Low Back Pain Does NOT Go Away On Its Own

Spontaneous Resolution of Low Back Pain- A Misnomer Introduction Eighty percent of Americans will experience low back pain (LBP) at some time in their lives1 with one-month prevalence between 35 and 37 percent.2 This makes LBP the second leading reason for visiting medical physicians and the leading reason for visiting chiropractors3,4, including chiropractic neurologists, in the U.S. Unfortunately, it is generally believed that most incidences of LBP are short-term with 80 to 90 percent of cases resolving within six weeks, irrespective of the administration of treatment.5 The implication of this often-quoted study is that the LBP resolves when, in fact, patients without medical or chiropractic discharge simply terminate their own care.

Read the complete article at: http://www.drsaracino.com/PDFs/INFO/CNRBvol1-issue3November06DoesLBPResolve.pdf

The Dangers of Grilling Meat

Cooking animal flesh over a hot open flame triggers a series of chemical reactions that yield a meal loaded with carcinogens.  Scientists have been warning us about this danger for two decades.  Cancer-causing compounds known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs) can form,  particularly when cooking animal flesh over high heat, which is common when  barbequing. These chemicals – the same chemicals that are found in cigarette  smoke – have been shown to cause cancer.

Is there a solution; a way to avoid filling your body with HCAs? Don’t grill  your meat (or don’t eat meat at all, since research suggests grilling vegetables  does not generate HCAs). The trouble with that “solution” is that we’ve been
cooking dinner over open fires for two million years. Taking pleasure in  grilling meat over a fire is so deeply ingrained in our blood that most people  aren’t about to change.

That said, researchers studying the production of heterocyclic amines during  the cooking process have discovered a number of “tricks” that may reduce the  risks posed while barbequing, either by interfering with the creation of HCAs or  inactivating them once they’re formed. For example, precooking a hamburger patty  for two minutes in a microwave before barbequing reduces heterocyclic amines by  a whopping 90 percent, according to research. Adding vitamin antioxidants to the meat or marinating it  in antioxidant-rich spices before cooking appears to work almost as well. When it comes to marinades, there are also important things to know. First,  not just any marinade seems to work – old-style tomato-based barbecue sauces  actually increase heterocyclic amine production, while marinades like teriyaki  sauce reduce heterocyclic amines produced during cooking by half. Those packets  of store-bought powder marinades that you add oil and vinegar to also seem to be  surprisingly effective.

There is also another approach to reducing the harm caused by heterocyclic  amines. A number of foods have been identified that neutralize heterocyclic  amines in the intestine and prevent them from causing DNA damage. For example,
several studies suggest that the Lactobacilli strains in yogurt do  this, so serving yogurt on or with meat meals provides additional protection  because it actually reduces the harmful effects of these chemicals. The bottom line for anyone who wants to cook meat, whether chicken, beef,  pork or anything else on the grill is simple – make sure to marinate all meats  before cooking. When cooking ground beef, knead in herbs and/or vitamin E. Stick  with skinless chicken if cooking poultry. Always accompany barbecued meat with a  yogurt dish and a little alcohol, preferably stout ale; and use a yogurt salad  dressing or even something as simple as frozen yogurt for dessert. And, remember  that you can cook vegetables on the grill without the danger of  heterocyclic amine formation – and increase the nutritional content of your meal  at the same time.