The shoulder joint allows the most range of motion of any joint in the body. This makes it possible for us to throw a ball, play golf, reach behind us, and lift. In addition, our shoulder is one of the most unstable joints in the body, because of its ability to perform such great movements. The shoulder (glenohumeral) joint is a “ball and socket” joint. The instability of the shoulder is due to the rather shallow socket of this joint. Therefore, the ball (humeral head) of the upper arm is stabilized in the socket by soft tissues.
Last night, after my class on menopause, I had an interesting and disconcerting conversation with a woman. She was in her mid 40′s and told me she was considering having a bilateral mastectomy. I naturally thought this poor lady had been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. However, I was wrong. She was actually considering having both of her breasts removed for prevention. She had a family history of grandmother, mother and sisters having breast cancer. While up to now she had completely normal mammography studies and absolutely no lumps upon self examination, she was still seriously considering having this normal tissue removed. Her fear of cancer was just this strong.
There are plenty of people who love winter and snow. I’m one of them. There is nothing more beautiful than a landscape of freshly fallen snow. But there are plenty of you who have a difficult time getting through winter. By this time of year, cabin fever, crankiness, and mild depression are common.
A recent article discussing the affect that certain foods have on the brain resonated with me. It explains why so many Americans crave certain foods. Believe it or not, it is due to inflammation in an area of the brain and it is caused by a fat-rich diet that is high in calories from refined sugars and flour.
