Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Healthcare Incentives?
When faced with paying higher health insurance premiums for not exercising, a study found that 97% of enrollees met or exceeded a set fitness goal of 5,000 steps per day within one year.
Behavioral Translational Medicine, May 2013

Health Alert: Painkiller Drug Overdoses!
From 1999 to 2010 there was a five-fold increase (48,000 deaths) in women dying from prescription painkiller overdoses. Painkiller deaths greatly outnumbered overdoses from illegal drugs and from motor vehicle crashes. Overall, drug overdose suicide deaths accounted for 34% of all suicides among women, compared with 8% among men in 2010.
Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, June 2013

Diet: Western Diet?
Children of women with a "Western dietary pattern" (characterized by high intakes of organ meat, red meat, processed meat, pizza, legumes, potatoes, French fries, condiments, and mayonnaise, but low intakes of fruits) had a higher risk of giving birth to a child with a cleft lip or cleft palate. Women who consumed the greatest amount of these foods had nearly double the risk compared with those who consumed the least.
Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2007

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise makes your heart a more efficient pump and helps to decrease left ventricular hypertrophy (a thickening of the walls of the left ventricle) in people with hypertension.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Effective Care!
Many companies say chiropractic coverage has lowered their medical and workers' comp costs while also raising overall health and productivity. Work time lost for employees with back injuries who used chiropractic care was only nine days as compared with 34.5 days for workers who used medical care.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, December 1997

Wellness/Prevention: Lower Your Risk.
During a decade long study, participants who slept 7 hours or more per night, exercised 3.5 hours or more per week, ate a healthy Mediterranean-style diet, consumed only moderate amounts of alcohol, and didn't smoke had a 65% lower risk of a cardiovascular disease event and an 83% lower risk of dying from one.
European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, July 2013

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Optimism and Stress.
A six-year study of 135 older adults (>60 years old) found that pessimistic people have a higher baseline level of stress and have a more difficult time handling stress than their more optimistic peers.
Health Psychology, May 2013

Health Alert: Decrease Your Heart Disease Risk.
High blood pressure affects 33% of U.S. adults and doubles their risk for heart disease. 32 million Americans have dangerously high total blood cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or greater. Simultaneously controlling your high blood pressure and high cholesterol may cut your risk for heart disease by half or more.
Circulation, July 2013

Diet: Don't Skip Breakfast!
A 16-year study of nearly 27,000 male health care professionals found that those who skipped breakfast were 27% more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease.
Circulation, May 2013

Exercise: Does Eliminating Video Games Increase Physical Activity?
A three year study of Australian pre-teens replaced sedentary video games (played with a gamepad/joystick) with either active video games that require physical movement or no video games at all to see if either increased daily moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and/or decreased sedentary time. When the study concluded, researchers did not find a significant change in either the children's MVPA (+3.2 minutes/day for active games and +3.8 minutes/day for no games) or sedentary time (-6.2 minutes/day for active games and -4.7 minutes/day for no games).
British Medical Journal Open, July 2013

Chiropractic: Chiropractic Training.
What does it take to become a Doctor of Chiropractic? In most countries, chiropractors must complete a minimum of 6 years of college and post-graduate studies (the average is 7 years) to earn their degree. Their education includes at least 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience. Then, graduates must pass National and/or State Board examinations and become licensed by the state or province before they can practice.
World Health Organization, 2005

Wellness/Prevention: Dad's Lifestyle Choices?
Germ cells are sperm and egg cells and their precursors. Mutations to a father's germ cells caused by lifestyle choices (like smoking) are present in all the cells of his progeny. These mutations are also present in his children's own germ cells. This means that a father's lifestyle has the potential to affect the DNA of multiple generations and not just his immediate offspring.
The FASEB Journal, July 2013

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Music and Pain.
A research trial involving 42 children (ages 3-11) found that those who listened to music during unpleasant procedures (such as administering an IV) experienced lower perceived pain levels and less discomfort.
JAMA Pediatrics, July 2013

