To Your HealthTYH Archives

January 2, 2002[Volume 3, issue 1]

 

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In this issue of To Your Health:

Understanding Whiplash

Whiplash is a severe injury to the vertebrae, muscles, or ligaments of the neck caused by a sudden forward and backward jerking of the head and neck. It is the most common injury following car accidents, usually happening in rear-end collisions, and causes long-term pain and stiffness in the neck. Other possible symptoms of whiplash include back pain, headache, dizziness, and blurred vision.

A recent edition of the journal Spine offered an updated whiplash review from the Canada-based Quebec Task Force, and proposed regular reviews of known predictive factors. The review included 13 whiplash studies published since 1995. The studies revealed the most common predictors associated with delayed whiplash recovery. Patients with slower recovery times were most likely to be older and female, and to have initial head, neck, or other chronic pain.

Doctors of chiropractic have the skills and training to effectively relieve the pain and other debilitating symptoms of whiplash by restoring your full range of motion, realigning your spine, and increasing the strength and flexibility of your neck muscles. If you experience the symptoms of a whiplash injury in a rear-end car accident - even at 5 mph - seek treatment immediately, no matter how minimal the pain. Don’t wait for the symptoms to go away: By avoiding treatment, you will only prolong your recovery and lower your quality of life.

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about whiplash, or visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/whiplash.html.

Reference: Cote P, Cassidy JD, Carroll L, et al. A systematic review of the prognosis of acute whiplash and a new conceptual framework to synthesize the literature. Spine 2001:26(19), pp. e445-e458.

Haste Doesn't Make Waste

With age, people experience a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that can seriously reduce functional abilities. Weight training can be an important way to counteract this process. Proper diet, especially consuming protein after a workout, can also help to gain muscle size and strength. Does it matter when this protein is ingested, though?

A recent study in The Journal of Physiology determined the importance of when a protein supplement was taken after exercise in seniors. Thirteen 70- to 80-year-old men completed a resistance-training program consisting of three strength exercises (leg press, knee extension, and lat pulldown - a back exercise) done on fitness equipment, performed three times per week. Seven of the men took a protein supplement within five minutes of exercise, while the remaining six took the supplement two hours later.

After 12 weeks, leg muscle size, isokinetic strength (force against a nonmoving object), and overall lean body mass increased in the immediate-supplementation group only. Both groups increased the amount of weight used in their workouts - but the immediate-supplementation group increased their strength by a larger margin.

If you are advancing into your senior years, it’s especially important that you maintain a regular workout to retain your ability to perform daily physical tasks. Regular resistance training or weightlifting can successfully prevent or slow muscle and tissue loss. Also, be sure to eat a protein supplement or high-protein food - poultry, fish, eggs, milk, beans - immediately after you work out. Protein is the building block your muscles require for repair and growth.

Reference: Esmarck B, Andersen JL, Olsen S, et al. Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans. The Journal of Physiology 2001:535, pp. 301-311.

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

Can Birth Control Pills Weaken Your Bones?

Oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, are taken by countless women in an effort to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Bone mineral density (BMD) is a measure of how strong bones are - and how likely they are to break. Studies have shown an association between these pills and changes in BMD and fracture rates. Although most data regarding oral contraceptives suggest that they increase BMD, few of these studies have focused on premenopausal women who use “the pill” for birth control.

A study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal focused on the bone densities of young women using birth control. Over 500 women ages 25 to 45 were evaluated for oral contraceptive use, lifestyle trends, sociodemographics, and medical histories in the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. Only women who had used birth control pills for at least three months were considered users. BMD was measured in the spine, upper leg, and pelvis using a type of x-ray.

BMD values were lower at all measurement sites in women who used oral contraceptives, compared to women who had never used them. BMD was reduced 2- 4%, which may not sound like much. Decreases in BMD this large may translate into an increased fracture risk of 20-30%, however. Eighty-seven percent of the women in this study had used oral contraceptives at some point in their lives for at least three months.

If you or anyone you know is taking birth control, be aware of all possible risks and side effects of the drugs. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic for more information, or visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/women.html for more information on women's health issues.

Reference: Prior JC, Kirkland SA, Joseph L, et al. Oral contraceptive use and bone mineral density in premenopausal women: Cross-sectional, population-based data from the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2001:165(8), pp. 1023-1029.

Dodge Diabetes with D

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which the body does not properly produce or utilize insulin, a hormone that helps us digest the food we eat. People with type 1 diabetes (usually children) experience a build-up of blood sugar that passes out of their body in their urine, draining the fuel they need. As a result, diabetics must regulate their bodies’ insulin levels through careful monitoring and injections of the hormone. Infants’ diets can affect their likelihood of developing type 1 diabetes later, and studies have suggested that adequate vitamin D intake may help prevent diabetes.

The purpose of a recent study in The Lancet was to determine if infant vitamin D deficiency is linked with the onset of type 1 diabetes. The mothers of over 10,000 children in Finland completed a questionnaire to determine vitamin D intake. Infants who received the Finnish minimum recommended daily intake of 2,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D were 80% less likely to develop type 1 diabetes over 30 years than those with lower vitamin intakes.

Current guidelines in America only recommend providing 200 IU of vitamin D to infants daily. Why do Americans require less vitamin D? Due to the geographic location of Finland (a far northern latitude), the country’s inhabitants receive little sunlight. The sun stimulates a chemical reaction in the body that creates vitamin D, so individuals in Finland synthesize less vitamin D in their own bodies than individuals who receive ample sunlight on their skin regularly, justifying the higher supplementation recommendations.

Be sure your baby receives adequate vitamin D in the first year, but don’t exceed the guidelines: Excessive levels of vitamin D are potentially toxic. For most children and adults, just 15-20 minutes of sunlight on the face or arms two to three times per week is enough to provide the body with adequate vitamin D. Foods containing high amounts of vitamin D include vitamin D-fortified milk, eggs, and fish.

Reference: Hypponen E, Laara E, Reunanen A, et al. Intake of vitamin D and risk of type 1 diabetes: A birth-cohort study. The Lancet 2001:358, pp. 1500-1503.

To learn more about the benefits of vitamins and minerals, visit https://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/nutrients.html.

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