Dr Beecher’s December 8 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, December 8th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Binge Drinking During Teens Linked to Long-Term Brain Changes. According to a new animal study, binge drinking during the adolescent years has lasting effects on brain function. In rat subjects, researchers found that binge drinking reduced myelin in the region of the brain crucial for decision-making and regulating emotions. The findings suggest that alcohol may negatively affect brain development in humans and have long-term consequences in parts of the brain that are important for controlling impulses and making decisions. The Journal of Neuroscience, October 2014
Health Alert: Young Biker’s Brains Benefit from Universal Helmet Laws. Young American motorcyclists who live in states that have mandatory universal helmet laws are 2.5 times less likely to experience a traumatic brain injury in the event of a crash than those living in states with less-strict or no helmet laws. American College of Surgeons, October 2014
Diet: Mediterranean-Style Diet May Lower Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease. Individuals who eat a Mediterranean-style diet may have up to a 50% lower risk for chronic kidney disease. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by the high-consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts, and whole grains, eating fish and poultry at least twice a week, reducing red meat consumption, and replacing butter with healthy fats. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, October 2014
Exercise: A Popular Supplement May Reverse the Effects of Exercise. Resveratrol, an antioxidant compound found in red grapes and known for many health benefits, appears to negate the effects of exercise, according to the results of a recent double-blind study. Researchers found that after a four-week exercise trial, men who received resveratrol supplementation failed to see improvement in their fitness levels. Meanwhile, those who received a placebo, experienced the benefits typically associated with an exercise program. Research leader Dr. Brendon Gurd comments, “The results we saw suggest that concurrent exercise training and resveratrol supplementation may alter the body’s normal training response induced by low-volume high-intensity interval training. The data set we recorded during this study clearly demonstrates that resveratrol supplementation doesn’t augment training, but may impair the effect it has on the body.” Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism. November 2014
Chiropractic: 1 in 5 Americans Experience Chronic Pain. A new survey involving roughly 35,000 households in the United States reveals that nearly 20% of Americans suffer with chronic pain. Among individuals with chronic pain, more than two-thirds have constant pain, while more than 50% say their pain can be unbearable and excruciating at times. Medications only relieve about a third or less of the chronic pain and can be completely ineffective in treating some types of chronic pain. The author suggests a variety of potential interventions, including physical and occupational therapy, exercise, dietary changes, weight loss, massage and psychotherapy, acupuncture, yoga, and chiropractic services to help patients manage chronic pain. Journal of Pain, October 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Future Saliva Test May Detect Diseases Earlier and Easier. Researchers are working on a simple saliva test that could be capable of the early detection of diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. In a comprehensive analysis of RNA molecules in human saliva, researchers found that saliva contains many of the disease-revealing molecules that are found in the blood. The overriding conclusion is that saliva has tremendous medical and scientific value, and in the future, saliva samples could indicate the presence of a variety of diseases. UCLA, October 2014
Quote: “Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.” ~ 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 .
Dr Beecher’s February 24 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, February 24th, 2014
Mental Attitude: Meditation Benefits. According to an analysis of 47 clinical trials involving over 3,500 patients, meditation offers benefits to people with depression, anxiety, and pain similar to antidepressant medications. The researchers behind the study also note that meditation does not have the potential negative side-effects of antidepressant drugs. JAMA Internal Medicine, January 2014
Health Alert: Hygiene and Diabetes? Researchers at the University of Helsinki Children’s Hospital believe the rise in auto-immune diseases, like type 1 diabetes and allergies, may be linked to a corresponding rise in hygiene standards. The so-called “hygiene hypothesis” suggests that less bacterial exposure during childhood may hinder the development of a child’s immune system. The researchers point out that Finland has the highest incidence of type 1 diabetes in the world but neighboring countries with lower hygiene stands have much lower reports of the auto-immune disease.
University of Helsinki Children’s Hospital, January 2014
Diet: Avocado Please. According to a new study, participants who ate half of a fresh avocado with lunch were 40% less hungry three hours later and 28% less hungry five hours later. Most of the fat content in avocados is monounsaturated fat and studies have shown that regularly consuming this type of fat can reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, as well as reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease. Nutrition Journal, January 2014
Exercise: A Quick Walk? Walking at a moderate pace for 180 minutes over the course of a week (30 minutes a day for five days or 60 minutes a day for three days) has been demonstrated to significantly improve mild to moderate depression. Harvard Medical School, November 2005
Chiropractic: Dare to Compare. Patients with chronic (>13 weeks) spinal pain were placed into one of three types of care: acupuncture, medication, or spinal manipulation. After 30 days of treatment, only the manipulation group showed significant reduction in pain intensity and improvements across all outcome measurements.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, July 1999
Wellness/Prevention: Watch What You Eat! A study involving 224 adolescent females found that the increased consumption of dietary fat was significantly linked to an increase in abdominal fat, regardless of total calorie intake or physical fitness. The accumulation of abdominal fat is harmful as it increases the risk of suffering from cardiovascular problems, diabetes mellitus, arterial high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, etc. According to lead researcher Dr. Idoia Labayen, “Until now it was thought that even with an unbalanced diet, you somehow compensated for it if you got plenty of physical exercise. In this study we have shown that this is not the case.” Clinical Nutrition, January 2014
Quote: “Before you can think outside the box, you have to be smart enough to know that there is a box.”
~ A. Farthingsworth
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 .
