Feeling old and blue? Green tea may help
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(Reuters Health) Elderly men and women who sip on several cups of green tea a day may be less likely to have the blues, hint findings of a study from Japan.
Dr. Kaijun Niu, at Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in Sendai, and colleagues found men and women aged 70 and older who drank four or more, versus one or fewer, cups of green tea daily were 44 percent less likely to have symptoms of depression.
Several prior studies have linked green tea consumption to reduced levels of psychological distress. This led Niu and colleagues to look at associations between drinking green tea and symptoms of depression in 1,058 relatively healthy elderly individuals.
About 34 percent of the men and 39 percent of the women had symptoms of depression, according to a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. These symptoms were severe in about 20 percent of the men and in about 24 percent of the women.
Overall, 488 participants said they drank four or more cups of green tea a day, 284 said they downed two to three cups daily and the remaining 286 reported having one or fewer cups daily.
According to the investigators, the apparent protective effect of greater green tea consumption on symptoms of depression did not fade after they factored in social and economic status, gender, diet, history of medical problems, use of antidepressant medications, smoking, and physical activity. Read more…
The Europeans have been using horse chestnut for years for a variety of vascular roles, particularly the legs. This natural supplement is now gaining ground in the United States and other places around the world because it has shown in a number of clinical trials its effectiveness in treating a variety of conditions.
Horse chestnut trees are native to Greece, Albania, Bulgaria and other countries in the Balkan Peninsula. However, you can find these trees elsewhere in the world as well. Also called the Spanish chestnut and the buckeye, horse chestnut should not be confused with the buckeye trees in California and Ohio. It is important when you use horse chestnut that you choose a seed extract supplement form rather than preparing a treatment yourself as some parts of the tree are poisonous.
If you have varicose veins, leg swelling, nerve twitching and itching, restless legs, skin ulcers or general leg pain, you could benefit from horse chestnut. Most often found as a seed extract, this supplement is also effective with a condition called CVI or chronic venous insufficiency, which also presents some of the symptoms above.
Evidence of Effectiveness
In a number of tests, horse chestnut seed extract was used in patients with CVI. In a large percentage of cases, leg swelling decreased significantly as well as pain, nerve itchiness and even leg tiredness. Restless leg occurrences were reduced as well. While some professionals are still unsure of this natural supplement, many people who suffer from a variety of vascular leg conditions have found that horse chestnut is just as effective as the common treatment of wearing compression stockings.
Other Conditions Possibly Treated
Because of the anti-inflammatory properties of horse chestnut, there are a few other conditions that might benefit from its use. Rheumatoid arthritis, deep venous thrombosis, hemorrhoids, menstrual cramps and even a variety of skin conditions could find relief with this natural supplement. People with tinnitus and post-trauma swelling have found relief too.
Some Warnings to Note
If you are otherwise in good health, horse chestnut can definitely help with inflammatory conditions. However, some people may have adverse reactions if they take anticoagulants or have hepatic or renal problems. Children should not take this supplement. If you have a metabolic condition like diabetes, medical professionals advise against using horse chestnut. Always consult with your personal physician before adding any supplement to your daily medication regiment. Read more…
Likely Culprits of Back Pain and How You Can Handle Them
By · CommentsMany people have back pain at some point in their life and at least half of them experience recurring back pain. Sometimes, there is no one particular cause for the pain but rather a build-up of activities they might have done. Back pain is so commonplace that it is one of the top three leading reasons why people see the doctor and miss work. The good news is that most back pain clears itself up within a few weeks. If you are one of the many people that experience back pain, there are a number of causes to consider.
Referred Back Pain
Referred back pain means that you feel pain in your back but it is attached to some other underlying health condition in your body. For example, kidney infections can cause back pain as can appendicitis and bladder infections. Women with infections or disorders in the pelvic area can also experience pain in the back.
Pulled or Stressed Out Muscles
Have you ever slept in an awkward position and paid for it in pain the next day? Sleeping funny can stress out your muscles, ligaments and tendons in addition to lifting heavy objects or even turning or twisting the wrong way. When you experience sensitivity and pain in certain muscle groups, like in your back, doctors refer to it as myofascial pain. Many kids experience this type of back pain because they tote heavy backpacks and school bags. Poor posture and improper lifting techniques can also contribute.
