Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 31st, 2012

Mental Attitude: Anxious Parents?
Parents diagnosed with social anxiety disorder are more likely to exhibit less warmth and affection towards their children, criticize them more, and express doubts about their child's ability to complete a task. This can heighten anxiety in their child, and over time, can increase the chance their child will develop an advanced anxiety disorder of their own..
Child Psychiatry and Human Development, November 2012

Health Alert: Parental Math Skills and Medication Errors
Parents with poor math skills (3rd grade level or below) are 5 times more likely to measure the wrong dose of medication for their child than parents with math skills at the 6th grade level or greater. In a study of 289 parents, 27% had math skills at 3rd grade level or below.
American Academy of Pediatrics, April 2012

Diet: Red and Processed Meat.
Meat consumption increases the risk of prostate cancer. Men who consumed the most red meat had a 30% increased risk of cancer. Processed red meat was associated with a 10% increased risk of prostate cancer with every 10 grams (about one-third of an ounce) of increased intake.
American Journal of Epidemiology, October 2009

Exercise: 5 Major Reasons.
Exercise helps control your weight preventing excess weight gain or maintaining weight loss, combats health conditions and diseases, improves mood, boosts energy, and promotes better sleep.
Mayo Clinic

Chiropractic: Spinal Degenerative Joint Disease and Pain.
There are several reasons spinal degeneration causes pain: 1. Mechanical compression of nerve by bone, ligament, or the disk. 2. Biochemical mediators of inflammation. 3. Mechanical nerve compression results in decreased blood flow and swelling, which causes lack of proper motion leading to fibrotic tissue formation.
Spine, 1989

Wellness/Prevention: Get Your Sleep!
Sleep disorders lead to 253 million days of sick leave a year in the United States. 63.2 billion dollars are lost a year due to insomnia. A third of this is due to absence from work, while the other two thirds is due to a loss in productivity at work. 10% of the population suffers from insomnia. Sleep apnea affects 4-5% of the population.
University of Bergen, November 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 24th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Bad Day? 
Researchers found that adding just a couple extra minutes of exercise to your daily exercise routine can significantly increase your outlook on life.
Penn State, October 2012

Health Alert: 'Smoke-Free' Laws!
Laws that ended smoking at work and public places have resulted in lowered hospitalizations for heart attacks by 15%, strokes by 16%, and asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 24%. It has reduced health care costs and also increased quality of life.
Circulation, November 2012

Diet: Soda Consumption and Knee Osteoarthritis. 
After controlling for risk factors for knee osteoarthritis (obesity, age, prior knee injury, extreme stress to joints, and family history), men who drank sugary soft drinks experienced worse knee osteoarthritis progression than those who did not. This correlation was not apparent in women.
American College of Rheumatology, November 2012

Exercise: Increased Life Expectancy!
Low amounts of physical activity (75 minutes of brisk walking per week) increased longevity by 1.8 years after age 40, compared with doing no such activity. Walking briskly for at least 450 minutes a week was associated with a gain of 4.5 years.
PLOS Medicine, November 2012

Chiropractic: Now That's Fast! 
Your brain sends electric messages at 270 mph to every muscle and organ in your body.
Guyton's Physiology

Wellness/Prevention: High Blood Pressure and The Brain! 
A recent study found evidence of structural damage in the brains of hypertensive and pre-hypertensive people in their 30s and 40s. This sort of damage to the brain has been linked to cognitive decline in older people. According to Dr. Charles DeCarli, professor of neurology and director of the Alzheimer's Disease Center at UC Davis, "The message here is really clear: people can influence their late-life brain health by knowing and treating their blood pressure at a young age, when you wouldn't necessarily be thinking about it."
The Lancet, November 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 17th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Math Anxiety.
People who experience high levels of anxiety about mathematics have increased activity in the brain regions connected with the feeling of physical pain. Previous research showed children with a higher math anxiety have a decreased math performance level.
PLOS One, November 2012

Health Alert: Booster Seats.
States with booster seat requirements for children up to 6-7 years olds were found to have a 35% lower rate of mortality and incapacitating injuries. States which had booster seat laws for children up to ages 4-6 had 20% lower death and incapacitating injury rates from car accidents than those without the laws.
Pediatrics, November 2012

Diet: Red Meat and Dairy Products.
As part of the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study, researchers analyzed the diets of 525,000 participants to determine whether there is an association between dietary fat and pancreatic cancer. This study showed that consuming fat from red meat and dairy products is associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer. There was no association between plant-food fat and pancreatic cancer.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, June 2009

Exercise: 6,000 Steps.
Women 45-72 years old who walked 6,000 or more steps a day had a significantly lower risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
The North American Menopause Society, November 2012

Chiropractic: Savings!
Adding Chiropractic coverage to insurance plans decreased the total cost to treat back pain by 28%, reduced hospitalization for back pain by 41%, reduced back surgeries by 32%, and reduced the cost of medical imaging (ie X-Rays and MRIs) by 37%.
WebMD, October 2004

Wellness/Prevention: BMI.
The most frequently used measurement for body fat is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is figured by dividing a person's weight (in kilograms) by his or her height in meters squared. Obesity is a BMI of 30 or higher, while an ideal BMI is 18.5-24.9. The higher the BMI, the greater the risk for diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
American Journal of Epidemiology, November 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 10th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Reaction To Stress.
How people react to stress determines how that stress will affect their health. Study volunteers were separated in two groups: 1) those who let their troubles affect their emotional state and 2) those who didn't let stress bother them at all. At a 10-year follow up, those who let stress affect them (group 1) were more likely to suffer from chronic health problems.
Penn State, November 2012

Health Alert: Hip Replacement and Stroke Risk.
Hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke risk is ~4% higher within 2 weeks of total hip replacement surgery. A hemorrhagic stroke is brought on by bleeding in the brain, while an ischemic stroke is brought on by arterial blockage. Total hip replacement is extremely common in the United States. Around 1 million hip replacement surgeries are done around the world every year, 300,000 in the United States alone.
Stroke, November 2012

Diet: Vitamin D Levels Decreasing?
Women with health issues such as arthritis, hypothyroidism, cancer, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis are much more likely to have inadequate levels of vitamin D during seasons with decreased daylight. 28% of women had deficient levels and 33% had insufficient levels of vitamin D. Women taking supplements were able to significantly elevate their vitamin D levels.
American Society for Clinical Pathology, November 2012

Exercise: Exercise When You're Sick?
The choice to exercise or not sometimes depends on the sickness or disease. Our bodies work harder and use more energy when we are fighting an illness. If symptoms are above the neck (sore throat, runny nose), it is probably okay to exercise. If you're sick but still want to exercise, simply reduce your intensity and duration. You should not exercise if you have body aches, fever, diarrhea or vomiting, shortness of breath or chest congestion, dizziness or light-headedness. When resuming your regular exercise routine, try starting with 50% effort and 50% duration.
Loyola University Health System, November 2012

