For many people, the New Year included setting a resolution to lose weight and get healthier. And if this has been you, and your first month has gone well, congratulations! That’s great news! However, one of the most difficult things about making this transition isn’t always the first step – it’s about sticking with your goals.

Life happens and obstacles are bound to come up, we totally understand that. However, our Westwood wellness center has a few tips to offer up that just might help you transform a set of habits into a healthier lifestyle.

1.) Stick to Your Routine
One of the first big errors people make is deviating from their routine. Weeks can get hectic, winter weather can keep you stuck at home, and the occasional curveball life tends to throw can really make a mess of things. However, it is important to stick to your routine as much as possible. If hiccups occur, don’t worry! Just pick up where you left off. If your goal is to exercise five days a week, and for some reason you can only do three days, then that is still better than zero!

2.) Be Mindful of Your Nutrition
A key factor to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is to prioritize proper nutrition. Everything is fine in Moderation, including the occasional cupcake or a handful of your favorite chips. When it comes to good nutrition, remember to bring balance to what you are eating throughout the day. Be sure to get plenty of healthy, quality foods in your body, such as lean protein, fruits and vegetables. This will help fuel your workouts and keep you focused and on track with your fitness goals.

3.) Find Your Passion
You would be hard pressed to find someone who enjoys every single aspect of fitness and working out. For example, some people might despise cardio and enjoy weight lifting, while another person looks forward to Pilates or going to yoga. Here at our Westwood wellness center, we offer a robust variety of group fitness classes that you choose from. Cardio, cycling, yoga – you name it, and we have it!

Fitness is not one size fits all, and finding what you enjoy is very important! After all, if you dread getting up and heading to the gym because you hate what you do when you get there, you are very unlikely to keep going. Find your passion and work that into your routine as often as possible.

4.) Surround Yourself with Positive Energy
While this is often easier said than done, it is still something that you should strive for. Yes, life happens and we can find ourselves mentally and emotionally drained. However, if you can look on the bright side of things, or try to maintain a positive disposition, it will help you to overall stay more motivated and driven.

Listen to upbeat music for positivity podcasts while working out or during your commute to work. Connect with people who brighten up your day. Put good vibes out into the world by firing off a text message to your friends or family and wishing them a good day. Positivity will attract positivity, and this will play a key role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Genetics (i.e., mutations) are considered to be the main factor predisposing to the etiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but they account for only a few changes in RA disease risk, and in contrast to genetics, the environment may have an important impact on epigenetic properties associated with disease etiology. Recently, in a study published in the journal Scientific Reports entitled “Epigenome association study for DNA methylation biomarkers in buccal and monocyte cells for female rheumatoid arthritis”, scientists from Washington State University found through the study that cells from cheek wipes may reveal biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis, which may help develop a new method to help diagnose and start the treatment of patients before the disease occurs.

In the study, the researchers found a group of apparent mutations in the cells of women with rheumatoid arthritis, which may be different from patients without joint-destructive autoimmune diseases; apparent mutations are molecular factors and processes around DNA, which regulate the activity of the genome, regardless of DNA sequence. This study finds or is expected to help develop novel therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Researcher Michael Skinner said that if these patients can be found ten years in advance before the disease occurs, it may open up the entire field of research in preventive medicine that we previously could not obtain. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the health of about 200,000 people in the United States each year, with a higher incidence in women than in men; although current drug therapies have very limited efficacy in many patients who have developed the disease, some studies have shown that therapies started in the early stages of the disease may lead to links in patients’ disease symptoms. Identifying novel biomarkers may allow patients to start treatment earlier before the initial signs begin.

In the article, the researchers used wipes to collect oral and cheek cells from two groups of women, one with 26 Caucasian women from Spokane City and the other with 23 African women from Los Angeles; in each group, approximately half of the participants had rheumatoid arthritis, while the other half served as controls. Although some samples come from the cheek, oral cells allow researchers to analyze the epigenome. The researchers found epigenetic changes in regions called DNA methylation in two groups of participants with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to see whether there were some differences between ethnic groups, because African women had shown some signs of increased incidence of rheumatoid arthritis; however, although the researchers observed some differences, they found that there was a large overlap in epigenetic mutations in women with rheumatoid arthritis between the two ethnic groups, which means that the biomarkers they identified may be signals indicating the disease.

Surprisingly, the researchers also found that most of the consistent DNA methylation sites in patients with the disease may be related to genes previously involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis; these findings may increase the evidence that the disease may be a systemic disease, and this also means that it is not only found in immune system cells involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis, but also present in many different cells throughout the body. In addition, the researchers tested immune-related monocyte types in blood samples from some women, but oral cells also showed apparent mutations, suggesting that researchers may be expected to develop a relatively diagnostic cheek wipe test technique to screen for this disease.

