Dr Beecher’s November 17 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, November 17th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Mental Stress Affects Male and Female Hearts in Different Ways. Past studies have suggested that mental stress can influence heart health. Now, researchers have found that women under mental stress are more likely than men to experience reduced blood flow to the heart and are also more prone to clots due to platelet aggregation. On the other hand, men experience greater changes in blood pressure and heart rate in response to mental stress. Researcher Dr. Zainab Samad adds, “The relationship between mental stress and cardiovascular disease is well-known. This study revealed that mental stress affects the cardiovascular health of men and women differently. We need to recognize this difference when evaluating and treating patients for cardiovascular disease.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, October 2014
Health Alert: Possible Link Between Breast Implants and Cancer. An international research group has concluded that breast implants can cause a new subtype of rare, yet malignant, lymphoma known as anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). This type of cancer is usually found in lymph nodes, skin, lung, liver, and soft tissue, but is not usually found in the breast. The researchers found that cases in which ALCL developed in the breast were almost exclusively involved individuals with breast implants. The actual reasons why breast implants can cause lymphoma are currently unknown, but the research team suspects the cause is an abnormal immune response. In many cases, the lymphoma subsided once the implants were removed. Mutation Research, August 2014
Diet: A Chemical in Broccoli May Help Treat Autism. Sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, shows promise for improving some behavioral symptoms of autism. Researchers found that about two thirds of participants who received sulforaphane saw their scores on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist reduced by 34%, while their scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale fell 17%. They hope to discover the biology underlying the effects observed and to study them at a cellular level. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, October 2014
Exercise: Heavy Exercise Can Produce Asthma-Like Symptoms in Healthy Kids. Researchers have found that children who undergo brief periods of intense exercise can exhibit lung dysfunction and other symptoms similar to those experienced by asthma patients. These symptoms can happen even when the child has no history of asthma. Lead researcher Dr. Alladdin Abosaida adds, “We did not expect to see pulmonary function abnormalities after short periods of heavy exercise in such a large number of healthy children in our subject population.” Further research is needed to determine the mechanism of lung dysfunction in children following heavy exercise and identify possible interventions. American Thoracic Society 2010 International Conference, May 2010
Chiropractic: Immediate Changes in Brain After Manual Therapy in Patients with Pain. New research focused on the effects of manual therapies on pain modulation has revealed that therapies such as chiropractic spinal manipulation, spinal mobilization, and therapeutic touch have an immediate effect on the functional connectivity between brain regions involved in processing and modulating the pain experience. The results were gathered by using functional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain combined with measurements of pain sensitivity and intensity. The findings suggest that manual therapies may lead to neurophysiologic changes that result in pain relief. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, October 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Babies Benefit if Mothers Follow Lifestyle Advice During Pregnancy. In the largest study of its kind, researchers gave nutrition and exercise advice to pregnant women who were either overweight or obese. Women who received such advice increased their fruit and vegetable intake and reduced saturated fat intake. They also engaged in 15-20 minutes of brisk walking on most days of the week. Their babies were more likely to have a healthier birth weight, less likely to have a moderate to severe respiratory distress syndrome, and were able to go home sooner than babies born from mothers in a control group that did not receive any diet or exercise advice. BMC Medicine, October 2014
Quote: “Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief.” ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
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 October 27 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, October 27th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Could Cerebellum Injury Be a Possible Cause of Autism? Princeton University scientists say their research indicates that an injury to the cerebellum early in life may make a child 36 times more likely to score highly on autism screening tests. Study author Dr. Sam Wang adds, “What we realized from looking at the literature is that these two problems – autism and cerebellar injury – might be related to each other. We hope to get people and scientists thinking differently about the cerebellum or about autism so that the whole field can move forward.” Neuron, August 2014
Health Alert: E-Cigarettes a Possible Gateway to Drug Use, Addiction, and Tobacco Smoking. An alarming report claims that using electronic cigarettes may lead to tobacco cigarette smoking and increase the likelihood of illicit drug use and addiction. The researchers discovered that when mice were exposed to nicotine, the substance triggered biochemical alteration in the brain and activated a gene linked to the reward response. This process enhanced a subsequent response to cocaine in the mice, suggesting that nicotine may be a gateway drug for cocaine. Study author Dr. Denise Kandel writes, “We don’t yet know whether e-cigarettes will prove to be a gateway to the use of conventional cigarettes and illicit drugs, but that’s certainly a possibility. Nicotine clearly acts as a gateway drug on the brain, and this effect is likely to occur whether the exposure comes from smoking cigarettes, passive tobacco smoke, or e-cigarettes.” The New England Journal of Medicine, September 2014
Diet: Soy May Promote Breast Cancer? Researchers suggest that women with breast cancer should only eat soy foods in moderation and avoid supplements containing soy. This recommendation is based on findings that soy protein consumption may increase activity in genes linked to breast cancer growth. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, September 2014
Exercise: Sit Less! Shortening the amount of time spent sitting can protect your aging DNA. A newly published study looked at how physical activity affects telomere length. Telomeres can be found on the ends of chromosomes and stop them from unraveling or clumping together and “scrambling” the genetic code they contain. The researchers found that spending less time sitting each day had more of a positive impact on telomere health than increasing the time spent performing physical activities, like exercise. They add, “There is growing concern that not only low physical activity level in populations, but probably also sitting and sedentary behavior, is an important and new health hazard of our time.” British Journal of Sports Medicine, September 2014
Chiropractic: Migraines Reduced with Chiropractic Care. A past study found that chiropractic manipulation combined with therapeutic massage resulted in a 68% reduction in the intensity of migraine headaches within one hour of treatment. The findings add to previous research indicating the benefits of chiropractic care for the treatment of migraines.
Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, March 2012
Wellness/Prevention: Improved Sleep May Reduce Time Away from Work. It appears that absence from work due to sickness is related to a lack of good sleep. A new study has found that people who regularly get seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night are less likely to be absent from work due to an illness. The study further noted that the risk of being absent from work due to sickness for 10 days or more rose significantly among people who slept less than six hours or more than nine hours a night. The researchers note that the optimal sleep duration each night for adults is 7 hours 46 minutes for men and 7 hours 38 minutes for women. Sleep, September 2014
Quote: “I was brought up to believe that the only thing worth doing was to add to the sum of accurate information in the world.” ~ Margaret Mead
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 August 12 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, August 12th, 2013
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
Quote: “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
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 .
