Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 30th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Blood Test for Concussions.
Currently, 15-30% of concussion sufferers will experience significant, persistent cognitive deficits, such as processing speed, working memory, and the ability to switch or balance multiple thoughts. Unfortunately, doctors have no reliable way to asses if a concussion sufferer may fall into that group. Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Baylor College believe they have discovered a blood test that can determine if a concussion sufferer will experience long-term neural complications. By testing blood for elevated levels of a specific protein (STNF), medical professionals can accurately identify if recovery issues will arise and what additional treatment measures should be taken.
Frontiers in Neurology, November 2013

Health Alert: Alcohol and Acetaminophen.
There were 116,395 new kidney failures, 571,414 people living with kidney failure, and 90,118 deaths from the disease in the United States in 2009. Moderate or light consumption of alcohol taken with acetaminophen may increase the risk of kidney dysfunction. Acetaminophen usage and low to moderate alcohol consumption are not considered as individual risk factors for kidney damage, but together, they increase a person's risk for kidney damage by 123%.
Mayo Clinic, November 2013

Diet: Fruits and Veggies are Good for Your Child's Bones!
A study from the United Kingdom found that fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with increased total body bone mineral density and bone mineral content in adolescent girls and boys.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2006

Exercise: It Can Take Time…
After the first two months of an exercise program, volunteers who had insomnia reported they were not sleeping any better than they had at the start of the study. It wasn't until the four month mark that their insomnia improved. They also rarely reported sleeping better on nights when they had exercised and they almost always exercised for a shorter amount of time on the days after a poor night’s sleep.
Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, November 2013

Chiropractic: Significant Improvement!
Fifty patients with neck and arm pain caused by an MRI-confirmed cervical disk herniation received chiropractic adjustments over a 90-day period. After two weeks, 55.3% of patients reported their pain had significantly improved. This number rose to 68.9% after one month and 85.7% after three months of care. No adverse events were reported.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, October 2013

Wellness/Prevention: Pesticides and Endometriosis.
Endometriosis is a common condition that affects 10% of women during their reproductive years. Symptoms may include painful menstrual periods, pelvic pain, and infertility. Researchers looked to see if exposure to environmental chemicals with estrogenic properties (like some pesticides) could increase a woman's risk for developing the disease. They found that women with blood samples showing exposure to two now-banned pesticides (beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and mirex) have a 30-70% higher risk for developing the condition. Study author Dr. Kristen Upson concludes, "The take-home message from our study is that the persistent environmental chemicals, even those used in the past, may affect the health of the current generation of reproductive-age women with regard to a hormonally driven disease."
Environmental Health Perspectives, November 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 23rd, 2013

Mental Attitude: Meditation May Slow Progression of Dementia.
A small study of adults with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (which may progress to dementia) divided participants into two groups. One group participated in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) using meditation and yoga. The other group served as a control. The MBSR group participated in a day-long retreat, met as a group for two hours a week, and was encouraged to meditate at home for 15-30 minutes per day. After just eight weeks, brain scans of MBSR group participants showed positive improvements related to memory and cognitive function. This may indicate a slowing in dementia progression.
Neuroscience Letters, November 2013

Health Alert: Depression Worldwide!
When compared to other diseases and injuries, "major depressive disorder" (MDD) ranked as the second leading cause of global disability and 11th leading cause of global burden (quality years lost to disability).
PLoS Medicine, November 2013

Diet: Green Tea Slows Prostate Cancer Progression.
New research shows that green tea polyphenols may help slow or prevent some types of cancer. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study found that premalignant prostate lesions were three times less likely to progress to malignant tumors in men who took a 600mg green tea catechins supplement daily for a year (9% vs. 30% in the control group).
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2013

Exercise: Combat Health Conditions!
No matter what your current weight, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. Regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and falls.
Mayo Clinic, November 2013

Chiropractic: Herniated vs. Bulging Disks?
Disks act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine. They're composed of an outer layer of tough cartilage that surrounds softer cartilage in the center. A bulging disk extends outside the space it should occupy. The bulge typically affects a large portion of the disk, so it may look a little like a hamburger that's too big for the bun. A herniated disk results when a tear in the outer layer of cartilage allows some of the inner cartilage to protrude out of the disk. The protrusion of inner cartilage in a herniated disk usually happens in one distinct area. Herniated disks are also called ruptured disks or slipped disks.
Mayo Clinic, November 2013

Wellness/Prevention: Stressed Mothers and Offspring.
Female rats born to mothers who had been through stressful life events prior to pregnancy showed increased expression of the CRF1 gene (a gene that mediates the body's response to stress) in the frontal cortex, the part of the brain involved in emotional regulation and decision making. When the female offspring were exposed to stress, they behaved differently than female offspring whose mothers were not stressed prior to pregnancy. This finding is a part of a growing body of evidence that a parent's experiences can affect their offspring, even before conception takes place.
Biological Psychiatry, November 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 16th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Long-Term Opioid Use and Depression.
Recent studies show more than 200 million prescriptions for opioid analgesics were issued in 2009 in the United States. Data on over 50,000 patients reveals that those on opioids for 180 days or longer have a 53% increased risk of developing major depression.
Journal of General Internal Medicine, November 2013

Health Alert: Alcohol and TV.
According to a voluntary standard adopted in 2003, alcohol companies agreed not to place any ads on TV programs where more than 30% of the audience was younger than age 21. However, a survey of television programs popular with youths shows that 25% of the programs still featured ads selling alcohol. Studies have shown that exposure to alcohol marketing increases the risk that children and young adults (under age 21) will begin drinking, and those who do start drinking will drink more and do so more often.
CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, November 2013

Diet: Cruciferous Vegetables and Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates.
Women with the highest fruit and vegetable intakes have better ovarian cancer survival rates than those who generally neglect these foods. Researchers found that yellow and cruciferous vegetables contributed to longer survival. The authors concluded that low-fat, plant based diets are not only beneficial for cancer prevention, but they may also play a role in increasing survival time after diagnosis. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, August 2010

Exercise: Even Elderly Hearts Can Benefit From Exercise.
A pilot study involving 310 adults over age 70 found that even men and women in their later years can improve their heart's health with moderate physical exercise. To assess the effect of exercise on the heart, researchers measured a blood-based injury marker called Troponin T that is traditionally used to assess damage to the heart. After one year, Troponin T levels in the exercise group were less than a third of the levels found in the control group that did not exercise. The study's lead author, Dr. Christopher DeFilippi adds, "Our findings suggest biochemical evidence to support the old adage, 'You're never too old to start a physical activity program to improve cardiac health.'"
American Heart Association, November 2013

Chiropractic: Pain in the Neck?
The cervical spine is made up of seven bones called vertebrae, and these vertebrae are separated by disks filled with a cushioning gel-like substance. Your cervical disks stabilize your neck and also help it to turn. Decades of movement can really take a toll on the neck as two-thirds of people will experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Researchers estimate that 50% of the population at 40 years of age and 70% of those at 65 years have some level of cervical disk degeneration. Cervical disk degenerative processes can cause radiating pain, as well as numbness and weakness in your shoulders, arms, and hands.
Clinical Evidence Concise, 2004

Wellness/Prevention: Sleep for Children.
In a recent study, when children increased their sleep by 90 minutes per night over just a few weeks, they consumed an average of 134 fewer calories per day, weighed a half pound less (~.2 kg), and had lower fasting levels of leptin, a hunger-regulating hormone that is also highly correlated with the amount of adipose (fat) tissue in the body.
Pediatrics, November 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, December 2nd, 2013

