Dr. Steve Chaney, Author at Health Tips From The Professor

Maximizing Polyphenols Benefits

April 30, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

The Symbiotic Relationship Between Gut Bacteria And Polyphenols

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

How to maximize polyphenols benefits?

Polyphenols are ubiquitous in the plant world. There are many kinds of polyphenols, and they are found in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. You probably already know that polyphenols are also found in tea, coffee, chocolate, and many herbs and spices.

Polyphenols are thought to have a wide array of health benefits. For example, the polyphenols in grapes are thought to:

Reduce inflammation.
Reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Prevent or delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

The amazing thing is that polyphenols are effective at all. They are poorly absorbed and rapidly eliminated from the circulation. For example, resveratrol, a polyphenol found in red grapes, only stays in the circulation for a few hours.

In the case of resveratrol, we know that, during its brief time in our bodies, it turns on “anti-aging” genes that control things like inflammation, protection against free radical damage, cholesterol metabolism, blood sugar control, and blood pressure. We are less certain how other polyphenols exert their beneficial effects during the short time they are in our bodies.

When we scientists are facing a problem like this, it stimulates our creative thinking. We start asking questions like:

Can we improve the absorption of beneficial polyphenols into the bloodstream?
Would that improve their effectiveness and health benefits?

A recent review (D Zhao et al, Critical Reviews In Food Science and Nutrition: Jan 7, 1-29, 2019) looked at the first question. It summarized the most promising strategies for improving the absorption of grape polyphenols. We don’t yet know the answer to the second question.

Before I discuss the most promising strategies, the professor in me wants to cover Polyphenols 101, something I call “The Symbiotic Relationship Between Gut Bacteria and Polyphenols”.

The Symbiotic Relationship Between Gut Bacteria and Polyphenols

The world of polyphenols is complex. For example:

Resveratrol is the best-known and best-studied polyphenol in grapes, but there are dozens of other beneficial polyphenols in grapes.
Each of these polyphenols have unique metabolic pathways and unique health benefits.
Each variety of grapes has a unique blend of polyphenols.
Each polyphenol is metabolized differently by our gut bacteria and by enzymes in our body.
You start with dozens of polyphenols in the grape and end up with hundreds of metabolites in the body.
Some of these metabolites are better absorbed. Some are not absorbed at all. Some of these metabolites are highly active. Others are inactive. The possibilities are endless.

As if that weren’t enough, there are two more complexities to factor into the equation.

There is a symbiotic relationship between gut bacteria and polyphenols.
Our gut bacteria influence the metabolism and absorption of the polyphenols in our diet.
The polyphenols we consume influence the population of bacteria in our gut.
The kinds of fiber we consume influence which bacteria populate our gut, and that, in turn, influences how we metabolize the polyphenols we consume.

Faced with this level of complexity, there have been two types of approaches to improving the absorption of polyphenols.

The pharmaceutical approach, which tries to bypass the complexities of polyphenol absorption.
The natural approach, which tries to optimize the complexities of polyphenol absorption.

The review (D Zhao et al, Critical Reviews In Food Science and Nutrition: Jan 7, 1-29, 2019) gives examples of each type of approach, which I will discuss below.

Maximizing Polyphenols Benefits

Pharmaceutical Approaches: These are approaches designed to bypass the complexities of polyphenol absorption. The authors considered the following two strategies to have the most probability of success:

Chemical alteration of polyphenol structure. This is a classical pharmaceutical strategy. You start with naturally occurring compound that has medicinal benefit. Then you chemically modify it in multiple ways until you find a chemical modification that is efficiently absorbed and is stable in the circulation. There are two drawbacks to this approach:
You have created a new compound with its own properties. You have created a drug that needs to be tested for safety and efficacy. Resveratrol, for example, offers a cautionary tale. A drug company modified it. The modified form was efficiently absorbed and was stable in the bloodstream. They thought they had created the perfect drug. Unfortunately, when they tested it, they found out it was toxic.
Even if you did optimize safety and efficacy of the polyphenol, you have only optimized one polyphenol out of the dozens found in the real food.
Incorporate the polyphenol into nanoparticles that are absorbed so efficiently by the intestine that they effectively bypass metabolism by gut bacteria. This is a strategy currently being explored by drug companies to improve the efficacy of poorly absorbed drugs. Even if successful, this approach has the same type of drawbacks.
This is a relatively new technology. There are some concerns it may not be safe.
Foods have dozens of polyphenols. A nanoparticle strategy may improve the absorption of one or two polyphenols, but it is unlikely to replace the real food.

Natural Approaches: These approaches are designed to optimize the complexities of polyphenol absorption.

Develop a probiotic supplement containing bacteria that improve polyphenol uptake. There is some promising research in this area.
However, when we talk about gut bacteria, the phrase “It takes a village” takes on a whole new meaning. There may be dozens of bacteria involved in improving polyphenol uptake, not just one or two. The probiotic supplement may need to be a horse pill
Add fiber to the diet to support the growth of the gut bacteria that enhance the absorption of polyphenols. This may be the most promising strategy.
Studies have already shown that pectin and similar non-digestible polysaccharides improve the absorption of polyphenols found in grapes and many other foods.
While grapes are low in pectin, other fruits (most notably apples, peaches, citrus fruit, apricots, and plums) are high in pectin. Legumes and some vegetables are also high in pectin. The only reason you don’t find them on most lists of high pectin foods is these lists are for foods that have enough pectin to make good jams without any added pectin. Legumes and vegetables are also high in insoluble fibers, which interfere with the gelling required for a good jam. Besides, kale or pea jam are probably not high on anyone’s list of favorite jams.
The best thing about this approach is that it is completely natural. It involves eating a plant-based diet with fruits, vegetables whole grains, and legumes, something humans have been doing for thousands of years. This a diet chock full of beneficial polyphenols and the fiber needed to support the gut bacteria that help us utilize those polyphenols. There are no side effects. There is no danger associated with this approach.

Once again, Mother Nature knows best.

Addendum

While writing this article I happened to read “The People’s Pharmacy” column by Joe & Terry Graedon in our local paper (Yes, I still read a physical newspaper). They were talking about combining pectin with grape juice to relieve arthritis pain. Some of the polyphenols in grape juice have anti-inflammatory effects. But, grape juice alone is not very effective at relieving arthritis pain. However, it turns out that pectin plus grape juice, something called “purple pectin remedy,” is a home remedy for arthritis pain relief that has been around since the 1940s. They did not discuss a mechanism, but now we know how it works.

Note: I suppose if you are getting your grape polyphenols from grape juice, wine, or some other liquid source, you could stir in some pectin to improve their absorption. However, my recommendation would be to consume a primarily plant-based diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes along with your liquid polyphenol source.

The Bottom Line

Resveratrol and other polyphenols found in grapes have many health benefits. However, these polyphenols are poorly absorbed. A recent review described ongoing research into approaches for improving the absorption of grape polyphenols

I discuss the various approaches that are being studied in my article above. Some are pharmaceutical approaches that involve structural alterations to the polyphenol or nanoparticle delivery systems to improve absorption. Others involve probiotics that contain bacterial strains that enhance polyphenol absorption. Each of these approaches have limitations, or dangers, or both.

The most promising approach was to simply add fiber to the diet to support the growth of the gut bacteria that enhance the absorption of polyphenols.

Studies have already shown that pectin and similar non-digestible polysaccharides improve the absorption of polyphenols found in grapes and many other foods.
While grapes are low in pectin, other fruits (most notably Apples, peaches, citrus fruit (especially the skin), apricots, and plums) are high in pectin. Legumes and some vegetables are also high in pectin. The only reason you don’t find them on most lists of high pectin foods is these lists are for foods that have enough pectin to make good jams without any added pectin. Legumes and vegetables are also high in insoluble fibers, which interfere with the gelling required for a good jam. Besides, kale or pea jam are probably not high on anyone’s list of favorite jams.
The best thing about this approach is that it is completely natural. It involves eating a plant-based diet with fruits, vegetables whole grains, and legumes, something humans have been doing for thousands of years. This a diet chock full of beneficial polyphenols and the fiber needed to support the gut bacteria that help us utilize those polyphenols. There are no side effects. There is no danger associated with this approach.

Once again, Mother Nature knows best.

Note: If you are getting your grape polyphenols from grape juice, wine, or some other liquid source, you could stir in some pectin to improve their absorption. However, my recommendation would be to consume a primarily plant-based diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes along with your liquid polyphenol source.

For more details read the article above. You will also find an interesting story about the “purple pectin remedy”.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Are Eggs Bad For You?

April 23, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Do Eggs Increase Heart Disease Risk?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

The “eggfusion” (That’s short for egg confusion) continues.

