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.