Does owning a dog help you live longer?

I am off to Japan soon which inspired this blog article.  So I wanted to share with you some ideas about a holiday first aid kit. The first thing I pack is rescue remedy which relieves stress and anxiety - I basically pack this in case flights get cancelled, luggage gets lost etc. The next thing I pack is Traumeel, in case I get a soft tissue injury i.e. sprain or strain. Traumeel is a homeopathic combination preparation that reduces inflammation, swelling, and oozing. The pharmacology involved is not yet understood. Studies suggest the drug modifies the action of neutrophils and the release of inflammatory mediators. Injected locally, its analgesic effect is comparable to steroids but without the risks of tendon rupture or skin depigmentation.   I personally take tablets or use a cream because I am whimp who doesn't like the idea of injecting herself.  Plus I don't think its very practical to try and take an injection kit through an airport! Traumeel has been available for eighty years and is suitable for frequent use, with the only contraindication being adverse allergic reaction. Among elite athletes its use is common and anecdotally it attracts very favorable reports. There is data to suggest comparable efficacy of both topical and injected Traumeel when compared with  Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy, with fewer side effects and greater patient satisfaction. References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3085232/ Schneider, C, Klein, P et al (2005) ‘A homeopathic ointment preparation compared with 1% diclofenac gel for acute symptomatic treatment of tendinopathy’. Explore(NY); Nov;1(6):446-52. Birnesser, H et al (2004) ‘The homeopathic preparation Traumeel S compared with NSAIDS for symptomatic treatment of epicondylitis’. Journal of Musculoskeletal Research, Vol. 8, Nos. 2 & 3 119 -128.

So, you go to the gym regularly, follow all the latest exercises trends, but are still not getting the results you wanted.  It’s frustrating isn't it.  You want that sculptured body, but it seems elusive.  Well helps may be coming.  Until now scientists haven't been fully able to understand how muscle responds to exercise especially in the early stages of an exercises program - when we are tempted to give up because we aren't yet seeing the results. Scientists at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne have established a new technique for studying muscle growth in humans.  The technique, termed Dynamic Proteome Profiling, provides comprehensive coverage of the early changes that occur within human muscle in response to exercise training. This was the first data on the rate at which new muscle proteins are made when volunteers performed strength training exercises. Muscle is composed of thousands of different proteins and each protein makes a specific contribution to muscle function, for example, some proteins are responsible for movement while others are required to provide energy.  The proteins in muscle have a tough time and often become damaged, but in healthy cells a sophisticated recycling system keeps protein quality high by continually breaking down and remaking each protein. When muscle fibres grow in response to weight training the amount of specific proteins is increased, and therefore muscle becomes larger and stronger. Because of Dynamic Proteome Profiling, scientists are now able to identify exactly which proteins are most responsive to exercise and whether that response is due to more of the protein being made or less of the protein being degraded/ broken down by the cell’s recycling machinery. This profiling will allow a finer level of detail of muscle response to exercises which could lead to better training methods, nutritional strategies or medicines that can be used to promote muscle growth, and hopefully less frustration on getting the results from hours spent in the gym! References https://www.gmjournal.co.uk/scientists-identify-muscle-proteins-most-responsive-to-exercise-1

Previously I explained the scientific theory for  "How does massage reduce muscle pain?" in the short term .  But what about the long term? I would like to introduce to you the "descending pain suppression mechanism." The brain is not a passive receiver of sensory messages, but rather a centre that interprets them and makes constant adjustments accordingly. For example, everyone knows that the way you perceive pain will be influenced by whether you focus on it or think of something else instead. And it seems reasonable to suppose that evolutionary selection may have favoured those individuals who could ignore pain signals for long enough to take actions that let them escape and survive danger.

Unpleasant cutaneous sensations stimulate nuclei within the mid brain.  These nuclei in turn initiate activity in the descending spinal tracts that release endogenous opiates (inhibitory neurotransmitters) within the spinal segment receiving the painful input.  This diminishes the intensity of the pain transmitted to the higher centres. Sports and Deep Tissue massage techniques can reinforce a naturally occurring discomfort, causing much greater release of opiates and achieve a more profound pain suppression.