Dr Beecher’s July 6 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, July 6th, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here. If you would like to know more about the best chiropractor in Houston, please give us a call.
Mental Attitude: Protect Your Brain with Tai Chi. With a growing senior population, age-related cognitive decline has become a major public health issue. A review of nine studies that included 632 participants found that regularly performing Tai Chi appears to have a protective effect against age-related cognitive decline. According to researchers, Tai Chi practitioners fared better than members of a control group on a variety of outcome assessments that measured memory, rate of learning, short-term verbal recall, spatial processing, visual attention, task switching, and reaction time. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, July 2015
Health Alert: Can Noisy Neighborhoods Cause Weight Gain? Swedish scientists say their research indicates that noise from traffic, trains, and planes may play some role in the obesity epidemic. In their study published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, they note that an individual’s risk for a larger waist size increases 25% if they are exposed to either traffic, train, or plane noise on a routine basis, and their risk increases to 50% if they are regularly exposed to all three sources! It is believed that traffic noise may increase the levels of cortisol in the body, the stress hormone that has been observed to stimulate the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area. Lead researcher Dr. Charlotta Eriksson adds, “Traffic noise should be recognized as an important environmental health hazard that needs to be taken into consideration in urban planning.” Occupational & Environmental Medicine, May 2015
Diet: Drinking Water Helps Kids Think. Could the simple act of drinking water give your child the edge he or she needs to perform better at school than their peers? According to a study published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, the answer may be yes. The study involved 63 third graders who performed a variety of tests designed to measure their executive function skills over a three- day period. The researchers kept track of each child’s food and beverage intake and found that those who consumed the most water were best able to stay on task when presented with difficulties and distractions. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, June 2015
Exercise: Swim! Swimming is a great exercise that burns calories, is easy on the joints, helps manage weight, and builds both muscular strength and endurance. It also improves cardiovascular fitness, cools you off, refreshes you on hot summer days, and is an activity you can perform safely into old age. MedicineNet, May 2015
Chiropractic: Possible Benefits for Those with Fibromyalgia. A new study reveals the benefit of chiropractic treatment in the management of fibromyalgia. During a three-month study, 120 women with severe fibromyalgia received treatment that included education, cognitive behavioral therapy, and an exercise component. One half of the group also received chiropractic adjustments to the cervical spine during this time. Outcome assessments showed the group who also received chiropractic care experienced greater overall improvement when compared with the group who did not receive spinal manipulative therapy. The researchers conclude that adding chiropractic care to current treatment plans for fibromyalgia patients may improve their overall results. Rheumatology International, July 2015
Wellness/Prevention: A Healthy Lifestyle Can Prevent Over a Third of Female Colon Cancers. After analyzing decades of health and lifestyle data concerning over 200,000 female nurses, researchers claim that living a healthy lifestyle may prevent up to 37% of colon cancer cases among women. Lifestyle factors that may have a protective effect against the development of the disease include maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, no/moderate alcohol consumption, not smoking, taking a daily multivitamin, and consuming over 700 mg of calcium per day. Cancer Causes & Control, June 2015
Quote: “A closed mind is a dying mind.” ~ Edna Ferber
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s July 2015 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
“Anything you could ever want or be, you already have and are.” ~ David Russell
Who Else Wants to Live to Be 100 Years Old?
Starting in 1913, researchers followed
the health of 855 people. What did the ten
who made it to 100 years old have in
common and what does it mean for you?
Also this month:
- Quitting smoking, even after 60, may have bigger heart benefits than you think! New research shows those who quit smoking, even past the age of 60, have a considerably lower risk for cardiovascular disease after only a few years.
- Do you crave late night snacks? Study shows it might be your brain’s fault.
- Teen becomes hero on his way to jail! How a 17-year-old kid saved the life of his arresting police officer…
For many people, this is true. Whether this is true or not for you is unimportant, but here is something that is important…ouston – There is an old saying that goes something like this: Youth is wasted on the young.
No matter how old you are now or how long you are going to live, life is short and it goes by in the blink of an eye.
Whatever age you are right now, don’t you want to live as many healthy years into the future as you can?
Sadly, many people think there is nothing they can do to make themselves healthier and live longer. It is common to believe…
“It’s All In Your Genes.”
Sure. Genes do play some role regarding the circumstances of your life. For example, not everyone is going to be 7 feet tall (>2m) and play basketball for an NBA team. Not everyone is going to be exceptionally healthy and live to be 100 years old even if they eat junk food and smoke like a chimney. But there is something you can control and that’s living up to your genetic potential.
Listen, it makes no difference to you if someone else’s genetic potential is better or worse than yours. The only thing that matters is YOUR genetic potential and how you maximize it.
Here is something else you should know: Most people think that because they did unhealthy things when they were younger — like eat a lot of junk food or smoke — that it is too late for them now. The damage is done, so to speak.
While in some instances this may be true, in many cases, the body has an amazing ability to recover and become healthy even after decades of abuse. We’ll talk about this more in a moment, but first, let’s see if living to age 100 is all in the genes…
Over the past 50 years, the University Gothenburg has hosted one of the world’s first prospective study on aging. The participants included 855 Gothenburg men born who were all born in 1913.
The first surveys were conducted in 1963 and continued on until the final survey was conducted with the ten surviving participants in 2013.
