August 2, 2000 [Volume 1, Issue 19]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• During Pregnancy, Don't Forget Chiropractic
• Walking away from High Blood Pressure
• Hostility Linked to Heart Disease?
• Eating Right, Living Longer

The physiological and anatomical changes associated with pregnancy can contribute to any number of complications. Although most of these problems are mild, some carry significant health risk for the mother, child or both. Classic examples of potentially severe complications include high blood pressure, diabetes and anemia.

Musculoskeletal injuries may be another complication to consider, according to a study that analyzed the effect of gait alterations (basically, changes to walking patterns) during pregnancy. During the second half of their final trimester and again one year after birth, 15 women repeatedly walked 12 yards with reflective markers attached to their pelvis, hips, knees, ankles and feet. Video cameras were used as part of a motion analysis system to gather data.

Overall, gait was remarkably unchanged, although significant increases in hip and ankles parameters were observed. The authors speculate that during pregnancy, there may be an increased demand placed on hip and ankle muscles when walking, potentially increasing the risk for any number of musculoskeletal overuse injuries.

These findings emphasize the value of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Regular chiropractic adjustments can help prevent musculoskeletal injuries and ease the pain of injuries if and when they do occur.

Reference: Foti T, Davids JR, Bagley A. A biomechanical analysis of gait during pregnancy. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, May 2000: Vol. 82, pp625-32.

For more information on women’s health, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/women.html

Walking away from High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is known as “the silent killer” because symptoms frequently do not surface until the onset of serious complications, such as kidney failure, heart failure or stroke. Nearly one in five Americans suffers from high blood pressure, despite substantial evidence linking modifiable risk factors (i.e., exercise and diet) with the condition.

Further evidence comes from a Japanese study of 6,017 men (35-60 years of age) with normal blood pressure (less than 140/90) and without history of high blood pressure. Analysis of data on work and leisure-time physical activity, length of walk to work, and other variables (alcohol intake, smoking habits, etc.) revealed that duration of the daily walk to work was independently associated with a reduced risk for hypertension. Specifically, men whose walk to work lasted 21 minutes or more had a decreased risk compared with those whose walk lasted 10 minutes or less, and this association was maintained even after considering age, body mass, alcohol consumption, smoking status, blood pressure, and frequency of other physical activity.

The authors’ concluding recommendation may be the most important lesson: “Even persons who drive to work or use public transportation may benefit from parking or leaving their transportation more than a 20-minute walk from the office.” Talk to your doctor about the dangers of high blood pressure and about what you can do to minimize your risk.

Reference: Hayashi T, Tsumura K, Suematsu C, et al. Walking to work and the risk for hypertension in men: the Osaka Health Survey. Annals of Internal Medicine 1999: Vol. 130, pp21-26.

Hostility Linked to Heart Disease?

Anger and hostility aren’t the same, although they often conjure up one familiar, unpleasant image. Picture the face of the driver you’ve accidentally cut off on the freeway - very angry, very hostile. While anger is a feeling or emotion, hostility is actually a character and personality trait involving anger, cynicism, mistrust of others, and overt and repressed aggression.

Hostility (and anger) do little to contribute to health and wellness, but increasing evidence suggests that the opposite mechanism may take effect. Case in point comes from a study in the May 17, 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Hostility questionnaires administered to 374 men and women (18-30 years old at baseline) provided data on hostility (over a five-year period), and CT scans taken at year 10 examinations assessed the presence of detectable coronary artery calcification - heart disease.

Subjects with above-average hostility scores had more than two times the risk of coronary artery damage compared to less hostile subjects, and five-year changes in hostility were also related with incidence of the disease. The authors conclude that “…a high hostility level may predispose young adults to coronary artery calcification.”

So don’t get mad, get healthy! Your doctor can tell you more about the risk factors for heart disease and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Reference: Iribarren C, Sidney S, Bild DE, et al. Association of hostility with coronary artery calcification in young adults. Journal of the American Medical Association, May 17, 2000: Vol. 283, No. 19, pp2546-51.

Eating Right, Living Longer

If we indeed are what we eat, many of us may end up very displeased with who we become. Despite increased evidence of the dramatic benefits of a low-fat diet high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, fast-food intake is at an all-time high and the American public is growing (literally) at an unprecedented rate. If you’re not convinced by the previous research, maybe this latest study will convince you.

Data from phase 2 (1987-89) of the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project included the results of a 62-item food frequency questionnaire completed by 42,254 women. The study authors examined all-cause mortality (death by any cause) based on “Recommended Food Score” (RFS) -- the sum of the number of foods recommended by current dietary guidelines that subjects reported consuming at least once a week.

Increasing RFS correlated with lower relative risk of all-cause mortality. Put in simpler terms, better overall diet corresponded with better overall health and lower risk of death. These results were maintained after adjusting for numerous other variables, including education; ethnicity; age; body mass index; smoking status; alcohol use; physical activity; menopausal hormone use; and history of disease.

As the authors note, these results emphasize the value of current dietary guidelines recommending adequate intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean meat.

Reference: Kant AK, Schatzkin A, Graubard BI, et al. A prospective study of diet quality and mortality in women. Journal of the American Medical Association, April 26, 2000: Vol. 283, No. 16, pp2109-2115.

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

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