Mental Attitude: Anxiety Increases Dementia Risk! After adjusting for depressive symptoms, individuals with high anxiety appear
to have a greater risk for dementia later in life. Researchers used data from the Swedish Adoption Twin Study of Aging, a multidecade
study that has followed twins who were separated early in life. They found when only one twin (either identical or fraternal)
had a history of high levels of anxiety, they were 6-11% more likely than their sibling to be diagnosed with dementia three decades
later. Alzheimer’s and Dementia, November 2015
Health Alert: Dehydration is Common Among Frail Older Adults. Serum tests of 188 seniors living in a community setting
showed 20% were dehydrated at the time their blood was drawn. Dehydration can be a serious problem among the frail elderly, as it
can impair cognition and renal function. The researchers note thirst was not associated with hydration status in this group, suggesting
caregivers need to pay closer attention to their residents’ fluid intake. The Journals of Gerontology, November 2015
Diet: Menus with Calorie Counts May Prompt Healthier Offerings. Restaurants that list calorie counts on their menus offer more
lower-calorie choices than those that don’t provide such information. An analysis of menus from one hundred of the largest chain
restaurants in the United States found those with voluntary calorie labeling averaged 140 fewer calories per selection. Co-author Dr.
Julia Wolfson writes, “The biggest impact from mandatory menu labeling may come from restaurants decreasing the calories in their
menu items rather than expecting consumers to notice the calorie information and, subsequently, order different menu items… Given
how often Americans eat in restaurants, if more chain restaurants decrease calories on their menus to a level that we are seeing in
restaurants that already label, this has the potential to reduce population-level obesity.” Health Affairs, November 2015
Exercise: Keeping Physically Active Reduces Depression Risk After a Heart Attack. The odds of being depressed after a heart
attack appear to be significantly lower for those who had been physically active during the years before their heart attack. Researchers
found that those who engaged in regular physical activity in the ten years prior to their first heart attack had nearly a 20% lower risk
for depression when compared with those who were inactive during the same time period. First author Dr. Linda Ernstsen notes, “Our
results add strength to the evidence of a causal link between physical activity and mental health.”
American Journal of Medicine, October 2015
Chiropractic: Manual Therapy Returns Pilot to Air. Low back pain can be a significant safety risk for a pilot, as it can become a
distraction during flight. In a recent case study, a pilot sought a non-pharmacological and noninvasive therapy option for his chronic
low back pain. After just three sessions of manual treatment to address sacral, pelvic, and lumbar dysfunction, the pilot reported an
80%+ improvement in pain and was able to return to flight. The case reveals the benefits of manual therapy in the management of
chronic back pain among aviators. Military Medicine, October 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Can Vitamin D Lower Heart Disease Risk? Vitamin D supplements may improve exercise performance and
lower the risk of heart disease. Researchers say that vitamin D can block the action of an enzyme called 11-βHSD1, which assists in
making the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated levels of this hormone can increase blood pressure by restricting the arteries, narrowing
blood vessels, and encouraging the kidneys to retain water. Thus, researchers theorize vitamin D could improve exercise performance
and lower risk factors for cardiovascular issues by reducing cortisol levels.
Society for Endocrinology Annual Conference, November 2015
Quote: “The ability to listen to smart people who disagree with you is a rare talent.” ~ Ken Follet

I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.

