“Loss of cervical curve stretches the spinal cord 5-7 cm and causes disease”- Dr. Alf Breig, Neurosurgeon

What Can I Do To Reduce My Risk For Low Back Pain?

Low back pain (LBP) can have many causes such as genetics, acquired abuses, body type (especially obesity – body mass index or BMI >30), gender, as well as cultural aspects that predispose one to acquire low back trouble. So, the question remains, “what can I do to reduce my risk for developing low back pain?”

The answer, like the cause is – you guessed it – multifactorial. Since we can’t change our genetics, we’ll have to accept that one. But, we can change our BMI by keeping our weight to a reasonable amount. In an April 2010 study from Norway, 60,000 men and women provided BMI information and 20.9% of the men and 26.3% of the women indicated they had chronic low back pain. The authors found a direct relationship to a high BMI and an increased prevalence of LBP. Similar results attributing obesity to LBP were also reported in a meta-analysis published in January 2010 in the American Journal of Epidemiology (2010; 171(2):135-154).

So, what is, “…a reasonable amount of weight?” When using the BMI, a BMI of 18.5 to 25 is considered “normal,” while 25-30 is described as overweight and >30 represents obesity. We should also mention anything LESS than 18.5 is considered underweight and that’s not good either as many nutritional needs of the body are compromised and too little weight can negatively affect bone health leading to osteoporosis and a myriad of other problematic health issues.

You may be wondering what a body mass index or BMI is, as its quite important and is quickly gaining respect in the medical world. In fact, it has been suggested to include the BMI along with the other “vital signs” pairing it up with blood pressure (BP), pulse, breathing rate, height, weight, and temperature. The BMI is a formula of height and weight and it’s a rough calculation of our total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. However, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) it’s a little more complicated than that as people with greater muscle mass (such as a body builder) will have a higher BMI, suggesting they are overweight. At the other end of the spectrum, older individuals who have lost muscle mass may be still be overweight but their BMI will not reflect that.

The NHLBI reports 3 factors of importance when defining obesity and its many negative health effects, including the increased prevalence of LBP. The 3 factors are: 1) The BMI; 2) The waist measurement; 3) The presence of other negative health factors including: high BP, high LDL-cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood sugar, a family history of heart disease, physical inactivity and smoking cigarettes. If you have a waist size >35” for woman, >40” for men, AND 2 or more risk factors, simply put, you MUST lose weight! Even a small weight loss of 10% (such as 30# if you’re 300#), will help lower your risk of developing diseases associated with obesity such as heart disease, high cholesterol related diseases, stroke, certain types of cancers and type 2 diabetes.

We also realize you have a choice in who you choose for your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for low back pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing Back in Action Chiropractic Center and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR LOW BACK PAIN!

FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL US TODAY AT 425-635-0495

In a war each soldier needs to have the weapons and shielding he needs to fight the enemy. He must also know the places which are the most dangerous as to avoid any potentially deadly environments. Each day we are fighting a battle of health in our bodies. We need the proper weapons to fight in this war which consist of nutrition and supplements as well as exercise and other wellness activities. We must also be aware not to put our bodies in harmful environments and avoid any “potentially deadly environments”. Those of us who live in Bellevue, and the greater Seattle area have to be especially aware of not putting ourselves in harmful environments. From sitting in traffic, to stress at work it comes at us from every angle. Fight the good fight and live well!

