Back pain can  be very debilitating. You may be one of the fortunate patients and discover that building muscle strength can relieve some of your discomfort.
I understand that there are situations for which people can’t do much about their back pain. Whether it’s genetic or because of a trauma such as an auto accident, strengthening muscles will only help to a degree if you deal with spinal stenosis, degenerative disks, or osteoporosis.

Even so, the abdominal and lower back muscles support the spine. The problem is those muscles become weak as we age. The good news is  that strengthening those core muscle groups in the abdominal area and lower back has positive effects. The goal is to get those core muscles – the transversus abdominus and multifidi working to stabilize and support the spine which promotes movement and reduces pain.

 
Working with a physical therapist so that you exercise correctly, and swimming in a heated pool with weights will help. Exercise combined with better body mechanics can lessen the strain. Also avoid spending long periods of time sitting in slumped positions. Think about that when you’re watching TV, playing cards, or working on your computer.

 
The problem with treating back pain, especially lower back pain, is that there is no secret, no ultimate pill, and no specific exercise that can relieve your back pain let alone eliminate the pain. This is an important concept to keep in mind for anyone suffering from back pain. Many people recover by avoiding strain to their spine for a period of time. Some find relief from ice, heat or medications. Others have a routine series of simple exercises to carry out to relieve their pain. Still others do absolutely nothing different in their daily routine and over time the pain goes away.

 
Depending upon the symptoms,  the length of the problem you have, whether or not it is a recurring problem and you have seen a doctor about it more than once, when the simple treatments you can do by yourself no longer work, it’s probably time to have your physician to evaluate your condition.

 
A few symptoms that require immediate medical attention regarding your back discomfort are:
·    Your back pain persists beyond a few days;
·    Your back pain wakes you up at night;
·    You have difficulty controlling your bladder and bowels;
·    You have a fever, chills or sweats and other signs of infection or
very unusually symptoms.

 
The importance of all this is that before you begin any back pain treatment program, be sure you know your diagnosis and discuss any treatment plan with your doctor. It is important that you deal with your back because daily back pain is clearly associated with decreased quality of life and even depression. It is difficult to be happy when you’re in constant pain. My concern is that as we get older we are more prone to back pain because of a lifetime of improper body mechanics such as maintaining good posture while we work on the computer!

 
Rest is usually the first treatment, especially in low back pain, so that you rest the spine. Because most cases of back pain are due to muscle strain, it’s important to avoid further irritation to the spine and muscles that surround the spinal column. I’m not talking about a lot of bed rest – one or two days tops. Then start moving slowly and once acute pain eases avoid lifting and twisting and any real physical exertion.

 
My advice is to always take the least invasive, the most conservative approach first when it comes to treating your back problems. For example modifying the way you use your body and strengthening the muscles that support your back are a key ingredient.

 
This exercise is easier for me. Get on your hands and knees with your hands about shoulder width apart and knees about hip wide. Keep your back straight and level and your neck in line with your back. Draw your abdominal muscles in towards your spin without arching your back. Hold for the count of 10 while breathing normally. Repeat 5 times.

These should help but also talk to your doctor if your back pain becomes worse and isn’t relieved by changing position or resting. It doesn’t happen very often but back pain may be caused by an infection or disease such as cancer. It’s worth the time to cross that off your list.

Let me know if you’ve been even somewhat successful managing your back pain.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter Oakland County Michigan
Business Writer Macomb county Michigan
Health Writer

Your nervous system is involved in just about everything you do which is why even mild nerve pain and damage can have a serious impact on the quality of your life.

There is a wide variety of symptoms for nerve pain and nerve damage. The kind you have usually depends on the location and type of nerves that are affected. Sometimes the damage can occur to nerves in your brain or on the spinal cord.  Pain can also take place in the peripheral nerves which are located throughout your body.

There are many causes for nerve pain and nerve damage. For instance some types of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, lupus and inflammatory bowel disease can produce symptoms of nerve pain and nerve damage.

Cancer can also cause nerve pain and nerve damage. For instances  there may be a cancerous mass pushing against or crushing the nerves. Chemotherapy and radiation may also damage some of the nerves and cause pain.

Interesting, nutritional deficiencies may also produce nerve pain especially lack of vitamin B 6 and B 12.

Anything that results in trauma or compression of nerves can result in nerve pain and nerve damage. This includes pinched nerves in the neck, crush injuries and even carpal tunnel syndrome.

