Category: Health Reports

Memory may be improved among elderly persons who eat breakfast, according to recent research highlighted by the Public Information Committee of the American Society for Nutritional Services and the American Society for Clinical Nutrition.

22 men and women, ages 61 to 79 participated in the study. Following an overnight fast, the participants were given either pure protein, pure fat, or pure carbohydrate beverages.

Researchers noted improved performance on memory tests just 15 minutes after the protein drinks were ingested, as compared with placebo beverages containing no energy.

We’ve known for a long time that glucose can have positive effects on memory in the elderly, but our findings are novel in that fat and protein were also shown to have beneficial effects on memory. In contrast to previous studies, these results indicate that blood sugar does not have to increase for memory to be enhanced.

Randall Kaplan, lead author of the study

Previous studies have had similar outcomes, but this is the first study to show that memory may be enhanced by eating any type of breakfast, regardless of whether it was high in protein, fat, or carbohydrates.

Researchers believe that the best approach to preserving memory over the long-term is to exercise regularly, maintain a healthy body weight, and eat a diet low in saturated fat, and high in fiber, fruit and vegetables.

Such behaviors will not only preserve memory and decrease the risk of dementia, but will also reduce the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and obesity.

For a complete nutritional consultation by our experienced Houston nutritionist, feel free to contact us to schedule a phone or office visit.

Researchers at New York City’s famed Mount Sinai School of Medicine have found that America spent $6.7 billion in 2009 on unnecessary medications and tests – and in only three areas of primary health care: pediatrics, internal medicine, and family medicine. The study identified the top five most-overused clinical activities in these fields.

Of the $6.7 billion, 86 percent, or $5.8 billion of the unnecessary spending was for brand name cholesterol-lowering drugs, called statins. Brand names have been tested and found to be only marginally more effective, and in many cases no more effective, than generic drugs which are far less expensive.

“Our analysis shows astronomical costs associated with prescribing of brand name statins when effective, generic alternatives were available,” said Dr. Minal Kale, a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai, who led the study. “Efforts to encourage prescribing of generics clearly have not gone far enough.”

After the expensive brand name statins, the study found the excessive expenses were for the following:

• During physical exams, more than half of complete blood work ordered was not needed, resulting in more than $32 million in excess costs.

• Unnecessary bone density scans in younger women accounted for more than $527 million.

• CT scans, MRIs, or X-Rays in people presenting with back pain accounted for $175 million in excess healthcare costs.

• Over-prescription of antibiotics for sore throat in children, excluding cases of strep throat or fever, accounted for $116 million in unnecessary costs.

• Other excess costs included needless annual echocardiograms, urine testing, pap tests, and pediatric cough medicine prescriptions.

Dr. Kale added that significant efforts will be required to reduce this spending and stem these exorbitantly expensive activities.

As for the statins vs. generic drugs, you can be assured that as long as Big Pharma holds a patent on more expensive drugs, the ‘significant efforts’ will have billions in advertising and marketing dollars thrown at them to ensure we keep spending that $5.8 billion.

Are you concerned about cholesterol? Consult your natural healthcare practitioner.

The study findings were published in Archives of Internal Medicine, a publication of the Journal of The American Medical Association.

SOURCE: Science Daily, Oct. 2011, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003144716.htm

Because back pain is so pervasive in our society, a recent study published in the British Medical Journal pointing out that back pain doesn’t go away easily, confirmed what chiropractors have always known. Only 25 percent of low back pain sufferers had fully recovered 12 months after their first visit to a general practitioner, the study said. This low number is in conflict with the commonly-held notion that low back pain episodes go away by themselves after a month, says Dr. Vanderloop, a Houston Chiropractor.

“This hardly comes as a surprise to low back pain sufferers who have been told by their medical doctors not to worry — the pain will go away on its own,” said Dr. Michael Pedigo, president of the American Chiropractic Association. “In many cases, further treatment is necessary.”

Doctors of chiropractic have long understood the cyclic nature of low back pain, and perhaps this is one of the reasons they consistently rate higher than MDs in patient satisfaction in this area.

In a recent Gallup Poll, 90 percent of all people who visited a chiropractor agreed that their care was effective.

