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The 7 Proven Benefits of Massage

By admin | Published: January 15, 2012

And How to Get a Lifetime of Massages for Under $100

The first thing most people think about when it comes to massage is relaxation.

But massage is fast being recognized as a major player in the health tool kit to treat all sorts of problems beyond back pain, such as infant distress, cancer and much more.

Here are 7 key benefits of massage you need to know…

1. Just ONE massage session makes a biological difference.

Whether you’re a fan of deep-tissue relief or a lighter, gentler touch, the benefits of massage can be felt in your blood after one session, according to a National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine study that compared the effect of Swedish massage to light massage.

On one hand, those who enjoyed a deep-tissue Swedish massage — the most popular kind offered by therapists — had significantly reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

On the other, patients who experienced a lighter massage produced greater levels of the pleasure hormone oxytocin, and higher drops in adrenal corticitropin, a hormone that forces the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.

2. Massage beats pain meds for chronic low back pain.

Researchers compared the benefits of two kinds of massage (either structural or relaxing) to the “usual treatments” for low pack pain meaning muscle relaxants, pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs on some 400 patients over 10 weeks.

Generally, those who received either kind of massage experienced less pain and were far more able to follow their daily routines than those taking pain drugs. What’s more, the benefits of massage lasted for up to six months.

3. Fight cancer with massage.

To measure its value on cancer patients, German scientists measured the cortisol/stress levels of 34 women diagnosed with primary breast cancer, half of whom received half-hour massages twice a week for five weeks while the remainder received “standard” care.

The surprise wasn’t merely a drop in cortisol and stress levels. The benefits of massage lasted long after the initial year the surgery was completed.

4. Tension headaches fade away after a massage.

Receiving a 30-minute massage along cervical trigger points was responsible for easing the physiological and psychological pain patients experience when dealing with tension headaches.

Like the previous example, patients received a longer-than-expected payoff from massage: An easing of symptoms within 24 hours after the massage.

(IF you experience headaches or migraines, don’t miss these Quick Powerful Techniques to Eliminate Headache and Migraine Pain.)

5. Massage tames the stress babies feel.

Hard to imagine babies experiencing stress about anything in their young lives, but they do. Although infant massage is an ancient practice among foreign cultures dating as far back as 3000 B.C., Western medicine is just catching up with an eye toward soothing the daily discomforts of babies.

In fact, an analysis of nine studies totaling some 600 infants under six months concluded babies who received massages have lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol, meaning they slept better and cried less, compared to those who didn’t have them.

6. Pain scores drop after heart surgery with massage therapy.

A pilot study conducted in 2007 by the Mayo Clinic on the value of alternative therapies concluded mean pain scores dropped by two-thirds during the five months after surgery, aiding in the recovery of heart surgery patients.

Before the study, heart surgery patients averaged a mean pain score of 3 (based on a 1-10 scale). Compared to a control group, the 30 post-op heart surgery patients who received massages reported pain levels of less than 1.

7. Massage beats the pain and anxiety that follow major surgery.

This massage-related study underscores why we warn you so very often about unnecessary pain medications that can harm your health.

Researchers divided some 600 veterans after their surgeries (abdominal or chest operations) for five days into three groups, including 200 who received 20-minute back massages while the rest received routine care or consulted with a massage therapist but obtained no treatment.

Compared to the other groups, veterans who received massages experienced a faster decrease in the intensity of their pain and short-term drops in anxiety, intensity and unpleasantness.

How to Get A LIFETIME of Powerful Massages for Under $100

There are a couple of “catches” about all the good massage can do for your health, and they are considerable: Visiting a licensed massage therapist every week can be a major drain on your time and pocketbook.

A top quality massage roller can be the perfect substitute for that weekly massage appointment as well as a lifelong friend for your muscles, for the price of a single massage.

We’ve tested many massage rollers over the years, but found only one that could withstand our rigorous requirements and testing: Equipped with 200 extra-strong bumps that target your trigger points in no time, the Bumpy Roller costs less than many “high end” rollers and, unlike drugs or surgery, is completely 100 percent safe.

Discover How to Give Yourself an AMAZING Massage
Every Day With “The Bumpy Roller” Now

 

 

Mayo Clinic

New York Times

Annals of Internal Medicine

Arthritis Today

Massage Today

EurekAlert

Posted in Back Pain, Bumpy Roller, Cancer, Conditions, Lower Back Pain, Massage Therapy, New, Treatments | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How Not to FAIL Again at Quitting Smoking

By admin | Published: January 15, 2012

Shocking Findings From New Study, And What to Do Instead

Americans spend an astounding $1.5 BILLION annually on various nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) that are designed to help them fail again and again at quitting smoking, according to a recent Harvard School of Public Health/University of Massachusetts study.

In fact, among the nearly 800 smokers who participated in the Harvard/UMass study, the failure rate for people using NRT — nicotine gums, inhalers, nasal sprays and patches — over the long term matched that of people who attempted to quit smoking on their own, with no help from any drug.

No surprise, these results contradict the one-time gold seal of approval — FDA clinical trials back in the 90s — incorrectly calculating that smokers were three times more likely than not to quit with the help of NRTs for good.

Comparing the results over three two-year periods, the relapse rate for smokers doing it with NRT but without professional guidance from a medical professional was twice as high versus those who used no drugs to curb their nicotine habit.