Mental Attitude: Kids and Moms.
A mother's friendships with other adults can impact their adolescent children's relationships with their own friends, particularly the negative aspects of these relationships such as conflict and antagonism. Adolescents may mimic the negative characteristics of their mothers' relationships in their own peer-to-peer friendships. Mothers who display high levels of conflict with friends may signal to their children that such behavior is acceptable.
University of Missouri, November 2013

Health Alert: Bacteria in Your Gut?
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that attacks joint tissue and causes pain, affects 1.3 million Americans. Researchers have linked a species of intestinal bacteria known as Prevotella copri to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. Of those tested, 75% of stool samples from patients newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis carried Prevotella copri compared with 21.4% of samples from healthy individuals.
NYU Langone Medical Center, November 2013

Diet: Pickled Turnips?
Scientists have discovered that the bacteria Lactobacillus brevis may prevent the flu. Lactobacillus brevis comes from Suguki, a pickled turnip popular in Japan. When a particular strain of Lactobacillus brevis was eaten by mice, it showed protective effects against influenza infection. Suguki enthusiasts have often cited its protective powers, but it is not known yet whether the same effects will be seen in humans. Human clinical trials using a probiotic drink containing Lactobacillus brevis bacteria are underway and scientists are hopeful that, given a suitable quantity of bacteria, foods containing Lactobacillus brevis may turn out to be the next superfood.
Letters in Applied Microbiology, November 2013

Exercise: Exercise Helps Arthritis.
Seniors who participated in classes that promoted the self-management of arthritis through exercise reported decreased pain, improved mobility, reduced stiffness, more energy, and an improved quality of life. According to Dr. Linda Russell, a rheumatologist and chair of the Public and Patient Education Advisory Committee at Hospital for Special Surgery, "Getting seniors to be active in any way will generally improve their quality of life and help them function better in their everyday activities. People believe that if you have arthritis you shouldn't exercise, but appropriate exercises actually help decrease pain."
American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, November 2013

Chiropractic: Pain Relief!
Patients with chronic spinal pain (either neck, mid-back, or low back) were randomized to receive NSAIDs (pain relief medication), acupuncture, or spinal adjustments. Care was provided for four weeks, followed by assessment of improvement. After 30 days, spinal manipulation was the only intervention that achieved statistically significant improvements in pain and disability.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, July 1999

Wellness/Prevention: Physical Fitness Helps the Heart Too!
Coronary heart disease is the number one cause of death among both men and women in the United States. After following 9,800 coronary heart disease patients for an average of 11 years, researchers found that the patients with higher levels of physical fitness were less likely to suffer a cardiac event and were 75% more likely to still be alive a decade after diagnosis. Senior study author Dr. Michael Blaha writes, "We hope that as a result of this study, more physicians will consider prescribing physical activity as a front-line therapy to improve survival and quality of life for their patients who are able to safely exercise."
John Hopkins Medicine, November 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 25th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Einstein's Brain.
The left and right hemispheres of Albert Einstein's brain were unusually well connected to one another, which may have contributed to his brilliance. This study is the first to detail Einstein's corpus callosum, the brain's largest bundle of fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres and facilitates interhemispheric communication.
Brain, October 2013

Health Alert: Death in Boom Times?
Historically, when economies expand, death rates increase for both middle-aged and older people; however, when economies head for recession, the death rates among these groups decrease. For every 1% point increase in GDP, death rates appear to rise by 0.36% among older people, and by 0.38% among the middle-aged. Two popular explanations include: 1) During recessions, unemployed people reduce alcohol consumption, resulting in fewer road accidents. 2) Job stress and air pollution are known to increase when economies grow.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, October 2013

Diet: More Reasons to Eat Broccoli and Cauliflower!
Sulforaphane (found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, and collards) may help reduce the risk of respiratory inflammation that leads to chronic diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In a study setting, researchers found that those who consumed 200 grams of broccoli had nearly three times as many antioxidant enzymes in their upper airway cells compared to baseline measurements. These protective antioxidant enzymes help fight against common environmental pollutants.
Clinical Immunology, March 2009

Exercise: Better Math, English, and Science Grades!
Research on British school children has found a link between academic performance and daily exercise. English, math, and science scores went up as the number of minutes per day of exercise increased with the greatest gains in female science scores. With boys and girls only exercising 18-29 minutes per day on average, how much could grades improve if physical education hours were increased instead of cut back to save money?
British Journal of Sports Medicine, October 2013

Chiropractic: Lack of Motion and the Heart and Lungs.
The negative effects of immobilization (lack of proper motion) begin as soon as four hours after injury! The direct effects of deconditioning on the cardiopulmonary system (heart & lungs) include an increase of the maximal heart rate and a decrease in your maximal oxygen consumption potential.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1992

Wellness/Prevention: Kids Need Regular Bedtimes.
A study of 10,000 children in the United Kingdom found that children with inconsistent bedtimes are more likely to suffer from behavioral and emotional problems than their peers who go to sleep at the same time every night. The good news is that the effects are reversible once children settle into a regular bedtime.
Pediatrics, October 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 18th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Sports Stars and Junk Food?
The majority of foods that star athletes promote are nutrient-poor, which may encourage young people to adopt bad eating habits. The top 100 athletes endorsed 512 brands, with sporting goods and apparel representing the largest category at 28.3%, followed by food and drinks at 23.8%. Most of the food and beverage endorsements were for sports drinks, soft drinks, and fast food. 93% of the endorsed beverages received 100% of their calories from added sugars. 79% of the food products were energy-dense and nutrient-poor.
Pediatrics, October 2013

Health Alert: Global Warming and Toxic Metal?
Scientists have observed that the appetites of some species of fish can increase in warmer water. Rising ocean surface temperatures caused by climate change could result in some fish accumulating greater concentrations of mercury in their bodies, posing a health risk to people who eat seafood.
PLoS ONE, October 2013

Diet: Walnuts vs. Olive Oil.
Adding walnuts (a healthy plant source of omega-3 fatty acids) to a high-fat meal appears to benefit the arteries of people with high cholesterol. Researchers compared how arteries were affected by five teaspoons of olive oil versus eight walnuts when added to a fatty meal. While both walnuts and olive oil decreased inflammation, walnuts increased the elasticity and flexibility of the arteries (flow-mediated dilation, or FMD) in high cholesterol patients by 24%. In comparison, high-cholesterol patients who consumed olive oil showed a 36% decrease in FMD.
American Journal of Cardiology, 2006

Exercise: Exercise and Esophageal Cancer.
Observational research indicates that those who regularly exercise have 19% reduced risk of esophageal cancer. According to Dr. Siddharth Singh, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic, "Esophageal cancer is a deadly disease. On average only 1 in 6 people survive to 5 years, and that's with chemotherapy and radiation as well as surgery. It's an intensive treatment. So we would be best served if we can prevent this cancer, especially in patients with high risk for developing [esophageal cancer]."
American College of Gastroenterology, October 2013

Chiropractic: Osteoarthritis of the Hip.
118 patients with diagnosed unilateral hip osteoarthritis received either patient education (PE) with or without manual therapy (MT, performed by a chiropractor), or a minimum control intervention (MCI) consisting of an at-home stretching program. The study found that the combination of patient education and manual therapy to be the most effective of the three treatment options. Interestingly, MCI outperformed PE alone (no MT) suggesting that the primary benefit in the PE & MT group was the manual therapy delivered via chiropractic care.
Osteoarthritis Cartilage, October 2013