First there were the warnings that eggs were bad for your heart because egg yolks contained cholesterol, and cholesterol was to be avoided at all costs.
Then experts decided that dietary cholesterol wasn’t all that bad for you. It was saturated fats, obesity, and lack of exercise that raised “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels in your bloodstream.
That was followed by several US studies suggesting that eggs in moderation (one per day) did not affect your risk of heart disease.
Then, about a year ago, a major study claimed that an egg a day actually lowered your risk of heart disease.

Now, the latest headlines claim that eggs increase your risk of heart disease, and you should avoid them. Are eggs bad for you? No wonder you are confused. Let me review the latest study and put it into perspective by comparing it to previous studies.

How Was The Study Done?

This study (WW Zhong et al, JAMA, 321: djw322, 2017 combined the data from 6 clinical trials in the United States that assessed dietary intake and measured cardiovascular health outcomes. In all, these studies included 29,615 adults who were followed for an average of 17.5 years.

The diet of the participants was assessed upon entry into each of the clinical trials. The primary variables derived from the dietary information were cholesterol and egg consumption. Diet was not assessed at later times in these studies.

The primary outcomes measured were heart disease and all-cause mortality. In this study heart disease was an umbrella term that included fatal and non-fatal heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, and death from other heart-related causes.

The association of cholesterol and eggs with heart disease and mortality were similar. Similarly, the effect of cholesterol and eggs on both heart disease risk and mortality were similar. Most people know how many eggs they eat but have no idea how much cholesterol they consume. Thus, for simplicity I will just focus on the association between egg consumption and heart disease risk.

Do Eggs Increase Heart Disease Risk?

Here are the main findings from this study.

Each additional half an egg consumed per day (which is equivalent to 3-4 eggs per week) was associated with a:
6% increased risk of heart disease. While that doesn’t sound like much, the increased risk was over 13% for one egg per day and almost 27% for two eggs per day.
The increased heart disease risk associated with one half egg per day was greater for:
Women (13% increase) than men (3% increase)
People who already had high blood cholesterol (7% increase) than people who already had low cholesterol levels (0% increase). This suggests that the effect of eggs on heart disease risk primarily affects people who are already having trouble controlling their blood cholesterol levels – either due to genetics or due to diet & lifestyle.

Of course, the question is whether it was the eggs that increased the risk of heart disease or was it something else in the diet. This study attempted to answer that question by systematically subtracting out other variables that affect heart disease risk to see whether that correction eliminated the association between egg consumption and heart disease risk. When this was done:

The association between egg consumption and heart disease risk disappeared after correcting for dietary cholesterol intake.
The association between egg consumption and heart disease risk remained significant after correcting for other components of the diet, such as fats, animal protein, fiber, sodium, or overall “diet quality”. There were 3 main measures of diet quality.
The Med diet score measures how closely the diet resembles the Mediterranean diet.
The DASH diet score measures how closely the diet resembles the DASH diet.
The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) measures how closely the diet aligns with the USDA Dietary Guidelines For Americans. Basically, the HEI recommends a whole food diet containing foods from all 5 food groups with a heavy emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. It also recommends limiting saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.

In simple terms these data suggest that the effect of eggs on heart disease risk was primarily due to their cholesterol content and was not influenced by other components of the overall diet.

What Are The Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Study?

The strengths are obvious. This was a very large study (29,615 participants) and the people enrolled in the study were followed for a long time (an average of 17.5 years). The primary variables in the study (cholesterol consumption, egg consumption, heart disease, and all-cause mortality) were accurately measured in each of the clinical trials included in the study.

However, there were some significant weaknesses as well:

Cholesterol and egg consumption were only measured by a single dietary survey when people entered the study. This study assumes they did not change over the course of the study. That is very unlikely. Both cholesterol intake and egg consumption in the US population have waxed and waned over the years, in part due to variations in dietary guidelines.
The measurements of diet quality used were based on US and European food preferences. That is significant because the only studies showing that egg consumption lowers heart disease risk were performed in China and Japan, where the diet is closer to semi-vegetarian than to US or European diets.

Are Eggs Bad For You?

Are eggs bad for you?

This is very large, well designed study that combines the data from 6 clinical trials spanning the years 1974 to 2013.

The strongest conclusions from the study are:

In the context of a Western diet (the US diet) egg consumption slightly increases your risk developing heart disease. The increased risk is ~6% for 3-4 eggs/week, ~13% for 1 egg per day, and ~27% for two eggs per day.
The increased risk of heart disease appears to be almost entirely due to the cholesterol content of eggs.

The significance of this study needs to be weighed in the context of:

Recent studies in the US and Europe showing eggs do not increase heart disease risk.
Studies in China and Japan (where the diets can best be described as semi-vegetarian) showing that eggs decrease heart disease risk.

The significance of this study also needs to be weighed in the context of:

Studies showing that obesity, saturated fat, and physical inactivity have bigger effects on serum cholesterol levels and heart disease risk than dietary cholesterol from foods like eggs.

What Did This Study Miss?

If, as this study suggests, the effect of eggs on heart disease risk is due to their cholesterol content, this study (and most previous studies) missed a very important point. The effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels is not strongly affected by the overall composition of the diet. It is affected by the composition of the diet at the time foods containing dietary cholesterol are eaten.

The kind of fiber found in certain fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes bind to dietary cholesterol, preventing it from being absorbed as it passes through the intestine.
Certain phytonutrients in plant foods affect how dietary cholesterol is utilized by the body.
Our gut bacteria depend on the fiber we eat. They utilize the fiber for energy and release metabolites that affect how dietary cholesterol is utilized by the body.
However, to blunt the effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels, the fiber and phytonutrient-containing foods must be consumed at the same meal.

Simply put, if your breakfast consists of eggs, sausage, biscuits, and hash browns, the cholesterol in the eggs will likely increase your blood cholesterol level, which in turn increases your risk of heart disease. This will occur even if you eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes with your other meals.

If, on the other hand, your breakfast consists of eggs and fiber-rich plant foods like oatmeal and beans, the cholesterol in the eggs will likely have a much smaller effect on your blood cholesterol levels and your heart disease risk.

The fact that previous studies have not looked at what foods were consumed along with the eggs may explain some of the variation in their conclusions about the effect of egg consumption on heart disease risk.

The Professor’s Story

Let me share my story with you. About 25 years ago, my doctor told me that my cholesterol levels were getting high and wanted to put me on statins. I didn’t stop eating eggs for breakfast. I changed breakfast.

Now I soft boil my eggs or fry them in olive oil. I eat them along with oatmeal, which contains a fiber that binds cholesterol, and walnuts, which contain omega-3s and phytonutrients that lower blood cholesterol. I also include whatever fruit is in season. Finally, I take a supplement providing 2 grams of plant stanols and sterols, which block cholesterol absorption from the intestine.

My blood cholesterol levels have been low ever since. I have not had to take statins, and I get to enjoy the taste and health benefits of an egg every day. Of course, what worked for me may not work for you. The effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels is also affected by genetics, weight, and fitness, just to name the top three.

Are Eggs Bad For You or Good For You?

Once you get past the cholesterol problem, eggs are a very healthy food.

Studies have shown that egg protein results in better blood sugar control, better satiety (feeling of fullness), and reduced subsequent food intake in healthy and overweight individuals. In layman’s terms that means egg protein can help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Egg yolks are a good source of lutein and zeaxanthin. We think of lutein and zeaxanthin as good for eye health. They also play an important role in protecting against oxidation, inflammation, and atherosclerosis.
Egg yolks also contain choline. We think of choline as good for brain and nerves. But, choline and other phospholipids in the yolk also raise HDL levels and enhance HDL function.
Eggs are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, riboflavin, selenium and iron.
Eggs contain almost twice as much monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats as saturated fats.

What Does This Mean For You?

The latest study suggests that eggs may increase your risk of heart disease, and this is due to their cholesterol content.
This study needs to be considered in the context of recent studies in the US showing that egg consumption did not increase heart disease risk and studies in China and Japan showing that egg consumption lowered heart disease risk.
It is also important to consider that egg consumption in China and Japan is in the context of a semi-vegetarian diet. This suggests that diet plays a role in determining the effect of egg consumption on heart disease risk.
However, if you take this study at face value, there are two things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease:
Reduce dietary cholesterol by avoiding eggs or using egg whites.
Eat eggs in moderation along with fiber- and phytonutrient-rich plant foods that negate the effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels. I recommend oatmeal or beans, nuts or seeds, and fiber rich fruits and vegetables. These should be consumed at the same meal to minimize the effect of the cholesterol in the eggs on blood cholesterol levels.
Eggs are a very healthy food, so I recommend the second option if possible. Get your blood cholesterol levels measured to determine which approach works best for you.
Finally, we need to recognize that egg consumption plays a relatively minor role in determining heart disease risk. Other factors play a much larger role in influencing heart disease risk. For example:
Smoking, obesity, inactivity, saturated and trans fats significantly increase your risk of heart disease.
Omega-3s, antioxidants, and a primarily plant-based diet like the Mediterranean diet significantly decrease your risk of heart disease.

