Dr Beecher’s June 9 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 9th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Premature Menopause Can Lead to Mental Decline. According to a new study, premature menopause can increase a woman’s risk of mental decline in her later years. Menopause usually begins after age 50; however, premature menopause begins at or around age 40. In the study, the premature group was more likely to do poorly on verbal and visual memory tests and they also had a 35% higher risk of decline in psychomotor speed compared to women who began menopause after age 50. Further research is needed to address treatment options to reduce risks of mental decline in women who enter menopause at younger ages. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, May 2014
Health Alert: E-Cigarette Vapor Potentially Harmful. A new report suggests that e-cigarette vapor produces tiny particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs, potentially causing or accelerating respiratory diseases. Investigators are unsure whether these chemicals are harmful if you inhale them, as safety research is only known regarding ingestion of these chemicals. The authors believe researchers need to come together and set standards for researching e-cigarettes, given that there are so many different liquids and devices available to the public. HealthDay, May 2014
Diet: Fruits & Vegetables Lower Stroke Risk. Research from the American Heart Association indicates that eating fruits and vegetables can reduce a person’s risk of stroke. Investigators found stroke risk decreased 32% for every 200 grams of fruit a person consumed each day. Furthermore, stroke risk decreased 11% for every 200 grams of vegetables consumed each day. Stroke, May 2014
Exercise: 40 Not Too Old to Start Exercising. Men who start exercising after age forty are likely to experience the same long- term heart benefits as those who have exercised since early adulthood. Study author David Matelot adds, “It’s never too late to change your way of life and get more physically active. This will always be beneficial for the heart and well-being. And there’s no need for a high level of training for many hours a week. Using the stairs rather than the elevator, or gardening regularly, can also be beneficial.” European Society of Cardiology, May 2014
Chiropractic: Chronic Low Back Pain Associated with Depression and Fatigue. A survey of over 500 chronic low back pain patients who have been on work disability for between two and ten months shows that 69.7% report experiencing substantial fatigue as well. Those reporting fatigue are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms and are also more likely to still be in pain 3, 6, and 12 months after completing their initial survey. Pain Medicine, April 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Free Radicals Not So Bad? Free radicals can stimulate apoptosis, also referred to as programmed cell death. This may be a way to avoid a cell becoming cancerous or to destroy viruses that have taken over a cell. In some cases, investigators observed that free radical apoptosis reinforces cell defenses, meaning a potential increase in lifespan. According to senior author Dr. Siegfried Hekimi, “People believe that free radicals are damaging and cause aging, but the so-called ‘free radical theory of aging’ is incorrect. We have turned this theory on its head by proving that free radical production increases during aging because free radicals actually combat – not cause – aging. In fact, in our model organism we can elevate free radical generation and thus induce a substantially longer life.” Cell, May 2014
Quote: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ~ Elmer G. Letterman
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 December 30 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, December 30th, 2013
Mental Attitude: Blood Test for Concussions. Currently, 15-30% of concussion sufferers will experience significant, persistent cognitive deficits, such as processing speed, working memory, and the ability to switch or balance multiple thoughts. Unfortunately, doctors have no reliable way to asses if a concussion sufferer may fall into that group. Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Baylor College believe they have discovered a blood test that can determine if a concussion sufferer will experience long-term neural complications. By testing blood for elevated levels of a specific protein (STNF), medical professionals can accurately identify if recovery issues will arise and what additional treatment measures should be taken. Frontiers in Neurology, November 2013
Health Alert: Alcohol and Acetaminophen. There were 116,395 new kidney failures, 571,414 people living with kidney failure, and 90,118 deaths from the disease in the United States in 2009. Moderate or light consumption of alcohol taken with acetaminophen may increase the risk of kidney dysfunction. Acetaminophen usage and low to moderate alcohol consumption are not considered as individual risk factors for kidney damage, but together, they increase a person’s risk for kidney damage by
123%. Mayo Clinic, November 2013
