Your Spinal Surgeon Is Wrong

There are all kinds of injuries and diseases of the spine that can warrant having a surgical procedure done. There are also many non-surgical options for those who are not experiencing dramatic issues. There are times when an injury or disease lies right in between, and often two different doctors will have differing opinions regarding the best course of action.
Surgical procedures for the spine can include implants, which are often used to produce a natural effect of the area in question. There is a potential for a life long benefit when you replace defective or deteriorating discs with implants. There is also a risk that the spine and surrounding tissue will never really be the same or fully recover.
Because the back is such an intricate place to tend to, many patients are highly fearful of having any kind of surgical procedure done on the spine. Even those in pain severe enough to reduce the quality of life to a rather minimal level are often unable to really feel comfortable with the idea. It may be necessary for patients to become entirely disabled before relenting to implants because of this fear.
If you are not sure whether or not such an option is really right for you the emotional turmoil can become overwhelming. You do not wish to live in pain. You also do not wish to have surgery unless there is no other way to get relief.
Advances in technology and science have merged to create optimal conditions for patients who may qualify for other types of relief. The regenerative medicine field is exploding with opportunities for physicians as well as patients to experience a more comfortable transition into disc replacement and other aspects of spinal pain relief.
The reproduction of actual human tissue taken directly from the intended patient can be the best option. Of course, this would mean that you have to be willing to see a surgeon that offers regenerative medicine and discuss the potential benefits. This might mean traveling, and in some cases you may risk losing your primary doctor on the case.
Adult stem cells and neck surgery or spinal surgery can come together to create a good option for those who are eligible. The idea is to use minimal surgical techniques and use the cells that come from the patient to have the body work through its own healing process. If you believe or even think your surgeon is acting too quickly you should see a physician that offers such advanced techniques.

Fruits for Fatty Liver

We all know that fruits are healthy in many ways, and that's the main reason we encourage our children as well as the elderly to consume a lot of fruits. They're rich in fiber, minerals, vitamins as well as possess various other qualities such as antioxidant properties and more.

How fruits help with your liver

Fruits are perfect if you're looking for a healthy liver because they help in liver regeneration and also with the replacement of damaged cells. But, are all fruits good for people suffering from liver problems? Well, the simple answer would be NO; but, what exactly should you avoid?

First and foremost before we begin mentioning names, you should know why some fruits need to be avoided. If at all the fruits contain a high level of glucose, even though it's perfect for a healthy individual, it's not going to be the best option for people with liver problems. Banana for instance is really high in glucose and you could easily determine other fruits based on their sweetness.

Of course you can still enjoy eating bananas if you love them; but, you should only have a little of them rather than feasting on the fruit.

Some recommended Fruits for fatty liver

There are plenty of fruits that are exceptionally great for fatty liver and some of them include:

Prunes - Prunes are not only delicious, they're also some of the finest fruits for fatty liver. The presence of high levels of antioxidants and fiber makes them an ideal fruit.

Blueberries - Just like Prunes, blueberries too contain an exceptionally high level of antioxidants and dietary fiber. However, another added bonus that they possess is the presence of Anthocyanins and various other substances.

Oranges - Oranges don't just contain the properties of the above mentioned fruits; but in addition to those amazing benefits, they would also help prevent early aging. Therefore, if you love oranges they're not just good for your liver but overall health and beauty.

You should know that fruits are also a rich source of energy and sugars and even though they're really good for your health, too much fruit too isn't recommended. As you know, anything in excess is always bad and that's the reason you should limit yourself to a few fruits each day.

