My ears are ringing, but not because someone is talking about me

Within days of a friend of mine telling me he had severe tinnitus from an illness several years ago, I awoke from an evening after a concert with ringing in my left ear.  At first I thought it was some kind of sympathy tinnitus.  I couldn't really have it, could I?  I tested it by sitting in silence, by plugging my ears, by tuning out, by tuning in... Yup.  It's there.  

I brushed up on my knowledge of tinnitus which is a ringing or buzzing sound in one or both ears.  It can be from an illness or from exposure to loud sounds.  It can be temporary or permanent.  The damage to the ear is always permanent.  Maybe it can't easily be prevented if caused by an illness, but we can often control the safety of our hearing when around loud noises.  A website from the American Tinnitus Association has easy to comprehend information about knowing when loud is too loud.  Read it.  Having healthy ears isn't something we always think about, but something we would certainly miss.  

Old sensation, new inspiration

Maybe it is some kind of inner rebel within, but my reaction is often the opposite of what it should when listening to motivational speakers.  Something about someone intending to motivate me with their lively actions and upbeat words is just too deliberate for me.  Perhaps I feel that if I willing go to something that is purposely supposed to motivate me, I am missing something within myself.  On the other hand, great stories of great people who did great things---acting purely from their heart to do the impossible--hook me in an instant.

Man on a Wire is a film about Phillippe Petit.  You know, the guy who simply just strung a wire from one Twin Tower to the next and danced across it for 45 minutes.  Actually, I hadn't heard of him, nor the event, and merely stumbled across the documentary on Netflix (amazing I get Netflix delivered under my rock).  Voila!  I am instantly obsessed.  Aside from the fact that he performed an incredible feat, the documentary details something even greater: his determination to do the impossible because it is his dream and it is what he loves to do.  

What is it in some people that fills every cell of their body with life and curiosity while others are satisfied doing what they are "supposed to do"?  What makes someone do something extraordinary when others are happy just living life by the rules?  I'm not sure the answer, but I'm looking for it.  And when I find it, don't expect to find me on a wire, but doing something similar.  

Dear Life, give me lemons!

What gives with the lemonade fast or the Master Cleanse?  These are both forms of "detox diets" or "cleanses" that claim to purify our body by only drinking a solution which is merely lemon water.  There is some something to it, and it may just be science.

Lemons contain a flavonoid called eriocitrin.  Some research has shown this flavonoid to be an antioxidant and some has shown it to have the ability to break down lipids and lower cholesterol.  While it would be a lengthy discussion on how it actually works, let's just say that it seems to be tried and true and that this flavonoid actually has a lipid lowering effect.  Hence why it is so popular among cleanse diets, etc.  

I did my own little Google search on eriocitrin and found that some companies are actually selling it as a supplement.  Now, I'm not so sure that when we extract things and manufacture it into a pill that it has quite the same effect (take lycopene for example, is it just as effective of a nutrient when not in a tomato? maybe there is something else in the tomato that makes it so fantastic).  Still, at least eriocitrin is getting its 15 minutes of fame.

I say, "Life, give me lemons so I can make lemonade!"  Why not add a glass of lemon water to the beginning of each day for a little extra lipid lowering? (Hold the sugar :)

Get some Zzzz's, avoid the sneeze

This just in...

A recent study is showing that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep a night are more likely to contract a cold than those who get 7 or more hours of sleep.  After hearing about this study, I started to realize that we really are a busy society, a society of doers, as we now not only avoiding food preparation to save time but also do not rest enough.  Let's start a revolution and take care of ourselves by allowing the time we really need to nourish our body.

Lack of sleep raises cold risk

Unless you have been under a rock...

... and even if you have been under a rock, you probably know that inflammation is being linked to many disease process.  I don't mean the type of inflammation that you can see necessarily, but the kind that is in our bodies on a cellular level.  The type that exists without making us looking like we sprained our ankle or like we had too much MSG.  

Inflammatory responses cause pain and exacerbation of other symptoms relative to already existing conditions.  I typically recommend to all patients that they abide by an anti-inflammatory diet.  With some, this is something I strongly recommend, and with others it is merely a suggestion as a part of a preventive health plan.  

There are things other than diet that increase inflammation.  A big component is stress.  This article gives great explanation of that exact correlation--if you don't mind fumbling through some fancy scientific talk.

Researcher Explains Stress-Inflammation Link, NCCAM

 

Back to the blogging board: Nebraska children behave

After a brief absence from my blog due to travel and general occupational busyness, I had to hop on to drop a quick note about the following:

In Nebraska there is a law that now allows parents to leave their children at the hospital... for good.  The law, I believe, was intended to give parents of babies a 'no questions asked' opportunity to give their children up while knowing that they could not effectively raise a child.  The law, however, does not have an age limit.  Read the following about a father leaving nine children at the hospital.

Father leaves nine children at hospital, Chicago Tribune

Funny thing is, I'm just looking for a place to drop off my food waste for composting because my apartment complex doesn't have one.  If I had a child I couldn't care for, it would be much simpler.

Fibroblasts and fascia are my favorites

Few things make me as excited as fibroblasts and fascia do.  Okay, okay.  That is a bit of a stretch, but it doesn't change the fact that I think that these cells and tissues are insanely interesting.  Bare with me as I share my nerdy side.

A fibroblast is a cell that is found all over the body within connective tissue.  It helps to create and maintain the matrix of our tissues.  By definition, it makes and secretes collagen.  This is very important for the upkeep of our muscles, ligaments, and tendons and is crucial for wound healing.  Graston Technique, and possibly even some forms of massage, stimulate fibroblasts and accelerates the healing process of damaged tissues.  It is also likely that as the fibroblast is stimulated, it changes shape and thus secretes different amounts of, or even just different, hormones.

Fascia is my second favorite child.  It is a tissue that is also found all over the body and surrounds organs, muscles, nerves... you name it.  Most people know that this is important for the structure of our body and for the function of joints and muscles.  It can be too tight or too lax and cause dysfunction.  And while fascia has the ability to relax, it can also contract.  When it has been contracted too long, it begins to get thicker.  It is this change or increase in thickness and tensile strength that can cause dysfunction.  Imagine that the muscles of your shoulders and neck become tight when you get stressed.  This process contracts the fascia.  Now imagine that you have stress and  a stiff neck and shoulders all the time.  Can you imagine that this would eventually cause pain?  

Sometimes the details of how our body works can be information overload.  While it is likely that you won't be adding fibroblasts and fascia to the top ten list of your favorite things, I hope that it gives you some insight into how our body functions. 

P.S. Did you know that fascia is the tissue that is being manipulated in acupuncture?  It actually binds, clings or wraps around the needle being inserted.