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Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, February 6th, 2012
"Without Chiropractic I never would have won." ~ Lance Armstrong.
Mental Attitude: Sleeping Problems?
People who are poor sleepers exert a ton of energy trying to force sleep. Sleep is something that has to naturally unfold, so the more you engage in behaviors to try to sleep, the less likely you're going to fall asleep.
Behavior Therapy, Dec 2011
Health Alert: Acid Reflux Up!
Reports of acid reflux experienced at least once a week have increased by 47% in the last decade. The prevalence of any acid reflux symptoms rose 30%, while the more severe symptoms rose by 24%. There is concern that these findings will lead to an increase in cancer of the esophagus, a once rare but now more common malignancy that is very difficult to treat. Acid reflux, also known as gastro-esophageal reflux, is where the stomach contents (food and acidic digestive juices) escape upward into the esophagus. This can irritate the esophagus and cause heartburn and other symptoms. Being overweight is a risk factor for acid reflux.
Gut, Dec 2011
Diet: Depression And Vitamin D.
Because depression affects one in 10 adults in the US and low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to depression, researchers suggest that screening for vitamin D levels in depressed patients and perhaps screening for depression in people with low vitamin D levels might be useful. Vitamin D levels are now commonly tested during routine physical exams, and they are accepted as risk factors for a number of other medical problems such as autoimmune diseases; heart and vascular disease; infectious diseases; osteoporosis; obesity; diabetes; certain cancers; and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, multiple sclerosis, and general cognitive decline.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Jan 2012
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise helps to alleviate depression and increases your ability to adapt to cold environments.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: What Did He Say?
"The quality of healing is directly proportional to the functional capability of the central nervous system to send and receive nerve messages."
~ Janson Edwards, MD. PhD
Wellness/Prevention: Don't Smoke, Be Happy!
Smokers have concerns that their quality of life may deteriorate if they stop smoking. However, a study found, in the long term, smokers who successfully quit experience no such deterioration due to quitting. If anything, they see some noticeable improvements. Specifically, compared with those who continued to smoke, quitters scored higher on measures of overall quality of life, health-related quality of life and positive emotions, both one year and three years on. They also felt they had fewer stressors by the third year.
Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Jan 2012
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, February 6th, 2012
"Without Chiropractic I never would have won." ~ Lance Armstrong.
Mental Attitude: Sleeping Problems?
People who are poor sleepers exert a ton of energy trying to force sleep. Sleep is something that has to naturally unfold, so the more you engage in behaviors to try to sleep, the less likely you're going to fall asleep.
Behavior Therapy, Dec 2011
Health Alert: Acid Reflux Up!
Reports of acid reflux experienced at least once a week have increased by 47% in the last decade. The prevalence of any acid reflux symptoms rose 30%, while the more severe symptoms rose by 24%. There is concern that these findings will lead to an increase in cancer of the esophagus, a once rare but now more common malignancy that is very difficult to treat. Acid reflux, also known as gastro-esophageal reflux, is where the stomach contents (food and acidic digestive juices) escape upward into the esophagus. This can irritate the esophagus and cause heartburn and other symptoms. Being overweight is a risk factor for acid reflux.
Gut, Dec 2011
Diet: Depression And Vitamin D.
Because depression affects one in 10 adults in the US and low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to depression, researchers suggest that screening for vitamin D levels in depressed patients and perhaps screening for depression in people with low vitamin D levels might be useful. Vitamin D levels are now commonly tested during routine physical exams, and they are accepted as risk factors for a number of other medical problems such as autoimmune diseases; heart and vascular disease; infectious diseases; osteoporosis; obesity; diabetes; certain cancers; and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, multiple sclerosis, and general cognitive decline.
Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Jan 2012
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise helps to alleviate depression and increases your ability to adapt to cold environments.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: What Did He Say?
"The quality of healing is directly proportional to the functional capability of the central nervous system to send and receive nerve messages."
~ Janson Edwards, MD. PhD
Wellness/Prevention: Don't Smoke, Be Happy!
Smokers have concerns that their quality of life may deteriorate if they stop smoking. However, a study found, in the long term, smokers who successfully quit experience no such deterioration due to quitting. If anything, they see some noticeable improvements. Specifically, compared with those who continued to smoke, quitters scored higher on measures of overall quality of life, health-related quality of life and positive emotions, both one year and three years on. They also felt they had fewer stressors by the third year.
Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Jan 2012
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Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, January 9th, 2012
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
~ Jackie Robinson.
Mental Attitude: I Can't Remember.
Older individuals' complaints about memory lapses (such as trouble remembering recent events) may indicate they are experiencing cognitive problems that are greater than typical age-related changes. The incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is expected to rise in the United States as adults 65 and older are projected to double in number over the next two decades. Clinicians are now incorporating cognitive screening tests as part of annual wellness visits for older people.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Nov 2011
Health Alert: Low-Dose Aspirin.
The risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding needs to be considered when determining the potential preventive benefits associated with low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular disease and cancer. The risk is increased with the use of cardiovascular disease-preventing therapies. Low-dose aspirin is defined as 75 to 325 mg.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Dec 2011
Diet: Soda Consumption.
The average American drinks 44.7 gallons of soda a year. That much soda weighs about 375 pounds!
AdAge, Dec 2011
Exercise: Benefits For Breast Cancer Survivors.
For breast cancer survivors, the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks, including those who develop lymphedema, a chronic swelling that commonly occurs after breast cancer treatment. Balance the pros and cons of the activity one chooses, but keep in mind that even remaining sedentary has risks and being active is beneficial in many ways, including possibly reducing the risk of cancer recurrence.
Journal of Cancer Survivorship, December 2011
Chiropractic: Nerve Interference.
The pressure caused by just the weight of just one United States quarter on a spinal nerve can decrease nerve transmission by as much as 60%.
Chang Ha Suh, PhD
Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Prevention In Your 30s.
One begins to lose muscle mass after age 30. Strength training can prevent muscle loss, build bone density and help the body burn calories faster to keep you at a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight can help decrease the risk of cancer.
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Nov 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, January 9th, 2012
"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
~ Jackie Robinson.
Mental Attitude: I Can't Remember.
Older individuals' complaints about memory lapses (such as trouble remembering recent events) may indicate they are experiencing cognitive problems that are greater than typical age-related changes. The incidence of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias is expected to rise in the United States as adults 65 and older are projected to double in number over the next two decades. Clinicians are now incorporating cognitive screening tests as part of annual wellness visits for older people.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Nov 2011
Health Alert: Low-Dose Aspirin.
The risk of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding needs to be considered when determining the potential preventive benefits associated with low-dose aspirin for cardiovascular disease and cancer. The risk is increased with the use of cardiovascular disease-preventing therapies. Low-dose aspirin is defined as 75 to 325 mg.
Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Dec 2011
Diet: Soda Consumption.
The average American drinks 44.7 gallons of soda a year. That much soda weighs about 375 pounds!
AdAge, Dec 2011
Exercise: Benefits For Breast Cancer Survivors.
For breast cancer survivors, the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks, including those who develop lymphedema, a chronic swelling that commonly occurs after breast cancer treatment. Balance the pros and cons of the activity one chooses, but keep in mind that even remaining sedentary has risks and being active is beneficial in many ways, including possibly reducing the risk of cancer recurrence.
Journal of Cancer Survivorship, December 2011
Chiropractic: Nerve Interference.
The pressure caused by just the weight of just one United States quarter on a spinal nerve can decrease nerve transmission by as much as 60%.
Chang Ha Suh, PhD
Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Prevention In Your 30s.
One begins to lose muscle mass after age 30. Strength training can prevent muscle loss, build bone density and help the body burn calories faster to keep you at a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight can help decrease the risk of cancer.
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Nov 2011
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Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, January 2nd, 2012
"The trouble about always trying to preserve the health of the body
is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind."
~ G. K. Chesterton. Mental Attitude: Purchases That Make Your Mouth Water.
In certain situations, people actually salivate when they desire material things, like money and sports cars. Merely being exposed to the concept of money has been shown to have dramatic effects on behavior, and it has even been argued that money can be conceptualized as a drug in that it imitates the action of biological incentives in driving behavior.
Journal of Consumer Research, Dec 2011
Health Alert: Uninsured!
Approximately 50.2 million Americans live without health insurance.
U.S. Census Bureau, Sept 2011
Diet: Fish And Alzheimer's Risk.
5.1 million people in the US have Alzheimer's disease. Eating fish once a week is good for brain health, as well as lowering your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer's risk. Consuming baked or broiled fish promotes stronger neurons in the brain's gray matter by making them larger and healthier. This simple lifestyle choice increases the brain's resistance to Alzheimer's disease and lowers risk for the disorder. Eating dried or fried fish does not seem to help preserve brain volume or lower Alzheimer's risk.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dec 2011
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise helps prevent intestinal ulcers. It also increases the density and breaking strength of ligaments, tendons and the disks of your spine.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: Ringing In The Ears.
Patients with somatosensory tinnitus may find relief from cervical adjustments.
American Journal of Pain Management, 1994
Wellness/Prevention: Probiotics
The average American experiences two to six colds each year, usually mild viral infections that resolve themselves after a few days. Probiotics seems to provide both children and adults with protection against many upper respiratory tract infections, including the common cold. People who consume probiotics are also less likely to end up taking prescription antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. Probiotics are found in fermented foods like yogurt, soy yogurt, kefir and in supplement form.
The Cochrane Library, Dec 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, January 2nd, 2012
"The trouble about always trying to preserve the health of the body
is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind."
~ G. K. Chesterton. Mental Attitude: Purchases That Make Your Mouth Water.
In certain situations, people actually salivate when they desire material things, like money and sports cars. Merely being exposed to the concept of money has been shown to have dramatic effects on behavior, and it has even been argued that money can be conceptualized as a drug in that it imitates the action of biological incentives in driving behavior.
Journal of Consumer Research, Dec 2011
Health Alert: Uninsured!
Approximately 50.2 million Americans live without health insurance.
U.S. Census Bureau, Sept 2011
Diet: Fish And Alzheimer's Risk.
5.1 million people in the US have Alzheimer's disease. Eating fish once a week is good for brain health, as well as lowering your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer's risk. Consuming baked or broiled fish promotes stronger neurons in the brain's gray matter by making them larger and healthier. This simple lifestyle choice increases the brain's resistance to Alzheimer's disease and lowers risk for the disorder. Eating dried or fried fish does not seem to help preserve brain volume or lower Alzheimer's risk.
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Dec 2011
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise helps prevent intestinal ulcers. It also increases the density and breaking strength of ligaments, tendons and the disks of your spine.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: Ringing In The Ears.
Patients with somatosensory tinnitus may find relief from cervical adjustments.
American Journal of Pain Management, 1994
Wellness/Prevention: Probiotics
The average American experiences two to six colds each year, usually mild viral infections that resolve themselves after a few days. Probiotics seems to provide both children and adults with protection against many upper respiratory tract infections, including the common cold. People who consume probiotics are also less likely to end up taking prescription antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. Probiotics are found in fermented foods like yogurt, soy yogurt, kefir and in supplement form.
The Cochrane Library, Dec 2011
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Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, October 31st , 2011
"Security is mostly a superstition. It doesn't exist in nature."