In summary, the results of this study suggest that biomarkers of rheumatoid arthritis with epigenetic mutations in DNA methylation may be unique to specific cell types, and researchers have observed similar findings in two populations with different ethnic backgrounds; and epigenetic diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility seems feasible, which may help improve the clinical management of patients and allow researchers to develop feasible preventive strategies or measures.

Australian researchers have recently solved a multi-year mystery about Parkinson’s disease. They solved the structure of a key protein that is expected to rapidly treat this incurable disease. The findings appear in Nature.

For the first time, the researchers took a “live” shot of a protein called PINK1. The findings explain how this protein is activated in cells, thereby initiating the clearance and replacement of damaged mitochondria. When this protein does not work properly, it causes brain cells to lack energy, resulting in their dysfunction, which can lead to brain cell death in the long term.

Discovery is a new achievement of an eight-year project that provides the first detailed blueprint for the discovery and development of therapeutic agents to slow the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by the death of dopamine-producing cells in the brain. More than 10 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s disease. There are no drugs that can slow or stop the progression of Parkinson’s disease, and existing treatment options can only treat and relieve symptoms.

Zhong Yan Gan, first author of the study, stated that this study provides an unprecedented perspective to better understand the PINK1 protein, which plays a key role in early-onset Parkinson’s disease.” Many papers in laboratories around the world, including ours, have captured snapshots of PINK1 protein. However, the differences in these snapshots somewhat exacerbate the confusion about proteins and their structures,” he says.

“What we do is take snapshots of a series of proteins and then stitch them together to make a ‘real world’ film, thereby revealing the activation process of PINK1. We are then able to explain why these previous structural images are different—because they are taken at different times, and this protein is activated to perform its function in the cell.”

PINK1 labels damaged mitochondria, allowing them to be destroyed and recycled, thereby protecting cells. When PINK1 or other components of this pathway are defective, it prevents the recovery and replacement of damaged mitochondria, thereby depriving the cell of energy.

Zhong Yan Gan said: “One of our important findings is that PINK1 forms a dimer, which is essential to initiate or activate proteins to perform their functions. There are tens of thousands of papers on this protein family, but it is indeed the first time in the world to observe how proteins cluster together and how they change during activation.”

Professor Komander, corresponding author of this article, said these results pave the way for the development of therapeutic agents that “open” PINK1 to treat Parkinson’s disease. There are no drugs for Parkinson’s disease, that is, no drugs can slow or stop the progression of the disease. ”

Failure of PINK1 or other components in the pathway is considered a key feature in some cases of Parkinson’s disease. At the same time, this information is particularly important for the young population who develop Parkinson’s disease due to inherited mutations in PINK1. Professor Komander said the discovery will bring new opportunities for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Alisa Glukhova of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research said the reason why the findings were possible was due to the new cryo-EM equipment purchased jointly by the WEHI and Bio21 institutes, as well as the structural biologists recruited by WEHI who were familiar with the technology.

Dr. Glukhova said: “For the first time, we used cryo-EM at WEHI to solve small protein structures like PINK1. This revolutionary technology has only been introduced in the past five years, and this work has become possible because WEHI has invested in the purchase of equipment and has the expertise required to make full use of this technology. A good example of how innovative technologies can really drive research and bring transformative discoveries.”

The term “broken back” refers to a spinal fracture that is one or more of the vertebrae that make up 33 bones and protect your spine. A broken back injury can be worrisome, but it doesn’t necessarily mean damage to the spine.

A sudden fall can result in injury or fracture to your back. Traumatic injury from a car accident or other collision can also result in a spinal fracture. But other conditions, such as osteoporosis (weak or brittle bones) and tumors in the spine, can also cause vertebral fractures.

A bacterial or fungal infection of the vertebrae can weaken the bones leading to spinal fractures. Malnutrition, a weakened immune system including cancer and obesity can also increase your risk of fractures.

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Symptoms of spinal fracture?

The main symptom is severe pain in a fractured or broken back. If your back hurts when you move, this is also a sign that the vertebrae may be torn.

However, if the broken spinal cord compresses other nerves, numbness can be accompanied by pain. If the spinal cord is injured, your reflexes and muscle strength can also be affected. Nerve damage can also lead to bladder and bowel problems. There are three main patterns of spinal fractures. Each one may have its own set of symptoms. The three patterns are flexion, rotation, and extension.

turn

Your spine may begin to bend or flex forward, but some types of fractures can limit your ability to bend your spine. Examples are compression fractures and axial rupture fractures.

A compression fracture occurs when the front of a vertebra breaks off causing you to lose height, but the back of the vertebra remains intact. Symptoms include pain in the back, arms, or legs. If the spinal cord is damaged, numbness can occur in the limbs. Over time, a compression fracture can cause your height to drop slightly.

