July 20, 2000 [Volume 1, Issue 18]

"To Your Health" is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

https://www.chiroweb.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php

In this issue of To Your Health:

• Get the Full Story on Medications
• Battling Fatigue as We Age
• Breast-Feeding Protects against Heart Disease?
• Improving Academic Performance with Nutrition

If you’re not aware of the countless potential dangers associated with medication use, look closely at the warning labels on the bottles, or the cautionary sheet your pharmacist includes with every filled prescription. Evidence suggests that in many cases, the benefits of medication use may be outweighed by the complications and side effects, a point underscored in this study from the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Telephone surveys were used to gather data on health care utilization, drug complications, and other variables from 2,858 randomly selected outpatients (20-75 years old) from eleven Boston-area ambulatory clinics. Medical records were also reviewed to collect information on diagnoses, medications, allergies, hospitalizations and ADEs (adverse drug events) in the previous year.

Results showed that 79% of patients reported prescription drug use, with 18% reporting a “drug complication,” defined as a problem or symptom in the past year related to prescription medications. Antibiotics, antidepressants, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were the most common offenders; common side effects included gastrointestinal problems (the most severe reported complication), sleep disturbances, fatigue, and mood changes. The authors mention that although drug complications were “commonly reported by patients,” they were often not noted in corresponding patient medical charts.

These findings emphasize the need for improved doctor-patient communication, while underscoring the potential dangers associated with medication use. For more information on the pros and cons of prescription drugs, and to learn more about non-drug options for treating your pain, contact your doctor of chiropractic.

Reference: Gandhi TK, Burstin HR, Cook EF, et al. Drug complications in outpatients. Journal of General Internal Medicine, March 2000: Vol. 15, pp149-54.

Battling Fatigue as We Age

Fatigue strikes everyone at one time or another - after vigorous exercise, a long workday, or prolonged stress. In the elderly population, fatigue can be a severe problem, especially for seniors suffering from physical ailments.

How serious is the problem? According to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, very serious. A survey of 199 residents at a residential care facility revealed that almost all of the participants reported some fatigue symptoms: 51% reported mild fatigue, 40% reported moderate fatigue, and 7% reported severe fatigue. Fatigue also influenced depression, activities of daily living, pain, medication use, and the ability to perform a three-minute walk. Even more distressing, one in four seniors reported suffering chronic fatigue (1-5 years), and 11% reported fatigue lasting more than five years!

Whether you’re young or old, the battle against fatigue is an important one. How do we fight fatigue? There’s no single answer, but consistent exercise and a sensible diet might be a good place to start. Your chiropractor can tell you more about fatigue and outline a wellness program to keep you active now and in the future.

Reference: Liao S, Ferrell BA. Fatigue in an older population. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2000: Vol. 48, pp426-30.

For more information on senior health, visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/senior.html

Breast-Feeding Protects against Heart Disease?

Breast-feeding protects against infant infections and allergies, while also promoting optimal neurodevelopment. Limited research has addressed the potential benefits beyond the first years of life, although those few studies did suggest an association between breast-feeding and the biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Further evidence of this potential association comes from a recent issue of Archives of Disease in Childhood. A study examined breast-feeding at infancy and its influence on various factors (glucose tolerance, plasma lipid profiles, blood pressure and body mass) in 625 subjects now 48-53 years old. Hospital records provided data on method of infant feeding (exclusive breast-feeding, partial bottle feeding, or exclusive bottle feeding) at time of discharge; maternal characteristics and infant birth weight were also collected.

The authors analyzed the data and concluded: “Exclusive breast-feeding seems to have a protective effect against some risk factors for cardiovascular disease in later life.” Ask your doctor about the many established benefits of breast-feeding, and find out what you can do before, during and after pregnancy to maximize the health of your child.

Reference: Ravelli ACJ, van der Meulen JHP, Osmond C, et al. Infant feeding and adult glucose tolerance, lipid profile, blood pressure and obesity. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2000: Vol. 82, pp248-52.

Improving Academic Performance with Nutrition

No doubt you’ve heard about the many benefits of adequate vitamin and mineral intake, including the prevention of many forms of cancer. But have you heard about what nutrient supplementation may do for your children’s grades? Look no further than Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, whose May 2000 issue included a study suggesting that nutrients may raise academic performance in learning-disabled children.

Twenty children participated in a one-year trial of open nutrient administration, followed by a second portion of the trial for those children who demonstrated academic improvement (higher grades and/or being mainstreamed in at least one academic subject) after six months. Thirteen children qualified for phase two of the trial, and were administered specific supplements (magnesium, pyridoxine and ascorbic acid, followed by folic acid, thiamine, manganese and zinc) in subsequent years. Academic improvements were tracked at various points, up to four years from baseline.

Results: All 19 children who completed the first year of treatment (one dropout due to nausea) showed significant academic and behavioral improvements within a few weeks or months of nutritional supplementation. Some children gained 3-5 years of reading comprehension within the first year of treatment; all children in special education classes became mainstreamed; and grades rose significantly. Children who continued supplementation after the first year continued to improve, whereas those who discontinued supplementation showed eventual declines (academic declines after one year without supplementation, lower grades after two years).

Reference: Carlton RM, Ente G, Blum L, et al. Rational dosages of nutrients have a prolonged effect on learning disabilities. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, May 2000: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp85-91.

For more information on nutrition, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html

Unsubscribe Instructions:
Click this link and enter your e-mail address to unsubscribe from this newsletter.