About Brian Berger's Triglycerides

Today as I was driving and running some errands for the clinic I was listening to my favorite: Sports Radio (750 AM). Brian Berger was the radio host and he runs a segment where he has a sports medicine doc on to discuss various injuries to players. At the end of the segment Brian said he was going to get selfish for a moment and as about a personal health issue. Of course I perked up. He had just gone in for a physical and everything was good except for a report of high triglycerides in his blood work. His questions were naturally: 1. What is a triglyceride? and 2. How do you reduce them?. The doc on the radio was obviously caught off guard. He deals with strains, sprains and other sports injuries most of the time. Players aren't asking about triglycerides much. But he did really well describing the problem and offered some info. I thought that there was more to add so I hit up Mr. Berger on Twitter. He said he would be interested in more info so I thought I would share this with anybody who may have a question about triglycerides.
First... I must say that it is very cool that Mr. Berger responds so quickly to his listening audience. Consider me an even bigger fan now.
Now to the triglycerides... This is a fancy word we doctors use to refer to fat that travels in the bloodstream. This is an important measure of health because elevated triglycerides are associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other nasty things. You might be surprised to know that triglycerides don't necessarily come from eating fatty foods. The bigger culprits are actually sugar and alcohol. By sugars I mean table sugar, brown sugar, organic sugar cane, evaporated cane juice, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, fructose and anything else that sounds like sugar (regardless of the fancy names). You can also add to this list any refined grains such as white flour, bread flour, bleached flour... you get the idea. I'm pretty sure you get what alcohol is too.
"Well wait a minute... What about cutting out fats?" you might ask. After all if you are trying to reduce the level of "fatty acid" in the blood shouldn't you limit the fat? Good question. It turns out that if you are overweight and have extremely high triglyceride levels then reducing fat intake helps. Otherwise it doesn't make a huge difference. If you only have moderatly elevated triglycerides (150 mg/dl-400 mg/dl) then a very low fat diet will probably actually increase trigylcerides! This will also decrease the amount of "healthy" cholesterol (HDLs) in your blood.
Are you a coffee drinker or do you drink caffeinated soda? Cutting back on caffeine has also been shown to decrease triglycerides by about 25% in some cases.
Another good thing you can do to help reduce triglycerides is to be sure to get a good multivitamin/multimineral supplement and Fish Oil. It is almost impossible to get all of the nutrients we need to be as healthy as possible in food these days. Fish Oil helps boost our HDLs. Getting all of the essential vitamins and minerals helps to make sure that your metabolism is working well enough to deal with the triglyceride burden. Another supplement that has been shown in research studies to help is L-Carnitine. Using garlic in your food or taking garlic pills boosts your immune system and... you guessed it... reduces your triglycerides.
On the radio Mr. Berger commented that he was thinking about boosting the intensity of his workouts to help drop triglyceride levels. That's a good move. Exercise is a great way to improve your cardiovascular and heart health. Of course it helps control blood pressure, weight, metabolism and I could go on all day.
So there it is... limit your carbohydrates (sugars), limit your alcohol, take your vitamins, and hit the gym. Trust me. This is the way you want to lower your triglycerides. There are no side effects unless you count all of the other added benefits of getting healthy. To you Mr. Berger and all of those like you, BEST OF HEALTH! (and GO BLAZERS!)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dr. Jason Young, DC is the founder and chiropractor of Body of Health Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Corvallils, OR. Dr. Young is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and enjoys treating and training athletes of all sports and skill levels. Body of Health is a high quality wellness center which focuses on treating families, athletes, and people with a wide variety of conditions and attitudes about health. Using some of the latest techniques in chiropractic, massage and evidence based care Body of Health is a one-stop solution to your health needs because YOUR Health Matters!.

The 'Prescription Pain Pill' Epidemic

Illicit street drugs were once the major cause of death by drug overdose, but the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports a new epidemic at hand-prescription pain pill overdoses.
The CDC reports that overdoses from prescription painkillers such as methadone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and oxymorphone have reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. Reports taken in 2008 show that an estimated 15,000 people died in the U.S. from a prescription pain pill overdose, more than those killed fromstreet heroin and cocaine combined. Further, this number represents three times as many deaths than in 1999 from prescription painkillers; the use and abuse is on the rise.
Alarmingly, this epidemic does not represent only the adult population. The CDC reports that 1 in 20 Americans, ages 12 and older, are using prescription pain medication non-medically or without a prescription simply to get "high." Teens are stealing pills from their parents and other family member's prescription bottles. If you have been prescribed a narcotic by your physician, please be sure to keep it locked in a safe place where your child or teen cannot access it.
Prescription pain pills have become so popular that there is a 'black market' on the street for them. These pills are now just as easy to buy on the street without a prescription as cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs on the street.
Prescription narcotics such as methadone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and oxymorphone can be very dangerous if not taken according to the prescription. People seeking new ways to get high have begun to crush these drugs and snort them, smoke them, and inject them like cocaine, heroin and other street drugs to get high. Since many of these drugs are opium based, they can have the same addictive effects as heroin and morphine and cause the same kinds of health issues, including death.
Health issues that can stem from prescription drug abuse include: infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS; hepatitis; organ diseases and organ failure including liver, kidney, heart and lungs; pneumonia and other respiratory complications; pregnancy complications and damage to the fetus; and risk of accidental overdose resulting in death.
If you are abusing prescription pain medicine, find a drug and alcohol treatment center today that specializes in neuroscience technology and integrated care. An advanced treatment center with modern brain scan technology and integrated support services can provide you with a personalized program that addresses your physical, emotional, psychological, and neurological needs for a complete and sustainable recovery. Stop hurting yourself and those who love you. Reclaim your life!