~ Helen Keller
. Mental Attitude: Friendships & Anxiety.
Anxious, solitary kids are more emotionally sensitive and more likely to be excluded and victimized by their peers. They're also less likely to have friends, and when they do, to have fewer than their peers and to lose friendships over time.
Child Development, Sept 2011
Health Alert: Obesity Costs!
States spend up to $15 billion a year in medical expenses related to obesity. Estimates in dollars range from $203 million in Wyoming to $15.2 billion in California. National costs of obesity are $147 billion.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Sept 2011
Diet: Wine & Dementia Risk.
Moderate wine drinkers are 23% less likely to develop dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease. Resveratrol, found in fairly high levels in wine, is a naturally occurring antioxidant that decreases the stickiness of blood platelets and helps blood vessels remain open and flexible. It also inhibits enzymes that can stimulate cancer cell growth and suppress immune response.
Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise decreases the rate of joint degeneration in people with osteoarthritis, lowers your resting heart rate, helps to boost creativity and reduces circulating levels of triglycerides.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: What Does Double Crush Mean?
If there is irritation of a nerve root at the vertebra of the neck, or at the triangle formed between the scalene muscles and the first rib, the nerve itself becomes "sick." As that nerve passes into the arm, it passes through several muscles before it enters the hand, beneath the transverse carpal ligament. If the nerve is already "sick," the "secondary stress" of compression within the arm muscles, or at the wrist, may cause regional symptoms at that location. We call that second insult to the nerve a "double crush" phenomenon.
Wellness/Prevention: Four Ways To Live Longer.
Those who practice all 4 are 66% less likely to die early from cancer, 65% less likely to die early from a major cardiovascular disease, and 57% less likely to die early from other causes. 1) Avoid Tobacco. 2) Limit Alcohol: Men should have no more than two drinks a day, women no more than one. 3) Improve Your Diet: Eat more fruits, eat more vegetables, eat more whole grains, switch to fat-free and low-fat dairy and eat more seafood. Cut down on salt and foods high in sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugar, and refined grains. 4) Exercise at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise spread over at least 5 days a week - or - do a total of 75 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days a week or more.
American Journal of Public Health, August 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, October 31st , 2011
"Security is mostly a superstition. It doesn't exist in nature."
~ Helen Keller
. Mental Attitude: Friendships & Anxiety.
Anxious, solitary kids are more emotionally sensitive and more likely to be excluded and victimized by their peers. They're also less likely to have friends, and when they do, to have fewer than their peers and to lose friendships over time.
Child Development, Sept 2011
Health Alert: Obesity Costs!
States spend up to $15 billion a year in medical expenses related to obesity. Estimates in dollars range from $203 million in Wyoming to $15.2 billion in California. National costs of obesity are $147 billion.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Sept 2011
Diet: Wine & Dementia Risk.
Moderate wine drinkers are 23% less likely to develop dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease. Resveratrol, found in fairly high levels in wine, is a naturally occurring antioxidant that decreases the stickiness of blood platelets and helps blood vessels remain open and flexible. It also inhibits enzymes that can stimulate cancer cell growth and suppress immune response.
Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise decreases the rate of joint degeneration in people with osteoarthritis, lowers your resting heart rate, helps to boost creativity and reduces circulating levels of triglycerides.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: What Does Double Crush Mean?
If there is irritation of a nerve root at the vertebra of the neck, or at the triangle formed between the scalene muscles and the first rib, the nerve itself becomes "sick." As that nerve passes into the arm, it passes through several muscles before it enters the hand, beneath the transverse carpal ligament. If the nerve is already "sick," the "secondary stress" of compression within the arm muscles, or at the wrist, may cause regional symptoms at that location. We call that second insult to the nerve a "double crush" phenomenon.
Wellness/Prevention: Four Ways To Live Longer.
Those who practice all 4 are 66% less likely to die early from cancer, 65% less likely to die early from a major cardiovascular disease, and 57% less likely to die early from other causes. 1) Avoid Tobacco. 2) Limit Alcohol: Men should have no more than two drinks a day, women no more than one. 3) Improve Your Diet: Eat more fruits, eat more vegetables, eat more whole grains, switch to fat-free and low-fat dairy and eat more seafood. Cut down on salt and foods high in sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugar, and refined grains. 4) Exercise at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise spread over at least 5 days a week - or - do a total of 75 minutes of vigorous exercise 3 days a week or more.
Weekly Health Update Week of:
Monday, October 24th , 2011
"A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and
an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties."
~ Harry S. Truman
. Mental Attitude: Don't Look At Me!
Depressed people tend to avoid eye contact in social situations and in experimental settings, whereas happy people actively seek eye contact. Sad people avoiding eye contact may lead to them shunning certain social situations. Although this may reduce anxiety caused by the situation itself, it may actually increase social isolation and deepen their already depressed mood.
British Journal of Psychology, Sept 2011
Health Alert: Hospital Staff Carry MRSA Superbug.
60% of doctors' and 65% of nurses' uniforms carry dangerous bacteria. In a 2009 report, rates of postoperative sepsis, or bloodstream infections, increased by 8%; postoperative catheter-associated urinary tract infections increased by 3.6%; and rates of selected infections due to medical care increased by 1.6%. 1 in 5 security cards carried by hospital doctors were contaminated with a variety of pathogenic bacteria, including the superbug MRSA, which kills thousands every year.
Health and Human Services Department, 2009
Diet: Ginger Extract.
Whole ginger extract has promising cancer-preventing activity in prostate cancer. Ginger extract had significant effects in stopping the growth of cancer cells, and inducing cell death in a spectrum of prostate cancer cells. Animal studies revealed the extract did not show significant toxicity to normal tissues, such as bone marrow. Research showed tumor regression up to 60%. Humans would have to consume about 3 1/2 ounces of whole ginger extract a day to get the benefits.
British Journal of Nutrition, Aug 2011
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise reduces vulnerability to various cardiac dysrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), improves the likelihood of survival from a myocardial infarction (heart attack), and helps overcome jet lag.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: What A Headache.
"Cervical migraine is the type of headache most frequently seen in general practice and also the most frequently misinterpreted. It is usually erroneously diagnosed as classical migraine, tension headache, [or] vascular headache. Such patients have usually received an inadequate treatment and have often become neurotic and drug-dependent." (Note: Manipulation is effective in patients with cervicogenic headaches.)
Ragnar Frykholm, Neurosurgeon, 1972
Wellness/Prevention: Fish Oil For A Healthy Mind.
Researchers found positive associations between fish oil supplements and cognitive function, as well as differences in brain structure between users and non-users of fish oil supplements. The findings suggest possible benefits of fish oil supplements on brain health and aging.
International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, October 10th, 2011
"A question that sometimes drives me hazy: am I or are the others crazy?"
~ Albert Einstein .
Mental Attitude: Money Can Be Depressing?
Rates of depression are higher in countries with higher per capita incomes. 121 million people worldwide have depression. Severe depression can lead to suicide and causes 850,000 deaths every year. The United Sates and France had the highest depression rates. Higher incomes can be related to more work hours and a lowered quality of life. 15% of people in high-income countries were likely to become depressed during their lifetime, compared with 11% of those in low or middle-income countries.
British Medical Journal, Aug 2011
Health Alert: You Are Getting Very Sleepy.
Insomnia affects 23% of US workforce, costing $63.2 billion annually. Insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep. It includes a wide spectrum of sleep disorders, from not enough sleep to lack of quality sleep.
Sleep, Aug 2011
Diet: Bad Habits?
People entering the movies were given a bucket of either just-popped, fresh popcorn or stale, week-old popcorn. Moviegoers who didn't usually eat popcorn at the movies ate much less stale popcorn than fresh popcorn. Moviegoers who typically had popcorn at the movies ate about the same amount -- regardless it was fresh or stale. When we've repeatedly eaten a food in an environment, our brain comes to associate the food with that environment and we keep eating as long as those environmental cues are present.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2011
Exercise: Runners Drinking Too Much?
50% of recreational runners may be drinking too much fluid during races. 37% of runners drink according to a preset schedule or to maintain a certain body weight and 9% drink as much as possible. Expert guidelines recommend runners drink only when thirsty. 30% incorrectly believe they need extra salt while running, and 57% drink sports drinks because the drinks have electrolytes that prevent low blood sodium. However, main cause of low sodium is drinking too much water or sports drinks during exercise, which can dilute the sodium content of blood to abnormally low levels. This can cause a potentially fatal condition called exercise-associated hyponatremia. Symptoms of hyponatremia include: nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion, loss of energy, muscle weakness, spasms or cramps. In extreme cases, the condition can lead to seizures, unconsciousness and coma.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, June 2011
Chiropractic: Careful.
In work-related nonspecific low back pain, the use of health maintenance care (treatment after initial disability was resolved) provided by Physical Therapist (PT) or Medical Physician (MD) services was associated with a higher disability (injury) recurrence than in the use of Chiropractic (DC) services.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Shorter Colds.
Zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold episodes by 40%.
Open Respiratory Medicine Journal, Aug 2011 .
~ Albert Einstein .
Mental Attitude: Money Can Be Depressing?
Rates of depression are higher in countries with higher per capita incomes. 121 million people worldwide have depression. Severe depression can lead to suicide and causes 850,000 deaths every year. The United Sates and France had the highest depression rates. Higher incomes can be related to more work hours and a lowered quality of life. 15% of people in high-income countries were likely to become depressed during their lifetime, compared with 11% of those in low or middle-income countries.
British Medical Journal, Aug 2011
Health Alert: You Are Getting Very Sleepy.
Insomnia affects 23% of US workforce, costing $63.2 billion annually. Insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty falling asleep and remaining asleep. It includes a wide spectrum of sleep disorders, from not enough sleep to lack of quality sleep.
Sleep, Aug 2011
Diet: Bad Habits?
People entering the movies were given a bucket of either just-popped, fresh popcorn or stale, week-old popcorn. Moviegoers who didn't usually eat popcorn at the movies ate much less stale popcorn than fresh popcorn. Moviegoers who typically had popcorn at the movies ate about the same amount -- regardless it was fresh or stale. When we've repeatedly eaten a food in an environment, our brain comes to associate the food with that environment and we keep eating as long as those environmental cues are present.
Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2011
Exercise: Runners Drinking Too Much?
50% of recreational runners may be drinking too much fluid during races. 37% of runners drink according to a preset schedule or to maintain a certain body weight and 9% drink as much as possible. Expert guidelines recommend runners drink only when thirsty. 30% incorrectly believe they need extra salt while running, and 57% drink sports drinks because the drinks have electrolytes that prevent low blood sodium. However, main cause of low sodium is drinking too much water or sports drinks during exercise, which can dilute the sodium content of blood to abnormally low levels. This can cause a potentially fatal condition called exercise-associated hyponatremia. Symptoms of hyponatremia include: nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion, loss of energy, muscle weakness, spasms or cramps. In extreme cases, the condition can lead to seizures, unconsciousness and coma.
British Journal of Sports Medicine, June 2011
Chiropractic: Careful.