If we wish to reduce our risk of heart disease, this is where we should focus most of our attention. We can minimize the effect of egg consumption on heart disease risk by changing the foods we eat with the eggs. For more information on how to reduce your risk of heart disease, read my books, “Slaying The Food Myths” and “Slaying The Supplement Myths.”

The Bottom Line

The latest study suggests that eggs increase your risk of heart disease because of their cholesterol content.
This was a very large study. It combined the data from 6 clinical trials spanning the years 1974 to 2013. It followed 29,615 people for an average of 17.5 years. However, it has two significant weaknesses:
It only determined cholesterol intake and egg consumption at the time people entered the clinical trials. Both cholesterol intake and egg consumption have waxed and waned considerably over the years covered by these clinical trials.
It did not measure what foods were consumed along with the eggs. Foods consumed along with eggs have a strong influence on how much the cholesterol in the eggs influences blood cholesterol levels, which, in turn, influences the effect eggs have on heart disease risk.
This study also needs to be considered in the context of recent studies in the US showing that egg consumption did not increase heart disease risk and studies in China and Japan showing that egg consumption lowered heart disease risk.
However, if you take this study at face value, there are two things you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease:
Reduce dietary cholesterol by avoiding eggs or using egg whites.
Eat eggs in moderation along with fiber- and phytonutrient-rich plant foods that negate the effect of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels. I recommend oatmeal or beans, nuts or seeds, and fiber rich fruits and vegetables. These should be consumed at the same meal to minimize the effect of the cholesterol in the eggs on blood cholesterol levels.
Eggs are a very healthy food, so I recommend the second option if possible. Get your blood cholesterol levels measured to determine which approach works best for you.
Finally, we need to recognize that egg consumption plays a relatively minor role in determining heart disease risk. Other factors play a much larger role in influencing heart disease risk. For example:
Smoking, obesity, inactivity, saturated and trans fats significantly increase your risk of heart disease.
Omega-3s, antioxidants, and a primarily plant-based diet like the Mediterranean diet significantly decrease your risk of heart disease.

If we wish to reduce our risk of heart disease, these are the areas where we should focus most of our attention. We can minimize the effect of egg consumption on heart disease risk by changing the foods we eat with the eggs. For more information on how to reduce your risk of heart disease, read my books, “Slaying The Food Myths” and “Slaying The Supplement Myths.”

For more details and to learn how the professor does about egg consumption, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Groin Pain Relief

April 16, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

What Is The Pectineus Muscle And Why Is It Important?

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT –The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

Spring Is In The Air

I remember as a child we sang “Though April showers may come your way…they bring the flowers that bloom in May…”

Of course, here in Florida we are blessed with flowers all year, but there’s still a lovely feeling that happens in Spring. It’s still cool enough most days to go out running, and the humidity is still low. Traffic will soon be easing up as our friends from the north start their trek back home, and daylight savings time is giving us more time to get to the beach for sunset. Lovely!

Fun Facts About Spring….

The earliest known use of the term “spring cleaning” was in 1857
The word “spring” has been used for the season since the 16^th century
The first day of spring is called the vernal equinox
On the first day of spring, the sunrise and sunset are about 12 hours apart everywhere on earth
Spring fever isn’t just a saying. Experts say the body changes due to the temperature and can cause an upset in your health.
The actual start of spring varies from March 19^th to the 21^st, but it is commonly celebrated on the 21^st.

Do you like to garden? Now is the perfect time to get your gardens planted so you’ll have home grown veggies for the entire summer. For me, it’s also a great time to do some spring cleaning and get the house in order before the summer closes all the windows and the air conditioning becomes our indoor relief.

But these activities can also cause a strain on muscles, so don’t forget to take care of yourself. If you put too much strain on muscles you haven’t used all winter, you can develop problems and need groin pain relief.

A Tiny Muscle Can Cause Groin Pain

Lately I’ve had several clients come in because of groin pain that has their medical practitioners stumped. Their symptoms are varied, but most complain that it feels like they hit their pubic bone with a rubber mallet. Ouch!

One client loves to ride her horse, but the pain had prevented that for several weeks. Another was considering selling the motorcycle that she and her husband love because she just can’t sit on it anymore.

Several years ago, I had a male client tell me that he had this same pain and he was told it could be his prostrate causing the issue. Fortunately, that wasn’t he problem at all.

The muscle that caused all these problems, and a lot more, is the Pectineus.

The Pectineus muscle originates on your pubic bone and inserts into the very top of your inner thigh bone (femur).

You can see the Pectineus and surrounding muscles more clearly by going to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectineus_muscle

Most muscles have more than one function, and this is true for the Pectineus. The function we’ll look at today is called adduction. It brings your leg in toward midline. If you think of a soccer player kicking the ball with the inside of his ankle, it was the Pectineus that helped draw his leg in so he could do the shot.

Each of my clients had pain while trying to bring their leg out so they could sit on their horse, or on their motorcycle. The tight muscle was pulling on their pubic bone and causing a severe strain.

This muscle is easier to have someone else treat it for you because of its location but give it a try and see if you can locate & treat it yourself.

Groin Pain Relief

The picture to the left is showing an athlete self-treating her adductors. These muscles, and the Pectineus muscle, all originate at the same point on the pubic bone. The picture is showing her massaging the middle of the adductors.

To reach the Pectineus, move the ball all the way up to the crease in your leg. You can do the treatment with a ball, but because of the size of the muscle and its location, it’s easier to do it with your fingertips.

Sit as this athlete is sitting, and even bring your opposite leg up so your foot is flat on the floor. For example, in this picture, the athlete would bring her right leg up so her right foot is on the floor, and then lean a bit further onto her left hip. That opens up the area so she can reach a bit easier into the muscle while using her fingertips.

Press into the muscle, being careful to feel for a pulse, and moving if you feel one. If the Pectineus is in spasm, you’ll know it immediately when you press on it. If it’s not in spasm, you won’t be able to find it at all.

Remember to stay within your pain tolerance level, this isn’t a “no pain, no gain” situation. Never go deeper than what feels tender, but not so much that you want to faint. Hold the pressure for 15 seconds. Then let up on the pressure, but keep your fingers in the same place.

Repeat this movement several times. Each time it will hurt less, and eventually it won’t hurt at all. That’s when the muscle has completely released, and you will have relief from the pain.

It’s as simple as that!

Why stay in pain when it’s so easy to find the muscular source of the problem and eliminate it?

Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living (https://julstromethod.com/product/treat-yourself-to-pain-free-living-hardcopy/). It is filled with over 100 pictures and descriptions proven to show you how to find and self-treat muscle spasms from head to foot!

Join the 1000’s of people worldwide who have discovered that tight muscles were the true source of pains they thought were from arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other serious conditions. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by releasing tight muscles.

Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living is your step-by-step guide to pain relief!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

About The Author

Julie Donnelly is a Deep Muscle Massage Therapist with 20 years of experience specializing in the treatment of chronic joint pain and sports injuries. She has worked extensively with elite athletes and patients who have been unsuccessful at finding relief through the more conventional therapies.

She has been widely published, both on – and off – line, in magazines, newsletters, and newspapers around the country. She is also often chosen to speak at national conventions, medical schools, and health facilities nationwide.

Colon Cancer Prevention

April 15, 2019April 9, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Why Is Colon Cancer Increasing In Young Adults?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

A recent study on colorectal cancer reminds me of that famous Dickens quote: “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”

The good news (best of times) is that colorectal cancer rates in the United States have been declining for several decades for adults over 50. The decline is attributed to a healthier lifestyle and better screening.

The bad news (worst of times) is that colorectal cancer rates are increasing at an alarming rate for young adults. We have also learned recently that heart attacks are increasing for young women.

These studies are a wake-up call. We need to be asking:

Why are young people in our country dying from diseases that we traditionally associate with older adults?
What can we do about it?

How Was The Study Done?

This study (RL Siegel et al, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 109 (8): djw322, 2017 ) was an analysis of data collected between 1974 and 2013 from a registry of cancer diagnoses called the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. The data were collected from nine regions of the United States (Atlanta, Connecticut, Detroit, Hawaii, Iowa, New Mexico, Seattle-Puget Sound, San Francisco-Oakland, and Utah).

