An effective new treatment for chronic back pain targets the nervous system

For people challenged with chronic back pain, a new experimental treatment that focuses on retraining how the back and the brain communicate offers a clinically meaningful effect on pain intensity and a clinically meaningful effect on disability, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. People were happier, they reported their backs felt better and their quality of life was better. It also looks like these effects were sustained over the long term; Twice as many people were completely recovered.

Bowling Shock

Have you ever done something and not known that you did it? I’m talking no clue. Or maybe there was one.
Not many people know this, but my parents were talented bowlers. They not only bowled in a league, but their team won the championship one year. When I went to the bowling alley with them, I would bowl with the other kids. Most of them there were good bowlers. I bet you’re thinking: “I can see that since their parents bowl too.” Unfortunately, that didn’t apply to me. As we say around here: “I couldn’t bowl my way out of a paper bag.”

Accentuate, Eliminate, Tune In

Once again, the Fourth of July holiday hovers just over the horizon. Perhaps by the time you’ve read this, Dear Reader, it will already be past.
It was 247 years ago, after a tedious time of separation from the “Mother Country”, resulting in the Revolutionary War, that our great nation officially came into existence.
Time wreaks many changes. There was a time that the school day began with the reading of a selection from the Bible, prayer was said, and the pledge to the American flag was dutifully recited.

Snake Lore Dispelled

Snakes have fascinated and frightened people for centuries, which has led to some interesting stories about some of them. I did some research on some sayings about snakes I heard as a kid to see how they held up under the science of animal behavior. Here’s a rundown of what I found.

Tossed Tuna Salad

Most of us have a favorite Tuna Salad. Here is another one to add to your recipe box. It contains a few ingredients that you don't usually find in a tuna salad - bean sprouts and spinach. It is great that we can now buy fresh spinach in the produce aisle at the supermarket. You will find the canned bean sprouts in the canned vegetable aisle. Let's get started

Back pain in the workplace

You don’t have to be an ironworker or a lumberjack to be at risk for back injury on your job. Every occupation, however physically undemanding it seems, carries the potential for back injury. Even office work can pose problems. A physically intense job might put a person at greater risk for a serious accident, but the sedentary practice of sitting at a desk all day brings its own set of physical concerns.

Hound Dog

If you had to compare yourself to an animal, do you know what you would choose? I do. I would have to say a hound dog. Why? Because, I’m the type of person who is very keen on the various aromas and scents of our world; both pleasant and stinky
Honestly, I think I am more aware of smells than most people and it makes sense. You see, while my eyesight and hearing has never been that great, my sense of smell is very well developed. Like the brain of a hound dog, my brain has a rather large portion of it devoted to detecting odors.

Exemplary

I attended a meeting in Murfreesboro for work today. Amid the very useful information presented, there was reference made to the state’s past practice of providing Exemplary Educators (EEs) to schools deemed as in danger of failing academically under the former federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

Tuna Patties

Canned tuna is the star here. Keep a 5 ounce package of instant potato flakes on hand and you are ready to go. You could make your own mashed potatoes , but this is way easier. No peeling. A great way to turn a small can of tuna into a supper delight. Prepare mashed potatoes, decreasing liquid to 1 cup. Cool slightly. Stir in beaten egg, onion and tuna. Shape into 6 patties. In skillet, over medium heat, cook patties in oil until browned, turning once. Top each pattie with 1/2 slice of cheese or tartar sauce. Serve.

Seek the Stillness

I may be writing this for myself because I am a bona fide Type A person. I’m always engaged in some activity, making lists to check off, with my mind constantly engaged in problem solving or accomplishing some goal. And worthy things do get done for church and family, it can come with the cost of exhaustion, burn out, and self-imposed stress. One way to improve things is to take time to get away to a quiet place and be still for a little while.