January 13, 2004 [Volume 5, Issue 2]

To Your Health is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

www.chiroweb.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php

In this issue of To Your Health:

• Does Pain Affect Your Job Performance?
• A Dangerous Combination
• Why Starve Yourself?
• Get in Rhythm With a Good Night's Sleep

The average employee misses several days of work each year because of the common cold; two or three more for personal or family emergencies; and a few extra "just because." With the exception of those seven or eight days, plus scheduled vacation time and holidays, the average employee spends his or her time engaged in blissful work productivity, right?

Well, not exactly. Just because you're at work doesn't necessarily mean you're being productive. In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, U.S. employers lose more than $60 billion a year because workers aren't as productive as they could be. The culprit: pain.

Researchers tracked nearly 30,000 working adults over a two-week period to determine lost productive time attributable to common pain conditions, including arthritis, back pain, headaches, and other musculoskeletal discomfort. In terms of hours per worker per week, workers who experienced lost productive time from a pain condition lost an average of 4.6 hours. Some of the statistics relative to specific pain conditions were even more startling: Workers who suffered headaches averaged 3.5 lost productive hours per week; those who suffered arthritis or back pain averaged 5.2 lost hours per week. And for employers, this lost time translated into approximately $61.2 billion annually in lost productivity!

Is pain affecting your job performance? If it is, the solution could be as close as your local chiropractor. If your employer's health plan doesn't include chiropractic coverage, visit www.chiroweb.com/locator to find a chiropractor near you, and take the first step in getting rid of your pain and getting the most out of your time at work.

Reference: Stewart WF, Ricci JA, Chee E, et al. Lost productive time and cost due to common pain conditions in the U.S. workforce. Journal of the American Medical Association, Nov. 12, 2003:290(18), pp2443-54.

Oh, the joys of pregnancy! Baby blankets, booties and bottles abound in anticipation of the new little bundle. Unfortunately, so do fatigue, swelling, and aches and pains. But before reaching for an over-the-counter pain reliever, take heed: Researchers have found that some pain relievers can induce miscarriage.

Researchers interviewed 1,055 pregnant women immediately following conception and up to five months into their pregnancies. (Miscarriage is defined as a natural abortion that occurs prior to 20 weeks gestation.) Participants were asked about their prenatal use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including inbuprofen, naproxen, or combination thereof (i.e., Advil, Motrin, Naprosyn); drugs containing aspirin (i.e., baby aspirin, Alka Seltzer, Excedrin, Soma); and paracetamol (acetaminophen)-containing drugs (i.e., Tylenol products, Theraflu, Triaminic, Vicodin).

Results: The study concluded that NSAID use was associated with an 80 percent increased risk for miscarriage; the association was even higher if NSAIDs were used around the time of conception or if use lasted for longer than one week. The use of aspirin was associated with a similar outcome; however the use of acetaminophen was not associated with increased risk, regardless of timing and duration of use.

Pregnant women can ease their pain and discomfort in ways that do not involve taking pills. A doctor of chiropractic can recommend a course of therapy that can help alleviate many of the aches and pains associated with pregnancy discomfort.

To learn more about the benefits of regular chiropractic care during pregnancy, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/women/pregnancy/chiropractic.html.

Reference: Li DK, Liu L, Odouli R. Exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during pregnancy and risk of miscarriage: population based cohort study. British Medical Journal, Aug. 16, 2003: 327(368).

Many people think reducing the amount of calories you consume is the only way to lose weight. After all, a pound of stored body fat is the equivalent of approximately 3,500 calories - reduce your caloric intake by that much, and you'll lose the fat, pound by pound.

Unfortunately, eating less can be extremely difficult, especially if you're accustomed to enjoying meals that aren't always low in calories or fat. So, what to do? If you aren't inclined to reduce the amount of calories you consume, you can always burn them with exercise - and as a recent study asserts, this strategy may be even healthier for you in the long run than starving yourself.

The study, published in the November issue of the Journal of Preventive Medicine, investigated whether caloric intake was linked to the risk of death from heart conditions over a 17-year period. Surprisingly, individuals who ate more, but were also more active physically, had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than people who ate less, but also exercised less.

Consistent exercise (at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, at least three times per week) and a diet high in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and low in refined sugars and saturated fats, are established methods of losing weight and limiting your chances of developing heart disease or a number of other troublesome conditions. But don't starve yourself! You'll be more likely to stick to your exercise and diet, and what's more, you'll improve your chances of staying healthy for years to come.

For more information on proper diet and nutrition, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/nutrition/index.html

Reference: Fang J, Wylie-Rosett J, Cohen HW, et al. Exercise, body mass index, caloric intake, and cardiovascular mortality. Journal of Preventive Medicine November 2003:25(4), pp283-9.

The circadian rhythm, the body's natural clock that keeps us on regular 24-hour day/night cycles, is the primary component that determines our sleeping patterns, including the quality and quantity of our sleep. When the circadian rhythm is disrupted due to changing time zones or work schedules, it can result in sleep deprivation, which, if not corrected, can lead to depression and other serious health problems - even cancer, according to a recent study.

Researchers examined the relationship between sleep and cancer, and found that a lack of sleep can cause a hormonal imbalance in the body - not a good thing, since, according to the study, reduced levels of some hormones, such as melatonin and oestrogen, can stimulate tumor growth. Additionally, a disrupted circadian cycle can result in a reduction of cortisol, a stress hormone that aids the immune system in fighting off cancer-causing cells.

According to the researchers, this study helps pave the way for understanding psychosocial factors, including diet and exercise, and their effects on cancer.

Whether cancer is an immediate concern or not, this study clearly shows that the benefits sleep are wide-reaching, and that the body as a whole needs sleep to stay healthy. To learn more about the many paths to wellness, visit www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/general/wellness/index.html.

Reference: Sephton S, Speigel D. Circadian disruption in cancer: a neuroendocrine-immune pathway from stress to disease? Brain, Behavior, and Immunity (Oct. 2003):17(5), pp 321-328.

This edition of the To Your Health newsletter is co-sponsored by:

Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list at www.chiroweb.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php.

Visit Dynamic Chiropractic's "Ask a Doctor of Chiropractic" forum at www.chiroweb.com/find/ask.html, where more than a dozen doctors of chiropractic are waiting to answer any of your health questions; sometimes within minutes!

If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at www.chiroweb.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.

This newsletter conforms to the requirements set by Bill S 1618 Title III, passed by the 105th U.S. Congress.