We’re certainly not advising smokers to give up the fight merely because NRT wasn’t helpful over the long haul. Still, we understand why they gave up, considering the side effects, according to WebMD:

  • Skin rash
  • Insomnia
  • Upset stomach or heartburn
  • Flatulence

Classic film comedian W.C. Fields was one of a handful who were famous for coining the phrase, If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. However, few people recall the rest of what Fields said: Then quit. There’s no point in being a damn fool about it…

Few industries have made so much money by promoting failed solutions more than those in the smoking cessation business. That noted, there ARE powerful and completely safe alternatives available to you. If you or a loved one want to quit smoking for good, do not miss…

How to Quit Smoking The Natural Way!


EurekAlert

Yahoo News

Los Angeles Times

Posted in Addictions, Cancer, Conditions, Insomnia, New, Nutrition, Smoking, Supplements | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Trigger Point Therapy

By admin | Published: January 15, 2012

… Concise Overview Including TOP Recommendations

trigger point therapyDo you suffer from aching “knots” in your neck, shoulders and arms, your mid and lower back, or even your hips and legs? These knots are also known as “trigger points,” and if left untreated they can become a center for irritation and inflammation in your muscles and nerves.

This ongoing inflammation leads to fibrosis, which thickens your connective tissues. Thicker connective tissue is less flexible, leading to a vicious cycle of additional irritation, tension, and pain as your body pulls on each trigger point.

What You Need to Know About Trigger Points

It’s possible to have one trigger point, but most people have many. In fact, they are incredibly common. As written in the journal Drugs:[i]

“Muscular pain is often attributed to a myofascial [muscle tissue and the connective tissue in and around it] pain disorder, a condition originally described by Drs Janet Travell and David Simons. Among patients seeking treatment from a variety of medical specialists, myofascial pain has been reported to vary from 30% to 93% depending on the subspecialty practice and setting.

Forty-four million Americans are estimated to have myofascial pain … myofascial pain disorders are characterised by the presence of tender, firm nodules called trigger points. Within each trigger point is a hyperirritable spot, the ‘taut-band’, which is composed of hypercontracted extrafusal muscle fibres. Palpation of this spot within the trigger point provokes radiating, aching-type pain into localised reference zones.”

When in the “active” phase, trigger points are very painful, although the pain may be “referred pain,” meaning it can be felt in seemingly unrelated parts of your body, and even cause surprising symptoms you do not associate with a “knot” in your muscle, such as headaches and joint pain. As the National Association of Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists explains:[ii]

“The active trigger point referral symptom may feel like a dull ache, deep, pressing pain, burning, or a sensation of numbness and fatigue. It can also cause sweating, tearing of eyes, goosebumps and dizziness. The affected dense, shortened muscles, laden with taut bands may even compress and entrap nerves, leading to another secondary set of symptoms.

If unaddressed or ineffectively treated, eventually, other muscles around the dysfunctional one may be required to “take up the slack”, becoming stressed and developing secondary trigger points. It is not unusual for chronic pain patients to have multiple, overlapping referred pain patterns, making diagnosis and treatment more complex.”

Trigger points have been linked to chronic back pain, recurrent migraines, and even heartburn, toothaches and jaw pain.

You can also have “latent” trigger points, which you are probably unaware that you have because they do not cause pain unless you press on them directly. However, a latent trigger point can lead to muscle stiffness and weakness, or even restricted movement, and they can become active again when your muscles are stressed or overworked, you’re fatigued or fighting off an infection, under a lot of emotional stress, and so on.

For instance, if you wake up one morning to find your back has “gone out” again, it could be due to a latent trigger point that has re-surfaced and become active.

The Many Common Causes of Trigger Points

Trigger points are so common because they occur when an area of your body is injured or over-worked – and this refers to not only strains from physical work but also from lack of use, sedentary behavior, a long commute or too much time spent sitting, nutritional deficiencies, emotional stress, lack of sleep, and much, much more.

trigger point therapyIt takes only a single incident, such as a car accident, fall or sports injury, to initiate a trigger point, but they can also develop slowly over time from everyday occurrences such as:

  • Typing on your computer
  • Carrying a heavy purse or briefcase
  • Lifting your baby or toddler
  • Poor posture
  • Sitting for long periods in poorly designed furniture
  • Tensing or clenching your muscles due to anxiety or emotional stress

In the cases above, your altered patterns of movement put abnormal stress on your muscles, ligaments and joints. This leads to strength and flexibility imbalances in your muscles as well as postural dysfunctions throughout your body.

This “use-abuse-disuse” scenario creates more trigger points in other areas and a vicious pain cycle begins. Before you know it, you’ve developed clusters of active and latent trigger points. You’ve also given up doing the things you love to do because it simply hurts too much.

Conventional trigger point therapy involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, injections and even antidepressants, which may temporarily relieve pain but do nothing to heal the trigger point, or prevent more from developing. Further, oftentimes trigger points are completely missed as your source of pain, because you could be feeling pain in your buttocks, hip or even down your leg but the actual trigger point needing to be released is located in your lower back.

Many health care professionals assume the problem is where the pain is, and never address the underlying trigger point that’s causing the pain.

