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

Mental Attitude: No Interruptions Please. Short interruptions (such as the few seconds it takes to silence that buzzing smart phone) have a surprisingly large effect on one's ability to accurately complete a task. Interruptions of just three seconds can double your chances for making errors. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, January 2013 Health Alert: American Health. Americans have shorter life expectancy and higher rates of injury and disease than citizens of other industrialized countries. A 2011 report showed that the US ranked 50th in life expectancy. In most health issues (infant mortality, teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, heart disease, chronic lung disease, disability, obesity, diabetes, drug-related deaths, homicides, injuries, and HIV/AIDS), the US is either at the bottom or near the bottom of the list of industrialized nations. Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council, January 2013 Diet: Diet Linked To Depression? Though there is plenty of evidence for an association between diet and depression, and that fast food increases risk of depression (while the Mediterranean diet decreases it), most studies do not show causality. It is difficult to be sure if diet is responsible for depression. It's just as likely that depressed people simply make bad food choices. BMC Medicine, January 2013 Exercise: Not At School! In the 1920s, 97% of US college students were required to take Physical Education (PE); today, that number is at an all-time low of 39%. 34% of adolescents and teens ages 12-19 are overweight and 17% are obese. These rates have roughly doubled since 1980. The median PE budget for schools in the US is $764 per school year in K-12 and 61% of PE teachers report an annual budget of less than $1,000. Obesity will cost the US $344 billion in medical-related expenses by 2018, about 21% of the nation's total health-care spending. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, January 2013 Chiropractic: Inflammation! Inflammation is your body's natural response to injury and is part of the healing process. However, if proper care is not received, inflammation can hinder the healing process and may lead to scarring, improper motion, and additional pain. Signs of inflammation include: pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. Chiropractic adjustments and care can reduce inflammation and pain naturally! Wellness/Prevention: Obesity and Car Accident Fatalities.  An analysis of over 57,000 automobile collisions concluded obese drivers are 21-80% more likely to die after the accident, depending on the severity of their obesity. Two possible reasons for the increase include: vehicle design and safety features that are optimized for normal weight adults, and the greater likelihood of underlying health problems that accompany obesity.  British Medical Journal, January 2013

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

Mental Attitude: Unaware? Only 5% of Americans realize obesity raises cancer and respiratory disease risk! The majority of the public believes obesity to be the second most serious health issue in the country, after cancer. When asked whether their weight was normal, 50% said, "Yes." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 67% of American adults are either overweight or obese. This means many people are probably not completely aware of their own physical health. The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, January 2013 Health Alert: Less Weight Counseling? 145 million adult Americans are overweight or obese, and while the number of overweight and obese Americans has increased, the amount of weight counseling offered by primary care physicians has decreased, especially for patients with high blood pressure and diabetes. Despite the current obesity epidemic, overweight patients seen in 2007-2008 had a 46% lower chance of receiving weight counseling than other patients, and counseling occurred in only 6.2% of doctor office visits. At the same time, the percentage of adults who were overweight or obese increased from 52% in 1995 to 63% in 2008. Medical Care, January 2013 Diet: Sugary Drinks. People who regularly consume sugary drinks are more susceptible to becoming obese or overweight. Annually, the average American consumes 100 lbs of sugar from drinks. Regularly drinking sugary beverages may amplify obesity in those genetically predisposed to being overweight. New England Journal of Medicine, September 2012 Exercise: Walking. Women who walked more than 3 hours a week were 43% less likely to suffer a stroke compared to those who didn't do any physical activity. Stroke, January 2013 Chiropractic: Why Did You Wait? Patients often wait before seeking Chiropractic care. They hope the problem will go away on its own or they try home remedies (drugs, ice, heat, other therapies, etc.) first. Injuries are almost always slower to recover when care is put off, so the longer you wait, the harder it may be to "fix" your problem. Optimum care should start right away. As you wait, muscles become tighter, muscles atrophy, muscles weaken, soft tissue adhesions form, proprioceptive function decreases in the joint, and fluid flow to and from the cells decreases. This usually results in the pain lasting longer. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1992 Wellness/Prevention: Alcohol and Calories.  Alcohol contains 7 kcal/g (second only to fat, which contains 9 kcal/g). A glass of wine has 178 calories and takes 38 minutes of brisk walking to burn off. A regular alcohol drinker may get up to 10% of their total calorie intake from alcohol.  World Cancer Research Fund, January 201

