The most common injury sustained to tendons and ligaments is due to overuse of them in a specific area. Overuse causes tiny tears in the tissue which is known as tendinosis; this can occur from playing sports, high intensity exercising, and repetitive motions of the tissue on a daily basis. Tendons and ligaments are difficult to heal because they do not receive a good supply of blood. The fibers and tissue that make up tendons and ligaments is poorly vascular. They are composed of dense regular connective tissue. This type of connective tissue is composed of tightly packed collagen fibers which make tendons and ligaments extremely strong and able to withstand a lot of force and stress however when they do tear or become injured, they do not receive the beneficial healing factors that blood provides.

Our blood is made up of three components: red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma. Plasma is mostly water however it also contains the proteins albumin, globulin, and fibrinogen. Fibrinogen is what assists with blood clotting: when a clot needs to be formed at a site of injury, fibrinogen turns into fibrin which then acts as a sticky net that catches platelets around the area that is bleeding. In the past, platelets were only recognized as being able to form blood clots, however now we know that they are actually responsible for so much more. When platelets become activated, meaning they start to clot, they release proteins and growth factors through organelles called granules. The growth factors that are released stimulate cell replication, collagenase activity, angiogenesis, and fibroblast activity.

We now know that the stimulation of these growth factors also attracts macrophages which promotes the removal of dead tissue and helps with repairing tissue and wounds. The majority of the proteins released are done within an hour of activation however platelets continue to produce proteins and growth factors for the next several days.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy utilizes the natural healing factors that blood has on injured tissue and wounds and delivers it to parts of the body that are poorly vascular. PRP therapy is typically done in a doctor’s office. The first step of the process is drawing the patient’s blood; usually 30-60 ml is taken. Once the blood is drawn, it is placed in a centrifuge which then separates the blood into its component parts. The plasma and a small amount of red blood cells are then extracted from the sample. Calcium chloride is added to the sample which activates the platelets to release their growth factors and proteins as well as turns the fibrinogen in the plasma into fibrin; in essence, the addition of calcium chloride “tricks” the platelets and plasma into thinking a clot needs to be formed. Once the sample is ready, the area on the patient where the PRP is going to be injected is given lidocaine to numb the area. In some cases the injection is done under ultrasound guidance but not always. The entire process of receiving PRP injections takes about 30 minutes. The patient is able to go on with their day but asked not to do anything strenuous. In most cases the patient will receive 3-6 injections over a year’s time.

When people experience damage to their tendons and ligaments, they often are taking anti-inflammatory medications which can lead to peptic ulcers if taken over a long period of time. Sometimes a doctor will recommend a cortisone injection however these are not always the safest when there is a tendon involved; the cortisone can actually cause the tendon to rupture. PRP therapy is more beneficial than these options because it attempts to heal the injury instead of mask the pain and there almost no safety concerns. PRP therapy has become quite popular in professional sports because of these benefits. Alex Rodriguez, Kobe Bryant, and Tiger Woods are among a growing list of professional athletes who have received PRP injections. More studies are being done to see if PRP therapy can help heal other areas of the body, including wounds and bone degeneration.

References
Sampson, Steven, Michael Gerhardt, and Bert Mandelbaum. “Platelet Rich Plasma Injection Grafts for Musculoskeletal Injuries: A Review.” PubMed Central. The National Center for Biotechnology Information, 16 July 2008. Web. 27 Apr. 2012.

Wroblewski, Andrew P., Hector A. Mejina, and Vonda J. Wright. “Application of Platelet- Plasma to Enhance Tissue Repair.” Operative Techniques in Orthopaedics (2010): 98- 105. ScienceDirect. Web. 28 Apr. 2012.