Although some degeneration of the cervical spine (upper spine) is expected as we get older, that doesn’t mean we must live with pain. In fact many forms of neck pain are temporary and easily treatable. A muscle strain or pinched nerve may respond well  to anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen along with some stretching  exercises to keep neck muscles flexible.  It may be that a hot shower helps your neck feel  better or ice may help reduce the pain.

In some cases, however, neck pain may also be a sign of spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the nerve. If you neck pain is accompanied by tingling and weakness in the hand and fingers, an unbalanced gait, or it lasts longer than a month you should get an evaluation from a physician.  Treatment may be injections of anti-inflammatory medication , radio-frequency ablation or interrupting the pain signals with radio waves, or surgery to remove the part that is pressing on the nerve.

Spinal degeneration takes place when the bones and disks deteriorate over time due to poor posture, injury or just everyday wear and tear. If the bones start to rub against one another your body may try to repair the damage that’s taking place and bone spurs result. These can narrow the spinal canal by themselves pressing and irritating the surrounding nerves.

By the same token you may be able to control some of the damage. For instance, when sleeping don’t use too many pillows under your head which can force the head forward.  You may also want to exercise your neck following prescribed exercises by your doctor.

One of the best ways to cope with your pain is to keep a pain journal. I understand very well that the written word is very powerful.  I’ve kept a personal journal for years. One of the benefits for this journal is that it gives me a greater sense of control over my live and a journal about your pain will give you a greater sense of control over your pain. No matter what you’re thinking, write it down and get it out of your system.

That includes being honest about your pain with yourself and others. Accepting your pain is part of the healing process.  Coping strategies won’t take you pain away but they may get you to a level where you can deal comfortably with the pain.

To your success coping with your pain.

Ruthan

Ruthan  Brodsky

Health Writer

Business Writer

Your chronic pain is likely to be different from my chronic pain.

The next few blog posts will focus on chronic pain, what it is and how it can be treated and managed. The more I research this topic the more surprised I am by the huge number of people who face chronic pain daily.

I am also becoming more aware of the acceptance of alternative forms of medical treatment for pain that are now readily accepted in the medical community. Then there are the updated devices that help eliminate pain from specific parts of the body. Of course pharmaceutical companies continually create new pain relieving medications that are prescribed while others are purchased over-the-counter.

Unfortunately there are also the snake oil scams and the well known promises to eliminate pain instantly – just send money.

Obviously there is much to write about and perhaps in a couple of years I’ll capture all these topics.  In the meantime the next few posts will give you a good start about coping with your pain. Chronic pain is tough to deal with; it can sap your energy, affect your mood, limits your ability to do things for yourself and for others.

Short term pain or acute pain, the kind that happens when the dog pulls extra hard on his walk and you fall on your knees, has a beginning and a relatively short duration (although I do admit that as you get older it seems like it takes forever to heal even from a sprained ankle.

The most common type of pain in older adults is usually musculoskeletal pain such as lower back pain or shoulder pain. Another type of pain is neuropathic pain. That is usually caused by nerves or mechanisms in the spinal chord or brain that result in the perception of pain although the source of pain may not actually be there.  These are the two sources of pain I will concentrate on in these posts because they do impact so many of us.

There are good treatments for dealing with these pains and with other pains.  You can Google for them and you will receive lots of good information about your pain and treatment.  My advice is to first find a good doctor before you seriously take information you find on line and practice it.  It may take more than one visit to find the doctor you want. This warning you hear from family and friends is probably worth listening to: If the doctor just wants to do surgery, find another doctor.

You need to be absolutely honest with this doctor. Don’t hold anything back and don’t be stoic. In fact, it’s a good idea to start writing you symptoms down a week or more before your appointment. I ay write them down because even if you’re a little anxious, you’re going to forget what to say. Let your doctor know what makes it feel better or worse. Your doctor may suggest a pain management clinic, an exercise program, physical therapy or medication.

Most chronic pain is treated with medication. The amount of the dose varies depending on the size of the person, the degree of pain, and how each person metabolizes the medication. What is important is how much medication you need that allows you to function as normally as possible.

Some doctors also recommend an antidepressant that will improve your mood and reduce your pain. Some medications may require another medication to offset the side effects such as constipation or severe fatigue.

You may also be told about other treatments because often pain in one area results in pain in another area because your muscles tighten to protect you from the original pain. These treatments may include massage, acupuncture, heat and even meditation.

