Suffering from back pain?

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Back pain is one of the most common complaints. Fortunately, most back pain can be resolved. On the other hand, back pain can also be one of the most difficult and frustrating problems to treat. It is important to understand what causes back pain to get the proper treatment.

What causes back pain?

·       Lumbar muscle strain. Muscle strains are the most common cause of low back pain.

·       Ruptured disc. A ruptured intervertebral disc, also called a herniated disc, is another common cause of back pain.

·       Discogenic back pain. Cause of low back pain; result of damage to the intervertabral disc, but without having a disc herniation.

·       Spinal stenosis. Causes back pain in older people. As we age, the spinal canal can become constricted, due in part to arthritis and other conditions.

·       Lumbar spine arthritis. Arthritis of the spine can cause back pain with movement.

·       Spondylolisthesis. Causes back pain because adjacent vertebra become unstable. Caused by degenerative changes causing loss of the normal stabilizing structures of the spinal column.

·       Osteoporosis. Most commonly related to compression fractures of the vertebra.

See a doctor if:

  • Your back pain persists beyond a few days
  • Your back pain awakens you at night
  • Your have difficulty controlling your bowels or bladder
  • You have a fever, chills, sweats, or other signs of infection
  • Any other unusual symptoms

Treatment for back pain

·       Nonsurgical treatment

·       Alternative treatment

·       Spine surgery

What you should know about the common cold

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A cold is a type of viral infection that occurs in the upper respiratory tract in the nose and throat. It is also known as the common cold. There are more than 100 different types of cold viruses. For this reason, the signs and symptoms can vary significantly. While there are more than 100 viruses that can cause a cold, the rhinovirus is the most common cause of the common cold. It is highly contagious.

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Contaminating our bodies with everyday products. Is this true?

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Contaminating our bodies with everyday products. Is this true?

In recent weeks, two major medical organizations have issued independent warnings about toxic chemicals in products all around us. Unregulated substances, they say, are sometimes linked to breast and prostate cancer, genital deformities, obesity, diabetes and infertility.

 

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Diet To Prevent Cancer

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DIET TO PREVENT CANCER -Whether you have a history of cancer in your family, or are currently battling the disease, lifestyle factors, including your diet, can make a huge difference in helping you fight off cancer.   Some foods actually increase your risk of cancer, while others support your body and strengthen your immune system. By making smart food choices, you can protect your health, feel better, and boost your ability fight off cancer and other diseases.

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Preventing foodborne illness begins with you

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Have you ever had what you thought was the “stomach flu?’  In reality, there’s a good chance it was more likely a foodborne illness.  Just about all of us at some point in our lives, whether we knew it or not, have had a case of food poisoning.  The Centers for Disease Control estimates each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans or 48 million people get sick from food poisoning, with 128,000 sick enough to be hospitalized and 3,000 who will die. The majority of people will recover fully but occasionally there can be long term serious effects associated with it – kidney failure, chronic arthritis, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome.

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Want to live longer? Eat whole grains

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Did you know that whole grains are one of the best types of foods to help prevent chronic disease? Well, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have found that eating whole grains may help you a live longer life. While there has been prior evidence that whole grains are an excellent addition to your diet, this study adds to the current dietary guidelines for whole grains, which is to eat about 3 to 5 servings of whole grains daily. Now, eating whole grains may also help you live longer.

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Holiday Belly Fat: How to avoid it

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With the holidays coming up, everyone will be eating lots of rich foods often loaded with sugar, fat, salt. These are some of the main culprits of abdominal, or belly fat – something we all dread. The waist line is usually the first place excess fat migrates to. It is also one of the most difficult places to lose weight. Other than just being unpleasing to the eye, belly fat is actually one of the worst places to harbor excess fat on the body because it can increase your risk for serious health problems such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and even colorectal cancer.

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New study: Coffee may help you live longer

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A new study says people who drink coffee may live longer than those who don’t. The study found that coffee lowers the risks of dying early from heart disease and neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease. The study was published in the journal Circulation and bring additional evidence regarding the benefits of coffee.

 

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Managing Weight with Diabetes

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Diabetes is also known as diabetes mellitus. The condition is characterized by a group of diseases that affect how the body uses blood sugar, or glucose. Glucose is essential to us as humans because it is a major source of energy for the tissue and muscle cells in our bodies. It also serves at the main source of energy for the brain.

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More arm moles may indicate higher risk for skin cancer

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A new study suggests that depending on the number of moles a person has on their right arm, they may be at a greater risk for melanoma, or skin cancer. More specifically, the study claims that having eleven or more moles could be an indicator of skin cancer. The study was carried out by scientists at King’s College London and recently published in the British Journal of Dermatology.