In work-related nonspecific low back pain, the use of health maintenance care (treatment after initial disability was resolved) provided by Physical Therapist (PT) or Medical Physician (MD) services was associated with a higher disability (injury) recurrence than in the use of Chiropractic (DC) services.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Shorter Colds.
Zinc lozenges may shorten the duration of common cold episodes by 40%.
Open Respiratory Medicine Journal, Aug 2011 .
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, October 3rd, 2011
Courtesy of:
"A leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."
~ Martin Luther King, Jr. .
Mental Attitude: Attention & Self-Control.
You're trying to decide what to eat for dinner. Should it be the chicken and broccoli or the super-sized fast-food burger? Making that choice is a complex neurological exercise that can be influenced by a simple shifting of attention toward the healthy side of life. When you decide what to eat, not only does your brain need to figure out how it feels about a food's taste versus its health benefits versus its size or even its packaging, but it needs to decide the importance of each of those attributes relative to the others... and it needs to do all of this more-or-less instantaneously. When thinking about healthiness, people were less likely to eat unhealthy foods, whether or not they deemed them to be tasty, and more likely to eat healthy-untasty foods. Being asked to think about healthiness led subjects to say "no" to foods more often than they did when asked to make decisions naturally.
Journal of Neuroscience, July 2011
Diet: Increase In Food Allergies.
8% of children have food allergies, with almost 40% reporting severe reactions, an increase of 18% from 10 years ago. Peanut allergies among children have tripled, going from 1 in 250 in 1997 to 1 in 70 in 2008.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise assists in efforts to stop smoking, helps you to relax, can help improve short-term memory in older individuals, and helps relieve many of the common discomforts of pregnancy (backache, heartburn, constipation, etc.).
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: Backpack Pains?
Backpacks that are too heavy or used improperly can pull on ligaments and muscles, causing aches and pains in the neck and back, resulting in acute or chronic back pain. Things to look for in a backpack: Wide, padded, and adjustable shoulder straps; two straps; padded back; lightweight with a lot of compartments.
University of Medicine New Jersey, Sept 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Wash Your Hands!
Healthcare workers wash their hands about a third to a half of the time they come into contact with patients and germs. This study used 2 signs: 1. "hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases." 2. "hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases." The patient sign increased soap use by 33%, and workers were 10% more likely to wash their hands. The sign about personal risks did no good.
Psychological Science, Sept 2011
Courtesy of:
"A leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus."
~ Martin Luther King, Jr. .
Mental Attitude: Attention & Self-Control.
You're trying to decide what to eat for dinner. Should it be the chicken and broccoli or the super-sized fast-food burger? Making that choice is a complex neurological exercise that can be influenced by a simple shifting of attention toward the healthy side of life. When you decide what to eat, not only does your brain need to figure out how it feels about a food's taste versus its health benefits versus its size or even its packaging, but it needs to decide the importance of each of those attributes relative to the others... and it needs to do all of this more-or-less instantaneously. When thinking about healthiness, people were less likely to eat unhealthy foods, whether or not they deemed them to be tasty, and more likely to eat healthy-untasty foods. Being asked to think about healthiness led subjects to say "no" to foods more often than they did when asked to make decisions naturally.
Journal of Neuroscience, July 2011
Diet: Increase In Food Allergies.
8% of children have food allergies, with almost 40% reporting severe reactions, an increase of 18% from 10 years ago. Peanut allergies among children have tripled, going from 1 in 250 in 1997 to 1 in 70 in 2008.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011
Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise assists in efforts to stop smoking, helps you to relax, can help improve short-term memory in older individuals, and helps relieve many of the common discomforts of pregnancy (backache, heartburn, constipation, etc.).
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: Backpack Pains?
Backpacks that are too heavy or used improperly can pull on ligaments and muscles, causing aches and pains in the neck and back, resulting in acute or chronic back pain. Things to look for in a backpack: Wide, padded, and adjustable shoulder straps; two straps; padded back; lightweight with a lot of compartments.
University of Medicine New Jersey, Sept 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Wash Your Hands!
Healthcare workers wash their hands about a third to a half of the time they come into contact with patients and germs. This study used 2 signs: 1. "hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases." 2. "hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases." The patient sign increased soap use by 33%, and workers were 10% more likely to wash their hands. The sign about personal risks did no good.
Psychological Science, Sept 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, September 26th , 2011
"Dieting is a system of starving yourself to death so you can live a little longer."
~ Jan Murray
. Mental Attitude: Lost And Found.
A new study shows the neural networks in the brains of the middle-aged and elderly have weaker connections and fire less robustly than in the young. As people age, they tend to forget things more often, are more easily distracted and disrupted by interference, and have greater difficulty with executive functions. While these age-related deficits have been known for many years, the cellular basis for these common cognitive difficulties has not been understood.
Nature, July 2011
Health Alert: Patents About To Expire.
By the end of 2012, 7 of the 20 top selling medications will lose their patent protection. This is a huge concern for the pharmaceutical industry since a generic drug can cost up to 80% less than the brand name version. $225 billions' worth of annual global sales of drugs will go off patent by the end of 2015. Patients, taxpayers, businesses and health insurance companies will save billions.
FDA, August 2011
Diet: Where To Eat?
The percentage of calories eaten away from home increased from 23-34% from 1977-2006.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association, August 2011
Exercise: Good Reasons To Exercise.
Exercise reduces the risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure), increases the density and breaking strength of bones, improves your physical appearance, and increases circulating levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996
Chiropractic: Interesting.
"Better than 90 percent of the energy output of the brain is used in relating to the physical body in its gravitational field. The more mechanically distorted a person is, the less energy available for thinking, metabolism and healing."
~ Roger Sperry, PhD. Medical Nobel Prize for brain research, 1981
Wellness/Prevention: Watch This!
People who watch TV for 2 hours a day have a 20% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a 15% higher risk of developing fatal or nonfatal cardiovascular disease, and a 13% greater risk of dying early from any cause. Watching TV alters energy expenditure by displacing time spent on physical activities, and is associated with unhealthy eating (more fried foods, processed meats, sugary drinks and less fruits, vegetables, whole grains). On average, Americans watch TV 5 hours a day.
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2011 .
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, August 8th , 2011
"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."
~ Thomas Edison .
Mental Attitude: Cheer Up!
10% of middle-aged Europeans took antidepressants in 2010. The probability of taking an antidepressant is greatest among those middle-aged, female, unemployed, with low levels of education, and divorced or separated. This pattern is consistent with the recent finding across the world that happiness and mental health follow an approximate U-shape through life (mid-life crisis).
University of Warwick, June 2011
Health Alert: No Safe Amount!
The blood-alcohol limit may be 0.08% when driving, but no amount of alcohol seems to be safe. This study examined official data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The researchers used FARS because it is nationally comprehensive, covering all US counties, all days of the week and all times of day, and reports on blood-alcohol content in increments of 0.01. Accidents are 36.6% more severe even when alcohol was barely detectable in a driver's blood. Even with a BAC of 0.01, there are 4.33 serious injuries for every non-serious injury versus 3.17 for sober drivers.
Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2011
Diet: Slow Gains?
An average adult gains one pound per year. Small changes in diet, consumption of beverages, physical activity, watching TV, and sleep duration were most strongly linked to long-term weight gain. The idea of "eat less and exercise more" may be too simplistic a weight-loss strategy, as it is the quality of food that matters most and making a handful of small, targeted changes is likely to be most effective.
New England Journal of Medicine, June 2011
Exercise: Exercise: Kids Not Making Grade!
Only a small percentage of youth meet the objective for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities as outlined in the Healthy People 2020 physical activity guidelines. The data revealed 15.3% of students met the aerobic objective, 51% met the muscle-strengthening objective, and only 12.2% met both objectives.
US Centers For Disease Control And Prevention
Chiropractic: Safe For Neck Pain?
For the treatment of neck pain, cervical manipulation is much safer than the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - which are often used as the 'conventional' first-line treatment for similar musculoskeletal conditions - by "a factor of several hundred times."
Journal of Manipulative Physiotherapy, 1996
Wellness/Prevention: Bone Up With Blueberries.
Compounds in blueberries might have a powerful effect on the formation of strong, healthy bones. Studies with rats suggest polyphenols, the compounds that give blueberries their blue, purple, and red coloration, might aid in building strong bones. Animals fed rations containing 10% freeze-dried blueberry powder had significantly more bone mass than their counterparts whose rations were blueberry-free.
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2010
"Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."
~ Thomas Edison .
Mental Attitude: Cheer Up!
10% of middle-aged Europeans took antidepressants in 2010. The probability of taking an antidepressant is greatest among those middle-aged, female, unemployed, with low levels of education, and divorced or separated. This pattern is consistent with the recent finding across the world that happiness and mental health follow an approximate U-shape through life (mid-life crisis).
University of Warwick, June 2011
Health Alert: No Safe Amount!
The blood-alcohol limit may be 0.08% when driving, but no amount of alcohol seems to be safe. This study examined official data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The researchers used FARS because it is nationally comprehensive, covering all US counties, all days of the week and all times of day, and reports on blood-alcohol content in increments of 0.01. Accidents are 36.6% more severe even when alcohol was barely detectable in a driver's blood. Even with a BAC of 0.01, there are 4.33 serious injuries for every non-serious injury versus 3.17 for sober drivers.
Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2011
Diet: Slow Gains?
An average adult gains one pound per year. Small changes in diet, consumption of beverages, physical activity, watching TV, and sleep duration were most strongly linked to long-term weight gain. The idea of "eat less and exercise more" may be too simplistic a weight-loss strategy, as it is the quality of food that matters most and making a handful of small, targeted changes is likely to be most effective.
New England Journal of Medicine, June 2011
Exercise: Exercise: Kids Not Making Grade!
Only a small percentage of youth meet the objective for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities as outlined in the Healthy People 2020 physical activity guidelines. The data revealed 15.3% of students met the aerobic objective, 51% met the muscle-strengthening objective, and only 12.2% met both objectives.
US Centers For Disease Control And Prevention
Chiropractic: Safe For Neck Pain?
For the treatment of neck pain, cervical manipulation is much safer than the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - which are often used as the 'conventional' first-line treatment for similar musculoskeletal conditions - by "a factor of several hundred times."
Journal of Manipulative Physiotherapy, 1996
Wellness/Prevention: Bone Up With Blueberries.
Compounds in blueberries might have a powerful effect on the formation of strong, healthy bones. Studies with rats suggest polyphenols, the compounds that give blueberries their blue, purple, and red coloration, might aid in building strong bones. Animals fed rations containing 10% freeze-dried blueberry powder had significantly more bone mass than their counterparts whose rations were blueberry-free.
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2010
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, August 1st , 2011
"At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. . Mental Attitude:
City Living And Stress.
Being born and raised in a major urban area is associated with greater lifetime risk for anxiety and mood disorders. Two distinct brain regions that regulate emotion and stress are affected by city living. Risk for anxiety disorders is 21% higher for city people, who also have a 39% increase for mood disorders.
Nature, June 2011
Health Alert: Out-Of-Pocket!
Roughly 1 of every 6 Americans age 18-64 reported using more than 10% of their total family income to pay for health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2010
Diet: Fat Substitutes?
