We've written before about why whole fat dairy foods are generally a healthier choice than processed low fat dairy foods, and now a recent study provides another reason to consider avoiding low fat dairy: increased risk of Parkinson's disease.

"Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. It develops gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. But while a tremor may be the most well-known sign of Parkinson's disease, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement. In the early stages of Parkinson's disease, your face may show little or no expression, or your arms may not swing when you walk. Your speech may become soft or slurred. Parkinson's disease symptoms worsen as your condition progresses over time." - Mayo Clinic

Researchers looked at dairy intake and Parkinson's disease, analyzing data of over 120,000 Americans for about 25 years. There was no link between full fat or whole dairy products and the disease. However, consuming three daily servings of skim or low-fat dairy products increased the risk of developing Parkinson's by 34% (from 0.6% to 1%). Researchers speculated why this may be, but do not really know.

Low fat dairy linked to health problems

Prior research has already linked low fat dairy consumption to weight gain, insulin resistance (diabetes), and infertility. Though the increase in Parkinson's was not huge with low fat dairy (due to the low risk of the disease in general), it provides one more reason to consider avoiding low fat dairy. Processing foods only tends to make foods less healthy, not more healthy. In this case, removing the fats removes healthy nutrients and concentrates the sugars. We recommend eating the least processed whole foods for better health, so choose the least processed whole milk, yogurt, and cheese you can find (as long as your body can handle dairy).

Check out our milk infographic to learn more about the difference between full fat and low fat dairy.

Ohio's 2016 opioid overdose numbers are in and it's not pretty. The Columbus Dispatch reports that drug overdose deaths have hit a new record in 2016: 4,149. That's a 30% increase in deaths from an already dismal 2015 that counted 3,050 Ohioans dead. Even worse - county coroners report 2017 is already outpacing 2016.

While Ohio has increased access to overdose antidote medications and is throwing millions at a hunt for new alternative pain medications, nothing is being done to effectively address the real problem - reducing pain without drugs and without surgery that leads to more drugs. When drugs are seen as the answer for every problem, it's easier to stumble down the path to addiction. Research shows those areas with more chiropractic physicians and more chiropractic usage have lower rates of opioid usage. Yet, insurance coverage can often make it cheaper and easier to get pain pills instead of chiropractic care. Share this message with friends and family to help them avoid the worst.

Doctors Still Over-prescribing Opioids For Back Pain

You would think that the mounting rates of addiction and death would encourage doctors to avoid prescribing so many opioids for pain, especially when safer non-drug treatments are recommended by guidelines and readily available. Yet, public radio reports on a survey of medical doctors that found their most common treatment for back pain is OPIOID pain medication!

"When people do go to a doctor, the treatment most commonly recommended to survey participants was prescription painkillers, at 40 percent. That includes opioids, which are overprescribed and have fueled the nation's epidemic of opioid dependence, addiction and overdose deaths...The current advice is stay active and try non-pharmaceutical remedies such as a heating pad first, before even Advil or Aleve, according to clinical guidelines published in April by the American College of Physicians. Those guidelines also said there's evidence of benefits from massage, acupuncture or chiropractic."

FDA Recommends Pain Doctors Learn About Chiropractic

Recognizing health providers' lack of education about chiropractic and appropriate pain management treatments, the Federal Drug Administration released the Education Blueprint for Health Providers Involved in Pain Management. The Blueprint specifically recommends knowledge of chiropractic as an option for pain treatment. Prior recommendations had only generally mentioned non-drug treatment, so this shows another step in the right direction. Until providers consider non-drug options like chiropractic before drugs, it will be difficult to stop the opioid epidemic.

Ohio Attorney General Sues Opioid Drug Manufacturers

The Canton Repository reports Attorney General DeWine stated, "We believe the evidence will show that these companies got thousands of Ohioans - our friends, our family members, our kids - addicted to opioid pain medications, which has all too often led to use the cheaper alternatives of heroin and synthetic opioids." Research shows about 80% of heroin addicts started with prescribed pain medication. Drug companies promoted opioids as non-addictive and great for chronic pain, but as doses increase addiction takes hold and leads to sometimes lethal consequences. It makes sense to force the drug companies to pay for the mess they created, but again, it will do little to help the epidemic until we change the way we treat pain.

We can't wait for the government to figure out how to stop the opioid epidemic. We all need to help educate others about trying non-drug treatment first and save opioids for last.

While many patients with carpal tunnel problems jump straight to surgery for relief, a recent study demonstrated that manual therapy (hands-on treatment) can be just as effective for relief and improved function.

Researchers compared manual therapy and surgery for carpal tunnel in a group of 100 women that had experienced pain and numbness in the hands or wrists for at least one year. The surgery group had a decompression performed to release pressure from the carpal tunnel where it can cause nerve problems. The manual therapy group received hands-on treatment performed to the hands, wrists, arms, and neck, and were instructed to perform cervical range of motion stretches at home.

After 1 month, the manual therapy group showed more improvement than the surgery group. At 6 months and 1 year both groups showed similar improvement in symptoms and function.

The researchers noted these results indicate manual therapy may be a better option to return patients to work more quickly due to the better response after only one month. Otherwise, the hands-on treatment was just as effective as surgery for carpal tunnel.