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