Mental Attitude: Dementia on the Decline Among Older Americans. An analysis of data from the Einstein Aging Study
indicates that today’s older adults are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia than those from the
previous generation. Experts suspect this decrease may be due to efforts aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease, which studies
show may play a role in the development of some neurodegenerative diseases. JAMA Neurology, September 2017
Health Alert: Obesity Rates Holding, But Still High. While obesity rates appear to be leveling off in the United States,
experts say that rates are still far too high. The data show adult obesity rates exceeded 30% over the last year in 25 states, and
rates topped 35% in five states. Overall, forty-six states had an obesity rate above 25%—a sharp contrast to the rates in 2000
when no state topped 25%. American Heart Association, August 2017
Diet: Removing Sugar from Diet Leads to Less Fatty Liver in Kids. Fatty liver disease among adolescents has more than
doubled over the past twenty years and is strongly linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases.
In a new study, researchers found that a nine-day diet that cut out fructose—a common form of sugar found in soft drinks, fruits
juices, and most processed foods—significantly reversed the buildup of liver fat in children and teens. Lead author Dr. Jean-
Marc Schwarz explains, “Our study clearly shows that sugar is turned into fat, which may explain the epidemic of fatty liver in
children consuming soda and food with added sugar. And we find that fatty liver is reversed by removing added fructose from
our diet.” Gastroenterology, August 2017
Exercise: Being Fit May Protect the Brain if a Stroke Occurs. Among a group of 84 stroke patients, those with higher
cardiorespiratory fitness scores performed better on cognitive assessments and had brain scans showing both greater grey matter
brain volume and greater white brain matter integrity. This suggests that physical fitness may protect the brain in the event of a
stroke. International Journal of Stroke, October 2017
Chiropractic: Office Chairs and Spinal Posture. Does your office chair include any features designed to improve your spinal
posture while sitting? Researchers X-rayed 28 volunteers while they stood up straight, bent forward, and sat in four chair
conditions: regular chair, a chair with lumbar support, a chair with seat pan tilt, and a chair with a backrest for scapular relief.
While the investigators didn’t find any one feature to be statistically superior with respect to minimizing spinal flexion (which
places stress on the back, potentially contributing to an injury during periods of prolonged sitting), they did report that the seat
pan tilt feature resulted in significantly improved pelvic posture, which may benefit the musculoskeletal system. A chiropractic
evaluation may include an assessment of a patient’s workstation, including a review of chair type and quality, as poor
ergonomics may contribute to his or her condition. Ergonomics, October 2017
Wellness/Prevention: Diet and Exercise Can Reduce Your Cancer Risk. Multiple studies have shown a link between diet
and physical activity on the risk of developing cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends the following lifestyle
changes to reduce your cancer risk: maintain a healthy body weight, exercise regularly, eat a lot of plant-based foods, limit
processed and red meats, limit daily alcohol to no more than one drink for women and two drinks for men per day, and stop
smoking if you’re a smoker. American Cancer Society, September 2017
Quote: “The life given us, by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal.” ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

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