A total of 27% (232) of the original group lived to the age of 80 and 13% (111) live to 90. All in all, 1.1% of the subjects made it to their 100th birthday.
According to the study, 42% of deaths after the age of 80 were due to cardiovascular disease, 20% to infectious diseases, 8% to stroke, 8% to cancer, 6% to pneumonia, and 16% to other causes.
A total of 23% of the over-80 group were diagnosed with some type of dementia.
The study showed that it helped the longevity of the participants if they paid high rent or owned a house by age 50, had a high aerobic capacity on a biking test at age 54, and had a mother who lived a long time.
According to lead researcher Dr. Lars Wilhelmsen, while their mother’s longevity appears to indicate that genetic factors played a strong role in helping these men live longer lives, other factors that are indicative of a healthy lifestyle may be more important for living a long time.
For example, among the longest lived men in the study, none were smokers and all of them were slim and had good posture.
The fact they were non-smokers isn’t surprising but…
What About Being Slim
and Having Good Posture?
Sure, the health benefits of being slim are also pretty obvious. Numerous studies have focused on weight control and calorie-restricted diets and their benefits.
But what does good posture have to do with it?
Chiropractors have known the benefits of having good posture for well over 100 years. Even in the early 1900s, doctors of chiropractic believed that spinal structure is directly related to overall health – not just back pain.
Now, the results of this study do not say… or prove… chiropractic care can make you live longer, but it does raise some very interesting questions.
If good posture is an important factor for good health and living longer, and chiropractic helps you achieve good posture, does chiropractic care improve overall health and help you live longer?
For now, you will have to make your own decision about that. Hopefully more studies will be performed to give us more definitive answers about all of this.
Now for Some Great News
About Quitting Smoking…
The chances of a smoker dying form cardiovascular disease are double that of someone who has never smoked. However, if a smoker kicks their habit, their risk for a heart attack or stroke will decrease over time and while it may never be as low as a never-smoker’s risk, it can get close if given enough years. Even those who quit smoking after age 60 will still experience a drop in cardiovascular risk over time.
In a recent study, researchers attempted to calculate the number of years by which smoking accelerates death from heart disease. They found that the age of smokers who die from cardiovascular disease is, on average, five and a half years younger than people who have never smoked in their lives. By contrast, the age of former smokers drops to just over two years younger than life-long non-smokers.
Lead researcher Dr. Hermann Brenner writes, “Therefore, it is never too late to stop smoking. Even people in the highest age group still gain considerable health benefits from it… Many heart attacks and strokes, with all of their serious consequences, could be prevented this way.”
Clearly, your body has incredible recovery and recuperative powers. It’s amazing how many people have lived long, healthy lives after years of poor diet, smoking, and even drug abuse. There is an old saying that goes something like this: The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is today.
The same applies for your health. Start today.
Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.
Inspirational Story Of The Month
(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Teen Becomes Hero on His Way to Jail!
How a 17-year-old saved the life of his arresting police officer…
We hear it every day. The news is filled with it and so are Facebook posts. The tension seems to grow by the minute. I’m sure you know what I am referring to just by reading this first paragraph. If not, you must be living in a cave. Either way, you are going to love what you are about to read.
It’s NOT about who is right and who is wrong. It’s not about one side versus another. In fact, it’s not about all that controversy at all.
If you are looking for that, this is not for you. You can get your fill of that by turning on any of the cable “news” shows out there.
This is for you if you want proof of the brighter side of things. Proof that people actually do care about each other. Proof that just because someone does one — or even a few bad things — they may not be a bad person and can still make wonderful choices and do amazing things. Here’s the story…
Jamal Rutledge was off to a bad start in life. By 17, he already had several run-ins with the law. According to a Sun Sentinel article published earlier this year, “Rutledge was being booked for violation of probation on charges including burglary and violation of juvenile imposed conditions…”
Seems like a pretty bad kid, doesn’t he? Well, the story gets better…
While Officer Franklin Foulks was filling out some mandatory paperwork in relation to Jamal’s arrest, he grabbed his chest in pain, fell off his chair, and collapsed to the floor. Jamal, who was sitting just a few feet away, did not hesitate to react. He immediately got up and started kicking the security fence and screaming for other officers to come help.
In no time, help arrived and began administering CPR and defibrillation to Foulks’ heart. There is no doubt that Jamal’s immediate action saved the life of Officer Foulks.
This may seem ironic at first, but the irony is overshadowed by the much bigger picture. That bigger picture is the fact that Jamal is not an evil person, he is just a misguided kid. While he made some bad decisions in his life thus far, he still has the ability to care about other people – even people he might dislike under a certain set of circumstances – and save lives.
It’s amazing how important “certain circumstances” are. It is not uncommon for two people who think they hate each other in one environment to find out they like or even love each other when placed in totally different surroundings. Most of the time it is because the false narrative of “us vs. them” falls apart once people deal with each other on a personal level. We see how our “enemies” are actually just like us and not enemies at all.
The “common enemy” is the battle cry of those who profit from promoting division… not unity. War not peace. Struggle not success.
Author and speaker, Wayne Dyer has often said, “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
I have a feeling Jamal and Foulk understand what Wayne Dyer is talking about. I bet they have both changed the way they look at things, and because of that, their entire lives have changed…
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and
getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!
Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!
Did You Know?…
Do You Suffer from Snoring or Sleep Apnea?