Chiropractic: Complexity of The Brain.
How complex is the brain? One cubic inch of brain cortex contains over 10,000 miles of connecting tissue.
Guyton's Physiology

Wellness/Prevention: Staying Healthy!
"The preservation of health is easier than the cure for disease."
~ B.J. Palmer

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 3rd, 2012

Mental Attitude: What You See Is What You Like.
After viewing images of successful women with varying body sizes, women who had strongly preferred only thin body types now had more favorable attitudes towards other body shapes.
PLoS One, November 2012

Health Alert: Children, Cars and Second-Hand Smoke.
Just ten minutes in the back seat of a car with a smoker in the front seat increased a child's exposure to harmful pollutants by 30%, even with the front windows completely rolled down.
British Medical Journal, November 2012

Diet: Cholesterol and Probiotics.
Two daily doses (200mg) of a probiotics lowered "bad" (LDL) and total cholesterol in study participants. Probiotics are live microorganisms (naturally occurring bacteria in the gut) thought to have beneficial effects. Common sources are yogurt or dietary supplements. Those taking the probiotics had LDL levels 11.6% lower than those on placebo after nine weeks.
American Heart Association, November 2012

Exercise: Belly Fat and Sleep Quality?
Losing weight can directly aid in improving sleep quality among obese or overweight people. Sleep quality was meaningfully associated with weight loss, either from changes in diet or a healthy diet combined with exercise. Sleep quality improvement was also observed with a loss in belly fat. With an average loss of 15 pounds and 15% belly fat, sleep scores improved by 20%. Chronic sleep disruptions can elevate the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and stroke.
American Heart Association, November 2012

Chiropractic: Spinal Degenerative Joint Disease.
Spinal DJD (degenerative joint disease) occurs in most people as early as 40 years of age. The degeneration is due to gravity, major traumas, and repetitive micro-traumas (activities of daily living). Once the spine degenerates, simple mechanical compression (moving) can change nerve impulses, and the central nervous system may interpret that as pain.
Pain, 1977

Wellness/Prevention: Sleep and The Immune System.
Sleep deprivation increases the risk for developing inflammation related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and diabetes.
Biological Psychiatry, September 2008

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 26th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Sleep? 
Just one night of inadequate sleep can detrimentally trigger an increase (by as much as 60%) in brain activity related to anticipating negative emotional events.
UC Berkeley, October 2012

Health Alert: Stop Smoking! 
Female smokers in the UK die 10 years earlier (on average) than non-smokers. However, women who stop smoking by age 30 are 97% less likely to suffer a smoking related, premature death.
The Lancet, October 2012

Diet: Grapes! 
Grape consumption is linked to healthier diet habits and higher intake of nutrients. Individuals who consume products made with grapes also have higher intake of the following: dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. Grape consumption is associated with higher vegetable, whole grain, seed, and nut intake, as well as a decreased intake of cholesterol, saturated fat, and total fat, compared with adults who did not consume grape products. Grapes can assist in lowering blood pressure, strengthen blood flow, and lower inflammation in men suffering from metabolic syndrome.
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food, October 2012

Exercise: Yoga.
Yoga stretches all of the soft tissues of your body such as ligaments, tendons, and the fascia sheaths that surround your muscles. No matter your level of yoga, you most likely will see benefits in a very short period of time. Yoga participants had 35% improvement in flexibility after only 8 weeks.
American Council on Exercise, October 2012

Chiropractic: Why Wait? 
The activities of every day living can cause micro-traumas to the musculoskeletal system. While these injuries may not result in pain, if left untreated they may lead to more serious problems such as back or neck pain (for example). Regular adjustments can help prevent these micro-traumas from becoming bigger problems in the future.

Wellness/Prevention: Keep Young Drivers Safe. 
In May 2010, New Jersey implemented Kyleigh's Law, requiring all 16-20 year old drivers with a permit or intermediate license to display a reflective decal on the front and back license plates of vehicles they are operating. The decal is intended to help police officers enforce laws specific to younger drivers such as those related to night time driving and the number of permitted passengers. Since going into effect, Kyleigh's Law has decreased car accidents among 16-20 year old intermediate license holders by 9%. Tips for keeping your young driver safe: "[Start] them out in low-risk conditions. Keep the number of passengers to no more than one, limit nighttime driving to before 10 pm, always prohibit cell phone use while driving, and insist on seat belts for every occupant on every drive."
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, October 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 19th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Hope For Lonely Seniors. 
Lonely, older adults with higher levels of cortisol and c-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood are at greater risk for stress and inflammation related diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease). However, a new study has found that lonely senior citizens can decrease their cortisol and CRP levels by maintaining a positive outlook on life and by not blaming themselves for their problems.
Concordia University, October 2012

Health Alert: Fast-Tracked Drugs!
A recent study tracked a total of 434 new active substances (NASs) approved by Health Canada between 1995 and 2010. The NASs were then compared to see whether a difference in safety existed between those that had gone through Health Canada's standard 300-day review period vs. the 180-day priority process. Drugs streamed into Health Canada's accelerated review process are 15% more likely to be withdrawn from the market or to earn a serious safety warning.
Archives of Internal Medicine, October 2012

Diet: Happiness and Mental Health.
Happiness and mental health are highest among people who eat 7 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Mental wellbeing appeared to rise with the number of daily portions of fruit and vegetables people consumed. Wellbeing peaked at seven portions a day. In Britain today, a quarter of the population eat just one portion or no portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Only a tenth of the British population currently consume the magic number of seven or more daily portions.
Social Indicators Research, October 2012

Exercise: Just A Few Minutes. 
Participants who peddled a stationary bike as hard as possible at the highest resistance for 30 seconds, followed by 4 minutes of peddling at slow speeds with little resistance (5 rounds), burned as many as 200 calories despite only vigorously exercising for 2.5 minutes. For many people who want to be in better shape, a large chunk of time spent in an effort to work out is an annoying turn-off. This new finding could make exercise reasonable for potential fitness buffs by squeezing intense efforts into a smaller time slot.
Integrative Biology of Exercise VI meeting, October 10-13, 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 12th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Chew On This!
People who maintain the ability to chew are less likely to develop dementia. This study shows a link between having no teeth and losing cognitive function more rapidly. The action of chewing makes more blood flow to the brain. People with few or no teeth will chew less, resulting in less blood flow to the brain.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, October 2012

