Dr Beecher’s January 26 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, January 26th, 2015
Mental Attitude: Are You Pre-Wired to Be Bilingual? Some brains appear to be pre-wired to acquire a second language, according investigators who analyzed MRI scans of native English speakers who were asked to study Chinese vocabulary for six weeks. The pre-study MRI scans of those who were most successful at learning Chinese revealed a greater number of neural connections in the areas of the brain associated with some thinking and language skills. Study co-author Dr. Ping Li adds that, “[The brain] becomes more connected and integrated after learning [but] the brain networks of the more successful learners are better connected even before learning takes place.” It’s not yet clear what percentage of people are pre-wired to excel at learning a second language, and it’s not known if training can improve this type of brain wiring. Journal of Neurolinguistics, May 2014
Health Alert: Over 16 Million Children Live in States Where They Can Buy e-Cigarettes Legally! While 28 states have enacted laws forbidding the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS, which include e-cigarettes) to minors during the previous two years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 10 states in the United States still lack laws prohibiting the sale of ENDS to children. According to Dr. Tim McAfee, director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, “While ENDS may have the potential to benefit established adult smokers if used as a complete substitute for all smoked tobacco products, ENDS should not be used by youth and adult non-tobacco users because of the harmful effects of nicotine and other risk exposures, as well as the risk for progression to other forms of tobacco use.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 2014
Diet: Folic Acid Vital Before and During Pregnancy to Reduce Risk of Small Gestational Age. Women who take folic acid prior to conception appear to be less likely to have babies that are small for their gestational age, which can cause an array of health complications. Folic acid is a B vitamin that is already highly recommended for women of a childbearing age, as it reduces the risk of a child developing neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. The study found that the highest rates of small gestational age occurred among babies whose mothers had not taken folic acid before conception or during pregnancy. BJOG, November 2014
Exercise: Older Individuals Who Diet Without Exercising Lose Muscle Mass. A past study revealed that when older individuals diet without exercising, they tend to lose lean muscle while older dieters who are physically active don’t experience any muscle loss. This is important as older people tend to lose muscle mass as they age which may interfere with their ability to perform daily activities. Journal of Applied Physiology, September 2008
Chiropractic: Technology Use Can Increase Risk of Neck Pain. Experts are concerned that the increasing prevalence of technology may result in more pain among frequent users. Dr. Kenneth Hansray recently studied the issue of poor posture and how it affects the body, especially when using a cell phone or smart device. When the neck is in a neutral position, the head weighs about 12 pounds (~5.4 kg). Dr. Hansray found that when the head is tilted 15 degrees forward, stress on the neck increases to 27 pounds (~12.2 kg), at 45 degrees it increases to 49 pounds (~22.2 kg), and at 60 degrees it increases to 60 pounds (~27.2 kg). He adds, “When you have such aggressive stressors on the neck, you get wear and tear on the spine… You can develop tears within the disk, or even get a slipped or herniated disk.” The take-home message is to watch your posture and make changes regarding how you use your technology to avoid pain. If you do suffer from problems, your chiropractor can help by addressing posture, giving you specific exercises, and providing therapy to reduce your pain. Surgical Technology International, November 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Keep Your Feet Happy & Healthy. Because they are your body’s foundation, it is very important to take care of your feet to avoid pain and maintain their function. The American Podiatric Medical Association recommends the following for keeping your feet happy: moisturize daily, stretch and/or massage daily, get a pedicure, and wear comfortable shoes. American Podiatric Medical Association, December 2014
Quote: “It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into.” ~ Jonathan Swift
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 March 3 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, March 3rd, 2014
Mental Attitude: Online Courses for Stress Reduction? While mindfulness training in a 1-on-1 setting has been shown to be beneficial for reducing perceived stress, anxiety, and depression, researchers at the University of Oxford wondered if such training delivered via the internet would be as effective. A group of 273 participants completed an online mindfulness course that consisted of 10 sessions over an average time span of four weeks. Following the course, outcome assessments showed reductions in perceived stress, anxiety, and depression similar to those reported by participants who experienced in-person trainings. BMJ Open, February 2014
Health Alert: Amazing! Scientists from the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland and the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Italy have announced the first known instance of an amputee “feeling” the world via a state-of-the-art sensory- enhanced artificial hand. Sensations felt by the “hand” are converted into electrical impulses that communicate with the patient via wires that were surgically connected to nerves in his arm. Science Translational Medicine, February 2014
Diet: The Mediterranean Diet and Firefighters. The Mediterranean diet is rich in fish, nuts, vegetables, and fruits and previous studies have linked it to a decreased risk for cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. However, these studies tend to focus on an older population, patients with existing health problems, and people who live in Mediterranean countries. In this study, the participants were firefighters living in the Mid-Western United States. The firefighters who most adhered to the diet had a 35% decreased risk for metabolic syndrome and were 43% less likely to gain weight compared with those who least followed the diet. PLOS ONE, February 2014
Exercise: Play Team Sports! Because of declining estrogen levels, menopausal women are at greater risk for stroke and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Researchers found that menopausal women who participated in team-based sports for just twelve weeks had significant reductions in their blood pressure and improvements in blood vessel function, putting them at a 40% lower risk for stroke and a 20% lower risk for heart disease. As an added benefit, the majority of the women enjoyed the activity and were likely to continue participating after the study concluded. AJP: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, January 2014
Chiropractic: Just Two Treatments. Nearly 200 adults with spinal pain were separated into two groups. One group received two chiropractic adjustments and the other received two sham adjustments so researchers could differentiate if results were the result of the adjustment itself or the expectation of treatment. Two weeks later, researchers assessed each group and found the adjustment group reported greater improvements in pain, better overall improvement, and higher satisfaction. Spine, November 2013
Wellness/Prevention: Folic Acid and Pregnancy. Despite decades of research recommending pregnant women take folic acid supplements in order to prevent spina bifida and other neural tube defects, only 31% of pregnant women in the United Kingdom (UK) do. Additionally, among women who had previously given birth to a baby with a neural tube defect, only 51% took a folic acid supplement during subsequent pregnancies. In the United States, Australia, and 74 other countries, some grain-based foods are fortified with folic acid in hopes of reducing the risk of these types of birth defects. PLOS ONE, February 2014
Quote: “I’m a success today because I had a friend who believed in me and I didn’t have the heart to let him down.”
~ Abraham Lincoln
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 .
