Health News

REPORTING POINT 03-04

HEALTH NEWS

“Live healthy...live well”

by Larry Kline

SWAPA Voice Mailbox 4337/email: livehealthy-livewell@cox.net

(Past issues of “Health News” are available on my son’s website, which includes a word-search engine - just go to the site with your browser and insert the key word to find past articles: http://home.earthlink.net/~candace_ball/healtharticles/frameset.htm) - LK

WATERMELON’S WORTH - because of its high water content, many people dismiss the nutritional worth of watermelon. However, it is one of the best sources of lycopene, a carotenoid that may help reduce the risk of cancer (prostate) and heart disease. Watermelon has 40% more lycopene per ounce than raw tomatoes. The redder the watermelon’s flesh, the more lycopene, with seedless varieties containing more lycopene; some B vitamins and vitamin C are also present. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 3/02.

BACK PAIN: DOES ANYTHING WORK? - back pain is the most common physical complaint. Fortunately, bouts of back pain usually get better on their own, but recovery is often very slow, and there is no proven way to substantially speed healing, beyond simple self-help steps.

Back pain usually stems from a strain, or minor tear, of the muscles and ligaments that support the lower back. Sometimes a specific incident - bending or twisting in an awkward manner or lifting a heavy object - causes injury. Often, the pain just suddenly appears, perhaps due to poor posture or even emotional stress. Other causes of back pain include arthritis of the spinal joints; spinal stenosis (bony overgrowths that narrow the spinal canal); and bulging or herniated disks, where one of the spinal cushioning pads protrudes beyond the vertebrae.

When seeking medical relief, many practitioners will order X-rays or MRI tests. Muscle strains are seldom detected by an MRI and never detected by X-rays. Back X-rays can suggest spinal arthritis or stenosis, and an MRI can confirm them. An MRI can reveal a protruding disk, although many people with a disk problem do not report any symptoms because the protrusion causes pain only where it presses on a spinal nerve.

Generally, many health care practitioners recommend the same steps for almost all back pain - painkillers, icing and heat, and gentle exercise.

Avoiding needless tests is important - X-rays expose the patient to 20 times more radiation than chest X-rays or mammograms. Chiropractors often use X-rays to spot subluxations, spinal misalignments that may influence back pain and many other aspects of health. The former president of the American Chiropractic Association, Jerome McAndrew, says that X-rays mainly serve to rule out any condition, such as a tumor or fracture that might make manipulation dangerous. In general, you should undergo an X-ray or MRI for acute back pain only if you have one or more of the following signs of a potentially serious problem:


-A recent accident, or a history or high risk of osteoporosis (possible problem: spinal fracture.)

-Unexplained weight loss, a history of cancer, or incontinence (possible problem: spinal cancer.)

-Fever, night sweats, or a recent bacterial infection (possible problem: spinal infection.)

-Severe or progressive leg weakness, or pain radiating from the back to the lower leg (possible problem: a badly protruding disk, or a tumor.)

-Age 70 or older (makes cancer, osteoporotic fractures, and infection more likely.)

The standard treatment for an acute bout of back pain is very straightforward - take an over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin or ibuprofen to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Corticosteroid injections might be worth considering for very severe, immobilizing pain. Just applying a cold pack to reduce pain and swelling during the first day or two , and then a heating pad set on low may provide pain relief. Deep-heating creams may ease pain temporarily, but never use them with a heating pad.

Don’t rest in bed for more than a day or two, since inactivity tends to worsen the problem. Once the worst is over, stretching plus gentle aerobic activities like walking, swimming, or bicycling can help. Exercises to strengthen the abdomen or back don’t seem to speed recovery, but they may help prevent recurrences by strengthening the stabilizing muscles that protect the lower back.

Those patients who do not receive pain relief by such self-help methods often turn to hands-on treatment.

Chiropractors treat symptoms by restoring range of motion and ease pain by manipulating or realigning the spine, often by applying short, powerful thrusts. Massage therapists often treat back pain with one of four aggressive methods; deep-tissue massage, myofascial release, or rolfing, all designed to stretch the muscles and connective tissue by applying steady, even slightly painful pressure, and neuromuscular massage, where strong pressure is applied to muscle knots. Physical therapists may combine massage and perhaps manipulation with advice on exercise, posture, and body mechanics.

