Dr Beecher’s December 16 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, December 16th, 2013
Mental Attitude: Long-Term Opioid Use and Depression. Recent studies show more than 200 million prescriptions for opioid analgesics were issued in 2009 in the United States. Data on over 50,000 patients reveals that those on opioids for 180 days or longer have a 53% increased risk of developing major depression. Journal of General Internal Medicine, November 2013
Health Alert: Alcohol and TV. According to a voluntary standard adopted in 2003, alcohol companies agreed not to place any ads on TV programs where more than 30% of the audience was younger than age 21. However, a survey of television programs popular with youths shows that 25% of the programs still featured ads selling alcohol. Studies have shown that exposure to alcohol marketing increases the risk that children and young adults (under age 21) will begin drinking, and those who do start drinking will drink more and do so more often. CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, November 2013
Diet: Cruciferous Vegetables and Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates. Women with the highest fruit and vegetable intakes have better ovarian cancer survival rates than those who generally neglect these foods. Researchers found that yellow and cruciferous vegetables contributed to longer survival. The authors concluded that low-fat, plant based diets are not only beneficial for cancer prevention, but they may also play a role in increasing survival time after diagnosis. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the United States. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, August 2010
Exercise: Even Elderly Hearts Can Benefit From Exercise. A pilot study involving 310 adults over age 70 found that even men and women in their later years can improve their heart’s health with moderate physical exercise. To assess the effect of exercise on the heart, researchers measured a blood-based injury marker called Troponin T that is traditionally used to assess damage to the heart. After one year, Troponin T levels in the exercise group were less than a third of the levels found in the control group that did not exercise. The study’s lead author, Dr. Christopher DeFilippi adds, “Our findings suggest biochemical evidence to support the old adage, ‘You’re never too old to start a physical activity program to improve cardiac health.'”
American Heart Association, November 2013
Chiropractic: Pain in the Neck? The cervical spine is made up of seven bones called vertebrae, and these vertebrae are separated by disks filled with a cushioning gel-like substance. Your cervical disks stabilize your neck and also help it to turn. Decades of movement can really take a toll on the neck as two-thirds of people will experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Researchers estimate that 50% of the population at 40 years of age and 70% of those at 65 years have some level of cervical disk degeneration. Cervical disk degenerative processes can cause radiating pain, as well as numbness and weakness in your shoulders, arms, and hands. Clinical Evidence Concise, 2004
Wellness/Prevention: Sleep for Children. In a recent study, when children increased their sleep by 90 minutes per night over just a few weeks, they consumed an average of 134 fewer calories per day, weighed a half pound less (~.2 kg), and had lower fasting levels of leptin, a hunger-regulating hormone that is also highly correlated with the amount of adipose (fat) tissue in the body. Pediatrics, November 2013
Quote: “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” ~ 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 .
Dr Beecher’s November 19 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of November 19th, 2012
Mental Attitude: Hope For Lonely Seniors. Lonely, older adults with higher levels of cortisol and c-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood are at greater risk for stress and inflammation related diseases (such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease). However, a new study has found that lonely senior citizens can decrease their cortisol and CRP levels by maintaining a positive outlook on life and by not blaming themselves for their problems. Concordia University, October 2012
Health Alert: Fast-Tracked Drugs! A recent study tracked a total of 434 new active substances (NASs) approved by Health Canada between 1995 and 2010. The NASs were then compared to see whether a difference in safety existed between those that had gone through Health Canada’s standard 300-day review period vs. the 180-day priority process. Drugs streamed into Health Canada’s accelerated review process are 15% more likely to be withdrawn from the market or to earn a serious safety warning. Archives of Internal Medicine, October 2012
Diet: Happiness and Mental Health. Happiness and mental health are highest among people who eat 7 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Mental wellbeing appeared to rise with the number of daily portions of fruit and vegetables people consumed. Wellbeing peaked at seven portions a day. In Britain today, a quarter of the population eat just one portion or no portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Only a tenth of the British population currently consume the magic number of seven or more daily portions. Social Indicators Research, October 2012.
Exercise: Just A Few Minutes. Participants who peddled a stationary bike as hard as possible at the highest resistance for 30 seconds, followed by 4 minutes of peddling at slow speeds with little resistance (5 rounds), burned as many as 200 calories despite only vigorously exercising for 2.5 minutes. For many people who want to be in better shape, a large chunk of time spent in an effort to work out is an annoying turn-off. This new finding could make exercise reasonable for potential fitness buffs by squeezing intense efforts into a smaller time slot.
Integrative Biology of Exercise VI meeting, October 10-13, 2012
Chiropractic: Athletes Feel The Difference. “Were it not for Chiropractic, I would not have won the gold medal.”
~Dan O’Brien, Olympic Gold Medalist and 3x World Champion Decathlete
Wellness/Prevention: Cherries and Gout.
Eating cherries over a two-day period reduced the risk of gout attacks by 35%.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, October 2012
Quote: “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.” ~ Albert Einstein
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 .
