May 23, 2001[Volume 2, Issue 11]

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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Getting Rid of Back Pain
• Exercise for the Mind
• Behave Yourself!
• Tofu or Not Tofu, That Is the Question
  

Doctors of chiropractic spend years in chiropractic college learning to manipulate the spine, but that's certainly not all they learn. Chiropractors are effective at relieving back pain because they know that long-term solutions come from taking a well-rounded approach to dealing with the problem.

A study involving 147 patients (101 of whom were classified as "disabled" from car accidents or work-related back injuries) provides evidence of the effectiveness of this approach to managing back pain. Patients participated in a four-phase rehabilitation program consisting of:

1) chiropractic treatments, including spinal adjustments, ultrasound therapy, and TENS (electrical stimulation of the muscles), along with cardiovascular exercises;

2) isometric strength training;

3) resistance weight training; and

4) education on back pain, including strategies for coping with pain, relaxation techniques, etc.

After nine weeks of rehabilitation, patients reported decreases in pain and disability compared with pre-rehabilitation measurements. Strength, flexibility and range of motion were also higher, and most significantly, 91 of the 101 disabled patients were able to return to work.

So if back pain's got you down, get up and take a trip to your doctor of chiropractic. You'll get a comprehensive, caring approach that's sure to help you get back on your feet.

Reference: Guerriero RC, Rawani M, Gray E, et al. A retrospective study of the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation of low back pain patients in a multidisciplinary setting. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, June 1999: Vol. 43, No. 2, pp89-103.

For more information on back pain, go to https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/backpain.html.

Exercise for the Mind

The physical benefits of exercise in elderly people are well-established. More recently, investigators have examined the benefits of exercise on the mental health of elderly people. A new study suggests that aerobically fit individuals tend to perform better on measures of the mind.

Building on evidence that many heart-healthy habits do the brain good, a study of 84 men and women (aged 50-77) with clinical depression were randomly assigned exercise plans for a period of four months. Investigators found that four months of regular aerobic exercise appeared to sharpen study participants’ memory and certain other mental abilities. This finding suggests exercise could counter the mental decline that comes with aging, according to the report.

The new findings, published in the Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, suggest that the mental health benefits of exercise go beyond depression. The researchers suggest that the implications are that exercise might be able to offset some of the mental declines that we often associate with the aging process.

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

Reference: Khatri P, Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, et al. Effects of exercise training on cognitive functioning among depressed older men and women. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, January 2001:9, pp. 43-47.

Behave Yourself!

Behavioral modification is a prescribed treatment of many illnesses, and a common treatment of chronic low back pain. The main assumption of a behavioral approach is that pain and disability are not only influenced by physical disease, but also by psychological and social factors.

A recent study published in Spine reviewed previous literature reporting on behavioral modification to determine whether one’s attitude is more or less important than other treatments of chronic low back pain, and which type of behavioral treatment is most effective. Data, gathered by means of a computer-aided medical database search, was pooled and investigated as to behavioral outcomes of a myriad of chronic low back pain cases.

The results of the study showed that there is strong evidence that your attitude, modified by behavioral treatments, has a positive effect on pain intensity levels and overall outcomes of patients with chronic low back pain when compared to patients without behavioral treatment.

Reference: Van Tulder MW, Ostelo R, Vlaeyen JWS, et al. Behavioral treatment for chronic low back pain: a systematic review within the framework of the Cochrane back review group. Spine 2000:26(3), pp. 270-281.

Tofu or Not Tofu, That Is the Question

If you replace lean meat with tofu in your diet, you may help cut your risk of heart disease, by reducing levels of cholesterol and other fatty substances in your blood called triglycerides (a negative compound formed from fatty acids), and slowing the rate at which the body eliminates bad cholesterol.

Previous studies have shown that patients with heart disease have higher levels of oxidized cholesterol in their blood. The slowing rate at which cholesterol is oxidized can therefore be associated with a decrease in coronary heart risk, or more commonly known, heart attack. This theory is investigated in a recent issue of The Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

The study found that the replacement of lean meat with the same amount of protein as tofu beneficially changes a number of coronary heart disease risk factors. Also, estrogens found in soy products such as tofu, may lower a person’s susceptibility to cholesterol build-up, as they contain certain blocking agents.

According to Dr. Madeline Ball, the main researcher, “the overall diet to reduce heart disease should be one with appropriate calories to achieve or maintain ideal body weight, low in saturated fat and with good variety of foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables. Using soy products like tofu may also help to reduce fat intake.”

To learn more benefits of nutrition, talk to your doctor of chiropractic, or visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html.

Reference: Ashton EL, Dalais FS, Ball MJ. Effect of meat replacement by tofu on CHD risk factors including copper induced LDL oxidation. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 2000:19(6), pp. 761-767.

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