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January 24, 2006
[Volume 7, Issue 3]
In this issue of
To Your Health:
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Increased Muscle Strength Reduces Risk of
Metabolic Syndrome
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More Reasons Not to Smoke During Pregnancy
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A Little Bacteria May Be Good for You
Increased Muscle
Strength Reduces Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
 The
benefits of exercise are well-known. In addition to increasing
one's strength and endurance, exercise - specifically,
resistance-type exercise - lowers the risk of heart disease and
high blood pressure, and can help reduce body weight. A new study
also suggests that increasing muscle strength with resistance
exercises can lower a person's risk of developing metabolic
In the study, more
than 3,200 men (ages 20 to 80) who did not have metabolic syndrome
had their fitness levels measured using leg-press, bench-press and
treadmill tests. Follow-up tests were conducted an average of 6.7
years after the initial series of tests. During the follow-up
period, 480 men were diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
Men who
demonstrated the greatest muscle strength were much less likely to
be at risk of developing metabolic syndrome than men with the
lowest muscle strength. Overall body weight did not appear to be a
contributing factor, as men with a normal body mass index were 44
percent less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, and men
considered overweight or obese were 39 percent less likely to be
at risk.
Exercise plans come
in all shapes and sizes. Some are designed primarily to increase
muscle mass; others improve overall muscle tone; and still others
target weight loss and reductions in body fat. If you are
interested in improving your fitness levels, talk with your doctor
of chiropractic about designing an exercise program that's right
for you.
Jurca R, Lamonte MJ,
Barlow CE, et al. Association of muscular strength with incidence
of metabolic syndrome in men. Medicine & Science in Sports &
Exercise, November 2005;37(11):1849-1855.
More Reasons Not
to Smoke During Pregnancy
 For
decades, women have been cautioned not to smoke while pregnant.
Not only is smoking unhealthy for an expectant mother, it can
cause a variety of problems for her developing child, ranging from
low birth weight to asthma, learning disabilities and behavioral
problems. New research has shown that smoking during pregnancy can
cause severe physical deformities as well, and that the more a
woman smokes while pregnant, the more likely she is to give birth
to a child with excess, webbed or missing fingers and toes.
In the largest
study of its kind, researchers examined the records of more than
6.8 million live births in the United States during 2001 and 2002.
They found 5,171 children who were born with some type of digital
anomaly, such as excess toes or webbed fingers, in which the
mother smoked during pregnancy but did not suffer from other
medical complications. When compared to a control group of normal
births, the study authors found that pregnant women who smoked
between one and 10 cigarettes per day increased the risk of having
a child born with a toe or finger deformity by 29 percent. Smoking
11 to 20 cigarettes per day increased the risk 38 percent; smoking
21 or more cigarettes per day increased the risk 78 percent.
The sooner a mother
stops smoking during her pregnancy, the better it will be for both
her and her baby. If you currently smoke, it's not too late to
talk to your doctor about ways to quit - or at least cut down -
smoking while pregnant.
Man LX, Chang B.
Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of
having a child with a congenital digital anomaly. Plastic &
Reconstructive Surgery, January 2006;117(1):301-308.
A Little
Bacteria May Be Good for You
According to the
National Institutes of Health, respiratory infections (such as the
common cold) and gastrointestinal problems are two of the leading
causes of workplace absence. Shift workers appear to be more
susceptible to these types of illnesses than other workers.
Finding ways to improve the health of shift workers can not only
increase productivity in the workplace, but save billions of
dollars each year in terms of time missed from work and other
costs.
In this randomized,
controlled trial, 262 shift workers at a packaging company were
assigned to take a drink containing Lactobacillus reuteri,
a type of probiotic known to boost immune system function, or a
placebo drink every day for 80 days. A total of 181 workers
completed the study.
More than 26
percent of the workers taking the placebo drink took sick leave
during the course of the study, compared to just 11 percent of
workers taking the probiotic drink. The probiotic appeared even
more effective in employees who worked the night shift; no
night-shift workers taking the probiotic drink called in sick
during the study, compared to 33 percent of those given the
placebo.
While
Lactobacillus reuteri occurs naturally in the body, it is also
available as a dietary supplement, either alone or in combination
with other friendly bacteria. If you frequently suffer from colds
and other ailments, talk to your doctor of chiropractic about how
you can incorporate L. reuteri and other foods that help
your immune system function better into your diet.
Tubelius P, Stan V,
Zachrisson A. Increasing work-place healthiness with the probiotic
lactobacillus reuteri: a randomised, double-blind
placebo-controlled study. Environmental Health, November
2005;4(25).
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