Unfortunately, trigger points are still not widely recognized by conventional physicians, even though researchers wrote nearly a decade ago:

“The treatment of myofascial pain disorders requires that symptomatic trigger points and muscles are identified as primary or ancillary pain generators.”[iii]

Use the Therapy That Solved President John F. Kennedy’s Chronic Back Pain

The link between trigger points and pain was first discovered by Dr. Janet Travell, who went on to write “The Trigger Point Manual” with her colleague Dr. David Simons. Dr. Travell was also former president Kennedy’s personal physician, and is credited with helping him relieve his chronic, disabling back pain.[iv]

Dr. Travell discovered that deep manual pressure applied to trigger points had a dramatic therapeutic effect by quickly eliminating pain. In fact, research shows that sustained manual trigger point therapy is a very effective means of getting rid of chronic myofascial (muscle and tissue) pain. For instance, a study published in October 2011 concluded manual treatment of active trigger points helped reduce shoulder pain and pressure sensitivity in shoulder impingement. [v]

Today, you can go to a massage therapist, physical therapist, chiropractor or even a trigger point specialist to receive manual trigger point therapy, but the success of the treatment depends on the skill level of the practitioner — and well-trained trigger point therapists are very hard to come by, not to mention expensive.

The Trigger Point Self-Treatment System is a welcome alternative, because not only is it incredibly effective, it allows you to lie down and relax while you essentially melt your pain away in the comfort of your own home.

You Can Self-Treat Your Trigger Points in Your Own Home

Developed by a board-certified neurological chiropractor who sought relief for his own disabling low-back and chronic shoulder-arm pain, the Trigger Point Self-Treatment System allows you to identify and then pressure massage your trigger points in the comfort of your own home — as often as necessary.

The program’s unique, easy-to-use design helps you completely relax your muscles while you apply only the amount of deep therapeutic pressure needed, to your comfort level.

There are other hand-held devices available to treat trigger points. However, they require you to tighten your muscles to use, which prevents the deep massage needed to work out and actually “deactivate” your trigger points.

With the Trigger Point Self-Treatment System, you are in complete control. By simply using your body weight, you effortlessly melt your knots away while completely relaxing into the treatment platform. In less than 10 minutes a day, you can feel relief you probably have not known for years. Better still, the Trigger Point Self-Treatment System will release and deactivate your trigger points, thus relieving the underlying cause of your pain.

Isn’t it time you take back the pain-free life you deserve?

With just a few minutes a day you can be set free from your trigger point pain … and with the Trigger Point Self-Treatment System at your fingertips, you can pull it out any time you feel a trigger point developing, keeping trigger points at bay for the rest of your life.

 

Posted in Back Pain, New, Treatments, Trigger Point Therapy | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Disruption of Natural Sleep Cycle Can Lead to Early Death!

By admin | Published: January 15, 2012

New Study Verifies Importance of Circadian Rhythm

Many people think they can cut their sleep time short on certain days and make up for it later, such as the weekend.

But skimping on your sleep even here and there … or messing with your “circadian rhythm” in any way… can be an EXTREMELY costly mistake in terms of your health and happiness.

A disruption of the natural sleep cycle can even lead to early death, suggests a recent Oregon State University study. The study also found that disruption can lead to accelerated neurodegeneration (essentially degeneration of the brain) and loss of motor function.

Your brain and body function according to a “circadian rhythm”  — the physical, behavioral and mental changes/reactions during a 24-hour cycle that respond primarily to darkness and light in the environment.

Anything that disrupts our circadian rhythms and biological clocks creates a logjam of consequences that can disrupt and harm our health. The more the disruption over time, the greater the damage.

Fortunately, you can restore your sleep patterns back to normal and dramatically improve and protect your health quickly by doing so.

If you are experiencing problems with getting the right amount of sleep every night, please try to AVOID the artificial route of prescription drugs such as Valium or Ambien … these can be dangerous for many reasons and addictive.

Instead see our 15 Essential Sleep Tips, and discover the #1 recommended ALL-NATURAL, non-addictive sleep aid, Sleepzyme …


Try a FREE SAMPLE of Sleepzyme,
Nature’s 100 Percent Sleep Aid Today!



Neurobiology of Disease

Science Daily

National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Posted in Conditions, General Health, Insomnia, New, Nutrition, Sleep, Sleepzyme, Supplements | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Certain Music Proven to Speed Up Weight Loss

By admin | Published: January 15, 2012

Music and exercise go together like Batman and Robin.

And now a growing number of studies, many of them under the direction of UK researcher Costas Karageorghis, have shown the benefits go well beyond just enjoying the music.  In short, it has to do with the 3-way synchronization between the motivational tempo of music, exercise, and heart rates.

Among the more intriguing studies: One in which patients exercised on a treadmill while listening to music, ranging from classic rock ballads performed by Queen to pop standards performed by Madonna to the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Listening to the synchronized music improved the endurance of patients by up to 15 percent (and helped them derive more pleasure from exercising too!) Additionally, music helped exercisers feel more positive about their efforts, even when working out near the brink of physical exhaustion.

Deriving a health benefit from listening to music while exercising can be tricky and may vary depending on the tempo, however. Even the slightest change in the speed in which tunes were played — by a mere 10 percent — was enough to increase or decrease performance.

In another study, patients who synchronized their exercise efforts while listening to music used 7 percent less oxygen to do the same amount of work in comparison to having music playing in the background. This equates to a 10 percent drop in perceived effort, meaning it takes less work to get better results!

One important safety tip to remember when you’re rocking out to the music while exercising: maintain a safe volume that won’t harm your hearing. Also, if you prefer running in public spaces (parks, neighborhoods), be sure to set the volume of your MP3 player accordingly so you can be on the lookout for traffic and other hazards.

Just as important to your health as listening to music while exercising, is eating the right foods. With that in mind…

Discover the 5 Odd Foods That Will KILL Your Abdominal Fat.

