Is There a “CURE” for Diabetes and Aging?

30 Oct

This certainly is a provoking question! Interestingly, there appears to be some fairly convincing evidence that intermittent fasting can have a dramatic effect on both diabetes management (and possibly play a role in preventing the condition) in addition to increasing longevity. In 2013, researchers looked at this approach in a British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease article entitled, “Intermittent fasting: a dietary intervention for prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease?”

The study’s authors reported that intermittent fasting helps reduce the risk of heart disease as well as type 2 diabetes AND obesity, as it provides a method to help people manage their weight. They reported generally good compliance and described intermittent fasting as a “clinically relevant therapeutic approach.”

There are several options for intermittent fasting such as fasting on alternate days or not eating for 16 hours (last meal at 8PM and first meal the next day at 1PM, for example). Another option is to simply cut out one meal on days when you observe that your weight has increased.

Not only can intermittent fasting reduce one’s risk for developing diabetes but it may also help diabetics better manage their condition, as this form of fasting improves blood sugar and insulin levels in addition to insulin sensitivity. The research also shows that intermittent fasting can reduce inflammation and improve blood pressure and blood lipid levels. ALL of this, unlike most medications, comes with a low risk of adverse effects and is highly cost effective!

There is also evidence to support the addition of chromium to the diet in order to help prevent and/or control diabetes. According to the National Institutes of Health, chromium is known to enhance the action of insulin—the hormone that keeps our blood sugar levels from soaring out of control. Your doctor of chiropractic can help you establish a program of both chromium intake and fasting.

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all healthcare concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.

Whiplash Injuries and Missed Diagnoses of Traumatic Brain Injury

22 Oct

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is also becoming a “hot topic” as it relates to motor vehicle collisions (MVC). The question is: how often is TBI missed?

The simple answer is: FREQUENTLY! This is due to the fact that attention is often drawn toward other injuries such as a neck injury or a limb injury. One study found that doctors were more likely to miss an mTBI diagnosis in patients who had sustained an arm or leg fracture. Among a total of 251 trauma patients, only 8.8% were diagnosed with mTBI at the time of injury vs. 23.5% who were eventually diagnosed at a later date. The authors of the study note the importance for healthcare providers to not be overly focused on the most obvious injury, as it may result in missing an mTBI diagnosis and the opportunity for early management of the condition—potentially leading to greater pain, suffering, and long-term disability.

But how “good” is our ability to assess mTBI? In a recent study on the ability of sideline assessments to predict subsequent problems after a sport-related concussion, researchers concluded that although sideline measures are useful for diagnosing concussion, they are not suitable for determining the extent of injury one to two weeks post-injury.

Part of the problem associated with concussion, regardless of cause, is an overall lack of knowledge about the condition on the part of athletes, parents, coaches, and medical professionals. In a Canadian survey of members of these groups, “predictors” of better concussion knowledge included prior personal experience or history of concussion. Factors affecting knowledge included language, age, educational level, annual household income, and TBI history.

Yet another issue is the “under reporting” of concussion. Looking at gender differences in a total of 288 athletes across 7 sports (198 males, 90 females), in spite of having similar knowledge about concussion, female athletes were more likely to report their concussive symptoms than males.

Sobering facts: 1) About 1.7 million cases of TBI occur in the US annually, and approximately 5.3 million live with a disability caused by TBI; 2) Annual direct and indirect TBI costs are estimated at $48-56 billion; 3) Among children under fourteen years of age, TBI results in 2,685 deaths and 37,000 hospitalizations; 4) Between 50-70% of TBI accidents are the result of a motor vehicle crash.

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all healthcare concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.

Chiropractic Care for Patients with Headaches

16 Oct

Though there are many different types of headaches, many involve both the upper cervical region (the neck) and the head. Between the muscles that attach to the head and neck, the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together, the blood vessels that allow blood to flow to and from the head, and the nerves that allow us to smell, taste, see, smile, wink, stick out our tongue, and so much more, it’s no wonder that the neck is intimately related to the head and therefore headaches.

One structure that sheds additional light on this close relationship between the neck and headaches is called the “myodural bridge” (MDB), which spans between a muscle in the back of the neck called the rectus capitus posterior minor and the protective covering of the spinal cord called the dura mater. This connection sits in close proximity to the vertebral artery, veins, and the first cervical nerve or C1 (the occipital nerve).