Fat substitutes used in snack foods to help people control weight may have the opposite effect. Substitutes are meant to mimic the taste of fat, while providing fewer calories, but they confuse the body. When rats consumed a fat substitute, learned signals that could help control food intake were disrupted, and the rats gained weight. Tastes normally alert the body to expect calories, and when those calories aren't present we believe the systems become ineffective and the body's mechanisms to control food intake can slow.
American Psychological Association, June 2011
Exercise: Exercise Pays Again!
Brain cancer patients who are able to exercise live longer than sedentary patients. In a population of patients with advanced recurrent gliomas (lethal brain malignancies that result in a median life expectancy of less than 6 months), those who exercised - the equivalent of an energetic walk five days a week for 30 minutes - had significantly prolonged survival, living a median 21.84 months vs. 13.03 months for the most sedentary patients.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, June 2011
Chiropractic: Soft Tissue Issue?
Most patients think chiropractors work on bone, when in fact we use the bones as levers to pull the muscle quickly to help it relax. Here is an example of the profound effects that can be derived from manipulating muscle. Lorraine Clapham, a physiotherapist, discovered that manually moving muscles in the faces of patients with 'dead' nerves helped maintain muscle metabolism and prevent wastage. Such movement could help patients struck by a syndrome or who had undergone surgery make a quicker recovery.
Journal of Laryngology & Otology, June 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Marijuana Smokers, Think About It.
Long term, heavy marijuana use affects peoples' impulsivity, attention, memory, cognition and decision-making abilities. Marijuana users have a blunted response to losing while gambling. They don't figure out a strategy to avoid losses and this is associated with a decreased functional brain response to negative information that guides non-users to make safer choices. The bottom line is: they don't care as much if they lose.
Psychiatry Research, January 2011
"At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. . Mental Attitude:
City Living And Stress.
Being born and raised in a major urban area is associated with greater lifetime risk for anxiety and mood disorders. Two distinct brain regions that regulate emotion and stress are affected by city living. Risk for anxiety disorders is 21% higher for city people, who also have a 39% increase for mood disorders.
Nature, June 2011
Health Alert: Out-Of-Pocket!
Roughly 1 of every 6 Americans age 18-64 reported using more than 10% of their total family income to pay for health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2010
Diet: Fat Substitutes?
Fat substitutes used in snack foods to help people control weight may have the opposite effect. Substitutes are meant to mimic the taste of fat, while providing fewer calories, but they confuse the body. When rats consumed a fat substitute, learned signals that could help control food intake were disrupted, and the rats gained weight. Tastes normally alert the body to expect calories, and when those calories aren't present we believe the systems become ineffective and the body's mechanisms to control food intake can slow.
American Psychological Association, June 2011
Exercise: Exercise Pays Again!
Brain cancer patients who are able to exercise live longer than sedentary patients. In a population of patients with advanced recurrent gliomas (lethal brain malignancies that result in a median life expectancy of less than 6 months), those who exercised - the equivalent of an energetic walk five days a week for 30 minutes - had significantly prolonged survival, living a median 21.84 months vs. 13.03 months for the most sedentary patients.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, June 2011
Chiropractic: Soft Tissue Issue?
Most patients think chiropractors work on bone, when in fact we use the bones as levers to pull the muscle quickly to help it relax. Here is an example of the profound effects that can be derived from manipulating muscle. Lorraine Clapham, a physiotherapist, discovered that manually moving muscles in the faces of patients with 'dead' nerves helped maintain muscle metabolism and prevent wastage. Such movement could help patients struck by a syndrome or who had undergone surgery make a quicker recovery.
Journal of Laryngology & Otology, June 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Marijuana Smokers, Think About It.
Long term, heavy marijuana use affects peoples' impulsivity, attention, memory, cognition and decision-making abilities. Marijuana users have a blunted response to losing while gambling. They don't figure out a strategy to avoid losses and this is associated with a decreased functional brain response to negative information that guides non-users to make safer choices. The bottom line is: they don't care as much if they lose.
Psychiatry Research, January 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, July 25th, 2011
"To succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure."
~ Bill Cosby . Mental Attitude: Depression And Negative Thoughts.
We all have ups and downs (a fight with a friend, a divorce, the loss of a parent, etc.). Most people get over it, while some people go on to develop major depression. People with depression get stuck on bad thoughts because they're unable to turn their attention away... they keep going over their troubles. Even though they know better, they can't stop doing it.
Association for Psychological Science, June 2011
Health Alert: Energy Drinks?
Energy Drinks contain stimulants, such as taurine, guarana and caffeine. Caffeine has been associated with several damaging effects on children's cardiovascular and developing neurologic systems. Energy drinks are totally unsuitable for children and teenagers. In most cases, the main source of hydration for children should be water.
American Academy of Pediatrics, May 2011
Diet: Watch Your Diet, New Super Sticky Cholesterol?
MGmin-low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a form of ultra-bad cholesterol that significantly increases the risk of heart disease, has been discovered at the University of Warwick, England. MGmin-LDL is much stickier than normal LDL and is more common among elderly individuals, as well as those with type-II diabetes. It attaches to the walls of arteries more readily, where it forms fatty plaques that cause coronary heart disease. As the plaques grow, the arteries become narrower, resulting in reduced blood flow. The artery can eventually rupture and blood clots can form, raising the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Diabetes, May 2011
Exercise: PE?
Despite state requirements that middle and high school students get 400 minutes of PE every 10 days, 1.3 million - 38% of all adolescents in California public schools - do not participate in any school-based PE classes. Contributing to the decline are cuts to PE programs and exemptions allowing high school students to skip up to 2 years of PE. The proportion of teens participating in PE drops with age, from 95% at age 12 to 23% at age 17.
UCLA, June 2011
Chiropractic: Workers' Compensation And Chiropractic Care.
A recent study concluded chiropractic care to be more effective for common, work-related low back pain when compared to treatment by a physical therapist or physician. Overall, chiropractic patients had lower medical expenses, fewer disability recurrences and shorter initial periods of disability.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Better Workout Results In Cup.
One way to enhance the effects of your workout and the integrity of your muscle physiology is by consuming a protein drink (containing as little as 20g of protein) after each workout.
American Societies for Experimental Biology, June 2011
"To succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure."
~ Bill Cosby . Mental Attitude: Depression And Negative Thoughts.
We all have ups and downs (a fight with a friend, a divorce, the loss of a parent, etc.). Most people get over it, while some people go on to develop major depression. People with depression get stuck on bad thoughts because they're unable to turn their attention away... they keep going over their troubles. Even though they know better, they can't stop doing it.
Association for Psychological Science, June 2011
Health Alert: Energy Drinks?
Energy Drinks contain stimulants, such as taurine, guarana and caffeine. Caffeine has been associated with several damaging effects on children's cardiovascular and developing neurologic systems. Energy drinks are totally unsuitable for children and teenagers. In most cases, the main source of hydration for children should be water.
American Academy of Pediatrics, May 2011
Diet: Watch Your Diet, New Super Sticky Cholesterol?
MGmin-low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a form of ultra-bad cholesterol that significantly increases the risk of heart disease, has been discovered at the University of Warwick, England. MGmin-LDL is much stickier than normal LDL and is more common among elderly individuals, as well as those with type-II diabetes. It attaches to the walls of arteries more readily, where it forms fatty plaques that cause coronary heart disease. As the plaques grow, the arteries become narrower, resulting in reduced blood flow. The artery can eventually rupture and blood clots can form, raising the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Diabetes, May 2011
Exercise: PE?
Despite state requirements that middle and high school students get 400 minutes of PE every 10 days, 1.3 million - 38% of all adolescents in California public schools - do not participate in any school-based PE classes. Contributing to the decline are cuts to PE programs and exemptions allowing high school students to skip up to 2 years of PE. The proportion of teens participating in PE drops with age, from 95% at age 12 to 23% at age 17.
UCLA, June 2011
Chiropractic: Workers' Compensation And Chiropractic Care.
A recent study concluded chiropractic care to be more effective for common, work-related low back pain when compared to treatment by a physical therapist or physician. Overall, chiropractic patients had lower medical expenses, fewer disability recurrences and shorter initial periods of disability.
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Better Workout Results In Cup.
One way to enhance the effects of your workout and the integrity of your muscle physiology is by consuming a protein drink (containing as little as 20g of protein) after each workout.
American Societies for Experimental Biology, June 2011
Weekly Health Update Week
of: Monday, July 4th, 2011
"Pain is
temporary. Quitting lasts forever." ~ Lance Armstrong
.
Mental
Attitude: Suicidal Teens And Eating
Disorders.
Teens
13-18 years old suffering from anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders are
more likely to suffer from suicidal thoughts, anxiety disorders and substance
abuse. 0.3% of the teens surveyed reported suffering from anorexia nervosa and
0.9% from bulimia nervosa. A full 1.6% suffered from binge eating disorder. One
third of those with bulimia actually attempted suicide. 15% of those with binge
eating had and about 8% of those with anorexia had attempted the same. 55-88%
of teens with eating disorders also reported such problems as anxiety,
depression, or a behavioral disorder.
American
Journal of Psychiatry, May 2011
Health
Alert: Uninsured Unable To Pay Hospital
Bills.
50
million Americans are uninsured. Most uninsured people have virtually no
savings, half with less than $20 net worth. Half of families with income at
400% of the Federal Poverty Level, or $89,400 a year, have financial assets
below $4,100. Every year, 2 million uninsured Americans are hospitalized, with
58% of these hospital stays resulting in bills of more than $10,000.
US Dept
Health and Human Services, May 2011
Diet: Weight Management Tips.
1.Fruit. Fruit contains vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. Consumption of fiber is
associated with lower body weight and gives a feeling of fullness. 2. Keep
hydrated. Feeling tired or hungry? You may just be thirsty. Drink at least 6
glasses of water a day. Water helps your body transport nutrients and eliminate
toxins. 3. Close the kitchen. When you finish a meal, clean the dishes and turn
off the lights. Tell yourself the kitchen is now closed.
Family
Features, April 2011
Exercise: Exercise and Colds.
Regular exercise helps jump-start the immune system, thus helping to reduce the number
of colds, flu and other viruses.
Mayo Clinic, May 2011
Chiropractic: The Nervous System Connected To The Immune System?
The neurotransmitter norepinephrine is present in sympathetic nerve fibers that
innervate lymphoid organs and act on the spleen. Norepinephrine in lymphoid
organs plays a significant role in the regulation of the immune system.
Stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function, and altered
susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Many stimuli, which primarily act on
the central nervous system, can profoundly alter immune responses. The two
routes available to the central nervous system are neuroendocrine channels and
autonomic nerve channels.
The Chiropractic Research Journal, 1994
Wellness/Prevention:
Minutes Of Exercise A Day Can Keep The
Pain Away.
As little as 2 minutes of exercise a day can reduce pain and tenderness in adults
with neck and shoulder problems. After 10 weeks, the 2-minutes-per-day exercise
group experienced significant reductions of neck and should pain (decreased 1.4
points out of 10) and tenderness (decreased 4.2 points out of 32). The
12-minutes-per-day exercise group had slightly larger reductions in pain and
tenderness (an extra .5 and .2 points, respectively).
American College of Sports Medicine, May 2011
of: Monday, July 4th, 2011
"Pain is
temporary. Quitting lasts forever." ~ Lance Armstrong
.
