ideas for Good Health
Time to Visit Your Chiropractor – Even When You’re Not in Pain
Why visit your doctor of chiropractic periodically – even when you’re not experiencing pain or other symptoms? Here’s why. The latest study on maintenance care for low back health suggests receiving chiropractic care periodically dramatically reduces the number of days you’ll experience “bothersome” low back pain over the course of a year.
Published in the multidisciplinary open-access journal PLOS One, the study included 328 patients ages 18-65 with nonspecific low back pain who experienced a favorable response to chiropractic care during their initial course of treatment. Patients were then randomly allocated to one of two groups for one year: a maintenance care group that received periodic chiropractic care or a control group that returned to their chiropractor only when LBP symptoms were present. Every week, researchers assessed subjects’ low back pain with a single question: “On how many days during the past week were you bothered by your lower back (i.e., it affected your daily activities or routines)?”
During the 12-month tracking period, members of the maintenance care (MC) group made an average of 6.7 visits to the chiropractor, compared with 4.8 visits by members of the control group. Those additional visits correlated with 12.8 fewer days of bothersome low back pain, on average, for the MC group compared to the control group.
How important is 12.8 fewer days of bothersome LBP a year? We’re sure you agree it’s worth a few additional visits to your chiropractor! And that’s the beauty of chiropractic care – it helps minimize the chances your pain will occur / recur, rather than treating it with medication once you’re already in pain. If you’re smart, you don’t wait until your car breaks down to take it to the mechanic, and you don’t wait until your teeth fall out to visit the dentist; so why wait until you’re in pain before going to your chiropractor?
As we mentioned at the beginning, this isn’t the first study – and likely won’t be the last – to suggest maintenance chiropractic care is more effective than symptom-guided care for low back pain. Click here toyourhealth.com to read our summary of a study published in 2017.
Weekends Are for Heart Health
Heart health is an increasingly big topic of discussion, particularly as poor diet, lack of exercise and soaring stress put more people at risk for cardiovascular disease. While activity guidelines recommend at least 150 weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, for some people, finding the time during the workweek can be a challenge.
If that’s you, don’t despair: Findings from a new study suggest even “weekend warriors” can improve their heart health and avoid life-threatening cardiovascular events.
Researchers examined how physical activity patterns – specifically the “weekend warrior” pattern of activity over 1-2 days per week vs. activity spread out more evenly throughout the week – correlated with the risk of suffering a cardiovascular event (incident atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and stroke). Researchers also evaluated a third physical activity pattern (inactive, meaning fewer than 150 activity minutes per week) for comparison in terms of cardiovascular event risks.
Both activity patterns (weekend warrior and evenly distributed activity) were associated with similar reduced risks of experiencing atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, heart failure and stroke. As might be expected, both patterns were more effective at lowering heart event risk compared to being inactive. The researchers make their findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, clear: “Within nearly 90,000 individuals providing wrist-based activity quantification, physical activity concentrated within 1 to 2 days was associated with similarly lower risk of cardiovascular outcomes to more regular activity.”
Simply put, when it comes to heart health, get at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-intense physical activity a week – every week – no matter when and how you do it! Weekend warriors rejoice! Talk to your doctor for more information about what you can do to promote heart health for a lifetime.
The Dose of Vitamin D Most People Are Taking Is Way Too Small
A video discussing current vitamin D dosing guidelines and the safety of higher vitamin D doses, posted on May 15th, 2023 by Dr. John Campbell, reached almost 673,400 views in just 15 days. In this video, Dr. Campbell reviewed a publication by Dr. Patrick McCullough, an advisory board member of GrassrootsHealth, whose study demonstrated the safety and effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation at 5000 IU per day or 10,000 IU per day for 12 months or longer, as well as doses ranging from 20,000 to 60,000 IU per day, which were used in individual cases for patients with psoriasis, asthma, and skin cancer.
Dr. Campbell took this review a step further by asking the same question GrassrootsHealth has been proposing since its founding in 2007, “Why aren’t authorities keeping up with the evidence?” Why is it that most health practitioners and individuals aren’t fully aware of the benefits of vitamin D, the physiological doses necessary to support optimal vitamin D levels, or the levels necessary to support optimal functioning within each system of the body?
Watch the video at:
Eat Breakfast Early
Eat your first meal of the day early – that’s one piece of advice for preventing type 2 diabetes, suggests new research. While not eating breakfast – or not eating until late in the morning – has become a trend for weight loss (think intermittent fasting) and overall health, when it comes to diabetes prevention, that might not be sound advice. According to a new study, eating breakfast after 9 a.m. increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by a whopping 59% compared to eating breakfast before 8 a.m.
But eating breakfast early isn’t the only timing variable impacting diabetes risk: eating more frequently (approximately five times per day) vs. eating less frequently decreased risk. Researchers arrived at their findings by tracking 100,000+ adults for an average of seven years after gathering dietary data from participants, including meal timing, for three non-consecutive days over the first two years.
The researchers address the intermittent fasting issue as it relates to their findings (they evaluated the impact of nighttime fasting as well), suggesting that intermittent fasting can be best accomplished within the parameters of the “start early, end early” eating pattern (early breakfast, early dinner). Study participants who ate breakfast before 8 a.m. and fasted for more than 13 hours overnight showed a reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes. (The implication is that to achieve a 13+-hour overnight fast when eating breakfast early, they must have eaten their final meal of the day earlier, rather than later.)
Keep in mind, of course, that meal timing and frequency are only part of the diabetes-prevention equation. What and how much you consume is an entirely different conversation, as diet is a key lifestyle variable impacting type 2 diabetes risk. Talk to your doctor for more information.