So how does this MDB cause headaches? Normally when we move our head and neck, the muscle contraction puts tension on the MDB, transmitting its force to tense up the dura, stabilizing the spinal cord. This prevents infolding of the dura, which can generate pain in the form of a headache.

When an injury such as whiplash occurs, cervical vertebral joint dysfunction and overly tight muscles in this area transmit abnormal tension to the dura mater via the MDB, which (like infolding) can result in headaches. If the injured muscle/s weaken or atrophy, this can further compromise the function of the MDB, leading to chronic (long-term) headaches.

A common symptom of an MDB headache is a throbbing pain, usually on one side of head near the ear/temple area and possibly behind the eye. The headache may last from several minutes to several days and the base of the head is tender to the touch. Typically, head movements intensify the pain/headache and neck pain may or may not be present.

Research shows that chiropractic manipulation, soft tissue therapy, and exercise can significantly benefit patients with headaches, regardless of the cause. But it is easy to understand that treatment directed to this region is necessary to restore function, and discovery of this MDB may play an important role as to why chiropractic care is so effective for headache patients.

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all healthcare concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.

The Origin of Knee Pain – The Medial Compartment

12 Oct

The four compartments of the knee (anterior/front, medial/inside, posterior/back, and lateral/outside) are like dominos. Meaning, when one is injured, the others “start to fall.” This is due to compensatory changes in function—when one compartment is problematic, this places added strain or stress to another compartment(s). Hence, managing knee conditions often requires work on multiple compartments.

The medial/inside compartment of the knee includes muscle, tendon, ligament, and medial meniscus, or “cartilage” attachments. These attachments connect to the top of the tibia/shin bone and/or the end of the femur/thigh bone. The ligaments are strong, non-elastic bands that hold the joint together while the muscles and their attaching tendons move the joint.

Movements of the knee joint include primarily flexion and extension (bending and straightening the leg at the knee). When something “blocks” the knee from fully straightening, an individual may change their gait pattern, possibly walking with a noticeable limp. The meniscus, or fibroelastic cartilage, lies between the ends of the femur and tibia, and when torn or frayed, it can cause the inability to “lock” the joint or to fully extend.

The medial compartment includes the medial collateral ligament, which “checks” the joint from moving excessively inward. Injuries occur when the force is directed to the outside of the knee, such as when a football player is tackled from the side with his foot planted on the ground. Because some of the medial meniscus attaches to the medial collateral ligament, a tear occurring in one often involves a tear of the other.

Moving to the middle of the knee joint, the two ligaments that “check” the joint from front to back are called the cruciate ligaments—specifically, the anterior (front) and posterior (back) cruciates. Injuries to these often occur when excessive force occurs from the front or back of the knee, such as a Due to the intimate relationship between the four compartments, most knee injuries affect multiple structures. For example, the classic tackle from the side can not only tear the medial collateral ligament, but the medial meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament can be injured as well.

Due to the intimate relationship between the four compartments, most knee injuries affect multiple structures. For example, the classic tackle from the side can not only tear the medial collateral ligament, but the medial meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament can be injured as well.

Doctors of chiropractic manage many knee conditions using a combination of joint manipulation, mobilization, different modalities, bracing, and exercise training.

The Most Important Principles for Staying Young: Protect Your Ears, Protect Your Brain…

9 Oct

Our basic premise is that your body is amazing.  You get a do-over. It doesn’t take that long, and it isn’t that hard if you know what to do.  In these notes, we give you a short course on what to do so it becomes easy for you and for you to teach others. We want you to know how much control you have over both the quality and length of your life.

A few months back, I summarized some secrets from our new book AgeProof: Living Longer Without Running Out of Money or Breaking a Hip (released February 28th, 2017).  Some of you must have bought it as the book made it to #10 on the NY Times list and #3 on the Wall Street Journal List.  Thank you.

This month, I want to talk about small choices that can make a major difference in how long you live and your quality of life, or as I like to say, a small change that will make your RealAge much younger: Keeping Your Hearing!

