Healthy Life Newsletter, August 2024
A Note from Dr. Mha Atma
Remarkably, a 2021 Palmer College Gallup report found that 14% of adults had seen a chiropractor in the previous 12 months, 12% in the previous five years, and 25% more than five years ago. That’s great…but it also means that countless millions of Americans have never experienced chiropractic care, and I often wonder how many of them suffer as a result. If you’ve found benefit from chiropractic, when you encounter one of those folks you might choose to tell them about your experience with chiropractic care!
Patient of the Month: Richard Turner
I had terrible lower back pain. The pain was on my left side and extended up to the left middle back. I was OK sitting but in pain when bent over the stove or sink, when on the putting green and when walking.
I had back problems since childhood, starting with sciatica in my teens. I saw a chiropractor 30 or more years ago and it was helpful. In France 25 years ago I was treated by an osteopath with adjustments which relieved my pain and lasted for years. The pain over the years has been at times severe. When I was younger I could tough it out, but as a senior it can be crippling.
I knew chiropractic would help, and since I live down the street from Khalsa Chiropractic I came here for treatment. I had been taking some over-the-counter pain medications. I was more interested in natural remedies as opposed to surgery.
The office here seemed quaint and felt like a healing place. Dr. Mha Atma recommended diet and exercise to reduce inflammation, as well as a series of adjustments. I feel much better now—I am not disappointed. And I’m doing my back exercises religiously. I like chiropractic and this office—it is a comfortable environment. And I’ve told several friends about the chiropractic experience.
More Plant, Less Animal
Care about your health and the climate? Then keep the phrase, “More plant, less animal” in mind when it comes to your diet. That’s because evidence links a plant diet to numerous benefits impacting your body and the planet.
If you’re a meat eater, you don’t need to become a vegetarian / vegan to make a difference, suggests research; even partial substitutions matter. For example, according to findings published in a recent issue of Nature Food, partially substituting red and processed meat or dairy with plant protein foods increases life expectancy while decreasing diet-related greenhouse gas emissions. The benefits were primarily attributed to substituting red / processed meat with plant-based protein, with smaller benefits for replacing dairy with plant products.
If you’re considering changing your diet to favor “more plant, less animal,” it’s important to consider how you’ll replace potential nutrient deficiencies that could occur; namely getting less calcium if you limit dairy consumption specifically, and less protein if you limit meat / dairy consumption in general. Talk to your doctor for more information on how you can pursue a plant-based diet and still meet the recommended daily requirements for all the macro- and micronutrients your body needs to thrive.
Neck Pain: Think Chiropractic
Neck pain is no laughing matter; depending on the severity, it can ruin your day, week or even longer. But before you turn to the medicine cabinet for your favorite pain reliever, why not consider a more permanent option that doesn’t just take away the symptoms of the problem, but actually addresses the root cause of the pain? That’s where chiropractic can make a difference.
Common causes of neck pain that can be addressed by your doctor of chiropractic are the result of the aging process (spinal degeneration, osteoarthritis) and daily life, including stress and poor posture. Other potential causes include faulty sleep position and improper movements – and these days, craning our necks to peer into our smartphone screens and other portable devices isn’t helping, either.
So, how can chiropractic help? A number of research studies support chiropractic care for neck pain. Here are a few examples from the literature:
A 2003 study deemed manual therapy (spinal mobilization) more effective than physical therapy and medical care (including medication) in helping patients with neck pain lasting at least two weeks.
A 2007 review determined “high-quality” evidence supports chiropractic spinal manipulation for chronic neck pain, with patients reporting significant reductions in pain.
A 2012 study found chiropractic care reduced neck pain to a greater degree than pain medications such as aspirin or ibuprofen. (Even simple exercises performed at home proved more effective than drugs.)
Ready to tackle your neck pain head-on, rather than ignoring it or taking pain meds to temporarily mask the pain? Don’t wait any longer. Make an appointment today with your doctor of chiropractic and begin the road to recovery.
Walking for Knee Pain
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis – swelling and tenderness in one or more joints. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage that cushions and protects the ends of bones wears down with time, which is why OA is often referred to as “wear and tear” arthritis.
Regardless of the moniker, pain is a major consequence of OA, particularly pain affecting the hands, hips, spine and knees.
With that said, you would think walking would be difficult, if not impossible (or at least not contraindicated) for OA sufferers if their joint pain involves the knees, but research recommendations suggest walking is actually beneficial for people with knee OA. Study findings published in Arthritis & Rheumatology demonstrate that knee OA sufferers (ages 50 and older) who walk regularly are 40 percent less likely to experience frequent new knee pain compared to non-walkers.
