Lower Back Pain: Why Does It Happen & How Is It Treated?

By Dr. Stefan Tarlow

There are 5 vertebrae in the lower back. These are the 5 lumbar bones. They are cushioned by spinal discs that are covered with cartilage and made of a gel-like substance.

The spinal cord and nerves are contained within the spinal canal, which runs the full length of the spinal column. The lower back takes a lot of stress because it carries the weight of most of the torso. This causes the spine, nerves and muscles to be subject to pain.

As a matter of fact, the second most common complaint people bring to their doctor is low back pain. Only the flu brings people to the doctor more often. Back pain is caused by a variety of things. There is not even a single answer for an individual; however, trauma and injury often bring on back pain. Here are a few of the most often experienced causes of low back pain:

Strains are caused by muscle injury.

Sprains are caused by ligament injury.

A pinched nerve is called sciatica.

Sacroiliitis: Inflamed hip joint.

Disc degeneration caused by disease.

A herniated disc is caused by pressure.

Sprains and strains may be caused by single or multiple events. Improper lifting may causes a sprain or strain as a single event or cumulatively over a period of time. Obesity and poor posture can cause back pain due to constant pressure and stress.

Click here for more on reconstruction of torn ACL.

Following a sprain or a strain, it is a good idea to apply heat and cold packs alternately. You might also treat with ultrasound, massage therapy, or electrical stimulation. Tractions and reductions (physical maneuvering of the bones) may also be helpful. A doctor can provide local injections of anesthetics or corticosteroids for pain relief. It is important to ease back into regular activity after a couple of days rest.

Conditioning and strengthening of the lower back muscles can help to avoid and treat lower back pain. This can be achieved through a combination of general aerobic exercise and specific strengthening exercises.

If you have tried all of the non-surgical options without relief, you may wish to consider surgery. Spinal fusion is the most common back surgery. It works by limiting the movement in the most painful area of your back.

Back surgery is deemed successful if the pain is reduced. However, it may take over a year to find this out, as recovery can be slow. Complete relief of pain is quite unusual. It is important to discuss all of the alternatives for treatment with your doctor. It may be that surgery is not the right choice for you.

Click here for more on knee surgery and knee surgeons. - 17273

About the Author:

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with more than 20 years experience focusing on knee surgery. After 19 years of practice, he opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, in Phoenix, Arizona. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, knee surgery and ACL Reconstruction in Phoenix and Mesa.

A Review of Winsor Pilates

By Steve Estes

Winsor Pilates is one of the top flight fitness programs available today and as such has developed an excellent reputation among the worlds exercise elite. Most people believe it will be quite some time to come before such a dramatic breakthrough will be made in the world of on- and off-line health programs.

Many of the top Hollywood and business luminaries are seen exercising and sweating to Winsor Pilates routines in the posh health clubs of the country. There has developed a whole cottage industry revolving around this popular form of exercise. You have available at your finger tips such products as Winsor Pilates DVDS, books, videos, and even internet home study courses.

Just like all forms of popular exercise, Winsor Pilates has those who love it and those who don't. Although I haven't found many critics, Take a look at some selected features and try to tell id this system is the right one for you.

It is pretty easy to find practitioners blogging about their favorite Pilates routines. Some even discuss the particular Pilates machines they prefer, like the Pilates Reformer or the Pilates Power Gym. These reviews are generally fairly glowing in nature and it is easy to see why.

Pilates really works the core of your body while improving your posture and helping tone your muscles. Some have reported improved digestion as well because of the way this system is designed.

It is obvious that Pilates focuses on total body development but what you find is that it seriously pumps up your thighs, butt, and abs. Clearly they specifically work your back as well. In that it is a complete exercise system you find yourself centering your body, mind, and spirit as well.

Finding any negative reviews was a much more difficult task. People just don't have a great deal of bad things to say about Winsor Pilates. I guess the one thing that seemed universal is that not everyone wanted to have to purchase Pilates equipment. And that is understandable. You start an exercise program and want it to be as inexpensive as possible.

As well, the weight loss people didn't like the fact that they had to actually work out to drop any inches around their middles. Whod'a thunk it? Even though exercise is the safest way to lose weight some people would rather swallow some chalky drink or gulp down bogus pills than actually do the work that they need so much. Let's face it, Winsor Pliates just isn't for them in the first place. - 17273

About the Author:

Please look for my other articles about Winsor Pilates and Pilates equipment. Now go out there and work out to feel better and enjoy yourselves!

Top Three Foods For Fat Burning

By Mike Francis

One thing I have noticed while serving as a professional Nutrition specialist, is that most of my customers are amazed when they find out what foods I would recommend for fat burning.