Wellness/Prevention: 5 Meals a Day?
A regular five meal pattern - breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks a day - was associated with a reduced risk of being overweight or obese. Skipping breakfast was associated with a greater BMI and waist circumference.
PLoS One, October 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 11th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Group Sessions? A study of 509 British youths found the incidence of mental health issues was reduced over the following 24 months after just two 90-minute group therapy sessions. Researchers noted a 21-26% reduction in severe depression, anxiety, and conduct problem symptoms. A similar program is now being implemented in 32 Canadian high schools. National Association of School Psychologists, October 2013 Health Alert: Antibiotics Prescriptions! New research finds high rates of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions for sore throats and bronchitis across the United States (US). This is despite the fact that for decades the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other organizations have pushed to reduce the inappropriate prescribing of antibiotics. Antibiotics are a class of drugs used to treat, and in some cases prevent, infections caused by bacteria. They don’t work against viruses, and in fact, taking antibiotics for viral infections can do more harm than good. While only 10% of adults with a sore throat have strep (the only common cause of sore throat that warrants antibiotics), the national prescribing rate of antibiotics for American adults with a sore throat remains at 60%. For acute bronchitis, the rate for antibiotic prescriptions should be near 0%, yet the national average is 73%. JAMA, October 2013 Diet: Calcium Confusion. With new research claiming that calcium supplements can cause adverse effects like indigestion, constipation, and even cardiovascular issues, researchers stress the importance of including calcium-rich foods in the diet. Because calcium helps maintain healthy bones, this information is particularly important for post-menopausal women over 50 years old and men over 70 years old. University of California at San Francisco, October 2013 Exercise: Good Cholesterol and Exercise Work Together. Just having normal levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, also known as "good cholesterol") may not be enough if you don't regularly exercise. Not only is the combination more beneficial to the heart but exercise appears to help HDL perform other duties in the body such as reducing inflammation and acting as an antioxidant. American Physiological Society, October 2013 Chiropractic: Lack of Motion and the Nervous System. The negative effects of immobilization (lack of proper motion) begin as soon as four hours after injury! The direct effects of deconditioning on the nervous system include decreased proprioception (ultimately affecting balance and joint coordination) and a decrease in central neuromotor control of movement and posture. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1992 Wellness/Prevention: Citrus for the Kidneys! Regular consumption of naringenin, a component found in grapefruit and other citrus fruits, may successfully block the development of kidney cysts. British Journal of Pharmacology, October 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 28th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Low Self-Esteem? According to a new study, a man is likely to feel worse about himself when his wife or girlfriend succeeds. Scientists discovered that men automatically interpret their partner's success as their own failure, even when they are not in direct competition. The study did not find that a woman's self-esteem is negatively affected by her partner's success. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, September 2013 Health Alert: Motorcycle Deaths. Fatal motorcycle injuries in the United States (US) increased 227% from 1998 to 2010. Men face a 7.8 times higher risk of death from motorcycle crashes than women. In 2010, there were 149,992 traffic fatalities in the US, with motorcyclists representing 15% of these deaths. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, September 2013 Diet: Battle of the Binge. Binge eating, or “the repeated consumption of large quantities of food in a short period of time without some other compensatory activity,” is a problem under-recognized in men. According to researchers, the discrepancy between overweight female binge eaters and overweight male binge eaters is that women gain weight faster and seek a diet sooner. There is also a cultural component that sends the message that men are expected to eat more. Health Behavior News Science, September 2013 Exercise: Exercise, Alcohol Abuse, and Brain Damage. Heavy drinking has previously been linked to brain damage. However, preliminary studies indicate that individuals who drink heavily but engage in regular physical activity can maintain the health of their white brain matter. The study's authors are quick to point out that this finding is not a license to drink as much as you can, provided you exercise. Alcohol abuse can still take a toll on many organs in the body, not just your brain. University of Colorado at Boulder, April 2013 Chiropractic: Heads Up! If your head is in a forward posture, it can add up to 30 lbs (~13 kg) of abnormal leverage on the cervical spine (neck). In time, this can pull the entire spine out of alignment. Forward head posture may even result in the loss of up to 30% of vital lung capacity. These breath-related effects are primarily due to the loss of the cervical lordosis (the inward curve of the cervical spine), which blocks the action of the inferior hyoid muscle responsible for helping lift the first rib during inhalation. Rene Cailliet, M.D., January 1996 Wellness/Prevention: Stop Smoking. Smokers are twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to people who have never smoked. Not smoking is the most important thing someone can do to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. European Society of Cardiology, August 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 21st, 2013

Mental Attitude: Video Games are Good!
Scientists have developed a video game-based training strategy called NeuroRacer that could "repair" cognitive decline in older individuals. The 3D video game challenges cognitive control by providing a series of distractions on the screen that the players must try to avoid while driving. After playing the game, the study participants showed a dramatic increase in their multi-tasking abilities. These improved abilities continued to last for six months without any "booster" training on the game. EEG scans showed increased measurements in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, the area responsible for problem solving and complex thought.
Nature, September 2013

Health Alert: Young Adults and Stroke.
Hospital discharges in the United States for strokes among young adults (15-44 years old) increased at least 23% from 1996 to 2008. Lifestyle risk factors for stroke include obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol levels.
Neurology, September 2013

Diet: Vitamin D Deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with osteomalacia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and risk of fracture. Emerging evidence also points to increased risk for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Good sources of vitamin D include sunlight, cod liver oil, salmon, mushrooms, mackerel, tuna fish, milk, orange juice, and supplements.
British Journal of Nutrition, September 2013

Exercise: Obesity and Post Heart Attack Mortality.
A study of French heart attack survivors found that obesity (BMI =35 kg/m²) is associated with the largest risk of absolute mortality five years later (+65%).
European Society of Cardiology, August 2013

Chiropractic: Every Inch!
For every inch your head is forward, your upper back and neck muscles have to hold an extra 10 lbs (~4.5 kg), as they have to work harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping to your chest. This also forces the sub-occipital muscles (they raise the chin) to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the three sub-occipital nerves. This nerve compression may cause headaches at the base of the skull or mimic sinus (frontal) headaches.
Kapandji, Physiology of the Joints, Volume III

Wellness/Prevention: Sleep and Your Brain.
Sleep increases the reproduction of the cells (oligodendrocytes) that form myelin. Myelin is the insulating material found on nerve cell projections in the brain and spinal cord that's responsible for allowing electrical impulses to move from cell to cell, similar to the insulation around electrical wires.
University of Wisconsin, September 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 14th, 2013

Mental Attitude: The Brain and Learning a Second Language.
Learning a second language requires the brain to create and strengthen new neural connections in the brain's inferior frontal cortex. This is similar to the structural changes seen in people learning complex motor skills, such as juggling.
Montreal Neurological Institute, September 2013

Health Alert: Obesity in the United States.
78 million adults and 13 million kids are obese in the Unites States (US), with the total number increasing to 113 million by 2022. 60-70% of the US population is either overweight or obese, putting them at risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
American Heart Association, September 2013

Diet: Vitamins and Violence.
Deficiencies of vitamins A, D, K, B1, B3, B6, B12 and folate, and of minerals iodine, potassium, iron, magnesium, zinc, chromium and manganese can all contribute to mental instability and violent behavior.
Sylvia Onusic, PhD, April 2013

Exercise: Watch Your Step!
When exercising, the force centered on your ankle can exceed up to seven times your body weight. 23,000 people sprain their ankle every day in the United States, resulting in 1.6 million doctor office visits annually. The direct and indirect costs (e.g., lost days from work) associated with treating ankle sprains exceed $1.1 billion annually. To make matters worse, these numbers do not take into account the long-term disability often associated with ankle sprains. Overweight athletes with a prior history of ankle sprain are 19 times more likely to suffer another ankle sprain.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, February 2011

