The statistics of lumbar spine back surgery are quite disappointing: Why Spinal Disc Surgeries Don't Always Work - San Diego Back ... A recent study of patients undergoing low back surgery demonstrated that of those patients who opted for back surgery, only 26% went back to work compared to 67% of the patients who [...]
Shay Bess, Rocky Mountain Scoliosis and Spine, Denver, USA, told delegates at the annual meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS; 24–27th October, Dallas, USA) that contrary to the common misconception that adult spinal deformity was “not really” painful, its actual impact was similar to the impact of cancer and diabetes. Bess said: “There [...]
In that dementia and its characteristic cognitive dysfunctions are projected to double every 20 years due to the aging of the worldwide population, identifying the factors in understanding the pathways of this decline are reemerging as a public health focus. Frank R. Lin, from The Johns Hopkins Center on Aging and Health (Maryland, USA), and [...]
Rich in lycopenes, a potent type of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound, tomatoes have been shown by a number of previous studies to improve antioxidant defenses and reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases. Mahsa Ghavipour, from Tehran University (Iran), and colleagues recruited a group of overweight and obese women, average age 23 years, for a study [...]
While the adrenal glands need numerous nutrients to function normally, perhaps the most important of them all is vitamin C. The highest concentrations of vitamin C reside in the eyes, brain and adrenal glands. In the body, this water-soluble nutrient provides a strong anti-oxidant function, supports the immune system and increases the integrity of [...]
Sufferers of adrenal fatigue come to recognise the feelings of low blood sugar. Most will periodically experience the low energy, dizziness, furious carb cravings and shaking that often accompany hypoglycaemic episodes. This occurs when the adrenals, unable to maintain their normal function, cannot adequately maintain healthy glucose levels in the bloodstream between meals. The irony [...]
When it comes to matters of health and fitness, I am president of the New York chapter of Unrepentant Skeptics. I was practically born with an arched brow for so-called curatives like acai berries (nature's very own Skittles) and FitFlops (about as effective as Hula-hoops for bum-toning). So naturally, I couldn't help but roll my [...]
A healthy spine is an often overlooked and essential part of a healthy lifestyle. People who suffer from back pain, particularly if it is long-term, are generally less healthy than those who do not. In fact, back pain costs are staggering not only financially, but also in terms of lost time from work and because [...]
At NASS 2012, Shlomo Mandel, Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, Bloomfield Hills, USA, stated that epidural steroid injections are associated with an increased risk of vertebral fractures. Mandel told delegates that a prospective observational study by Al-Shoha et al (Spine 2012; epub), of which Mandel was a co-author, showed that a single epidural steroid injection [...]
Wild-caught “fatty fish” such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, and trout – is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a compound that has been linked in previous studies to cardiovascular benefits, particularly benefits for reducing coronary heart disease risk. University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill (North Carolina, USA) researchers completed a meta-analysis of 16 published studies involving [...]
