Health At Hand

DON’T LET GARDENING BE A PAIN

Weekend gardening warriors be aware - tending flower beds, top dressing lawns and general yard work is the most common source of neck and back pain or injury happening during the warmer months. Statistics Canada reports that more than 50% of Canadians are in the gardens or yards up to six times a month. Here are some tips to stay pain free this gardening season.

PREPARE FIRST
This is a workout and it’s been a full year since you have been at it, but people just want to get going. You need to warm up. Start with some stretches for your sides, legs shoulders and back. Get a sweat going before you start by going for a walk or start by mowing the lawn to get the blood flowing through the joints.

BE READY TO KNEEL
How often do you see someone bent at the back? Instead of bending or crouching, kneel whenever you can. Use knee pads or a gardening mat for support, so your joints don’t get aggravated.

TAKE IT EASY
People will get back from the garden shop eager to go. Don’t be a hero. Make several trips from the car to the garden, use a cart or trolley and take smaller loads when moving heavy pots or bags of soil.

TAKE BREAKS, SWITCH THINGS UP
You want to make sure that you take breaks and stay hydrated, because it is hot out there. Don’t be too ambitious and spread the work over a couple of weekends. Make sure you use the right tools - ones that are light weight and ergonomically designed to reduce strain on the hands or wrists. Wear proper shoes for the job, not flip-flops, and remember sun safety.

Being 'hangry' exists: why a lack of food can change your mood - "Low blood sugar also triggers the release of stress-related hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, as well as a chemical called neuropeptide Y, which has been found to make people behave more aggressively towards those around them." - https://www.newscientist.com/article/2119406-being-hangry-exists-why-a-lack-of-food-can-change-your-mood/

Being ‘hangry’ exists: why a lack of food can change your mood Falling blood sugar levels accompanying hunger do cause us to get angry, irritable and aggressive, even towards loved ones

Nano-shells Deliver Molecules that Tell Bone to Repair Itself

Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a polymer sphere that delivers a molecule to bone wounds that tells cells already at the injury site to repair the damage.

Using the polymer sphere to introduce the microRNA molecule into cells elevates the job of existing cells to that of injury repair by instructing the cells' healing and bone-building mechanisms to switch on, said Peter Ma, professor and lead researcher on the project.

It's similar to a new supervisor ordering an office cleaning crew to start constructing an addition to the building, he said.

Using existing cells to repair wounds reduces the need to introduce foreign cells -- a very difficult therapy because cells have their own personalities, which can result in the host rejecting the foreign cells, or tumors. The microRNA is time-released, which allows for therapy that lasts for up to a month or longer, said Ma, who also has appointments in the College of Engineering.

The findings are scheduled for publication in the January issue of Nature Communications. The technology can help grow bone in people undergoing bone surgery or joint repair, oral implants or people with tooth decay.

"The new technology we have been working on opens doors for new therapies using DNA and RNA in regenerative medicine and boosts the possibility of dealing with other challenging human diseases," said Ma.

It's typically very difficult for microRNA to breach the fortress of the cell wall, Ma said. The polymer sphere developed by Ma's lab easily enters the cell and delivers the microRNA.

Bone repair is especially challenging in patients with healing problems, but Ma's lab was able to heal bone wounds in osteoporotic mice, he said. Millions of patients worldwide suffer from bone loss and associated functional problems. Although very promising, growing and regenerating high-quality bone for specific applications is still very difficult with current technology.

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly. Crack My Neck for Relieving Pain.

There are many situations where your spine will crack on its own. The cracking of the spine has an effect that can be good, bad, or ugly.

The Good:
After a period of Chiropractic adjustments the spine tends to realign the other vertebra on their own. The vertebra that were out of alignment are starting to move back to the right position by themselves. When your body introduces any kind of force, such as when you are doing light stretching, turning, bending the spine realigns. There is nothing to fear, but let your Chiropractor know what happened.

The Bad:
When your spine pops and pain follows immediately. The joint becomes unstable causing inflammation and muscle spasms. Even if you didn’t put much stress on the spine. Usually, the vertebra was already starting to fall out of place and it was just a matter of time until it went fully out of position. In this case put ice on the area and get to a Chiropractor who will properly adjust that vertebra.

The Ugly:
People who self adjust - intentionally twisting of the neck or low back of themselves or to others - may create the cracking noise but they are usually adjusting joints that are already moving too much and the adjacent restricted joints remain stuck. Self adjusting often leads to tendon or ligament injuries creating more instability. Over twisting the neck without proper examinations and professional skill puts people at risk. The mistake is to think that by over twisting the joint, the crack is more intense and the better you feel.

That cracking noise is not what Chiropractic is defined by - that is a very big misunderstanding. Cracking in your joints creates an endorphin response that gives you a sense of euphoria for a moment but does not solve the actual joint problem. Knowing how to properly correct your spine requires extensive training from a graduate level school, considerable experience and skill. Many people attempt cracking their neck and low back themselves or ask others that are not professionals to crack their spine.

There are many other professional and non-professionals who claim they are qualified to perform chiropractic adjustments. Professionals such as massage therapists, physical therapists, osteopathic practitioners, and even some medical doctors try to copy Chiropractic adjustments because they know how effective Chiropractic care is. Unfortunately, they don’t understand how a Chiropractic adjustment works and think it’s just the cracking that helps.

There are many occasions were your spine will crack on its own. Some are fine because it is the process of our body to correct and heal itself. Some are bad because the spine becomes very unstable and finally went out of place. The worst is because someone tells you they’re qualified to adjust your spine and they want you to feel the euphoria of cracking your neck or low back - a major setback causing unstable joints. It is not about cracking your neck and it is not about being a crack dealer for people. If you want to have a healthy, strong back, visit a Chiropractor. They are the only ones trained and experienced to find the cause and stabilize the situation.