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

Mental Attitude: Depression Risk.
People who drank more than 4 sodas (sugar-sweetened or diet) per day were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with depression than those who consumed none. Those who drank 4 cans of fruit punch per day (sugar-sweetened or diet) were 38% more likely to become depressed. Consuming diet versions of soda and fruit punches was associated with a greater risk for depression than consuming versions sweetened with regular sugar. Interestingly, those who drank 4 cups of coffee per day were 10% less likely to develop depression than those who drank none.
National Institutes of Health, January 2013

Health Alert: Prescription Drug Abuse.
Prescription drug abuse is just behind marijuana as the United States' most widespread drug issue, with 22 million people beginning use of non-medically prescribed pain alleviating drugs since 2002. Rates of abuse span from 3.6% in Iowa to 6.4% in Oregon. Addressing prescription drug misuse remains a top public health priority. The key is educating the public on the serious health risks involved.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, January 2013

Diet: Fast Food and Asthma.
Children who eat three or more fast food meals a week have a 39% greater risk for severe asthma.
British Medical Journal, January 2013

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise reduces blood viscosity, enhances your muscles' abilities to extract oxygen from your blood, and increases your productivity.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Macro vs. Micro Trauma?
Macro-trauma is an accident such as a car accident or falling down. Many people think this is the only way injury occurs. Micro-trauma is a cumulative effect from simple acts of daily living over a long period of time (weeks, months, or years) that ultimately leads to pain and dysfunction. These activities may be just one thing (like excessive computer use with bad posture) or multiple things you do throughout the day.

Wellness/Prevention: Drowsy Drivers.
4% of United States adults have fallen asleep or dozed off while behind the wheel. Sleepy driving is more common among adults who sleep less than six hours per night, snore, or fall asleep randomly during the day, compared with people who do not. Ways used to stay awake while driving, such as opening the window, turning up the AC and radio, are usually unsuccessful. Warning signs of sleepiness include hitting a rumble strip, drifting from one's lane, missing exits, yawning or blinking, and trouble remembering driving the last few miles.
CDC, January 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, February 4th, 2013

Mental Attitude: Smoking and Anxiety.
The belief that smoking relieves stress is pervasive, but likely wrong. Smoking is actually anxiogenic (causes anxiety) and successful quitters usually experience a drop in anxiety.
British Journal of Psychiatry, January 2013

Health Alert: Stroke!
In males and females ages 5-14, the number of ischemic stroke hospitalizations increased 31% and 36%, respectively, from 1994 to 2007. For ages 15-34 the increase was 51% for males and 17% for females. For ages 35-44, the increase was 47% for men and 36% for females. The increase in obesity seems to be the primary cause.
CDC, February 2011

Diet: How Much Protein?
An estimator used for daily protein intake is 0.36 grams per 1 pound of body weight (or .8g/kg). For example, if you weigh 155lbs, you should consume 56 grams per day (155 * .36 = 56 grams/day). Note:  If you are overweight to begin with, do not use this estimator for your current body weight because this will calculate a higher protein intake number than you really need.

Exercise: Aerobic or Resistance Training?
A study of 234 obese/overweight adults compared the effects of aerobic training (AT), resistance training (RT) and both aerobic training and resistance training (AT/RT). Researches found the participants in the AT/RT group both increased lean mass (muscle) and decreased body fat, while the RT group did not decrease body fat, and the AT group did not increase lean mass. According to Leslie H. Willis, an exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center and the study's lead author, "If increasing muscle mass and strength is a goal, then resistance training is required. However, the majority of Americans could experience health benefits due to weight and fat loss. The best option in that case, given limited time for exercise, is to focus on aerobic training. When you lose fat, it is likely you are losing visceral fat, which is known to be associated with cardiovascular and other health benefits."
Journal of Applied Physiology, December 2012

Chiropractic: Pregnancy and Back Pain.
20% of women who suffer from severe back pain during pregnancy refrain from having more children out of fear their severe back pain would recur with another pregnancy.
Obstetrics & Gynecology, February 1998

Wellness/Prevention: How Are You Doing This Year?
Only 8% of people succeed in achieving their top New Year's Resolution.
Journal of Clinical Psychology, December 2012