A new research shows that yoga may be a good alternative for treating this condition. For this reason, people living with chronic pain often resort to alternative therapies, such as acupuncture or yoga. A report said that there was enough evidence to support the “short- and long-term benefits” of yoga for relieving chronic low back pain. Previous studies have indeed suggested that yoga and stretching help ease low back pain. But chronic low back pain tends to affect racial and ethnic minorities in particular, as well as people with a lower socioeconomic background. In this population as well as in those who have more severe pain – the benefits of yoga may not have been studied sufficiently. The 320 participants were randomly assigned to either attending 12 weekly yoga sessions, 15 physical therapy sessions, or just reading an educational book and newsletters on how to manage chronic low back pain. Meanwhile, human trials of a cholesterol-lowering vaccine to help prevent heart disease are under way after successful studies in mice. Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna are testing the safety of their experimental treatment in 72 volunteers. The jab is designed to stop fatty deposits from clogging the arteries. It would offer patients an alternative to taking daily pills to cut their risk of stroke, angina and heart attacks. Separately, experts have said that seven ideal cardiovascular health goals were associated with longer life and fewer heart attacks and strokes, no matter the age. In fact, in a recent group of elderly patients, “the benefit of an ideal cardiovascular health in reducing mortality and vascular events was comparable to what is observed in younger populations,” Dr Bamba Gaye from University Paris Descartes in France told Reuters by email. “This is a very good news, which suggests that it is never too late to prevent the development of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD).” Gaye and colleagues analysed whether achieving some or all of the American Heart Association (AHA) seven “ideal” goals – “Life’s Simple 7” – would affect people’s risk of dying or having a stroke or heart attack during a specific study period. The seven goals include keep body mass index (BMI) – a ratio of weight to height – lower than the overweight cutoff; never start smoking, or have stopped at least 12 months ago; for at least 75 minutes a week, perform vigorous activity, or perform moderate physical activity at least 150 minutes a week; follow a healthy diet that includes vegetables and fresh fruit daily, fish twice or more a week, and less than 450 calories a week from sugar; keep blood pressure below 120/80 without medication; maintain a normal cholesterol level without medication and maintain a normal blood sugar without medication. Out of the 7371 study participants, whose average age was 74, only one individual had met all seven goals. Only 5% of participants met at least five goals, researchers reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. For all goals except physical activity and total cholesterol, women were more likely than men to be at ideal levels. The research team tracked the study subjects to monitor their health; half of the participants were tracked more than nine years. Compared to people who meet no more than two of the goals, in those who met three or four the risk of death during the study was reduced by 16 percent, and meeting five to seven goals cut the risk by 29 percent. In fact, the risk of death fell by 10 percent for each additional goal at the ideal level. Similarly, the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke fell by 22 percent for each additional goal at the ideal level. “We would like emphasise that (good) health in general and cardiovascular health in particular is the cornerstone of (good) life and we all need to take care of it over the life course,” Gaye concluded. “The good news is that it is never too late to optimize our own health in elderhood.” “The goal of successful aging is not immortality, but limiting time spent with illness and disability,” writes Dr. Karen P. Alexander from Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina in an editorial published with the study. Published in Daily Times, June 25th, 2017.