Musculoskeletal Diseases and Conditions
There are a number of musculoskeletal diseases and conditions that can contribute to back pain. For example, fibromyalgia causes pain and tenderness in nerve trigger points and joints in the back and other areas of the body. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition that causes deterioration of the discs between the vertebrae.
Osteoporosis can also cause back pain. Calcium leaches out of your bones over time and puts them in danger of stress fractures and breaks. If you have osteoporosis and decide to partake in heavy lifting or other overly strenuous exercise, you can create tiny compression fractures in one or more vertebrae.
Disc Problems
A herniated disc is a common cause of back problems. Wear and tear over time can cause one or more of your discs along your spinal column to rupture (herniated). Sometimes called a slipped disc, this rupture can pinch one of the many nerves that emanate from the spinal column. The sciatic nerve is one of the most commonly affected nerves and it runs down to your leg, so not only would you feel pain in the back because of a herniated disc but also feel sharp, shooting pain down your leg as well.
Over the counter pain relievers can help as can topical herbal remedies for pain such as lavender oil, eucalyptus, chamomile, witch hazel and arnica. Some herbs consumed in tea form have anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate pain too such as chamomile, valerian, rosemary, elderberry and black cohosh. Ice packs can numb pain while heating pads can loosen tight muscles in the back.
If you can afford it, make it a point to visit a chiropractor because your spine may be out of alignment. Acupuncturists can also treat your back pain as well. What you should not do is lie around and be lazy when you have back pain because the joints and muscles may seize up. Rather, light exercise such as walking and stretching can be beneficial. With a little TLC and time, most back pain eventually resolves on its own.
The herbal plant Hamamelis virginiana also know as witch hazel has long been used for a variety of health treatments because of its exceptional anti-inflammatory properties. You may remember seeing a bottle of witch hazel on your grandmother’s dresser but not known what it was. While the last 100 years or so have seen this herb being used primarily for beauty applications, there are a variety of ways it can be used.
Historical Use
Witch hazel has been used throughout history as a treatment for inflamed, swollen eyes, wounds, and irritated, bleeding or dry skin. It was also used to treat internal issues such as sore throats and gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and colitis. Native Americans introduced witch hazel to the new settlers and eventually its properties proved useful in toiletries, particularly aftershave, styptic pencils and skin treatments.
Current Applications
This herb contains a high amount of tannin, a natural astringent, along with some other beneficial chemicals. When scientists found some compounds in witch hazel that could prove toxic when ingested in large amounts, internal applications fell out of favor. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects however, there are still many external practical applications of witch hazel for a variety of conditions.
- Controlling blemishes – The astringent properties of witch hazel can reduce the redness and inflammation of pimples. It also reduces the oil on the skin which contributes to blemishes.
- Hemorrhoid relief – When the blood vessels around the rectum and anus become swollen and inflamed, hemorrhoids may develop both internally and externally. You can mix witch hazel with aloe vera gel or even petroleum jelly and apply the mixture to external hemorrhoids to provide itching relief as well as shrink the blood vessels contributing to the problem. Mixed with glycerin, you can create a homemade enema for treating internal hemorrhoids.
- Shrink under eye bags – Dabbing a witch hazel soaked cotton ball on your puffy under eye area will help shrink the swollen tissue and reduce bagginess while tightening your skin.
- Reduce the appearance of varicose veins – Soak a washcloth or compress in witch hazel and apply directly onto the affected area. Varicose veins cause pain and tend to swell when you are on your feet too long. By propping your legs up and applying the witch hazel, you can shrink the swelling of the veins, thereby reducing their appearance and even alleviate some discomfort.
- Speed up healing time for bruises – Dabbing witch hazel onto your bruises at least three to four times a day can hasten the healing time, sometimes cutting recovery time in half.
- Soothe itchy skin conditions – Poison oak and poison ivy can cause extreme itching and even some swelling. Applying witch hazel onto the affected areas can relieve the itching and reduce swelling. The same treatment helps with heat rash, razor burn and even a baby’s diaper rash.