Colletti, Thomas. “Well-designed clinical studies are needed, as well as policies and protocols: platelet-rich plasma: effective treatment for sports injuries?” The Journalof Musculoskeletal Medicine 28.5 (2011): 185. Academic OneFile. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

In 1966 the Surgeon General has required the tobacco companies to put health warnings on the packs of cigarettes. In 1987, they went on to include all oral tobacco products, such as chew. In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration announced new prominent, larger and colorful health warnings. Also, included on the health warnings, is a smoking hotline number to call. (Cancer.org)

In 1971, the Federal Government banned the advertisement of cigarettes over the radio and television. Since the ban has been in place, some states have come up with there own anti smoking messages. They can be found on such places as billboards, and radio announcements and television commercials. Tobacco companies have also come up with there own anti smoking messages. Or, that’s what they appear to be. But, they actually encourage you the consumer to be more tolerant towards the tobacco companies. (Cancer.org)
In 2009, a new bill was introduced called the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. In late October this bill became law. The law gives the Food and Drug Administration the control to regulate all tobacco products and marketing strategies in the United States. One of the goals of this law was the restriction of marketing and advertising of tobacco and tobacco related products. Ads that contained color, characters, and displays for stores were no longer allowed and considered illegal. Only ads that contained black and white text were allowed. Then in 2010, tobacco companies had restrictions on where they could market their product. They were no longer allowed to advertise tobacco products within 1000 ft. of any school or playground. (Cancer.org)

Taxes have increased in almost every state on tobacco related products over the years. The increased cost has shown to discourage to not to start smoking and to encourage current smokers to quit. As of 2011, the federal tax on a pack of cigarettes is $1.01 per pack. Then you add in the state taxes, which can vary from state to state. In the state of Missouri the state tax on a pack if cigarettes, is .17 cents. However, in New York it is $4.35 per pack. (Cancer.org)

Now that the toxic health effects of smoking are known. The laws have become stricter around the United States and the World. Cigarette smoking is the number 1 preventable cause of death and disease around the world. People who smoke account for 193 billion dollars in healthcare costs and loss of productivity from work. That’s an average of $4,000 per adult smoker. (American Lung Association.org)

All 50 states in the Union have laws that either restrict or ban smoking in certain public places. Laws can range from simple restrictions, such as, designated smoking areas in restaurants or areas designated outside, to laws that have banned all smoking in what are considered public places. Such as Medical Centers, schools, even parks. All federal buildings across the country are now required to be smoke free. (American Lung Association.org)

Eventually, I believe that, there will be either no place for anyone to smoke or that the taxes will be so high, then people won’t have a choice but, to quit smoking.

Works Cited
American Lung Association.org N.p, n.d. Web. 10 Apr 2012. <>.
Cancer.org. N.p, 21 November 2011. Web. 10 April 2012.

Let’s start with Beef.  Cows are natural ruminants, with a diet consisting of grass and legumes that they forage for in pastures.  During the 1970s, there was an excess of corn in America. Farmers began to feed this excess to their cows. This has become the standard for the beef that you find in supermarkets today. As a result of eating inferior food, the meat from cows fed grain has also become inferior on a nutritional level. When cattle are fed a diet rich in grass and legumes versus a diet of grains, they are healthier cows, which translates into healthier meat for you and me. Grass-fed beef is lower in fat; thereby lowering their caloric density. In fact, grass-fed beef has about the same amount of fat as skinless chicken breasts. Grass-fed meat has higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin. CLA has been proven to reduce tumor growth and lower a person’s risk for breast cancer. Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce high blood pressure and risk of having a heart attack. People with a diet rich in omega-3s are less likely suffer from depression, ADHD, schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s. 

Poultry and eggs have been mass-produced by large companies for decades. Hens are kept in hothouse, usually in the dark, in despicable conditions. Besides the inhumane treatment of these animals, there are also many health benefits of eating pastured poultry and their eggs. When hens are kept inside and deprived on greens, their meat becomes low in omega-3 fatty acid, which passes on to their eggs. Pastured eggs are vastly superior to eggs produced in dark hothouses. They have 1/3 of the cholesterol, ¼ saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A, 3 times more vitamin E, 7 times more beta carotene and 3-6 times more vitamin D.  This also applies to the chicken and the poultry that the eggs come from. 