Bs;smvr/ O drmy upi urdyrtfsud Fso;I Jrs;yj Drvtry yp djpe upi yjr o,[svy yjsy nromh kidy s ;oyy;r pgg vsm jsnr/ Do,[;u d;ofomh upit gomhrtd pbrt kidy pmr ;ryyrt ,slrd sm styob;r o,[;ddonr; yp trsf/ Bs;smvr od s;dp sm o,[tpysmy eptf ejrm oy vp,rd yp pit jrs;yj/ Yjrtr od s gomr ns;smvr yjsy er ,idy ,somy ,somysom om yjr dyitvyitd pg pit d[omr. Om pit mrtvpid duddy,r. pit o,,imr dudyr,. Pit jpt,pms; dudyr,/// trs;;u er ,idy ,somysom ns;smvr yjtpihjpiy pit rmyotr npford Ns;smvr od svjorbrf ejrm er[tpnofr pit npford yjr gir;. Svyobsyopm ,pyopm. ,pno;oyu smf rccrtvodr smf pccunrm/ Er eo;; ys;l snpiy rsvj pg yjrdr boys; vp,[pmbrmyd yp jrs;yj om yjr giyitr/ Imyo; yjrm dysu ns;smvrf@

Balance. The above paragraph is to show you the impact that being just a little “off” can have. Simply sliding your fingers over just one letter (as I did above) makes an article impossible to read. Balance is also an important word when it comes to our health. There is a fine balance that we must maintain in the structure of our spine, in our nervous system, our immune system, our hormonal system… really we must maintain balance throughout our entire bodies! Balance is achieved when we provide our bodies the fuel, activation (motion, mobility, and exercise), and oxygen! This face paced life we live (especially in Bellevue and on the Eastside) make it hard to stay balanced, mentally, physically and emotionally. Because of this we have to make a special effort to keep “balance” a priority.

We at Back in Action Chiropractic have shared the many powerful benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids in the past. Here is just another health benefit of these fishy fats. A recent study was done which showed that omega-3 fatty acids prevent disease of the eyes! The researchers fed two groups of mice diets which were either high or low in Omega-3’s. The group with higher amounts of the omega-3’s had a nearly 50 percent decrease in retinopathy or eye disease. I know what you are saying, “Eating fish will help me see better?” YES! “The retina has one of the highest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids in the body,” said lead author and NEI fellowship recipient Kip M. Connor, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at Children’s Hospital Boston. The retina is a thin layer of cells in the back of the eye that “reads” the light that enters the eye. That light is then sent to the back of the brain where it is turned into the image that you are seeing now. So if one of the primary components of the retina is omega-3 it is vitally important to eye sight. But, if there is not enough omega-3 in the retina that will decrease the health and function of the eye.

As you may have read in past daily health secret emails, diet is vitally important to the health and wellness of the human body. Not only did inadequate levels of omega-3 affect the health of the eye, but diet also was found to influence it as well. More specifically they were looking at omega-6 fatty acids which are the black sheep of the fatty acid family. The omega-6 fatty acids (which are extremely common in the standard American diet) contributed to the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina. These abnormal blood vessels are found to eventually lead to eye disease and even blindness. Go to the grocery store and take a stroll down the inner isles of the store (the bread and box isles). Virtually every product on the shelves have omega-6’s in them. Do your absolute best to try to limit omega-6 fatty acids from your daily diet.

Now that I have shown you the importance of omega-3 fatty acids, let me show you how to get omega-3’s in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in flax seeds, some eggs and even some beef now. By far the best way to achieve optimal levels of omega-3 in the body and especially the retina of the eye is through fish oils. We are blessed in Bellevue to live in an area where we have plenty of fresh fish. The problem is that rarely in my patients do I find someone who even likes fish let alone gets the adequate amounts of four to five servings a day. What I recommend to all of my patients is to take an omega-3 supplement in the form of a pill or oil. When shopping for omega-3 supplements look for brands that have no omega-6’s in the formula. We are trying to stay away from the bad fatty acids, so there’s no point to have them in our supplements. Secondly make sure that the omega-3 supplement is “pharmaceutical grade”. What this means is that any of the impurities of the fish have been taken out before it is bottled. Many times it will say this right on the bottle as “Mercury Free”, or “Pharmaceutical Grade”. Be very suspicious if your supplement does not mention this in one way or another.

End of the day, make certain that you are supplementing your diet with omega-3 fatty acids as well as limiting your intake of omega-6 fatty acids in your diet.

ellevue WA – It looks like there is a simple secret to living longer and feeling better while you do it - and it’s something just about anyone can do. At least, that’s what the findings of a new study suggest.

