Laugh Lots. Not Too Loud. Mostly At Yourself.

That title has absolutely nothing to do with today’s post, but I think it’s going to be my new motto. Kind of Pollan-esque, no?

Anyway…you know the deal. Long ramble ahead, scroll down for the food.

When I started my therapy group in January, one of the behaviours I wanted to address was exercise. I’ve always maintained that it’s more compulsive than excessive- since then, I’ve been noting down each day how much I do. I don’t get caught up in the numbers, I just go on my walks and fill in my diary sheet at the end of the day. It wasn’t until this week that curiosity got the better of me and I added up my weekly mileage. Needless to say, it’s no wonder my old hip, back and ankle injuries have been causing so much pain.  Osteoporosis aside, it’s an excessive amount. It has been all too easy easy to brush off as “no big deal”- I only walk.  It’s sunny outside. I have some free time. Fresh air is good for you. Right?.. Maybe not. Not if it means you are taking maximum doses of three kinds of painkillers each day and crying in bed because the pain is so bad.

I don’t like acknowledging problems because I then feel obligated to fix them. Maybe by me acknowledging this, I am ready to tackle it.

“You change for two reasons- either you learn enough that you want to, or you’ve been hurt enough to have to.”

This is the latter.

When I think about the future, I don’t think about my osteoporosis. I assume I’ll be fine. I assume that I’ll dance again. That I’ll play tennis with my kids one day. That I’ll go on long hikes during my green road trip across America. What I don’t think about is that I am not doing what is necessary to prevent the damage to my bones, and am likely speeding it up. In more ways than one. I was talking to someone yesterday who really explained how things will look 5 years from now if I carry on like this. A conversation I have had before. It always hits me hard and I forget it as soon as I can. Ignorance is bliss, right? I would be lying if I said that thinking about how the state of my bones in years to come wasn’t terrifying to me. I don’t want to be in a wheelchair in 5 years, but that is a very real possibility.

I keep waiting until I am “ready” to change- by the time I feel ready, it could well be too late. I’ve been waiting for 15 years to be ready to give recovery 100% and it hasn’t happened. What more will it take?

Does anyone ever feel fully ready to change? Or is it a matter of just doing what you know is necessary, regardless of how ambivalent and scared you might feel?

…sometimes the only means of transportation available is a leap of faith…

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Foodie stuff!

I have had an opened bottle of Annie’s Organics Woodstock dressing chilling out in my fridge (get it? ) for a while and realised that it expires soon so I wanted to incorporate it into lunch.

Tofu, Woodstock dressing, alfalfa sprouts and spinach

Nowhere near as good as my all-time favourite tofu sandwich but still good. In fact, probably the highlight of my day on the food-front. Which isn’t saying a lot

I was excited about breakfast this morning because I knew that my freezer was full of the muffins I baked last week.

Jamaican coconut corn muffin, blueberries and Greek yogurt

They didn’t hold up too well once thawed so now I have a freezer full of dry muffins I wonder if it’s from the coconut milk? They still taste good though and are perfect for yogurt mash-ups (<- better name than ‘mess’?)

I foresee more coffee in the near future.

UK readers: Starbucks are doing a taste-test of their instant coffee and you get vouchers for drinks in return for participating so go hit up your local store!

Questions:

1. What is the best sandwich/wrap you have ever eaten? I had an amazing sandwich at an Organic cafe in London that was roasted mushrooms, cheddar cheese and sundried tomato mayonnaise a few years ago. Though I am happy with a good chicken salad sandwich Also love the Power sandwich and Power-fu sandwich I ate in New York!
2. Have you ever done something you didn’t really want to do just because you knew it was in your best interest?

[Via http://insideiamdancing.wordpress.com]

Suggestions to Ensure Good Bone Health as We Age

What can we do to ensure good bone health as we age?