Another growing concern of many Americans is the overuse of antibiotics and hormones in the meat that they are eating.  In a recent study, 47% of meat and poultry that you can find at your local grocery store is contaminated with a strain of staphylococcus aureus (Staph) that is resistant to antibiotics. It has been found that the source of this staph is from the animals themselves, not from mistreatment of the processed meat. Staph should be killed with proper cooking techniques, but this still presents a danger to consumers through improper handling or cross-contamination. This strain of staph is most likely resistant to antibiotics because cattle are routinely given antibiotics to promote growth, even if they aren’t sick. This is called sub therapeutic. Hormones are also under scrutiny for the safe use in animals. Hormones are given to young animals to make them gain weight rapidly before slaughter or too increase milk production. As much as 80% of U.S. cattle are routinely given hormones. These hormones are temperature stable, and do not break down at high temperatures. That means that even after cooking your meat, you are still ingesting these hormones. Studies so far into the dangers of consuming hormones through food are still in their infancy, but there has been evidence that it can lead to early onset of puberty, growth of breasts in both young boys and girls, and increase the risk for breast cancer.

All-in-all, eating meat from animals that are treated humanely and given the proper nutrition and exercise can greatly improve your health. Choosing meat that is rich in vitamins and minerals lowers your risk of suffering with serious illnesses as you get older. Will you make the change?

Works Cited

Smit, Liesbeth A, Ana Baylin, and Hannia Campos. 2010. Conjugated linoleic acid in adipose tissue and risk of myocardial infarction. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published ahead of print, May 12, 2010.

S.K. Duckett et al, Journal of Animal Science, (published online) June 2009, “Effects of winter stocker growth rate and finishing system on: III. Tissue proximate, fatty acid, vitamin and cholesterol content.”

Lopez-Bote et al, “Effect of free-range feeding on omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-tocopherol content and oxidative stability of eggs.” Animal Feed Science and Technology, 1998

Simopoulos and Robinson, The Omega Diet, HarperCollins, 1999

We are allowing our kids to not only play on our phones daily, but also getting them their own phones at much younger ages. Their ability to navigate a phone is uncanny at their ages. It may help us to reach them when they are not around, but what about the negative effects. The level of communication between kids, is little to none. The ability to work out problems face to face anymore is unheard of. It is all done over a text message, phone call, or a social networking program. Social skills are failing, communication is failing, phones make it easy to get away with having poor social skills.

Quality time is not the same between loved ones. Going out to lunch with your significant other involves checking your phone, checking the score to the game, texting other friends, avoiding any type of conversation, do to the attention of our phones. Dinner with our family members involves having our phones with us at all times. There is not one day you can drive down the road, or walk into the store without seeing people on their phones for some reason. There has been many times I have gone out to eat, and saw a couple sitting at the table, both on their phones and no words being exchanged between the two of them. It hinders the strength of a relationship. Our phones have our memo notes, calendar, internet, contacts, everything we need in life, in one hand help gadget. That would explain the shock from the study done on the affects of our phones and addiction.

Martin Lindstrom did an experiment to test if our addiction to our phones, is like the addiction to drugs or alcohol. He gathered together, 8 men and 8 women between the ages of 18-25. They were put through an fMRI to study brain function of audio and video of a vibrating and ringing iPhone. The study showed stimulation in both the audio and visual parts of the brain. When they saw the phone ringing, they also heard it, and when they heard the phone ringing, they also saw it. That is not even the most shocking. When the study was being done, the amount of activity in the insular cortex of the brain, which controls feelings of love, was very active. They responded to the sounds and sights of their phones ringing, as they would the sound and sight of a loved one. We love our phones. Our brain proves it.

The study showed that the normal activity in the brain of an addict was not portrayed, rather someone in love was the answer. For many people our phones are our lifelines, our everything. We feel “naked” or “anxious” without it, or when it dies. As our phones become more and more convenient, at a younger age, the compassion for our phones will only grow worse. Will we be able to hold onto a relationship?

Will we be able to feel, or have love, or will all we need is our phones? Time will only tell the extent the human race will go for our cell phones.

Works Cited

Lindstrom, Martin. “You Love Your iPhone. Literally.” NYTimes. 30 September 2011. Web. 12 April 2012.

Written by: Krista Pucci

While there are many ways to slice and dice the data, such as by race, economics, geography, etc., there are some factors that have impacted children all across the board.