But before we talk about this simple longevity tactic… you should know about this…

Swine Flu Mania!

I’m sure you’ve heard… there is something called the swine flu going around. The scientific name is now H1N1. And H1N1 is not the only thing “going around.” A lot of hysteria is traveling with it.

When they first reported on this flu several months ago, some news programs hyped it up to the point you thought the human race was going to be wiped off the face of the Earth!

Well, as it turns out… that’s not even close to the reality…

H1N1, so far, hasn’t been the death sentence the media prophesized. Most people with H1N1 get flu-like symptoms and are perfectly fine in no time.

Why is that?

It’s because most people who contract H1N1 have normal and healthy immune systems. And when you have a normal and healthy immune system, you can fight off just about anything known to man (or woman).

Just like the “regular” flu… people with compromised immune systems are the ones at risk… and that is why it is important to keep your immune system functioning at its highest genetic potential.

This includes: eating right, exercising, reducing stress and visiting your doctor for routine check-ups. This includes Chiropractic care to keep your spine working properly and alleviating any unnecessary stress and strain on your system.

Here’s something you should know about taking anti-viral medications like Tamiflu and Relenza…

On Saturday, August 22, 2009, Reuters reported that a new study published in the Lancet Infectious Disease suggests treating H1N1 in normal healthy adults may not be worthwhile.

“Recommending the use of anti-viral drugs for the treatment of people presenting with symptoms is unlikely to be the most appropriate course of action,” wrote Jane Burch of the University of York and colleagues.

According to the Reuters’ article, the results of this study also support an already existent advisory from the World Health Organization (WHO): “healthy patients who get H1N1 swine flu without suffering complications do not need to be treated with anti-virals.”

The WHO, however, strongly recommends both drugs for pregnant woman and children under 5 because these two groups are at risk for greater illness.

Do Tamiflu and Relenza Work?

The research team in the above study reviewed several published studies. With healthy people, flu symptoms usually last one week untreated. Treated with either Tamiflu or Relenza, symptoms were cut by HALF A DAY.

People with a higher risk, like diabetics or asthmatics saved a day with Tamiflu, and three-quarters of a day with Relenza.

Due to fear, people have been hording these two drugs for months. This research suggests it is not a good idea to take these drugs if you are healthy. In fact, researchers concluded that the drugs should be saved for those who need them most.

A Little Can Go

A LONG Way…

Enough about H1N1. Now would be a good time for a little longevity secret, right?

Well, here you go…

A new study in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise suggests people who stay even moderately fit as they age may live longer than those who do not.

According to an August 21, 2009 Reuters’ article, “Our findings suggest that sedentary lifestyle, rather than differences in cardiovascular risk factors or age, may explain (the) two-fold higher mortality rates in the least-fit versus slightly more fit healthy individuals,” lead researcher, Dr. Sandra Mandic of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, noted in an email to Reuters Health.

She pointed out that nearly two-thirds of the least-fit study participants were not getting the minimum recommended amount of exercise — at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, like brisk walking, on five or more days a week.

“These results emphasize the importance of improving and maintaining high fitness levels by engaging in regular physical activity,” Mandic said, “particularly in poorly fit individuals.”

And here’s something of MAJOR importance!!!!

The study showed a history of exercise was not a factor. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you used to be in shape. What matters is RECENT activity.

This helps explain why a professional athlete, who was in phenomenal shape for years, can die young from heart disease.

The study suggests you only get protection from RECENT physical activity.

This may be disheartening for many since so many people look at “exercise programs” and “diet,” as temporary things… doing them just long enough to get in the desired shape or lose a certain amount of weight.

This approach will NOT make you healthy. What will help make you healthy and possibly live longer is making the commitment to change your lifestyle. Committing to eating right and exercising FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

That is exactly what Chiropractors believe and have been teaching for years - - health is the result of what you routinely do now and for the rest of your life.

