1. Chiropractic
"Only Proven Effective Treatment" for Chronic
Whiplash
Study
Says 74% of Chronic Whiplash Patients Improved with Chiropractic
A new study published
in the Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine1 not
only points out the superiority
of chiropractic care for chronic whiplash patients but also
examines which chronic whiplash patients
respond best to chiropractic care. The authors begin the paper
by explaining that:
"Conventional treatment
of patients with whiplash symptoms is disappointing."
"A retrospective study by Woodward
et al., demonstrated that chiropractic treatment benefited
26 out of 28 patients suffering from chronic whiplash syndrome."
In their discussion, the authors
made these observations:
"Woodward, et
al.2, found improvement
in chronic symptoms in 26 out of 28 patients
(93%) following chiropractic treatment.
Our results confirm the efficacy of chiropractic,
with 69 of our 93 patients (74%) improving following
treatment.
"The results from this study provide
further evidence that chiropractic is an effective treatment
for chronic whiplash symptoms. However, our identification of
a group of patients who fail to respond
to such treatment, highlights the need for a careful
history and physical examination
before commencing treatment."
References
1.
Khan S, Cook Jr., Gargan M, Bannister G. A symptomatic classification
of whiplash
injury and the implications for treatment.
Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine 1999;21
(1):22-25
2.
Woodward MN, Cook JCH, Gargan MF, Bannister GC. Chiropractic
treatment of
chronic whiplash injuries.
Injury 1996:27:643-645.
2.
Painkillers Slow Healing
New research reinforces what many of
us were taught in college decades ago: deadening pain
resulting from an injury appears to interfere with healing.
Research at the University of Medicine
and Dentistry of New Jersey found that NSAIDs appeared to slow
or modify bone healing after a fracture.
Researchers administered Celebrex or Vioxx to rats with broken legs,
and noted that most fractures had not fully healed after two
months. When new bone formation
did occur, it was often weak and superficial. The significant
component appears to be the cox-2
enzyme (associated with inflammation and pain) blocked
by these drugs. Researchers are starting to realize that
the enzyme (and maybe the inflammation
itself) plays an important role in healing.
3. Glucosamine Sulfate
Supplementation Reduces Symptoms of
OA in Placebo-Controlled Study
J.Y. Reginster,
et al., published the findings of their glucosamine trial with
osteoarthritis patients in the Jan.
27, 2001 issue of Lancet. In this study of 212 patients with
osteoarthritis of the knee joints, 106
patients were given the placebo. This three-year study demonstrated that
glucosamine sulfate halted the further progression of knee arthritis
as revealed by radiographs, whereas the placebo group had
progressive joint space narrowing throughout
the study period. As assessed by Western Ontario and McMaster
Universities (WOMAC) scores, symptoms worsened slightly in the
placebo group, compared with improvement
of symptoms in patients using glucosamine. Glucosamine
was well tolerated, and the dropout rate was small and equivalent
to that of the placebo group.
The conclusion drawn by these researchers
is that long-term combined structure- modifying
and symptom-modifying effects of glucosamine sulphate
suggest it could be a
disease-modifying agent in osteoarthritis
| 4. |
Vitamin C Supplementation
Reduces Risk of Stomach Cancer
Reporting in the October issue
of Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers
reported that taking vitamin C supplements may lower the
risk of common
types of stomach cancer by 40 percent.
Vitamin C has
been shown to block the formation of cancer-causing
nitrosamines in the intestinal tract, and a number
of epidemiological studies have linked higher vitamin
C intake with
decreases risk of gastrointestinal tract cancer,
including the esophagus, stomach, pancreas and
colon.
The researchers concluded: "Our results support
the hypothesis that vitamin C supplementation reduces
the risk of cancer of the middle and lower parts
of the stomach. However, definite proof of this
hypothesis would require a randomized clinical
trial."
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5. Vitamin C
for Sore Muscles
In a recent study,1
two weeks of vitamin C supplementation reduced soreness
and shortened muscle function recovery
time. Volunteers consumed 200 mg of vitamin C twice
a day (400 mg total), or a placebo for two weeks. They then
stopped the supplement 36 hours prior
to a test that included 90 minutes of variable-intensity 20-meter
runs, which all of the the subjects
in both groups were unaccustomed to. The authors were unsure
whether the vitamin C group's reduced
soreness and improved recovery were caused by a
decrease in tissue damage, and subsequent inflammation or a
reduction of intracellular oxidative
stress.