International researchers recently published a study in The Lancet that shows one-in-three cases of dementia could be prevented by adopting a healthy lifestyle and being aware of some of the early warning signs—such as mid-life hearing loss—that you might not immediately associate with cognitive decline. For the 16 million people in the United States living with cognitive impairment, that means over five million of them could have dodged the decline. I think more than 30% is preventable, maybe as much as 80% (if you add eating our YOU Diet, stress management, physical activity, avoiding toxins, and doing a few speed of processing games, too).

One major problem for many with hearing loss: they isolate themselves.  Studies show lack of social interaction is linked with cognitive decline.

Your smart steps—get your hearing tested. If it needs help, get help. And keep trying different hearing aids until you find a set that works for you.  Then, stay involved with people—volunteer; reach out to friends and neighbors; and continue your education—that’ll build your cognitive reserve. Do that, and you may cut your chances of developing dementia by 30 percent (or more)!

While we’re on the topic of ears… According to Ohio State University researchers, an average of 34 children under 18 are treated in US hospital emergency departments every day for ear injuries related to the use of cotton-tipped swabs. Around 77 percent occur when a child is using a cotton-tipped applicator.

These common injuries are pushing ear wax further into the ear so it becomes impacted and damages the ear drum—which can cause hearing loss. True, occasionally ear wax does become too much of a good thing, making it hard to hear or just giving you an uncomfortable feeling. Then you need to see your doc to get it safely flushed out. To hear about the right way to clean your ears, Google “the right way to clean your ears Dr. Oz Show” or

So don’t disrespect your ears.  Keep the maximum level on earphones and other devices below the 2/3rds maximum point, too. You’ll live smarter, longer and have a younger RealAge.

 

Thanks for reading. Feel free to send questions—to AgeProoflife@gmail.com.

Dr. Mike Roizen

 

 

NOTE: You should NOT take this as medical advice.

This article is of the opinion of its author.

Before you do anything, please consult with your doctor.

You can follow Dr Roizen on twitter @YoungDrMike (and get updates on the latest and most important medical stories of the week).  The YOU docs have two newly revised books: The patron saint “book” of this column YOU Staying Young—revised and YOU: The Owner’s Manual…revised —yes a revision of the book that started Dr Oz to being Dr Oz.  These make great gifts—so do YOU: ON a Diet and YOU: The Owner’s Manual for teens.  

Michael F. Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer and chair of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. His radio show streams live on http://www.radioMD.com Saturdays from 5-7 p.m. He is the co-author of 4 #1 NY Times Best Sellers including: YOU Staying Young.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Body Type

5 Oct

Is there a relationship between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and body mass index (BMI)? A 1994 study focused on 949 patients who presented with right arm numbness and tingling. In the study, the patients underwent electromyography and nerve conduction velocity (EMG/NCV)—the “gold standard” of tests to diagnose nerve injuries in conditions such as CTS.

Researchers then sub-divided the group by age (three groups: younger than 45; between 45 and 64; and 65 or older), body size (defined by BMI), and gender. Investigators compared those who were obese (BMI more than 29) to the other groups: slender – BMI less than 20; normal – BMI 20-The findings revealed that of the 261 patients diagnosed with CTS, only 16% were slender compared with 39% who were obese. This indicates that those with obese body types are 2.5 times more likely to develop CTS than slender individuals. Regarding gender, 43% of obese women had CTS compared to 32% of obese males, and 21% of slender women had CTS compared to 0% of slender males. The mean age for the CTS patients was higher at 48.1 years of age (vs. 44.7 years), with the peak occurrences in the 45-65 year old group (41%), followed by those 65 years or older (26%), with the rate in those younger than 45 years old group at  21%.

This study is consistent with previously identified risk factors for developing CTS: obesity, older age, and being female. But are there additional “body type” risk factors?

It turns out that other studies have found that people with square-shaped wrists, short/wider palms (with shorter third fingers), and those with poor upper back strength all have a higher risk for developing CTS.

We’ve looked at other well-known risk factors previously such as diabetes, arthritis, pregnancy, birth control pill use, occupation type, smoking, alcohol abuse, poor nutrition, high LDLs (“bad” cholesterol), and genetic factors. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to diagnose and treat CTS, and ALL studies recommend EARLY treatment, so DON’T WAIT!

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all healthcare concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.

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