Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 29th, 2015

Mental Attitude: High Blood Sugar Could Be a Cause of Alzheimer's Disease. Scientists suspect that high blood sugar could drive the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain that may lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In an animal study, researchers found that doubling blood glucose levels resulted in a 20% increase of beta-amyloid plaque deposits in the brains of test subjects. Lead researcher Dr. Shannon Macauley writes, "Our results suggest that diabetes, or other conditions that make it hard to control blood sugar levels, can have harmful effects on brain function and exacerbate neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease." The Journal of Clinical Investigation, May 2015 Health Alert: Cellphone Noise Can Startle a Fetus. A small study indicates that sounds emitted by cellphones carried by pregnant women can disrupt the sleep and wake cycles of their unborn fetuses. What isn't clear from the study is whether or not being repeatedly startled by the beeping and vibration of cellphones has any effect on fetal health or pregnancy outcomes. Study co-author Dr. Boris Petrikovsky comments, "So we now recommend that women not carry cell phones… in close proximity to their baby… They should put it in their chest pocket or bag. The further away it is from the baby, the less chance the baby will be affected." American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, May 2015 Diet: Healthy Eating Slows the Aging of Brain. If you want to preserve your memory and thinking skills as your grow older, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fish. A study that included nearly 28,000 older adults from 40 countries found that those who scored in the top 20% on a “healthy eating” scale were less likely to develop declines in memory, attention, and other mental skills over the next five years. The research team believes that the anti-inflammatory nutrients in foods like fruits, vegetables, and fish may help preserve brain health. Neurology, May 2015 Exercise: Ways to Lower Organized Sport Injury Risks. While playing organized sports is a great way for kids to get exercise and learn sportsmanship, taking precautions to reduce or avoid injury is important. The Children's National Medical Center advises parents to have children receive a physical exam before starting organized sport, have water on hand during practice and games, encourage kids to drink water frequently, promote stretching before and after games, ask coaches to be certified in CPR and first aid, and make sure that coaches are familiar with the signs of concussion and how to prevent injuries. Children's National Medical Center, May 2015 Chiropractic: Adverse Life Events Can Increase Musculoskeletal Pain Risk! A six-year study that followed 2,039 individuals found that adverse life events were associated with a 14% greater risk for developing chronic multisite musculoskeletal pain per incident. Adverse life events can include divorce, serious illness, the death of a loved one, disability, job loss, and a serious financial loss. Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, April 2015 Wellness/Prevention: Moms Need to Make Time for Themselves. Mothers work hard to take care of their family, but experts agree that moms also need to take care of themselves. The American Council on Exercise recommends the following to keep moms and their families healthy: drink plenty of water, eat a healthy and balanced diet, find time to exercise daily, schedule both alone time and date nights, make time to visit friends, get outside, laugh, get a massage to boost mood, and use a journal to record the things, people, and experiences you're thankful for in life. American Council on Exercise, May 2015

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 22nd, 2015

Mental Attitude: Poor Social Relationships May Increase Dementia Risk.

A lack of social interaction during adulthood may be associated with a greater risk for a dementia diagnosis later in life. A meta-analysis of data from 19 long-term studies notes that low social participation, less frequent social interaction, and a sense of loneliness are all linked to between a 1.41 and 1.58 greater risk for dementia. The authors of the study add that these risks are similar to other established risk factors for dementia such as low education attainment, physical inactivity, and late-life depression.

Ageing Research Reviews, May 2015

Health Alert: Some Plastic Teething Toys May Be Unsafe.

Laboratory tests conducted on a small sample of ten plastic infant teethers found that two of the toys contained endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC). Previous research has shown that EDCs can affect fertility, increase the risk of endometriosis among females, impair organ and neural development, and even cause some cancers. The researchers note that such chemicals offer little benefit to the quality of the product and should be discontinued from use given the potential danger to the children who put them in their mouths.

Journal of Applied Toxicology, May 2015

Diet: When You Eat May Impact Your Health.

A new report suggests that watching when you eat, without necessarily changing what or how much, may result in significant health benefits. The findings suggest that eating within an 8-to-12 hour period each day changes metabolism at the genetic level, resulting in lower blood sugar levels. The researchers call the phenomenon time-restricted eating, and they believe it could be powerful enough to lower the risk for some cancers, heart disease, dementia, and diabetes.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, April 2015

Exercise: Strengthening Hips Could Ease Calf Pain Caused By Peripheral Artery Disease.