Health Alert: Younger Adults and Strokes?
Stroke is becoming more common in younger adults. The reason may be an increase in risk factors like diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. Strokes among those under age 55 grew from around 13% in 1994 to 19% in 2005.
Neurology, October 2012

Diet: Omega-3 Intake & Young Adults.
For the first time, scientists have studied the effects of Omega-3 supplementation on young adults (ages 18-25). After 6 months of supplementation, subjects were able to improve their working memory (used for reason and comprehension) despite the belief that, at their age, they were operating at their cognitive best.
PLoS One, October 2012

Exercise: Take A Hike For Your Heart!
Going for a hike, a jog, or taking a brisk walk every day could reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke by 50%. Researchers found that people who jog or who walk briskly have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who lead more sedentary lives, or who walk at slower speeds.
British Heart Foundation, October 2012

Chiropractic: Pregnancy and Back Pain.
Approximately 60% of pregnant women suffer from back pain; however, only about 30% report symptoms to their prenatal provider and only 25% of providers recommend treatment. A review of 17 pregnant women who sought chiropractic care for back pain found 16 of 17 women demonstrated clinically important pain improvement within 4.5 days of seeking care, with no adverse side effects.
Journal of Midwifery & Women's Health, January-February 2006

Wellness/Prevention: What Can I Do?
According to Leon Chaitow, ND, DO, "Even if conventional medicine tells you that your condition is incurable or that your only option is to live a life dependent on drugs with troublesome side effects, there is hope for improving or reversing your condition." There are many things we can do to stay healthy and overcome illness once we become ill. The benefits of an excellent diet, a strong exercise program, getting proper rest, and a strong mental attitude (which includes stress reduction) have been studied endlessly with positive results. Being healthy almost always improves your overall body function and decreases your risk of becoming ill.

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 5th, 2012

Mental Attitude: What Is Dementia? 
Dementia is not a specific disease. It's a term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the 2nd most common type of dementia. At least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia: memory, communication and language, ability to focus and pay attention, reasoning and judgment, and visual perception. 
Alzheimer's Association 

Health Alert: Physical Health and Depression. 
Physical health is linked to depression risk. People with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, psoriasis, and a number of other illnesses and conditions have a much higher risk of developing depression than other "healthy" individuals. Unpleasant or extreme circumstances may also raise depression risk, such as unemployment, disasters, wars, and losing loved ones. 
World Health Organization, October 2012 

Diet: Tomatoes! 
Men who eat lots of tomatoes and tomato-based products may have a lower risk for stroke. Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant lycopene. Men who had the highest levels of lycopene in their blood (compared to their peers with the lowest levels) were 55% less likely to have a stroke and 59% less likely to have an ischemic stroke.
Neurology, October 2012 

Exercise: Move It! 
Even 30 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week (20 minutes 3 times a week for vigorous exercise, such as jogging) can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol. You don't have to exercise for 30 minutes straight; you can break it up into 10-minute increments. 
American Council on Exercise, October 2012 

Chiropractic: How Important Is Motion? 
After soft tissue injuries to the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and fascia that result in motion restriction, a high incidence of osteoarthritis (degeneration) can be seen on x-ray within 5 years.
American Journal of Medicine, 2001 

Wellness/Prevention: Safety For Your Children. 
37% of all children under 16 years old are incorrectly restrained in the car. 23% are so poorly restrained that a collision would have very serious consequences. With the correct use of safety equipment, fewer children will be injured and killed in traffic accidents. Safety errors are highest in children aged 4-7 years. The 5 most common mistakes are misplaced seat belts, twisted belts, loose straps, belt under the arm instead of over the shoulder, and young children (<135 cm or <4.5 feet) sitting in a seat without side support. 
Norwegian Institute of Public Health, October 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 29th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Benefits of Green Tea.
Previous studies have shown that green tea consumption aids in both weight loss and lowering cholesterol levels. Green tea is full of anti-oxidants and has also been known to reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, depression symptoms, wrinkles, the risk of high blood pressure. Green tea also benefits diabetics because it slows the rise of blood sugar after eating. A new study reveals that it may also benefit memory and spatial awareness. (Note: Green tea decaffeinated with CO2 retains as much as 95% of the original anti-oxidant levels. If the ethyl acetate process was used, only about 30% of the anti-oxidants will be retained.)
Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, September 2012

Health Alert: $750 Billion Lost A Year!
America's health care system is inefficient, suffers from data overload, and is both complex and costly. Each year, $750 billion (roughly $.35 per dollar spent) is wasted nationwide on inflated administration costs, fraud, and pointless services. These problems can also result in needless patient suffering and deaths.
Institute of Medicine. September 2012

Diet: Anorexia.
Patients with anorexia have trouble accurately judging their own body size, but not the bodies of others. In a test, when asked if they could pass through a doorway, anorexic patients felt they could not pass through the door even when it was easily wide enough. However, anorexic patients were more accurate at judging others' ability to pass through the doorway than their own. The study also found a correlation between the perception of the patients' own ability to pass through the aperture and their body size prior to becoming anorexic, suggesting that the patients may still think of themselves as their previous size.
PLOS ONE, August 2012

Exercise: The Elderly.
The benefits of exercise are positive for all seniors, including those who are considered frail. The advantages appeared after just three months and included increased cognitive and physical abilities, as well as increased quality of life.
Journals of Gerontology, August 2012

Chiropractic: Lack of Motion.
A joint that is not mechanically stimulated will atrophy, leading to degeneration. However, even passive motion (ex: someone else bending your leg for you) is beneficial to cartilage regeneration.
Arthritis Care and Research, 2006

Wellness/Prevention: Coconut Oil and Tooth Decay.
Digested coconut oil is able to attack the bacteria that cause tooth decay. The study found that enzyme-modified coconut oil strongly inhibits the growth of most strains of Streptococcus bacteria, including Streptococcus mutans (an acid-producing bacterium that is a major cause of tooth decay).
Society for General Microbiology, September 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 22nd, 2012

Mental Attitude: Don't Choke!
For many skilled athletes, the movements they execute in an athletic event have been practiced so much, they occur with little conscious thought. However, when athletes don't perform well under pressure, they may focus too much on their movements which causes their performance to decrease even more. Right handed athletes who squeezed a ball in their left hand before an athletic event were more able to perform under pressure. It's thought that clenching with the left hand helps activate the right side of the brain that is associated with automated behaviors, such as those used by athletes to dribble, kick, shoot, swing, etc.
American Psychological Association, September 2012

Health Alert: Improper Rinsing?
The improper use of neti pots, as well as other devices for rinsing out the sinuses, has been linked to a higher risk of infection. The FDA warns that if they are not used properly, the user runs a risk of developing serious infections, even potentially fatal ones. The devices are safe and useful overall, as long as they are properly used and cleaned.
FDA, September 2012