- Other skin treatments – If you experience sunburn, witch hazel is a natural remedy that soothes the burning, itching feeling. It can also help heal the sunburned skin area in half the time and even reduce the likelihood that you will peel. Minor cuts and bug bites also benefit from this astringent herb. It can cleanse a small break in the skin, protect against infection and even reduce swelling around the site.
It probably goes without saying that as we age our body feels and acts differently than it did when we were younger. It just doesn’t seem fair that as our mind appears to improve and become more “inventive,” our body seems to become less “cooperative.” We’re stiff in the morning; certain activities during the day make us sore at night; and, if we’re not truly careful, even a movement as simple as turning too fast or bending over to pick up a dropped pencil, can send our back or some other muscle group into spasm. But, our body doesn’t need to go from bad to worse because there is natural treatment for us, “boomers,” that can not only slow down the aging process of the body, but help us to avoid some of those problems altogether.
For an example, arthritis. Most of us would agree that, with the exception of pharmaceuticals, conventional medicine does little to take care of this age-related affliction. What is the basis for such a limited approach? It is because most medical professionals treat the symptoms of arthritis. The chiropractic method is to look for the root of the affliction and relieve the pain at its source. For over a hundred years, chiropractors, like your Santa Clara Chiropractor, have been helping individuals suffering from back pain and other challenges caused by arthritic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
Arthritic changes occur as your body ages because, over time, wear of various joints takes place as a consequence of repetitive stresses, and years of incorrect gait, improper posture, and insufficient movement. Chiropractic treatment restores motion back into your joints and reduces pain, and it readjusts any vertebral misalignment that may be causing irritation and restriction. In addition, did you know that misaligned vertebra, along with causing arthritic changes in the spine and escalating pain, can also weaker your resistance and immunity? It’s true, and this might be one of the reasons why it may seem to you that as you age you experience more health issues and that it frequently takes longer for you to feel better again. According to research done on men and women, those who received regular chiropractic care stayed healthier. In fact, you could say that, as you get older, chiropractic treatment is good for what ails you!
When it comes to the health of the musculoskeletal system, chiropractors are highly knowledgeable whether it’s the small, growing frame of an infant or the full-grown body of a mature adult. Your chiropractor is experienced in working with the aging process of the body and has exceptional observational and diagnostic skills that aid in detecting spinal misalignments and joint problems. In fact, a chiropractic examination can frequently reveal certain age-related conditions before they’ve begun to create noticeable pain. Moreover, your Santa Clara Chiropractor can evaluate your posture and analyze your gait to identify faulty patterns that might generate further arthritic changes.
So, if feeling your age has become a painful experience, make an appointment with your Santa Clara Chiropractor today!
Dr. David Hoewisch is a Santa Clara Chiropractor with over 25 years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1221 Lafayette St., Santa Clara, CA, 95050. Dr. Hoewisch has traveled around the world and is an avid outdoor enthusiast. He is a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) and learned sign language at an early age. He treats many deaf patients in his clinic. For more information go to his website at http://www.santaclarachiropractor.net
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Sugary Colas Tied to Gestational Diabetes
By · CommentsStudy found drinking five or more per week prior to pregnancy increased risk by 22%
By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter
(HealthDay News) — Women who drink five or more servings of sugar-sweetened cola per week before they conceive increase their risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy, a new study indicates.
“Previous studies have shown an association with other chronic metabolic problems,” said study author Dr. Liwei Chen, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, in New Orleans. “This is the first to show an increased risk among pregnant women.”
Gestational diabetes, known as glucose intolerance during pregnancy, is one of the most common complications of pregnancy. It increases the chances of lifelong diabetes for the woman and also can have permanent effects on the unborn child, Chen said. The report appears in the December issue of Diabetes Care. Read more…
Pack Right for the Holidays to Avoid the ER
By · CommentsLuggage that’s too big or too heavy can lead to strains or worse
(HealthDay News) — There may be nothing wrong with stuffing your turkey full to bursting, but you might not want to do the same thing with your suitcase as you pack for holiday trips.