The food marketplace and how it has changed in the past 30 years is one of the factors contributing to this obesity problem. Fast food is much more prevalent in our culture and more widely available today. These establishments typically offer calorie-dense, low-nutrition meals which are relatively inexpensive compared to healthy alternatives. In addition to being affordable, the portion sizes for these items have increase substantially over the years. Researches Lisa Young and Marion Nestle have documented the increases in portion sizes over the years and have determined that portions from the 1970s through the 1990s for 181 fast-foods and convenience foods have increased more than 60 times. Prior to the 1970s, those same food items had only increased portion sizes 5 times in a 10 year time frame.2 Along with those fast food meals and other meals eaten outside of the home; soda is the drink of choice for many children. Consumption of soda has increased along with portion sizes. The amount of soda being consumed by children who are soda drinkers has increased by 50% since the 1970s.3 When all the food marketplace information is put together, it shows that children are consuming far more calories than they were three decades ago and many of those calories are coming from food sources with low nutritional value.

Another contributing factor is the physical environment and how it is designed. Many children now live in sprawling suburbs which were designed with automobiles being the only mode of transportation considered. Sidewalks and bike trails are almost non-existent with residential streets leading into high-volume, multi-lane thoroughfares which are unsafe for pedestrian traffic. Schools, shopping and other activities are often located well outside of walking distance for most suburban dwellers. Researchers have found that residents of “highly-walkable” neighborhoods had roughly 70 minutes more physical activity than people living in areas that were not conducive to walking. 4

Schools are also partially to blame for the increase in childhood obesity rates. While school lunches must meet the US Department of Agriculture’s nutritional standards, the “competitive foods” they sell a la carte and in vending machines do not. These foods are often high-calorie, low-nutrition snack foods such as crackers, potato chips, candy bars and soft drinks. Sales of these foods, which compete with the regulated school lunches, are often very lucrative for the schools. For example, in 2003-2004, nearly 25% of high schools and middle schools selling competitive foods through a la carte lines generated over $50,000 in revenue from these sales. The extra calories being consumed through these foods are not being expended at school due to a change in the amount of recess/free play time and the decreased focus on physical education classes. As schools struggle to meet government requirements for standardized test scores and regulations such as the No Child Left Behind Act, there has been an increased focus on academics and a reduction in physical activities. For example, since 1989, 40% of elementary schools have reduced or eliminated recess.5

Lastly, parents have a big impact on the weight of their children. Genetics play an important role in determining a child’s predisposition toward obesity. One study estimates that 25-40% of a child’s body mass index can be attributed to heredity.6 However, genetics are only part of the parental equation. Today, many families require both parents be employed just to make ends meet. Families with “stay-at-home-moms” are much less common than they were in the 1970s and that may help explain the increase in fast food and convenience food consumption.7 When both parents work, there is less time for preparation of nutritious foods at home. Children also learn by example and if parents are choosing the wrong foods, children will be more likely to do the same when the situation presents itself to them.

In summary, there are many factors contributing to childhood obesity today with some of the most important discussed here. To change the disturbing upward trend in obesity rates, a multi-faceted approach is necessary. This will require cooperation between schools, parents, government agencies and food producers. Unfortunately, many of these groups have conflicting interests which will likely prevent the necessary changes from happening any time soon.
In the meantime, parents can help by eating fewer meals away from home and preparing nutritious dinners whenever possible. Also, teaching children the importance of eating healthy foods as opposed to junk food may give them a bit of motivation for choosing wisely when faced with food options away from home.
Works Cited
1 Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, “Overweight and Obesity: NHANES Surveys” http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/data.html

2 Lisa R. Young and Marion Nestle, “The Contribution of Expanding Portion Sizes to the U.S. Obesity Epidemic,” American Journal of Public Health 92 (2002): 246–249

3 Simone A. French, Bing-Hwan Lin, and Joanne Guthrie, “National Trends in Soft Drink Consumption
among Children and Adolescents Age 6 to 17 Years: Prevalence, Amounts, and Sources, 1977/1978 to
1994/1998,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 103 (2003): 1326–1331

4 Brian E. Saelens and others, “Neighborhood-Based Differences in Physical Activity: An Environment
Scale Evaluation,” American Journal of Public Health 93 (2003) http://www.ipenproject.org/documents/publications_docs/Saelens.pdf

5 National Association of Early Childhood Development Specialists in State Departments of Education, “Recess and the Importance of Play, A Position Statement on Young Children and Recess” (2001): 3 http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED463047.pdf

6 World Health Organization, “Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic—Report of the
WHO Consultation on Obesity” (Geneva: WHO, 1997)

7 Patricia M. Anderson, Kristin F. Butcher, and Philip B. Levine, “Maternal Employment and Overweight
Children,” Journal of Health Economics 22 (2003): 477–504

So what can you do if you are over the age of 40, female (males also), don’t have a lot of muscle and have overweight parents because of low metabolism. The answer is really simple – exercise!!!! I know easier said than done but the only way you are going to change your metabolism is to change your body. Once you change your body, your metabolism is higher and you will burn more calories at rest (not doing a thing).

