SALUS HEALTH

Inactivity More Deadly Than Obesity: Just a little bit of exercise can go a long way. In fact, a new study shows that twice as many premature deaths occur due to inactivity compared to the premature deaths attributed to obesity. The researchers analyzed the height, weight, age, physical activity levels, and more of approximately 330,000 men and women. The most notable reduction in premature death risk was among the participants who were a normal weight and participated in mod...erate exercise. Moderate physical activity as simple as 20 minutes of walking each day is valuable, and can reduce the risk of premature death by 16-30%. This is true even for individuals who are not overweight or obese. This study’s aim is not to suggest that overweight or obese individuals are not at risk. It is actually quite the opposite. Everyone can benefit from daily physical activity even if considered to be a healthy weight. Get moving today. If fear of falling, arthritis pain, or other medical limitations are preventing your daily activity, we can help you with a safe exercise program in the comfort of your own home. Please call us at 1-877-457-4429 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how you or your loved ones can benefit from our services. Source: Ekelund U, Ward H, Norat T, et al. Physical activity and all-cause mortality across levels of overall and abdominal adiposity in European men and women: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Study (EPIC). The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, First published ahead of print January 14, 2015 as doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.100065. More: http://salushealth.nwsltr.info/inactivity-more-deadly-than/

Physical Therapy Has Proven Benefits in Parkinson’s Disease: Therapy for Parkinson’s disease often focuses on medication and neurosurgical treatment, but there is a growing awareness and acceptance of the benefits available through physical therapy. There have been multiple studies, and the most authoritative of them have been recently combined in a systematic review and meta-analysis by Claire Tomlinson and her team from the University of Birmingham. They combined the resu...lts of 39 higher-quality, published trials that involved a total of 1,827 people with Parkinson’s. The studies reported on various forms of exercise therapy and physical therapy. Researchers tracked 18 measures of possible improvement, and found that physical therapy in general created statistically significant improvement in nine of those measures. There are three categories of improvement in which physical therapy demonstrated the most clinically significant gains for patients with Parkinson’s disease: Gait speed Balance Ability / Disability If you or someone you care about is challenged in these areas by Parkinson’s disease, please give us a call. Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative condition for which there are multiple supportive therapies and treatments, but no cure. Each person with the disease is challenged by it in a different way and has a unique set of symptoms. The four main signs and symptoms known as the primary motor symptoms are: Bradykinesia: slowed motion and movement Resting tremor: shaking, often in one hand, one foot, the jaw, or face. Rigidity: muscle stiffness Compromised posture and balance Symptoms of these nature should be reported to a doctor. Source: BMJ 2012; 345: e5004 More: http://salushealth.nwsltr.info/physical-therapy-has-proven/

Gout Cases Increasing but Going Untreated: Research shows that gout incidence continues to rise. The research team of a recent study used the medical records of approximately 12 million people and found a 30% increase of incidence in gout from 1997 to 2012. However, less than half of the cases in the study were being treated specifically for gout and only 37% were using urate-lowering therapy (ULT). In addition, only 18.6% of these patients began treatment for the ailment wit...hin 6 months of diagnoses. Over 8 million people in the United States suffer from gout which is a very painful inflammatory arthritis caused by the crystallization of uric acid in joints. Acute gout will typically manifest itself as a red, hot, and swollen joint with severe pain. These flare-ups respond well to treatment with oral anti-inflammatory medicines and may be prevented with medication and diet changes. Study author Weiya Zhang, PhD, says, Since this is a disease with well-established treatments, it is a shame that we haven’t controlled it properly in the past 15 years. This does raise a question on how to improve the current management of gout. The authors hope that the study sparks educational initiatives to increase knowledge of gout for both medical professionals and patients and improve patient adherence to treatment. Source: Kuo C, Grainge M, Mallen C, Zhang W, Doherty M. Rising burden of gout in the UK but continuing suboptimal management: a nationwide population study. Annals of the Rheumatic Disease, doi:10.1136/annrheumdis-2013-204463. Published online first: 15 January 2014. More: http://salushealth.nwsltr.info/gout-cases-increasing-but-g/

Low Indoor Temperature Linked to Higher Risk of Falling: A recent study shows that turning down the thermostat could increase the risk of falls for female retirees. The authors find that just 45 minutes of exposure to chilly room temperatures caused stiff muscles and impaired walking, increasing the women’s fall risk. Participants in the study included 88 community-dwelling, healthy women with an average age of 78. Researchers placed the women in either a 59-degree or 77-deg...ree room and measured their performance on physical tests such as leg strength, gait speed, and hand grip. Those in the colder room scored worse on all performance tests except hand grip strength. Home health fall-injury-prevention programs with rehabilitation, home safety techniques, and medication review have been shown to improve the risk of fall injuries and protect the health, safety, and happiness of retirees. If you or someone you care about could benefit from a fall-injury-prevention program, please call us to discuss treatment options. Source: Lindemann U, Oksa J, Skelton D, et al. Effect of cold indoor environment on physical performance of older women living in the community. Age and Ageing, 2014; 43 (4): 571-575. More: http://salushealth.nwsltr.info/low-indoor-temperature-link/

The Benefits of Beets: Beets may just be an unattractive root on the outside, but they are full of benefits for those who eat them regularly. Here are some of those perks: Helps with anemia- Doctors often recommend beets as part of the daily diet for patients with low iron. Contains lots of minerals- This vegetable is rich in several minerals including magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, and sulfur.... Better absorption of calcium- Beets assist with calcium absorption in the body, which helps maintain healthy bones, skin, hair, and nails. Cleanses the body- Raw or unprocessed beets contain the detoxifying ingredient betaine. This ingredient aids the liver and regulates the secretion of bile. Fights against diseases and tumors- The red pigment in beets, anthocyanins, helps to fight against various diseases and reduces tumor cells. This vegetable also contributes to the recovery of blood and aids in the treatment of leukemia. In addition, it has also been shown to lower blood pressure when consumed on a regular basis. Just beet these conditions by adding this vegetable to your daily diet! More: http://salushealth.nwsltr.info/the-benefits-of-beets/