In this study 490,305 patients 20 years and older developed colorectal cancer between 1974 and 2013. This study divided those colorectal cancer cases into 11 age groups (20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, and 84+). The study then compared colorectal cancer rates for each age group in 8 five-year time periods (1974-1978, 1979-1983, 1984-1988, 1989-1993, 1994-1998, 1999-2003, 2004-2008, and 2009-2013).

What Did The Study Show?

When the investigators looked at the change in colon cancer incidence over time in different age groups, the results were quite alarming.

For adults age 20-29 colon cancer rates increased by 2.4% per year between the mid-1980s and 2013. While that doesn’t sound like much, 2.4% per year adds up. Colon cancer rates almost doubled between 1985 and 2013 for that age group.
For adults age 30-39 colon cancer rates increased by 1% per year over that same time period. That’s a 25% increase between 1985 and 2013.
By the mid-1990s colon cancer rates started increasing by 1.3% per year for the 40-49 age group and 0.5% per year for the 50-54 age group.
The only good news was that colon cancer rates continued to decrease for adults aged 55 and above.

When the investigators looked at the change in rectal cancer incidence over time in different age groups the results were even more alarming.

For adults age 20-29 rectal cancer rates increased by 3.2% per year between 1974 and 2013. That’s an almost 4-fold increase in rectal cancer for that age group.
For adults age 30-39 rectal cancer rates increased by 3.2% per year between the mid-1980s and 2013. That’s about a 3-fold increase.
By the 1990s rectal cancer rates started increasing by 2.3% per year for the 40-49 age group and the 50-54 age group.
Once again, the only good news was that rectal cancer rates continued to decrease for adults aged 55 and above.

Why Is Colon Cancer Increasing In Young Adults?

This study is a clear wake-up call. If colorectal cancer rates are increasing so dramatically in young adults, it does not bode well for them once they reach their 60s, 70s and beyond. This is an impending health crisis. We need to ask:

Why this is happening?
What can we do about it?

The simple answer to the first question is that no one knows for sure why colorectal cancer incidence is increasing in young adults. However, here is what experts think might be happening:

Obesity is a prime suspect. The increase in colorectal cancer incidence in young adults closely parallels the obesity epidemic, and obesity is associated with an increased risk of colon cancer.
Many of today’s most popular diets may just make matters worse. Fad diets promise rapid weight loss, but they may also increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
Fad diets often restrict fruits, grains, and/or legumes. Plant based diets containing lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are associated with a significantly lower risk of colorectal cancer. We have no evidence that we can leave out any component of a plant-based diet and still reduce colorectal cancer risk to the same extent.
Fad diets often emphasize red meat as a protein source. The World Health Organization considers red meat as a probable carcinogen. The association between red meat consumption and cancer incidence is stronger for colon cancer than for any other cancer.
Fad diets are often high in saturated fats, and saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Finally, fad diets are often low in fiber. Low fiber diets alter our microbiome (gut bacteria), and recent research suggests our microbiome may play an important role in preventing colon cancer.
The typical American diet is no better. It is high in red meat and saturated fats. It is low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and fiber. Plus, it is high in sugar, sweets, and refined grains. With respect to colorectal cancer risk, it is the worst of all possible worlds.
We don’t get enough folic acid, calcium and omega-3s in our diet. Those nutrients are associated with a lower risk of colorectal cancer.
We don’t move enough. A sedentary lifestyle is also associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Cigarettes and alcohol are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. However, smoking and alcohol consumption have been declining in recent years, so they do not explain the increase in colorectal cancer we are seeing in young adults.

In summary, the authors of this study concluded: “These results highlight the need for…research to elucidate causes for the…increase in disease risk in young [adults], as well as creative new strategies to curb the obesity epidemic and shift Americans towards healthier eating and more active lifestyles.”

Colon Cancer Prevention

If you are a young adult, you are probably wondering what you can do to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. The good news is that we have a good idea of how to reduce the risk of colon cancer, and it works at any age.

Let’s start with the American Cancer Society recommendations for decreasing the risk of colorectal cancer. They are (with direct quotes from The American Cancer Society in quotation marks):

Get screened for colorectal cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that screening start at age 45. However, you may want to consult with your doctor about earlier screening if you have a family history of early-onset colon cancer, have blood in your stool, or develop bowel changes that last more than a few weeks.
Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. According to the American Cancer Society: “Diets that include lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains have been linked with decreased risk of colon or rectal cancers.”
Eat less red meat and processed meats. They “have been linked with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.”
Get regular exercise. “If you are not physically active, you may have a greater chance of developing colon or rectal cancers.”
Watch your weight. “Being overweight increases your risk of getting and dying from colon or rectal cancer.”
Don’t smoke. “Long-term smokers are more likely than non-smokers to develop and die from colon or rectal cancer.”
Limit alcohol. “Alcohol use has been linked with a higher risk of colorectal cancer.”

Other experts recommend:

Limit saturated fats. Replace saturated fats with monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats.
Get plenty of fiber. That should be no problem if you are consuming a primarily plant-based diet containing lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
Make sure you are getting enough folic acid, calcium, and omega-3s. I recommend supplementation because even healthy diets often fall short of these nutrients.

I would add one final recommendation:

Avoid fad diets that take you away from a healthy eating pattern (described above), one that is known to reduce colorectal cancer risk.

The Bottom Line

A recent study has reported an alarming increase in colorectal cancer incidence in young adults.

For adults in the 20-29 age range, colon cancer incidence has increased 2-fold and rectal cancer incidence has increased 4-fold over the last few decades.
Colon and rectal cancer incidence have also increased significantly for adults in the 30-39 and 40-49 age groups.
The only good news from this study is that colon and rectal cancer incidence is continuing to decline for older adults.

This is a clear wake-up call. If this trend is not reversed, it does not bode well for these adults when they reach their 60s, 70s, 80s, and beyond.

For more details on what experts think is causing this alarming increase in colorectal cancer among young adults and what young adults can do to protect themselves from colorectal cancer, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease

Are Heart Attacks Increasing in Young Women?

April 2, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Why Are Heart Attacks Increasing In Young Women?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States, but things seemed to be getting better. More people are following heart-healthy diets and the treatment of heart disease has improved. One recent study found that the overall rate of heart disease has decreased by 38% in the U.S. since 1990. Heart attack rates have also been inching down in recent years.

Are heart attacks increasing in young women?

That’s why the latest study was both surprising and concerning. If it is to be believed, heart attack rates are increasing in young Americans, especially young women. That is particularly shocking because young women are thought to be protected from heart disease by their estrogen. Until recently, heart attack rates have been lower for young women than for young men. It hasn’t been until after menopause that women caught up to men in terms of their risk for a heart attack.

Obviously, this study raises several questions:

Is it true?
Why are heart attacks increasing in young women?
What should young women be doing to prevent heart disease?

How Was The Study Done?

This study (S Arora et al, Circulation, 139: 1046-1056, 2019 was an offshoot of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Surveillance Study. The ARIC study collected data on hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction (or in layman terms, heart attacks) for patients aged 35-74 in four geographical areas in the U.S. (Forsyth County in North Carolina, Washington County, Maryland, Jackson, Mississippi, and the Northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota).

During the time period of 1995 to 2014 28,732 people ages 35-74 were admitted to one of the participating hospitals for a heart attack. The results of the original study have been published previously (WD Rosamond et al, Circulation, 125: 1848-1857, 2012 ). For the population as a whole:

The annual rate of hospital admissions for a heart attack decreased by around 3.5% during this time period, and…
The annual rate of death following a heart attack decreased by around 3%.

However, the current study focuses on the younger people in the study (ages 35-54) and came to a surprisingly different conclusion. Contrary to the results obtained with the general population, the rate of heart attacks increased in younger people.

What Did The Study Show?

Although the article uses the terms “young adults” and “young women,” I realize that some of you may consider that misleading. My only comment is whether you consider the 35-54 age range to be “young” or not probably depends on which side of 35 you are on.

Having said that, when the authors compared younger people in the study (the 35-54 age group) with everyone in the 35-74 age group they found:

The overall proportion of hospitalizations for heart attack among young people increased from 27% in 1995 to 32% in 2014.
The increase in heart attack rate was most dramatic for young women.
Hospitalizations for heart attack increased from 30% to 33% for young men. This increase was non-significant.
Hospitalizations for heart attack increased from 21% to 31% for young women. This increase was highly significant.
This is a wake-up call. We now appear to be entering an era in which heart attack rates for young women (ages 35-54) equal those of young men. The protective effects of estrogen have disappeared.

Why Are Heart Attacks Increasing In Young Women?

