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