July 15, 2003 [Volume 4, Issue 15]
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In this issue of To Your Health:
Better With Age
It's
widely known that some things improve over time, such as a fine wine or
a strong marriage. A recent study on chiropractic patient populations
shows that chiropractic treatment may be another example. There have been
radical changes in chiropractic legislation and integration with other
forms of health care in the last half-century, and chiropractors increasingly
practice at hospital clinics and in government positions. This study in
the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics evaluated
the characteristics of a typical chiropractic patient over this same time
period.
Researchers compared 1962 and 1999 surveys of the Danish chiropractic population. The majority of chiropractors (approximately 50) in Denmark in 1962 had been evaluated; data from over 1,100 patients were available on the location and duration of pain, number of treatments and treatment outcome. In 1999, similar data were gathered for almost 2,000 patients.
In 1962, nearly 50% of chiropractic patients had suffered from their condition for over one year. However, only 20% of patients suffered for over one year in 1999. Also in 1962, 11% of patients complained of headache, compared to just 4% in 1999. The authors found the results of the surveys to otherwise be "remarkably similar." Approximately 70% of patients had lower-back or neck disorders in both surveys, and less than 10% of patients complained of other disorders (asthma, neurologic disorders, allergies, etc.) in each survey.
Most chiropractors today principally treat pain syndromes related to the spine, as they always have. This study also shows that patients visiting chiropractors now are less likely to still be suffering after one year than patients in the past. The fact that chiropractors have stayed focused on the treatment methods unique to this form of health care may help explain this improvement over time.
Reference: Hartvigsen J, Bolding-Jensen O, et al. Danish chiropractic patients then and now - A comparison between 1962 and 1999. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2003:26(2), pp. 65-69.
For more information on the benefits of chiropractic care, go to www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout.
The Greatest Thing IS Sliced Bread
By 2030, approximately one in five Americans (70 million people) will be 65 years or older. Besides being the fastest-growing segment of the population, seniors suffer from the most cases of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including stroke, heart disease and heart attack. Preventive health measures have been thought to have a lesser effect on this population than on younger individuals. Thanks to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, that view may change, however.
Researchers compared risk for cardiovascular disease with fiber intake from cereals (including whole-grain breads and wheat bran), fruit and vegetable sources in seniors. More than 3,500 men and women 65 years or older were surveyed for dietary fiber consumption, then followed for about a decade to record the development of cases of CVD.
Eating more cereal fiber was associated with a significantly reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, with those eating the most cereal fiber 21% less likely to develop the condition than those eating the least. Dark breads, including whole wheat, rye and pumpernickel, reduced CVD risk the most. Fiber intake from fruits and vegetables did not appear to similarly reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease.
The authors of this study mention that eating just two additional slices of whole-grain bread daily would have been enough to raise individuals from the lowest to the highest cereal-fiber group. Since nutritional changes are less expensive and less dangerous than medical or surgical solutions down the road, heed this information and be sure to eat plenty of whole grains. Obtaining enough cereal fiber is easy: Simply replace refined-grain breads with whole-grain ones and eat whole-grain cereals instead of sugary cereals, muffins or doughnuts.
Reference: Mozaffarian D, Kumanyika SK, et al. Cereal, fruit and vegetable fiber intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease in elderly individuals. Journal of the American Medical Association 2003:289(13), pp. 1659-1666.
To learn more about nutrition, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition.
Share and Share Alike
Married couples share many common traits and habits - if one spouse smokes, the other often does; if one exercises, so does the other. Adult-onset diabetes is increasingly being shown to be based on lifestyle factors, rather than genetic ones. By examining married couples - people who are not genetically related but share many similar habits - an association between diabetes and its causes may be found.
A recent study in Diabetes Care determined the presence of adult-onset (type 2) diabetes and high blood sugar in the spouses of known diabetics attending a specialized clinic. The 245 spouses in this first group were then compared to 234 spouses of nondiabetic individuals.
People married to diabetics were more than twice as likely to have diabetes and glucose intolerance themselves than spouses of people without diabetes. Spouses of diabetics were also more likely to be obese or overweight and to have high blood pressure than the healthy individuals' spouses - both risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes.
We've long known that if you have a parent or sibling with diabetes, you are at an increased risk for the condition. This study shows that lifestyle clearly has a significant influence on diabetes risk; the increased odds of sharing diabetes with a family member may be due more to similar habits than to genetics. To avoid developing type 2 diabetes, maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check - and make sure your significant other does the same.
Reference: Khan A, Lasker SS, Chowdhury TA. Are spouses of patients with type 2 diabetes at increased risk of developing diabetes? Diabetes Care 2003:26, pp. 710-712.
Learn more about general health at www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general.
Gender Bias
Women active in sports that involve jumping and pivoting (e.g., volleyball or basketball) are up to eight times more likely to rupture their anterior cruciate ligament (or ACL - a primary knee ligament) than men participating in the same sports. Ligaments are the durable tissues that hold our bones together; the ACL and its counterpart, the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), provide stability in the knee joints, and injuries to them can be painful and debilitating.
Researchers evaluated why female athletes are prone to knee ligament injuries in a recent study published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Higher muscle stiffness helps brace the knee joint and reduces strain on the knee ligaments; therefore, the researchers examined muscle stiffness of the knee joint during muscle activation in 12 female and 12 male athletes competing for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in basketball, volleyball or soccer, and compared these athletes to 28 collegiate athletes involved in endurance sports, including bicycling and running, which are low-risk for cruciate ligament injury. Women and their male athlete counterparts were matched for size, weight and activity level.
Rotations of the leg were greater in female than in male athletes when participating in sports and when passively rotated at rest. In addition, measurements indicated that women demonstrated significantly lower knee muscle stiffness under rotational stress than their male counterparts. During jumping and pivoting maneuvers, which are the most likely time for a cruciate ligament injury, the difference in protective muscle stiffness around the knee was the most pronounced between the men and women.
Women are more prone to serious injuries of the knee ligaments than men, possibly due to less muscle protection. If you are a female athlete, talk to your doctor of chiropractic about methods for strengthening the stabilizing muscles around your knees. Also, adhere to proper techniques and form when performing your sport to minimize the risk for injury.
Reference: Wojtys EM, Huston LJ, et al. Gender differences in muscular protection of the knee in torsion in size-matched athletes. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery 2003:85(5), pp. 782-789.
For more information about women's health issues, go to www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/women.html.
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