 

KABC-TV

NPR

Ace Fitness.org

ScienceDaily

MSNBC

WebMD

Posted in Exercise, Fitness, Healthy Eating, New, Nutrition, Weight Loss | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Inversion Table

By admin | Published: January 15, 2012

… What to Look for, What to AVOID

inversion tableIf you’ve been struggling with back or neck pain for some time and have grown tired of conventional drug treatments that only cover up your pain, you may have begun your search for real back pain relief — the kind that actually heals the underlying causes of your pain instead of simply masking your symptoms.

If so, you are not alone.

Many find themselves on a similar journey for lasting pain relief, often after conventional drug, injection and surgery treatments have failed them. If this sounds familiar, you have come to the right place.

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of inversion therapy before; it involves using an inversion table to invert your body at varying degrees of incline (not necessarily completely upside down), providing an antidote of sorts to the pull of gravity that compresses and wears down the discs in your back on an around-the-clock basis.

But, quite possibly, you’ve never explored it further, shrugging it off as a funny-looking “new age” or “quack” treatment. It might give you pause to know that there’s nothing funny, or fraudulent, about inversion therapy — unless you get a laugh out of how long you struggled with back pain when this simple solution existed all along.

Why Might Inversion Therapy be the Back-Pain Solution You’ve Been Waiting For?

Spinal traction, of which inversion therapy is one variety, has been used for many centuries, including by Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine himself, who is said to have hung patients upside down on a ladder for this very purpose.

The effects are deceivingly simple: by hanging upside down, you increase the space between your vertebrae, relaxing the pressure on your discs, ligaments and nerve roots. Increasing intra-vertebral space means reducing pressure on the nerve roots, which means less back pain and less likelihood of nerve root damage. When you oscillate up and down on an inversion table, it creates a pumping action for the fluids around your spinal discs. This forces waste out and draws in fluid around your discs.

Other benefits include:

  • Relaxing muscles and increasing blood flow
  • Helping to realign your spine when used in the long term
  • Improved circulation, flexibility and mobility
  • Better posture — which is key to healing and preventing more back problems in the future

Science Backs Up the Pain-Relieving Power of Inversion Tables

Is it really possible that inverting for a few minutes a few times a week may heal your back pain? Here’s a look at what the research shows:

  1. A study in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found that inverted positioning for short periods significantly increased spinal length and reduced EMG activity (indicating the amount of muscle pain in participants) by 35% — in as little as just 10 seconds after becoming inverted.[i] This study was done over 30 years ago, but many are still missing out on these pain-relieving benefits!
  1. A 1964 study of 175 people who were experiencing back pain bad enough that they were unable to work found that after just 8 inversion treatments, nearly 89% were able to return to their jobs full-time. Improvements in a variety of conditions, including spondylolisthesis, herniated discs, lumbar osteoarthritis with sciatica and others, were reported.[ii]
  1. A 1985 study on the effects of gravity-facilitated traction (inversion) found the therapy produces significant intravertebral separation in lumbar spine. Researchers concluded, “If increases in intervertebral dimensions play a role in the relief of low back syndrome, then gravity-facilitated traction may be an effective moda1i;y in the treatment of this condition.”[iii]
  1. Preliminary research from New Castle University found that patients who were told they needed sciatic operations who performed inversion therapy were 70.5% less likely to require back surgery.[iv]

Even the U.S. Army Physical Fitness School uses inversion therapy for soldiers, and reports that the technique leads to fewer joint-related injuries and back muscle pain.

Why You Want to Avoid Cheap Inversion Tables

Cheap inversion tables that sell for $100 or so at popular chain stores like Walmart are often made from plastic or low-quality metals.

Why does this matter?

Because if the inversion table breaks while you’re using it, it can lead to serious injury, which is the last thing you need when you’re trying to become pain-free. These tables are not only potentially unsafe, but they are often uncomfortable to use. And you know better than anyone that if the table hurts your ankles or is difficult to maneuver, you’re never going to use it, making the table a complete waste of money.

What to Look for in Your Inversion Table

By investing just a little bit more, you can get a high-quality table made from high-carbon steel — which is the ONLY type of metal your inversion table should be made from. The chance of a high-quality inversion table made out of high-carbon steel breaking is probably less than the chances of your car’s steering wheel suddenly falling off while you’re driving.

As the American Iron and Steel Institute explains:[v]

“[High-carbon steel is] steel with more than 0.3% carbon. The more carbon that is dissolved in the iron, the less formable and the tougher the steel becomes. High-carbon steel’s hardness makes it suitable for plow blades, shovels, bedsprings, cutting edges, or other high-wear applications.”

The Healthy Back Institute (HBI) Premium Inversion Table is not only made from high-carbon steel, it also offers multiple special features for superior comfort, safety and ease of use:

  • Easy to reach, long ankle locking bar, which eliminates the need to bend over and secure your ankles in. Unlike other models, this allows you to lock yourself into the inversion table without having to bend your already pain-filled back!
  • Comfortable, durable foam ankle clamps, which help reduce the amount of pressure on your ankles … as well as hold your ankles in securely and safely.
  • Easily adjustable height controls so you can quickly and easily adjust yourself to the table in a matter of seconds … and avoid having to fiddle around with the settings for hours before you even get to try it.
  • Adjustable pivot point handles that allow you to get into position quickly, easily and safely … plus give you a “helping hand” when you’re coming back up!
  • Safety Tether Strap leaves YOU in control of how far inverted you’d like to go … so you’ll feel completely safe and never have to go upside-down if you don’t feel comfortable.
  • Comfortable Black Nylon Fabric helps you relax while you’re inverting.
  • 1-Year Warranty shows you just how confident we are in the safety and sturdiness of our inversion table! Many of our competitors are afraid to even THINK of offering a 1-year warranty because they know their inversion table is cheaply-made and will break by then!
  • High-Carbon Steel Frame provides the sturdiest, most durable and safest frame you can possibly have in an inversion table (about 400% more sturdy than our competitors) … so unlike the majority of other tables you never have to worry about “falling” again!