Do aerobic exercises that burn calories in the short term and strength train to burn calories over a longer time. Muscle burns more calories than fat (35 cals/day to 2 cals/day at rest), thus the more muscle the more calories you burn the less fat you will have. Also when you have more muscle you burn more calories while working out and during the recovery time after a workout. Keeping the digestive system working also keeps metabolism up. So you should eat more often (not more calories) to keep the engine running. Snack on high fiber and high protein foods, they tend require more energy to digest over a longer period of time.

So the excuse of low metabolism is not an legitimate excuse (unless it is a documented thyroid issue) plus it is something that can be overcome with WORK. The best way to keep metabolism revved: build muscles, snack on low-calorie, high-protein foods, and keep moving!

Make the most of the day you are given.

The best way to fight heart disease is through changes in diet and life style. However, the reality is that people have trouble making those changes. Drinking a plant sterol-fortified orange juice beverage is a relatively simple thing to do and it may have important preventative effects.

Devaraj and Ishwarlal Jialal, UC Davis professor of medicine and pathology, first showed the cholesterol-reducing effects of adding plant sterols to a nonfat beverage in 2004. The current findings support the idea of using plant sterols to improve health. Plant cholesterols known as sterols, recognized for their cholesterol-lowering power when added to margarines, salad dressings and other fats, also have been found to be effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein, or “bad cholesterol” levels, when added to orange juice.

Now, UC Davis researchers have found that twice-daily servings of a reduced-calorie orange juice beverage fortified with plant sterols also reduce levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation and an accepted risk marker for heart disease. To help individuals reduce their risk of heart disease, both American Heart Association and the National Cholesterol Education Program recommend a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in soluble fiber and plant sterols. Sterols are present in small quantities in a variety of food, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. Chemically similar to cholesterol, sterols are thought to lower LDL levels in the body by limiting absorption of cholesterol in the intestine.

In the current study, 72 healthy male volunteers ate their normal diet, but added a cup of the juice beverage to their breakfast and dinner. Half of the group drank a reduced-calorie, sterol-fortified orange juice beverage, while the other half drank a juice beverage without sterols. Both beverages were provided by The Coca- Cola Company’s Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness. Then’ blood samples from fasting participants were taken before and after the trial to determine cholesterol levels. Researchers found that volunteers who drank the sterol-fortified orange juice beverage had an average nine percent decrease in LDL cholesterol, and an average twelve percent decrease in C-reactive protein levels. Researchers found no significant changes in LDL or C-reactive protein levels in who drank the non-sterol fortified orange juice beverage.

Despite great strides in prevention and treatment, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death throughout the Western world. Nearly half of all cardiovascular disease events occur in people without elevated blood cholesterol or lipid levels. Therefore, the potential role of inflammation in the development of cardiovascular disease has come under intense study in recent years. Researchers now recommend that C-reactive protein levels be used to further evaluate cardiovascular disease risk and developing metabolic syndrome and even diabetes.

After this studies, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has concluded that food or drink containing at least 0.4 g /serving of plant sterols consumed daily, as part of diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Works Cited
www.medicalnewstoday.com

or CALL 615-638-0005

Watch this video as Professor Jay gives a good review of the cardiopulmonary system. This is an excellent review for anyone taking an American Heart Association aha Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR class or an Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) class.

If you are in the Nashville Tennessee area, register here for an American Heart Association BLS class or ACLS class in Nashville

or call 615.638.0005

-

Share This Video if it was helpful. Thank you!

CPR Classes include: Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

All Classes are taught hands-on and stress free. Registration is easy either online or by phone.

To register for a class visit CPR St. Louis or call 314.600.2075.

CPR St. Louis, 44 Meramec Valley Plaza, St. Louis MO 63088