Mental Attitude: Memory Complaints May Indicate Increased Dementia Risk Decades Later. Women who complain of poor memory may be at an increased risk for dementia later in life. In a recent study, researchers found that older women who had memory complaints at the start of the data collection period had a 70% greater risk of being diagnosed with a memory and thinking disorder nearly twenty years later. Furthermore, women who reported memory problems at the mid-point of the study were 90% more likely to be diagnosed with a cognitive impairment over the following decade. The findings provide further evidence that memory complaints should receive closer attention, as they may be an early sign of more severe memory and thinking problems later in life.
Neurology, October 2015
Health Alert: Too Much TV Linked to Increased Risk of Death. Currently, 80% of adults in the United States watch at least 3.5 hours of television per day. This is alarming as a new study links the hours spent watching TV to increased risks for eight of the major causes of death. The study found older adults who watched TV for three to four hours per day were 15% more likely to die from any cause during the 15-year study than those who spent less time in front of the television. The researchers add that individuals who watched seven or more hours of TV per day were 47% more likely to die during the course of the study than those who seldom watch TV. Lead researcher Dr. Sarah K. Keadle writes, “Our results fit within a growing body of research indicating that too much sitting can have many different adverse health effects.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, July 2015
Diet: What Are the Benefits of Potassium? This essential mineral offer benefits to your heart, muscles, kidneys, and nervous system. The University of Maryland Medical Center says the potential benefits of potassium include improved bone health, lower blood pressure, and reduced stroke and heart attack risk. Potassium can be found in food such as potatoes, bananas, nuts, citrus, and avocados. University of Maryland Medical Center, October 2015
Exercise: Exercise Could Help Women Delay Preventive Mastectomy. A new study finds that regular physical activity may delay drastic preventative measures, such as a mastectomy, among women at high risk for breast cancer. The study involved 139 premenopausal women who were at high-risk for breast cancer due to either genetic mutations or family history. They were divided into three exercises groups: a “low-dose” group that performed 150 minutes of treadmill exercise per week, a “high-dose” group that exercised 300 minutes a week, and a control group that exercised for less than 75 minutes per week. After five months, the control group showed a 20% increase in estrogen-sensitive breast tissue, while the low- and high-dose groups saw reductions of estrogen-sensitive breast tissue of about 8% and 12%, respectively. The authors suggest that women who have an elevated breast cancer risk should consider performing 30 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity per day, five days per week.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, October 2015
Chiropractic: Musculoskeletal Pain Common Among Dental Hygienists! Surveys completed by 500 dental hygienists in the state of California found 96% suffer from some form of musculoskeletal pain. Those who reported their pain levels as moderate or severe were more likely to work on more than eight patients a day and use proper posture less than 50% of the time when compared with those only reporting mild pain levels or none at all. Journal of Dental Hygiene, October 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Eliminate These Bad Habits to Sleep Better! Just a few bad habits can affect sleep quality. The National Sleep Foundation lists the following sleep-stealing practices you should avoid: consuming caffeine within six hours before bedtime; drinking alcohol or eating a large meal or snack before bed; insufficient exercise; having a TV or other technology in the bedroom; and sleeping late during weekends. National Sleep Foundation, October 2015
Quote: “Happiness is not a possession to be prized, it is a quality of thought, a state of mind.” ~ Daphne du Maurier

I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.

Mental Attitude: Mood Can Be Affected By Interrupted Sleep. If you wake up several times per night, then you are more likely to be in a bad mood the following day. Researchers assessed the mood of 62 men and women over three consecutive days. Each night participants had either a normal bedtime with forced awakenings or a later bedtime with uninterrupted sleep. By the second day, those in the forced awakenings group had a 31% reduction in positive mood, compared with a 12% reduction for those in the later-bedtime group. Lead author Dr. Patrick Finan explains, “When your sleep is disrupted throughout the night, you don’t have the opportunity to progress through the sleep stages to get the amount of slow-wave sleep that is key to the feeling of restoration.” Sleep, October 2015
Health Alert: Many Patients with Acne Take Antibiotics Too Long. Patients with severe acne often remain on antibiotics for several months before they are transitioned to a potentially more effective treatment. A review of medical records of 137 patients found that on average, patients were kept on antibiotics for eleven months before their healthcare provider decided the medicine was not effective. Dr. Katy Burris, a dermatologist at North Shore-LIJ Health System in Manhasset, New York adds, “We need to recognize those patients who are not responding to oral antibiotics sooner rather than later, to minimize overexposure to antibiotics as well as potential scarring, and initiate successful therapy.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, October 2015
Diet: Soluble Fiber May Prevent Weight Gain. Researchers from Georgia State University suggest that a diet low in soluble fiber may be a key contributor in weight gain. The study found that mice fed a diet lacking soluble fiber experienced poor gut health and gained weight. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the gut, forming a gel-like substance that can help lower cholesterol, slow digestion, and regulate blood sugar. The researchers add, “If our observations were to prove applicable to humans, it would suggest that encouraging consumption of foods with high soluble fiber content may be a means to combat the epidemic of metabolic disease. Moreover, [the] addition of… soluble fibers to processed foods, including calorically rich obesogenic foods, may be a means to ameliorate their detrimental effects.” American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, October 2015
Exercise: Aerobic Exercise Improves Sleep in Elderly. While many seniors accept reduced sleep quality and quantity as part of the aging process, a new study finds it doesn’t necessarily have to be the case. Elderly adults who participated in three one-hour aerobic exercise classes per week for twelve weeks experienced a 44% improvement in sleep quality and a 16% improvement in the amount of time they stayed asleep. Current Aging Science, October 2015
Chiropractic: Improving Spinal Shape with Manipulation & Exercise. Low back pain is a common complaint among golfers. In a recent study, professional golfers with a history of chronic low back pain received a one-month regimen of spinal manipulation and corrective core exercises to improve their spinal shape/curvature. After the four-week program concluded, the researchers observed a significant change in pelvic tilt among the participants, indicating the benefits of a combination of spinal manipulation and corrective core exercises in establishing correct spinal curvature. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, September 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Breast-Feeding May Reduce Risk of Breast Cancer. A new study has found a link between breast-feeding and a reduced risk for an aggressive form of breast cancer called hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer. The international study found that women who breast-fed were up to 20% less likely to develop hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer when compared to those who did not breast-feed. The researchers write, “The findings show the need for more public health programs that directly inform women about the benefits of breast-feeding, and for removal of obstacles to breast-feeding in the home, community, and workplace.” Annals of Oncology, October 2015
Quote: “Talent is cheap; dedication is expensive. It will cost you your life.” ~ Irving Stone

