To Your HealthTYH Archives

December 16, 2003 [Volume 4, Issue 26]

 

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In this issue of To Your Health:

Back and Neck Pain: Heavy Burdens

You duck into your car and rush to work: neck and back pain come along for the ride. You sit at the computer all day: neck and back pain sit right there with you. You drive home from work: neck and back pain distract you all the way. You crawl into bed for what you hope will be a good night's sleep: there's neck and back pain again.

Why don't neck and back pain seem to go away? According to a study published in the June 1, 2003 issue of Spine, neck and back pain may be your constant companions because of something else that's with you all the time: excess weight. Nearly 6,000 adult patients from three general practices completed a questionnaire that asked about the existence and severity of spinal pain (neck and/or back) in the previous month. Results showed that nearly one in three (29 percent) reported pain, of which approximately half was chronic, 40 percent was disabling, and 20 percent was intense, chronic and disabling. An independent association between neck and/or back pain and high body mass index (BMI) was demonstrated, even when considering other potential influences.

Are back and neck pain weighing you down? Treating spinal pain depends on the cause, which may or may not be those excess pounds you're carrying around. But one thing's for certain: Doctors of chiropractic are the experts when it comes to helping patients get rid of those two annoying companions that can make your life miserable.

To locate a chiropractor near you, go to www.chiroweb.com/locator.

Reference: Webb R, Brammah T, Lunt M, et al. Prevalence and predictors of intense, chronic, and disabling neck and back pain in the UK general population. Spine, June 1, 2003:28(11), pp1195-1202.

Just Do It!

There's no getting around the benefits of consistent exercise, especially when it comes to disease prevention. The risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, or one of a number of types of cancer goes down as your physical activity goes up.

But how much exercise is enough? According to several studies, the latest of which was published in the Sept. 10, 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, it's not necessarily how intensely or how long you work out, but that - to borrow a line from Nike's famous commercials - you "just do it."

In the study, 201 sedentary women (reporting exercising less than 20 minutes per day for fewer than three days per week in the previous six months) were assigned to one of four exercise groups: vigorous intensity/high duration; moderate intensity/high duration; moderate intensity/moderate duration; or vigorous intensity/moderate duration. All women were instructed to reduce daily energy intake to 1,200-1,500 calories and limit dietary fat to 20-30 percent of total energy intake.

Results: After 12 months, significant weight loss and cardiorespiratory fitness were achieved by women in all four groups, with no significant differences between groups. In other words, longer and more strenuous workouts weren't particularly more effective than shorter workouts of moderate intensity.

As these results show, you may not need to slave away in the gym for hours to lose weight. What's most important is that you (and your chiropractor) develop a sensible, consistent exercise program. And of course, the hardest part is up to you: sticking to it!

For more information on the many benefits of exercise and fitness, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/sports/exercise/index.html.

Reference: Jakicic JM, Marcus BH, Gallagher KI, et al. Effect of exercise duration and intensity on weight loss in overweight, sedentary women: a randomized trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, Sept. 10, 2003:290(10), pp1323-30.

A Multivitamin a Day Keeps Birth Defects Away

As if diabetes isn't challenging enough, evidence suggests that pregnant women who suffer from the condition also have an increased chance that their children will be born with birth defects. However, there is hope: A recent study provides evidence that multivitamin supplementation can help prevent birth defects.

In the study, researchers obtained information on maternal diabetes and multivitamin use from the mothers of 3,278 babies born with diabetes-associated birth defects, and 3,029 infants with no defects. Mothers were asked if they had taken multivitamin supplements at any time in the three months prior to conception, through the first three months of pregnancy. Based on their responses, the mothers were divided into four categories: nonusers; users during the six-month period; users at other times; and unknown.

Data analysis indicated that while infants of mothers with diabetes were at increased risk for suffering birth defects, this risk was limit to the infants of diabetic mothers who reported no multivitamin supplementation in the three months before pregnancy or the first three months of pregnancy.

If you're planning to have a child, or are already pregnant, it's important to schedule regular visits with your doctor. Diet and exercise modifications are just a few of the many considerations that will help ensure a smooth pregnancy. You and your child deserve nothing less.

And if you're not convinced by the results of this single study, bear in mind that ample evidence links multivitamin supplementation (particularly supplementation with folic acid) to a reduced risk of infant birth defects.

To read summaries of the previous research, go to www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition/vitamins/index.html.

Reference: Correa A, Botto L, Liu Y, et al. Do multivitamin supplements attenuate the risk for diabetes-associated birth defects? Pediatrics May 2003:111(5), pp1146-51.

How About a Nice Game of Chess?

Worried that growing older will affect your mental awareness? Worry no more! Keeping your wits in tact throughout middle age and into your senior years may require nothing more than playing cards, reading a book or doing a crossword puzzle, according to a study that appeared in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

In the study, 5,000 people ages of 35-55 were tested for their mathematical, vocabulary and short-term memory capabilities to assess levels of mental acuity. Participants with higher mental functioning were also more involved in leisure activities; moreover, participants who engaged in leisure activities were more likely to meet others who spent more time engaging in intellectual pursuits.

From the study, researchers concluded that people can help keep their minds sharp by taking up a hobby or participating in extracurricular social activities, including taking classes, volunteering or visiting cultural centers, such as art museums.

Why not start improving your mental ability by taking up a new activity? You'll not only stay on the ball, you'll probably make some new friends, too.

For more information on senior health, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/senior

Reference: Manoux-Singh A, Richards M, Marmot M. Leisure activities and cognitive function in middle age; evidence from the Whitehall II study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. (2003):57, pp 907-913.

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