Does knuckle-cracking cause arthritis?

Knuckle cracking is a fairly common behaviour, with approximately 20-50% of the population estimated to regularly crack their knuckles (See reference 1). To deliberately produce the ‘popping’ sounds, individuals bend their fingers into unusual positions, such as bending a finger backwards away from the palm (into extension), compressing a finger toward the palm (into flexion), or pulling a finger (traction). The exact physical mechanism of the ‘popping’ sound is not yet known, but the most popular theory is that of joint cavitations (See reference 2). Cavitation implies that small cavities of partial vacuum form within the joint fluid and then rapidly ‘pop’, producing the sound. In fact, the 'pop' that comes from knuckle-cracking is the same as that occurs during spine manipulation applied by a chiropractor or physical therapist. It is generally expressed by ‘knuckle-crackers’ that the behaviour is soothing/relieving. However, it is very often discouraged by ‘non-knuckle-crackers’ because of a belief that it will lead to arthritis. In order to help inform this debate, we have very briefly reviewed the existing scientific research that examines knuckle-cracking. Check it out and decide for yourself…. First, there is anecdotal (testimonial) evidence. Medical doctor Donald Unger regularly cracked the knuckles of his left...

5 Tips to help you succeed at healthy eating

Many of us have the best of intentions when it comes to eating healthy and making nutritious food choices, but let’s admit it, often times life seems to get in the way. Long hours at work, trying to keep a tidy house and yard, running the kids here and there, paying bills, doing laundry…it’s exhausting just to think about! At the end of the day we are tired, and with all that’s going on, can’t bare the thought of having to cook or (gasp!) assess nutrition labels. Today I want to give you a few tips to help make the path to healthy eating a little bit easier to navigate. 1. Create the right kitchen environment – It’s time to purge the junk food (cupboards, drawers, fridge, and freezer), gather the tools you need to prepare healthy nutritious foods at home, and make sure you have a decent supply of staple items on hand (e.g., spices, canned/frozen veggies and fruit, lean meats and seafood, eggs, and healthy fat sources like olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado). Remember, a good kitchen environment is more than just the food inside. As a starting point, collect (and USE) healthy recipes, get yourself a good...

Why YOU should get walking!

About a month ago, we shared with you some of the ways that prolonged sitting can be detrimental to your overall health and well-being. Yes, we all know we probably sit a little bit more (or some of us a lot more) than we should. But today I want to encourage you, and in fact challenge you to get up and get moving! Don’t worry it’s not that hard, and in fact I’m going to give you the perfect tool to get you started. It’s simple, requires no special equipment, and you can get started immediately. So without further adieu, let’s talk about some of the benefits of power walking. 1. Walking can increase energy levels. A 2008 study found that mild to moderate exercise actually increased subjects’ energy levels (reference 1). One of the surprising benefits found in the study, was increased energy levels in walkers vs. joggers. The authors suggest that by adopting a walking routine rather than a jogging routine, you may see a general improvement in your energy level throughout the day. Who doesn’t want more energy? 2. Lower risk of injury (as compared to jogging/running). When you’re jogging and your feet leave the ground during...

4 Common Roadblocks to Weight Loss Success

Hello Friends! It’s already February. Is your weight loss resolution still going strong? Have things been going the way you hoped? Making long-term lifestyle changes for the purposes of weight loss or general improvements in your overall health requires more than just “eating better” and daily physical activity. If you’ve been struggling the past couple of weeks, read on to find out what other factors may be blocking your path to success. 1. Sleep – Are you getting enough? Chronic levels of sleep deprivation cause the release of cortisol, which among other things, is a fat-storing hormone. Furthermore, research has shown that the biggest spike in plasma levels of growth hormone (a hormone that helps to burn fat) occurs during deep sleep (see ref. 1). A recent sleep study also showed that disrupted sleep patterns are linked to weight gain (see ref. 2). I know it sounds like a luxury, but the research tells us that you’ll definitely benefit from getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night! 2. Stress – Are you feeling overwhelmed? Emotional stress, physical stress, financial stress, relationship stress – regardless of the origin, the body does not differentiate between sources of stress. They all cause the body to produce...

How Sitting Can Kill You

If there’s one thing that nearly all people have in common these days, it’s that we spend a lot of time sitting. While our great shift towards computer-based work and entertainment has improved our productivity and enjoyment, it means that we now spend more time being sedentary. Sedentary behaviour can include activities such as lying down, reading, watching television, using the computer and other forms of screen-based entertainment. Research has shown that the average person can spend more than half of their waking hours engaged in these sedentary activities! (See reference 1) Recently, there has been a growing interest in studying the relationship between our sedentary behaviour and our health. Of particular interest has been the relationship between increased time spent ‘sitting’ and the rise in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Approximately 50% of people in North America have one or more of these chronic diseases and this number is steadily on the rise (See reference 2). While the increasing prevalence of these chronic diseases is due to a number of different factors, those things that are easiest to fix (such as a sedentary lifestyle), are of particular interest to doctors. Several scientific reviews have examined...

Think you could spot cardiovascular disease?

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/embed/t7wmPWTnDbE[/embed] What do you know about cardiovascular disease? Cardiovascular diseases are defined as diseases and injuries of the cardiovascular system: the heart, the blood vessels of the heart and the system of blood vessels (veins and arteries) throughout the body and within the brain. Over the past 40 years the rates of heart disease and stroke have steadily declined. The rate has declined: 25% over the past 10 years 50% over the past 20 years Despite this decline, every 7 minutes in Canada, someone dies from heart disease or stroke. In fact, cardiovascular disease is still one of the leading causes of death in Canada (According to Statistics Canada in 2008). In 2008 cardiovascular disease accounted for: 29% of all deaths in Canada 28% of all male deaths 29.7% of all female deaths The leading cause of hospitalization in Canada continues to be heart disease and stroke, accounting for 16.9 % of total hospitalizations. While the majority of prevention programs have focused on MEN and cardiovascular disease, among WOMEN, heart disease is the leading cause of death in North America! Although heart disease is sometimes thought of as a “man’s disease,” around the same number of women and men die each...

Soda Pop Infogram

The New York City Board of Health will decide this week whether to implement Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s controversial proposal to limit the sale of super-sized sodas. Setting the politics aside, we wondered – What does sugary soda consumption mean for your health? Below is an infogram on soft drinks, brought to you by Everyday Health! Check it out and learn how the soda pop ban issue could affect your health.

4 Good Reasons to Give up Pop (and other sugary drinks)

We’ll admit, drinking an occasional soda is likely not a health risk for most people, however, regular consumption (e.g., one or two daily) can add up to potential health trouble over the long run. Recent studies have shown that over-consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages has been linked to an increased risk of a variety of diseases and health conditions, some of which can pose serious health complications. Today I want to share with you, 4 good reasons why you should replace those sugary drinks with water (ideally) or unsweetened coffee/tea. 1. Sugar-sweetened beverage intake can lead to an increased risk of type-2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. A review published in a 2010 issue of Circulation reported, “SSBs may increase type-2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular risk independently of obesity as a potential contributor to a high dietary glycemic load and increased fructose metabolism, leading to inflammation, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure, as well as accumulation of visceral adiposity/ectopic fat and atherogenic dyslipidemia. For these reasons and because they have little nutritional value, intake of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages should be limited, and should be replaced by healthy alternatives such as water.” (see reference 1) Basically, all of that sugar...

Author: Able Body Team