Diet: Why Some Fats May Be Bad.
Some fats (like animal fats) are linked to ailments like heart disease and diabetes while others (like those from fish, plants, and nuts) have health benefits. Why the difference? The results of one study suggest that some fats encourage the growth of harmful bacteria in the digestive system. Our bodies recognize those fats and launch an immune response. The result is low-level inflammation that, over the long term, causes chronic disease.
Quarterly Review of Biology, September 2012

Exercise: Get Fit Dad!
According to a team of experts at the University of Melbourne's Department of Zoology, a father's obesity negatively impacts sperm, which results in smaller fetuses, poor pregnancy success, and decreased placental development.
Society for Reproductive Biology, August 2012

Chiropractic: What Causes Pain?
One possibility is ligaments or tendons being slightly torn or under physical stress or tension. These tissues can easily become damaged due to injury or long periods (weeks, months, or years) of overwork.
Physical Exam Spine and Extremities, Hoppenfeld

Wellness/Prevention: Healthy Lifestyle.
According to the World Health Organization, hypertension is the leading cause of mortality in the world, responsible for 7 million deaths a year (15% of all deaths). Healthy behaviors regarding alcohol, physical activity, vegetable intake, and body weight reduce the risk of hypertension by two thirds. Having two healthy lifestyle factors reduced the risk of hypertension by 50% in men and 30% in women.
National Institute for Health and Welfare, September 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 15th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Cannabis and IQ?
A recent study indicates that daily cannabis use by teenagers (< 18 years old) results in neuropsychological decline, which persists even after they stop smoking. The group also had IQ scores that were 8 points lower than their counterparts who never smoked or started.
Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences, September 2012

Health Alert: Bad Medicine?
Approximately one in five prescriptions to elderly people are inappropriate. Some of the medications with the highest rates of inappropriate use were the antihistamine diphenhydramine, the antidepressant amitriptyline, and the pain reliever propoxyphene.
PLOS ONE, September 2012

Diet: Chocolate?
Chocolate may be beneficial for reducing stroke risk in men. Flavonoids found in chocolate may decrease blood concentrations of bad cholesterol and reduce blood pressure. Flavonoids, a group of polyphenolic compounds known to have beneficial biochemical and antioxidant effects, appear to protect against cardiovascular disease through antioxidant, anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory properties. Men who ate the largest amounts of chocolate (63 grams - a third cup of chocolate chips - per week) had a 17% lower risk of stroke than men who never, or very rarely, ate chocolate. Also, for each additional 50 grams of chocolate consumed per week (a quarter cup of chocolate chips), there is a fall in stroke risk of about 14%. Many researchers maintain it is dark chocolate that is good for the heart, but about 90% of the chocolate intake in this study was milk chocolate.
Karolinska Institute, August 2012

Exercise: Lack of Exercise As A Medical Condition?
According to physiologist Michael Joyner, M.D., "physical inactivity is the root cause of many of the common problems that we have." These problems include obesity, diabetes, joint damage, and high blood pressure. If lack of exercise (deconditioning) was treated as a medical condition, then perhaps more patients and doctors would see exercise as a treatment that should be considered first for many medical complaints.
Mayo Clinic, August 2012

Chiropractic: What Causes Pain?
One possibility is joint pain due to inflammation of tissues between and around the joints. As a person ages, or with trauma (old or new), their joints lose flexibility. As muscles and ligaments tighten and shorten, inflammatory chemicals can become trapped. Over time, the joint complex can degenerate and osteoarthritis may develop.
Physical Exam Spine and Extremities, Hoppenfeld

Wellness/Prevention: TV Time?
31% of US children and adolescents are overweight or obese. Reducing TV viewing may be an effective strategy to preventing excess weight gain among adolescents. In this study, there was a clear association with reduction in TV hours and decreased weight gain over one year.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, September/October 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 8th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Bright Lights?
A new study shows that light therapy is beneficial to everyone, not just individuals who suffer from seasonal depression. When bright light therapy is administered through the ear canal directly to the photosensitive brain tissue, it improved cognitive performance and mood in all subjects. Students who received a daily, 12 minute bright light treatment through the ear canal for 3 weeks improved their reaction time by 25-30%. When channeled directly to the brain, bright light significantly increases activity in the neural networks, especially in regions of the brain linked to visual perception.
Scandinavian Physiological Society, September 2012
Health Alert: Tattoo Infections?
Some tattoo inks are tainted with nontuberculous Mycobacteria. This bacteria can cause lung disease, eye problems, and organ and joint infections. Tattoo inks and pigments may also be contaminated with fungi and mold. Tattoo artists should make sure that only sterile water is used to dilute the inks.
US Food and Drug Administration, September 2012
Diet: Stroke and Diet.
A poor diet may increase your risk of stroke in a few significant ways. Eating too much fat and cholesterol can lead to arteries that are narrowed by plaque, eating too much salt may contribute to high blood pressure, and eating too many calories can lead to obesity. A diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fish may help lower your stroke risk.
American Heart Association
Exercise: Less Is More?
Good news, 30 minutes of exercise each day is better than one hour. On average, men who exercised 30 minutes a day lost ~8 lbs in three months, while those who exercised for a whole hour only lost ~6 lbs. One explanation is that half an hour of exercise is so doable that study participants had the desire and energy for more physical activity after their daily exercise session. Those who exercised for 60 minutes per day probably ate more, thus their weight loss was slightly less than anticipated.
American Journal of Physiology, September 2012
Chiropractic: What Causes Pain?
One possibility for pain is disk involvement. Pain may occur when a disk becomes inflamed, herniated (bulging), or ruptured. The mechanism can be due to an acute injury like a car accident or fall, or repetitive micro-trauma (long term wear and tear). In both cases, muscle spasms can occur, potentially causing severe pain.
Physical Exam Spine and Extremities, Hoppenfeld
Wellness/Prevention: Decrease Stroke Risk?
Chronic conditions that are risk factors for stroke: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. Behaviors that are risk factors for stroke: smoking, getting too little exercise, and heavy use of alcohol.
American Heart Association

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 1st, 2012

Mental Attitude: Violent Images?
People who watched more than four hours of TV a day relating to the 9/11 attacks and Iraq War coverage were more likely to report both acute and post-traumatic stress symptoms over time. According to study author Roxane Cohen Silver, PhD, "[It's] important for people to be aware that there is no psychological benefit to repeated exposure to graphic images of horror."
Psychological Science, September 2012

Health Alert: Bad Belly Fat!
People with a high waist-to-hip ratio (those with big bellies, but a normal body mass index score) are 2.75x more likely to die from a cardiovascular event.
Mayo Clinic, September 2012

