Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 25th, 2014

Mental Attitude: Ultrasounds May Detect Autism in Utero.
A newly published study using ultrasound scans to check for fetal defects found that children who went on to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) had a greater head and abdominal size at 20 weeks in the womb compared with children who did not develop ASD. This discovery could offer a small window into fetal development that could help doctors diagnose and treat ASD earlier. However, these findings were presented at a medical conference and are considered preliminary since they have not yet undergone a peer review process.
International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, June 2014

Health Alert: Pavement Sealer Ban Linked to Cleaner Lake Water.
A ban of certain types of pavement sealants made from coal tar has led to lower levels of cancer-causing compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in an Austin, Texas lake. In 2006, Austin was the first city in the United States to ban these types of pavement sealants. Past studies have shown that PAHs cause cancer in animals, and there are concerns that these compounds could be harmful to human health as well.
Environmental Science & Technology, June 2014

Diet: Treat High Blood Pressure with Vitamin D?
An analysis of more than 146,500 individuals revealed that for every 10% increase in vitamin D blood levels, researchers found a corresponding 8% decreased risk for developing high blood pressure. According to study leader Dr. Elina Hypponen, "In view of the costs and side effects associated with antihypertensive drugs, the potential to prevent or reduce blood pressure and therefore the risk of hypertension with vitamin D is very attractive."
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, June 2014

Exercise: Sports During Adolescence Has Mental Health Benefits During Young Adulthood.
Participating in school sports during adolescence appears to have a protective effect on mental health in young adulthood. Researchers surveyed 850 students for five years about their participation in school sports such as basketball, soccer, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Three years following graduation, the researchers followed up with these former students to find out how often they experienced depressive symptoms, how much stress they experienced, and how they rated their mental health on a scale of 1 to 5. Those who participated in sports were less likely to be depressed, were better able to handle stress, and were more likely to rate their mental health as excellent.
Journal of Adolescent Health, June 2014

Chiropractic: How Chronic Back Pain Can Affect Quality of Life.
Nearly a third (32.9%) of patients receiving pharmaceutical treatment for chronic low back pain report that their current medication does not improve their pain, according to a study of over 3,000 chronic low back pain patients in South Korea. Among the patients surveyed, 67% classified their pain as moderate to severe, 43.5% had been in pain for more than two years, 32.4% had trouble sleeping because of their pain.
Asian Spine Journal, June 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Men Who Have Smoked Should Be Screened for Aneurysms.
A panel of American health experts recommends that older men who smoke or who are ex-smokers should be screened for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a weak spot in the main blood vessel that takes blood from the heart and can be fatal if it bursts without warning. The risk for an abdominal aneurysm in men who have smoked is approximately 7% compared to just 2% for men who have never smoked. Because the risk for women who have smoked is less than 1%, screening for females is not recommended.
Annals of Internal Medicine, June 2014

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 18th, 2014

Mental Attitude: Dementia Risk Rises with Traumatic Brain Injury.
A review of data on 188,774 veterans (ages 55 and up) found that 1,229 had been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury (TBI). During the study's nine-year follow-up period, 16% of veterans with a TBI developed dementia compared with only 10% of veterans without a TBI.
Neurology, June 2014

Health Alert: Watching TV for Three or More Hours Daily May Increase Risk of Early Death.
Most people enjoy taking time to watch a favorite television show in order to relax and unwind. New research suggests that watching three hours or more of television per day could double an individual's risk of premature death. Investigators recommend adults reduce TV watching to no more than one to two hours per day. Lead researcher Dr. Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez writes, "As the population ages, sedentary behaviors will become more prevalent, especially watching television, and this poses an additional burden on the increased health problems related to aging. Our findings suggest adults may consider increasing their physical activity, avoid long sedentary periods and reduce television watching to no longer than 1-2 hours each day."
Journal of the American Heart Association, June 2014