More than 53,000 people were treated in 2008 in U.S. hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, clinics and other medical facilities for luggage-related injuries, such as muscle strains, pulls and tears, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
“Lifting and carrying luggage that is too big or heavy for a person’s size and frame can put serious strains on your body,” Dr. Jeffrey A. Fried, an orthopedic surgeon and spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, said in a news release from the academy. “To minimize any damage to your neck, shoulders and back, it is important to bend at your knees, lift luggage with your leg muscles while tightening your abdominal muscles and avoid twisting and rotating your spine.” Read more…
Tips For Healthy School Lunches
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School cafeterias are not always known for their tasty, healthy food; however, many children end up buying their lunch in school anyway. A healthy lunch is essential for your child not only for dietary reasons but also because it can provide a solid basis for improved concentration and memory in class, important facets for optimal learning. If you feel a bit confused about what to pack for your child’s lunch, you are not alone.
Children love those processed, pre-packaged lunch kits you can buy in the deli aisle of your supermarket. While it may be easy for you to purchase these kits, they are not a healthy choice because the food inside is full of food dyes, preservatives, sodium, sugar and a variety of chemicals. Chips and snack cakes are additional foods often found in traditional sack lunches kids take to school that are not healthy either.
You know what is healthy and what is not but the challenge is getting your kids on board with different way of eating. The best way to integrate healthier lunches for school is to involve them in the food selection process so they feel they are in control. There are no specific rules when it comes to choosing what to put in your child’s lunch but you should ensure that dairy, starch, protein, vegetables and fruit are somehow incorporated. The fun part is doing it in a tasty, creative way.
Protein Lunch Options
Protein helps build lean muscle mass and is an important dietary component for your child’s school lunch. Slice last night’s leftover chicken breast and put it in a pita or wrap. Boil a few eggs for a tasty tuna fish salad sandwich. Turkey breast, salmon and even beans are options.
Starchy Choices
Choose starchy foods that also provide the fiber, vitamins and minerals your child needs for energy. White starchy foods like rice, bread, crackers and pasta simply raise blood sugar and make your child feel lethargic half way through the afternoon. Instead, use whole grain breads, rolls or even tortillas for sandwiches or even salads.
Dairy Items
Dairy is perhaps one of the easiest things to include in your child’s healthy school lunch. String cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese with fruit or even lowfat dip with veggies are great dairy choices. Kids can purchase white milk from the school cafeteria as a drink.
Vegetables and Fruits
Kids love dipping their food so why not mix a batch of vegetable and fruit dip for the week? When you use yogurt as your base instead of mayonnaise or sour cream, you not only add a dairy component, it is also healthier than pre-made versions. Carrot sticks, celery, peppers, cucumbers and grape tomatoes are popular vegetables dippers. Grapes, orange slices, apples and bananas are small and portable enough for lunch. Bypass dried fruit, fruit roll-ups or fruit gummies as they tend to be high in sugar and have little nutritional value.
If your child does not purchase milk from the cafeteria, bottled water or natural 100% fruit juice are healthy options for their lunch. If you have plenty of healthy foods for your children to choose from, you can rest assured they will always have a healthy lunch. Chances are their newfound healthy choices will also work their way into other areas of life as well.
Hip Condition Can Lead to Arthritis
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Increasingly, younger men are experiencing aches and pains which were primarily associated with old age. Physicians at the University of Connecticut (UCONN) Health Center say “young” arthritis is a mounting health concern.
Hip conditions are often attributed to anatomical abnormalities that begin early in life or result from overuse through repetitive motion, as seen in baseball. Femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI), also known as hip impingement, occurs when there is a change in the bony form of the hip joint, resulting in decreased range of motion and pain. Simply put, it is too much friction in the hip joint. It is not uncommon for doctors to misdiagnose hip impingements and dysplasias as growing pains.
But due to recent improved understanding of hip abnormalities, along with advances in diagnostic imaging techniques and minimally invasive surgery, many patients are given new hope for relieving chronic, misdiagnosed hip pain.