Diet: Junk, TV, and Income.
Preschoolers from low-income neighborhoods and kids who spend more than two hours a day in front of a TV or video-game console have at least one thing in common: a thirst for sugary soda and juice. 54.5% of 4-5 year olds from poorer neighborhoods drank at least one soda per week, compared to 40.8% of kids from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Preschoolers from low-income areas also drank less milk and consumed more fruit juice, which, like soda, is linked to rising sugar intake. Researchers found similar drinking habits among preschoolers who spent more than two hours of "screen time" per day watching TV or playing video games. Kids from poorer neighborhoods sat in front of screens more often, and drank larger volumes of sweetened beverages. Just 30% of children ate recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, and only 23.5% consumed the recommended amount of servings of grain products.
University of Alberta, August 2012

Exercise: Exercise and Cancer Recovery?
Studies have shown the powerful effect exercise can have on cancer care and recovery. For patients who have gone through breast or colon cancer treatment, regular exercise has been found to reduce recurrence by up to 50%.
Mayo Clinic, September 2012

Chiropractic: What Causes Pain?
One possibility is nerve pain. When a nerve becomes "pinched," compressed, or inflamed due to an impinging or degenerated disk, the nerves that innervate the spine can become injured. This mechanism can lead to a radiculopathy, where pain radiates down your arm or leg.
Physical Exam Spine and Extremities, Hoppenfeld

Wellness/Prevention: Drink Water!
Water is your body's principle chemical component and makes up 60% of your body weight. Water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose, and throat tissues. Lack of water can lead to dehydration, and even mild dehydration (as low as 1-2% loss of normal water volume) can drain your energy and make you tired.
Institute of Medicine

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, September 24th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Learning and Stress.
Stressed and non-stressed persons use different brain regions and different strategies when learning. Non-stressed individuals applied a deliberate learning strategy, while stressed subjects relied more on their gut feelings.
Journal of Neuroscience, August 2012

Health Alert: Calcium and Vitamin D?
It has been a long standing protocol for men at risk of bone loss from hormonal treatment for prostate cancer to take Calcium and vitamin D supplements. New research shows this type of supplementation does not prevent bone loss and may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and aggressive prostate cancer.
The Oncologist, July 2012

Diet: Deep Fried?
Fairs and boardwalks serve up plenty of deep-fried diet disasters. From fried cheesecake (around 500 calories), to fried macaroni and cheese (roughly 610 calories), and gigantic turkey legs (about 1,136 calories and 54 grams of fat), most eat-while-you-walk foods are a huge calorie overload, not to mention the grease!
American Heart Association

Exercise: Lower Your Diabetes Risk.
The World Health Organization estimates that 346 million people have diabetes, and deaths related to it are expected to double between 2005 and 2030, with more than 80% of them occurring in low and middle income countries. Men who weight train 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week may be able to lower their risk for type 2 diabetes by up to 34%. Also, men may be able to lower their risk further (by 59%) if they combine weight training with aerobic exercise, like brisk walking or running. The effects are probably due to increased muscle mass and improved insulin sensitivity.
Archives of Internal Medicine, August 2012

Chiropractic: Neck Posture and Whiplash.
Abnormal, pre-injury curves of the neck increase the risk of whiplash injury to the facet capsules, and predispose the patient to accelerated post traumatic long-term, degenerative changes of the spine.
Journal of Biomechanics, June 2005

Wellness/Prevention: 6 Tips For Injury Prevention In Young Athletes.
1) Take at least 1 day off a week to give your body time to recover. 2) Take breaks to reduce risk of injury and prevent heat illness. 3) Use correct gear that is right for the sport and fits properly, and don't assume because you are wearing protective gear you can perform more dangerous and risky things. 4) Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise to avoid heat illness. Coaches should reduce or stop practices when heat or humidity is high. 5) Use proper technique at all times. 6) Coaches should play it safe and enforce strict rules against head-first sliding, spearing, and body checking, and stop the activity if there is any pain.
American Academy of Pediatrics

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, September 17th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Positive Emotion.
Older adults display more positive emotions and are quicker to regulate out of negative emotional states than younger adults. Older adults may be better at regulating emotion because they tend to direct their eyes away from negative material or toward positive material.
Current Directions in Psychological Science, August 2012

Health Alert: Alzheimer's Research.
The global market for Alzheimer's disease therapeutics could soar to $8 billion once therapies are approved that actually change the course of the disease. The current therapeutic market is valued at $3-4 billion and is shared among drugs that temporarily delay disease progression or address the symptoms but do not alter the underlying disease. Despite all the research on amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, there is still a debate on whether these biological phenomena are causative or symptomatic of Alzheimer's. Once scientists can clearly and unequivocally define key factors related to the actual biology of the disease itself, therapeutic advances could take place much more quickly.
Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, August 2012

Diet: Summer Time Blues!
Barbequed hot dogs and sausages are common summer time treats, but are they the right choice for your diet? It's not just the high levels of fat or calories that are cause for concern, most hot dogs, bratwurst, and other sausages are also very high in sodium. The average hot dog contains 280 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 1,250 mg of sodium.
American Heart Association

Exercise: Micronutrients and Physical Fitness
Adolescents' blood levels of micronutrients are correlated with how well they perform in physical fitness tests. For cardio-respiratory fitness, concentrations of hemoglobin, retinol, and vitamin C in males and beta-carotene and vitamin D in females was positively associated with VO2 max (peak oxygen uptake).
Journal of Applied Physiology, Aug 2012

Chiropractic: Lack of Motion.
Back in 1933, a study showed lack of proper joint motion can cause Degenerative Joint Disease (osteoarthritis). An immobilized joint will develop cartilage changes similar to those of osteoarthritis.
Surgery, Gynecology & Obstetrics, 1933

Wellness/Prevention: Nutrition and IQ.
Children fed healthy diets at a young age may have a higher IQ when tested at eight years old. A study looked at the link between the eating habits of children at six months, 15 months and two years, and their IQ at eight years of age. Children breastfed at six months and who had a healthy diet regularly including foods such as legumes, cheese, fruit and vegetables at 15 and 24 months, had an IQ up to two points higher by age eight. Those children who had a diet regularly involving biscuits, chocolate, sweets, soft drinks and chips in the first two years of life had IQs up to two points lower by age eight.
University of Adelaide, Aug 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, September 10th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Think You Are Fat?
Researchers found that normal weight teens who perceive themselves as fat are more likely to grow up to be fat. 59% of girls who felt fat as a teen became overweight in adulthood while 31% of girls who did not consider themselves fat during adolescence were found to be overweight. Normal weight girls were more likely than boys to rate themselves as overweight (22% of girls vs. 9% of the boys). One reason for weight gain in later years may be due to psychosocial stress, which can be associated with gaining weight. Under this scenario, the psychosocial stress related to having (or not having) an ideal body type, along with the perception of oneself as overweight, can result in weight gain. Another explanation may be that young people who see themselves as fat often change their eating habits by skipping meals, which can lead to obesity. Also, a diet you can't maintain over time will be counterproductive, as the body tries to maintain the weight you had before you started to diet.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, July 2012