Thousands of customers have reported back just how thrilled they are with the results of inversion therapy using The Healthy Back Institute (HBI) Premium Inversion Table — but so many others are still missing out!

What are YOU waiting for?

At best, your back pain could be resolved and you can get on with your life without pain … and at worst, you have absolutely nothing to lose, because if you’re not satisfied in 30 days, you can get 100% of your money back plus a $50 gift certificate off of any product we carry. This makes trying out your inversion table absolutely risk-free for you, which is how we want it to be.

You owe it to yourself to live pain-free … and for many, an inversion table provides the solution they’ve been searching for.

Posted in Back Pain, Inversion Table, Inversion Therapy, New, Products, Treatments | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Pinched Nerve

By admin | Published: January 12, 2012

… What You Really Need to Know

pinched nerveIf you’ve been feeling “pins and needles” in your hands or feet, numbness or frequent sensations that your extremities have “fallen asleep,” you may have been told you have a “pinched nerve.” This commonly used term can describe a variety of conditions that occur when a nerve receives too much pressure from surrounding tissues, bone or cartilage, in essence “pinching” it and preventing the nerve from transmitting electrical signals properly.

Eventually, excess pressure on your nerves can cause them to stop working entirely, which is what leads to feelings of numbness or muscle weakness. Initially, however, tingling, burning and shooting pains are common — even in areas you may not associate with a pinched nerve.

Pinched Nerves Can Cause Wide-Reaching Pain

For instance, neck and back pain are often associated with a pinched nerve due to inflammation and pressure on the nerve root as it exits your spine. However, a pinched nerve in your back can also cause pain to radiate outward through your buttocks and spine. So pain in your calf could actually indicate a pinched nerve in your back. Likewise, a pinched nerve in your neck may cause pain to radiate down your arm. Sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, and slipped, prolapsed, bulging or ruptured discs are all conditions associated with pinched nerves in various locations.

It’s important to realize, however, that a pinched nerve is generally a symptom of an underlying problem, not a “disease” in and of itself. For instance, a herniated disc in your back can “pinch” a nerve in your spine, or arthritis of the spine may lead to bone spurs that in turn create increased pressure or “pinching” of the surrounding nerves.

Further, many of the underlying causes of back pain, including muscle imbalances, poor posture, repetitive stresses, injury and obesity, are identical to those that create the “perfect storm” of conditions to put your nerves under enough pressure to cause pain.

As with many back pain issues, this is not a problem that occurs overnight, even if your symptoms came on suddenly.

Are You at Risk of Permanent Nerve Damage?

As long as you recognize the problem and get proper treatment that addresses the underlying problem, you can recover fully from a pinched nerve. However, if you simply rely on symptom relief, without relieving the inflammation and pressure on your nerves, irreversible damage can occur. As the Mayo Clinic states:[i]

“ … pressure causes inflammation of the nerve and disrupts the nerve’s function. If a nerve is pinched for only a short time, there’s typically no permanent damage. Once the pressure is relieved, nerve function returns to normal. However, if the pressure continues, chronic pain and permanent nerve damage can occur.” 

If you are experiencing sharp or burning pain, tingling, muscle weakness or twitching, numbness or feelings that a hand or foot has “fallen asleep,” excess pressure on a nerve could be to blame, and it’s important to act quickly to get a proper diagnosis. As the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes points out:[ii]

“Early diagnosis is important to prevent further damage or complications.”

Temporary pain relief can be used in the short-term, ideally in a form that will not expose you to serious side effects. Hot and cold therapy or Rub on Relief, a cream that contains only natural healing ingredients, are examples of therapies to help you safely relieve pain.

As far as treatment goes, there are no pills, creams or injections that can create postural balance in your body, which is what is necessary to reduce the pressure on the nerve and restore its proper function.

Looking for a Free Treasure Trove of Pinched Nerve and Back Care Tips?

If you are tired of living with back pain, you came to the right place. By subscribing to the Web’s Best Back Pain Newsletter using the “Subscribe Now” button in the upper right corner of this page, you’ll receive the information you need to get lasting relief for your pinched nerve symptoms — and it’s all for free.

You truly have nothing to lose by signing up today, other than that nagging ache or tingling in your back or leg. As we mentioned, there are no prescription drugs or injections on the market that will get to the root of your pain; even surgery is not a permanent solution because without addressing the underlying imbalances, the pain is likely to return!

What you need to be considering instead — which you can learn about in detail in our newsletter — are options your conventional doctor may not have told you about, options like Muscle Balance Therapy,™ which addresses both the pain of a pinched nerve and the root of the problem — in other words, what’s causing the pressure in the first place.

