Older Adults Choose Chiropractic
 The
use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among consumers has been
steadily rising for the last few years, and new research presented at the
annual meeting of the American Council on Consumer Interests shows that
about 70 percent of adults over the age of 50 use some kind of alternative
medicine, including chiropractic, acupuncture and herbal medicine.
Researchers from Ohio State University used
data from the 2000 Health and Retirement Survey conducted by the University
of Michigan in which 848 people responded to questions about their use of
six types of alternative medicine: chiropractic, acupuncture, massage
therapy, breathing exercises, herbal medicine and meditation.
The study found that chiropractic was the
most frequently used form of CAM, as indicated by 43 percent of respondents.
The research also discovered that those who indicated they were in "poor
health" were more likely to use alternative medicine. Among the "poor
health" population, 65 percent said they used some form of alternative
medicine they considered "preventative or curative." Additionally, 63
percent of those who reported feeling unsatisfied with their health care
tried preventive or curative forms of CAM.
This research emphasizes the continued growth
of CAM therapies, especially chiropractic care, among older adults. So,
listen to your elders and make an appointment to see your chiropractor
today. Chiropractic care can help relieve back pain, chronic headache,
allergies, and a host of other debilitating ailments.
Reference: About 70 percent of older
adults use alternative medicine. Newswise. April 6, 2005.
Yogurt Consumption Helps Reduce Weight,
Body Fat
Recent studies have shown that calcium intake
plays a role in weight loss, especially when the source of calcium comes
from dairy products. To further assess this, researchers studied 38
otherwise healthy obese adults to determine if yogurt would induce calorie
restriction, thereby accelerating weight and fat loss.
Study subjects were randomized into two
outpatient regimented dietary groups for a period of 12 weeks. The
yogurt-diet group's food intake consisted of 500 fewer calories per day than
assessed at baseline; three 6-ounce servings of fat-free yogurt; and a
calcium intake of 1,100 mg per day. The control group's diet consisted of
500 fewer calories per day than assessed at baseline; 0-1 servings of dairy
products per day; 400-500 mg of calcium per day; and three servings of a
sugar- and calcium-free, prepackaged flavored gelatin, as placebo. In both
groups, calcium came from food sources. Body weight, body fat, fat
distribution, blood pressure and circulating lipids were measured at
baseline and at the conclusion of the 12-week study.
The researchers found that "all participants
lost body weight and body fat due to the daily energy deficit of 500
kcal/day. However, both weight and fat loss were significantly increased by
the yogurt diet compared to the control diet." The researchers note that
lean tissue loss was reduced by 31 percent on the yogurt diet, while trunk
fat loss was augmented by 81 percent on the yogurt diet vs. the control
diet, resulting in "a markedly greater reduction in waist circumference,"
and the amount of fat lost from the trunk was higher in those on the yogurt
diet.
Reference: Zemel MB, Richards J,
Milstead A, et al. Dairy augmentation of total and central fat loss in obese
subjects. International Journal of Obesity 2005;29:391-397.
Using an Electric Toothbrush May Improve
Oral Hygiene
 You
brush three times a day, floss after every meal, and see your dentist twice
yearly, but if you aren't using an electric toothbrush, you might be
cheating yourself. A recent review of several studies shows that some
electric toothbrushes might help reduce plaque by 11 percent and gingivitis
by 17 percent over manual toothbrushes.
The review included 42 studies and 3,855
participants, which compared manual, electric and battery-powered
toothbrushes with various types of bristle arrangements and motions. The
review of the literature concluded that regular brushing with powered
toothbrushes containing circular bristle heads that rotate in alternating
directions were better at removing plaque and reducing the risk of gum
disease than brushing with manual toothbrushes alone.
Although electric toothbrushes may help
reduce incidences of plaque and gingivitis, the researchers emphasize the
importance of regular brushing "whether the brush is manual or powered" and
further indicate that "the results of this review do not indicate that
toothbrushing is only worthwhile with a powered toothbrush."
Reference: Robinson P et al. Manual
versus powered toothbrushing for oral health. The Cochrane Database of
Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. |