Sleep apnea is a common problem, affecting as many as 26 percent of adults. Sleep apnea is a term used to describe a condition in which a person is unable to breathe properly during sleep, which can have serious health consequences. Some experts believe the rise in sleep apnea diagnoses over the recent decades is related to the dramatic rise in obesity over the same time frame.
Snoring is a related problem caused by a restriction in your airway stemming from either your throat or nasal passageway. It’s the vibrations caused by air as it struggles to get through your soft palate, uvula, tongue, tonsils, and/or muscles in the back of your throat that create the snoring sound.
Not only do these breathing disruptions interfere with sleep, leaving you unusually tired the next day, but they can also reduce the amount of oxygen in your blood, which can impair the function of internal organs and/or exacerbate other health conditions you may already have. Previous research has also linked sleep disturbance to cognitive decline and dementia so if you’re having trouble sleeping, take action now to find help. Not only will you feel better now but your golden years may be a bit more golden… J
Tip Of The Month
Do You Crave Late Night Snacks?
You should be in bed but instead you are wandering around the kitchen searching for something to eat. How many times are you going to open the refrigerator door hoping something new and delicious is going to appear that was not there 30 seconds ago? If this description fits you, then you are not alone. Countless people are the victims of late night cravings.
In a newly published study, exercise science professors and a neuroscientist at Brigham Young University used MRIs to measure how people’s brains respond to high and low-calorie food images at different times of the day. The results showed that images of food, especially high-calorie food, can generate spikes in brain activity, but those neural responses are lower in the evening.
Lead study author Dr. Travis Masterson notes, “You might over-consume at night because food is not as rewarding, at least visually at that time of day… It may not be as satisfying to eat at night so you eat more to try to get satisfied.”
In other words, when you eat at night, your brain is just not as satisfied as when you eat at other times during the day. Just knowing your brain is “tricking” you and that you do not actually need more food may help you avoid late night binges, weight gain, and the associated health risks.
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal
and maintain the pain free body you deserve.
This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.
Dr Beecher’s June 29 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 29th, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
Mental Attitude: High Blood Sugar Could Be a Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease. Scientists suspect that high blood sugar could drive the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain that may lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In an animal study, researchers found that doubling blood glucose levels resulted in a 20% increase of beta-amyloid plaque deposits in the brains of test subjects. Lead researcher Dr. Shannon Macauley writes, “Our results suggest that diabetes, or other conditions that make it hard to control blood sugar levels, can have harmful effects on brain function and exacerbate neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation, May 2015
Health Alert: Cellphone Noise Can Startle a Fetus. A small study indicates that sounds emitted by cellphones carried by pregnant women can disrupt the sleep and wake cycles of their unborn fetuses. What isn’t clear from the study is whether or not being repeatedly startled by the beeping and vibration of cellphones has any effect on fetal health or pregnancy outcomes. Study co-author Dr. Boris Petrikovsky comments, “So we now recommend that women not carry cell phones… in close proximity to their baby… They should put it in their chest pocket or bag. The further away it is from the baby, the less chance the baby will be affected.” American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, May 2015
Diet: Healthy Eating Slows the Aging of Brain. If you want to preserve your memory and thinking skills as your grow older, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fish. A study that included nearly 28,000 older adults from 40 countries found that those who scored in the top 20% on a “healthy eating” scale were less likely to develop declines in memory, attention, and other mental skills over the next five years. The research team believes that the anti-inflammatory nutrients in foods like fruits, vegetables, and fish may help preserve brain health. Neurology, May 2015
Exercise: Ways to Lower Organized Sport Injury Risks. While playing organized sports is a great way for kids to get exercise and learn sportsmanship, taking precautions to reduce or avoid injury is important. The Children’s National Medical Center advises parents to have children receive a physical exam before starting organized sport, have water on hand during practice and games, encourage kids to drink water frequently, promote stretching before and after games, ask coaches to be certified in CPR and first aid, and make sure that coaches are familiar with the signs of concussion and how to prevent injuries. Children’s National Medical Center, May 2015
Chiropractic: Adverse Life Events Can Increase Musculoskeletal Pain Risk! A six-year study that followed 2,039 individuals found that adverse life events were associated with a 14% greater risk for developing chronic multisite musculoskeletal pain per incident. Adverse life events can include divorce, serious illness, the death of a loved one, disability, job loss, and a serious financial loss. Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, April 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Moms Need to Make Time for Themselves. Mothers work hard to take care of their family, but experts agree that moms also need to take care of themselves. The American Council on Exercise recommends the following to keep moms and their families healthy: drink plenty of water, eat a healthy and balanced diet, find time to exercise daily, schedule both alone time and date nights, make time to visit friends, get outside, laugh, get a massage to boost mood, and use a journal to record the things, people, and experiences you’re thankful for in life. American Council on Exercise, May 2015
Quote: “Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done.” ~ Robert A. Heinlein
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Best Houston Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 22 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 22nd, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
Mental Attitude: Poor Social Relationships May Increase Dementia Risk. A lack of social interaction during adulthood may be associated with a greater risk for a dementia diagnosis later in life. A meta-analysis of data from 19 long-term studies notes that low social participation, less frequent social interaction, and a sense of loneliness are all linked to between a 1.41 and 1.58 greater risk for dementia. The authors of the study add that these risks are similar to other established risk factors for dementia such as low education attainment, physical inactivity, and late-life depression. Ageing Research Reviews, May 2015
Health Alert: Some Plastic Teething Toys May Be Unsafe. Laboratory tests conducted on a small sample of ten plastic infant teethers found that two of the toys contained endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC). Previous research has shown that EDCs can affect fertility, increase the risk of endometriosis among females, impair organ and neural development, and even cause some cancers. The researchers note that such chemicals offer little benefit to the quality of the product and should be discontinued from use given the potential danger to the children who put them in their mouths.