The goal for you and your doctor is to find the treatment that works for you. Do your own researches, Talk to others who experience the same kind of pain you do and find out what kinds of treatment they’re getting. When you involve yourself in managing your pain your results are bound to improve.

Much success in managing your pain.

Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter and Content Creator
Business Writer
Freelance health writer

One of them is all about the shouting that this or that superfruit will cure whatever ails you or at least keep you strong, active, young, and sexy looking. The latest fruits are the acai berry, mangosteen and goji which are even touted as defense against cancer.

Certainly, eating fruits and vegetables and good nutrition in general is important to your total immune system, but one fruit is not the fountain of youth or the cure for everything. In fact, the very definition of a healthy diet that protects you is one that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables. No matter the ads, no matter the testimonials, please do not attribute supersized benefits to any one food.

Another is that chocolate has become a health food. It is good news that studies have reported positive results for chocolate’s antioxidants and flavonoid polyphenols that have heart benefit. However, be mindful of saturated fat and calories. They are still a major part of chocolate anything, dark or light. The healthiest way to enjoy chocolate is to have small amounts, like a half ounce to one ounce of dark chocolate as a treat once in a while. Make sure your chocolate has at least 70 percent cocoa so you get higher amounts of those polyphenols.
I do not have a good answer for this misperception but I do know that the medical and science research has not made its mind about whether high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is completely bad for you. This is the sweetener found in everything from ketchup to soda. No one can tell you for sure whether it is worse than regular table sugar.

I can tell you we consume a lot of HFCS – about 60 pounds a year. Avoiding HFCS and consuming natural sugar instead doesn’t make much sense either. Here is where the notion of balance comes into play again. Moderate your sodas between low cal and regular or stop drinking soda altogether so you won’t have to worry about gaining weight or poisoning yourself. This is a dilemma for all of us so stayed tuned!

You cannot pick up a magazine or look at a paid TV advertisement where someone isn’t trying to sell you on the latest and the greatest nutritional product. Often times it’s a blog post that promises you the fountain of youth or a short report the best system to lose weight. It is no wonder that most of us can’t keep our nutrition facts straight. The problem is the news we receive is often inaccurate.

Not everyone you read is an expert in nutrition. According to the American Dietetic Association of a survey of more than 1,000 people, over 70 percent of people want food information. I for do not consider myself an expert. However, I am careful about what I read and I pass on only information that I’ve qualified by their resources. A tweet about some new energy juice drink is a bright red flag for me to stay away although I may know and trust the person. I don’t trust their information until I find out the resources.

Always consider the myths about sugar when you read nutritional information.
Sugar is the major culprit for health problems. It is true that we consume too much sugar, close to 22 teaspoons a day for the average person. It is also true that The American Heart Association says to cut back to 4 teaspoons a day. However, sugar is the major cause of disease.

Sugar adds a lot of empty calories to your diet especially when it comes to soft drinks such as cola. You certainly can gain some weight and added weight gain does link to diabetes. Sugar, however, does not cause diabetes. That is another myth. There is a connection but not a direct cause and effect. When you have diabetes you need to watch your sugar and your carbohydrate intake to properly manage your blood sugar level. The main risk factors for Type 2 diabetes are a diet high in calories, being overweight and an inactive lifestyle.

The other myth is that brown sugar is better than white sugar. The truth be known the brown sugar sold at grocery stores is actually white granulated sugar with added molasses. It is true that brown sugar contains tiny amounts of minerals but unless you eat a huge portion of brown sugar every day, the mineral content difference between brown and white sugar is not significant. There is not much difference between the two sugars.

I have a feeling most of us had some misconceptions, especially re the brown sugar. Hopes this help your thinking and your weight loss efforts.
To your success at healthy aging.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky

Freelance health writer Oakland county Michigan

Freelance business writer Oakland county Michigan

Freelance copywriter Oakland county Michigan

I love my morning coffee. I also love coffee during the low part of my afternoon. And I even like coffee after dinner and regular coffee does not keep me wide awake – or at least I’ve convinced myself it doesn’t.

The research has consistently reported that caffeine improves our alertness and reaction time whether or not we are regular coffee drinkers. It only goes so far. As individuals we are still limited by how long we can maintain our attention and focus on what we are doing. Moreover, coffee has no effect on how well you can solve problems or how much you remember.

It does make you more alert, however, so if you are falling asleep at your desk, coffee will wake you up. Good new for drivers and for babysitters.