Through strategic body assessments, your individual muscle imbalances can be identified. Once that is done, a very targeted corrective program can be designed for your specific needs! Likewise, there are specific exercises you can learn to strengthen muscles and help relieve pressure on the affected nerve. Trigger points, tiny contraction knots in your muscles and tissues that develop when an area of your body is injured or over-worked, can also be involved in pinched-nerve related conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow. And in that case, Trigger Point Therapy can be a very effective form of lasting self-treatment.

The bottom line is that your back pain, whether it’s due to a pinched nerve caused by arthritis or a ruptured disc, or the result of years of poor posture or overwork, is unique, and as such may not benefit from a “cookie-cutter” pharmaceutical or surgical approach. Real and proven solutions that will address your underlying postural or muscular imbalances is often much more effective, and those are what you will get in every issue of the FREE LosetheBackPain.com newsletter below!

 

[ii] National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes, Pinched Nerve Information Page

Posted in Back Pain, Muscle Balance Therapy, New, Products, Rub on Relief, Sciatica, Treatments, Trigger Point Therapy | Tagged | Leave a comment

The 10 Most FILLING Healthy Foods

By admin | Published: January 12, 2012

 

Filling Healthy Foods

Enjoy a filling, healthy meal without the guilt!

If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, finding the right kind of foods to eat is essential. Many dieters have discovered that a diet of the most filling foods can help them eat less.

Are you struggling to reach your weight loss goal? Can a diet of the most filling foods help? Yes, but remember, filling doesn’t necessarily mean healthy. Your diet should focus on the most filling healthy foods.

  • Fiber rich foods are a good choice because they make you feel full on less volume, preventing you from overeating.
  • Foods rich in protein are another good choice. Protein provides staying power by helping keep blood sugar levels from spiking too high or falling too low between meals.
  • Include the healthiest fats such as avocado, nuts, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon and sardines to give you a feeling of fullness.
  • The chemical compound of foods can determine how satisfying they are. Beans and lentils contain anti-nutrients which delay their absorption and make you feel full longer.
  • Foods naturally rich in water can also make you feel full also, but for a shorter period of time.

Some of the most filling foods include sweets and bad fats … but of course try to SKIP them. Instead, choose from among these filling healthy foods during and between meals to help keep you full throughout the day.

#1:  Eggs – Start your day with eggs. Studies show that eating eggs for breakfast can help in your weight battle. Women who ate eggs for breakfast lost more weight than those who had bagels with the same number of calories. The protein will keep your hunger in check and provide lots of energy.

#2:  Berries – Get more staying power. Berries are some of the highest fiber fruits around. One cup of raspberries has 8 grams of fiber, twice what you’d get in an apple, for only 65 calories (a medium apple has 95 calories and only 4.4 grams of fiber). Frozen berries are available year round, so add them to protein shakes or yogurt for a filling meal or snack.

#3:  Vegetable soup – Start your meal with soup. Vegetable soup is low in calories, broth-based and full of high-fiber foods. You’ll be satisfied with a smaller portion of your main meal. Homemade soups are great to make when you have time, then freeze for a quick meal when you need it.

#4:  Whole Fruits – Whole fruit is a tasty and filling healthy food. They’re high in fiber, which contributes to fullness. Especially juicy fruits such as watermelons, peaches, and grapes also have high water content, which gives you a feeling of fullness. Plus, most whole fruits are loaded with vitamins and minerals.

#5:  Fish –  Fish is one of the most concentrated sources of protein and is healthy in so many respects. Unfortunately fish today can be highly contaminated with toxins, so be sure to choose a safe fish to eat.

#6:  Black Beans – Toss them into a soup or salad. Beans are high in fiber and are another good source of protein. A half-cup of black beans will give you about 8 grams of protein along with 8 grams of fiber. Don’t overlook navy, pinto, and kidney beans, which are all healthy, filling and satisfying as well.

 #7:  Broccoli – Load up. Vegetables are filling foods because they’re full of calorie-free fiber and water. Broccoli is one of the highest fiber vegetables. One cup of chopped cooked broccoli has 6 grams of fiber and only 50 calories, making broccoli a terrific hunger-busting food. Other vegetables to incorporate into your diet include kale, spinach, dark green lettuces, mushrooms, and carrots.

#8:  Oats – Avoid feeling famished. Oatmeal for breakfast provides enough energy to last until lunch. Oats are one of the most filling natural foods due to their fiber content. More importantly for feeling full, they are rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber that absorbs water and expands in your stomach.

#9:  Nuts – Go crazy for nuts. A handful of nuts or seeds between meals are a great way to keep hunger pangs away. Nuts are high in protein and provide healthy fats. Both protein and fats contribute to fullness because your body processes them slowly. An ounce of nuts a day can help keep you feeling satisfied.

#10:  Quinoa – Try this high protein grain. Quinoa stands out among grains because it has more protein than most grains, about 8 grams per cup. Grains are great filling foods because they are loaded with fiber. Barley and bulgur are also great choices, with 31.2g and 25.6g of fiber per serving respectively.

The Best Healthy Filling Foods for Losing Weight

A diet full of filling healthy foods is the perfect start to cutting calories and losing weight. So, reach for those foods rich in protein, fiber, omega-3 fats, and a healthy supply of water and you’re well on your way.

Now if you want the very best results for losing weight, you should also take the next step: include foods that cause accelerated fat burning in your body and exclude foods that prevent fat burning.

That’s why I like Isabel De Los Rios’ program, The Diet Solution. She helps you put healthy foods together that both keep you full and supercharges your fat burning process. In fact, it can help you burn off 10% of your unwanted body fat in just 30 days… and continue working until you finally get the slim body you’ve always wanted.