Journal of Applied Toxicology, May 2015
Diet: When You Eat May Impact Your Health. A new report suggests that watching when you eat, without necessarily changing what or how much, may result in significant health benefits. The findings suggest that eating within an 8-to-12 hour period each day changes metabolism at the genetic level, resulting in lower blood sugar levels. The researchers call the phenomenon time-restricted eating, and they believe it could be powerful enough to lower the risk for some cancers, heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, April 2015
Exercise: Strengthening Hips Could Ease Calf Pain Caused By Peripheral Artery Disease. People who suffer from peripheral artery disease (PAD) may be able to ease their calf pain if they exercise to strengthen their hips. PAD causes arteries in the legs and other parts of the body to narrow, which restricts blood flow. This often leads to changes in skin color, development of sores, pain, and difficulty walking. Researchers found the people with PAD used their calf muscle more when walking because their hip muscles were weak; therefore, they conclude that strengthening the hip muscles could lead to less stress on the calf muscles. American Heart Association, May 2015
Chiropractic: Improved Posture Helps Patients Avoid Back Pain Recurrence. Patients with chronic low back pain who received therapies designed to improve their posture were more likely to report clinically significant improvements in both pain and function one year after the conclusion of treatment than patients whose posture was not addressed during the course of their care. Scientific World Journal, April 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D May Help Obese Patients Lose Weight. Italian researchers studied 400 overweight and obese individuals with vitamin D deficiency and found that a low-calorie diet combined with vitamin D supplementation led to greater reductions in waistlines than a low-calorie diet alone. Lead researcher Dr. Luisella Vigna adds, “The present data indicate that in obese and overweight people with vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation aids weight loss and enhances the beneficial effects of a reduced-calorie diet.” The researchers suggest that overweight and obese individuals should have their vitamin D levels tested. European Congress on Obesity, May 2015
Quote: “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” ~ Socrates
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 15 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 15th, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here. If you would like to know more about the best chiropractor in the Houston Bay Area, please give us a call!
Mental Attitude: Do You Think Your Child Is the Right Weight for His or Her Age? Most parents of overweight children misperceive their children as being “the right weight” for their age. According to a study involving nearly 7,000 overweight boys and girls, nearly 96% of mothers thought their overweight sons were the right weight for their age and almost 90% of mothers considered their overweight daughters to be the appropriate weight for their age group. The authors believe that ineffective communication between the medical community and parents accounts for a significant part of the ongoing problems with weight misperception in society. Senior author Dr. Jian Zhang adds, “We need effective strategies to encourage clinician discussions with parents about appropriate [the] weight for their child. This will be critical for childhood weight management and obesity prevention.” NYU Langone Medical Center, May 2015
Health Alert: Global Oncology Costs Increasing. While early diagnosis and more effective cancer therapies have increased the survival rates of many cancers, costs related to cancer treatment have also risen. A new report reveals that average cancer treatment costs-per-month in the United States have increased 39% over the past ten years, and global spending on cancer medicines surpassed $100 billion dollars in 2014, nearly $25 billion dollars higher than was observed as recently as 2009! IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, May 2015
Diet: Secrets to Choosing Healthier Foods. An analysis of 112 studies found that people choose healthier foods when restaurants, grocery stores, school cafeterias, and/or their spouse make foods like fruits and vegetables more visible, convenient, and attractive. Psychology and Marketing, April 2015
Exercise: New Treadmills May Be Better at Duplicating Outdoor Running. Researchers have developed a new treadmill that automatically changes speed to match the pace of the runner. The machine uses sonar to tell where the runner is on the treadmill and then speeds up if the runner is moving towards the front of the running belt or slows down if the runner is moving toward the back of the running belt. Dr. Steven T. Devor, an associate professor of kinesiology at Ohio State University writes, “If you’re running outside and you want to speed up or slow down, there is no button to push. It is the same with this new automated treadmill.” Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, April 2015
Chiropractic: Heavy Smartphone Use Can Lead to Hand and Wrist Problems! If you are a heavy smartphone user and experience wrist pain, you may want to reduce your reliance on handheld devices. Researchers examined the wrists and hand complaints of 102 adults and found that those who spent the most time interacting with their devices had enlarged median nerves in their dominant hand, reduced pinch strength, and reduced hand function when compared with low/non-smartphone users. Muscle & Nerve, April 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Heart Attacks Could Be Diagnosed with a Thermometer-Like Device. Scientists have developed a simple, thermometer-like device that may help healthcare providers diagnose heart attacks with minimal materials and cost. The technology works by detecting a protein called troponin, which rises when blood is cut off from the heart and the muscle is damaged. Current methods to detect this protein are expensive and often not practical for point-of-care in low and middle- income countries where up to 75% of cardiovascular disease-related deaths occur. Analytical Chemistry, April 2015
Quote: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 8 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 8th, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
Mental Attitude: Exercising Your Memory. To help individuals keep their minds sharp at any age, experts from the Harvard Medical School recommend learning a new skill or language, taking up a new hobby, reading books, and solving puzzles. Harvard Medical School, May 2015
Health Alert: Don’t Wear Heels at Home! According to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, half of high heel-related injuries occur at home. This suggests that a simple strategy for women to reduce their risk of injury is to simply wear more appropriate footwear around the house. University of Alabama at Birmingham, May 2015
Diet: Can a South African Diet Reduce Colon Cancer Risk Among Americans? Based on the dramatic effects observed when American and South African volunteers swapped diets for just two weeks, researchers suggest that a diet high in fiber and low in fat could possibly reduce an individual’s risk for developing colon cancer. After fourteen days on the high-fiber, low-fat South African diet, the American group had significantly less inflammation in the colon along with a reduction in biomarkers associated with colon cancer risk. Meanwhile, tests on the African group showed the opposite, indicating a dramatic increase in cancer risk after just two weeks on the high-protein, low-fiber American diet. According to the study’s authors, one could achieve similar results by increasing their fiber intake to 50 grams per day.