I know that I am more up beat after my morning coffee. Apparently feeling better with caffeine is another of those good side effects. Back in 1996 there was a study tracking 86,000 women for 10 years. Those who drank at least 2 cups of coffee a day were 60 percent less likely to commit suicide than those who drank none.

Dieters take note! The other good news is that caffeine helps your body burn fat instead of carbs and can boost your endurance. People who drank coffee lasted 10 minutes longer on the treadmill than those who did not drink coffee.

Want to know why caffeine is included in prescription headache medications and over the counter ones? It is because when you get a headache, the blood vessels in your brain dilate, become wider. Caffeine causes blood vessels to constrict which probably relieves the pain.

And contrary to what many believe, caffeine is not a diuretic, at least not in the amount that you and I drink. There were more than a dozen studies to show that coffee contributes to your intake of water requirement similar to pure water. There were two studies which showed when you consumed excessive amounts of caffeine, caffeine does work as a diuretic. The number given was more than 575 mg. of caffeine.

Let’s see. There are 75-150 mg of caffeine in 2 cups of coffee which means it would take 6 to 8 cups of coffee. What I don’t know is the time frame for any specific amount? For example, can I have 4 cups in the morning and another 4 cups in the evening before I deplete my potassium and become dehydrated? Does anyone know the answer to this question? Use the comment box.

To your success at healthy aging.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Freelance health writer in Oakland County Michigan
Freelance Business Writer in Oakland County Mich

Freelance business Writer in Oakland Michigan

The amount of Vitamin D that shows up in my blood is now tested regularly by my physician. Another ingredient to be tested when I go for my annual physical and a couple of vials of blood are withdrawn from my arm while my stomach is growling because the blood has to be tested on an empty stomach.

It’s been known for some time that we need vitamin D if you want strong bones because vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium.  Today, research has found that this vitamin has other benefits.

Vitamin D is often called the sunshine vitamin because your body produces it after being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun.  Some foods also provide a source of vitamin D.

The primary purpose of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. When you don’t get enough, your body reacts by taking calcium and phosphorus from your bones.  This can eventually lead to the brittle bone disease osteoporosis or even bone softening known as rickets in children.

Vitamin’s D role in treating and preventing bone problems is very important especially as you age. As we get older our decreasing muscle strength can increase the risk of falls and bone fractures.  Recent research also indicates that vitamin D supplementation helps slow the loss of muscle strength for older adults which means maintaining a better balance.  On the negative side a vitamin D deficiency is often the cause of muscle pain and weakness.

Vitamin D is also added to the list of salt, potassium and magnesium that have long been associated with having an impact on blood pressure. Research, for example, indicates that lower vitamin D levels are associated with factors that impact cardiovascular health including coronary artery calcification and possibly congestive heart failure.

Your best option is to get 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure on your face, arms, hands or back which helps your skin create vitamin D naturally. This may be difficult if you live in the northern states in the winter, or you need to wear sunscreen.

Another option is to select dietary sources of vitamin D including liver, egg yoke, oily fish such as salmon and sardines and tuna and fortified mile. Vitamin D has also been added to other foods such as orange juice and breakfast cereals.

If these options don’t provide enough vitamin D for you there are supplements. They can be found alone or combined with calcium.

Talk to your physician about working out a plan for getting vitamin D and finding out just how much vitamin D is the right amount for you. It’s worth the effort.

To your walks in the sun.

Ruthan

Source: Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource Newsletter

Ruthan Brodsky

Health Writer

Copywriter and Content Creator

Business Writer

Sources: Mayo Clinic Women’s Health source

For years it has been reported that drinking coffee is not good for you if you are diabetic. The thought was that coffee interfered with a person’s ability to process glucose, a key mechanism that doesn’t work well for diabetics.

 
The good news is that a study in the June issue of Diabetes Care shows that drinking coffee, even a lot of coffee, may be safe for diabetics and may even be helpful.
The study involved 3,400 diabetic men. After adjusting for age, smoking and other health factors, the researchers concluded that drinking regular coffee, even up to four or more cups a day, did not increase the risk of heart disease or death in men with diabetes, compared to men who did not drink coffee.

In a different study, published in the same issue of Diabetes Care, it was reported that two compounds in coffee, chlorogenic acid and trigonelline, actually reduced glucose levels and insulin responses during an oral glucose tolerance test for those in the study who were diabetic. These findings suggest that drinking coffee may actually reduce the risk of diabetes in healthy adults.
3 questions:

Do the results of this study hold true for women? And what if you add espresso to your coffee? Does that make the results better or worse or no change? I ‘m betting that there will be another study that will include women.

