Heart Burn Medication Increases Bone Fracture Odds

All medications have risks, period.  It is as simple as that. Some of the negative affects of medications are known and published. Other unwanted affects of any currently marketed medication will only be revealed after the lab rats (you and me) take it over a long enough period of time, thus providing sufficient data regarding the risks and benefits of a the medication. Once enough data is accumilated, one or more actions will be taken:

1) Additional warnings will be placed on the medication label regarding the newly discovered risks.
2) Additional medications will be developed and prescribed in order to counter the negative affects of the drug.
3) The drug will be recalled, and taken off the market. (but don't worry, another one is being developed and marketed!)

A recent article on MSN Health and Fitness proves my point. The article discusses the newly reported risks of many of the current medications used for the treatment of heart burn symptoms (note that I said the treatment of the heart burn symptoms, not the cause...). The FDA is currently warning that PPI medications, or Protein Pump Inhibitors, can cause an increased risk of broken bones, or "fractures" in the spine, hip, and wrist. It is thought that the PPI's reduce stomach acidity, thus interfering with the absorption of Calcium. Calcium is best absorbed in an acid environment. That is why TUMS for calcium is such a blatant marketing lie! The offending PPI's include the drugs esomeprazole (Nexium)), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid)), lansoprazole (Prevacid)), pantoprazole (Protonix)), and rabeprazole (Aciphex)). The course of action taken by the FDA in this case is to leave the medications on the market, but to place a new warning on the label. The outcry of victims must become deafening before these drugs are terminated and new chemicals are produced and marketed. Then the cycle will repeat itself... New miracle drug, followed by possible links to negative side affects, followed by definite risks, but not bad enough to take action, and finally serious links to serious health risks followed by the drug being recalled.

So, what is a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) sufferer to do?  How about taking these steps that actually promote health, improve digestion, and reduce the symptoms of gastric reflex?


1) Eat less.
2) Loose weight.
3) Eat earlier in the afternoon.
4) Eat foods with natural digesting enzymes, like pineapple and papaya.
5) Add enzyme supplements and possibly even hydrochloric acid supplements at mealtime (this aids in digestion, unlike medications which slow digestion down. The HCL acid should not be supplemented without direction from your physician or chiropractor)
6) Exercise regularly.


Whenever possible, natural and health promoting alternatives to medications are the preferred course of action. The dirty little secret regarding medication is that it will always have negative health affects. The only way to avoid them is through minimizing the amount that you take.

Avoiding High-Risk Back Movements

As a chiropractor in Mesa, AZ, I have seen many lower back injuries in my 20 year practice. This experience has taught me that there is quite a bit of consistency in the stories about how the patient hurt their back.  At times, the cause is a sudden move, or a slip and fall. Some painful back problems begin with over use, such as a single lifting event, or repetitive lifting and work episodes. What surprises many people, however, is that many painful back episodes occur in the morning, after a period of time of sleep deprivation, and after sitting for a prolonged period of time.

There was a wonderful article in this month's To Your Health Health magazine that talks about high-risk scenarios, and it gives three examples.

1) You get up in the morning after not sleeping very well. Perhaps you are on a business trip and you are not used to the bed.  You are a bit stiff, but you ignore it. You sit in a soft chair to enjoy a cup of coffee, or read the paper. Upon getting up, there is a sharp stabbing pain in the lower back

2) The first thing that you do after getting up from bed is go into the computer to check your email. You sit down, and get engrossed in an email, video, or web site. You end up spending much more time than you anticipated. When you attempt to get up out of the chair, you can't stand up straight.

3) You get up in the morning and feel an urge to empty your bowel. You are dehydrated and a little bit constipated, so you spend extra time and you strain a little at the stool. When you start to get up, you feel a spasm in the lower back

My experience is that all three of the above patients, when they come to my office, say that they did nothing, or that they cannot recall doing anything to injure themselves.

In the mornings, we are stiff. Muscles aren't asleep, and all of our joints contain extra moisture, or are slightly swollen.  During this time of the day, we are all very vulnerable to back injury.

There are some simple things that you can do in order to minimize your risks of a back pain episode.

1) After a long period of time of sitting, give yourself some time in the standing position before bending over. Automobiles and airliners are the worst. Long trips leave the back tight and stiff.  Before bending to get luggage out of the trunk or from under the airliner seat in front of you, stand, bend a bit back wards, and move a little bit, allowing your spine to re-set. Then carefully bend at the hips and knees to lift luggage or objects.

2) When you are sitting, don't slump. Use the small pillows in the airplane to place in the small of the lower back, helping the back to maintain the normal curve down there. Slouching or slumping reverses the curve in the lower back, causing the pads of cartilage, or discs, to bulge backward and placing pressure on delicate nerves.

3) When getting up out of bed, stand up and move around a bit. Avoid sitting for very long, and take a shower before sitting to read or eat.

By following these simple rules you can avoid some painful back episodes.  Don't forget to continue the exercises taught to you by your chiropractor, and to get your spine adjusted at least monthly.  By being smart and by taking some preventative actions, you can avoid many of the pitfalls that lead to debilitating low back problems.