Reference
1.
Thompson D, William C, McGregor S, et al. Prolonged vitamin
C supplementation
and recovery from demanding
exercise. International Journal of Sport, Nutrition and
Exercise Metabolism 2001;11(4):466-481
6. Nutrition
for the Skin
In a study of 452 elderly Greeks, Swedes
and Australians, 1 researchers
analyzed
sun-exposed areas of subjects' skin
for degrees of cutaneous skin damage. They then analyzed
the subjects diet and compared the results.
Regardless of genetic background,
there was an association between skin wrinkling
and the
types of foods people regularly consumed. There was not
a ranking as to best or worst foods.
(Therefore, the following lists are not in order.)
| Protective Foods |
Nonprotective Foods |
| vegetables |
red meat |
| fruits |
butter |
| nuts |
margarine |
| olive oil |
whole milk |
| legumes |
soft drinks |
| yogurt |
cocktails |
| eggs |
potatoes |
| whole grains |
cakes |
| water |
pastries |
It is not surprising
that the protective foods tended to be higher in nutrient
density, antioxidants and fiber,
and would be considered anti-inflammatory, while the nonprotective
foods were generally higher in saturated fats, sugar,
and empty (low- nutrient)
calories.
Please note that this study looked at whole foods. Don't be surprised the folks who sell
fruit and vegetable pills unfairly
extrapolate these results and claim their products
help
prevent wrinkles, when in fact,
there is no evidence to support that claim.
Reference
1.
Purba M, Kouris-Blavos A, et al. Skin wrinkling: Can food make
a difference? Journal
American College Nutrition 2001;20(1):71-80.
7. Aging
Mental Attitude
Research published in the Journal
of the American Geriatrics Society1 suggest
that some of the physical unsteadiness
and accidents associated with aging can be blamed on psychological
conditioning. Using a shoe insert specially designed to monitor
gait, researchers compared two groups
of elderly men and women. The groups played a computer
game embedded with subliminal messages. One group received positive
messages such as "wise" "astute"
and "accomplished" while the others were given terms
like "senile" "dependent"
and "diseased." After the game, the groups were asked
to take a walk. The positive group showed
a "profound" improvement in their walking technique
compared to the previous measurements.
Improvements included speed, which was
an average of nine percent faster, and lessened "shuffling"
which was measured by the time each "swinging foot"
was off the ground. The group that received
negative subliminal messages showed no change, suggesting that
they were already programmed in this manner. Researchers
hypothesize that the elderly in general
accept many negative stereotypes about their condition and behave
accordingly.
Reference
1.
JAGS, November 1999.
8. Obesity
A report from the RAND Corp. concludes
that obesity is an expensive condition in terms of
health care costs. This analysis of two national health surveys
finds that obese people spend 36 percent
more for health services, and 77 percent more for medications
than the average American1.
This is roughly twice as much as the costs incurred by
smoking. The author says that differences between
the health costs and condition of an average obese individual
and a person of optimum weight could be compared to the average
50-year-old versus the 30-year-old.
Reference
1.
Health Affairs, March 12, 2002.
9. Fiber and Fat
A study published in the Journal
of the American Medical Association1
reports that dietary fiber appears
to help prevent excessive weight gain as people age. Young adults
who consumed at least 21 grams of fiber
each day gained eight pounds less over a 10- year
period than those consuming small amounts. The study involved
more than 2,900 subjects. Fiber,
in fact, proved more reliable indicator than fat in predicting
who would gain weight over time.
Reference
1.
Jama, October 27, 1999.
10. Fiber
and Colon Cancer
A new study is reviving the theory that
a dietary fiber may help prevent cancer of the colon.
This research, judged by a number of experts to be more reliable
than past works that discounted the
connection, found a 40-percent decrease in colon cancer in patients
on a high-fiber diet. Just over
406,000 people from nine European countries participated in
the study, which began in
1993.1
Reference
1.