Chiropractic: Increased Productivity!
! A small, one-year study of office workers with neck and upper extremity pain found that chiropractic care combined with improved workstation ergonomics resulted in decreased pain, increased quality of life, and up to 100% increased productivity.
Work, September 2013

Wellness/Prevention: Obesity Microbes?
New research suggests changing the mix of gut microbes can prevent obesity, but only if combined with a healthy diet. Eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables encourages leanness-related microbes to populate the gut leading to better weight control. However, a diet high in saturated fat and low in fruits and vegetables thwarts the invasion of microbes associated with leanness.
Science, September 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, October 7th, 2013

Mental Attitude: No Yelling. Harsh verbal punishments, such as shouting, cursing, or using insults, are just as harmful to adolescents as physical discipline. Adolescents whose parents used harsh verbal punishment are more likely to suffer from depression and are more likely to engage in vandalism or aggressive behavior. Parental warmth, love, emotional support, and affection between parents and their kids is not enough to outweigh the negative effects of harsh verbal discipline. Child Development, September 2013 Health Alert: Advances in Infant Mortality. European infant mortality rates fell from 178 deaths (< 1 year of age) per 1,000 births in the 1870s to 120 per 1,000 during 1911-1915. In the 1950s, these rates fell to 41 per 1,000, and in the late 1970s, they continued to fall to only 14 per 1000. In 2010, the mortality rate was 4.1 per 1,000 births. Factors for these improvements include increased income per capita, more sanitary living conditions, better general education about health and nutrition, better social services and health systems, and medical advances. Oxford Economic Papers, September 2013 Diet: Chew Your Food. It is not a surprise that almonds are a great source of healthy fats and extra energy. However, the extent that almonds are chewed can make a difference in how much nutrition is absorbed by the body and how much is expelled. The more you chew, the more your body can use. Institute of Food Technologists, July 2013 Exercise: Sudden Cardiac Death Risk and Exercise. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for 50% of all deaths from coronary heart disease, and is defined as death with cardiac origin within 24 hours after onset of symptoms. A 19-year study looked at the impact of high leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) combined with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) on the risk of SCD. The results showed that the risk of SDC was nearly double among men who are inactive (low CRF and low LTPA). Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study, September 2013 Chiropractic: Spinal Pain Treatments Compared. In this study, acupuncture, medication, and chiropractic care were compared on a patient population with spinal pain, including neck and back pain. Only spinal manipulation provided both short-term and long-term benefits. Spine, July 2003 Wellness/Prevention: The Great and Powerful Ginger. Ginger is an herb that is used as a spice and also has therapeutic qualities. The underground stem (rhizome) can be used fresh, powdered, dried, or as an oil or juice. Ginger is used for treating loss of appetite, nausea/vomiting after surgery, flatulence, upset stomach, colic, morning sickness, motion sickness, upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, cough, menstrual cramps, arthritis, and muscle pain. National Library of Medicine, September 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, September 23rd, 2013

Mental Attitude: Tidy Or Messy Desk? According to research, disorderly environments (like an untidy desk) seem to inspire breaking free of tradition, which can produce fresh insights and creativity. Orderly environments, in contrast, encourage convention and playing it safe. Psychological Science, August 2013 Health Alert: Clean Water and Soap Please! Stunting, or a reduced growth rate, affects 165 million children worldwide and results in long-term impacts on physical and mental development, increasing the risk of mortality, and reducing productivity in adulthood. Researchers identified 14 studies c onducted in low and middle-income countries that provided data on the effect of water, sanitation, and hygiene programs on the physical growth of children. Clean drinking water and effective hand washing could reduce the prevalence of stunting in children under age five by 15%. Cochrane Review, August 2013 Diet: Obesity and Sleep. Brain scans of people after a sleepless night s how that sleeplessness reduces the so-called higher order powers of our brain and creates an excessive response in more primitive parts of the brain. Researchers say this combination of brain activities may lead to poor food choices, such as eating junk food. Nature Communications Journal, August 2013 Exercise: Is Hot Yoga Safe? The concern that heated yoga classes (those with temperatures ranging from 90-95°F) are dangerous is unfounded. Howeve r, it is important to properly hydrate before, during, and after class. It can take 10-14 days to fully acclimate to exercising in the heat. American Council on Exercise, June 2013 Chiropractic: Headaches and Your Neck. For some headache patients, the three nerves that exit the top of the spine (upper neck) may be at least partially responsible for their headaches. These three nerves travel into the head and have to pass through a very thick group of muscles in the upper part of the neck near where these muscles attach to the base of the skull. This is why when you have headaches and rub the back of the neck, the muscles may feel tight and or tender. In fact, if enough pressure is applied over one of these three nerves, pain will radiate into the head following the course of the nerve, sometimes all the way into the eyes. When chiropractic treatment is applied in the upper neck region, a reduction of the headache and neck pain may occur because the muscle tension is decreased and joint motion is restored. Steve Yeomans, D.C., April 2010 Wellness/Prevention: Don't Take Your Team's Loss So Personally. Seeing your team lose can cause you to eat more sugars and saturated fats, especially in close games that are lost at the last second. However, researchers found you can counteract this behavior by simply writing down what's most important in your life immediately after the game. Psychological Science, August 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, September 16th, 2013

Mental Attitude: The 9 Risk Factors of Young-Onset Dementia.
A 37-year follow-up study found the major risk factors associated with young-onset dementia disease (dementia diagnosed under age 65) included alcohol intoxication, stroke, use of antipsychotics, depression, below average height, father's dementia, drug intoxication, low cognitive function at 18 years of age, and high systolic blood pressure at 18 years of age. Men who had at least two of the nine risk factors and were also in the lowest third of cognitive function at age 18 had a 20-fold increased risk for a dementia diagnosis before age 65.
JAMA Internal Medicine, August 2013

Health Alert: Concussions in High School Sports.
Between the 1997-98 and 2007-08 school years, concussion rates increased across the board in most high school sports. While football accounts for more than half of all concussions and has the highest incident rate (.6 per 10,000 athletes), girl's soccer had the most concussions among female sports and the 2nd highest incident rate among all sports at .35 per 10,000 athletes.
The American Journal of Sports Medicine, January 2011

Diet: Zinc Deficiency and Old Age.
Zinc deficiency may develop with age, leading to low-grade chronic inflammation that has been associated with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Low zinc levels have also been associated with a weakened immune system response. In animal studies, older subjects showed signs of zinc deficiency even though their diets should have provided adequate amounts of the nutrient. The researchers believe the aging process alters the body's ability to efficiently transport zinc to our cells. When the test animals were given more than the recommended daily amount of zinc, biomarkers related to chronic inflammation returned to levels seen in younger subjects.
The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, January 2013

Exercise: More Reasons.
Physical fitness helps to maintain an independent lifestyle and reduces the level of abdominal obesity, a significant health-risk factor.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Faster Recovery, Less Money!
In a 52-week study of patients with neck pain, manual therapy (spinal mobilization) resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy (mainly exercise) or general practitioner care (counseling, education, and medication). Costs of the manual therapy were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care.
British Medical Journal, April 2003

Wellness/Prevention: Save Your Brain!
50% of Alzheimer's and dementia cases may be preventable! Preventable or treatable risk factors include smoking, physical inactivity, depression, mid-life high blood pressure, diabetes, and mid-life obesity.
The Lancet Neurology, September 2011

