Mental Attitude: Mental Health Care Is Vital But Often Tough to Get. A survey shows that most Americans believe mental health care is important, but they often think it is expensive and hard to obtain. Dr. Christine Moutier, chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention writes, “Progress is being made in how Americans view mental health and the important role it plays in our everyday lives. People see the connection between mental health and overall well-being, our ability to function at work and at home, and how we view the world around us. Respondents want to help a loved one by connecting them to the right mental health treatment and support.” Anxiety and Depression Association of America, September 2015
Health Alert: Cold Weather May Increase Stroke Risk for Some. The onset of cold weather may actually pose health risks for some individuals with a heart condition. A new study found colder weather can increase the risk of stroke for people with atrial fibrillation by as much as 20% when compared with their risk during the warmer months. Atrial fibrillation is a common condition in which the heart beats irregularly that affects about 9% of elderly individuals in the United States.
European Society of Cardiology, August 2015
Diet: Kids Eat Too Much Salt! Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say 90% of school children eat too much salt on a daily basis and one in six kids has hypertension. The CDC recommends the following strategies to help reduce your child’s salt intake: try different herbs and spices in place of salt, use “low sodium” or “no salt added” ingredients, eat more fruits and vegetables, and eat fewer processed foods. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September 2015
Exercise: Bike-Related Injuries Are Up Among Older Americans. Between 1998 and 2013, bicycle injuries among those over 45 years of age jumped 81% and hospital admissions increased 66%. Lead researcher Dr. Benjamin Breyer writes, “As cyclists in the [United States] shift to an older demographic, greater attention is needed in injury prevention measures through improved infrastructure, such as bike lanes, use of personal protective equipment, such as helmets, as well as improved rider and motorist education.” Journal of the American Medical Association, September 2015
Chiropractic: Neck Pain and Episodic Migraines. Nearly 500 migraine headache sufferers were asked to track the presence of neck pain in relation to a headache episode to determine if it preceded the migraine or occurred at its onset. The researchers found 69.4% of participants reported neck pain either before or during a migraine episode. Of those, almost half had neck pain in the hours before their headache manifested. This suggests cervical dysfunction may play some role in the development of migraine headaches.
Journal of Headache and Pain, September 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Interventions to Help Reduce Sitting Time. Previous studies have shown a link between time spent sitting and cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and early death, even among those who regularly exercise. An analysis of 26 published studies found the most effective interventions for reducing sitting time were promoting sit-stand desks, encouraging people to keep a record of how much time they spend sitting each day, setting individual goals for limiting sitting time, using alarms to encourage people to get up and move around, and educating people on the health consequences of sitting too much.
Health Psychology Review, September 2015
Quote: “What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within the span of his little life by him who interests his heart in everything.” ~ Laurence Sterne
I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.