CCH Health Review
News, Ideas & Strategies to Improve Your Health
March 2003
Adults urged to take daily multivitamin
According to an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers at the Harvard Medical School have concluded that everyone, regardless of age or health status, should take a daily multivitamin.
It’s well known that the elderly and those who follow vegetarian or other restrictive diets face a significant risk of vitamin deficiency. However, the really interesting finding in this study was that even people who eat a normal diet may not be getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals.
The researchers reviewed studies published between 1966 and 2002 that investigated the links between vitamin intake and diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. They found that low vitamin intake has been liked to a host of disorders.
For example, studies have shown that taking the B vitamin folic acid early in pregnancy can help prevent certain birth defects, while others have suggested the vitamin might cut the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.
Other vitamins, such as vitamin E, have been found to reduce cancer risk, and vitamin D plus calcium supplements have been shown to decrease the risks of bone loss and fracture.
Although vegans eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, they may not be getting enough of vitamin B12 or certain fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin D, which are most often found in animal products.
As people age, they also become less able to absorb some vitamins from their diets, and research has suggested that people who drink alcohol may need extra folic acid.
Our pharmacy carries a range of multi-vitamin supplements to meet the unique nutrient needs of different individuals.
Use of Pain Killers Linked to High Blood Pressure
Women who take over-the-counter pain-relief medications like Motrin or Aleve for 22 days or more per month are 86% more likely to develop high blood pressure. Women who frequently take Tylenol are twice as likely to get hypertension. The link was discovered in a study of 80,000 women that was just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
If you or a loved one have pain from arthritis or other chronic inflammatory condition, and are taking over-the-counter pain-relief medications, you need to come in and consult with us. We can prescribe herbal and other natural products that control pain as well as over-the-counter drugs, but without the side effects.
Primary Care Physician Joins Our Healthcare Team
Paul Engelman, D.O., is a Doctor of Osteopathy. He is a fully licensed and board-certified primary care physician. His specialty is family healthcare.
Osteopathy began as a medical specialty historically used for musculoskeletal disorders such as back and neck pain, joint pain, sciatica, sports injuries, repetitive stress injuries, and some types of headache.
However, today most modern osteopathic physicians practice general medicine (like a M.D.) and don't confine themselves to manipulative therapy of the bones and muscles.
Dr. Engelman works closely with the naturopathic physicians at Connecticut Center for Health in order to provide a more comprehensive healthcare service to all of our clients.
Dr. Engelman is fully qualified and has the clinical experience to be your primary care physician. As needed, he will refer you to a naturopathic physician for natural therapies.
Some insurance plans cover osteopathic but not naturopathic care. In other plans, you can't get insurance coverage for naturopathic care unless you are referred by a M.D. or D.O. So if you're not getting the care you need because of insurance concerns, check your plan for osteopathic coverage. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Although Dr. Engelman has a family practice, he has a special interest in fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a complex syndrome with no known cause. Its primary symptom is severe muscle pain. Other symptoms may include fatigue, chest pain, low-grade fever, swollen lymph nodes, insomnia, frequent abdominal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, and depression.
Women between 25-45 years of age are most affected. An estimated 3-6 million people have the disorder. Some clinicians regard fibromyalgia as a precursor to chronic fatigue syndrome.
Fibromyalgia is a serious metabolic disorder for which there is no magic drug. Therefore, Dr. Engelman has developed a comprehensive natural program to deal with fibromyalgia. The program includes a guided exercise program, dietary counseling, selective vitamin therapy, physical therapy, and development of coping skills.
Medical studies suggest that this type of program can alleviate many of the problems associated with fibromyalgia.
Does Acupuncture Really Work?
Although the Chinese have been using acupuncture for over 3,000 years, there are still some who believe that its only benefit is the “placebo effect.” A placebo effect occurs when a patient takes a sugar pill after being told it is a powerful pain killer, and then experiences less pain. So, is acupuncture simply a placebo treatment? Not according a recent study from the Department of Sport and Performance Medicine at the University of Vienna. Thirty-six young men were assigned to three groups: actual acupuncture, placebo acupuncture, or no stimulation. Each group was tested with a spiro-ergometer at the start of the study, and at the end of 5 weeks.
The group actually receiving acupuncture was able to significantly increase maximum performance capacity and anaerobic threshold. There was no improvement in the group receiving placebo acupuncture or no treatment. In Japan, Kurume University studied the effect of acupuncture on the cardiovascular system of 23 healthy males. One group received acupuncture; the other received a placebo pill. Skin blood flow and heart function measurements showed that the men receiving acupuncture had a better functioning cardiovascular system. Modern studies are confirming what the Chinese have known for a long time.
Can Acupuncture Stop Pain?
Acupuncture can stop acute pain, according to a study from National Yang-Ming Medical College in Taiwan. The patients studied had renal colic, a severely painful condition. If you’ve passed a kidney stone, you probably had renal colic. So you know how painful it can be. In the study, some patients were given Avafortan, a painkiller, while others had acupuncture. The acupuncture patients got pain relief in 2.8 minutes whereas the Avafortan patients had relief in 7.5 minutes. Some Avafortan patients had paralytic ileus as a drug side effect. For any pain, whether acute (such as renal colic) or chronic (such as arthritic knees), acupuncture can be a very beneficial treatment – and it has no bad side effects.
Morning Sickness Curbed by Acupuncture
The Journal of Pain and Symptom Management has reported that pregnant women who experience severe morning sickness benefited from acupuncture.
Ear Tubes in Your Kid's Ears?
Children with persistent ear infections and fluid in the ear often having draining tubes placed in their ears, based on concerns that ear problems may lead to long-term hearing, speech or behavioral impairments.
A recent study showed there was no difference in impairment between kids who had ear tubes put in immediately vs. those who waited nine months. In other words, ear tubes are very questionable.
Frankly, antibiotics and ear tubes aren't the answer to your child's ear problems. A better solution is to remove the cause of the problem, not just manage symptoms. One probable cause is food allergies.
Slightly High Blood Pressure Is a Health Risk
High blood pressure is a serious health risk, leading to cardiovascular disease and shortened lifespan. In fact, even slightly elevated blood pressure is a health risk, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. This study followed 6,859 men and women for 10 years. Those whose blood pressure was at the higher end of the “normal” range were more likely to develop heart disease. For example, women with high-normal blood pressure had a 2.5 times greater risk of heart disease than those with normal blood pressure.
Even if you think your blood pressure is “normal”, you should double-check your readings. Blood pressure readings are taken in two numbers. The first number in your blood pressure reading is the systolic value, describing the pressure in your heart during contraction. The second number is the diastolic value, describing the pressure when your heart is at rest between beats.
A blood pressure reading of less than 140 over 90 is considered normal. A systolic reading of 130-139 and a diastolic reading of 85-89 is considered “high-normal”.
In light of this new study, you need to pay more attention to your blood pressure than ever before. Even if you’re not under active treatment, please come in at any time and we will check your blood pressure for you at no charge. We’ll tell you if you are in the “high-normal” range or not. If your blood pressure is elevated, it can be well managed with natural treatment.
