Mental Attitude: Is Self-Esteem Driven By Universal Mechanisms? According to a new international study, self-esteem increases as people grow older, and men tend to have higher levels of self-esteem than women. The findings were based on data collected from more than 985,000 people from 48 countries between 1999 and 2009. Lead author Dr. Wiebke Bleidorn writes, “This remarkable degree of similarity implies that gender and age differences in self-esteem are partly driven by universal mechanisms; these can either be universal biological mechanisms such as hormonal influences or universal cultural mechanisms such as universal gender roles. However, universal influences do not tell the whole story.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, January 2016
Health Alert: Hyperactivity Increases Risk for Traumatic Dental Injury. Children with hyperactivity symptoms are more likely to sustain a traumatic dental injury (TDI). Researchers reviewed the medical records of 230 school children and found those whose parents reported signs of hyperactivity were 2.33 times more likely to experience a TDI than those without parental-reported hyperactivity symptoms. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, January 2016
Diet: Eating Fruit and Veggies Linked to Better Grades. Using data collected from 47,203 Canadian adolescents as part of the 2012-2013 Youth Smoking Survey, researchers from the University of Waterloo conclude that only about 10% currently meet the Canadian government’s national fruit and vegetable intake recommendations (7-8 servings per day). The researchers also found that those who did consume the recommended amounts of produce per day are also more likely to earn mostly A’s or B’s on their report cards. The Journal of School Health, February 2016
Exercise: Diet & Exercise Improves Ability to Exercise Among Those with a Common Type of Heart Issue. A new study claims that obese older patients with a common type of heart failure can improve their ability to exercise without shortness of breath by either restricting calories or doing aerobic exercise. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (a measure of how well the left ventricle of the heart pumps with each contraction) is the most rapidly increasing form of heart failure. Exercise intolerance is the primary symptom of this chronic heart failure condition, and over 80% of patients with this condition are overweight or obese. In this small study, the authors found that peak Vo2 (volume of oxygen that an individual can use in one minute) increased significantly with either increased exercise or a healthier diet, and the combination of a healthy diet with exercise produced an even greater increase in exercise capacity. Journal of the American Medical Association, January 2016
Chiropractic: Lower Vitamin D Linked to Older Women with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Past studies have suggested that vitamin D plays a role in protecting the nerves from injury or degeneration. In a new study, investigators found that the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome was higher among women who were vitamin D deficient than women who had healthy vitamin D levels, especially in those under the age of 50. The study suggests improving vitamin D status could help women under the age of 50 reduce their risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome and related conditions. The Journal of Hand Surgery, December 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Doctor-Patient Emails May Help Chronically Ill. For those with chronic health conditions, the ability to communicate with their doctor via email appears to improve their health. A survey of 1,000 patients with chronic conditions revealed that 56% had sent their doctor an email within the past year and 46% had used email as the primary way of contacting their medical doctors. Furthermore, 32% of patients who had exchanged emails with their doctor reported improvements in their health. Lead study author Dr. Mary Reed adds, “As more patients gain access to online portal tools associated with electronic health records, emails between patients and providers may shift the way that healthcare is delivered and also impact efficiency, quality, and health outcomes.” Kaiser Permanente, December 2015
Quote: “Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

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