Associated Press, June 23, 2001, reporting on the research
of Dr. Sheila Bingham, of
Cambridge University.
11. Starch and Colon
Cancer
Research from Australia suggests that
resistant starches, compounds that are not completely
digested, play an important role in preventing colon
cancer.
Resistant starch is found in undercooked
vegetables and rice, as well as other foods. Scientists
theorize that some of these foods that escape digestion release
compounds in the large intestine
that protect against colorectal cancer. The research was prompted
by observations that populations consuming
large amount of resistant starch had lower incidences
of the cancer than those who consumed more fiber, but
less starch.1
Reference
1.
OTC (COMTEX Newswire), July 3, 2001, reporting on research
by Commonwealth
Science and Industrial Research Organization health science
and nutrition in Adelaide,
Australia.
12. Vitamin D and Colon
Cancer
Research from the University of Texas-Southwestern
in Dallas is shedding some light on how
vitamin D is involved in protection against colon cancer. The
vitamin, it appears, is instrumental
in detoxifying lithocholic acid, one of the more powerful toxins
created by the body as a by-product
of digestion. Lithocholic acid, a bile acid used in the digestion
of fats, has been shown to induce
DNA changes, even cancers, when introduced directly into
the intestines of laboratory animals. These cancers don't develop
when vitamin D is present at
the same time, according to this report1.
Lithocholic acid toxicity may also explain
why many studies suggest a link between dietary fat and
colorectal cancer.
Reference
1.
Reuters, May 16, 2002.
13. Exercise and Diabetes
Development
For those of you who haven't yet gotten
the message that exercise is vital to maintain your
health, here is yet another study to consider. Researchers from
the Harvard School of Public Health
report that you can cut your risk of developing adult-onset
diabetes in half by getting a daily
total of one hour of moderate exercise each day. The workout
can be spread throughout the day and
may include such activities as a brisk walk to the bus stop, climbing
a few flights of stairs, or doing housework.1
Reference
1.
Journal of the American Medical Association, October
20, 1999.
14. Salt for Preemies
Because premature infants lose more
sodium through their urine than full-term babies, many
physicians prescribe salt supplements during the first two weeks
after birth. A new study by London physicians
concludes that this is probably a good practice. The researchers monitored
the mental and physical development of prematurely born children
for up to 13 years, and found significant
improvements of mental abilities of those given the supplements.
IQ tests were 10 percent better, with memory and language skills
also showing better scores.1
Reference
1.
Archives of Disease in Childhood, Fetal and Neonatal Edition,
March 2002.
15. Caesarian Births
Britain's Royal College of Obstetricians
and Gynecologists reports that record numbers of women
have been undergoing the surgical birth procedure in recent
years. The latest figures show that
twenty percent of expectant mothers undergo Caesarian section
to deliver their children. This compares
to just three percent only 30 years ago. About half of
the obstetricians surveyed in this study said that the
rate was higher than it should be. The World
Health Organization suggests that levels of 10-15 percent are
reasonable. Critics of the procedure
cite serious health risks to both the mother and baby, often
just for the sake of convenience. About
37 percent of the surgeries are nonemergency choices
made by the patient.1
Reference
1.
Reuters, October 26, 2001.
16. Newborns in the
Car
Doctors from the Children's Hospital
in St. Paul and the University of Minnesota School of
Medicine recently issued a warning to new parents, in response
to the outcome of a research
project in Minnesota. The study, published in the journal
Pediatrics,1 concludes that infants should not be
placed in car seats or other upright-seated positions for long
periods of time.
The researchers found that oxygen saturation
began to decline in such positions because of
immature head righting and breathing reflexes. The infant's
head tends to flop excessively away
from the midline, impairing the child's ability to breathe.
The warning includes swings and
other upright seating devices during the first few months
of life.
Reference
1.
Pediatrics, September 2001.
17. Breastfeeding
vs. Leukemia
The Journal of the National Cancer
Institute1 reports
that breastfeeding seems to offer some
protection against childhood leukemia. This study involved
2,200 children and contradicts some previous
smaller studies that reported no correlation. This work
found a 30 percent reduction in leukemia for
babies breastfed for at least six months. A smaller reduction
in risk (21 percent) was noted if the infant was breastfed
for only one month. The effect
is thought to be due to immunological factors transmitted
in the mother's milk.