Diet: Fruits and Veggies are Good for Your Child’s Bones! A study from the United Kingdom found that fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with increased total body bone mineral density and bone mineral content in adolescent girls and boys. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2006
Exercise: It Can Take Time… After the first two months of an exercise program, volunteers who had insomnia reported they were not sleeping any better than they had at the start of the study. It wasn’t until the four month mark that their insomnia improved. They also rarely reported sleeping better on nights when they had exercised and they almost always exercised for a shorter amount of time on the days after a poor night’s sleep. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, November 2013
Chiropractic: Significant Improvement! Fifty patients with neck and arm pain caused by an MRI-confirmed cervical disk herniation received chiropractic adjustments over a 90-day period. After two weeks, 55.3% of patients reported their pain had significantly improved. This number rose to 68.9% after one month and 85.7% after three months of care. No adverse events were reported. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, October 2013
Wellness/Prevention: Pesticides and Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a common condition that affects 10% of women during their reproductive years. Symptoms may include painful menstrual periods, pelvic pain, and infertility. Researchers looked to
see if exposure to environmental chemicals with estrogenic properties (like some pesticides) could increase a woman’s risk for developing the disease. They found that women with blood samples showing exposure to two now-banned pesticides (beta-
hexachlorocyclohexane and mirex) have a 30-70% higher risk for developing the condition. Study author Dr. Kristen Upson concludes, “The take-home message from our study is that the persistent environmental chemicals, even those used in the past, may affect the health of the current generation of reproductive-age women with regard to a hormonally driven disease.” Environmental Health Perspectives, November 2013
Quote: “Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.” ~ John F. Kennedy
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 May 14 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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Week of Monday, May 14th, 2012
Mental Attitude: Less Distress If Active! Researchers found that older adults who experienced any level of psychological distress were more likely to experience physical functional limitations than those who did not. Psychological distress scores indicated that 8.4% of all older adult participants experienced some level of psychological distress and older adults who experienced even a moderate level of psychological distress were the most likely group to experience a functional limitation — almost seven times more likely than those who did not report any psychological distress! Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, April 2012
Health Alert: Super Markets and Waist Size. People who shop at discount supermarkets or in supermarkets in areas with poorly educated consumers have higher than normal body mass indices (BMI) and waist circumferences. According to the study’s author, Basile Chaix, “A public health strategy to reduce excess weight may be to intervene on specific supermarkets to change food purchasing behavior, as supermarkets are where dietary preferences are materialized into definite purchased foods.” PLoS One, April 2012
Diet: Red Wine & Fruit For Fat. Piceatannol is a compound found in red wine, grapes, blueberries and passion fruit. It’s able to block cellular processes that allow fat cells to develop, opening a door to a potential method to control obesity. Journal of Biological Chemistry, April 2012
Exercise: Regular Walking Regimen. Cancer patients can literally take a step-by-step approach to combat fatigue following surgical treatment. This fatigue doesn’t go away with sleep, affects daily activities (doing your personal hygiene in the morning, getting up and getting dressed, going from the bedroom to breakfast, etc.) and can also lead to anxiety and depression. Patients who underwent an operation as part of their cancer treatment and then started a regular walking regimen experienced less fatigue than cancer survivors who did not do the walking program. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, April 2012
Chiropractic: Keep Your Blood Flowing. Patients with atherosclerosis are associated with increased disk degeneration and subjective low back pain. Atherosclerosis slows blood flow to the disk complex, which, in turn, leads to degeneration. Spine, 1997
Wellness/Prevention: Cancer Is A Preventable Disease! Only 5-10% of cancer cases are due to genetic defects. The other 90-95% of cancer cases are due to environmental and lifestyle factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, obesity, infectious agents, environmental pollution and radiation.
Pharmaceutical Research, September 2008
Quote: “When somebody challenges you, fight back. Be brutal, be tough.” ~ Donald Trump
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 www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