SOURCE: Internet Access, July 1999, PR Newswire, Oakbay Chiropractic

With the nation’s healthcare and insurance payment system in a state that desperately needs to be renovated and improved, the introduction of more chiropractor Houston providers care could offer positive solutions. According to one recent report, cost savings, care improvements, reduced surgeries and less pharmaceutical drug use could all occur when a chiropractor takes the lead as a primary care physician in an insurance provider network.

Healthcare reform has been bantered about in Washington D.C. for many years. Politicians have voiced concerns and some have tried to do something about it. New administrations entering the White House promise to make changes, yet, over 40 million Americans remain uninsured. COBRA insurance rates for those who lose their jobs but want to continue coverage are astronomical with annual fees of over $4,000 for individuals and $12,000 for families. The cost of surgery and a hospital stay is so enormous that even a short stint in a medical facility could financially wipe out the average individual or family.

The question remains; where lies the solution? The answer might be found in putting chiropractors in charge of a person’s healthcare with programs directed at keeping people well and free from drugs or surgeries.

A recent study showed that when chiropractors are in charge of a person’s healthcare, and where complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) solutions are part of their healthcare network, that not only costs but also the number of clinical visits can be reduced significantly. Consider these results collected over a 7-year period that compared a CAM-oriented primary care physician (PCP) network versus conventional medicine alone.

• 60.2 percent decrease of in-hospital admissions.
• 59 percent fewer hospital days.
• 62 percent fewer outpatient surgeries and procedures.
• 85 percent fewer pharmaceutical costs.

The clinical and cost utilization information in the report was based on 70,274 member-months in an independent physician association (IPA) network with a chiropractor as the primary care physician. This study compared results with conventional medicine IPA performance for the same health maintenance organization product in the same area and over the same time frame.

Granted, this is only one study performed by one group of researchers. However, what is clearly demonstrated in this quite extensive survey conducted over a significant period of time is this: CAM-oriented programs that use a non-surgical/non-pharmaceutical approach show significant reductions in clinical visits and costs when compared with conventional medicine networks.

With these amounts of savings and improvements in healthcare available, shouldn’t politicians sit up and take notice? More people utilizing CAM services with chiropractors in charge might be just the items needed to put healthcare on the right track in the United States.

Source: Alternative Medicine Integrative Group. “Clinical Utilization and Cost Outcomes Form an Integrative Medicine Independent Physician Association: An Additional 3 Year Update.” May 2007. http://www.chiro.org/ChiroZine/ABSTRACTS/Clinical_Utilization_and_Cost_Outcomes.shtml

People who have been around the Chiropractic profession for a while sometimes get rather accustomed to seeing astounding results. Still, the success story of Laura Hattier and the life-changes for her following Houston Chiropractic adjustments is one for the books.

When Laura was born, she was completely blind. The doctors told her parents there was no hope that her eyesight would ever develop. Her problem was called congenital nystagmus, a condition where the eye experiences involuntary shaking and causes severe vision loss.

This situation did not stop Laura from working to achieve. As a child her vision did improve somewhat, but she was still unable to play or read like normal children. “When I was a child, I would look in an adult textbook and all I could see were dots,” Laura said. “I thought, ‘Wow, grown-ups are really special to be able to look at dots and get words out of that!’”

By the time Laura turned 16 her vision had improved some more, but she was still legally blind. Doctors continued to tell her there was no hope for her condition. Additionally, she began suffering from severe stomach ulcers.

However, Laura did not let that stop her. She decided to enter a teen beauty pageant, and she won. That event changed her life and opened doors that would have otherwise remained closed. “That was the best things about my teenage years,” she said.

Sometime later, Laura’s life was about to take another amazing turn!

When Laura entered college, she took a part time job in a Chiropractic office in Delmar, Delaware. The doctor, Donald Hattier, suggested that he give her an adjustment and this is when her life turned on a dime. In fact, after her first adjustment, her ulcers disappeared and her vision began to improve. It happened that fast.

As the story continues, Laura went on through school and got to the point where she submitted her official resignation at the Chiropractic office. It was at this time that Dr. Donald asked her out on a date. The happy story continues with the two of them now married and the parents of 4 children.

At age 39, Laura is living the life she never thought possible.  Her vision has improved to 20/50 and she is able to take care of her family and run daily errands. “I can pick my kids up from school, I can drive my kids to church and I can go to the grocery store for my family,” she said. “I am truly thankful for that.”

SOURCE: http://www.chiropracticresearch.org | Houston Chiropractor News