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, September 2nd, 2013

Mental Attitude: Live To Be 120?  When people were asked whether they would want medical treatments to extend their lives by decades so they could live to be 120 or more, 56% of adult Americans aged 18 and over declined the offer. When asked how long they would like to live, 69% gave an answer of between 79 and 100 years. The median ideal age is 90 years, about 11 years longer than the current life expectancy of Americans. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 2013 Health Alert: Destroy Your IQ?  Two serious fight-related head injuries can impact a teenage boy’s IQ to the equivalent of losing a whole year of school. For girls, a similar loss of IQ is possible after just one serious fight-related head injury. Falls in IQ are linked to lower academic and professional performance, behavioral problems, mental disorders, and decreased life spans. Each fight-related injury resulted in a drop of 1.62 IQ points for boys and a fall of 3.02 IQ points for girls. Missing a whole academic year is equivalent to a loss of between 2 and 4 IQ points. Journal of Adolescent Health, August 2013 Diet: Antioxidents and Conception.  Women undergoing fertility treatment often take dietary supplements, including antioxidents, to improve their chances of becoming pregnant. However, a study of over 3,500 women who attended fertility clinics found that antioxidents had no effect on conception, either in improving pregnancy rates or hindering them. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2007 Exercise: Little Girls Not Exercising Enough.  Just 38% of seven-year-old girls in the United Kingdom (UK) get the recommended amount of daily exercise, compared to 63% of boys in the same age group. UK guidelines call for children to exercise just one hour per day. BMJ Open, August 2013 Chiropractic: Chiropractic and Chest Pain. Over six million Americans suffer from angina pectoris (chest pain), the most common form being stable angina pectoris. A study of 50 patients with cervicothoracic angina (a form a stable angina pectoris) found that 70% benefited from eight chiropractic treatments over a four week period with improvements in chest pain, emotional health, mental health, and vitality. Patients in a control group who received no treatment reported no such improvements. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, November 2005 Wellness/Prevention: Resetting Your Clock.  According to new research, camping in the wilderness for a week can synchronize our internal clocks to the solar day, allowing our bodies to normalize melatonin levels. On average, study participants went to bed and awoke two hours earlier when only exposed to sunlight and campfire light. All of the participants' sleep patterns synchronized with sunset and sunrise, despite the fact that the study included both early birds and night owls. Current Biology, August 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 26th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Healthcare Incentives?
When faced with paying higher health insurance premiums for not exercising, a study found that 97% of enrollees met or exceeded a set fitness goal of 5,000 steps per day within one year.
Behavioral Translational Medicine, May 2013

Health Alert: Painkiller Drug Overdoses!
From 1999 to 2010 there was a five-fold increase (48,000 deaths) in women dying from prescription painkiller overdoses. Painkiller deaths greatly outnumbered overdoses from illegal drugs and from motor vehicle crashes. Overall, drug overdose suicide deaths accounted for 34% of all suicides among women, compared with 8% among men in 2010.
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, June 2013

Diet: Western Diet?
Children of women with a "Western dietary pattern" (characterized by high intakes of organ meat, red meat, processed meat, pizza, legumes, potatoes, French fries, condiments, and mayonnaise, but low intakes of fruits) had a higher risk of giving birth to a child with a cleft lip or cleft palate. Women who consumed the greatest amount of these foods had nearly double the risk compared with those who consumed the least.
Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2007

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise makes your heart a more efficient pump and helps to decrease left ventricular hypertrophy (a thickening of the walls of the left ventricle) in people with hypertension.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Effective Care!
Many companies say chiropractic coverage has lowered their medical and workers' comp costs while also raising overall health and productivity. Work time lost for employees with back injuries who used chiropractic care was only nine days as compared with 34.5 days for workers who used medical care.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, December 1997

Wellness/Prevention: Lower Your Risk.
During a decade long study, participants who slept 7 hours or more per night, exercised 3.5 hours or more per week, ate a healthy Mediterranean-style diet, consumed only moderate amounts of alcohol, and didn't smoke had a 65% lower risk of a cardiovascular disease event and an 83% lower risk of dying from one.
European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, July 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 19th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Optimism and Stress. A six-year study of 135 older adults (>60 years old) found that pessimistic people have a higher baseline level of stress and have a more difficult time handling stress than their more optimistic peers. Health Psychology, May 2013 Health Alert: Decrease Your Heart Disease Risk. High blood pressure affects 33% of U.S. adults and doubles their risk for heart disease. 32 million Americans have dangerously high total blood cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or greater. Simultaneously controlling your high blood pressure and high cholesterol may cut your risk for heart disease by half or more. Circulation, July 2013 Diet: Don't Skip Breakfast! A 16-year study of nearly 27,000 male health care professionals found that those who skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease. Circulation, May 2013 Exercise: Does Eliminating Video Games Increase Physical Activity? A three year study of Australian pre-teens replaced sedentary video games (played with a gamepad/joystick) with either active video games that require physical movement or no video games at all to see if either increased daily moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and/or decreased sedentary time. When the study concluded, researchers did not find a significant change in either the children's MVPA (+3.2 minutes/day for active games and +3.8 minutes/day for no games) or sedentary time (-6.2 minutes/day for active games and -4.7 minutes/day for no games). British Medical Journal Open, July 2013 Chiropractic: Chiropractic Training. What does it take to become a Doctor of Chiropractic? In most countries, chiropractors must complete a minimum of 6 years of college and post-graduate studies (the average is 7 years) to earn their degree. Their education includes at least 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience. Then, graduates must pass National and/or State Board examinations and become licensed by the state or province before they can practice. World Health Organization, 2005 Wellness/Prevention: Dad's Lifestyle Choices? Germ cells are sperm and egg cells and their precursors. Mutations to a father's germ cells caused by lifestyle choices (like smoking) are present in all the cells of his progeny. These mutations are also present in his children's own germ cells. This means that a father's lifestyle has the potential to affect the DNA of multiple generations and not just his immediate offspring. The FASEB Journal, July 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 12th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Music and Pain.
A research trial involving 42 children (ages 3-11) found that those who listened to music during unpleasant procedures (such as administering an IV) experienced lower perceived pain levels and less discomfort.
JAMA Pediatrics, July 2013

Health Alert: Brain's Motivation Blunted!
Long-term cannabis users tend to produce less dopamine, a chemical in the brain linked to motivation. Dopamine levels in a part of the brain called the striatum were lower in people who regularly smoke cannabis, especially those who began taking the drug at a younger age. This explains why some cannabis users appear to lack motivation to work or pursue their normal interests. The lowest dopamine levels were seen in users who met diagnostic criteria for cannabis abuse or dependence, raising the possibility that this measure could provide a marker of addiction severity.
Biological Psychiatry, July 2013

Diet: The Gut and Autism?
Autism rates have risen over recent years. Heightened awareness and more diligent efforts at diagnosis account for some of the increase, yet researchers believe an epidemic is occurring. One possible factor is the overuse of antibiotics at an early age. This lowers the diversity of the gut microflora and lower diversity of gut microbes is positively correlated with the presence of autistic symptoms. Bacterial richness and diversity are essential for maintaining a robust and adaptable bacterial community capable of fighting off environmental challenges.
PLOS ONE, July 2013

Exercise: Forced Stress Relief.
It’s known that physical exercise reduces a participant’s stress and anxiety levels. Interestingly, in a study setting, people who exercised even when they didn’t want to received the same anxiety and stress reducing benefits as those who actively chose to exercise.
Journal of Neuroscience, May 2013

Chiropractic: Very Popular!
Patient surveys show that chiropractors are used more often than any other alternative provider group, and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. According to a 1997 survey, the number of Americans utilizing chiropractic care tripled from 1980-1997.
Annals of Internal Medicine, 2002

Wellness/Prevention: Turmeric.
Turmeric, an ingredient found in most yellow mustards, has long been known to have medicinal values. New research has found that curcumin, a substance in turmeric, provides lasting protection against potentially deadly lung damage (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) in premature infants.
American Journal of Physiology, July 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 5th, 2013