People who suffer from peripheral artery disease (PAD) may be able to ease their calf pain if they exercise to strengthen their hips. PAD causes arteries in the legs and other parts of the body to narrow, which restricts blood flow. This often leads to changes in skin color, development of sores, pain, and difficulty walking. Researchers found the people with PAD used their calf muscle more when walking because their hip muscles were weak; therefore, they conclude that strengthening the hip muscles could lead to less stress on the calf muscles.

American Heart Association, May 2015

Chiropractic: Improved Posture Helps Patients Avoid Back Pain Recurrence.

Patients with chronic low back pain who received therapies designed to improve their posture were more likely to report clinically significant improvements in both pain and function one year after the conclusion of treatment than patients whose posture was not addressed during the course of their care.

Scientific World Journal, April 2015

Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D May Help Obese Patients Lose Weight.

Italian researchers studied 400 overweight and obese individuals with vitamin D deficiency and found that a low-calorie diet combined with vitamin D supplementation led to greater reductions in waistlines than a low-calorie diet alone. Lead researcher Dr. Luisella Vigna adds, "The present data indicate that in obese and overweight people with vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation aids weight loss and enhances the beneficial effects of a reduced-calorie diet." The researchers suggest that overweight and obese individuals should have their vitamin D levels tested.

European Congress on Obesity, May 2015

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 15th, 2015

Mental Attitude: Do You Think Your Child Is the Right Weight for His or Her Age?

Most parents of overweight children misperceive their children as being "the right weight" for their age. According to a study involving nearly 7,000 overweight boys and girls, nearly 96% of mothers thought their overweight sons were the right weight for their age and almost 90% of mothers considered their overweight daughters to be the appropriate weight for their age group. The authors believe that ineffective communication between the medical community and parents accounts for a significant part of the ongoing problems with weight misperception in society. Senior author Dr. Jian Zhang adds, "We need effective strategies to encourage clinician discussions with parents about appropriate [the] weight for their child. This will be critical for childhood weight management and obesity prevention."

NYU Langone Medical Center, May 2015

Health Alert: Global Oncology Costs Increasing.

While early diagnosis and more effective cancer therapies have increased the survival rates of many cancers, costs related to cancer treatment have also risen. A new report reveals that average cancer treatment costs-per-month in the United States have increased 39% over the past ten years, and global spending on cancer medicines surpassed $100 billion dollars in 2014, nearly $25 billion dollars higher than was observed as recently as 2009!

IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, May 2015

Diet: Secrets to Choosing Healthier Foods.

An analysis of 112 studies found that people choose healthier foods when restaurants, grocery stores, school cafeterias, and/or their spouse make foods like fruits and vegetables more visible, convenient, and attractive.

Psychology and Marketing, April 2015

Exercise: New Treadmills May Be Better at Duplicating Outdoor Running.

Researchers have developed a new treadmill that automatically changes speed to match the pace of the runner. The machine uses sonar to tell where the runner is on the treadmill and then speeds up if the runner is moving towards the front of the running belt or slows down if the runner is moving toward the back of the running belt. Dr. Steven T. Devor, an associate professor of kinesiology at Ohio State University writes, "If you're running outside and you want to speed up or slow down, there is no button to push. It is the same with this new automated treadmill."

Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, April 2015

Chiropractic: Heavy Smartphone Use Can Lead to Hand and Wrist Problems!

If you are a heavy smartphone user and experience wrist pain, you may want to reduce your reliance on handheld devices. Researchers examined the wrists and hand complaints of 102 adults and found that those who spent the most time interacting with their devices had enlarged median nerves in their dominant hand, reduced pinch strength, and reduced hand function when compared with low/non-smartphone users.

Muscle & Nerve, April 2015

Wellness/Prevention: Heart Attacks Could Be Diagnosed with a Thermometer-Like Device.

Scientists have developed a simple, thermometer-like device that may help healthcare providers diagnose heart attacks with minimal materials and cost. The technology works by detecting a protein called troponin, which rises when blood is cut off from the heart and the muscle is damaged. Current methods to detect this protein are expensive and often not practical for point-of-care in low and middle-income countries where up to 75% of cardiovascular disease-related deaths occur.

Analytical Chemistry, April 2015

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 8th, 2015

Mental Attitude: Exercising Your Memory.

To help individuals keep their minds sharp at any age, experts from the Harvard Medical School recommend learning a new skill or language, taking up a new hobby, reading books, and solving puzzles.

Harvard Medical School, May 2015

Health Alert: Don't Wear Heels at Home!

According to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, half of high heel-related injuries occur at home. This suggests that a simple strategy for women to reduce their risk of injury is to simply wear more appropriate footwear around the house.

University of Alabama at Birmingham, May 2015

Diet: Can a South African Diet Reduce Colon Cancer Risk Among Americans?