Health Alert: Depression Is A World-Wide Problem.
It's widely believe that depression is a phenomenon of Western culture, but researchers who analyzed studies involving over 480,000 people across 91 countries have found the opposite is true. They estimate the rate of depression in Middle Eastern and some Asian countries (~9%) is twice that found in countries like the United States and Australia (~4%).
World Health Organization, 2010

Diet: Bad BBQ News!
Barbecue can sabotage your waistline. A 20 ounce T-bone steak can weigh in at 1,540 calories, with 124 grams of fat. A cheeseburger has 750 calories and 45 grams of fat. Pork or beef ribs come from the fattiest part of the animal. Healthier options include pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, and lean ground beef.
American Heart Association

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Regular exercise maintains or improves joint flexibility, improves your glucose tolerance and reduces workdays missed due to illness.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Motion and Nutrition.
Cartilage is avascular, meaning it does not receive nutrition via blood vessels. Like a sponge, it takes in fluid and releases the fluid when compression is applied. This alternating compression and re-expansion allows it to receive its supply of nutrients and remove metabolic waste.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 1984

Wellness/Prevention: Lose To Gain?
People who are overweight or obese could gain ten years worth of health benefits by simply losing 20 pounds. Modest weight loss (average 14 lbs) reduced the risk of individuals developing Type 2 diabetes by 58%. Weight loss of just 10% of a person's body weight has been shown to have long-term impact on sleep apnea, hypertension, quality of life, and to slow the decline in mobility that occurs as people age.
American Psychological Association, July 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, September 3rd, 2012

Mental Attitude: Sleep and Stroke Risk!
Adults (in the normal weight range) who sleep less than 6 hours per night have a much greater risk of stroke symptoms during middle age and old age than their peers who sleep more than 6 hours per night.
University of Alabama, Aug 2012

Health Alert: Insecticides and IQs!
A study found a difference between how boys and girls respond to prenatal exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos. At age seven, boys had greater difficulty with working memory (a key component of IQ) than girls with similar exposures. MRI scans show that even low to moderate levels of exposure during pregnancy may lead to long-term, potentially irreversible changes in the brain. The chemical is used in agriculture, wood treatments, golf courses, parks, and road medians. Low-level exposure can also occur by eating fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with chlorpyrifos.
Neurotoxicology and Teratology, Aug 2012

Diet: What Do They Eat?
Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman talks about the importance of nutrition and her post-workout staple: chocolate milk. Chocolate milk is a common athlete favorite because of its carb/protein ratio and vitamins for muscle recovery. Beach volleyball player Kerry Walsh eats almond butter and honey sandwiches before she competes. The sugar from honey is immediately energizing while the protein and fats in almond butter help sustain that energy boost. Polo player Ryan Bailey says his power breakfast is gluten-and-dairy-free buckwheat banana pancakes with fruit.
European Lung Foundation, July 2011

Exercise: 'Exergames'?
Active video games (AVGS, also known as "exergames") are not the perfect solution to the nation's sedentary ways since most AVGs provide only "light-to-moderate" intensity physical activity. It's recommended that the average adult get 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise each day.
Michigan State University, August 2012

Chiropractic: What Is A Stinger?
You may have heard of an athlete in a contact sport (football, rugby, ice hockey, wrestling) receiving a "stinger." This injury occurs when the head and neck are forced to the side and the nerves that branch off the spinal cord in the neck become compressed. This can cause a stinging or shooting pain down one arm, followed by numbness or weakness. These injuries often go unreported because symptoms can quickly resolve, but if left untreated, repeated trauma can result in persistent pain or arm weakness.
WebMD, 1999

Wellness/Prevention: Yoga and Depression During Pregnancy.
Many pregnant women experience hormonal mood swings during pregnancy, and 20% experience a major depression. Expectant mothers who participated in 90-minute yoga sessions over a 10-week period experienced a considerable reduction in depressive symptoms, and also reported having a stronger attachment to their babies in the womb.
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, August 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 27th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Fatty Food Pictures?
Looking at images of high-calorie foods stimulates the brain's appetite control center, which leads to an elevated desire for food. This stimulation of the brain's reward areas may contribute to overeating and obesity. This is a striking finding because the current environment is inundated with advertisements showing images of high-calorie foods.
Endocrine Society's 94th Annual Meeting, June 2012

Health Alert: GlaxoSmithKline Pleads Guilty!
GlaxoSmithKline, the world's 4th largest company, pled guilty to fraud and agreed to pay $3 billion dollars to resolve criminal and civil charges against the company. The matter relates to failure to report the safety data of certain prescription drugs, as well as false price reporting. It is the largest payout by a drug company over fraud, and the largest healthcare fraud case to date. James M. Cole, Deputy Attorney General said, "Today's multi-billion dollar settlement is unprecedented in both size and scope. We are determined to stop practices that jeopardize patients' health, harm taxpayers, and violate the public trust and this historic action is a clear warning to any company that chooses to break the law."
Medical News Today, June 2012

Diet: Muscle Power and Caffeine.
As we age, our muscles naturally change and weaken. A study found caffeine boosts power in older muscles, suggesting the stimulant could aid elderly people to both maintain their strength and reduce their risk for falls and injuries. With the importance of maintaining a physically active lifestyle to preserve health and functional capacity, caffeine could prove beneficial to the aging population.
Society for Experimental Biology, June 2012

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise increases your stroke volume (the amount of blood the heart pumps with each beat), improves your self-esteem, and reduces your susceptibility for coronary thrombosis (a clot in an artery that supplies the heart with blood).
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: A Recommendation By A Prominent Physician.
 