As I said at the beginning, there are several questions we need to answer:

Is this study true? There are some limitations to this study, but it is a fairly robust study. A similar study in Canada came to the same conclusion, and several other studies have suggested a similar trend. More research is needed, but this is a very disturbing finding.
Why are heart attacks increasing in young women? The short answer to this question is that we don’t know. However, the study offers several hints.
Hospitalizations for heart attack were highly correlated with a history of high blood pressure and diabetes. Obesity was not measured in this study, but it increases the risk of both high blood pressure and diabetes. Experts have been warning for years that the obesity epidemic may undo all the progress we have made at reducing heart disease deaths. This study may be the first indication that the prediction is coming true.
Young women were less likely than young men to be receiving lipid-lowering medications and other medications to reduce heart disease risk at the time of admission for their first heart attack. This may reflect a perception among both patients and physicians that young women are less likely to develop heart disease than young men.
Young women may be less likely to seek medical advice about how to control obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, and medical professionals may not treat these conditions as aggressively as they do for young men.
The current study suggests the perception that obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes are less likely to cause heart attacks in young women than in young men is no longer true, if it ever was.
The early symptoms of a heart attack are different for women than for men. For men heart attacks are associated with chest pain. For women early symptoms of an impending heart attack may be back pain, nausea, or dizziness. Both women and their doctors may not recognize these symptoms early enough to fend off a full-blown heart attack.
What should young women be doing to prevent heart disease? This is the topic of the next section.

What Should Every Woman Know About Heart Disease?

There are several simple lessons every woman should take from this and similar studies.

Heart disease is not a male disease. If that were ever true, it is definitely no longer true.
Don’t assume your risk is low until you reach menopause. This study suggests today’s young woman is just as likely to have a heart attack as a young man.
Obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes are killers. The good news is that if you start while you are young, you can reverse these killers with diet and lifestyle changes.
A heart healthy diet and lifestyle is important at every age. Don’t fall for the diet fads. Despite what Dr. Strangelove’s health blog would have you believe, saturated fats increase your risk of heart disease. A whole-food, primarily plant-based diet is the only proven dietary approach for reducing heart disease risk long term. For more information on how you can protect your heart, read my books. “Slaying The Food Myths” and “Slaying The Supplement Myths”.
Get regular checkups. If you develop risk factors for heart disease, don’t ignore them. Treat them aggressively. This requires a partnership between you and your doctor. Your part of the partnership is to make the necessary lifestyle changes to reverse these risk factors. Your doctor’s role is to provide appropriate medications to control these risk factors if you are unable to control them with lifestyle changes alone.

The Bottom Line

While heart disease has been declining in the general population, a recent study has shown that heart attacks are on the increase for young adults. In particularly, heart attacks are increasing in young women.

The overall proportion of hospitalizations for heart attack among young people increased from 27% in 1995 to 32% in 2014.
The increase in heart attack rate was most dramatic for young women.
Hospitalizations for heart attack increased from 30% to 33% for young men. This increase was non-significant.
Hospitalizations for heart attack increased from 21% to 31% young women. This increase was highly significant.
This is a significant and disturbing finding. We now appear to be entering an era in which heart attack rates for young women equal those of young men. The protective effects of estrogen have disappeared.
Note: The authors defined 35-54 years old as young. Whether you consider that young or not probably depends on which side of 35 you are on.
Hospitalizations for heart attack were highly correlated with a history of high blood pressure and diabetes. Obesity was not measured in this study, but it increases the risk of both high blood pressure and diabetes. Experts have been warning for years that the obesity epidemic may undo all the progress we have made at reducing heart disease deaths. This study may be the first indication that the prediction is coming true.

For more details and my recommendations for what every woman should know about heart disease read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

What is the Flexitarian Diet?

March 26, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Is The Flexitarian Diet Good For You And Good For The Planet?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

If you follow U.S News & World Reports, you may have noticed that the Flexitarian Diet was ranked #3, just slightly behind the Mediterranean and DASH diets. You may be scratching your head and wondering: “What is the Flexitarian Diet?” There are so many popular diets these days that it is hard to keep track. It is confusing. To paraphrase the old baseball quote: “You can’t tell the diets without a scorecard.”

Let me provide you with that scorecard. I will describe the Flexitarian Diet and answer two important questions:

Is the Flexitarian Diet good for you?
Is the Flexitarian Diet good for the planet?

What Is The Flexitarian Diet?

The term “flexitarian” was coined 10 years ago by dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner in her book, “The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way To Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years To Your Life.” Flexitarian is simply a contraction of the phrase “flexible vegetarian.”

Blatner’s premise was two-fold:

A vegan diet is very healthy. It is also very restrictive and hard for most people to follow.
Allowing small amounts of meat and other animal products in a primarily vegetarian diet would preserve most of the health benefits of a vegan diet. It would also be more flexible and easier to follow.

The Flexitarian Diet has no strict rules or calorie limits. It has no prohibited foods or food groups. It is neither low-carb nor low-fat. It focuses more on what to eat than on what not to eat. It is just based on a few general principles:

Eat mostly fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. In other words, it is a primarily plant-based diet.
Focus on protein from plants rather than from animals.
Be flexible and incorporate small amounts of meat and animal products in your diet. Flexibility reigns here. The diet recognizes that some people do better with more meat and animal products than others.
Eat the least processed, most natural form of foods.
Limit added sugars and sweets.

If you have read my book, “Slaying The Food Myths,” you know that this is essentially a semi-vegetarian diet. It is also very similar to the Mediterranean and DASH diets.

Is the Flexitarian Diet Good For You?

As you may have guessed from the title of her book, Dawn Jackson Blatner claimed her diet would help you lose weight, get healthier, reduce your risk of diseases, and add years to your life. You might ask: “Is there any basis for her claims?”

The answer is “Yes,” but the evidence does not come from studies of the Flexitarian Diet. The evidence is based on similarities between the Flexitarian Diet and the semi-vegetarian diet, the Mediterranean diet, and the DASH diet.

I have covered the health benefits of these diets in detail in my book, “Slaying The Food Myths.” In summary, compared to people following the typical American diet or meat-based low-carb diets, people following these 3 diets:

Tend to weigh less.
Have a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease.
Have a lower risk of some forms of cancer.
Have lower blood pressure.
Have less inflammation.

In addition, a paper has recently been published entitled, “Flexitarian Diets and Health: A review of the Evidence-Based Literature” (EJ Derbyshire, Frontiers In Nutrition, 3: 1-7, 2017). The title is a bit misleading in that the review did not include any studies on Flexitarian Diets (There have been none). Instead, the study reviewed 25 studies of semi-vegetarian diets published between 2000 and 2016 and relied on the fact that the Flexitarian Diet and semi-vegetarian diets are virtually identical.

The study concluded that semi-vegetarian (Flexitarian) diets:

Resulted in weight loss.
Improved metabolic markers (cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar levels).
Lowered blood pressure.
Reduced the risk of type-2 diabetes.
May play a role in the management of Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease.

In short, there is no direct evidence that the Flexitarian Diet is healthy. However, its similarity to semi-vegetarian, Mediterranean, and DASH diets makes it highly likely that the Flexitarian Diet is very good for you.

Is The Flexitarian Diet Good For The Planet?

The short answer is “Yes.” More importantly, it is critical for the health of our planet that we adopt a more plant-based diet. Our current diet is not environmentally sustainable.

That assessment is based on four factors; Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use, Water Use, and Population Growth. Here are some fast facts to ponder:

Food production currently is responsible for:
- 40% of global land, and land conversion for food products is the single most important driver of biodiversity loss.
- Up to 30% of global greenhouse emissions.
- 70% of freshwater use.

The population is expected to increase by 2.5 billion people between now and 2050. That raises two important issues:
- How are we going to feed those people?
- How are we going to do it in a sustainable manner?
Ruminant animals (cattle and sheep, for example) are the worst offenders when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. That’s because they not only breathe out CO2, but they also release methane into the atmosphere from fermentation of the food they eat in their rumens. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and it persists in the atmosphere 25 times longer than CO2. The single most important thing we can do as individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to eat less beef and lamb.

Two major studies have published recently that have evaluated the effect of food production on our planet.

The first study (L Aleksandrowicz et al, PLOS One, 11(11): e0165797, 2016) reviewed 63 studies that looked at the effect of dietary patterns on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use. It concluded that moving from our current diet to a more plant-based diet would:

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and land use for food production by 70-80%.
Reduce water use for food production by 50%.

The degree to which all these parameters could be reduced was generally proportional to the extent to which animal foods were replaced with plant foods (vegan > semi-vegetarian > Mediterranean).

The second study (W. Willet et al, The Lancet, 393, issue 10170, 447-492, 2019) was the report of the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems. This Commission convened 30 of the top experts from across the globe to prepare a science-based evaluation of the effect of diet on both health and sustainable food production through the year 2050. The Commission reviewed 356 published studies in preparing their report.

