Click the Play Button Below to Listen to Dr. Josh Cole on Golf Talk with Jack Craw discussing his experience treating at the U.S. Open!

Click the Play Button Below to Listen to Dr. Josh Cole on Golf Talk with Jack Craw 5.15.2011

Click the Play Button Below to Listen to Dr. Josh Cole on Golf Talk with Jack Craw 3.27.2011

The Hendersonville Senior Center held a Mr. Sumner County competition on August 27, 2010 at Our Lady of the Lake as a fundraiser for the center.  Other contestants included, Lt. Col. Ron Strahle, Fred See, Anthony Holt, County Mayor, Doug Blake and Herman Hudson.

It’s that time of year when the leaves start to change, the weather begins to cool and kids across the nation are back in school.

At the beginning of a new school year, every kid loves to pick out a new backpack. Backpacks have been a topic of concern for parents over the years. It seems almost every year we hear conflicting statements about the safety of children’s health surrounding backpacks.

Backpacks come in various shapes, sizes and designs. Each and every style will affect a child’s back differently, so I want to address important concepts so that you can make the right choice.

Just the other day I was listening to a radio show and an expert claimed that children carrying backpacks over one shoulder was a serious problem. Claims were then made that this leads to present and future back pain and that the child should switch to a roller backpack (a backpack with wheels.) So does this expert’s opinion stand up to scrutiny?

Ultimately the answer is no. In fact carrying a backpack on a single shoulder can be therapeutic. When medical studies have been performed in some of the best research laboratories in the world, we have learned that the body doesn’t do well with any single position or activity over a long period of time. For example we always hear sitting up straight in a chair is better than slouching when trying to prevent back pain.

The fact is both postures over an extended period of time are equally as detrimental. The real way to minimize pain while sitting is to change positions frequently. The same is true for wearing a backpack over one shoulder.

Taking things a step further, if a child wears a backpack full of books over a single shoulder and periodically switches sides; you’ve taken a perceived danger and changed it into a daily training exercise for better back health and performance that can translate into sports. A roller backpack does not exclude a child from potential problems if he or she constantly pulls the bag with the same arm.

Dr. Jason Hulme operates Active Spine and Joint Center in Hendersonville. Visit ActiveSJC.com or call 537-5520 with comments or questions.

Many of you are wanting to find a healthy alternative to soft drinks and energy drinks. The multiple mixed sources of caffeine used in many of the popular energy drinks combined with the excessive amount of sugar added just simply isn’t good for any of us. However we still need an alternative and preferably a healthy one! I’ve been asked by a countless number of patients what they see me drinking all the time and I will post the recipe below.

I found out about this drink a few years ago while attending a lecture put on by one of the premiere doctor’s who travels around the world lecturing on nutrition. It has a great flavor and I don’t find a need to sweeten. If you choose to add sweetening I suggest you choose the natural sweetener Stevia and you can pick it up and your local health food store.

This tea is very healthy with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and great for any time consuming.

Ginger-Green Tea Recipe

1. Boil water (see step 9 for amount of water. It will vary depending on how much tea is made). I have found it best to use a 2-3 gallon stainless steel pot.
2. Peel the skin off of fresh ginger root or wash very well.
3. Slice the ginger into shavings about the thickness of a quarter. Running it through a food processor also works, but slicing is preferred. While you are prepping the ginger, your water should be heating up.
4. Place the sliced ginger into the pot of boiling water. Let the ginger lightly boil for about 5-10 minutes.
5. TURN OFF the heat. Use a pot with a glass top so you can watch the action in the pot. Always keep the pot top on during the heating, boiling, and steeping process.
6. About 30 minutes after the heat is turned off, add 6-12 organic green tea bags. I prefer this brand but you can choose any you like. If you would like to try just a single cup of the brand I like and live locally, Wired Coffee Company in Hendersonville sells this brand of green tea. Let them sit in the pot for several minutes (no specific time).
7. After several minutes, take out the green tea bags. Let tea steep for 6-12 hours.
8. Pour the tea through a strainer into large glass containers and place in the fridge.
9. You can discard the ginger or use it for cooking. I typically use between 1/2 to 1 pound of ginger root per gallon of water. I drink the tea cold, but others like to warm it up. Either way is fine.

References:

1. Srivastava KC, Mustafa T. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) in rheumatism and musculoskeletal disorders. Med Hypotheses. 1992; 39(4):342-8.
2. Nathoo N, Barnett GH, Golubic M. The eicosanoid cascade: possible role in gliomas and meningiomas. J Clin Pathol 2004; 57:6-13
3. Lim GP, Chu T, Yang F, Beech W, Frautschy SA, Cole GM. The curry spice curcumin reduces oxidative damage and amyloid pathology in an Alzheimer transgenic mouse. J Neurosci. 2001; 21(21):8370-77
4. Cheng AL et al. Phase I clinical trial of curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, in patients with high-risk or pre-malignant lesions. Anticancer Res. 2001; 21(4B):2895-2900.
5. Aggarwal BB, Shishodia S. Suppression of the nuclear factor-(kappa)B activation pathway by spice-derived phytochemicals: Reasoning for seasoning. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004; 1030:434-41
6. via deflame.com

The joys of pregnancy can come with low back and pelvic pain that a lot of expectant mothers endure. “Pain hasbecome an expectation of pregnancy when it shouldn’t be,” says Jason Hulme, a chiropractic physician with Active Spine and Joint Center in Hendersonville. Hulme is certified in a new approach to therapy and treatment that helps expectant moms with their pain.

The treatment stems from a recent study of pregnant women conducted by Washington University and Logan Chiropractic College, both in St. Louis, Mo. More than 50 percent of the women in the study who underwent treatment improved or became completely pain/symptom free.

Hulme says the pain women commonly experience is due to the way ligaments relax.

Muscles have to take on more in order to support the developing baby; if the muscles aren’t ready for the task, musculoskeletal hip pain is the result. Women at greater risk are ones who experienced low back pain prior to pregnancy and women who are having their second (or subsequent) child.

“For women experiencing a second pregnancy, research proves the abdominal muscles are going to be weaker due to the prior birthing process,” Hulme says.

Hulme’s therapy retrains and reactivates muscles during a woman’s first and second trimesters. Women planning to become pregnant can benefit by learning beneficial exercises to protect the lower back. After a preliminary assessment and general tests, Hulme will work with your obstetrician for the best results. “The key thing is that we work in adjunct with the mother’s OB, and we update the OB through the entire process,” Hulme says.

Active Spine and Joint Center is located at 100 Bluegrass Commons Blvd., Ste. 150. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call 537-5520.