What can you do to ensure bone health as you age? Here are a few suggestions:

 Exercise Regularly; Especially the Weight-Bearing Variety.  In the past few decades, mounting evidence suggests that most people do not participate in enough physical exercise to support strong skeletal growth. A research review published in Sports Health emphasizes that weight-bearing exercises, especially those that include higher levels of strain such as running or jumping, can be effective in enhancing bone health and preventing future diseases and injury.

 Eat Right and Take Bone-Building Supplements. Due to the mass consumption of processed, overcooked and nutrient-depleted foods, most people absorb and utilize too little calcium and vitamin D for good bone health – even if they’re eating foods that are high in both. However, eating a diet that consists primarily of fresh organic fruits and vegetables will do the trick, since most contain healthy levels of calcium, vitamin D and many other beneficial vitamins and minerals readily absorbed by the body.

 Dedicating oneself to getting enough calcium and vitamin D through an organic diet can be challenging, so supplementation becomes necessary. Remember that it’s important to get adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D, since the latter improves absorption of the former.

 What about dairy products? Contrary to popular belief and advertising, dairy products, including cow’s milk, while containing high levels of calcium, are in a form that is not compatible with human digestion, assimilation and absorption. Typically, they also are high in saturated fat, can have high levels of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones, and if pasteurized, contain deactivated enzymes caused by high heat. Dairy products contain lactose, which many people have difficulty absorbing due to the lack of the digestive enzyme lactase.

 Many bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteopenia are preventable and treatable. Since there are no obvious warning signs for many bone ailments, it is important to be aware of the risks and be proactive in being responsible for one’s own health primarily through diet, supplementation and resistance exercise. Talk to your doctor for more information.

[Via http://waynejoseph.wordpress.com]

Manual therapy & exercise for osteoporotic fx pain

This is a very interesting and preliminary study, especially with a recent patient with vertebral fractures secondary to osteoporosis. I would like to have seen more specifics (What grade of mobilisation?) What exercises were given?), but it looks promising.  I hope they have a follow-up study planned with a larger sample and publish it with more information.

Bennell KL, Matthews B, Greig A, et al.  Effects of an exercise and manual therapy program on physical impairments, function and quality-of-life in people with osteoporotic vertebral fracture: a randomised, single-blind controlled pilot trial.  BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2010, 11:36 doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-36.

Picture credit: osteoporosis_female, originally uploaded by go elsewhere…

[Via http://geriatricpt.wordpress.com]

Anjuran penggunaan Produk Kesehatan

Produk-produk kesehatan Revell dapat membantu penyembuhan berbagai penyakit, berikut anjuran yg disarankan :

* Penglihatan tidak bagus, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Katarak, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari

* Sinusitis, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari

* Hidung tersumbat karena alergi, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari

* Pendengaran kurang, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari

* Banyak kotoran, campurkan 5 tetes CMD ke 20 ml air bersih, masukkan ke telinga sekitar 1 menit

* Sariawan, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 2 tablet/hari atau RVC 1 tablet/ hari

* Sakit gigi, teteskan CMD ke kapas/ cuttonbud masukkan ke gigi

* Hepatitis, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Hipertensi/ penyakit jantung lainnya, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + TMT 3 tablet sehari + SOD tea 1 sachet/ hari

* Diabetes Melitus, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + SOD tea 1 sachet dalam 1 tl air panas

* Stroke, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari + koyo Morinaki yg dipasang pada telapak kaki

* Asma/ Flu menahun/ gatal-gatal, gunakan CMD 40 tetes/ hari

* Rematik/ Gout/ Asam urat, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + AX 4 tablet/ hari + koyo Morinaki yg dipasang pada telapak kaki atau bagian tubuh yg sakit

* Masalah pada Rahim/ Kista/ Tumor/ Kanker, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + TMT 3 tablet/ hari

* Masalah pada Payudara/ Tumor/ Kanker, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Susah buang air besar, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + Maxim1

* Tumor/ Kanker paru-paru, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Tumor/ Kanker usus, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Masalah pada Tiroid/ Gondok/ Struma, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + TMT 3 tablet/ hari

* Osteoporosis, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + AX 3 tablet/ hari