Based on an exhaustive evaluation of the literature on healthy diets and sustainable food production, the Commission recommended something they called the “Planetary Health Diet.” This science-based diet ended up being very close to the Flexitarian (semi-vegetarian) diet.

It starts with a vegetarian diet. Vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, soy foods, and whole grains are the foundation of the diet.
It allows the option of adding one serving of dairy a day (It turns out that cows produce much less greenhouse emissions per serving of dairy than per serving of beef. That’s because cows take several years to mature before they can be converted to meat, and they are emitting greenhouse gases the entire time).
It allows the option of adding one 3 oz serving of fish or poultry or one egg per day.
It allows the option of swapping seafood, poultry, or egg for a 3 oz serving of red meat no more than once a week. If you want a 12 oz steak, that would be no more than once a month.

In other words, it is a less flexible version of the Flexitarian diet. You could also consider it a restrictive version of the Mediterranean or DASH diets.

The Commission concluded:

“A diet that includes more plant-based foods and fewer animal source foods is healthy, sustainable, and good for both people and planet.”
“Shifting from unhealthy diets to the ‘planetary health diet’ can prevent 11 million premature adult deaths per year and drive the transition toward a sustainable global food system by 2050 that ensures healthy food for all within planetary boundaries.”

The Bottom Line

The Flexitarian Diet has been in the news lately. You might be asking 3 questions:

What is the Flexitarian Diet?
Is it good for me?
Is it good for the planet?

Here are the answers:

#1: The Flexitarian Diet is a contraction of the phrase “flexible vegetarian.” It is a vegetarian diet that allows small amounts of meat, dairy, and/or eggs. It is virtually identical to what has been called a semi-vegetarian diet for years and is very similar to the Mediterranean and DASH diets.

#2: There is no direct evidence that the Flexitarian diet is healthy. However, its close similarity to the semi-vegetarian, Mediterranean, and DASH diets makes it highly probable that the Flexitarian Diet is a healthy diet. It is likely to be good for you.

#3: When greenhouse gas emissions, land & water use, and population growth are all taken into account, experts have concluded that the only sustainable diet is a semi-vegetarian diet in which meat, dairy, and eggs are severely restricted (details in the article above). You can think of it as a less flexible version of the Flexitarian diet or a very restrictive form of the Mediterranean or DASH diets.

According to these experts, controlling carbon emissions from fossil fuels is not enough. We also must change what we eat if we wish to avoid catastrophic global warming.

For more details read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Biceps Pain Caused by a Tiny Muscle

March 19, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

An Unexpected Cause Of Biceps Pain

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT –The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

It’s Spring In Florida

March is a beautiful time of year here in Florida, and it’s the beginning of Spring for our friends and relatives in the northern states. I lived most of my life in New York, and I loved when the purple crocuses started peeping up through the snow. Spring was on its way!

Of course, on March 17^th there is also that fun holiday – St. Patrick’s Day. The parade in New York City is the largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world, followed by Dublin. In fact, the first parade in New York was in 1762, a full 14 years before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It’s a huge party, a parade that lasts for hours officially, and then the party continues for many more hours unofficially.

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! So, whether you are born Irish, or you’re just Irish for the day, I wish you this popular Irish blessing…

“May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

And may the sun shine be warm upon your face.”

A Tiny Muscle Can Cause Shoulder And Arm Pain

A tiny muscle that can cause biceps pain.

There is a pencil thin muscle that runs from the cartilage of your 1^st rib to the end of your clavicle (collar bone). The name of the muscle is Subclavius.

The subclavius muscle lifts your first rib when you inhale so your lungs can expand, and it also stabilizes the joint between your clavicle and your sternum. It’s a small muscle and most people aren’t aware of it, or how it helps us.

Normally this muscle is not repetitively strained, however during a time of rapid breathing it can go into spasm. Perhaps you have a cough and you are doing sudden, rapid breaths. Or, maybe you are a runner and you’re breathing rapidly. Anything that makes you take deep breaths quickly can cause muscle spasms to form in your subclavius muscle.

As shown by the green shading on the chart, the referred pain for the subclavius goes across the entire length of the front of your shoulder, and then continues down biceps muscle on the front of your arm. The darker shading demonstrates where the greatest pain is felt. While the pain is most frequently felt in the shoulder, biceps pain can also occur.

An Unexpected Cause Of Biceps Pain

If you have pain in your biceps muscle, you may not consider that a muscle spasm in the top/front of your chest is the source of the problem. If rubbing and stretching your biceps isn’t giving relief, you are stuck for a solution. Yet, just putting direct pressure on the spasm, located at your sternum, just under your collarbone, will solve the problem.

Press your finger directly onto the spot. If you don’t find a tender point, move ½” toward the outside and continue pressing until you find a tender point. This is the spasm that is causing the pain pattern.

It’s as simple as that!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

About The Author

Check It Out!

If you would like easy to follow instructions on how to relieve joint pain and muscle tightness from head to toe click here to check out Julie Donnelly’s Pain Relief System today. Whenever, I have pain and stiffness I use her techniques. They work!

Is Hemp Oil Good For You?

March 12, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

The Truth About Hemp Oil and CBD Products

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

CBD products are hot. If you believe the hype, they cure just about anything that ails you. Plus, they are “natural,” and the public has an insatiable appetite for natural cures. If that weren’t enough, marijuana has had a long history as an illicit drug, which adds a little allure to CBD products. The CBD industry is exploding.

But, is hemp oil good for you?

Many of you have contacted me and asked for my opinion on CBD products. Up until now I have deferred because it was simply not an area of expertise for me, and I had not come across any good studies on the effects of CBD.

However, I recently came across a comprehensive review of the evidence behind CBD and cannabis by experts I trust. This was a report called “The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids. The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research” published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (National Academies Press, Washington DC, 2017 ).

Before I describe the findings of the report, I need to define some terms for you.

What Are Cannabis And Cannabinoids

Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that originated in Central Asia. Cannabis plants contain a class of compounds called cannabinoids, of which the two most abundant are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). It is THC that is responsible for the intoxicating effects of cannabis.

The term hemp refers to varieties of Cannabis that have been selected for non-drug use. Hemp is low in THC and high in CBD. Marijuana, on the other hand, is high in THC and low in CBD.

How Was The Report Prepared?

The National Academy of Sciences selected 16 of the top experts in this area of research. These experts reviewed hundreds of published studies, met several times to discuss the studies, and wrote a comprehensive, 468-page report based on their evaluation of the data. This report was then sent to another group of 15 experts to be reviewed and edited before final publication.

The report evaluated the scientific basis for:

Claims for benefits of CBD and/or THC that have been proposed by their advocates.
Claims for risks of CBD and/or THC that have been proposed by their opponents.

The strength of the evidence behind these claims was classified as follows:

Conclusive Evidence: The claim was supported by many good-quality studies with no credible opposing findings.
Substantial Evidence: The claim was supported by several good-quality studies with few or no credible opposing findings.
Moderate Evidence: The claim was supported by several good- to fair-quality studies with few or no opposing findings.
Limited Evidence: The claim is supported by fair-quality studies or study results have been mixed, with more studies supporting the claim than refuting it.
Insufficient or No Evidence: The claim is supported by a single poor-quality study, study results have been mixed, or no studies have been done to either support or refute the claim.

Is Hemp Oil Good for You?

The report lumped all claims for any form of cannabis or cannabinoids together. This includes the cannabis plant, CBD, THC, preparations containing both THC and CBD, and everything in between. I will help you sort out which approved claims were associated with which form of cannabis.

Benefits: The report stated that there was:

Conclusive evidence that a high potency pharmaceutical CBD drug helps prevent seizures in two rare and severe forms of epilepsy. (This is a patented drug formulation and is not found in commercially available CBD preparations.)
Conclusive evidence that THC or a combination of THC with CBD is effective for treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. (These studies were not done with CBD by itself).
Substantial evidence that THC or a combination of THC with CBD is effective for treating involuntary muscle contractions due to multiple sclerosis. (These studies were not done with CBD by itself).
Substantial evidence that THC or a combination of THC with CBD is effective for treating chronic pain. (These studies were not done with CBD by itself).
Moderate evidence that THC or a combination of THC with CBD may help with certain sleep problems. (These studies were not done with CBD by itself).
Limited, insufficient, or no evidence to support claims for CBD products by themselves.

The reviewers did not say that CBD products were worthless. They simply concluded that the existing studies were not strong enough to rate the evidence supporting CBD claims in the moderate to conclusive range.