Nature Communications, April 2015
Exercise: Cardio May Help Slow Down Aging in the Brain. The findings of a new study suggest that cardiorespiratory exercise could be prescribed to lessen age-related declines in brain structure. Researchers found that cardiorespiratory fitness was positively linked to the structural integrity of white matter in the brains of the older adults. They write, “We hope this study provides additional motivation for older adults to increase their levels of physical activity, which positively impacts health, mood, cognition and the brain.” Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, April 2015
Houston Chiropractic: How Physical Inactivity Affects the Spine. MRI scans conducted on 72 older adults found that physical inactivity can be detrimental to the spine. Researchers observed the intervertebral disks of those with low physical activity levels appeared to be shorter than the disks of those who were more physically active. Previous research suggests a reduction in disk height is associated with a greater risk for back pain. The researchers also found the lumbar stabilizing muscles of inactive participants were more likely to have fatty deposits, suggesting compromised function.
Arthritis Research & Therapy, May 2015
Wellness/Prevention: How to Choose a Bicycle Helmet. Wearing a helmet when cycling is vital for both young and old riders to prevent head injuries, but it is important that a helmet fits properly. The Cleveland Clinic suggests the following: the helmet’s padding should fit snuggly, it should sit level and not move in any direction, look for the Consumer Product Safety Commission sticker when buying a helmet, and a pre-owned helmet should only be worn if it has no cracks or breaks and was made after 1999. The Cleveland Clinic, May 2015
Quote: “I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality, and that everything works out for the best.”
~ Jim Henson
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 1 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 1st, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
Mental Attitude: More Sleep May Help Alzheimer’s Patients. Extra sleep may help improve the memories of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In a study involving fruit flies, researchers found that extra sleep — the equivalent of three-to-four hours of sleep for humans — restored the ability of flies with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms to make new memories. Though more studies are needed, this finding could one day offer a new path of treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Current Biology, April 2015
Health Alert: One in Four Breast Cancer Cases May Be Preventable. Experts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology advise that a healthy lifestyle can reduce a woman’s risk for breast cancer nearly 25%, even if she has a family history of the disease. Previous research has associated the following lifestyle factors with a lower risk of breast cancer diagnosis: maintaining a healthy weight, performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, limiting alcohol consumption, not smoking, and eating a healthy diet. American Society of Clinical Oncology, May 2015
Diet: Could a Smiley Face Make Healthy Foods More Appealing to Kids? While schools in the United States are providing healthier food options in their cafeterias as part of a federal initiative, getting kids to put more nutritious items on their plate can be a challenge. Researchers have found that adding a smiley face label to healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables or adding a small prize to a plate of four healthy foods resulted in a 62% rise in vegetable servings and a 20% increase in fruit servings on student trays. Pediatric Academic Societies, April 2015
Exercise: Reduces Vertigo Risk in Women. After examining the lifestyles of nearly 500 older women, researchers conclude that performing regular physical activity can reduce a woman’s risk for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) by over 160%! International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, October 2014
Chiropractic: Back Pain and Sleep Difficulties. After following both chronic and new-onset back pain patients for six months, researchers report that two out of three patients with low back pain experience difficulty sleeping, typically during the week following an episode of back pain. Therefore, to ensure back pain patients have the best opportunity to achieve restful sleep, it’s important for them to follow their doctor’s advice in regards to maintaining a healthy spine and making recommended lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of re-injury. Clinical Journal of Pain, May 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Smartphone App Could Prevent Teens from Using Phone While Driving. A preliminary study suggests that a smartphone app that turns off a teenager’s cell phone service when they turn on their car could help prevent accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of accidental death among teens, with cell phone use behind the wheel increasing teen accident risk by nearly 24 times! Researchers found that teens who drove cars outfitted with phone-blocking technology drove up to 80% safer than teens in a control group. The communications director of the Governors Highway Safety Association adds, “The more we can get parents to implement these new technological tools and really engage in the process with their novice drivers, the greater chance we have of preventing teen driver crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities.” Pediatric Academic Societies, April 2015
Quote: “Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” ~ Anne Frank
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 2015 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
“Every man is the architect of his own fortune.” ~ Sallust
If some exercise is good, then more
must be better… right? Not so fast…
Want To Live Longer?