Mental Attitude: A Happy Marriage. People in happy marriages live less "in sickness" and enjoy more of life "in health." Couples in positive marital relationships sustain health over the long run. Those with higher marital conflict are more likely to report poor health. The implication is that marital conflict is a risk factor for poor health. Couples who fight or frequently argue should seek professional help to reduce their conflict because it is affecting their health. Happily married spouses encourage one another to stay current on doctor's appointments, sleep better, drink less alcohol, and participate more in healthy activities. In a happy marriage, when spouses have a bad day, they're more likely to support each other and empathize with each other. This support reduces stress and helps buffer against a decline in health. Journal of Marriage and Family, June 2013 Health Alert: Tobacco Control! CTobacco control measures put in place in 41 countries between 2007 and 2010 will prevent some 7.4 million premature deaths by 2050. These policies can lead to other benefits such as fewer adverse birth outcomes related to maternal smoking (including low birth weight), reduced healthcare costs, and increased productivity due to less smoking-related disease. World Health Organization, July 2013 Diet: Fish Oil DHA. Chronic inflammation is a major factor in a wide range of health issues from arthritis to cardiovascular disease, and DHA (found in fish oil) is known to temper this problem. Researchers found that macrophages (a type of white blood cell) use DHA to produce "maresins," which serve as the "switch" that turns inflammation off. The FASEB Journal, July 2013 Exercise: Good Reasons. Exercise improves your mood and helps to increase your overall health awareness. Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996 Chiropractic: Drop That Blood Pressure. Patients who had upper thoracic chiropractic adjustments showed statistically significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Placebo and control groups demonstrated no such changes. Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics, 1988 Wellness/Prevention: Tea Tree Oil. Treating fungal infections of the nails (onychomycosis) with a cream containing 2% butenafine and 5% tea tree oil cured 80% of patients. Topical application of tea tree oil cream for athlete's foot (tinea pedis) reduces the symptoms of tinea pedis as effectively as tolnaftate, an over the counter antifungal medication. Australasian Journal of Dermatology, July 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 29th, 2013

Mental Attitude: The Future You and Smoking. Smokers in their early twenties who viewed a simulation of what they would look like after 20 years of smoking were more likely to have negative views of smoking and were more willing to try to quit. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, June 2013 Health Alert: Painkillers and Heart Attack! High doses of some of the most common painkillers, including ibuprofen and diclofenac, can increase the risk of heart problems by 30%. Of all the NSAIDs analyzed, "Naproxen" didn't appear to increase major vascular events or vascular deaths. The Lancet, June 2013 Diet: Artificial Sweeteners? The artificial sweetener sucralose can change the body's insulin response. When study participants drank sucralose, their blood sugar peaked at a higher level than when they drank only water before consuming glucose. Insulin levels also rose 20% higher. This could be detrimental because when people constantly secrete high levels of insulin, it can lead to type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care, June 2013 Exercise: Active Commuting? Active commuting (physical exercise, such as bicycling or walking, as a way to travel to and from work) is one way to help adults integrate activity into their daily routine. People who walk or bike to work are likely to influence their co-workers and partners to do the same. 80% of American adults do not meet government guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week or one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week. American Journal of Health Behavior, June 2013 Chiropractic: Cost Effectiveness. According to a study that analyzed data from 85,000 Blue Cross / Blue Shield beneficiaries over a 2-year span, low back pain treatment initiated with a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) saved 40% on health care costs when compared with care initiated through a Medical Doctor (MD). The study population had open access to MDs and DCs through self-referral, and there were no limits applied to the number of MD/DC visits allowed and no differences in co-pays. Researchers estimated that allowing DC-initiated episodes of care would have led to an annual cost savings of $2.3 million. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, December 2010 Wellness/Prevention: Sunscreen Use. Daily sunscreen use slows skin aging. After a 4 year study, the daily sunscreen group showed 24% less skin aging. The skin-saving effect of sunscreen was observed in all daily-use participants, regardless of age. Annals Of Internal Medicine, June 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 22th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Obsessed With Forbidden Pleasures. When individuals are forbidden from everyday objects, their minds and brains pay more attention to them. Obsession is not as strong if others are also denied. When an object is forbidden to a group, the allure of the object drops dramatically. This helps to explain why group diet programs can be more successful than dieting alone. Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience, June 2013 Health Alert: Kids Poisoned. Every 10 minutes a child in the United States is taken to the Emergency Room because of poisoning from swallowing a prescription or over-the-counter medicine. The most common drugs associated with children's poisoning include those used to treat diabetes, high cholesterol (statins), pain (opioids), and cardiovascular diseases (beta blockers). Pediatrics, June 2013 Diet: Soda, Illegal Drugs, and Teeth. Drinking large quantities of soda can be as damaging to your teeth (tooth erosion) as methamphetamine and crack cocaine use. Tooth erosion occurs when acid wears away tooth enamel. Without enamel, teeth are more susceptible to developing cavities, as well as becoming sensitive, cracked, and discolored. The citric acid present in both regular and diet soda is known to have a high potential for causing tooth erosion. The ingredients used in preparing methamphetamine can include extremely corrosive materials such as battery acid, lantern fuel, and drain cleaner. Crack cocaine is also highly acidic in nature. General Dentistry, June 2013 Exercise: Quantity Over Frequency? A study of over 2,300 Canadian adults found that those who exercised 150 minutes over just a few days of the week received the same health benefits as those who spread out 150 minutes of exercise over the entire week. Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, June 2013 Chiropractic: Success! A study compared the effectiveness of manual therapy (performed by a Chiropractor), physical therapy (performed by a Physical Therapist), and medical care (delivered by a Medical Physician) for patients with neck pain. The success rate at 7 weeks was twice as high for the manual therapy group (68.3%) compared to the medical care group. Patients receiving manual therapy had fewer absences from work than patients receiving physical therapy or medical care for their neck pain. Manual therapy and physical therapy also resulted in statistically significant less analgesic (pain relief medication) use. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2002 Wellness/Prevention: Prevent Stress. Among women who reported stress, 40% had psychosomatic symptoms in the form of aches and pain in their muscles and joints, 28% suffered from headaches or migraines, and 28% reported gastrointestinal complaints. University of Gothenburg, June 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 15th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Brain Health. A recent study recommends that doctors treating patients for type 2 diabetes also take cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors into consideration. The combination of type 2 diabetes and CVD can put patients at a higher risk for long-term cognitive dysfunction, even with CVD at subclinical levels. Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, June 2013 Health Alert: Summer Heat! Extreme heat causes 658 deaths a year in the United States. That's more than tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and lightning combined. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges Americans to take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated, and to keep informed. When the weather gets extremely hot, body temperatures can rise, causing brain damage, organ damage, and even death. When the human body cannot compensate and cool itself properly, it is more susceptible to heat-related illness. 69% of deaths from heat exposure occur at home, and in 91% of these homes there is no air-conditioning. Most of the victims live alone or are unmarried and 72% of them are male. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, June 2013 Diet: Cholesterol-Lowering Diet. People who ate a Nordic diet had lower levels of harmful LDL cholesterol, higher levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, fewer fat particles in the blood, and therefore, had a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. The healthy 'Nordic diet' contains berries, root vegetables, legumes, cabbage, nuts, game, poultry, fish, whole grains, rapeseed oil, and low-fat dairy products. Lund University, June 2013 Exercise: 12 Minutes? Only 20% of American adults get enough exercise. Just 12 minutes of exercise each week is enough to stay fit! Four minute bursts of vigorous physical activity three times each week can elevate oxygen intake levels, lower blood pressure, and decrease glucose levels. PLOS One, June 2013 Chiropractic: Neck Pain Relief. Three groups received either spinal manipulative therapy from a chiropractor, pain medication (over-the-counter pain relievers, narcotics and muscle relaxants), or exercise recommendations. After 12 weeks, 57% of those who met with a chiropractor and 48% who exercised reported at least a 75% reduction in pain, compared to 33% of the people in the medication group. Annals of Internal Medicine, January 2012 Wellness/Prevention: Lifestyle Changes. The four lifestyle factors that lead to a healthy heart are regular exercise, eating a Mediterranean-style diet, maintaining a normal weight, and not smoking. Adopting these four lifestyle behaviors protected against coronary heart disease as well as the early buildup of calcium deposits in heart arteries, and reduced the chance of death from all causes by 80 percent over an eight-year period. American Journal of Epidemiology, June 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 8th, 2013

