Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 24th, 2014

Mental Attitude: Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults Associated with Dementia Risk.
After reviewing the available data on nearly 52,000 individuals in California who had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), researchers believe the data indicate that such persons may have a 1.45 times greater risk for a dementia diagnosis later in life. In particular, the risk was greatest among older individuals (ages 65 and up) who suffered a mild TBI, and those between ages 55 and 64 who suffered a moderate-to-severe TBI. The authors of the study add that the brains of younger adults may be more resilient to the effects of a traumatic brain injury.
JAMA Neurology, October 2014

Health Alert: Biggest Cause of Fatal Allergic Reactions is Medications.
More than half (59%) of allergy-related deaths are caused by medications, as reported in a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In 40% of cases in which a specific drug was identified, it was an antibiotic. The next most common allergy-inducing drugs were radiocontrast agents, followed by chemotherapy medications. The researchers say that the number of fatal drug reactions nearly doubled between 1999 and 2010, and this increase could be due to increased medication use, more tests with contrast material, and to some degree, coding changes entered by hospital personnel.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, September 2014

Diet: Fried Foods Increases Risk of Gestational Diabetes.
Research involving over 21,000 single-child pregnancies reveals that regularly eating fried food before conception increases the risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy. Investigators found that those who ate fried food one to three times a week before becoming pregnant had a 13% higher risk of gestational diabetes. Those who ate fried foods four to six times a week were at a 31% increased risk, and the risk more than doubled in women who consumed seven or more servings per week.
Diabetologia, October 2014

Exercise: Yoga Pose Improves Spine Curvature in Scoliosis Patients.
Performing a single yoga pose for 90 seconds three times a week may reduce spine curvature in patients with scoliosis in as little as three months. In a recent study, scoliosis patients who did the side plank pose on the side their spine was curved toward experienced a significant improvement in their spinal curvature. Researchers found that spinal curvature improved by about 32% in all patients and it improved by 40.9% for the patients who performed the pose for at least three days a week. Among these patients, adolescents saw a 49.6% improvement in curvature, while adults saw a 38.4% improvement. The authors of the study conclude that asymmetrically strengthening the convex side of the primary scoliosis curvature with a side plank exercise performed daily appears to reduce curvature.
Global Advances in Health and Medicine, September 2014

Chiropractic: Spinal Manipulation Helps Child with Chronic Headaches.
A recent case study involved the chiropractic treatment of a 6-year-old boy who had experienced chronic headaches for previous two years. Past medical care consisted of ibuprofen, which provided minimal relief. After ten chiropractic treatments to address joint dysfunction found in the boy's neck, the patient had complete resolution of his headache symptoms. This finding supports the use of spinal manipulation in the care of children with cervicogenic headaches.
The Journal of Headache and Pain, September 2014

Wellness/Prevention: RNA Biomarker Could Be New Screen for Prostate Cancer.
Screening for prostate cancer currently involves testing a blood sample to see whether or not high concentrations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) are present; however, many researchers consider this method to be imperfect. Soon, the PSA screening test may be a thing of the past as scientists have observed higher levels of a biomarker known as lncRNA in urine samples of prostate cancer patients when compared with samples provided by men without prostate cancer. Researcher Dr. Ranjan J. Perera explains, "We have identified a set of lncRNAs that appear to have an important role in prostate cancer diagnostics. The findings advance our understanding of the role of lncRNAs in cancer biology and, importantly, broaden the opportunity to use lncRNAs as biomarkers to detect prostate cancer."
The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics, October 2014

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 10th, 2014

Mental Attitude: Dementia is a Significant Problem for Those Under Age 65.
Younger onset dementia (YOD) is defined as the onset of dementia symptoms before age 65. Researchers in Sydney, Australia contacted local health professionals and hospitals to determine how many patients were classified as having YOD. Then, they compared that information with recent census data. The research team found that YOD affects 11.6 per 100,000 people ages 30-44 years and 132.9 per 100,000 people ages 45-64 years, with an overall prevalence rate of 68.2 per 100,000 people for ages 30-64.
International Psychogeriatrics, October 2014

Health Alert: No Proof Vitamin D Prevents Development of Type 2 Diabetes.
Previous research has suggested that high levels of vitamin D may protect individuals from developing type 2 diabetes; however, a new study has found no evidence that high levels of vitamin D can prevent type 2 diabetes and that the only proven way to prevent type 2 diabetes is through a combination of diet and exercise. Study author Dr. Nita Forouhi writes, "Our findings suggest that interventions to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by increasing concentrations of vitamin D are not currently justified. Observational studies that show a strong and consistent higher risk of type 2 diabetes with lower levels of vitamin D may do so because they have thus far not been able to adequately control for distorting or confounding factors, such as physical activity levels."
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, September 2014

Diet: Organic Foods May Offer Greater Health & Safety.
A survey of prior research concludes that organically grown foods are about 48% lower in cadmium than conventionally grown foods. Cadmium is a heavy metal that has become a major cause of vascular disorders, common cancers, osteoporosis, kidney disease, and can damage the reproductive and neurological systems. Researcher Dr. James J. DiNicolantonio adds, "For years, nutritionists and consumers have struggled with the question, 'is organic really better?'… What analysis of this research reveals is that, due to the serious health impacts of cadmium exposure and the markedly lower levels of [cadmium] in organically grown foods, the long-term consumption of such foods is likely to be notably protective with respect to a wide range of common pathologies."
British Journal of Nutrition, September 2014

