Mental Attitude: Memory and Stress.
Anyone who has ever experienced chronic stress knows it can take a toll on both your emotions and your ability to think clearly. Researchers have discovered a neural mechanism that directly links repeated stress with impaired memory. This study also provides critical insight into why stress responses can act as a trigger for mental illnesses.
Child Development, Feb 2012
Health Alert: Sleeping Pill Dangers!
Sleeping pill sales increased by 23% from 2006-2010 and generated about $2 billion in annual sales. Sleeping pills (including Ambien and Restoril) are linked to a 4.6 times higher risk of death and a significant increase in cancer. Among patients who were prescribed just 1-18 sleeping pills per year, the risk of death was 3.6 times higher. Rates of new cancers were 35% higher among patients who were prescribed at least 132 doses a year, compared with those who did not receive prescriptions.
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Feb 2012
Diet: Rosemary Essential Oil On My Mind?
Blood levels of a rosemary oil component correlate with improved cognitive performance. Results indicate, for the first time in human subjects, that concentration of 1,8-cineole in the blood is related to an individual's cognitive performance, with higher concentrations resulting in improved performance. Both speed and accuracy were improved, suggesting that the relationship is not describing a speed-accuracy trade off.
Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Feb 2012
Exercise: Yoga And Stress.
Yoga may be effective for stress-related psychological and medical conditions such as depression, anxiety, high blood pressure and cardiac disease. The theory could be used to develop specific mind-body practices for the prevention and treatment of these conditions in conjunction with standard treatments.
New England Journal of Medicine, Feb 2012
Chiropractic: Safety of Adjusting.
No one pays closer attention to injury statistics than Malpractice Insurance carriers. Scott Haldeman, M.D., D.C. reviewed malpractice claims records for a 10-year period between 1988 and 1997. In reviewing 134.5 million chiropractic adjustments, there were 23 cases of stroke or vertebral artery dissection. 10 of these had complicating factors such as high blood pressure, use of oral contraceptives, or a history of smoking, all associated with vascular disease. The incidence of stroke or vertebral artery dissection following neck adjustments was one per 5.85 million. On average, a chiropractor would have to work for 1430 years (48 full chiropractic careers) for this to happen once! Driving to the office is probably more dangerous.
Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2001
Wellness/Prevention: Irregular Heartbeat?
An irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, is a strong predictor of cognitive decline and the loss of independence in daily activities in older people at risk of cardiovascular disease. This is just another good reason to maintain your heart health and get checked to prevent heart problems.Canadian Medical Association Journal, March 2012