Mental Attitude: The First Three Years and Aggression. Children who witnessed domestic violence before age three were more likely to show aggression when they reached grade school, even if they were removed from their home and witnessed no domestic violence in the interim. According to Dr. Megan Holmes, the study's lead author, "[This] gives social workers a window of opportunity between ages 3 and 5 to help the children socialize and learn what is appropriate behavior." Psychology and Psychiatry, March 2013 Health Alert: Alarming Cancer Rates! By 2020, nearly 47% of people will get cancer in their lifetime, but almost 38% will survive the disease. One reason more people are getting cancer is because we are living longer and the incident rate of cancer increases with an aging population. The reduction in the number of people dying of cancer is because more cases are diagnosed earlier and treatments and care are improving. Macmillan Cancer Support, June 2013 Diet: TV Exposure? More time in front of the TV set and higher exposure to TV ads leads to increased consumption of sweetened beverages among children. Each additional hour in front of the TV increased the likelihood of regular sweetened beverage consumption by 50%. Only one parent in seven indicated that they tried to reduce their children's exposure to TV ads. The same parents stated that their children were less prone to drink soft drinks and other sweetened beverages. Children of parents who were less strict about TV ads were twice as likely to consume sweetened beverages every week. University of Gothenburg, Sweden, June 2013 Exercise: Soccer and Diabetes. After three months of soccer training, the hearts of diabetic men appeared to be 10 years “younger”. On average, soccer training reduced the systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 8 mmHg. Maximal oxygen uptake was increased by 12% and that their intermittent exercise capacity was elevated by 42%. University of Copenhagen, June 2013 Chiropractic: No Headaches! Cervical spine manipulation was associated with significant improvement in reducing headache symptoms involving patients with neck pain and/or neck dysfunction and headache. Duke Evidence Report, 2001 Wellness/Prevention: Not So Smart. Smartphones and tablets can disturb sleep. The cause is due to the bright light-emitting diodes that can interfere with melatonin, a hormone that controls the natural sleep-wake cycle. Dimming the smartphone or tablet brightness settings and holding the device at least 14 inches (~.36m) from your face while using it will reduce these negative effects. Mayo Clinic, June 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, July 1st, 2013

Mental Attitude: Ease Anxiety. Volunteers with normal levels of anxiety and no previous meditation experience or anxiety disorders participated in four 20-minute classes to learn "mindfulness" meditation. In this form of meditation, people were taught to focus on breath and body sensations and to non-judgmentally evaluate distracting thoughts and emotions. Anxiety ratings fell as much as 39%. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, June 2013 Health Alert: Dementia Rates Double In China! In 1990, 3.68 million people in China had dementia. By 2010, that number rose to 9.2 million. Dementia patient health care costs will soon be higher than heart disease and cancer combined. Experts believe the increase can be explained by a combination of factors in China such as increased life expectancy and massive demographic, social, economic and lifestyle transitions that have taken place over the previous two decades. The Lancet, June 2013 Diet: Benefit From Probiotics. Patients who are on antibiotics showed a decrease in antibiotic associated symptoms after taking probiotics. This study looked at the effectiveness of probiotics (live bacteria that can take up residence in digestive tracts) in treating common side effects of antibiotics such as antibiotic-associated diarrhea and life-threatening side effects such as Clostridium difficile infection. These two conditions are associated with high morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Antibiotics are non-specific in how they target both our good and bad bacteria. Good bacteria can be killed off that protect us from pathogens like Clostridium difficile, a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the body. St. Michael's Hospital, June 2013 Exercise: Pedometer Program. Using a pedometer to monitor how much people move during the day was effective at increasing activity and decreasing sitting time. In a 12-week program where participants wore a pedometer daily and received emails twice a week offering nutritional and exercise tips, the average weight loss was 2.5 pounds (~ 1.1kg). American College of Sports Medicine, June 2013 Chiropractic: Patient Satisfaction. Patients were more satisfied after four weeks of chiropractic care than patients receiving standard medical care. Chiropractic patients were more satisfied after six weeks of care than physical therapy patients. American Journal of Public Health, 2002 Wellness/Prevention: Check Your Stove! There is a strong correlation between air pollution from unsafe household stoves and infections, cardiovascular disease, maternal, neonatal health, child health, respiratory disease, burns, and ocular disorders. PLOS Medicine, June 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 24th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Depression and Stroke Risk in Middle-Aged Women. A 12-year study of over 10,000 middle-aged Australian women found that those who suffered from depression had nearly double the risk of stroke compared to non-depressed women in their same age group. The American Heart Association encourages everyone to learn how to recognize a stroke. Think F.A.S.T: F-Face Drooping. A-Arm Weakness. S-Speech Difficulty. T-Time To Call 9-1-1 (or the appropriate emergency services number if you're outside the United States). American Heart Association, May 2013 Health Alert: Childhood Disability On The Rise! In the United States, disabilities due to neurodevelopmental and mental health problems increased 16.3% during the first decade of the current century. Six million kids had a disability in 2009-2010, that's almost 1 million more than in 2001-2002. Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013 Diet: Brain Rewards. Restricting food intake increases the reward value of food, particularly high-calorie and appetizing food. The more successful people are at caloric-restriction dieting, the greater difficulty they will face in maintaining the restriction. Dieting by skipping meals and fasting is less successful than weight loss efforts characterized by intake of low energy, dense, healthy foods. If people want to lose excess weight, it would be more effective to consume healthy, low-fat/low-sugar foods during regular meals, rather than go for long periods of time without eating. NeuroImage, May 2013 Exercise: It's Not Too Late To Cut Heart Failure Risk! In an eight year study, middle-aged participants drastically reduced their risk of heart failure up to 40% by increasing their cardiovascular fitness level. American Heart Association, May 2013 Chiropractic: No Headaches! Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is an effective treatment for tension headaches. In a study, patients who received SMT continued to benefit from care even four weeks after treatment concluded. This is in contrast to patients who received pharmaceutical therapy; they reverted to baseline values when checked a month after treatment ended. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1995 Wellness/Prevention: Fish Oil, Your Heart, and Stress. A new study finds that regular consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids (most commonly found in cold water fish like Salmon) improves cardiovascular health by dulling the connection between mentally stressful events and cardiovascular functions like heart rate, blood pressure, the fight-or-flight response, and blood flow. Those who frequently find themselves in stressful situations may benefit from adding Omega-3s to their diet. American Physiological Society, May 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 17th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Stress and Problem Solving.
People under high levels of chronic stress appear to have impaired problem-solving skills. In a study setting, they solved 50% fewer problems than their non-stressed peers.
PLOS ONE, May 2013

Health Alert: Texting While Driving.
Teens in the United States receive hundreds of text messages a day, but one message they aren't getting is that they shouldn't text and drive. 43% of high school students of driving age reported texting while driving at least once in the past 30 days. The specific act of texting while driving has been found to increase the risk of a crash by 23 times, leading many to conclude that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated.
Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013