* Batu pada ginjal, gunakan CMD 40 tetes/ hari + Apple minimal 2 lt/ hari

* Wanita hamil & menyusui, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + RVC 1 tablet/ hari

* Maag, gunakan CMD 40 tetes/ hari

* Masalah pada Darah/ Leukemia/ Anemia, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Migrain, gunakan CMD 40 tetes/ hari

* Parkinson, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Impotensi/ kesuburan, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

* Kerontokan rambut/ kebotakan, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + TMT 3 tablet/ hari, oleskan juga CMD pada kepala

* Wasir, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + TMT 3 tablet/ hari

* Bau mulut, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + TMT 3 tablet/ hari

* Epilepsi, gunakan CMD 20 tetes/ hari + EVM 4 tablet/ hari

[Via http://revellkoe.wordpress.com]

Review of Healing Remedies: More Than 1,000 Natural Ways to Relieve Common Ailments, from Arthritis and Allergies to Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and Many Others! (Paperback)

This book is chocked full of remedies that are easy to use, cheap to make and above all don’t require a Rx.I am convinced that we need to return to more homepathic and natural remedies like this, rather than run to the doctors for pills.

Wilden Sisters deserve a Nobel Prize for Common Sense.Oh, that’s right they would prefer people rely on patent medications rather than use their brain.

Product Description

A PRACTICAL, SAFE, TIME-TESTED, AND EFFECTIVE A-TO-Z GUIDE TO NATURAL HEALING REMEDIES

For years, sisters Joan Wilen and Lydia Wilen have been collecting and incredible home remedies. These range from old treatments that have been passed down for centuries (but forgotten by modern medicine) to methods recently uncovered by doctors and medical researchers. Healing Remedies combines the best entries from the Wilens’ Chicken Soup & Other Folk Remedies books, plus a significant amount of new material, including sections on diabetes, osteoporosis, ADD, anxiety, and children’s common ailments-from colic and diaper rash to tantrums and teething. Also, check out these other remarkable remedies:

- Eating two pectin-packed apples a day may help lower blood pressure.

- For an energy boost, slap the inside of your elbows and the back of your knees.

- Eating one-half avocado a day may lower cholesterol by up to 42 percent.

- Vaporize a headache by bringing a cup of apple cider vinegar to a slow boil, then put a towel over your head, bend over the pot at a safe distance, and inhale/exhale through your nose for about 10 minutes.

- To tone up your circulatory system and strengthen your heart, pretend to vigorously conduct an orchestra for 10 minutes a day.

- To improve your memory, pop six raw almonds a day.

- Add pizzazz to your sex life by consuming any fruit beginning with p: peaches, plums, pears, pineapple, papaya, and persimmon.

- Practice “girth control” by killing your cravings with pure grape juice.

Though not meant as a substitute for doctor’s visits, this amazing guide also features special sections on men’s health challenges, especially prostate concerns, and women’s symptom relief, from cramps and morning sickness to vaginitis and hot flashes. Remedies galore-and more-are at your fingertips!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Healing Remedies: More Than 1,000 Natural Ways to Relieve Common Ailments, from Arthritis and Allergies to Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and Many Others! (Paperback)

[Via http://psoriasisnaturaltreatment.wordpress.com]

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a sickness of the bones characterized by a diminution in bone mass and structural abrasion of bone tissue, central to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures of the hip.

HRT is prescribed to counter balance the reduced production by the body of oestrogen that can lead to increased hazard of osteoporosis and weakened bones chief to fractures.

Drinking Alkaline Water to balance the Ph is VERY meaningful to Preventing and Curing Osteoporosis.

Manganese is integrated in most multi-vitamin-mineral formulas and in quite a group of osteoporosis formulas.

Scottsdale Healthcare is offering convenient bone density screenings that can comfort in indentifying the risk for developing osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Scottsdale Healthcare is offering convenient bone density screenings that can help in indentifying the risk for sprouting osteopenia or osteoporosis.