Diet: Your Child May Be Consuming Too Many Vitamins & Minerals.
The Environmental Working Group believes that fortifying foods with vitamins and minerals is placing children in danger. The report summarizes how millions of American children under eight years of age are getting too much vitamin A, zinc, and niacin from fortified food products and supplements. The problem is the result of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines on voluntary food supplementation (last updated 34 years ago) that do not take current scientific evidence into account. The report recommends that until the FDA makes the Daily Values on food labels reflect up-to-date science and show values for children, parents should limit their child's intake of fortified food to no more than 20-25% of the adult Daily Value for vitamin A, zinc, and niacin.
Environmental Working Group Report, June 2014

Exercise: Exercise May Benefit Pregnant Women with High Blood Pressure.
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, are the most common and dangerous pregnancy complications, occurring in 5-8% of pregnancies. An animal study revealed that placental ischemia-induced hypertension in rats was alleviated by exercise. Researcher Jeff Gilbert explains, “The data from our study raise the possibility that exercise regimens, if started before pregnancy and maintained through most of gestation, may be an important way for women to mitigate the risk of preeclampsia."
Journal of the American Heart Association, December 2012

Chiropractic: Back Pain Patients Have Less Flexible Hamstrings.
Evaluations of 72 patients with low back pain indicate a possible relationship between mechanical back pain and hamstring tightness. Researchers found that patients with more severe back pain had tighter hamstrings than patients with more mild or moderate pain. They recommend this data be considered when designing both prevention strategies and rehabilitation protocols for low back pain.
Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, June 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Breast Cancer Detection Rate Improves with New Screening Technique.
Adding a 3D imaging technique called tomosynthesis to digital mammography appears to result in both a reduction in the number of patients being called back for additional testing and an increase in breast cancer detection rates. Digital tomosynthesis takes multiple X-ray pictures from different angles. The breast is positioned as it is for a conventional mammogram, but less pressure is applied. Instead of a single image with conventional mammograms, this technique offers a 3D image for a better evaluation of the breast. Dr. Sarah M. Friedewald writes, "The association with fewer unnecessary tests and biopsies, with a simultaneous increase in cancer detection rates, would support the potential benefits of tomosynthesis as a tool for screening. However, assessment for a benefit in clinical outcomes is needed."
JAMA, June 2014

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 11th, 2014

Mental Attitude: Tinnitus Affects How Sufferers Process Emotions. Tinnitus is a condition in which patients hear noises that aren’t really there such as ringing, whooshing, whistles, and whines. According to experts, individuals with persistent tinnitus are more likely to experience increased stress, anxiety, irritability, and depression. To investigate how tinnitus affects the brain, researchers evaluated brain responses to different emotions by individuals both with and without tinnitus using functional magnetic resonance imaging. When compared to participants with normal hearing, they found tinnitus patients had decreased brain activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain that processes emotion and stress; however, they had increased activity in the parahippocampus and insula, areas of the brain that are also associated with emotions. This indicates that in order to cope with the stress of persistent noise, the brains of tinnitus patients have reduced activity in the amygdala and rerouted some of its functions to other regions. Brain Research, June 2014 Health Alert: Serious Allergic Reactions with Some Acne Products. The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to consumers who use certain over-the-counter skin products for acne due to the risk of extreme allergic reactions. The active ingredients benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are suspected to cause these reactions, which can include feeling faint, breathing difficulties, throat tightness, and swelling of the eyes, lips, face, and tongue. Products containing the active ingredients benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are available as face washes, solutions, cleansing pads, gels, lotions, toners, and face scrubs. The FDA recommends consumers to stop using products containing these ingredients if they develop hives or itching. Food and Drug Administration, June 2014 Diet: Fruits & Veggies May Not Help Weight Loss. Adding more servings of fruits and vegetables is often recommended for individuals trying to lose weight, but according to researchers, doing so may not help them shed excess pounds. A review of seven studies found that increasing fruit and vegetable intake without reducing total calories consumed appears to have a near-zero effect on weight loss. Researcher Dr. Kathryn Kaiser adds, "In the overall context of a healthy diet, energy reduction is the way to help lose weight, so to reduce weight you have to reduce caloric intake." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2014 Exercise: Exercise Improves Body Composition for Kids. A recent study referred to as “FITKids” demonstrated the extent to which physical activity can improve body composition, which is important as it contributes to overall health. The study included 220 eight- to nine-year-olds who were assigned to either a nine-month physical activity program that required 70 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity five days a week or a control group. Researchers measured baseline and follow-up cardiorespiratory fitness, percent fat mass, percent central fat mass, and estimated abdominal fat tissue. The FITKids showed improved cardiovascular fitness, less body fat, and carried less fat around their abdomens. The opposite was true for the control group who maintained their regular after-school routine. Pediatrics, April 2014 Chiropractic: Strong Support for Manual Therapy to Treat Back Pain. Two independent reviewers analyzed data from 360 studies published between 2000 and 2013 related to the use of manual therapies -- such as chiropractic care -- to treat acute, subacute, and chronic non-specific low back pain. For all levels of low back pain, the reviewers found strong evidence for the use of manual therapy to both decrease pain and improve function. The Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy, May 2014 Wellness/Prevention: Keep Teens Safe During Sports. Participating in sports is a key part of many children's high school experience, but injuries can and do occur. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests the following ways to reduce the risk of sport-related injuries: wear protective equipment, ensure proper training and conditioning, build strength and stamina, follow rules and practice good sportsmanship, play only one sport per season, and don't play just one sport all year-long. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, May 2013