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Minerals minimizing the risk of a stroke

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Minerals minimizing the risk of a stroke

Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the United States killing almost 130,000 Americans each year. – that’s one out of every 20 deaths.  We all know of someone who has had a stroke and if they survive, it can be a leading cause of serious long-term disability.  Our food choices and particularly our mineral consumption may play a significant role in reducing our risk of a stroke.

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Top foods to fight inflammation

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Top foods to fight inflammation

Everything is arguably related to inflammation. It can cause cancer, skin conditions, allergies, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches and painful menstruation. But although this has been a word or concept thrown around frequently of late, what exactly is inflammation? Very simply, it is a combination of heat, pain, redness and swelling that happens externally or inside the body.  Inflammation, is not always a bad thing, it is after all your immune system reacting to injury or infection and trying to promote healing. 

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Warning signs of high blood sugar

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Warning signs of high blood sugar

Frequent urination. When your blood sugar is high, a common sign is frequent urination. This is related to thirst as well because the thirstier you are, the more you will drink. However, not all frequent urination means high blood sugar. Caffeine and diuretic drugs can cause increased urination too.

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How to treat low blood sugar

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Low blood sugar is also known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is a condition that causes an abnormally low level of blood sugar, or blood glucose. This is the body's main source of energy. People with diabetes get hypoglycemia when their bodies do not have enough sugar to use as energy. There are a number of things that can cause people to develop hypoglycemia. Some people may develop it as a result of their diet, exercise regimen, or as a result of being on certain medications. The symptoms of hypoglycemia usually begin when people’s blood sugar drops to 70 milligrams per deciliter or lower.

You are at risk of having a low blood sugar reaction if you:

Skip or delay a meal or snack

Take too much insulin or eat too few carbohydrates

Exercise

Drink alcohol, especially without eating carbohydrates

Check your blood sugar if you have any of these symptoms:

Weakness and/or fatigue

Headache

Sweating

Anxiety

Dizziness

Shaking

Increased heartbeat

If your blood sugar is less than 70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl):

Eat 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrate

Wait 15 minutes and then recheck your blood sugar

If your blood sugar is still less than 100 mg/dl, take another 15 grams of carbohydrate and retest your blood sugar in another 15 minutes. Repeat if necessary.

 

Healthy tips for Halloween

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Set limits:

Put a limit on the amount of candy you will indulge in this Halloween.  Do this before Halloween even starts and you have 5 bags of mini candies floating around your hour.  You want to enjoy the holiday, but not overindulge in the sweet stuff.  Giving yourself a limit to the amount of candy you can have can help you stick to a healthier candy regiment.  The truth is, only a small amount of candy is required to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Eat before trick or treating:

Some people may think it is best to skip lunch or dinner to save their appetite and calories for candy. But this is the wrong way to go about it. Eat a good meal before they go trick-or-treating.  This can help curve cravings, and limit the amount of candy they will want as they are out. You need to eat a healthy, hearty meal before going out on Halloween. Make sure to eat a healthy, high-fiber meal that includes protein. This way, you are less likely to sneak Halloween candy later.

Count candy calories:

Not all candy is the same.  (Trust us, we wish it was too!) The type of candy you eat on Halloween can make a big difference in your total calorie intake.  Depending on the kind of candy you are more likely to eat, you need to limit your intake accordingly.  If you have the will power, try to choose candy that will reduce your total calorie and fat impact.  This can keep you from feeling guilty about sneaking that extra piece of candy.

Use trick-or-treating as a way to burn calories:

If you have kids, nieces, nephews, or close neighbors, forget about the candy and go trick-or-treating.  Take the time to plan out a route and hit a lot of houses, making the adventure fun for you and the kids. Leave the car at home and walk instead.  Look for hills and stairs to get the most of your night out.

Burn calories at home:

Even if you are staying in for Halloween, it doesn’t mean you need to sit around waiting for trick or treaters.  You can still keep active between candy runs to the door. It can be tempting to sit in front of the TV with a bowl of candy, but try to stay keep busy. The best way to make use of that time is to work out in your home.

Healthy tips for Halloween

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Healthy tips for Halloween

Eat before trick or treating. Some people may think it is best to skip lunch or dinner to save their appetite and calories for candy. But this is the wrong way to go about it. You need to eat a healthy, hearty meal before going out on Halloween. Make sure to eat a healthy, high-fiber meal that includes protein. This way, you are less likely to sneak Halloween candy later.

 

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New study: Replacing sugar is beneficial

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New study: Replacing sugar is beneficial

A new study from the University of California in San Francisco says that sugar is associated with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions including increased blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, excess belly fat and abnormal cholesterol. The study was led by Dr. Robert Lustig.

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