Doing This Amount
of Exercise Will Probably Prolong Your Life, But
More Doesn’t Seem to Help.
Also this month:
- New Study Claims Adolescent Drinking Alters Adult Behavior. Binge drinking during teen years disturbs brain development with long-lasting effects.
- Which Is Worse, Eating Junk Food During Early or Late Pregnancy? One has a greater chance to cause children to be addicted to high-fat, high-sugar diets.
- Watching TV Increases Type 2 Diabetes Risk. Study shows each hour you spend watching TV increases your chance of developing diabetes by 3.4%.
- The Secret to a Happy Life: How a fisherman from a small Mexican village taught a Harvard-educated investment banker the meaning of life…
In a study published April 6, 2015 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed information from more than 660,000 people ages 21 to 98 in the United States and Sweden who answered questions about how much time they spent doing physical activity, including walking, running, swimming, and bicycling.Houston – The idea that exercise can help you live longer isn’t a new one. Experts have touted the benefits of exercise for decades. What is new is that researchers may have found the optimal amount of exercise needed to extend your longevity…
The most interesting findings were that doing just a little exercise showed quite a bit of benefit and doing a lot more exercise provided only marginal returns.
People who exercised a little, but not enough to meet current physical activity recommendations (150 minutes of moderate activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week), were still 20 percent less likely to die during the 14-year study than those who did not perform any physical activity.
People who engaged in the recommended level of physical activity saw even more benefit. According to the data, they were 31 percent less likely to die during the study than those who did not engage in any amount of physical activity.
The maximum benefit was seen by people engaging in three-to-five times the recommended levels. They were 39% less likely to die over the study period than people who did not exercise.
Here is something interesting: Many believe if some exercise is good, then more is better. But there appears to be a ceiling on the amount of exercise that has a beneficial effect on your health.
According to the study, exercising more than three-to-five times the recommended levels did not show any significant additional health benefits. (In fact, previous research indicates that excessive exercise can even be harmful to the heart.)
The authors of the study write, “In regard to mortality, healthcare professionals should encourage inactive adults to perform leisure time physical activity and do not need to discourage adults who already participate in high-activity levels.”
Here’s the Biggest Take-Home
Message from This Study…
While many people shy away from exercise because they do not feel like they have enough time to exercise enough, this study shows that the people most likely to benefit from increasing the amount of exercise they do are those who do not currently exercise at all.
In other words, if you are not doing any exercise, you can see quite a big potential benefit from just doing a little.
You do not have to go crazy and start running marathons. You just have to get moving and do something.
And the best part is: if you do a little exercise, then you will start to feel better and be able to do more. Who knows, soon you may find yourself exercising the recommended levels and then one day you’ll look at your journal and realize you are actually exercising the maximum beneficial amount, as uncovered during this study.
But reaching the maximum level is not the important thing, and if you are not doing any exercise right now, then you should not even think about that much physical activity.
Probably the biggest reason for failure is setting goals too high. (I know goal-setting experts often say to set high goals and REACH FOR THE SKY!)
If that is working for you, awesome. But if you are like most people and do not reach a majority of the goals you set, let’s try something a little different.
Let’s set a very small goal, one that you can reach relatively easily and in a short time. When you do, you will not only feel great, you will gain a little momentum.
Once that first little goal is reached, set another small goal and so on…
For many people, this is the best way to actually reach their big goals.
So, if you are not exercising now, then make a small goal. Write down some small thing you are going to do TODAY just to get started.
Make it easy. Make it quick. Then, just do it. Tomorrow write down another one. One of the best techniques is to write down your exercise goal the night before so when you wake up you know exactly what you are going to do that day.
But let’s make this very clear: make your goal very easy so you can get the ball rolling. Remember, you are going to get quite a bit of benefit from just a small amount of exercise.
While We Are on the Topic of Exercise,
Here’s Something You Should Think About…
Do you know how much television you watch every day? According to recent research, the average American watches five hours per day! And get this, the number increases with age. By 65, the average American watches an average of seven hours of television per day.
That kind of blows the whole, “I don’t have enough time to exercise” excuse right out of the water, doesn’t it?
But here is something else you should know: a study published in Diabetologia (the Journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) found that each hour spent watching TV daily increases an individual’s risk of developing diabetes by 3.4%.
It’s no wonder why the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in 2014 that 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population of the United States, have diabetes. What’s incredible is 8.9 million of that 29.1 million (27.8%) are undiagnosed. That means almost 9 million people are pretty much ticking time bombs for all kinds of serious health problems and do not even know it.
The good news is that many type 2 diabetics can benefit from diet and exercise. (There is that “exercise” thing again!)
Advice for this month: Take 20 minutes out of the five-to-seven hours you may spend watching television and instead do a little exercise and watch what happens!
Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.
Inspirational Story Of The Month
(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
The Secret to a Happy Life:
How a Fisherman from a Small Mexican Village Taught a
Harvard-Educated Investment Banker the Meaning of Life…
Fables are short, fictitious stories that convey a moral intended to teach a lesson to help you live a better life. What you are about to read is an incredible modern fable, especially if you want to live a happy life…
An American investment banker was at the pier of a tiny coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna.
The investment banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The man replied, “Only a little while.”
The American then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish. The fisherman said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The banker then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman laughed and replied, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA, and eventually New York City where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But how long will this all take?”