"[The] best people to manage back pain are osteopathic and chiropractic physicians. Why? Because they are specially trained in the mechanical abnormalities which cause 95% of back pain and they know how to correct these defects manually."
~ Paul Hemenway Altrocchi, MD, MPH - former Professor of Neurology at Stanford Medical School

Wellness/Prevention: Leave Your Car At Home?
People who walked 150 minutes per week had lower health care costs and mortality rates.
European Journal of Public Health, June 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 20th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Feeling Sleepy?
One third of all workers sleep less than six hours each day, instead of the recommended 7-9 hours. People especially at risk of not getting enough sleep include those in the health care, social assistance, and transportation fields.
CDC, June 2012

Health Alert: Cancer and Aging.
Why does our risk of developing cancer increase as we age? By the time we stop growing in our teens, we accumulate a large percentage of the mutations we will have during our lifetime. There's a mismatch between the mutation curve and the cancer curve, meaning that if cancer is caused by reaching a tipping point of mutations, then we should see higher cancer rates in 20-year-olds, as this is when the mutation rate is highest. The body's healthy cells function best in healthy, younger tissue; however, in older tissue, cancerous cells may adapt better in that environment than healthy cells and more easily propagate.
Oncogene, June 2012

Diet: Food Industry Should Be Regulated?
"The obesity crisis is made worse by the way industry formulates and markets its products, and so must be regulated to prevent excesses and to protect the public good," writes Kelly Brownell, a leading food expert. He argues that left to regulate itself, the food industry has the opportunity, if not the mandate from shareholders, to sell more products irrespective of their impact on consumers. Thus, government, foundations, and other powerful institutions should push for regulation of, and not collaboration with, the food industry.
PLoS Medicine, July 2012

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise reduces your risk of developing Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes, reduces the risk of developing breast cancer and improves mental cognition (a short-term effect only).
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Joint Friction?
The supplement chondroitin sulfate significantly reduces the friction coefficient of articular cartilage, which, in turn, leads to a decreased risk of joint degeneration.
Journal of Biomechanics, 2007

Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D and Fractures.
Taking 800-2,000 IUs of vitamin D per day significantly reduces the risk of most fractures in men and women age 65 and older. In a study, the top 25% of Vitamin D consumers sustained 30% fewer hip fractures and 14% fewer fractures of other bones. There was no benefit to taking Vitamin D supplements in doses below 800 IUs. The cost of treating a hip fracture is $26,912.
New England Journal of Medicine, June 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 13th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Catching Colds? The risk of contracting a cold, regardless of pre-existing immunity, after being exposed to cold viruses is 52% less in parents compared with those who have no children. The finding may be expected considering that when children get colds, the parents may develop protective antibodies against the specific viruses that cause these colds. However, the findings revealed that based on levels of antibodies to the study viruses, the lower risk of colds in parents could not be explained by preexistin immunity. Volunteers who were parents tended to develop fewer colds irrespective of whether or not they had protective levels of antibodies. One possible explanation may be that being a parent improves regulation of immune factors (cytokines) that are triggered in response to infection. According to earlier research, cytokine responses explain the protective effects of psychological factors, such as lower stress or a positive attitude against the risk of colds. American Psychosomatic Society, July 2012

Health Alert: Cortisone. Injections of corticoid preparations can have severe side effects. In 278 cases of complications after corticoid injections, medical errors were found to have been committed in 40% of cases. Typical errors include faulty asepsis, treatment without indication, and injections that were too closely spaced in time or in excessive doses. Deutsches Arzteblatt International, July 2012

Diet: The Not So Small Intestine. Have you ever wondered how your body gets nutrients out of your food? Your small intestine absorbs most of your food; however, the small intestine is not that small. The average surface of the human small intestine is about the size of a tennis court! Gray’s Anatomy

Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise improves respiratory muscle strength and muscle endurance (particularly important for asthmatics), reduces your risk of having a stroke and helps you to burn excess calories. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Move Your Joints! Range-of-motion exercises can help maintain normal joint function by increasing and preserving joint mobility and flexibility. The Cleveland Clinic, 2007

Wellness/Prevention: Constant Change. A big reason to stay healthy is that the cells of your body are constantly replaced. Eating right and exercising will give the new cells the best chance to become healthy cells. For example, did you know that humans shed and re-grow outer skin cells about every 27 days? That’s almost 1,000 new skins in a lifetime! Gray’s Anatomy

Quote: “Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking.”  ~Albert Einstein

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 6th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Stress and Violence. Children exposed to community violence exhibit a physical stress response for up to a year, suggesting that exposure to violence may have negative long-term health consequences. In the short-term, violence is linked with aggression, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms and academic and cognitive difficulties. Journal of Adolescent Health, July 2012 Health Alert: Health Care Costs For Kids. In 2010, per capita spending on children's health care increased to $2,123 (an 18.6% increase from 2007), with spending on health care for infants and toddlers being noted as disproportionately high. Even though children below the age of 3 made up 17% of the covered child population, they cost the 31.4% of the total amount for children's health care, with per capita spending reaching $3,896 in 2010. Health Care Cost Institute, July 2012 Diet: Eating Fish! Regular fish consumption can decrease colorectal cancer risk by 12%. American Journal of Medicine, June 2012 Exercise: Eat Less, Move More, and Live Longer. In a study on dietary restriction (DR) involving fruit flies, the flies that were also physically active experienced longer lives. This study establishes a link between DR-mediated metabolic activity in muscle, increased movement and the benefits derived from restricting nutrients. Flies on DR who could not move or had inhibited fat metabolism in their muscle did not exhibit an extended lifespan. If this finding extends to humans, then simply restricting nutrients without physical activity may not increase longevity. Cell Metabolism, July 2012 Chiropractic: Good Vibrations. The health of your joint cartilage is improved with vibratory motion. Vibrations allow the hyaluronic acid to be directed evenly among chondrocytes and the extracellular matrix, thus improving delivery of nutrients to chondrocytes in deeper layers and improving transportation of waste products. The average 70 kg (154 lbs) person has roughly 15 grams of hyaluronan in the body, one-third of which is turned over (degraded and synthesized) every day. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 2006 Wellness/Prevention: No Warning! Heart disease is the #1 killer today, and 60% of the time there are no warning signals! American Heart Association

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 30th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Depression and High-Fat Diets. In addition to causing obesity, rich foods can actually cause chemical reactions in the brain that ultimately lead to depression. Researchers observed that mice that received a higher-fat diet showed signs of being anxious by avoiding open areas, as well as signs of depression. International Journal of Obesity, April 2012 Health Alert: Pediatric Blood Pressure! A study of 2500 pediatric patient visits revealed that doctors and nurses failed to check blood pressure 20% of the time. Of the 2000 patients who were checked, 726 had elevated blood pressure scores; however, 87% of these findings went unremarked and unrecognized by the medical staff. Pediatrics, June 2010 Diet: Junk Food and Disney. Junk food ads will be banned from The Walt Disney Company's TV channels, websites and radio stations that are targeted at kids. Disney added that it is the first media company to take such action. Children watching shows on its ABC network will no longer be exposed to fast food and sugary cereal ads that do not meet the company's nutritional standards. Disney says its guidelines match those issued by federal authorities (more vegetables and fruits, and a reduction in sodium, sugar and saturated fat intake). Christian Science Monitor, June 2012 Exercise: Pain Relief? Exercise helps to alleviate pain related to nerve damage (neuropathic pain) by reducing levels of certain inflammation-promoting factors called cytokines. This supports exercise as a potentially useful non-drug treatment for neuropathic pain. In experiments, exercise reduced abnormal pain responses by 30-50%. Anesthesia & Analgesia, June 2012 Chiropractic: Effects Of Motion. Patients with DJD (degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis) participating in conditioning exercises showed significant improvement in endurance, grip strength, and flexibility. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 1984 Wellness/Prevention: Reduce Indoor Air Pollution. Cooking with gas burners on stoves and in ovens can produce unhealthy levels of indoor air pollution. These pollution levels can be higher than those encountered in heavily polluted outdoor air. Simply turn on the range exhaust fan and cook on the back burners to minimize your exposure. Environmental Science & Technology, June 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 23rd, 2012