And not only are the foods that I recommend delicious, they are useful in helping to keep weight under control, and they actually help to burn fat.

I'm going to leave out the obvious ones - fruit and vegetables. I don't want to bore you by mentioning these - we all know thay they are beneficial. But I would like to take a look a some foods that are not only very tasty, but play a vital part is the fat burning process.

1. Egg yolks. Yes, I mean those eggs that you may have heard about - how they are so filled with cholesterol and fat. Well, let me set the record straight - the eggs will increase your cholesterol, but it's the good cholesterol. They help to keep the balance with fat, and the free-range eggs are exceptionally good, because of the high omega-3 content.

Egg yolks are a good source of vitamins and they also contain minerals and other nutrient traces. To give a full list of what these are, would take about a page. You can rest assured that the yolk of the egg is where the goodness is.

So enjoy those eggs and know that you are helping in the fight against belly fat. Eggs are one of my favourite foods " I was relieved to know that I dont need to give them up.

2. Avocados " Another example of a so-called fatty food which actually helps in burning fat! And they can be enjoyed with other foods " they make everything creamier and tastier. And the avocado is packed with healthy fats as well as fiber and antioxidants. They are a good source of vitamins and minerals, and they help to control appetite and release the bodys fat-burning hormones.

3. Grass-fed beef - When you buy beef in the grocery store, it is usually the grain-fed type that you get. But the grass-fed type is far superior. It's similar to the situation with free-range chickens - the animals are healthier, and the meat (as well as being much tastier) contains more of the omega-3 type fatty acids than the omega-6 type. And it's the omega-3 type that is best at fighting off belly fat.

Another plus with grass-fed beef,is that it contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This is one of the "healthy fats", and it helps to build muscle and burn fat.

So go ahead and enjoy that delicious beef " just watch that its the grass-fed type. It will help you in your attempts to burn fat. You dont need to listen to the claims about beef being a fatty food " you know better now. - 17273

About the Author:

See our review of the best weight-loss programs over at How To Lose Weight. If you want to lose body fat faster, check out these 5 tips to Burn That Fat the smart and effective way.

The Many Benefits of the Natural Bodybuilding Diet

By Ricardo d Argence

Are you ready to get into action and build the body you want? If so, there are various options available to you.

It seems like everyone has a different method when it comes to getting you the body that you want, but the truth of the matter is that if you are taking the time to figure out what your needs are and what you know about the human body, you should be slowly realizing that natural bodybuilding is the best solution that you can get when it comes to getting good results through methods that won't hurt your body down the line.

Natural bodybuilding does not involve the use of drugs such as anabolic steroids and HGH. Natural bodybuilding is bodybuilding that makes use of natural supplements instead. You want something that is not as significantly risky as well as permanent results.

When you are looking at Natural Bodybuilding, you will find that it is a very natural process that evolves on its own. For a long time now, people have realized that pumping their bodies full of drugs and expecting this artificial enhancement to bear them up over the long run was a mistake. This has resulted in more and more attention being paid into what goes into our athletes and our star performers and you should think about what this means for your own regimen.

When taking into account the various bodybuilding regimens available to you on the market, you will understand the importance of natural bodybuilding.

The Natural Bodybuilding Diet is a highly concentrated process that focuses on your food intake. The diet involves consuming lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean cuts of meat.

A good bodybuilding diet will recommend approximately twelve to thirteen calories per pound of your personal body weight. You can count calories and break your meals into about 50% natural carbohydrates, 30% proteins and about 20% healthy oils.

You have to avoid eating foods that are too sugary or too overly processed and you will want to pay special attention towards looking at the role that protein plays in your eating habits.

There are plenty of benefits to trying the Natural Bodybuilding diet. You will find that the results, even if they are a bit slow in coming, will be significantly more permanent than if you decide to get them though drugs or through artificial means. You will also find that because your body is doing all of the work naturally that you can learn a lot by listening to your body.

There are plenty of different issues that you will not have to deal with when you are going onto the Natural Bodybuilding diet, and you will find that your health stays the best that it has ever been!

Take some time to think about what the Natural Bodybuilding diet can do for you, and take the time to learn more about it! - 17273

About the Author:

Stop wasting your time, effort and money on B.S. "Miracle Programs" that don't deliver results! Learn the honest truth revealed by a real muscle building expert and at last start noticing the gains you want. factura electronica

Drop 6 Pounds in One Week

By Patsie Adams

Are you trying to lose 6 pounds? It is actually possible to meet this goal in one week. There are several strategies to follow. In this article, I am going to show you 6 ways to lose 6 pounds in just one week.