Prior printed Publication

Back Pain and Osteoporosis 2007, Lee H. Riley, 2007

The Osteoporosis Remedy, Stephen Schettini, 2001

Osteoporosis, David F. Fardon, 1987

Tumor bone diseases and osteoporosis in cancer patients, Jean-Jacques Body, 2000

These Websites can be recommended

Osteoporosis

International Osteoporosis Foundation IOF

World Osteoporosis Day

Osteoporosis

Irish Osteoporosis Society

International Osteoporosis Foundation

Osteoporosis is filed under Osteoporosis.

[Via http://xumberland.wordpress.com]

How to reduce your risk of being sued

FEATURED SEARCH: lawsuit

Sadly, the most common search term using the Musculoskeletal tab last week was “lawsuit.” According to the article below, surgeons are sued on average every 4 to 5 years. Based on a seminar about malpractice litigation, it describes the most common types of lawsuits, reviews three real-life malpractice cases, and suggests how doctors can protect themselves.

RESULT: Medicolegal issues in perioperative medicine: Lessons from real cases

Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine | Oct 21, 2009

One of the “four C’s” mentioned in the article above as key to avoiding malpractice litigation, competence, correlates poorly with the likelihood of being sued, according to the commentary below.  Also, in the current system patients who might deserve compensation even though no negligence was involved do not receive any. The author suggests that a general insurance fund for medical injuries would be a better option for all.

RESULT: It Is Patients Who Most Need Tort Reform

New England Journal of Medicine | Dec 2, 2009

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SEARCH TIP: How to make this search better

A simple search on the word “lawsuit” (see above) delivers results including the irrelevant synonyms “sue” and “cause.” Results would be better if you enclosed the search term in quotation marks, which forces the search engine to look for that specific word.

Also, the specialist Musculoskeletal tab includes journals relevant to musculoskeletal medicine, as well as the major general journals such as New England Journal of Medicine. But content about other topics is excluded.

Much more information about malpractice litigation appears using the term “lawsuit” in the Practice Management tab.

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OTHER RECENT SEARCHES ON SEARCHMEDICA

Search: triangular fibrocartilage complex

Does injury to the triangular fibrocartilage complex cause tendon friction that threatens the function of the extensor carpi ulnaris muscle, perhaps risking later repetitive motion injury? A study of cadaver wrists at the Mayo Clinic answers the question. (Reach full text, which costs $31.50 without a subscription, by clicking on “View MedLine abstract on PubMed.gov” at the bottom of the page, then on the Elsevier link in the right column and after that on the link to ScienceDirect.)

RESULT: The effect of triangular fibrocartilage complex injury on extensor carpi ulnaris function and friction

Clinical Biomechanics (PubMed)| Dec 1, 2009

Search: low-energy fracture

A small case series from the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases raises the possibility that taking alendronate for years places women at special risk for bilateral fractures of the femur. The authors suggest checking the other femur when such a woman breaks one, and discontinuing the drug in consultation with an endocrinologist.

RESULT: Bilateral Low-Energy Simultaneous or Sequential Femoral Fractures in Patients on Long-Term Alendronate Therapy

The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American) | Nov 1, 2009

Search: comminuted fracture

A cadaver study carried out at Wayne State University in Detroit determined the kind of impact that will cause a comminuted fracture in the temporoparietal region of the skull from a “less lethal” 38-mm blunt ballistic projectile used by police to incapacitate suspects. (Presumably this information will be used to avoid that kind of fracture.) This may not be the kind of information about comminuted fractures that your colleague was seeking. But as SearchMedica includes everything in the authoritative medical literature, it turned up.

RESULT: Tolerance of the skull to blunt ballistic temporo-parietal impact

Journal of Biomechanics (PubMed) | Jan 1, 2010

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SEARCH TIP: Type a few more keys, save a few minutes

This search turned up nearly 1000 results, including information about comminuted fractures of the femur, the mandible, the ribs, and many other bones.

Adding an anatomical term to the query would target the search.

[Via http://clinicalsearchtips.com]