I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.

Mental Attitude: Better Air Quality Improves Employee Performance. Employees in offices with enhanced ventilation systems
and low levels of chemical air pollutants appear to outperform workers from offices with inferior air quality. The researchers also
found the average performance scores of these employees fell as carbon dioxide levels increased to levels that commonly occur in
indoor settings. Lead author Dr. Joseph Allen comments, “These results suggest that even modest improvements to indoor
environmental quality may have a profound impact on the decision-making performance of workers.”
Environmental Health Perspectives, October 2015
Health Alert: Severe Obesity Leads to Billions in Additional Healthcare Costs! New research suggests that severe obesity is
placing a huge financial strain on both the United States’ Medicaid system as well as on the severely obese themselves. According to
the study, $69 billion dollars is spent in the United States each year on obesity-related health services. Currently, Medicaid pays about
10% of the annual cost of treating severely obese individuals, and that total is likely to rise as Medicaid expands under the Affordable
Care Act. Overall, people who are severely obese pay $1,980 more for healthcare than non-obese individuals. Co-author Dr. Michael
Long adds, “Medicaid patients, who have low resources and a high burden of disease and obesity, are not covered completely. So
severe obesity is a big burden on both Medicaid and patients.” Dr. Long and his colleagues add that diet and exercise initiatives are
needed to curb severe obesity and its associated health costs. Health Affairs, November 2015
Diet: Fast-Food Ads Strongly Influence Kids. Fast-food restaurants that offer free toys in their television ads strongly influence
children and families when it comes to meal choices. The study, which included 100 children and their parents, revealed the more kids
watched TV channels that advertised children’s fast-food meals, the more likely their families visited those restaurants. Study author
Dr. Jennifer Emond writes, “For now, our best advice to parents is to switch their child to commercial-free TV programming to help
avoid pestering for foods seen in commercials.” The Journal of Pediatrics, October 2015
Exercise: Exercise Can Affect a Child’s Cognitive Skills. A child’s thinking and learning skills may be affected by their physical
activity levels. Researchers found that active children who are not overweight or obese performed better on tests of mental skills, such
as planning and paying attention, than their inactive counterparts. In the study, active children were defined as those who took part in
organized activities, such as swimming, gymnastics, soccer, or dance for more than an hour a week. Study author Dr. Catherine Davis
adds, “Activity made a difference even among normal-weight kids. That verifies that physical activity makes a difference in brain
function.” Pediatric Exercise Science, October 2015
Chiropractic: How to Avoid Back Pain While Feeding a Baby. The frequent carrying, lifting, and breast feeding of babies can
often result in back pain for new moms. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recommends avoiding bending over during
nursing, placing a pillow on your lap to help raise baby to your level while nursing, using an upright firm chair instead of a soft couch,
and remembering to remove the tray first before lifting a baby out of a high chair.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, October 2015
Wellness/Prevention: A Family Dog May Lower a Child’s Asthma Risk. Early exposure to dogs may reduce the risk of asthma in
children. A new study found children in homes with a family dog during their first year of life had a 13% lower risk of asthma by the
time they were old enough for school. The researchers speculate early exposure to a wider variety of microorganisms (via the family
dog, in this case) helps build a more robust immune system that is less susceptible to some of the environmental causes of asthma
attacks. JAMA Pediatrics, November 2015
Quote: “The secret to life is meaningless unless you discover it yourself.” ~ W. Somerset Maugham

I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.