An axial bust fracture occurs when your height decreases on both the front and back side of a vertebra. The symptoms are similar to those of a compression fracture. With an axial rupture fracture, the pain may intensify when you walk.

Rotation

The outcome during a broken back injury is quite painful. However, the spine is usually unaffected which means no numbness or weakness. The stability of the spine is preserved. A transverse process fracture is rare. It is the result of a car crashing, leaning to one side or turning around suddenly.

A fracture-dislocation is caused by violent trauma, such as a car accident. This type of injury involves a fracture of the bone, in many cases, damage to the spinal cord as well as soft tissue. In addition, the affected vertebra also moves out of its position. This is called disorder.

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Extension

An extension injury refers to a strong, abnormal extension or stretching of the bones in the vertebrae. A fracture is a type of extension fracture that occurs in a car accident. The upper body is held in place by jerking, while the lower body is held in place with a seat belt around the waist. This injury can damage the ligaments in the back and the fractures can lead to muscle pain.

If there is damage to an internal organ, you can feel a lot of pain from those injuries. This may mask some of the pain radiating from your back.

Causes of spinal fracture?

Vertebral compression fractures can be caused by osteoporosis, trauma, and diseases affecting the bone (pathological fractures).

Osteoporosis-

Osteoporosis is a disease of bone in which bone density is reduced, which can increase the likelihood that a person can sustain a vertebral compression fracture with little or no trauma.

Osteoporosis most commonly occurs in women who have completed menopause, but it can also occur in the elderly and in men and in people who use steroid medication for a long time such as prednisone.

the strokes

A severe injury to a vertebra to break can reduce the height in which a person steps their feet. It can also happen in a person involved in a car accident.

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pathological fracture

1-Pathological fracture is a fracture caused by pre-existing disease on the vertebrae.

Usually, this type of break is caused by cancer in the bone, which often has metastasized to other places in the body, such as the prostate, breast, or lung.

3-Pathologic fractures can also occur with other diseases, such as Paget’s disease of bone and bone infection (osteomyelitis).

What is the risk of spinal fracture?

Two groups of people are most at risk for spinal fractures:

1-People with Osteoporosis

2-People with cancer that has spread to their bones

Consult a doctor if you have been diagnosed with certain types of cancer – including multiple myeloma and lymphoma. On the other hand, sometimes the first sign of a spinal fracture is cancer.

But most spinal compression fractures are caused by osteoporosis. Some people are more likely to get the disease due to-

Race: White and Asian women are at greatest risk.

Age: Chances are higher for women over 50 and increase with age.

Weight: Thin women are at greater risk.

Treatment of spinal fractures?

As with any type of injury, the treatment of a spinal fracture depends on its severity and location. A minor fracture may heal on its own, without surgery.

If the injury occurs in the upper or lower back, you may need to wear an external back brace to help stabilize the spine.

Fractures of a neck (cervical) vertebra require a neck brace. If the neck injury requires more immobilization then there is no movement, and a “halo” may be needed. Which is worn around the head. It is held in place with pins and attached to a vest worn on the torso.

Severely torn back injuries, however, require surgery before bracing. The type of surgery depends on the type of fracture. In many cases, a surgeon will have to remove the piece of bone. These fragments can threaten the spinal cord and nerve roots.

Here are the standard surgical options for some of the most common fractures-

compression fracture

Two procedures are commonly performed if surgery is needed to repair a compressed vertebra. Vertebroplasty is a relatively new procedure that involves a catheter.

The surgeon guides the catheter to the site of the fracture. Then the catheter injects a special bone cement into the break. It helps to stabilize the bone and reduce pain, but it does not treat any deformity caused by the injury. You may have changes in posture and some limited range of motion after a vertebroplasty.

Kyphoplasty is a similar procedure. This is done through a small incision in the back. The surgeon places an inflatable balloon inside the broken bone where bone cement is used to build up the vertebra to its original height.

bust fracture

Treatment for a bust fracture involves performing an autopsy from the body. This is the surgical removal of all or part of a vertebra. The surgeon then replaces the missing bone with artificial plates or screws (known as instrumentation). This is done when there is compression on one or more vertebrae. This relieves the pressure on those bones and the spinal cord or nerves.

Spinal fusion is performed from the back. If the spinal cord is distal due to injury, the fracture can be treated. Fusion requires instrumentation involving two or more vertebrae. It helps in stabilizing the spine and reduces pain. Spinal fusion reduces flexibility and range of motion.

chance fracture

Backside spinal fusion is also suitable in the treatment of chance fractures when a back brace is insufficient.

fracture-dislocation

The first option is spinal fusion with instrumentation, as well as a realignment of the vertebrae. Frontal fusion with or without instrumentation may be appropriate if spinal fusion does not heal and does not recover.