That’s why it is also important to commit to getting and keeping your spine working properly with Chiropractic care. If you stop exercising, you lose the positive effects. If you stop brushing your teeth, you lose the positive effect. And, if you neglect your spine, chances are, you will eventually end up in rough shape again. Staying healthy and living longer is in YOUR hands.

And don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in your lifelong good health.

By Dr. Michael Weir

Do big muscles lead to the prevention of cancer?  That would be great wouldn’t it, get buff and cancer free!  Unfortunately studies have yet to show a direct correlation between muscle size and if you will get cancer.  But,they have shown that exercise does help with reducing our cancer risk. We all intuitively know that exercise and activity is vitally important to our health, but did you know that exercise plays an important part in cancer prevention?  Some of exercises cancer preventative effects include an increase in cardiovascular capacity (or how well our hearts are working), increased pulmonary capacity (how much air our lungs can hold), increase in bowel motility (how freely our digestive system flows), normalization in hormone levels, balances in energy levels, and increase in immune function, providing antioxidant defense, as well as repairing damaged DNA. If you are exercising now, keep it up! If you are not doing an exercise routine, start out small and work your way into a daily habit.  And then, yea, maybe you will get some big muscles while reducing your cancer risk.

By Dr. Michael Weir

You finish all your vegetables of course!  But dont worry, I wont
force feed you like your mom used to do.  Just remember to get all
your servings of vegetables.

Have you ever wondered what a “serving” of vegetables is?
Well here you go… A serving of vegetables consists of one half cup of raw or cooked
veggies, and one cup of raw leafy vegetables such as lettuce or
spinach.

Ever wonder why you need to eat your vegetables?  Here is a good list
of reasons:  http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art49323.asp

By Dr. Michael Weir

“Don’t feed that to the dog, it’s not good for him!” I found myself
thinking this before I went to give my dog a piece of bread. Then,
instead of giving it to the dog, I ate it myself. The standard
American diet has gotten so out of control that we eat things that
we know are not even good for our pets! We can take a lesson from
our pets. For the most part our dogs and cats eat to live, not live
to eat as we as humans have gotten so good at doing. Animals eat as
much as they need for their bodies to survive. We usually eat till
that giant serving of lasagna on our plate is totally gone. We know that
we need to always have water for our pets and yet we rarely drink
enough water to keep us from dehydration.

Lets start to rethink our eating habits. Anything that you would not
feed to your pet probably should not be in your mouth.

By Dr. Michael Weir

Have you ever put together a puzzle only to find that you are missing one piece. What does it do? It ruins the entire picture doesn’t it? I tell my patients every day that they have to view their health as a puzzle. If you are missing one piece to the puzzle of wellness it leads to disfunction in the body, and that disfunction will eventually lead to disease if not addressed.

We are going to look at 4 pieces of the wellness puzzle although their are many more which I discuss on my website. The first is NUTRITION. You are what you eat! Or more correct would be your health and wellness are dictated by what you eat. Be proactive in learning what is good and what is not good for your body.

The second piece is Exercise. Suprise, suprise huh? But it is true! “If you don”t loose, you WILL loose it!” I always tell my patients that the day that they stop moving will be the day that they stop moving…in the ground! Motion is vital for the health and well being of the body.

The third is a healthy functioning nervous system. The NS is what runs the entire body. How long do you think you would live with out food? How about water? Now, how long do you think you would live if I took away your nervous system? Thats right, you would die instantly! It vitally important that the nervous system is running at 100%, 100% of the time!! Chiropractors are the only doctors that work to help optimize the nervous system. We take away any interference so that your brain can communicate with the rest of your body!

Forth is Positive Mental Attitude. With out PMA it is impossible to acheive wellness. The stress that is involved with a negative mental attitude will one day kill you, and it sure isn’t quite as fun as PMA either!

So go out and put your Wellness Puzzle together and make sure not to leave out any pieces!