“15 to 20 years.”
“But what then?”
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions!”
“Millions? Then what?”
“Then you would retire, move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine, and play your guitar with your amigos.”
That’s a pretty incredible life lesson, isn’t it? Surprisingly, too many people get trapped in a self-made prison because of what they think they want, and what they think they want is simply what they think everyone else wants them to do. Their lives become a blur as they constantly chase a “dream” that is unattainable and will never lead to happiness.
Clearly, small inexpensive (or even free) things can provide a beautiful life. You don’t need an impressive title, big car (or boat), or big business to live a beautiful life and be a beautiful person. In fact, in most cases, a smaller home and fewer obligations can make life easier and much more enjoyable.
If you have a nagging feeling that you could do better, make more, and deserve to upgrade, then remember that the secret to having it all is recognizing that you already do. You just have to start recognizing it. Life is what you let slip away while you are endlessly chasing things you wished you had but don’t need.
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and
getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!
Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!
Did You Know?…
Which Is Worse, Eating Junk Food During Early or Late Pregnancy?
Does it matter if a mother eats junk food during pregnancy? A recent study claims that eating junk food has different effects on the developing fetus depending on which stage of pregnancy an expectant mother eats junk food.
According to Dr. Jessica Gugusheff, post-doctoral researcher in the School of Agriculture, Food, and Wine at the University of Adelaide, “Our research suggests that too much junk food consumed late in pregnancy for humans has the potential to be more harmful to the child than excess junk food early in the pregnancy… Importantly, it also indicates that if excess junk food was consumed by the mother in those early stages of pregnancy, there may be a chance to reduce those negative effects on the baby by eating a healthy diet in late pregnancy. The second critical window is adolescence and we’ve found differences between males and females. Our experiments showed that eating a healthy diet during adolescence could reverse the junk food preference in males but not females.”
Dr. Gugusheff also mentioned that the brain grows the fastest during these critical windows, which is probably why it is so susceptible to the effects of junk food at these times.
Tip Of The Month
New Study Claims Adolescent Drinking Alters Adult Behavior.
Here is the shocking first sentence of a recent study abstract: “Binge drinking is common during adolescence and can lead to the development of psychiatric disorders.”
Furthermore, binge drinking during adolescence may alter brain development during this important time, leaving lasting effects on genes and behavior that will continue into adulthood. In a recently published study in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine provided alcohol to rat subjects on-and-off in two day increments during their adolescence. Then, they observed them during adulthood. The rats given alcohol displayed much higher levels of anxiety than the control rats who were not given alcohol during development. Also, when given the choice between alcohol and water during adulthood, the rats given alcohol during adolescence drank more alcohol than the rats in the control group.
When researchers looked at the brains of the rats in the study, they found the rats in the alcohol group had higher levels of a protein called HDAC2 in the part of the brain called the amygdala. Previous studies have linked elevated levels of HDAC2 in the amygdala to higher levels of anxiety and alcohol-drinking behavior. This suggests that alcohol exposure during adolescence activates the gene/s responsible for increased HDAC2 expression.
Lead study author Dr. Subhash Pandey, a Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Neuroscience Alcoholism Research at UIC writes, “This may be the mechanism through which adolescent binge drinking increases the risk for psychiatric disorders, including alcoholism in adulthood… On-and-off exposure to alcohol during adolescence altered the activity of genes needed for normal brain maturation… [The gene alterations] increased anxiety-like behaviors and preference for alcohol in adulthood.”
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal
and maintain the pain free body you deserve.
This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.
Dr Beecher’s May 25 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, May 25th, 2015
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter , please click here!
Mental Attitude: Leafy Greens May Protect Aging Brains. An evaluation of the eating habits and mental abilities of over 950 older adults revealed that eating a single serving of leafy green vegetables per day may reduce an individual’s risk for dementia. The study found that those who consumed one or two servings of spinach, kale, mustard greens, collards, or similar vegetables on a daily basis experienced slower mental deterioration than those who ate no leafy greens at all. Dr. Yvette Sheline, a professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine writes, “It makes sense that leafy green vegetables would have an effect on mental health… We know generally that what you eat, or don’t eat, can affect your risk for high blood pressure and vascular disease, which can both then worsen the course of dementia.” American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting, March 2015
Health Alert: Depression and Diabetes Both Increase Dementia Risk! Previous research has shown that both type 2 diabetes and depression can independently increase an individual’s risk for dementia, but what happens when they co-occur? Danish researchers analyzed data collected from 2.4 million adults and found that while depression increases a person’s risk for dementia by 83% and the presence of type 2 diabetes results in a 20% greater risk, those with both type 2 diabetes and depression are 117% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia. This suggests that the presence of both conditions has a synergistic effect on dementia risk, not just an additive effect. JAMA Psychiatry, April 2015
Diet: New Broccoli Reduces Cholesterol. Eating ten or more weekly servings of a new variety of broccoli has been demonstrated to reduce Low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) levels by about 6%. This new broccoli variety known as Beneforte was bred to contain two to three times more glucoraphanin, a compound that is converted to sulphoraphane inside the body. Previous research has observed that sulphoraphane activates genes that keep the body from converting excess dietary fat and sugar into bad cholesterol. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, April 2015