Mental Attitude: Eating Together?
Family dinners are associated with lower incidences of teen depression, substance use, and delinquency. Family meals may afford a regular and positive context for parents to connect with kids emotionally, to monitor their social and academic activities, and to convey values and expectations.
Journal of Marriage and Family, June 2012

Health Alert: I'll Have Another.
There is good evidence that moderate alcohol consumption protects against heart disease, but when all of the chronic disease risks are balanced against each other, the optimal consumption level is much lower than many people believe. Researchers analyzed the link between alcohol consumption and 11 chronic diseases (five cancers, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver, epilepsy, and diabetes), and concluded that limiting alcohol consumption to half a drink a day (1/2 glass of wine or 1/2 can of beer) would save more lives.
BMJ Open, May 2012

Diet: Hurry and Get Curry.
The spice turmeric is an ingredient in curries and has been used for 2,500 years as a major part of the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India. A compound found in the spice called curcumin can increase the levels of a protein known to be vital in the immune system. It's possible that sustained consumption over time may be healthy and protect against infection, especially in the stomach and intestinal tract.
Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, June 2012

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise improves respiratory muscle strength, improves muscle endurance, reduces your risk of having a stroke, and helps you burn excess calories.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Take A Deep Breath.
Chiropractic care can increase the ability for the lungs to inflate and the ribcage to move, helping you breathe better.

Wellness/Prevention: Increasing Fiber.
Only 1% of adolescents consumed the recommended daily intake of fiber, 28 grams for females and 38 grams for males. On average, they consumed only one-third of the recommendation. Those who don't eat enough fiber tend to have bigger bellies and higher levels of inflammatory factors in their blood, both major risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, June 2012

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 16th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Appreciation! People who appreciate what they have are more likely to live happy, satisfied lives. Personality and Individual Differences, March 2012 Health Alert: Life-Threatening Accidental Acetaminophen Overdosing In Children! Acetaminophen, a widely available over-the-counter medication, can cause liver toxicity in children if recommended doses are exceeded. Clearly, more public education is needed to warn of potential adverse effects. Repeated supratherapeutic dosing (above the recommended dose), accidental overdose (due to error) and intentional ingestion can all result in acute liver failure and even death. 11% of children who are given pharmaceuticals experience a medication error such as an incorrect medication, incorrect dose or method of administering. Acetaminophen overdose is the most common agent responsible for a life-threatening event, longer-term illness or death among children. Canadian Medical Association Journal, June 2012 Diet: Tart Cherry Juice. Drinking tart cherry juice two times per day for three weeks resulted in considerable reductions in vital inflammation markers. This is good news for arthritis and join pain sufferers. American College of Sports. Medicine Conference, May 2012 Exercise: Improved Health With Less Training? The new 10-20-30 training concept consists of a warm-up at a low intensity followed by 3-4 blocks of 5 minutes running interspersed by 2 minutes of rest. Each block consists of 5 consecutive 1-minute intervals divided into 30, 20 and 10 seconds of running at a low, moderate and near maximal intensity, respectively. Runners were able to improve performance on a 1500m run by 23 seconds and almost by a minute on a 5km run, despite a 50% reduction in their total amount of training. The runners also had a significant decrease in blood pressure and a reduction in blood cholesterol. Journal of Applied of Physiology, June 2012 Chiropractic: The Rusty Gate! A gate is a good analogy for understanding bone joint degeneration. A new gate moves free and easy, much like healthy joints. In time, as the joint and gate hinge begin to breakdown or rust, movement becomes restricted and slower. With chiropractic care, your joints can maintain proper motion. For the gate, try WD40. :-) Wellness/Prevention: Brush Your Teeth! People who receive regular teeth cleanings had a lower chance of heart attack and stroke. American Journal of Medicine, June 2012

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Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 9th, 2012

Mental Attitude: Marriage and Happiness! 
Married people may be happier in the long run than those who aren't married. Matrimony does not make people happier than they were when they were single, but it appears to protect against normal declines in happiness during adulthood. 
Journal of Research in Personality, June 2012 

Health Alert: Up In Smoke? 
Cigarette smoking contributes to significantly higher hospital costs ($900 for each patient) for smokers undergoing elective general surgery. 30% of patients undergoing elective general surgery procedures smoke. Smoking is also linked with an increased risk of numerous postoperative complications, especially those related to pulmonary, cardiovascular, and wound-healing outcomes. Evidence suggests that quitting smoking before an operation, even as little as 4-6 weeks prior to the procedure, improves postoperative outcomes and decreases complications in patients. 
Journal of the American College of Surgeons, June 2012 

Diet: Damaged Kidneys and Low-Carb Diets? 
Low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets (like the Atkins diet) have been popular among dieters for years. Experts have worried that such diets may be harmful to the kidneys. Researchers found that a low-carbohydrate, high-protein weight loss diet did not cause noticeably harmful effects to patients' kidney function or their fluid and electrolyte balance when compared with a low-fat diet. The results are relevant to the millions of obese adults who use dieting as a weight loss strategy. 
Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, June 2012 

Exercise: Good Reasons. 
Exercise increases your cardiac reserve, improves coronary (heart) circulation, and offsets some of the negative side effects of antihypertensive drugs. 
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996 

Chiropractic: Notables 
"Being a chiropractic patient has really helped me." 
~ Tiger Woods. 

Wellness/Prevention: Live Longer - Exercise & Diet. 
According to a recent study, women aged 70-79 who exercise and eat healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables have a longer life expectancy than those who do not. What makes this study unique is that it looked at these two factors together. Researchers found that the women who were most physically active and had the highest fruit and vegetable consumption were 8 times more likely to survive the 5 year follow-up period than the women with the lowest rates of exercise and healthy eating. 
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, June 2012