“This is a relatively new diagnosis or a new evolution of arthritis that we didn’t know occurred, “ said Dr. Michael Meneghini, an orthopedic surgeon at UCONN Health Center. “And we’re now recognizing arthritis years before it happens in a pre-arthritic state if you will.“
Dr. Meneghini said he’s seeing men in their early twenties come in with symptoms. “The patients will present with pain some times flexing their hip—sometimes going up and down stairs—sometimes squatting down playing with their kids. Those kinds of activities they’ll notice they’ll get pain in their groin or pain in the outside of their hip.“
Unfortunately, a young patient with persistent hip pain who is not properly diagnosed and treated may face early arthritis and eventually require a total hip replacement.
However, new options have been identified by hip specialists to slow or reverse the progression of degenerative hip disease. This results in their patients returning to their normal activities and, in some cases, reducing the need for more extensive surgeries.
“In the past few years, the understanding of hip structural abnormalities has increased, allowing specialists to better identify underlying hip conditions that previously went unrecognized and to more accurately diagnose hip problems,” said Douglas E. Padgett, M.D., chief of the Hip Service and co-director of the newly formed Center for Hip Pain and Preservation at Hospital for Special Surgery. “Health insurance companies also now readily recognize the value of hip preservation procedures and, depending on one’s coverage, reimburse their cost.
3 Different Nutritional Needs in Men and Women
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Men and women have different body types and biological needs so it stands to reason that their dietary requirements for the best health possible would be different too. Women tend to have a preoccupation with their diet and losing weight so there are far more resources for them to tap in regards to nutrition but men also need resources that recognize their dietary differences and how they compare to women.
There are specific health concerns that are more bothersome for men than women and vice versa. Women are more prone to breast cancer and osteoporosis, although men can get them too. Along these lines, men may develop prostate trouble whereas women obviously wouldn’t because they do not have the same sexual organs. Gender differences often can mean differences in health and diet issues.
3 Common Nutritional Needs
Here are 3 important nutritional needs and how they are different in men and women:
1. Iron – This mineral is vital to blood health in general and when you do not get enough through food and supplements, you can develop anemia. Anemia fosters fatigue, inhibits memory and disrupts the ability to concentrate successfully. Women are more likely to have lower iron levels in their blood. Iron supplements are sometimes necessary for women or even boosting intake of green leafy vegetables like spinach.
Hormones and menstruation are the two main reasons why some women struggle with maintaining sufficient iron levels. While men do have anemia problems, it is not as prevalent because they do not need as much iron as women do. Up until the mid-teen’s, both boys and girls have similar iron requirements – about 7 to 11 milligrams a day. From mid-teen’s to middle age, females require 15 to 18 milligrams of iron a day while males need about 8 to 11 milligrams. During pregnancy, women need almost twice the amount of iron – up to 28 milligrams for normal fetal development.
2. Fiber – Fiber is important for digestive health, serving as a natural “scrub brush” for the intestines. As fiber digests and passes through the intestines, it serves as scrubber, removing bits of undigested food as well as fat and cholesterol. Hemorrhoids are a common problem for both men and women who do not get enough fiber in their diets.
Because men are typically larger than women and more vulnerable to particular diseases, they require more fiber to stay regular. Men also need more calories than women generally so they must eat more to get the energy they need to get through the day. Typical fiber requirements are 35 to 50 grams for men and 20 to 25 grams for women, depending on physical fitness levels and age.
3. Calcium – The building block for healthy, strong bones, calcium is essential also for maintaining blood pressure. Both men and women require calcium, although women do need a bit more than men. Osteoporosis risk is quite high for women, thus the reason why they need more in their diets, both through food and supplements. When diet alone cannot provide enough calcium, women should take supplements to avoid the risk of slow healing for broken bones and for a healthy heart.
When men get too much calcium in their diet, they are prone to prostate cancer so typically supplements are not needed. Up until about age 25, both men and women need about 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day. After that, unless a woman is in menopause, pregnant or breastfeeding, women need about 1,200 milligrams a day while men only need about 1,000 milligrams daily. Pregnant and menopausal women should average 1,500 milligrams a day.
Fiber, calcium and iron are just a few of many nutrients that can greatly differ in requirements for men and women. The best thing you can do to ensure you are getting the proper level of nutrients is to have blood tests each year with your annual physical. Simple dietary changes can make a huge difference in your health.