Exercise: Exercise Helps Fibromyalgia Patients. An 18-week functional training program for women with fibromyalgia (FM) resulted in reductions in both pain and tender points along with a positive impact on their overall quality of life. If further studies verify these findings, such training (which consisted of two sessions of in-water exercise and one session of on-land exercise each week) could play an important role in helping FM patients maintain an independent lifestyle. Modern Rheumatology, April 2015
Chiropractic: Could Migraines and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Be Linked? Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center suggest that carpal tunnel syndrome can increase an individual’s risk for migraine headaches, and migraines may increase the likelihood of one developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 26,000 Americans and found that the risk of migraine was 2.6 times higher in people with carpal tunnel syndrome. Similarly, the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome was 2.7 times higher among migraine sufferers. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, March 2015
Wellness/Prevention: What Part of the Day Do Teens Become Less Active? While adolescents have been observed to be less physically active and spend more time performing sedentary activities as they grow older, no previous studies have analyzed how these changes occur during the course of a teen’s average week. In this study, 363 teens wore accelerometers at both age 12 and age 15, and researchers recorded how much time was spent each day being inactive or performing either light physical activity or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. They found that by age 15, participants were sedentary 7-8% more often during school hours and both after school and on weekends. Across the board, students spent about 7% less time performing light physical activities while moderate-to-vigorous activity levels remained largely unchanged. Due to the increase in sedentary time across all aspects of an adolescent’s week, the investigators recommend that future interventions intended to help teens become more active need to focus on both their in-school and after-school/weekend activities. Int’l Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, April 2015
Quote: “Go on with what your heart tells you, or you will lose all.” ~ Rick Riordan
Dr Beecher’s May 18 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
Week of Monday, May 18th, 2015
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter , please click here!
Mental Attitude: Dementia Increases Odds of Complications During a Hospital Stay. During a hospital admission, older patients with dementia have a 2.5 times greater risk for experiencing preventable complications such as urinary tract infections, pressure areas, pneumonia, and delirium. According to experts, these complications can result in an eight-fold increase in the amount of time the dementia patient remains under inpatient care. BMC Health Services Research, March 2015
Health Alert: Short People at Greater Risk of Coronary Heart Disease. Researchers at the University of Leicester claim that shorter men and women have proportionally smaller coronary arteries that place them at a greater risk for heart disease than taller people. The investigators found that every 2.5 inch (~6.35 cm) change in height affects coronary heart disease risk by 13.5%. Study leader Dr. Nilesh Samani explains, “While our findings do not have any immediate clinical implications, better and fuller understanding of the biological mechanisms that underlie the relationship between shorter height and higher risk of coronary heart disease may open up new ways for its prevention and treatment.” New England Journal of Medicine, April 2015
Diet: Dietary Fiber Supplement May Help with Weight Control. An animal study found that rats fed a fiber supplement along with a high-fat and high-sugar diet gained less weight than subjects fed the same diet without the supplement. Despite having constant access to food high in both fat and sugar, researchers found that rats given supplemental oligofructose fiber gained about 30% less weight than the control group. Senior author Dr. Keith Sharkey notes, “Our data shows that a simple dietary intervention with a prebiotic oligofructose fiber reduced weight gain and this may also lead to the long-term maintenance of a lower body weight in the face of continued dietary challenge.” Obesity, March 2015
Exercise: Exercise Is Good for Lung Cancer Patients. Physical activity should be considered as a treatment option for lung cancer patients as it reduces symptoms, increases exercise tolerance, improves quality of life, and potentially reduces the length of hospital stays and complications following lung cancer surgery. Lead researcher Dr. Gerard A. Silvestri advises that “clinicians should (at [a] minimum) consider physical activity early, counsel against inactivity, and encourage physical activity in all stages of lung cancer patients and lung cancer survivors. This review shows uniform recognition that exercise and physical activity are safe for those with lung cancer, patients are requesting increased activity counseling, and multiple studies and reviews show potential clinical benefit in quality of life, exercise tolerance, and post-operative complications. Further, we know that inactivity in cancer patients is associated with worse outcomes.” Journal of Thoracic Oncology, March 2015
Chiropractic: Vitamin D Can Improve Pain & Movement in Obese Osteoarthritis Patients. Chiropractors often recommend vitamin D because is a common deficiency and optimum levels are associated with several health benefits. In a new study, researchers analyzed blood samples, surveyed arthritic knee pain, and measured the functional performance of 256 middle age and older adults and found that higher levels of vitamin D may decrease pain and improve function in overweight and obese patients with osteoarthritis. Lead author Dr. Toni L. Glover concludes, “Vitamin D is inexpensive, available over-the-counter and toxicity is fairly rare. Older obese patients with chronic pain should discuss their vitamin D status with their primary care provider. If it’s low, take a supplement [and/or] get judicious sun exposure.” The Clinical Journal of Pain, January 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Deaths Decreasing in America. According to a new report, the United States is slowly and steadily winning the war against cancer as mortality rates from the disease continue to decline. Between 2002 and 2011, the overall cancer death rate fell an average of 1.5% per year, and the rate of new cancer rates declined an average of .5% per year. Co-author Dr. Ahmedin Jemal writes, “These numbers reflect a combination of factors that include prevention, early detection, and improved treatment.” Journal of the National Cancer Institute, March 2015
Quote: “…when it comes down to it, that’s what life is all about: showing up for the people you love, again and again, until you can’t show up anymore.” ~ Rebecca Walker
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