First, let's make the calorie formula clear. To lose 6 pounds in a week you must burn 3000 more calories than you eat. The math says you have to burn about 475 extra calories a day to achieve this. You can burn the calories through diet or exercise. The best approach, of course is still a combination of both.

Now onto those 6 steps that will help you lose 6 pounds in one week:

1. Get busy spring cleaning. You won't just get a clean house, you will burn some serious calories in the process. Clean the house intensely for some five hours and you can burn up to 575 calories . At this rate, a little over 5 hours of cleaning will allow you to burn all the calories needed - and some extra. But, beware that you dont want to compensate by eating more. Like we already said, the calories expended have to exceed the amount eaten.

2. Hit the slopes. Skiing is a great winter sport that also burns major calories. A 165-pound person can burn more than 12 calories per minute. Four hours of actual ski time will help you lose 6 pounds in a week. Another great reason for a ski holiday!

3. Dont be desk-bound. Many Americans sit in front of a computer to do their work. This doesn't have to be the case all the time. For example, when you are making phone calls, stand up and walk around. And walk over to your co-workers office instead of sending an email. Fidgeting at the desk burns calories too. While these kind of strategies wont help you in one week, they will be effective over the long run. Every little calorie burned counts.

The above examples cover activities, now let's go on to how you can effectively cut calories from food:

4. Try the Cabbage Soup Diet. On this diet, many people have lost up to at least 6 pounds in a week. You won't go hungry for it though. You can have all of the cabbage soup you want each day and a specified group of secondary foods. The cabbage soup staple is made of clear broth or V8 Juice, lots of cabbage, and your own choice of non-starchy vegetables.

5. Try the Grapefruit Diet. Starchy foods and carbohydrates are also banned on this diet. Its also called the grapefruit diet because each meal ends with "desert" of half a grape fruit. At breakfast you can have some bacon, eggs and coffee; at lunch you have salad and meat; and at dinner you have meat and non-starchy vegetables. Right before sleeping you should drink 8 ounces of milk or tomato juice. You can eat until you are satisfied. The diet is supposed to run for 12 days and most people lose 10 pounds or more. However, seven days into it, you should have lost your 6 pounds already.

6. Be a vegetarian for a week. Skip all kinds of meat and animal fat and you will lose weight quickly. Instead of meat, you can get protein from legumes or beans. You can eat as much fruits and vegetables as you can. Starchy food like pasta, rice, and bread you can enjoy but control portions.

Now go ahead and try to lose those 6 pounds in one week. It can be done! - 17273

About the Author:

More expert advice on sensible weight loss at Patsie Adams' health and wellness blog. Drop by for sensible tips you can actually follow to achieve quick healthy weight loss.

Amazing Power Foods for Women

By Curtis Ludlow

It's very important to focus on getting enough vitamins and nutrients.

Generally, lean proteins, fresh fruit, vegetables and leafy greens are preferred when partaking in a boot camp, since these foods aid in providing the essential nutrient requirements of the body.

Here are the top 10 foods and nutrients that women should be consuming on a regular basis.

Wild Fish

The wild fish that you consume will have a high lean protein content and it will also be an excellent source of B-vitamins like magnesium, zinc, and calcium.

Yogurt

Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium since it has some stomach friendly bacteria that prevent Candida related infections and can be digested easily.

Greens

Greens like kale, collard and asparagus are excelent sources of a variety of nutrients including calcium, potassium and vitamin B. Apart from these, they also contain a high amount of antioxidants as well.

Water

Water is in the list of nutrients since it's vital for the proper processing of fats and other nutrients. Hence, this is one of the most important nutrients that you should be drinking all day long!

Soy

Soybeans and other soy products are great for fighting the bad cholesterol (LDL) and increasing the good cholesterol levels. They are also rich in phytoestrogen as well. You can have soy in the form of tofu or soybean nuggets.

Steak

Red Meat is a great source of iron, an essential nutrient for women who want to lose weight, get in shape and tone their muscles.

Flax Oils

Flax is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and an abundance of other nutrients essential for the proper functioning of your body.

Beta

Beta Carotene is also an essential super nutrient found in foods like carrots, pumpkin, sweet potato and squash. These foods are rich in antioxidants which help in preventing ageing and breast cancer problems.

Beans

Beans are essential because they are high in soluble fiber, protein, and provide a host of benefits. Studies have shown that eating just one cup of beans a day can lower your cholesterol by 10% in just 6-weeks.

Be sure to work these amazing foods into your diet and transform you life today! - 17273

About the Author:

For more great fitness, weight loss and nutrition information be sure to check out the excellent free articles from Fullerton Boot Camp and Curtis Joel Ludlow.