Mental
Attitude: Suicidal Teens And Eating
Disorders.
Teens
13-18 years old suffering from anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders are
more likely to suffer from suicidal thoughts, anxiety disorders and substance
abuse. 0.3% of the teens surveyed reported suffering from anorexia nervosa and
0.9% from bulimia nervosa. A full 1.6% suffered from binge eating disorder. One
third of those with bulimia actually attempted suicide. 15% of those with binge
eating had and about 8% of those with anorexia had attempted the same. 55-88%
of teens with eating disorders also reported such problems as anxiety,
depression, or a behavioral disorder.
American
Journal of Psychiatry, May 2011
Health
Alert: Uninsured Unable To Pay Hospital
Bills.
50
million Americans are uninsured. Most uninsured people have virtually no
savings, half with less than $20 net worth. Half of families with income at
400% of the Federal Poverty Level, or $89,400 a year, have financial assets
below $4,100. Every year, 2 million uninsured Americans are hospitalized, with
58% of these hospital stays resulting in bills of more than $10,000.
US Dept
Health and Human Services, May 2011
Diet: Weight Management Tips.
1.Fruit. Fruit contains vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. Consumption of fiber is
associated with lower body weight and gives a feeling of fullness. 2. Keep
hydrated. Feeling tired or hungry? You may just be thirsty. Drink at least 6
glasses of water a day. Water helps your body transport nutrients and eliminate
toxins. 3. Close the kitchen. When you finish a meal, clean the dishes and turn
off the lights. Tell yourself the kitchen is now closed.
Family
Features, April 2011
Exercise: Exercise and Colds.
Regular exercise helps jump-start the immune system, thus helping to reduce the number
of colds, flu and other viruses.
Mayo Clinic, May 2011
Chiropractic: The Nervous System Connected To The Immune System?
The neurotransmitter norepinephrine is present in sympathetic nerve fibers that
innervate lymphoid organs and act on the spleen. Norepinephrine in lymphoid
organs plays a significant role in the regulation of the immune system.
Stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function, and altered
susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Many stimuli, which primarily act on
the central nervous system, can profoundly alter immune responses. The two
routes available to the central nervous system are neuroendocrine channels and
autonomic nerve channels.
The Chiropractic Research Journal, 1994
Wellness/Prevention:
Minutes Of Exercise A Day Can Keep The
Pain Away.
As little as 2 minutes of exercise a day can reduce pain and tenderness in adults
with neck and shoulder problems. After 10 weeks, the 2-minutes-per-day exercise
group experienced significant reductions of neck and should pain (decreased 1.4
points out of 10) and tenderness (decreased 4.2 points out of 32). The
12-minutes-per-day exercise group had slightly larger reductions in pain and
tenderness (an extra .5 and .2 points, respectively).
American College of Sports Medicine, May 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, June 27th, 2011
"One can't think well, love well or sleep well
if one has not dined well." ~ Virginia Woolf
Mental Attitude: Peer Support Decreases Depression Symptoms.
Peer support offers promise as an effective, low-cost tool for fighting depression. Programs where patients and volunteers share information were found to reduce symptoms of depression better than traditional care alone and were about as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy. Peer support has been found to decrease isolation, reduce stress, increase the sharing of health information and provide role models.
General Hospital Psychiatry, February 2011
Health Alert: High Use Of Acetaminophen Linked To Blood Cancers.
High use (4 or more times per week for four years or more) of acetominophen (Tylenol), a high-selling over-the-counter analgesic or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is linked to a two-fold increased risk of certain blood cancers.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, May 2011
Diet: Chocolate Milk Wars!
Some school districts have banned flavored milk, as it is seen as a part of the obesity epidemic. Florida is considering a statewide ban in schools. Other districts have sought a middle ground by replacing flavored milks containing high-fructose corn syrup with versions containing sugar, which some see as a more natural sweetener. On the flip side, the School Nutrition Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and National Medical Association argue that the nutritional value of flavored low-fat or skim milk outweighs the harm of added sugar. Milk contains nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and protein.
The Associated Press, May 2011
Exercise: Benefits of Exercise.
Exercise helps you to more effectively manage stress, helps you to lose weight - especially fat weight, improves the functioning of your immune system, reduces your risk of getting heart disease, and reduces medical and healthcare expenses.
Surgeon General
Chiropractic: Adjustments Increase Your Breathing Capacity?
See for yourself. Before you get adjusted, take a few deep breaths. After your adjustment, try again. Now that you are breathing better, read up on how important oxygen uptake is for your overall health.
Wellness/Prevention: Body Fat Percentage: The Best Measurement Of Your Health Risks.
Did you know that a large belly carries a risk for coronary artery disease comparable to smoking a pack of cigarettes daily or having high cholesterol? People with coronary artery disease and expanded waistlines are at more than twice the risk of dying, including those with a Body Mass Index in the normal range. Even more dangerous is the visceral fat that surrounds the internal organs. This internal fat actually makes up a large proportion of the waist measurement. Visceral fat is more metabolically active and can produce hormones and other substances that have a negative impact on your health, including increasing the risk of heart disease; high blood pressure; stroke; type 2 diabetes; metabolic syndrome; some types of cancer; and sleep apnea.
Mayo Clinic, May 2011
Week of: Monday, June 27th, 2011
"One can't think well, love well or sleep well
if one has not dined well." ~ Virginia Woolf
Mental Attitude: Peer Support Decreases Depression Symptoms.
Peer support offers promise as an effective, low-cost tool for fighting depression. Programs where patients and volunteers share information were found to reduce symptoms of depression better than traditional care alone and were about as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy. Peer support has been found to decrease isolation, reduce stress, increase the sharing of health information and provide role models.
General Hospital Psychiatry, February 2011
Health Alert: High Use Of Acetaminophen Linked To Blood Cancers.
High use (4 or more times per week for four years or more) of acetominophen (Tylenol), a high-selling over-the-counter analgesic or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is linked to a two-fold increased risk of certain blood cancers.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, May 2011
Diet: Chocolate Milk Wars!
Some school districts have banned flavored milk, as it is seen as a part of the obesity epidemic. Florida is considering a statewide ban in schools. Other districts have sought a middle ground by replacing flavored milks containing high-fructose corn syrup with versions containing sugar, which some see as a more natural sweetener. On the flip side, the School Nutrition Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and National Medical Association argue that the nutritional value of flavored low-fat or skim milk outweighs the harm of added sugar. Milk contains nine essential nutrients including calcium, vitamin D and protein.
The Associated Press, May 2011
Exercise: Benefits of Exercise.
Exercise helps you to more effectively manage stress, helps you to lose weight - especially fat weight, improves the functioning of your immune system, reduces your risk of getting heart disease, and reduces medical and healthcare expenses.
Surgeon General
Chiropractic: Adjustments Increase Your Breathing Capacity?
See for yourself. Before you get adjusted, take a few deep breaths. After your adjustment, try again. Now that you are breathing better, read up on how important oxygen uptake is for your overall health.
Wellness/Prevention: Body Fat Percentage: The Best Measurement Of Your Health Risks.
Did you know that a large belly carries a risk for coronary artery disease comparable to smoking a pack of cigarettes daily or having high cholesterol? People with coronary artery disease and expanded waistlines are at more than twice the risk of dying, including those with a Body Mass Index in the normal range. Even more dangerous is the visceral fat that surrounds the internal organs. This internal fat actually makes up a large proportion of the waist measurement. Visceral fat is more metabolically active and can produce hormones and other substances that have a negative impact on your health, including increasing the risk of heart disease; high blood pressure; stroke; type 2 diabetes; metabolic syndrome; some types of cancer; and sleep apnea.
Mayo Clinic, May 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, June 20th, 2011
"We know a great deal more about the causes of disease
than we do about the causes of health." ~ M. Scott Peck
. Mental Attitude: TV Viewing May Lead To Increased Obesity In Teens.
In a study, adolescents who had watched more than two hours of TV a day were 36% fatter in later adolescence than those watching less TV. TV viewing may lead to increased risk of obesity because watching TV is associated with increased dietary intake.
Journal of Sleep Research, February 2011
Health Alert: Alcohol Consumption And Computer Use?
Teenagers who drink alcohol spend more time on their computers for recreational use, including social networking and downloading and listening to music, compared with their peers who don't drink. Teenagers typically first experiment with alcohol at age 12 or 13. Family risk factors include lax parental supervision and poor communication, family conflicts, inconsistent or harsh discipline and a family history of alcohol or drug abuse.
Weill Cornell Medical College, May 2011
Diet: Best Diets?
Consumer Reports Health has ranked diets and Jenny Craig tops the list with 85 points, Slim Fast earned 63 points and Weight Watchers was third with 57 points. The scores were based on adherence to the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines and results of studies that analyzed the short and long term weight loss and dropout rates of seven popular diets. 92% of its participants stuck with the Jenny Craig program during the two-year study period and the dieters weighed an average of 8% less than when they began the program.
Journal of the American Medical Association, May 2011
Exercise: Skipping Exercise? You Might As Well Smoke!
"Failure to exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes in duration each time is the equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes each day. What this means is that exercise is no longer just good for you, it is bad for you if you don't exercise."
Surgeon General's Report
Chiropractic: Immunity? How About This Study!
Researchers at the Sid E. Williams Research Center of Life Chiropractic University took a group of HIV positive patients and adjusted them over a six-month period. Patients who were adjusted had a 48% increase in their CD4 cells counts. CD4 cells are an important immune system component. The measurements were taken at an independent medical center, under medical supervision for the condition. The control group (patients who were not adjusted) did not demonstrate this dramatic increase in immune function but actually experienced a 7.96% decrease in CD4 cell counts over the same period of time.
JMPT, 1991
Wellness/Prevention: Heart Patients And Painkillers.
The use of Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with a 45% increased risk of death or recurrent heart attack within as little as one week of treatment. Circulation, May 2011 .
Week of: Monday, June 20th, 2011
"We know a great deal more about the causes of disease
than we do about the causes of health." ~ M. Scott Peck
. Mental Attitude: TV Viewing May Lead To Increased Obesity In Teens.
In a study, adolescents who had watched more than two hours of TV a day were 36% fatter in later adolescence than those watching less TV. TV viewing may lead to increased risk of obesity because watching TV is associated with increased dietary intake.
Journal of Sleep Research, February 2011
Health Alert: Alcohol Consumption And Computer Use?
Teenagers who drink alcohol spend more time on their computers for recreational use, including social networking and downloading and listening to music, compared with their peers who don't drink. Teenagers typically first experiment with alcohol at age 12 or 13. Family risk factors include lax parental supervision and poor communication, family conflicts, inconsistent or harsh discipline and a family history of alcohol or drug abuse.
Weill Cornell Medical College, May 2011
Diet: Best Diets?
Consumer Reports Health has ranked diets and Jenny Craig tops the list with 85 points, Slim Fast earned 63 points and Weight Watchers was third with 57 points. The scores were based on adherence to the 2010 US Dietary Guidelines and results of studies that analyzed the short and long term weight loss and dropout rates of seven popular diets. 92% of its participants stuck with the Jenny Craig program during the two-year study period and the dieters weighed an average of 8% less than when they began the program.