Here’s something else you need to know to stay healthy.
You spend 20 to 40 percent of the total energy that is required to keep you alive just continually pumping potassium into your cells and sodium out of your cells. Without potassium, your brain would not be getting messages from your nerves because nerve impulses would not travel and muscles would not start contracting. What you need to know  ;

• Potassium is an element and an electrolyte that is essential for the growth and maintenance of your body .
• It is a mineral that helps keep the kidney to function normally.
• Potassium is crucial to heart function and plays a major role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, making it important for normal digestive and muscular function, also.

• One of its primary roles is keeping a normal water balance between your cells and body fluids. It may be the seventh most plentiful mineral on earth, but potassium is scarce in American diet.More potassium in our diets could help protect us against high blood pressure, strokes, kidney stones and bone loss.Having too much potassium in the blood is called hyperkalemia. Having too little is known as hypokalemia.

Keeping the right potassium balance in your body depends on the amount of sodium and magnesium in your blood.

• Too much sodium, very common in our diets because we use so much salt, may increase your need for potassium. Diarrhea, excessive sweating, poor eating habits as well as diuretics for blood pressure and heart disease can all cause potassium deficiency.

• Fruits and vegetables are your best sources, especially of potassium citrate, which may prevent kidney stones and bone loss. Good food sources for this include bananas, orange juice, avocados, cantaloupes, tomatoes, potatoes, lima beans, flounder, salmon, cod, chicken, and spinach. Make sure they are on your grocery list and in your refrigerator bins.

To your success at healthy aging the simple way.
Ruthan

Ruthan Brodsky
Copywriter and Content Creator
Business Writer Michigan
Health Writer Michigan

Ninety percent of the health decisions are made by women. That was the number recently announced by a CEO of a very large, major hospital. If you think about yourself and your own family it is usually the mother or wife who goes to her doctor for regular maintenance office visits. Often times a man will visit his doctor because his wife made the appointment.

In general, men are much less likely than women to seek a physical exam or medical care. In fact compared with women most physicians would agree that:
·     Men have more trouble talking about health concerns particularly concerns about sexuality, hormones, incontinence;
·     Men are less likely to seek medical attention for a health complaint;
·     Men are more willing to delay treatment for a health condition until that problem becomes worse;
·     Men are less likely to stay with their treatment plan.

Unless there is a very strong relationship between the doctor and the male patient, men are less comfortable with doctors and exams in general. To make matters worse they often retain youthful attitudes that takes them more to risky behavior than women. For instance, if a man and a women are considered to be fast drivers, it is usually the man who dries even faster. You can tell from the papers and the broadcasts it is likely men who will die from accidents, violence or even dangerous jobs such as the TV program about the loggers or the truck drivers who drive on ice.

It is not surprising, then, that a man’s life expectancy is less than a woman’s.
However, the Anti aging products Marketed to Men are having an impact.
I was casually reading Golf Digest this morning and near the back I saw a  2-page ad plus a pull out card for the product ‘Men Touch of Gray’. It’s a hair coloring product.
The pull-out card offered a refund for proofs of purchase but more importantly on the back of the card, in bold large fonts the message: “Best News for Boomers Since The Birth Control Pill.” These guys know their market!
An April article in USA Today headlined their story as “Men arm themselves with anti-aging weapons.”
Men’s personal care and anti aging products are an exciting trend and everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. According to Laura Petrecca of USA Today, anti aging products accounted for 20% of the estimated $46 million in male skin care sales.
The targets for the men’s market vary – just as the market does for women. There are products for the upscale, wealthier male population and products for the average baby boomer. Interestingly, a third of men 18 to 59 say it is “very or extremely acceptable” to use anti-aging products according to a poll recently released by Men’s Health magazine.
What’s intriguing for me is the language marketers use to appeal to men: the verbs are a lot more active. Verbs such as “fight” and “defend” instead of adjectives such as “active” and “powerful”.
Apparently men are beginning to realize that looking good, i.e. looking younger, gives them a competitive advantage. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons there was a 215% increase in men getting Botox injections and a 96% rise in laser skin resurfacing for men from 2000 to 2007.
I wonder if men gossip about who is using what anti aging tool.
To your successful aging, man or woman!
Ruthan Brodsky

Content Creator
Business Writer
Health Writer
Copywriter