Diet: Low Vitamin D Levels and Cardiovascular Problems.
Increased levels of vitamin D in the body result in lower levels of CRP (c-reactive protein) in the blood. High levels of CRP are associated with the hardening of blood vessels and a greater risk of developing cardiovascular problems.
American Journal of Medicine, May 2013

Exercise: Fibromyalgia and Exercise.
For many people who have fibromyalgia, the thought of exercising is painful. However, a recent study shows that light to moderate exercise (light jogging or brisk walking for 20 minutes a day) over a prolonged period of time improves overall symptoms, such as fatigue and trouble sleeping, without increasing pain.
Arthritis Care & Research, May 2013

Chiropractic: Recommended For Low Back Pain.
According to a study based in the United Kingdom, chiropractic patients with low back pain improved markedly during the first three months of care with high patient satisfaction scores. Considering all costs of care, the study's author suggests that chiropractic care be considered "in the wider context of health care delivery in the United Kingdom" for all patients with low back pain.
University of Portsmouth, May 2013

Wellness/Prevention: Helmet Laws.
900 Americans die each year in bicycle crashes, with three-quarters of the fatalities from head injuries. Bicycle helmets save lives but only 21 US states have laws requiring bicyclists to wear helmets. States with mandatory helmet laws have lower rates of fatalities/incapacitating injuries after bicycle-motor vehicle collisions than states without helmet laws.
Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 10th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Depression and Dementia. Those with late-life depression are 1.85 times more likely to develop all-cause dementia, 1.65 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, and 2.52 times more likely to develop vascular dementia. The phrase "all-cause dementia" refers to all dementia syndromes, the most common of which is Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of all dementia cases. Alzheimer's is associated with memory problems and apathy in early stages, and impaired judgment, confusion, disorientation, behavior changes, and difficulty speaking in later stages. Vascular dementia is the second most common cause of dementia, and is associated with impaired judgment or ability to plan and complete tasks, as opposed to memory loss that is common in early stages of Alzheimer's. British Journal of Psychiatry, May 2013 Health Alert: What Concussion? Many United States high school football players think it's okay to play with a concussion even though they know they are at risk of serious injury. Over 90% of players polled recognized a risk of serious injury if they returned to play too quickly, but only 54% would always or sometimes report their concussion symptoms to their coach. Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013 Diet: Fight Inflammation! Chronic inflammation is a condition that can be triggered by obesity and can ultimately lead to both cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Some foods that are known to combat unhealthy inflammation are citrus fruits, leafy greens, tomatoes, wild salmon, and whole foods high in fiber. University of Alabama at Birmingham, March 2013 Exercise: 'Walkable' Neighborhoods. Preschool children are less likely to be obese if they live in a neighborhood that is safe and within walking distance of parks and retail services. Pediatric Academic Society, May 2013 Chiropractic: I Like Those Odds! Patients who went to a chiropractor first had were less likely to undergo surgery than those who went to a surgeon first. 42.7% of workers with back injuries who first saw a surgeon had surgery, in contrast to only 1.5% of those who initially saw a chiropractor. Spine, December 2012 Wellness/Prevention: Brain Power Boost. Regularly consuming the healthy fats found in fish, extra virgin olive oil, and nuts may assist in maintaining cognitive functions in older individuals. British Medical. Journal, May 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 3rd, 2013

Mental Attitude: Suicide Rates Rise! Suicide rates among middle-aged (35-65) Americans have risen 28% in the past 10 years with the largest increase among people in their 50s at nearly 50%. Suicide deaths have become more common than deaths from car crashes. In 2010, there were 33,687 deaths from car crashes and 38,364 suicides in the United States. Suicide prevention strategies include improving social support and community connectedness, increasing access to mental health and preventive services, and decreasing the stigma and barriers linked to asking for help. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 2013 Health Alert: Heart and Brain Function. People with the greatest risk for heart disease performed 50% worse on cognitive tests when compared to people with the lowest risk profile. Diabetes, bad cholesterol, and smoking were all negatively linked to poor cognitive scores. Stroke, May 2013 Diet: Just One Meal. A single fatty meal can cause the heart to beat harder and increase blood pressure. Researchers analyzed the effects of eating a high-fat fast food meal (42 grams of fat) and eating a meal with no more than 1.3 grams of fat. When subjected to a series of standard stress tests, those who ate the high-fat meal saw their blood pressure go up 1.25 to 1.5 times higher than the those who ate the low-fat meal. Journal of Nutrition, April 2007 Exercise: Only 1 in 5 Adults... Only 20% of American adults perform the recommended amount of exercise as outlined in federal guidelines. Adults should get at least two and a half hours each week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (like walking), or one hour and 15 minutes each week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity (like jogging), or a mixture of both. Adults should also engage in muscle strengthening activities, including sit-ups, push-ups, or exercise using resistance bands or weights. All major muscle groups should be involved in these activities and should be done at least two days every week. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 2013 Chiropractic: Asthma? A review of published literature shows that patients with asthma who incorporate chiropractic care into their current asthma treatment plan may experience a decrease in the severity of their symptoms. Logan College of Chiropractic, December 2012 Wellness/Prevention: Celery and Cancer Cells Mortality. One way cancer cells thrive is by simply not dying as other cells are pre-programmed to do. Apigenin, a compound found in plant based foods like parsley and celery, has been observed in a laboratory setting to re-educate breast cancer cells to die as scheduled. Ohio State University, May 2013

Weekly Health Update May 27

Mental Attitude: Happily Married?
A recent study concludes that young and happily married newlyweds are more likely to gain weight than their young and unhappily married counterparts. For each unit increase in satisfaction, on average, males and females both gained one tenth of a BMI unit every 6 months - or about one pound a year. According to Dr. Andrea Meltzer, lead author of the study, "These findings challenge the idea that quality relationships always benefit health, suggesting instead that spouses in satisfying relationships relax their efforts to maintain their weight because they are no longer motivated to attract a mate. Interventions to prevent weight gain in early marriage may therefore benefit from encouraging spouses to think about their weight in terms of health rather than appearance."
Health Psychology, April 2013

Health Alert: Less Salt, More Potassium.
Reducing salt intake can lower blood pressure, which ultimately reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. Results show that four or more weeks of modest salt reduction leads to notable decreases in blood pressure. Increased potassium intake was associated with a 24% reduced probability of stroke in adults and may also have an advantageous impact on blood pressure in kids.
British Medical Journal, April 2013

Diet: So How Much Salt and Potassium Should You Consume?
The World Health Organization recommends adults should reduce salt intake to 5g per day and consume at least 3510mg of potassium per day.
World Health Organization, January 2013

Exercise: More Reasons.
Exercise helps to retard bone loss as you age, thereby reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis. Exercise also helps improves pain tolerance and mood if you already suffer from osteoarthritis.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Satisfied Low Back Pain Patients.
Patients with chronic low-back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction after one month of care than patients treated by family physicians. Satisfaction scores were higher for chiropractic patients. A higher proportion of chiropractic patients (56% vs. 13%) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, whereas nearly one-third of medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2000

Wellness/Prevention: Sleep Well.
Increasing the number of hours adolescents sleep each night may reduce the prevalence of adolescent obesity. A recent study shows that fewer hours of sleep is associated with greater increases in adolescent body mass index (BMI) for participants between 14 and 18 years old. Increasing sleep from 8 to 10 hours per day at age 18 could result in a 4% reduction in the number of adolescents with a BMI above 25. This would translate to 500,000 fewer overweight adolescents.
Pediatrics, April 2013