Based on the dramatic effects observed when American and South African volunteers swapped diets for just two weeks, researchers suggest that a diet high in fiber and low in fat could possibly reduce an individual's risk for developing colon cancer. After fourteen days on the high-fiber, low-fat South African diet, the American group had significantly less inflammation in the colon along with a reduction in biomarkers associated with colon cancer risk. Meanwhile, tests on the African group showed the opposite, indicating a dramatic increase in cancer risk after just two weeks on the high-protein, low-fiber American diet. According to the study's authors, one could achieve similar results by increasing their fiber intake to 50 grams per day.

Nature Communications, April 2015

Exercise: Cardio May Help Slow Down Aging in the Brain.

The findings of a new study suggest that cardiorespiratory exercise could be prescribed to lessen age-related declines in brain structure. Researchers found that cardiorespiratory fitness was positively linked to the structural integrity of white matter in the brains of the older adults. They write, "We hope this study provides additional motivation for older adults to increase their levels of physical activity, which positively impacts health, mood, cognition and the brain."

Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, April 2015

Chiropractic: How Physical Inactivity Affects the Spine.

MRI scans conducted on 72 older adults found that physical inactivity can be detrimental to the spine. Researchers observed the intervertebral disks of those with low physical activity levels appeared to be shorter than the disks of those who were more physically active. Previous research suggests a reduction in disk height is associated with a greater risk for back pain. The researchers also found the lumbar stabilizing muscles of inactive participants were more likely to have fatty deposits, suggesting compromised function.

Arthritis Research & Therapy, May 2015

Wellness/Prevention: How to Choose a Bicycle Helmet.

Wearing a helmet when cycling is vital for both young and old riders to prevent head injuries, but it is important that a helmet fits properly. The Cleveland Clinic suggests the following: the helmet’s padding should fit snuggly, it should sit level and not move in any direction, look for the Consumer Product Safety Commission sticker when buying a helmet, and a pre-owned helmet should only be worn if it has no cracks or breaks and was made after 1999.

The Cleveland Clinic, May 2015

Weekly Health Update For The Week Of Monday, June 1st, 2015

Mental Attitude: More Sleep May Help Alzheimer's Patients.

Extra sleep may help improve the memories of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In a study involving fruit flies, researchers found that extra sleep -- the equivalent of three-to-four hours of sleep for humans -- restored the ability of flies with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms to make new memories. Though more studies are needed, this finding could one day offer a new path of treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Current Biology, April 2015

Health Alert: One in Four Breast Cancer Cases May Be Preventable.

Experts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology advise that a healthy lifestyle can reduce a woman's risk for breast cancer nearly 25%, even if she has a family history of the disease. Previous research has associated the following lifestyle factors with a lower risk of breast cancer diagnosis: maintaining a healthy weight, performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, limiting alcohol consumption, not smoking, and eating a healthy diet.

American Society of Clinical Oncology, May 2015

Diet: Could a Smiley Face Make Healthy Foods More Appealing to Kids?

While schools in the United States are providing healthier food options in their cafeterias as part of a federal initiative, getting kids to put more nutritious items on their plate can be a challenge. Researchers have found that adding a smiley face label to healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables or adding a small prize to a plate of four healthy foods resulted in a 62% rise in vegetable servings and a 20% increase in fruit servings on student trays.

Pediatric Academic Societies, April 2015

Exercise: Reduces Vertigo Risk in Women.

After examining the lifestyles of nearly 500 older women, researchers conclude that performing regular physical activity can reduce a woman's risk for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) by over 160%!

International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, October 2014

Chiropractic: Back Pain and Sleep Difficulties.

After following both chronic and new-onset back pain patients for six months, researchers report that two out of three patients with low back pain experience difficulty sleeping, typically during the week following an episode of back pain. Therefore, to ensure back pain patients have the best opportunity to achieve restful sleep, it's important for them to follow their doctor's advice in regards to maintaining a healthy spine and making recommended lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of re-injury.

Clinical Journal of Pain, May 2015

Wellness/Prevention: Smartphone App Could Prevent Teens from Using Phone While Driving.

A preliminary study suggests that a smartphone app that turns off a teenager's cell phone service when they turn on their car could help prevent accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of accidental death among teens, with cell phone use behind the wheel increasing teen accident risk by nearly 24 times! Researchers found that teens who drove cars outfitted with phone-blocking technology drove up to 80% safer than teens in a control group. The communications director of the Governors Highway Safety Association adds, "The more we can get parents to implement these new technological tools and really engage in the process with their novice drivers, the greater chance we have of preventing teen driver crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities."

Pediatric Academic Societies, April 2015