Besides that, The Diet Solution will…

  • Put your metabolism on fat burning auto pilot.
  • Show you exactly how much to eat … with no calorie counting.
  • Teach you the best carbs to eat for fat loss.
  • Use real, delicious and healthy foods for maximum fat loss results.

If you’re tired of going hungry, sick of eating boring diet food, and want a fat loss strategy that finally keeps you motivated, The Diet Solution is what you’ve been waiting for.

Try the Diet Solution Today!

 

Posted in Healthy Eating, New, Nutrition | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

8 Health Warnings Your Fingernails May Be Sending

By admin | Published: January 11, 2012

Healthy Fingernails
Are your fingernails healthy, or
sending you a health warning?

Fingernails and disease don’t go together in most minds… but they should. Your fingernails can give you valuable health warnings and signal the presence of serious disease.

Take a good long look at your nails. Hold a hand level with your nose about a foot out from your face and scrutinize each one.

Look at the curves, dips, ridges, and grooves. Check out how thick or thin they are and if your nails are chipped or broken. Make a note of the color of the nail itself, the skin under it, and the skin around the nail.

Check your memory – have your nails always looked like this? Changes to your fingernails and disease onset are linked, so note any new developments. With this fresh view, compare what you see with this list of eight potential fingernail health warnings.

 1. Discolored nails

A healthy fingernail should be pink with a touch of pinkish white (moons) near the base. If your nails are a dull color or streaked with other colors, you may have a serious hidden health problem.

  • Green nails are a sign of bacterial infection
  • Red streaks in your nail bed are a warning of a heart valve infection
  • Blueish nails signal low oxygen levels in your blood
  • Dull nails mean a vitamin deficiency
  • White nails may signal liver disease, such as hepatitis
  • Dark stripes at the top (Terry’s nails) are associated with aging and congestive heart failure

Scrub those nails clean and really look at your nail color! Given the “rainbow” of potential health challenges, you want to be sure you see what your fingers are saying.

2. Thick nails

Thick nails are not natural. You want your nails to be strong, but if they resemble talons or claws more than traditional nails watch out!

  • Thickened nails that are otherwise normal can signal lung disease
  • Thick and rough-textured nails can signal a fungal infection
  • Thick and separated nails may mean thyroid disease or psoriasis
  • Unusual thickness may also be a symptom of a circulation problem

Thickening nails are a change that should tune you in to other health symptoms you may be ignoring. Also watch out for allergic reactions to new medications which can show up as suddenly thick nails!

3. Split nails

Split nails aren’t just occasionally chipped or shut in doors. Instead, these nails seem to flake away in layers. Don’t blame frequent handwashing or nail polish for everything, especially since:

  • Split nails result from folic acid, Vitamin C, and protein deficiencies
  • Split nails combined with a pitted nail bed (base) can signal psoriasis, which begins in nails 10% of the time according to WebMD
  • Split nails may result from chronic malnutrition

Watch what you eat and check the psoriasis connection to fight back and pay more attention to your health overall.

4.Concave (Spoon) nails

Spoon fingernails signal a number of internal issues. To be considered full spoons, nails will be soft and curve up, forming a dip that is often big enough to hold water. Spoon nails signal:

  • Iron deficiency (usually from anemia)
  • Hemachromatosis, a liver disorder where your body absorbs too much iron
  • Heart disease
  • Hypothyroidism

Your fingernail and health challenges go hand in hand – for many people, clearing up their health issue results in their spoon nails returning back to normal.

5. Pitted nails

Small dips or holes in your nails can be a result of banging up your hands – or they could be a sign that you need to look more closely at your health. Nail pitting can signal:

  • Psoriasis
  • Connective tissue disorder
  • Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss
  • Zinc deficiency (when the pit seems to form a line across the middle of your nail)

Watch your hand to separate natural dents and dings from real, lasting pits. The first will clear up quickly, but pits linked to disease linger.

6. Ridges

Nails should have smooth surfaces with almost imperceptible lines. Obvious ridge lines are a signal that something is up with your body. Some of the most common conditions associated with heavy ridge lines are:

  • Iron deficiency
  • Inflammatory arthritis
  • Lupus (for red lines at the base of your nails)

Don’t just buff away your ridges – hear their warning!

7. Dry, brittle nails

You don’t need lotion or cuticle oil. If your nails are dry and brittle, you should check your hormone levels and bacterial health.

  • Thyroid disease leads to brittle, dry fingernails that crack and split easily
  • Fungus can make nails dry or even crumbly, affecting 12% of all Americans according to the American Academy of Dermatology

Both thyroid and fungal issues take time to treat, so you won’t see a difference in the look of your fingernails for a full growth cycle.

8. Clubbed nails

If you have plump skin that seems to swell around the nail, or if your nails seem to have puffed around your fingers, they are said to be “clubbed”. Clubbed nails can mean:

  • Lung disease, especially if you already have trouble breathing
  • Inflammatory bowel disease
  • Liver disease
  • AIDS

Your fingernails won’t be the only signs of these diseases, but they can provide confirmation or motivation to seek medical care.

Don’t ignore your hands or the health warnings they send. Fingernails and disease are more closely related than you think – check your nails often to protect your health!

If You Thought Your Fingernails Had Something Important to Say…

You’ll Be Amazed By These 6 Blood Tests That May Save Your Life

 

References

Trimarchi, M. Top 5 Things Your Nails Say About Your Health. Discovery Health.