Journal of the American Medical Association, May 2011
Exercise: Skipping Exercise? You Might As Well Smoke!
"Failure to exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes in duration each time is the equivalent of smoking one pack of cigarettes each day. What this means is that exercise is no longer just good for you, it is bad for you if you don't exercise."
Surgeon General's Report
Chiropractic: Immunity? How About This Study!
Researchers at the Sid E. Williams Research Center of Life Chiropractic University took a group of HIV positive patients and adjusted them over a six-month period. Patients who were adjusted had a 48% increase in their CD4 cells counts. CD4 cells are an important immune system component. The measurements were taken at an independent medical center, under medical supervision for the condition. The control group (patients who were not adjusted) did not demonstrate this dramatic increase in immune function but actually experienced a 7.96% decrease in CD4 cell counts over the same period of time.
JMPT, 1991
Wellness/Prevention: Heart Patients And Painkillers.
The use of Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with a 45% increased risk of death or recurrent heart attack within as little as one week of treatment. Circulation, May 2011 .
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, June 13th, 2011
"A child miss-educated is a child lost." ~ John F. Kennedy
. Mental Attitude: Stress And Cellular Health.
University of California San Francisco (UCSF) scientists report psychological stress leads to shorter telomeres - the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that are a measure of cell age and thus, health. Their findings also suggest exercise may prevent this damage. They examined telomeres in leukocytes, or white blood cells, which defend the body against both infectious agents and cell damage. "Our findings suggest that traumatic and chronic stressful life events are associated with shortening of telomeres in cells of the immune system, but that physical activity may moderate this impact," said co-author Jue Lin, PhD, associate research biochemist in the laboratory of senior author and Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF.
UCSF, April 2011
Health Alert: A Natural Therapy?
An environment of pure oxygen at three-and-a-half times normal air pressure adds significantly to the effectiveness of artemisinin, a natural compound already shown to kill cancerous cells. In a new study, using artemisinin or high-pressure oxygen alone on a culture of human leukemia cells reduced the cancer cells' growth by 15%. Using them in combination reduced the cells' growth by 38%!
Anticancer Research, April 2011
Diet: Skeletal Muscles Affected By Obesity.
This new study shows obesity involves more than accumulating excess fat and carrying excess weight. During the development of obesity, skeletal muscles fail to adjust their molecular composition appropriately to the increasing body weight. Consequently, the muscles of obese mammals are not properly 'tuned' to the higher body weight they carry. This may explain why muscle strength and locomotion are impaired in obese humans and why it is difficult to lose excess weight.
Journal of Experimental Biology, May 2011
Exercise: Benefits of Exercise.
Exercise increases your level of muscle strength, improves athletic performance, can help relieve the pain of tension headaches, allows you to consume greater quantities of food (while still maintaining caloric balance) and helps you sleep easier (and better).
Surgeon General
Chiropractic: Patients Are More Immune?
The chiropractic immunology connection was strengthened in 1991 when Patricia Brennan, Ph.D. and other researchers found improved immune response following chiropractic treatment. Specifically, the study demonstrated the "phagocytic respiratory burst of polymorphnuclear neutrophils and monocytes were enhanced in adults [who] had been adjusted by chiropractors." In other words, the cells that act like "Pac-Man", eating and destroying bad cells, are enhanced through chiropractic care.
Circulation, 1992
Wellness/Prevention: Breast Cancer Risk Lower Among Coffee Drinkers.
Women who drink coffee regularly have a significantly lower risk of developing antiestrogen-resistant estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. Breast cancer may be sub-divided into hormone-responsive (ER-positive) and non-hormone-responsive subtypes (ER-negative). They discovered regular coffee drinkers were less likely to develop breast cancer compared to women who either never or rarely drank coffee.
Breast Cancer Research, May 2011
Week of: Monday, June 13th, 2011
"A child miss-educated is a child lost." ~ John F. Kennedy
. Mental Attitude: Stress And Cellular Health.
University of California San Francisco (UCSF) scientists report psychological stress leads to shorter telomeres - the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that are a measure of cell age and thus, health. Their findings also suggest exercise may prevent this damage. They examined telomeres in leukocytes, or white blood cells, which defend the body against both infectious agents and cell damage. "Our findings suggest that traumatic and chronic stressful life events are associated with shortening of telomeres in cells of the immune system, but that physical activity may moderate this impact," said co-author Jue Lin, PhD, associate research biochemist in the laboratory of senior author and Nobel laureate Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at UCSF.
UCSF, April 2011
Health Alert: A Natural Therapy?
An environment of pure oxygen at three-and-a-half times normal air pressure adds significantly to the effectiveness of artemisinin, a natural compound already shown to kill cancerous cells. In a new study, using artemisinin or high-pressure oxygen alone on a culture of human leukemia cells reduced the cancer cells' growth by 15%. Using them in combination reduced the cells' growth by 38%!
Anticancer Research, April 2011
Diet: Skeletal Muscles Affected By Obesity.
This new study shows obesity involves more than accumulating excess fat and carrying excess weight. During the development of obesity, skeletal muscles fail to adjust their molecular composition appropriately to the increasing body weight. Consequently, the muscles of obese mammals are not properly 'tuned' to the higher body weight they carry. This may explain why muscle strength and locomotion are impaired in obese humans and why it is difficult to lose excess weight.
Journal of Experimental Biology, May 2011
Exercise: Benefits of Exercise.
Exercise increases your level of muscle strength, improves athletic performance, can help relieve the pain of tension headaches, allows you to consume greater quantities of food (while still maintaining caloric balance) and helps you sleep easier (and better).
Surgeon General
Chiropractic: Patients Are More Immune?
The chiropractic immunology connection was strengthened in 1991 when Patricia Brennan, Ph.D. and other researchers found improved immune response following chiropractic treatment. Specifically, the study demonstrated the "phagocytic respiratory burst of polymorphnuclear neutrophils and monocytes were enhanced in adults [who] had been adjusted by chiropractors." In other words, the cells that act like "Pac-Man", eating and destroying bad cells, are enhanced through chiropractic care.
Circulation, 1992
Wellness/Prevention: Breast Cancer Risk Lower Among Coffee Drinkers.
Women who drink coffee regularly have a significantly lower risk of developing antiestrogen-resistant estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. Breast cancer may be sub-divided into hormone-responsive (ER-positive) and non-hormone-responsive subtypes (ER-negative). They discovered regular coffee drinkers were less likely to develop breast cancer compared to women who either never or rarely drank coffee.
Breast Cancer Research, May 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, June 6th, 2011
"I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me...
All I ask is that you respect me as a human being." ~ Jackie Robinson
. Mental Attitude: Shorter Hours Please.
If your workday averages 11 or more hours, you probably earn more than your 8-hour a day colleagues, but your risk of developing heart disease will be 67% higher! Researchers believe doctors should include data on a patient's working hours when listing risk factors for heart disease (smoking, total body weight, diabetes and blood pressure).
Annals of Internal Medicine, April 2011
Health Alert: Adverse Drug Reports Swell!
In a new study of adverse events linked to medications-compiled by the FDA since 1969, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy revealed only 55% have been reported to the agency in the past decade! According to the FDA's website, the agency's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) is "designed to support the FDA's post-marketing safety surveillance program for all approved drug and therapeutic biologic products. The FDA uses AERS to monitor for new adverse events and medication errors that might occur with these marketed products." In the past decade, 2.2 million events reported to AERS represented a 1.65-fold increase from the prior decade.
Archives of Internal Medicine, April 2011
Diet: Divide Your Plate!
When putting food on your plate, fill half of it with veggies or salad (but watch out for fatty dressings). One-quarter of the plate should have lean protein, such as fish, chicken or beef that's been grilled, baked or poached. The last quarter of the plate should be a healthy starch -- but don't load it up with butter or oil.
Family Features, April 2011
Exercise: Have Some Standards!
Adults who adhered to the US Department of Health and Human Services' 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines reduced their mortality risks. To meet the guidelines, do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 150 minutes per week or vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise at least 75 minutes per week and perform strengthening exercises at least twice a week. Adults who met the guidelines had lower risks of dying by 27% among those without health conditions and 50% less in those with an illness.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, May 2011
Chiropractic: Some Nerve!
Growing evidence suggests that immune function is regulated, in part, by the sympathetic nervous system. Simply put: the nervous system has a direct effect on the immune system due to the nerve supply to the important immune system organs.
Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 1974
Wellness/Prevention: Shedding Skin Helps?
The flakes of skin we shed (at the rate of 500 million cells a day) actually reduce indoor air pollution. The flakes contain squalene, a skin oil that reduces indoor ozone levels roughly 2-15%.
American Chemical Society, May 2011
Week of: Monday, June 6th, 2011
"I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me...
All I ask is that you respect me as a human being." ~ Jackie Robinson
. Mental Attitude: Shorter Hours Please.
If your workday averages 11 or more hours, you probably earn more than your 8-hour a day colleagues, but your risk of developing heart disease will be 67% higher! Researchers believe doctors should include data on a patient's working hours when listing risk factors for heart disease (smoking, total body weight, diabetes and blood pressure).
Annals of Internal Medicine, April 2011
Health Alert: Adverse Drug Reports Swell!
In a new study of adverse events linked to medications-compiled by the FDA since 1969, researchers at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy revealed only 55% have been reported to the agency in the past decade! According to the FDA's website, the agency's Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) is "designed to support the FDA's post-marketing safety surveillance program for all approved drug and therapeutic biologic products. The FDA uses AERS to monitor for new adverse events and medication errors that might occur with these marketed products." In the past decade, 2.2 million events reported to AERS represented a 1.65-fold increase from the prior decade.
Archives of Internal Medicine, April 2011
Diet: Divide Your Plate!
When putting food on your plate, fill half of it with veggies or salad (but watch out for fatty dressings). One-quarter of the plate should have lean protein, such as fish, chicken or beef that's been grilled, baked or poached. The last quarter of the plate should be a healthy starch -- but don't load it up with butter or oil.
Family Features, April 2011
Exercise: Have Some Standards!
Adults who adhered to the US Department of Health and Human Services' 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines reduced their mortality risks. To meet the guidelines, do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 150 minutes per week or vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise at least 75 minutes per week and perform strengthening exercises at least twice a week. Adults who met the guidelines had lower risks of dying by 27% among those without health conditions and 50% less in those with an illness.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, May 2011
Chiropractic: Some Nerve!
Growing evidence suggests that immune function is regulated, in part, by the sympathetic nervous system. Simply put: the nervous system has a direct effect on the immune system due to the nerve supply to the important immune system organs.
Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 1974
Wellness/Prevention: Shedding Skin Helps?
The flakes of skin we shed (at the rate of 500 million cells a day) actually reduce indoor air pollution. The flakes contain squalene, a skin oil that reduces indoor ozone levels roughly 2-15%.
American Chemical Society, May 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, May 30th, 2011
"A riot is the language of the unheard." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
. Mental Attitude: Smile And Mean It!
Customer-service workers who fake smile worsen their mood and withdraw from work, affecting their productivity. On the other hand, workers who smile as a result of cultivating positive thoughts - such as a tropical vacation or a child's recital - improve their mood and withdraw less. Employers may think simply getting their employees to smile is good for the organization, but that's not necessarily the case, smiling for the sake of smiling can lead to emotional exhaustion and withdrawal, and that's bad for the organization.