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, August 4th, 2014

Mental Attitude: Two Explanations for the Link Between Stress & Heart Attack. Scientists may have a better understanding of why ongoing stress raises an individual's risk of having a heart attack. They believe stress triggers the body to make extra disease-fighting white blood cells, and this can cause inflammation in the arteries of people with a condition called atherosclerosis, where the artery walls are thickened by a buildup of plaque. Other studies suggest that stress causes blood to clot differently. Both factors can lead to reduced blood flow to the heart. Nature Medicine, June 2014 Health Alert: Numbing Medications Can Be Harmful to Teething Babies. Teething infants can be seriously harmed or even die from certain "gum-numbing" medications, according to a new warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA states that local anesthetics known as viscous lidocaine and benzocaine-containing teething products should never be used for teething children, except under the advice and supervision of a health care professional. Viscous lidocaine requires a prescription, and it is typically used to treat mouth ulcers in chemotherapy patients. Parents who have viscous lidocaine on hand should not use it on teething infants. The FDA notes that it received 22 reports of serious incidents thus far in 2014, including deaths, linked to use of viscous lidocaine in babies and toddlers under three and a half years of age. The FDA also advises that over-the-counter benzocaine products, such as Anbesol and Baby Orajel, should not be used for children younger than age two. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, June 2014 Diet: Gluten-Free Diet Helps Celiac Patients with “Brain Fog”. Poor memory, difficulty thinking clearly, difficulty finding the right word, and poor concentration -- often referred to as “Brain fog” -- are often experienced by celiac disease patients. A new study suggests that adopting a gluten-free diet seems to improve these symptoms as the intestines heal. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye that causes intestinal inflammation. Scientists found that when celiac patients removed gluten from their diet, they scored better for attention, memory, and other functions on assessment tests. Study author Dr. Greg Yelland adds, "Maintaining a gluten-free diet is essential not only for [celiac patients'] physical well-being, but for mental well-being also." Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, June 2014 Exercise: Improve Your Workout By Exercising with Someone More Fit Than You. Researchers from Kansas State University claim that individuals who exercise with a teammate or partner whom they perceive to be in better shape increased their workout time and intensity by as much as 200%. The research team found that partners who exercise at a level 40% greater are ideal for long-term motivation while they observed motivation levels declined when partners exercised at either the same or vastly superior levels. Kansas State University, June 2014 Chiropractic: Back Pain and Athletes. A new study indicates that two out of three teen athletes will experience an episode of back pain during their lifetime. Current research estimates the prevalence rate of back pain for the general population to be over 80%, or at least 14 percentage points higher than teen athletes can expect. International Journal of Sports Medicine, July 2014 Wellness/Prevention: Sleep Should Be a Family Value. Previous research shows that inadequate sleep is a risk factor for both childhood and adult obesity. A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois found that if parents don't get enough sleep, their children don't tend to either. They recommend that in order to reduce the risk of childhood obesity, parents should ensure their children get at least ten hours of sleep per night and that they get at least seven hours themselves. Preventing Chronic Disease, June 2014