Mayo Clinic. Slide Show: 7 Fingernail Problems Not to Ignore. 2011 Dec 8.

Rauh, S. Healthy Fingernails: Clues About Your Health. WebMD.

Danoff, R. Can Fingernails Indicate a Health Problem? MSN Health.

Wikipedia. Nail Disease.

Posted in General Health, New | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Massage Rollers – The Top Recommended & Why

By admin | Published: January 11, 2012

Lower Back Massage Roller
Massage rollers are an
inexpensive back pain solution

Massage rollers are inexpensive, effective tools that reduce muscle pain.

They’re also the ultimate “sleeper product” when it comes to massage for back pain.

Marketing for other forms of massage therapy abound. A glamorous trip to the day spa, hours under the care of a qualified local therapist, massage chairs, massage cushions, and even home massage machines are promoted more than rollers.

Body builders, elite athletes, and CEOs around the world swear by the effectiveness of massage for relieving aches, pains, and stress. But with a quality massage roller you can enjoy the benefits of massage for life – at a tiny fraction of the price.

Today I’ll share exactly what a massage roller is, what you should look for in one, and offer my recommendation for the best massage roller we’ve tested yet at the Healthy Back Institute.

What is a massage roller?

Massage rollers look like oversized foam-covered tubes. They come in smooth or bumpy textures and need to be strong enough to work with your body weight when used as back massage rollers and large muscle massagers.

The technology behind massage rollers is simple. By moving your body back and forth over the roller, you put your own weight to work as pressure to loosen up tight muscles and treat myofascial tension. The effect is similar to a kneading or deep tissue massage, but you’re in complete control since you control your body movements while using the roller.

Why use a massage roller?

“It helps stiff muscles relax and breaks down scar tissue, and improves your range of motion,” Mike Robertson, M.S., C.S.C.S., co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training told Men’s Health.

Research backs that up too. One recent study published in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork found using massage rollers for self-care increases healing and mobility while reducing pain in patients who have undergone ACL or knee replacement surgery.

Of course, one of the best reasons to use massage rollers for pain relief is you’re not taking drugs, so you don’t have to deal with dangerous drug side effects. In fact, the #1 side effect of massage rollers is a little muscle soreness – the same soreness you’d get after an intense massage session from a practitioner skilled in myofascial release.

Massage rollers can be very time effective treatments for pain, too. A session with a massage roller might last two or three minutes. That’s it. You feel the results fast because you target one specific area at a time. As a result, back massage rollers can provide pain relief in under 5 minutes vs. 60 minutes or more for a traditional massage with a therapist. You can loosen up tight hamstrings, quads, calves and even your IT Band in minutes after a long day, or start your morning with a massage treat to loosen up your major muscle groups.

For many pain sufferers, one of the key reasons to go with a massage roller is cost. Massage rollers are a one-time investment in unlimited self-care – as opposed to paying over and over to see a chiropractor, physical therapist, or massage therapist. Thousands of dollars vs. less than $100 for a great at-home experience that will last for years? That’s an easy choice for many.

How to use a massage roller

Using a massage roller is simple – you’ll figure it out in under a minute on your own, but here’s my “official” set of general instructions:

  • Choose the part of your body you want to massage
  • Place the massager under that body part
  • Roll your body over the massager along those muscles, using your body weight to break up muscle pain
  • Drink a glass of water to help flush away the trapped toxins that come out of your muscles when you break up muscle knots and stimulate your natural circulation with the massage

What to look for in a good massage roller

A good massage roller can be a life-long friend for your muscles … if you choose correctly. You want to be sure you get a massager made from the sturdy materials and molded into the right shape to give you the best results.

Massage rollers are inexpensive, but if you buy a super-cheap model that falls apart or loses its shape after a handful of uses, you’re not really getting much value from your investment. That’s probably the #1 complaint about massage rollers – and they’re usually from customers who buy the cheapest roller in the store.

You want something strong and firm pushing back against your muscles as you roll, especially in rollers designed to be used as back massage rollers since most of your body weight will be pushing on the roller during your session. Look for high-quality foam that’s not overly porous in a sturdy tube form.

Next, carefully consider the shape. Many basic massage rollers are smooth from one end to the other, but others are deliberately lumped or bumpy. Smooth rollers give an okay massage, but bumped rollers will push more deeply into your tissue to break up difficult to reach knots and stimulate muscle tissue. It also help you hit more of your trigger points and get faster pain relief.

I’ve lost track of how many muscle rollers we’ve tested over the years, but we finally found one that stood up to our rigorous testing to ensure sustained massage benefit use after use and earn the Healthy Back Institute Seal of Approval. It’s called the Bumpy Roller.

Most soft massage rollers we’ve tested are probably better suited as a pool noodle than a massage device. But the Bumpy Roller features 200 extra-strong bumps for the most effective trigger point release we’ve found yet in a massage roller.

And the funny thing is, the Bumpy Roller costs less than many of the “high-end” massage rollers we’ve tested that didn’t do half the job. So if you’re looking for a great massage roller for just about any form of muscle pain, the Bumpy Roller gets my highest recommendation.

Get the Bumpy Roller Today at a Special Discount!

 

References

Free Your Muscles. Men’s Health.

Zalta, J. Massage Therapy Protocol for Post-Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome: A Case Report. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, Vol 1:2 2008.

Posted in Massage Therapy, New, Treatments | Tagged , | 1 Comment

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