In a recent survey, 49 percent of back pain sufferers reported pain relief for chiropractic treatment, 43 percent for deep-tissue massage, and 35 percent for physical therapy, compared to 25 percent for prescription drugs.

If the pain doesn’t clear up within a month, the pain may be becoming chronic, and X-rays or MRIs may be required, mainly to rule out underlying disease. If there is no such disease, most people with chronic back pain should try exercise first. In fact, a targeted exercise regimen could save many people from undergoing surgery.

In the 19 and early 20th centuries, low-back pain was commonly treated with exercise. Now researchers are reviving that neglected approach. Studies in the past several years suggest that strengthening exercises may help ease chronic back pain and prevent painful recurrences. Other studies suggest that stretching exercises and aerobic activities that do not jar the back - such as walking, swimming, and biking - may also help relieve acute or chronic back pain.


Begin stretching and low-impact aerobic exercises as soon as the pain permits. (But stop if the pain becomes markedly worse during or after the exercise.) Gradually work up to at least 30 minutes a day of gentle aerobics.

Strengthening exercises during the first month or so of acute back pain do not seem to hasten recovery, but can be very beneficial in preventing further back problems. It does to take much exercise to substantially strengthen the back. Doing the following exercises once or twice a week can strengthen the stabilizing muscles which protect the lower back and can prevent further back problems.

STRENGTHENING: Floor extensions. Lie face down on the floor with your hands folded under the chin. Using the low-back muscles only, raise the chest and shoulders about 10 degrees off the floor, then lower them. If you cannot do that, push down on the floor with the hands to help raise yourself. As you get stronger, gradually build up until you can hold your body about 30 degrees off the floor. To increase the difficulty further, wear a weighted backpack.

STRENGTHENING: Partial sit-ups. Lie on the back, with knees bent and palms face down at your sides. Slowly lift your shoulders and upper back off the floor. Hold for a count of three, and slowly drop them back down. To increase the difficulty, perform the maneuver more slowly, hold a light weight on your chest, place your hands loosely behind your head, or do the sit-up (crunch) on an incline, with your feet higher than your head.

STRETCHING: Leg Pull. Lie on your back, with one knee bent and the other leg flat on the floor. Keeping the small of your back pressed against the floor, flex both feet toward your head and grip the bent leg just behind the kneed; gently pull it toward your chest until you feel the stretch in your buttocks and lower back. Hold for 10 seconds, then repeat with the other leg. When you can do that easily and without pain, repeat with both legs, rolling your shoulders forward, tucking your chin to your chest, and lifting your upper body a few inches off the floor.

STRETCHING: Hip rolls. Lie on your back with your knees bent; feet flat on the floor, arms straight out to each side, and head turned to the left. Now bring the knees toward your chest and, keeping them bent at a 90-degree angle, slowly let them fall to the right until your right leg rests on the floor. Relax and hold that position for 10 seconds. Then bring your legs back toward your chest and repeat the maneuver in the opposite direction.

If exercise doesn’t help, spinal manipulation or massage therapy might be worth considering. There are many reasons to try nonsurgical options first. If physical problems are identified by X-rays and MRIs, then surgical procedures may be recommended. For a protruding disk, the confirming symptom is clear-cut sciatica - pain, usually with numbness and tingling, that radiates from the lower back, through one buttock, to below the knee. For stenosis, the key symptoms are back pain plus thigh pain and weakness, usually in both legs, that is worse when you walk, particularly downhill.

Disk surgery usually entails one-day in the hospital, six weeks of recovery, and some risks, mainly from the general anesthesia.


In summary, you can generally treat yourself with nonprescription painkillers, icing, heat, and, when comfortable, gentle exercise. X-rays and MRI’s can be effective tools, but are expensive, with X-rays having significant radiation exposure. Consider seeing a chiropractor, an osteopath, a physical therapist, or a massage therapist, but seeing a physician first can rule out potentially serious problems and possibly provide a referral. Consider surgery only if strengthening and stretching exercises and manual therapies have failed, imaging tests reveal a protruding disk or stenosis, and the symptoms are directly related to these physical problems. Also remember that the benefits of surgery may not last. Consumer Reports on Health 5/00.