Academy of Management Journal, March 2011
Health Alert: A Hefty Price!
People 70 pounds overweight will spend $30,000 extra in health care costs in their lifetime.
Scientific American, March 2011
Diet: Why Do We Over Eat?
Generational: "My parents taught me to clean my plate and not waste food." Relational: "Feelings will be hurt if I don't finish what they made me." Economical: "This is such a good deal - more bang for my buck." Convenience: "I'm in a rush and need it now." Emotional: "Eating helps me feel better."
Loyola University Health System, February 2011
Exercise: Another Benefit of Exercise.
According to David Nieman, director of Appalachian State University's Human Performance Lab in Kannapolis, NC, "No pill or nutritional supplement has the power of near-daily moderate activity in lowering the number of sick days people take."
Wall Street Journal, January 2010
Chiropractic: The Power That Created The Body Heals The Body.
This statement describes the chiropractic philosophy that the body is a self-healing organism. The body functions well on its own as long as there is no interference of function (muscular restriction of the joints, poor nutrition that decreases cellular function, mental stress, poor sleep habits, lack of exercise, etc).
Wellness/Prevention: Healthy Lifestyles Help Healing.
Joint replacement patients who improve their lifestyle and maintain a positive mindset prior to surgery are more likely to have better functional outcomes than those who do not. Multiple studies found that patients who smoke, misuse alcohol, fail to control blood sugar levels or simply have a poor attitude prior to undergoing total hip or knee replacement surgery can double their odds of post-operative complications. Risk factors for complications like advanced age and pre-existing heart or lung conditions are difficult or impossible to change prior to surgery, but smoking, alcohol abuse, high blood sugar levels and poor mental attitude are completely manageable by the patients themselves, which makes them an excellent target for prevention and intervention programs that are likely to improve outcomes. Current smokers had higher odds of pneumonia (53%), stroke (161%), site infections (41% ) and one-year mortality (63%) compared to non-smokers. Prior smokers were at higher odds of stroke (114%) and pneumonia (34%), compared with non-smokers.
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, February 2011
Week of: Monday, May 30th, 2011
"A riot is the language of the unheard." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
. Mental Attitude: Smile And Mean It!
Customer-service workers who fake smile worsen their mood and withdraw from work, affecting their productivity. On the other hand, workers who smile as a result of cultivating positive thoughts - such as a tropical vacation or a child's recital - improve their mood and withdraw less. Employers may think simply getting their employees to smile is good for the organization, but that's not necessarily the case, smiling for the sake of smiling can lead to emotional exhaustion and withdrawal, and that's bad for the organization.
Academy of Management Journal, March 2011
Health Alert: A Hefty Price!
People 70 pounds overweight will spend $30,000 extra in health care costs in their lifetime.
Scientific American, March 2011
Diet: Why Do We Over Eat?
Generational: "My parents taught me to clean my plate and not waste food." Relational: "Feelings will be hurt if I don't finish what they made me." Economical: "This is such a good deal - more bang for my buck." Convenience: "I'm in a rush and need it now." Emotional: "Eating helps me feel better."
Loyola University Health System, February 2011
Exercise: Another Benefit of Exercise.
According to David Nieman, director of Appalachian State University's Human Performance Lab in Kannapolis, NC, "No pill or nutritional supplement has the power of near-daily moderate activity in lowering the number of sick days people take."
Wall Street Journal, January 2010
Chiropractic: The Power That Created The Body Heals The Body.
This statement describes the chiropractic philosophy that the body is a self-healing organism. The body functions well on its own as long as there is no interference of function (muscular restriction of the joints, poor nutrition that decreases cellular function, mental stress, poor sleep habits, lack of exercise, etc).
Wellness/Prevention: Healthy Lifestyles Help Healing.
Joint replacement patients who improve their lifestyle and maintain a positive mindset prior to surgery are more likely to have better functional outcomes than those who do not. Multiple studies found that patients who smoke, misuse alcohol, fail to control blood sugar levels or simply have a poor attitude prior to undergoing total hip or knee replacement surgery can double their odds of post-operative complications. Risk factors for complications like advanced age and pre-existing heart or lung conditions are difficult or impossible to change prior to surgery, but smoking, alcohol abuse, high blood sugar levels and poor mental attitude are completely manageable by the patients themselves, which makes them an excellent target for prevention and intervention programs that are likely to improve outcomes. Current smokers had higher odds of pneumonia (53%), stroke (161%), site infections (41% ) and one-year mortality (63%) compared to non-smokers. Prior smokers were at higher odds of stroke (114%) and pneumonia (34%), compared with non-smokers.
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, February 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, May 23rd, 2011
"If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure,
stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable."
~ Donald Trump
. Mental Attitude: Exercise Your Mood.
Regular exercise reduces symptoms of moderate depression and enhances psychological fitness. During exercise, plasma levels of endorphins increases in the body, which can have an effect on the psychological state. Endorphins are hormones in the brain associated with a happy, positive feeling. A low level of endorphins is associated with depression. A recent National Health and Nutrition survey found physically active people were half as likely to be depressed. Exercise also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that send specific messages from one brain cell to another. Though only a small percentage of all serotonin is located in the brain, this neurotransmitter is thought to play a key role in keeping your mood calm.
WebMD.com
Health Alert: Diabetes Out Of Control!
8.3% of Americans of all ages are affected by diabetes! 11.3% of Americans over 20 years old have diabetes. 27% of Americans who have diabetes do not know and 35% of individuals over 20 years old in the US have pre-diabetes. How do you prevent it? Try a healthy diet and regular exercise.
CDC, 2011
Diet: Is It A Fad Diet?
How can you tell if a diet is a fad diet? Here are some useful hints: It promotes or bans certain foods or food groups. It pushes a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. It promises quick, dramatic or miraculous results. It focuses on short-term changes to eating and exercise habits. It encourages 'miracle' pills, potions or supplements - often promoted as 'fat burners' and 'metabolism boosters'. It contradicts the advice of trusted health professionals. It makes claims based on a single study or testimonials.
Dietitians Association of Australia, January 2011
Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Exercise.
1) Exercise improves mood. 2) Exercise combats chronic disease. 3) Exercise helps you manage your weight. 4) Exercise boosts your energy level. 5) Exercise promotes better sleep. 6) Exercise can put the spark back in your love life. 7) Exercise can be fun!
Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: The Very First!
"I claimed to be the first person to adjust a vertebra by hand, using the spinous and transverse processes and levers. I developed the art known as adjusting, and formulated the science of chiropractic, and developed its philosophy."
~ DD Palmer
Wellness/Prevention: Family Mealtimes?
The amount of time families spend eating meals together has been linked to the health and wellbeing of children and teens. Families who eat together regularly report declines in substance abuse, eating disorders, and unhealthy weight in their children.
Child Development, Feb 2011
Week of: Monday, May 23rd, 2011
"If you're interested in 'balancing' work and pleasure,
stop trying to balance them. Instead make your work more pleasurable."
~ Donald Trump
. Mental Attitude: Exercise Your Mood.
Regular exercise reduces symptoms of moderate depression and enhances psychological fitness. During exercise, plasma levels of endorphins increases in the body, which can have an effect on the psychological state. Endorphins are hormones in the brain associated with a happy, positive feeling. A low level of endorphins is associated with depression. A recent National Health and Nutrition survey found physically active people were half as likely to be depressed. Exercise also boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that send specific messages from one brain cell to another. Though only a small percentage of all serotonin is located in the brain, this neurotransmitter is thought to play a key role in keeping your mood calm.
WebMD.com
Health Alert: Diabetes Out Of Control!
8.3% of Americans of all ages are affected by diabetes! 11.3% of Americans over 20 years old have diabetes. 27% of Americans who have diabetes do not know and 35% of individuals over 20 years old in the US have pre-diabetes. How do you prevent it? Try a healthy diet and regular exercise.
CDC, 2011
Diet: Is It A Fad Diet?
How can you tell if a diet is a fad diet? Here are some useful hints: It promotes or bans certain foods or food groups. It pushes a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. It promises quick, dramatic or miraculous results. It focuses on short-term changes to eating and exercise habits. It encourages 'miracle' pills, potions or supplements - often promoted as 'fat burners' and 'metabolism boosters'. It contradicts the advice of trusted health professionals. It makes claims based on a single study or testimonials.
Dietitians Association of Australia, January 2011
Exercise: 7 Benefits of Regular Exercise.
1) Exercise improves mood. 2) Exercise combats chronic disease. 3) Exercise helps you manage your weight. 4) Exercise boosts your energy level. 5) Exercise promotes better sleep. 6) Exercise can put the spark back in your love life. 7) Exercise can be fun!
Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: The Very First!
"I claimed to be the first person to adjust a vertebra by hand, using the spinous and transverse processes and levers. I developed the art known as adjusting, and formulated the science of chiropractic, and developed its philosophy."
~ DD Palmer
Wellness/Prevention: Family Mealtimes?
The amount of time families spend eating meals together has been linked to the health and wellbeing of children and teens. Families who eat together regularly report declines in substance abuse, eating disorders, and unhealthy weight in their children.
Child Development, Feb 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, May 16th, 2011
"What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet,
isn't much better than tedious disease." ~ George Dennison Prentice
. Mental Attitude: Poor Eating Habits Can Cause Depression.
The ingestion of trans-fats and saturated fats increase the risk of suffering depression, while ingesting olive oil appears to protect against depression. Participants with an elevated consumption of trans-fats (fats present in artificial form in industrially-produced pastries and fast food, and naturally present in certain whole milk products) showed a 48% increase in the risk of depression. Also, the more trans-fats consumed, the greater the harmful effect they produced.
Public Library of Science, February 2011
Health Alert: Only 24 Hours In A Day!
National restrictions were first introduced in 2003 to limit the hours resident physicians could be on duty. At the time, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) cited increasing acuity and intensity of medical care in teaching institutions, as well as scientific evidence of the negative effect of sleep deprivation on performance, as reasons for instituting restrictions. Those limits were not to exceed 80 hours in a week or more than 24 consecutive hours. In December 2008, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a report recommending further action to reduce resident fatigue and ensure patient safety within 24 months of the report. The IOM committee did not recommend a change from the maximum of 80 hours per week, averaged over four weeks, but instead recommends decreasing the maximum length of shifts, increasing the time off between shifts and mandating a sleep period during longer shifts.
Journal of the American College of Radiology, 2010
Diet: Tea Can Help.
This study looked at the effect of treating superficial precancerous lesions in the mucosal lining of the mouth with a mixed tea product. After the six-month trial, partial regression of the lesions was observed in 37.9% of the group treated with tea as compared to only 10% of those treated with a placebo.
Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 1999
Exercise: Exercise And Stress.
Regular exercise reduces the amount of stress hormones in the body, lowers the resting heart rate, relaxes blood vessels, and lowers blood pressure.
Mayo Clinic, March 2011
Chiropractic: Have Back Pain?
Spinal manipulation is the best treatment for acute low back pain.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Wellness/Prevention: A Cup Of Tea.