Of course, walking has various other health benefits, according to research, which means whether you suffer from knee OA or just want to optimize your health and wellness, make sure walking is included in your daily routine.
Have You Checked Your T?
Levels of testosterone, the primary male sex hormone, start to decline by approximately 1% annually beginning in a man’s 30s. As a result, men may begin to experience a variety of distressing symptoms including loss of lean muscle mass, fatigue, reduced sex drive and more – including reduced lifespan.
New research underscores the importance of addressing declining testosterone levels, suggesting that low testosterone can shorten a man’s life compared to a man with normal levels. In the analysis, researchers found that men with T levels lower than 213 ng/dL (300 ng/dL and above is considered normal) had a higher risk of dying from any cause. Men with very low levels (below 153 ng/dL) also had a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease specifically.
The study was an analysis of previous research – 11 studies totaling 24,000-plus participants. Findings appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association and beg the question: Have you had your T checked? It’s as simple as asking your doctor to order a blood test to measure testosterone levels.
So, what can you do if your levels are low – or borderline low? WebMD has an informative slideshow (webmd.com) that illustrates some of the ways without taking medication. You can also talk to your doctor for more information.
Limit Kids’ Added Sugar
Sugar – so pleasing to the palate, so dangerous for our health, particularly when it’s sugar that’s added to your food (rather than occurring naturally in it). A diet high in added sugar has been associated with health conditions ranging from obesity and diabetes to heart and liver diseases, cancer and even dementia.
In other words, added sugar is bad news.
Unfortunately, one of the most common sources of added sugar is also one of the most popular: sugar-sweetened beverages, and for many youngsters, the exposure starts early. New research suggests the impact of early exposure to sugar-sweetened beverages (as opposed to naturally sweetened, such as 100% fruit juice) can linger well into adulthood, with an increased risk of obesity – even into adulthood. Among 4,000 children tracked from birth to adulthood, children who drank sugar-sweetened soda or sugar-sweetened fruit drinks before age 2 were heavier at age 24.
Children who drank sugar-sweetened beverages at age 3 also tended to consume more calories, fat, protein and sugar, and less fiber; and also more likely to suffer in terms of specific diet choices, with higher consumption of burgers, pizza, French fries, and sweets. The moral to the story: Limit added sugar intake – as soon your kids are young enough to start eating it!
Maintain Your Strength
As we age, we lose muscle – pure and simple. In fact, after around age 50, we lose approximately 3% of our muscle strength – every year. Loss of muscle has potential consequences: an increased risk of frailty, falls and fractures, none of which help us maintain an active, independent lifestyle as we get older.
There’s a solution to maintain muscle strength with age, according to research: intensive strength training. In a study involving 369 seniors (average age: 71 years), a year-long intensive strength-training program maintained leg strength over four years, while seniors who performed less-intensive strength training (or none at all) experienced strength declines over the same time period.
Seniors randomly assigned to the intensive training program performed machine-based exercises at nearly maximum capacity three times per week; seniors assigned to the less-intensive training program performed body weight and resistance band exercises (also three times weekly). Strength was assessed at baseline, after one year of training, and two and four years after the start of the study. Findings appear in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Not every senior can perform heavy weight lifting due to physical limitations or health issues, so talk to your doctor before initiating a training program to ensure safety. Then get started maintaining your strength – no matter your age!
A Grand Slam for Chiropractic
Pro Baseball Chiropractic Society Now Serving All 30 MLB Teams
Dr. Hamid Sadri holding the World Series trophy in 2021. He is the team chiropractor of the Atlanta Braves.
Athletes of all sports continue to discover how consistent chiropractic care can enhance their performance, address injuries and keep them active. This is especially true in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Baseball players face fitness and injury challenges in their rigorous 162-game regular season, with twice as many regular-season games as NBA basketball players and more than nine times the number of games as NFL football players.
Now, after more than 12 years of effort, the Pro Baseball Chiropractic Society (PBCS) has member DCs serving every team in MLB. Working as part of the health care teams with athletic trainers and medical physicians, these highly skilled chiropractors help keep their players on the field and in optimal health.
In addition to serving professional baseball players, the PBCS also provides practical tools for DCs who want to become team chiropractors on every level from recreational, to club, to the minors, to the majors.
Dr. Curt Rindal, team chiropractor for the Seattle Mariners, at the 2023 All Star Game in Seattle.