Exercise: Exercise Less Daunting When Focused on Target.
Physiology researchers have found that having your 'eye on the prize' makes exercise less of a chore. They found that when walking, individuals who stay focused on a specific target ahead of them feel the distance is shorter and they walk faster towards it. Researcher Dr. Shana Cole writes, "Interventions that train people to keep their 'eyes on the prize' may play an important role in health and fitness. When goals appear within reach, and when people move faster and experience exercise as easier, they may be especially motivated to continue exercising. Given the alarming obesity epidemic in America, strategies that encourage or improve exercise may be particularly important for aiding the nationwide effort to combat obesity and promote healthier living."
Motivation and Emotion, October 2014

Chiropractic: Joint Stiffness Associated with Higher Risk for Disability in Older Population.
Using data provided by 680 seniors (age > 70 years) regarding mobility limitations and joint stiffness upon waking, researchers say that morning joint stiffness more than one body site is associated with a 64% greater risk developing new or worsening mobility problems over the following 18 months. The authors of the study recommend that doctors discuss strategies for improving joint mobility with their patients to prevent or slow the progression of age-related disability.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, October 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Living Close to a Highway May Raise Your Blood Pressure.
If you have high blood pressure and you live close to a major highway, you may want to move. According to a new report, participants in a study who lived within 109 yards (~100 meters) of a busy road had a 22% higher risk for developing high blood pressure compared with those who lived at least a half a mile away (~.8 km). Further research is needed to determine if reducing exposure to traffic noise and traffic-related air pollution can reduce a nearby resident's risk of high blood pressure.
Journal of the American Heart Association, October 2014

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, November 3rd, 2014

Mental Attitude: Anxiety, Jealousy, & Moodiness May Increase Alzheimer's Risk in Women.
A woman’s risk for Alzheimer’s disease may be higher if she is anxious, jealous, or moody during middle-age. Over a 38-year period, researchers followed nearly 800 women who completed on-going personality tests regarding neuroticism, extraversion, and introversion. The study's results show that women with the highest scores for neuroticism were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as those with lower neuroticism scores. However, this association appeared to be greater among participants who had experienced long periods of stress. They also found that women who scored high on both neuroticism and introversion were at the highest risk for developing Alzheimer's. Researcher Dr. Lena Johannsson writes, "Personality may influence the individual's risk for dementia through its effect on behavior, lifestyle, or reactions to stress."
Neurology, September 2014

Health Alert: Living Near Major Roads a Risk Factor for Cardiac Death in Women.
According to the American Heart Association, living within 50 meters (~164 feet) of a major road increases a woman's risk of dying from a sudden cardiac death by 38%. Lead researcher Dr. Jaime E. Hart notes, "It's important for healthcare providers to recognize that environmental exposures may be under-appreciated risk factors for diseases such as sudden cardiac death and fatal coronary heart disease."
Circulation, October 2014

Diet: Family Meals During Childhood May Prevent Obesity.
Family meals could protect children against obesity, as such meals tend to include fruits, vegetables, calcium, and whole grains. A new study indicates that even having as few as one to two family meals a week during adolescence significantly reduces the odds of an individual being overweight or obese ten years later when compared with those who reported never having family meals during their teen years.
Journal of Pediatrics, October 2014

Exercise: Genes May Affect Exercise's Ability to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes.
Most agree on the benefits of exercise in its role for weight management and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, a new study claims that some may have a tougher time than others due to their genes. In the study, researchers examined interactions between physical activity, genetics, and diabetes risk in more than 8,100 Americans. They found that exercise provided less protection against diabetes in individuals with a high genetic risk for insulin resistance. However, the lead author of the study stresses that this finding is no reason for people battling obesity to stop exercising.
Diabetologia, September 2014

Chiropractic: Low Back Pain and Pregnancy.
Questionnaires completed by a sample of 105 women who recently gave birth indicate that low back pain is a sizeable problem for expectant mothers. Of the 105 women surveyed, 67.6% suffered from low back pain during pregnancy. More than half (57.7%) reported that back pain prevented them from performing their daily activities with 77.5% of those women claiming their back pain increased as their pregnancy advanced. Because 93% of these women received no back pain-related treatment, the authors of the study advise health care professionals to be proactive in asking expectant mothers about their back pain.
Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, September 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Atopic Dermatitis in Children Improved with Vitamin D Supplements.
A small study involving 100 school children in Mongolia has found that daily treatment with 1000 IU of a vitamin D supplement significantly reduced the symptoms of winter-related atopic dermatitis. Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin, which is uncomfortable and makes patients more vulnerable to bacterial infection. The condition is most commonly seen in children and more so during the winter. The study's author recommends that parents of children with symptoms that worsen in the winter try a vitamin D supplement for a few weeks when such symptoms flare-up, after first discussing the study and their plan with their pediatrician.
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, October 2014