Keith E. Biggs, DC
(Dr. Biggs is a chiropractor in Mesa AZ. He is also an Acupuncturist. He has been in private practice for more than 20 years.)
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic @gmail.com

Weight Watchers Helps Treat Diabetes

I recently read an article on Medical News Today that confirmed for me what I have taught patients for many years. If we eat better, loose weight, and try to exercise on a regular basis, we can improve our health, and in certain circumstances, prevent serious diseases. An article published in the May 2010 issue of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine confirms that, for example, type II diabetes can be helped and prevented through adherence to the Weight Watchers Program.


Keith E. Biggs, DC

3617 E. Southern, Suite 8
Mesa, AZ  85206
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic@gmail.com
Office:  480-985-3334
Cell:     480-375-0068

Ginger Root Found to Affect Inflammation and Pain

Biggs Chiropractic and Acupuncture

A recent article published by Medical News Today discusses study at the University of Georgia in which was found that the use of Ginger Root on a daily basis helps to reduce inflammation related to exercise by 25 percent. Considering the fact that often Advil, Motrin, and Aleve are often used for this purpose, Ginger provides a healthy alternative.

The use of Ginger for the reduction of inflammation has been touted for a long time, but prior to this most recent human study, the benefits have only been demonstrated in laboratory rats.

If, for example, a person suffers from back pain, joint pain, or muscle pain after exercise, a steady dose of at least 2 grams of ginger every day will possibly help to reduce symptoms by as much as 25 percent.  The study found that it didn't matter if the ginger was heat treated or raw.

ADHD Linked to Pesticides in Nationwide Study

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children has been linked to exposure to pesticides. Trace levels of pesticides on commercially produced fruits and vegetables may be responsible, in part for the exploding epidemic of ADHD in this country, according to a new nationwide study. In the study, more than 1100 children across the the nation were tested for evidence of certain pesticides in their urine. It was found that those children with above averale levels of the pesticides in their system were twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.

The pesticides in question are organophosphates. They work on insects by interfering with the bugs nervous system. In short, they are neurotoxins. These toxins work on brain chemicals that are related to ADHD, so according to the researchers, it is plausible that there could be a connection.

According to my source article, "Detectable levels of pesticides are present in a large number of fruits and vegetables sold in the U.S., according to a 2008 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited in the study. In a representative sample of produce tested by the agency, 28 percent of frozen blueberries, 20 percent of celery, and 25 percent of strawberries contained traces of one type of organophosphate. Other types of organophosphates were found in 27 percent of green beans, 17 percent of peaches, and 8 percent of broccoli."

So, what are we to do?  Clearly, it is not a good idea to stop eating fruits and vegetables. We can, however, make better and healthier choices on where we get our produce. Whenever possible, choose organically grown vegetables and fruits. Another good idea is to purchase produce from the local farmers' markets. The organically grown and locally grown fruits and vegetables typically test for lower levels of residual pesticide residue.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Keith Biggs, DC

biggschiropractic@gmail.com
www.eastmesachiropractor.com 

Dr. Biggs has been practicing chiropractic and holistic health care in Mesa, AZ for more than twenty years.

hCG Diet Yields 6 lbs Lost in 5 Days

Biggs Chiropractic and Acupuncture

Kim has done amazingly well on her hCG diet. She has lost a total of 6 lbs in only 5 days!  That is truly amazing. Kim is blogging her experience. She says that the first few days were the most difficult. She says that she doesn't feel hungry, but she did feel a bit tired the first few days.  Part of this could be due to the fact that since she likes her coffee with a lot of milk in it, she has chosen to not drink the coffee. She could be experiencing a little bit of caffeine withdrawal.

Another patient in my office came in for her first checkup after one week on the diet. She had lost a total of about 7-10 lbs (depending on which scale you choose to believe) and 5 inches! She was very excited as well.

Headache

Biggs Chiropractic & Acupuncture
biggschiropractic@gmail.com

She is a young, healthy, and athletic lady. She came into my office today complaining of headaches. A simple evaluation of the patient showed that there were joint problems in the neck and upper mid back area. They were detected through motion palpation and range of motion evaluations. Static palpation showed facet tenderness and inflammation. The supporting muscles of the neck and upper back were tight, including the trapezius muscles, the scalenes, and the suboccipital muscles.

Treatment today included electrical stimulation to the muscles listed above, and ultrasound to the muscles. I then applied muscular stretching techniques and direct digital pressure into trigger points in the muscles. Finally, an adjustment was performed on the non-moving joints of the neck and upper back.

After treatment, the patient immediately got up from the table and told me that she was feeling better. She said that the headache was not completely gone, but that it was much much better than it was last night and this morning.

This is a single story, but it is typical of many of my patients. Headaches are often the result of loss of motion in spinal neck joints with associated muscle tightness and tension. To me, it makes more sense to treat the cause through adjustments and therapy than to take pills which are full of chemicals that only deaden the perception of pain, and do nothing to treat the cause.

--
Keith E. Biggs, DC

3617 E. Southern, Suite 8
Mesa, AZ  85206
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic@gmail.com
Office:  480-985-3334
Cell:     480-375-0068