SpaceX is set to take off later this month and has technology on board to perform a variety of experiments, one of which explores bone loss in space and is using a byproduct of wine making. The bioactive metabolites found in food that is broken down, such as what is normally discarded after wine is made, might protect bones during spaceflight and a group of researchers is going to be testing this theory. With the possibility of private space travel becoming more of a reality for more than just a select few astronauts, this could not only benefit future space visitors, but also help us understand how to maintain strong bones of those who live under the weight of gravity.
Read more here about this experiment, as well as other intriguing research they are preparing for this journey:
Which Olympic Athletes Have The Highest Bone Density?
In order for you to take a guess as to which Olympic athletes have the highest bone density, you need to know what makes bone dense. That answer is: force that is placed on the bone. It makes sense, knowing this, that gymnasts have the highest bone densities among the Olympic athletes at the games in Tokyo. Among those with the least dense bones: swimmers, rowers, and cyclists. When a gymnast dismounts, he or she is putting up to 5 times their weight on their bones. Five times! Not all of us can be Olympic athletes, but we can all have strong bones by making sure you put some stress on them through walking, running, or jumping-type exercises. Paragon Orthopedic Center wants you to be the healthiest you can be with strong bones throughout your lifetime! Read more here:
A SLAP Isn’t Something To Laugh About At Paragon
In orthopedic terms, a SLAP is not a friendly pat on the back. It is an injury frequently seen in patients who have been throwing hard, such as a baseball pitcher, or for prolonged periods, which could be from overuse or over time with age. The diagnosis is a SLAP lesion, standing for Superior Labrum Anterior to Posterior. The name indicates its anatomic location going front to back. The Paragon Orthopedic Center website has a three-dimensional video that helps understand the diagnosis and surgery that is required, step by step. There can be some serious long-term consequences for not getting this injury repaired in a timely manner, such as shoulder instability, decreased range of motion, and chronic pain. Click here to learn more and view the video:
If You Drink Hot Beverages, You Might Be Putting Yourself at Risk for Esophageal Cancer
Some like it hot. A study of over 50, 000 people who drank about 3 cups of hot tea a day at temperatures 140 degrees or greater showed a 90% greater chance of having esophageal cancers. This study was focused on tea drinkers, and further studies have not been done on coffee, but it might be a reason to let that coffee, or any other hot drink, cool down a bit before you consume it. It is noted in other medical research that drinking hot tea on its own does not cause the cancer, but if you have other risk factors, such as smoking or drinking alcohol, they raise your chances for esophageal cancer. Here is an article that tells you the symptoms of esophageal cancer, how it is diagnosed, and how it is treated. More details can be found here, including a link to the study of those 50,000 tea drinkers, and a link to the other medical research of those risk factors with hot tea consumption:
Make Sure Your Healthcare Data is Safe
Cyber crimes seem to top the headlines weekly. Have you considered whether your healthcare data is safe? U.S. News and World Report has a checklist for you. Click on the article below to access their 11 strategies for keeping your data safe. A big tip to remember for any website where you are sharing sensitive information is to look for “https” in the web address. The “s” stands for secure. If there isn’t an “s” on the end of the http, then that means it isn’t secure. For example, you will always see the https letters on banking websites. The same should go for paying healthcare bills on the internet and if you communicate with your healthcare provider virtually. We at Paragon Orthopedic Center are sure to do what we can to protect you and never share data with researchers or third parties. Read more to keep yourself as safe as possible on the internet:
Los Angeles County Mask Mandate Return May Signal A Spreading Problem
As of a minute before midnight on Saturday, the county that is home to our nation’s second largest city will wear their masks again while indoors, even if they have been vaccinated. The reason: six days in a row of over 1,000 new Covid cases each day and nearly 400 people have been hospitalized as of Wednesday. On Thursday, more than 1,500 cases were reported. These cases include Covid-19 and the Delta variant. Again, our most effective weapon against this spread is the vaccine: only 0.09% of the new cases were people who had been vaccinated. Read more here:
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/mask-mandate-returns-los-angeles-coronavirus-cases-rise-2021-07-15/
What Does It Mean When My Joints Make Popping Sounds?
Have you wondered if that clicking noise in your ankle means something awful is going on in there? Does your hip click when you get up from sitting? Does your shoulder pop when you raise your arm? Read the Paragon Orthopedics Center July Newsletter to understand what those noises mean and whether it might be a good idea to schedule a visit at our clinic.
How Does Our Fire Danger Level Affect You Now That It Has Been Raised?
It is not a surprise that the fire danger level has gone up to yellow in both Jackson and Josephine counties after we have endured so many continuous days of sweltering heat, but do you know how this affects you? Don’t wait until you find yourself in trouble to be informed. Please take a moment to be aware of what the change means to keep you, your property, your loved ones, and our beautiful community safe. Ignorance is not an excuse this year, after our friends and family in the Phoenix-Talent area suffered so greatly last summer.
A few highlights to note: no fireworks within 1/8 mile of forestlands, campfires only in designated areas, chainsaws are forbidden between 10am and 8pm, and motorized vehicles, including ATV’s and motorcycles, are only allowed on improved roads. We have to not only educate ourselves, but each other. Here is an article from KDRV that details what the changes are:
https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/Fire-danger-level-rises-to-High-on-Monday-in-southwest-Oregon-574709601.html
Are You Keeping Your Cool?
You’d literally have to be under a rock to not know we are in the middle of a heat wave in Southern Oregon. Going underground might be the only place to be naturally cool right now. Knowing not everyone can afford air conditioning to stay cool in this persistent heat, Paragon Orthopedic Center is concerned about our citizens, so today we are talking about the help you can get to get keep your cool. In Grants Pass, there are multiple access points along the river at parks, such as Riverside, Tussing, Indian Mary, Reinhart, White Horse, Fish Hatchery, and Schroeder. Also found in Grants Pass are water parks for children at Riverside and Morrison Parks. KDRV has an article that details cooling centers in Medford, Ashland, Talent, and Siskiyou County. Dialing 211 and entering your zip code should connect you with cooling centers in your area, although the line might keep you on hold as there are many people wanting this information right now. Drink lots of fluids to stay hydrated, perform demanding tasks early in the day when possible, and do what you can to stay out of the heat. Be safe Southern Oregon!
https://www.kdrv.com/content/news/Cooling-shelters-open-as-southern-Oregon-sees-triple-digit-heat-574713451.html
How to Handle the Heatwave
If you haven’t heard, a heatwave is hitting Southern Oregon. Temperatures are expected to exceed 110 degrees around the region on Sunday. Heatstroke is likely if you do not take appropriate measures while out in that kind of heat. Stanford Medicine offered some tips about handling the heat back in 2006, and the wisdom hasn’t changed over the years.
Things to do in the heat:
-Drink LOTS of water (Sports drinks are more concentrated than you think. Dilute them 1:1.)
-Take frequent rest and water breaks if you are out in the heat.
-Fan and provide water to someone who feels faint and move to the shade.
-Check on the elderly and those who do not have air conditioning.
Things NOT to do in the heat:
-Don’t leave anyone in a car, including pets. The risk is not worth it, take the extra time to have your child accompany you, and your dog would be happier at home. Children and animals die unnecessarily this way every year.
-Don’t take salt pills. Doctors no longer advise this to avoid heat stroke. Drink plenty of fluids instead.
-Don’t ignore signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
This article reviews the signs of heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and keep water available at all times.