Health Alert: Brain's Motivation Blunted!
Long-term cannabis users tend to produce less dopamine, a chemical in the brain linked to motivation. Dopamine levels in a part of the brain called the striatum were lower in people who regularly smoke cannabis, especially those who began taking the drug at a younger age. This explains why some cannabis users appear to lack motivation to work or pursue their normal interests. The lowest dopamine levels were seen in users who met diagnostic criteria for cannabis abuse or dependence, raising the possibility that this measure could provide a marker of addiction severity.
Biological Psychiatry, July 2013

Diet: The Gut and Autism?
Autism rates have risen over recent years. Heightened awareness and more diligent efforts at diagnosis account for some of the increase, yet researchers believe an epidemic is occurring. One possible factor is the overuse of antibiotics at an early age. This lowers the diversity of the gut microflora and lower diversity of gut microbes is positively correlated with the presence of autistic symptoms. Bacterial richness and diversity are essential for maintaining a robust and adaptable bacterial community capable of fighting off environmental challenges.
PLOS ONE, July 2013

Exercise: Forced Stress Relief.
It’s known that physical exercise reduces a participant’s stress and anxiety levels. Interestingly, in a study setting, people who exercised even when they didn’t want to received the same anxiety and stress reducing benefits as those who actively chose to exercise.
Journal of Neuroscience, May 2013

Chiropractic: Very Popular!
Patient surveys show that chiropractors are used more often than any other alternative provider group, and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. According to a 1997 survey, the number of Americans utilizing chiropractic care tripled from 1980-1997.
Annals of Internal Medicine, 2002

Wellness/Prevention: Turmeric.
Turmeric, an ingredient found in most yellow mustards, has long been known to have medicinal values. New research has found that curcumin, a substance in turmeric, provides lasting protection against potentially deadly lung damage (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) in premature infants.
American Journal of Physiology, July 2013

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: A Happy Marriage.
People in happy marriages live less "in sickness" and enjoy more of life "in health." Couples in positive marital relationships sustain health over the long run. Those with higher marital conflict are more likely to report poor health. The implication is that marital conflict is a risk factor for poor health. Couples who fight or frequently argue should seek professional help to reduce their conflict because it is affecting their health. Happily married spouses encourage one another to stay current on doctor's appointments, sleep better, drink less alcohol, and participate more in healthy activities. In a happy marriage, when spouses have a bad day, they're more likely to support each other and empathize with each other. This support reduces stress and helps buffer against a decline in health.
Journal of Marriage and Family, June 2013

Health Alert: Tobacco Control!
Tobacco control measures put in place in 41 countries between 2007 and 2010 will prevent some 7.4 million premature deaths by 2050. These policies can lead to other benefits such as fewer adverse birth outcomes related to maternal smoking (including low birth weight), reduced healthcare costs, and increased productivity due to less smoking-related disease.
World Health Organization, July 2013

Diet: Fish Oil DHA.
Chronic inflammation is a major factor in a wide range of health issues from arthritis to cardiovascular disease, and DHA (found in fish oil) is known to temper this problem. Researchers found that macrophages (a type of white blood cell) use DHA to produce "maresins," which serve as the "switch" that turns inflammation off.
The FASEB Journal, July 2013

Exercise: Good Reasons.
Exercise improves your mood and helps to increase your overall health awareness.
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Chiropractic: Drop That Blood Pressure.
Patients who had upper thoracic chiropractic adjustments showed statistically significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Placebo and control groups demonstrated no such changes.
Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics, 1988

Wellness/Prevention: Tea Tree Oil.
Treating fungal infections of the nails (onychomycosis) with a cream containing 2% butenafine and 5% tea tree oil cured 80% of patients. Topical application of tea tree oil cream for athlete's foot (tinea pedis) reduces the symptoms of tinea pedis as effectively as tolnaftate, an over the counter antifungal medication.
Australasian Journal of Dermatology, July 2013