For example, the reviewers described a study reporting that 300 mg of CBD reduced anxiety for men giving a speech. It was a very small study, the data were inconsistent, and an effect of CBD on anxiety has not been supported by other studies. Thus, the reviewers concluded that the evidence supporting a claim that CBD reduces anxiety is insufficient. Of course, that may change as future studies are published.

In short, the reviewers felt that, while there may be benefits derived from CBD, more high-quality research is needed to either support or refute the claims that are currently being made for CBD products.

Risks: The report did not list any studies substantiating risks associated with CBD use.

The reviewers did state that CBD blocks an enzyme that metabolizes many medicines, raising the possibility that CBD might affect the effectiveness of those medicines. They said that more research into these potential interactions was sorely needed. (Note: Many widely used herbal supplements block the same enzymes, so this effect is not unique to CBD products.)

The reviewers also noted two other concerns that CBD products have in common with many herbal supplements:

The amount of CBD used in clinical studies is generally 100 mg or more, while many CBD products provide 20 mg or less.
Quality control is spotty at best. One recent study (MO Bonn-Miller et al, JAMA, 318: 1708-1709, 2017 ) evaluated 84 CBD products and found that only 30% of them were accurately labeled. Some contained little to no CBD and about 20% had detectable levels of THC.

What Are The Benefits And Risks Of Marijuana or Hemp Oil?

Benefits: As described in the section above, there is:

Conclusive evidence that THC or THC + CBD:
- is effective for treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.
Substantial evidence that THC or THC + CBD:
- is effective for treating involuntary muscle contractions due to multiple sclerosis.
- is effective for treating chronic pain.
Moderate evidence that THC or THC + CBD:
- may help with certain sleep problems.
Limited, insufficient, or no evidence to support the other claims for THC or THC + CBD.

Risks: The report stated that there was:

Substantial evidence for:
- Cannabis smoking and more frequent bronchitis episodes.
- Cannabis use and increased frequency of motor vehicle crashes.
- Maternal cannabis smoking and lower birth weight of the offspring.
- Cannabis use and the development of schizophrenia or other psychoses, with the highest risks among the most frequent users.
- Progression to problem cannabis use. The risks are greatest for males, people who initiate cannabis use at an early age, and people who use cannabis frequently.
Moderate evidence for:
- Cannabis use and the impairment of cognitive domains of learning, memory, and attention.
- Cannabis use and the development of substance dependence and/or substance abuse disorder for substances including alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drugs.

Once again, the committee concluded that more high-quality research was needed.

For a summary of the report’s evaluation of all claimed benefits and risks of CBD and/or marijuana use, click here . For details on individual studies reviewed by the committee, read the complete report at https://doi.org/10.17226/24625.

The Bottom Line

There is lots of excitement around CBD products and medical use of marijuana (THC). If you believe the proponents, they are a panacea for everything that ails us. If you believe the opponents, the risks far outweigh the benefits. Which of these claims are true and which are false?

Fortunately, the National Academy of Sciences appointed a committee of experts to evaluate the research supporting or refuting the claims. They issued a report in 2017 that evaluated the strength of scientific evidence supporting these claims.

In short:

They found no good evidence supporting the proposed benefits of CBD products. Nor did they find evidence for any risk of CBD products, properly used. They did not conclude that CBD products were worthless. They simply concluded that more high-quality research was needed to substantiate the claims.
They found conclusive evidence for some of the proposed benefits of medical marijuana. However, they also found substantial evidence supporting some of the proposed risks. Again, they concluded that more research was needed.

For more details read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

How Much Omega-3s Do You Need?

March 5, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Can You Get The Omega-3s You Need From Diet Alone?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Two recent studies have provided strong evidence that omega-3s reduce the risk of heart attacks. However, both studies used high doses of omega-3s and did not do a dose-response analysis. That leaves you with several unanswered questions:

How much omega-3s do you need to significantly reduce your risk of heart attack?
Will that amount of omega-3s provide other health benefits?
Can you get that amount of omega-3s from diet alone?
Can you get that amount of omega-3s from supplementation alone?

Fortunately, a recent study (KH Jackson et al, Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Amino Acids, 142: 4-10, 2019) has answered those questions. But, before we consider that article, we should look at a biomarker called “Omega-3 Index.”

What Is Omega-3 Index And Why Is It Important?

The Omega-3 Index is a measure of the ratio between the heart-healthy omega-3 fats (EPA + DHA) and all the other fats in red blood cell membranes. It is considered an excellent measure of our omega-3 status.

Dr. William S Harris, one of the top experts in the omega-3 field, first proposed the Omega-3 Index as a biomarker for cardiac health back in 2007. Based on multiple clinical and population studies, he proposed that an Omega 3 Index of 4% was associated with high heart attack risk, and an Omega-3 Index of 8% was associated with low heart attack risk. This has been supported by a recent meta-analysis of 10 clinical studies showing that an Omega-3 Index of 8% was associated with a 35% reduction in cardiovascular death compared to an Omega-3 Index of 4%.

Other studies suggest that an Omega-3 Index of 8% is associated with:

A slower rate of telomere shortening.
A lower risk of death from any cause.
Reduction in symptoms of depression.
Improved recovery from a heart attack.
Reduction in arthritis symptoms.
Reduced age-related brain shrinkage in B-vitamin treated subjects. (I have written about the synergistic relationship between omega-3s and B vitamins with respect to brain health in a previous issue of “Health Tips From the Professor.”

(Note: You will find references to these studies in the paper I have cited.)

For reference, most Americans have an Omega-3 Index between 4 and 6%. In contrast, in Japan, where the incidence of heart disease is much lower, the Omega-3 Index ranges from 6.8% to 9%.

How Was The Study Designed?

The data for this study were derived from 3458 individuals who 1) sent in a dried blood spot to a commercial laboratory for determination of Omega-3 Index between March 30, 2017 and January 15, 2018, 2) filled out a short questionnaire about fish intake and omega-3 supplement use, and 3) were older than 18.

With respect to fish intake, the possible responses were “none per week,” “every other week,” “every week,” “2 times per week,” and “3 or more times per week.”

With respect to omega-3 supplement use, those who reported taking an omega-3 supplement were asked what kind of omega-3 supplement they were taking. Those who said they were taking a flaxseed oil supplement were excluded from the analysis because flaxseed oil contains no EPA or DHA.

The characteristics of the population studied were as follows:

84% came from the United States. The remaining 16% came from 27 other countries.
The average age was 51 years and 40% of the respondents were male.
62% ate little or no fish. The exact breakdown of fish consumption was:
- 5% ate no fish.
- 9% ate fish every other week.
- 6% ate fish weekly.
- 2% ate fish twice a week.
- 8% ate fish three or more times a week.

52% took omega-3 supplements. Of those taking omega-3 supplements, 84% were taking fish oil supplements.

How Much Omega-3s Do You Need?

The correlation between omega-3 intake and Omega-3 Index in these individuals was:

No fish = 4.5%.
- No fish + supplementation = 6.6%.

Bi-weekly = 4.8%
- Bi-weekly + supplementation = 6.9%

Weekly = 5.1%
- Weekly + supplementation = 7.3%

Twice weekly = 5.7%
- Twice weekly + supplementation = 7.8%

3+ times per week = 6.5%
- 3+ times per week + supplementation = 8.6%

The authors said: “We found that those with the best chance of achieving a desirable Omega-3 Index were reporting the consumption of at least 3 fish meals per week and were taking an EPA + DHA-containing omega-3 supplement.”

The authors further concluded that an EPA + DHA intake of around 835 mg per day or higher would be required to achieve an average Omega-3 Index of 8%. This was based on two assumptions:

A 4 once serving of oily fish provides around 1,200 mg of EPA + DHA.
The average omega-3 supplement provides around 300 mg of EPA + DHA.

What Are The Limitations Of The Study?

The two biggest limitations of the study are the assumptions that a serving of fish provides 1,200 mg of EPA + DHA and a fish oil supplement provides 300 mg of EPA + DHA.

Their dietary survey did not ask what kind of fish the respondents were consuming. Some fish provide much less than 1,200 mg of EPA + DHA per serving. This could have caused the authors to overestimate the contribution that fish intake made to the Omega-3 Index in their study.
Some omega-3 supplements provide more than 300 mg EPA + DHA, and some people take more than the recommended number of omega-3 capsules. This could have caused the authors to underestimate the contribution of omega-3 supplements to the Omega-3 Index in their study.

The major implication of these limitations comes when we look at the standard deviation of the correlations between omega-3 intake and Omega-3 Index.

Some people consuming 3 or more servings of fish per week had an Omega-3 Index of well above 8%. This suggests that diet alone can allow you to reach an optimal Omega-3 Index. This conclusion is also supported by dietary studies in Japan (see below).
Some people taking omega-3 supplements had an omega-3 index of above 8% even in the group consuming no fish. This suggests that supplementation alone can allow you to reach an optimal Omega-3 Index as long as your total EPA + DHA intake is 835 mg/day or greater.