Reference
1.
JNCI, October 20, 1999.
18. Breastfeeding
to Stay Slim
Scottish researchers report in The Lancet1 that
breastfed babies tend to put on less excess
weight in their first few years, which may have implications
adulthood. A study involving 32,00 children,
found up to a 30 percent lower incidence of obesity in those
who had been nursed as infants, as measured
by their body mass index. The researchers feel
that these results may carry over into adulthood, as there have
been a number of associations
between childhood obesity and subsequent excess weight
as an adult.
Reference
1.
The Lancet, June 8, 2002.
19. Vaccination
Recommendation Withdrawn
The Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices, a U.S. federal health panel, recently voted
unanimously to withdraw its recommendation that infants be given
a rotavirus vaccine. Previously, they
had recommended that it should be administered to infants at
2, 4, and 6 months of age. But after
it was in general use for about a year, it became apparent that it
was causing intestinal obstructions. The rate of bowel obstruction
increased in these infants eight-fold.
Research done on the vaccine prior to its approval by the FDA reported no
significant increase in this particular side effect.1
Reference
1.
Reuters, October 22, 1999.
20. Hospital Rules
The Joint Commission on Accreditation
of Healthcare Organizations1 adopted
a rule in the summer of 2001
that requires hospitals to tell a patient when he or she has
been a victim of a medical error. Under
the rule, hospitals risk losing their accreditation if they
fail to keep patients so informed. Contrary
to some hospital administrators' fears, the move may
actually help prevent lawsuits: at least one study suggests
that patients sue less often if they're
kept informed.2 The rule
is in response to congressional figures that indicate
that 777,000 people each year are injured
or killed by medication errors.
References
1.
Joint Commission
2.
Associated Press, June 27, 2001.
21. Ulcer Patients Not
Warned about NSAIDS
A study published in the Journal of
the American Medical Association reports that most Medicare
patients being treated for peptic ulcers are not warned about
the dangers of taking over-the-counter
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Drugs such as aspirin
and ibuprofen can create or increase the severity of ulcers
and lead to increased hospitalizations
or death from internal hemorrhage. Guidelines issued by the
National Institutes of Health in 1994
recommended that doctors determine if their ulcer patients use
NSAIDs and, if so, have them discontinue their use. However,
this study says that there was no such
change in clinical practice. Less than one third of patients
are warned that NSAIDs
could cause or aggravate their problem.1
Reference
1.
JAMA, October 24, 2001.
22. Blood Pressure Diagnosis
For many years, the upper blood
pressure number (systolic) was considered the more important
component of a patient's reading. Then, the diastolic
measurement was deemed more
significant, and has been for many years. A new study
of 4,700 men suggests that
maybe we were right the first
time. This study found a doubled risk of cardiovascular death
when systolic readings were 160 or higher. However,
in those with elevated diastolic readings,
but not significantly high systolic pressures, there
was no such correlation. The
findings apply particularly to elderly persons, whose
high systolic pressures
are often ignored if the diastolic readings are within
normal limits.1
Reference
1.
Archives of Internal Medicine, March 11, 2002.
23. Irish Coffee for Stroke
University of Texas researchers, studying
the effects of strokes on rats, reportedly have found
an improbable new stroke treatment: a swig of alcohol with a
coffee chaser. They say the combination
works just as well as potent drugs now in use for stroke treatment.
For ischemic strokes (80 percent
of stroke cases), alcohol administered by itself made the stroke worse.
Caffeine alone had no effect, but the equivalent of one alcoholic
drink followed by two or three cups
of coffee offered "almost complete protection" from
stroke damage. The effect is lost if
the proportions are modified too much, and taking the mixture
as a preventive measure (daily before
the stroke happens) does not seem to work. More research
is expected to follow, though the researchers are not getting
many offers of funding from
the major drug companies.1
Reference
1.
Reported to the American Neurological Association
meeting in Seattle, October 13, 1999,
by Dr. James Grotta.
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