NUTRITIONAL QUIZ 4 - you should limit your intake of crackers, margarine, and cookies containing lots of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil because the hydrogenation process a) makes unsaturated fats more saturated

b) adds calories

c) hydrogenated vegetable oils are heart-healthy and are part of a healthy diet

d) may increase the risk of heart disease

Answer is below.

LIVE A “BERRY” LONG TIME - eating strawberries and black raspberries can reduce the risk of cancer by up to 80 percent say researchers at Ohio State University. Both types of berries are extremely good sources of cancer-fighting antioxidants. In trials, the compounds found within the berries enhance the body’s ability to break down carcinogens, while preventing premalignant cells from turning cancerous. The researchers recommend eating 4 ounces of fresh berries a day to get the fruit’s maximum protective qualities. Men’s Health 10/02.

NUGGET NEWS - chicken nuggets are not a healthier choice than the burgers at fast-food restaurants. Nuggets are made from finely ground dark and light meat, as well as skin, plus breading, fillers, and added fats, including artery-damaging trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils. A 10-nugget (6 ounce) serving from McDonald’s has 510 calories and 33 grams of fat; yielding 60% of the total calories from fat - similar to the profile of a Big Mac. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/03.

MEDICINE FOR THE MASSES - the Annals of Family Medicine is a medical journal that appeals to doctors and patients alike with easy-to-understand articles. The publication focuses on issues that may be overlooked in more specialized journals, but may be crucial to lay-persons/pilots and their families. It features sound, peer-reviewed science on common health problems like cancer, diabetes, and pregnancy complications. Their free website, www.annfammed.org, even includes a message board where readers - physicians or other website visitors - can respond to articles. Newsweek 6/13/03.


CALCIUM CAN MINIMIZE COLON CANCER - after analyzing data from the 47,000 men involved in the Heath Professionals’ Follow-up Study, Harvard University researchers found that men whose diets included 700 to 800 milligrams of calcium a day were up to 50 percent less likely to develop some forms of colon cancer than men whose diets contained less than 500 milligrams of calcium. If you don’t get enough calcium, a nutritional supplement could help to reduce the risk, but if you are already getting sufficient amounts of calcium, taking more won’t do much good. The benefits appear to top out at about 700-800 milligrams. Men’s Health 10/02.

ANTIOXIDANTS - ANOTHER VIEW - antioxidants, which include vitamins C and E, beta carotene and many phytochemicals (plant chemicals) such as quercetin, work in complicated ways that only now are beginning to be understood. Antioxidants help deactivate free radicals - unstable molecules that are by-products of cells using oxygen for energy. These free radicals can damage the basic structure of cells thereby causing many diseases. Plants are vital sources of antioxidants for humans and other animals. In addition, hundreds of dietary supplements are marketed to the health-conscious consumer.

There are many types of antioxidants, and they do different things in the body. While scientists have validated and quantified antioxidants’ effects on free radicals in the test tube, they can have the opposite effect in the human body - acting as pro-oxidants instead of antioxidants.

Beta carotene is a good example: two studies found that it can actually increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. The problem is partly the smoking, partly the beta carotene. The beta carotene is oxidized as it inactivates the free radicals from cigarette smoke, and its antioxidant capacity is “used up.” In the process, it can turn into a pro-oxidant or form oxidized by-products, particularly if adequate amounts of vitamins C and E are not present. These vitamins help limit the oxidation of beta carotene, so that it does not become a pro-oxidant.

Any antioxidant can become a pro-oxidant under certain conditions in the body, especially if other antioxidants are lacking since they protect one another from oxidation. Any process that produces free radicals; smoking, heavy exercise, sun exposure, polluted air and water, alcohol, certain medications, and disease can cause an antioxidant to oxidize into a pro-oxidant.

There is a delicate relationship between nutrients which contain antioxidants and free radicals within the body. Taking large doses of isolated antioxidants from supplements can be risky, whereas eating fruits and vegetables is the safest way to get your antioxidants and allowing them to work together to minimize free radical damage. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/03.

NUTRITIONAL QUIZ ANSWER: a) and d) manufacturers hydrogenate soybean, corn and other vegetable oils to make them more solid and stable, thus increasing shelf life. But the process makes some of the unsaturated fatty acids more saturated, and also creates trans fats, which increase the risk of heart disease. University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter 6/03.