These limitations may also affect the calculation of how much EPA + DHA we need to reach an optimal Omega-3 Index. For example, the most widely used omega-3 calculator estimates that you would need 950 mg of EPA + DHA to increase your Omega-3 Index from 4% to 8%.

What Does This Study Mean For You?

At the beginning of this article I said that this study answered 4 questions:

How much omega-3s do you need to significantly reduce your risk of heart attack?
- This study estimated that around 835 mg/day of EPA + DHA is needed to reach an Omega-3 Index of 8%, which previous studies have shown to be associated with low heart disease risk.
- This is similar to the 950 mg/day estimate from a widely used omega-3 calculator.
- There is considerable individual variability, but 835 – 950 mg/day is a good target for most people. If in doubt, I recommend that you get your Omega-3 Index tested.

Will that amount of omega-3s provide other health benefits?
- The evidence is strongest for heart health, but this paper lists other studies suggesting that a high Omega-3 Index is associated with reduced risk of depression, arthritis, age-related brain shrinkage & cognitive decline, and death from all causes.

Can you get that amount of omega-3s from diet alone?
- In this study an optimal Omega-3 Index was achieved only in the group that consumed 3 or more servings of fish per week and took an omega-3 supplement. However, not all those fish were rich in EPA + DHA.
- Previous studies have shown that Japanese who consume 3 or more servings per week of oily fish, rich in EPA + DHA, have an Omega-3 Index of 6.8% to 9%. This shows us it is possible to reach an optimal Omega-3 Index from diet alone.

Can you get that amount of omega-3s from supplementation alone?
- Here the answer is clearly yes. Based on this and other studies, it would require in the range of 835-950 mg/day from supplementation to reach an optimal Omega-3 Index for most people.

Here are some other conclusions from the authors of the study:

“The average Omega3 Index in Japan ranges from 6.8 to 9.0%…So, yes, an Omega-3 Index of >8% is achievable by diet alone. But Japan is fairly unique…The average Omega-3 Index for Americans ranges from 4 to 6%. So, short of adopting the Japanese diet for a lifetime, it appears that taking an EPA + DHA supplement could be an important strategy for achieving a cardioprotective Omega-3 Index.”
They consider current recommendations for omega-3 intake to be inadequate. Their recommended intake of 835 mg of EPA + DHA per day is:
- “>3 times the EPA + DHA recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (250 mg/day).”
- “1.7 times the amount recommended by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (500 mg/day).”
- “8 times higher than the typical EPA + DHA intake in the US (~100 mg/day).”
The American Heart Association currently recommends the consumption of 1-2 seafood meals per week.
The authors commented: “We do recognize that public health recommendations must balance what is ideal vs. what is practical for the public and must also take into consideration…potentially hazardous components of fish (mercury, PCBs) and the sustainability of the world’s fish supply.”
However, they considered the recommendation of the American Heart Association to be woefully inadequate. Based on their data, they concluded: “To achieve an Omega-3 Index of >8%, either adding an EPA + DHA supplement or increasing to 4-5 servings of fish/week would be necessary.”

Because of the high level of contamination of the world’s fish supply, my personal preference would be to add a high purity omega-3 supplement to my diet rather than consuming fish multiple times a week. I love salmon, but I try to limit myself to a salmon dinner no more than once a month.

The Bottom Line

A recent study looked at how much EPA + DHA you would need to achieve an optimal omega-3 status. The investigators used a measurement called Omega-3 Index, which has been shown to be an excellent measurement of omega-3 status. They asked how much EPA + DHA from diet plus supplementation was required to achieve an Omega-3 Index of 8%, which is associated with a low risk for heart disease. The key findings from this study were:

Around 835 mg/day of EPA + DHA is needed to reach an Omega-3 Index of 8%.
This is similar to the 950 mg/day estimate from a widely used omega-3 calculator.
There is considerable individual variability, but 835 – 950 mg/day is a good target for most people. If in doubt, I recommend that you get your Omega-3 Index tested.
The Japanese eat EPA + DHA-rich fish 3 or more times per week and have an Omega-3 Index of 6.9 to 9.0%, so it is clearly possible to achieve an optimal Omega-3 Index from diet alone. However, the American diet is so different from the Japanese diet that the authors concluded: “Short of adopting the Japanese diet for a lifetime, it appears that taking an EPA + DHA supplement could be an important strategy for achieving a cardioprotective Omega-3 Index.”
The American Heart Association currently recommends the consumption of 1-2 seafood meals/week. The authors consider this recommendation to be woefully inadequate. They said: “To achieve an Omega-3 Index of >8%, either adding an EPA + DHA supplement or increasing to 4-5 servings of fish/week would be necessary.”

Because of the high level of contamination of the world’s fish supply, my personal preference is to add a high purity omega-3 supplement to my diet rather than consuming fish multiple times a week. I love salmon, but I try to limit myself to a salmon dinner no more than once a month.

For more details read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Side Stitch Pain Relief and Intercostal Muscles

February 26, 2019 by Dr. Steve Chaney

You Don’t Need To Suffer Pain In The Side After A Bout With The Flu

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT –The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

Happy Valentine’s Day

While February is the shortest month of the year, to our northern family and friends it is the longest, seemingly endless, month. Where I live in Sarasota, Florida, winter brings us near-perfect days and cooler nights. It’s my favorite time of year. And of course, we all celebrate the holiday of love – Valentine’s Day!

Just a bit of trivia: In 1868, Richard Cadbury released the first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates, followed in 1902 with the first conversation hearts from the New England Confectionery Company. In the 1840s Esther A. Howland created the first commercial Valentine’s Day cards in the United States. Hallmark first offered Valentine’s Day cards in 1913 and began producing them in 1916. (Thanks to Wikipedia for all this interesting info).

February Is Also Flu Season –

A Tough Month For Colds & Coughs

How do you get side stitch pain releif? Have you ever had a cough that just lingers on and on? Sometimes you may cough so hard, and so much, that your side hurts. Some people call it a “side-stitch” because it feels like a sewing needle is being jammed in between your ribs. First it only hurts when you have a coughing fit, but eventually it could hurt just from breathing. Fortunately, it’s a simple thing to explain, and even easier to treat. It is caused by spasms in our intercostal muscles.

What Are Intercostal Muscles & What Do They Do?

The intercostal muscles are between each rib, and like every other muscle they contract (shorten) and expand (lengthen). Visualize muscles going up and down between each rib, connecting one rib to the next rib.

When you breathe in the intercostal muscles must lengthen to allow your ribs to separate so your lungs can expand and absorb oxygen.

In order to breath out, the muscles must contract and pull your ribs together. This puts pressure on your lungs so you can expel carbon dioxide from your body.

Coughing Causes Tiny Spasms In The Intercostal Muscles

When you cough your ribs open and close suddenly. This isn’t a problem if you cough once or twice, but if you have a condition such as a cold, the flu or pneumonia, you may have severe and repeated coughing spells. This causes a repetitive strain injury to the intercostal muscles as you are coughing repeatedly.

The tiny intercostal muscles are rapidly contracting and expanding, without a chance to relax. Eventually tiny muscle spasms are created in the muscles, each one shortening the muscle fibers. The spasms cause a strain to be put onto the attachment at the rib, laying the groundwork for a side-stitch. The strained muscle fibers prevent your ribs from opening properly as you take in a breath. As you gasp for air during your coughing attack, you are forcing your ribs to part, and the tight muscle is putting a strain on the bone. The strain feels like a needle or the point of a knife is being pushed into your side.

How To Release Muscle Spasms In The Intercostal Muscles

Using your opposite hand press your fingertip(s) into the exact point where you feel the pain. These spasms are specific, and they hurt exactly where you are feeling the pain.

Hold the pressure on the spasm for about one minute. You’ll feel the pain lessen as the spasm releases. Continue pressing on the point while you take in a slow, deep breath. Your goal is to open your rib cage as much as possible.

As you are pressing on the spasm and opening your rib cage so your lungs can fill with air, you are also stretching the intercostal muscle that was in spasm. Do this several times until the point no longer is painful. Press around your entire rib cage, as far as you can reach, and see if you find any other spasms between your ribs. If you do, treat each one the same way.

Fortunately, it is simple to self-treat spasms that cause pain. This is the case whether you are treating spasms that cause headaches, shoulder pain, low back pain, hip, knee, leg or foot pain. In fact, I resolved debilitating carpal tunnel syndrome by treating the muscles that impact the median nerve &/or my wrist and hand. For more information, visit www.JulstroMethod.com.

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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