The antioxidant properties of tea flavonoids may play a role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing lipid oxidation, reducing the instances of heart attacks and stroke, and may beneficially impact blood vessel function (an important indicator of cardiovascular health).
Archives of Internal Medicine, 1996
Week of: Monday, May 16th, 2011
"What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet,
isn't much better than tedious disease." ~ George Dennison Prentice
. Mental Attitude: Poor Eating Habits Can Cause Depression.
The ingestion of trans-fats and saturated fats increase the risk of suffering depression, while ingesting olive oil appears to protect against depression. Participants with an elevated consumption of trans-fats (fats present in artificial form in industrially-produced pastries and fast food, and naturally present in certain whole milk products) showed a 48% increase in the risk of depression. Also, the more trans-fats consumed, the greater the harmful effect they produced.
Public Library of Science, February 2011
Health Alert: Only 24 Hours In A Day!
National restrictions were first introduced in 2003 to limit the hours resident physicians could be on duty. At the time, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) cited increasing acuity and intensity of medical care in teaching institutions, as well as scientific evidence of the negative effect of sleep deprivation on performance, as reasons for instituting restrictions. Those limits were not to exceed 80 hours in a week or more than 24 consecutive hours. In December 2008, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued a report recommending further action to reduce resident fatigue and ensure patient safety within 24 months of the report. The IOM committee did not recommend a change from the maximum of 80 hours per week, averaged over four weeks, but instead recommends decreasing the maximum length of shifts, increasing the time off between shifts and mandating a sleep period during longer shifts.
Journal of the American College of Radiology, 2010
Diet: Tea Can Help.
This study looked at the effect of treating superficial precancerous lesions in the mucosal lining of the mouth with a mixed tea product. After the six-month trial, partial regression of the lesions was observed in 37.9% of the group treated with tea as compared to only 10% of those treated with a placebo.
Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 1999
Exercise: Exercise And Stress.
Regular exercise reduces the amount of stress hormones in the body, lowers the resting heart rate, relaxes blood vessels, and lowers blood pressure.
Mayo Clinic, March 2011
Chiropractic: Have Back Pain?
Spinal manipulation is the best treatment for acute low back pain.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research
Wellness/Prevention: A Cup Of Tea.
The antioxidant properties of tea flavonoids may play a role in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease by decreasing lipid oxidation, reducing the instances of heart attacks and stroke, and may beneficially impact blood vessel function (an important indicator of cardiovascular health).
Archives of Internal Medicine, 1996
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, May 9th, 2011
"For the rational, psychologically healthy man, the desire for pleasure is the desire to celebrate his control over reality. For the neurotic, the desire for pleasure is the desire to escape from reality."~ Nathaniel Branden
. Mental Attitude: Improved Memory?
Scientists from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York increased the amount of the protein IGF-II in rats and found they showed significantly improved long term memory. The effects of the IGF-II were also found to last for several weeks.
Nature, February 2011
Health Alert: Kids Working?
Many teens work part-time during the school year and in the current economic climate, more youths may seek after school employment. Working more than 20 hours a week is associated with declines in school engagement, a lower probability of continued education, and increases in problem behavior such as stealing, carrying a weapon, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs.
Child Development, Feb 2011
Diet: I Could Have Had A...
Studies show drinking vegetable juice may be a simple way for people to increase their vegetable intake and may help them more effectively manage their weight. Adults who drank one 8-ounce glass of vegetable juice each day consumed nearly twice as many vegetable servings a day than those who did not drink any vegetable juice. Also, 9 of 10 who drank the popular vegetable juice V8 said they felt they were doing something good for themselves.
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2010
Exercise: Burning Calories!
Most people know exercise keeps muscles strong. Did you know strong muscles burn more calories? Muscle mass is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn even when you're not working out! For each pound of muscle you add, you will burn an additional 35-50 calories per day. So, an extra 5 pounds of muscle will burn about 175-250 calories a day or an extra pound of fat every 14-20 days.
Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: Light As A Feather!
Pressure on a nerve root equal to a feather falling on your hand resulted in up to a 50% decrease in electrical transmission down the nerve supplied by that root.
Seth Sharpless, Ph.D. and Marvin Luttges, Ph.D.
Wellness/Prevention: Prevent Bad Lifestyle Habits.
Unhealthy habits are especially predominant amongst young adults ages 19-26. Data points to the fact that young people show more risk behavior than expected (more even than they themselves perceive) and believe they are healthier than they really are. Unhealthy habits include poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, risky sexual practices, smoking cigarettes, taking drugs and getting insufficient sleep. Bad habits tend to worsen with age. Special attention has to be paid to adolescents because around 16 years of age appears to be the point of no return, the age when either healthy activities are adopted or risk behavior patterns arise.
AlphaGalileo Foundation. January 2011
Week of: Monday, May 9th, 2011
"For the rational, psychologically healthy man, the desire for pleasure is the desire to celebrate his control over reality. For the neurotic, the desire for pleasure is the desire to escape from reality."~ Nathaniel Branden
. Mental Attitude: Improved Memory?
Scientists from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York increased the amount of the protein IGF-II in rats and found they showed significantly improved long term memory. The effects of the IGF-II were also found to last for several weeks.
Nature, February 2011
Health Alert: Kids Working?
Many teens work part-time during the school year and in the current economic climate, more youths may seek after school employment. Working more than 20 hours a week is associated with declines in school engagement, a lower probability of continued education, and increases in problem behavior such as stealing, carrying a weapon, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs.
Child Development, Feb 2011
Diet: I Could Have Had A...
Studies show drinking vegetable juice may be a simple way for people to increase their vegetable intake and may help them more effectively manage their weight. Adults who drank one 8-ounce glass of vegetable juice each day consumed nearly twice as many vegetable servings a day than those who did not drink any vegetable juice. Also, 9 of 10 who drank the popular vegetable juice V8 said they felt they were doing something good for themselves.
Journal of the American Medical Association, 2010
Exercise: Burning Calories!
Most people know exercise keeps muscles strong. Did you know strong muscles burn more calories? Muscle mass is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn even when you're not working out! For each pound of muscle you add, you will burn an additional 35-50 calories per day. So, an extra 5 pounds of muscle will burn about 175-250 calories a day or an extra pound of fat every 14-20 days.
Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: Light As A Feather!
Pressure on a nerve root equal to a feather falling on your hand resulted in up to a 50% decrease in electrical transmission down the nerve supplied by that root.
Seth Sharpless, Ph.D. and Marvin Luttges, Ph.D.
Wellness/Prevention: Prevent Bad Lifestyle Habits.
Unhealthy habits are especially predominant amongst young adults ages 19-26. Data points to the fact that young people show more risk behavior than expected (more even than they themselves perceive) and believe they are healthier than they really are. Unhealthy habits include poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, risky sexual practices, smoking cigarettes, taking drugs and getting insufficient sleep. Bad habits tend to worsen with age. Special attention has to be paid to adolescents because around 16 years of age appears to be the point of no return, the age when either healthy activities are adopted or risk behavior patterns arise.
AlphaGalileo Foundation. January 2011
Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, May 2nd, 2011
Courtesy of:
Joshua Welch D.C.
(530) 577-5433
"Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise." ~ Sigmund Freud
. Mental Attitude: Parents Can Help.
Many studies show parenting under stress can negatively affect children. Parents who struggle financially, who suffer from depression, or who are single parents need extra support. In schools offering ParentCorps, a program for families of Pre-Kindergarten students in disadvantaged urban communities that focuses on improved parenting strategies, parents reported using more effective discipline strategies and were observed in the home to be more responsive to their children during play interactions. By the end of the Pre-Kindergarten year, children in schools with ParentCorps were rated by their teachers as better behaved and showed more social and emotional competencies.
Child Development, February 2011
Health Alert: Unemployed And Unhealthy!
Unemployed people between the ages of 30 and 59 years are often affected by physical, emotional, and functional impairments such as sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance addictions. The health consequences of unemployment result from loss of income, loss of social contacts in the workplace, and/or loss of social reputation. Unemployed men and women who are supported by their partners, family members, or friends are less frequently affected by these complaints.
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International, February 2011
Diet: Genes And Your Sweet Tooth.
The substance ghrelin plays an important role in binge-eating and sugar consumption. Ghrelin is a neuropeptide that activates the brain's reward system and increases appetite. People with certain changes in the ghrelin gene consume more sugar than their peers. Researchers also found, when ghrelin was blocked, rats reduced their consumption of sugar and were less motivated to hunt for sugar.
Plos One, April 2011
Exercise: The Great Outdoors!
Exercising in natural environments is associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and were more likely to repeat the activity.
Environmental Science and Technology, February 2011
Chiropractic: Stop On A Dime!
At the spinal nerve root level, a sustained pressure increase of the weight of a dime was adequate to produce interference in normal nerve transmission!
Dr. Chung Ha Suh, University of Colorado
Wellness/Prevention: Adopt Healthy Habits!
When considering levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, people who did not improve any lifestyle factors between youth and adulthood had more than double the prevalence of low HDL levels (26.2% vs. 11.9%). Those who had improved at least two lifestyle factors had a prevalence of low HDL less than one-fourth that of the study average.
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, February 2011
Week of: Monday, May 2nd, 2011
Courtesy of:
Joshua Welch D.C.
(530) 577-5433
"Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise." ~ Sigmund Freud
. Mental Attitude: Parents Can Help.
Many studies show parenting under stress can negatively affect children. Parents who struggle financially, who suffer from depression, or who are single parents need extra support. In schools offering ParentCorps, a program for families of Pre-Kindergarten students in disadvantaged urban communities that focuses on improved parenting strategies, parents reported using more effective discipline strategies and were observed in the home to be more responsive to their children during play interactions. By the end of the Pre-Kindergarten year, children in schools with ParentCorps were rated by their teachers as better behaved and showed more social and emotional competencies.
Child Development, February 2011
Health Alert: Unemployed And Unhealthy!
Unemployed people between the ages of 30 and 59 years are often affected by physical, emotional, and functional impairments such as sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance addictions. The health consequences of unemployment result from loss of income, loss of social contacts in the workplace, and/or loss of social reputation. Unemployed men and women who are supported by their partners, family members, or friends are less frequently affected by these complaints.
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International, February 2011
Diet: Genes And Your Sweet Tooth.
The substance ghrelin plays an important role in binge-eating and sugar consumption. Ghrelin is a neuropeptide that activates the brain's reward system and increases appetite. People with certain changes in the ghrelin gene consume more sugar than their peers. Researchers also found, when ghrelin was blocked, rats reduced their consumption of sugar and were less motivated to hunt for sugar.
Plos One, April 2011
Exercise: The Great Outdoors!
Exercising in natural environments is associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and were more likely to repeat the activity.
Environmental Science and Technology, February 2011
Chiropractic: Stop On A Dime!
At the spinal nerve root level, a sustained pressure increase of the weight of a dime was adequate to produce interference in normal nerve transmission!
Dr. Chung Ha Suh, University of Colorado
Wellness/Prevention: Adopt Healthy Habits!
When considering levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, people who did not improve any lifestyle factors between youth and adulthood had more than double the prevalence of low HDL levels (26.2% vs. 11.9%). Those who had improved at least two lifestyle factors had a prevalence of low HDL less than one-fourth that of the study average.
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, February 2011
