Mental Attitude: Too Many Drivers Using Their Phones, Despite Knowing Dangers. Past studies have shown that
drivers who talk on cellphones are up to four times more likely to crash, and those who text are up to eight times more
likely to be involved in a collision than individuals who don’t use phones while driving. A survey of more than 2,600
drivers revealed that nearly 58% agreed that talking on a cell phone is a serious threat to their safety, while 78% admitted
the texting is a significant danger. Yet, nearly 50% of those surveyed said they had recently talked on their cellphone
while driving and more than one-third had sent a text or email while behind the wheel. AAA, April 2018
Health Alert: Nearly 10% of Adults Now Have Type 2 Diabetes in the US. According to a new report, 21 million
adults in the United States (US) now have type 2 diabetes, a condition linked to being overweight or obese that increases
the risk for heart disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, vision loss, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, March 2018
Diet: Ensure Your Fruits and Vegetables Are Safe to Eat. Though rich in vital nutrients and vitamins, raw fruits and
veggies can harbor potentially harmful germs, such as Salmonella and E. coli. When selecting fresh produce, the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following: choose produce that doesn’t look bruised or damaged; keep
precut fruit and vegetables cold; keep fruit and vegetables separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood in your grocery
bags and in the refrigerator; wash hands, knives, cutting boards, and countertops before and after preparing fruit and
vegetables; and wash all produce before eating, cutting, or cooking.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 2018
Exercise: Physically Active Kids May Sleep Better. Among a group of 1,100 Brazilian teenagers, researchers found that
those with low aerobic fitness were 80% more likely to experience poor sleep quality.
World Journal of Pediatrics, March 2018
Chiropractic: Manipulation Plus Exercise Helps Teens with Back Pain. Back pain is common in the adolescent
population, but little research exists on treatment options for this group of patients. In a new study, researchers randomly
assigned teenagers with back pain into one of two treatment groups for a three-month period: spinal manipulation
combined with exercise therapy or exercise therapy alone. The investigators monitored low back pain severity, disability,
quality of life, medication use, and patient and caregiver-rated improvement and satisfaction at 12, 26, and 52 weeks. The
findings revealed that for adolescents with back pain, spinal manipulation combined with exercise is more effective than
exercise alone over a one-year period. Pain, March 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Turn Down the Volume! Experts estimate that up to 20% of Americans aged 12 to 19 have some
degree of hearing loss. Technology is most likely to blame, especially with the use of earbuds. To help protect your
child’s hearing, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends: instruct them turn down the volume to about 60%, ask
them to take breaks after an hour of listening, and make sure your child can talk to others and hear what’s going on around
them when listening to music. American Academy of Pediatrics, April 2018
Quote: “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.” ~ Nelson Mandela

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

Mental Attitude: Depression Raises Dementia Risk in Type 1 Diabetics. Among a sample of 3,742 type 1 diabetics,
those with depression at middle-age had a 72% increased risk for developing dementia over the next two decades. This
finding is especially worrisome to researchers as 20% of participants had diagnosed depression at the onset of the study.
Aging & Mental Health, April 2018
Health Alert: Childhood Friendships May Be Key to Health Later On. Your childhood best friend may have a
surprising protective effect on your health in adulthood. In this study, researchers monitored the social lives of 267
individuals between age six and age sixteen and found that boys who spent more time with friends had a lower risk for
high blood pressure and obesity in their early thirties. Researcher Dr. Jenny M. Cundiff notes, “These findings suggest
that our early social lives may have a small protective influence on our physical health in adulthood, and it’s not just our
caregivers or financial circumstances, but also our friends who may be health protective.”
Psychological Science, March 2018
Diet: Veggies Are Heart Healthy for Women. Consuming vegetables can help older women keep their blood vessels
healthy. In this study, researchers found that the carotid artery walls of women who ate the most vegetables were about
0.05 millimeter thinner than those who ate the fewest servings of veggies, suggesting a lower risk for heart disease. Lead
researcher Dr. Lauren Blekkenhorst adds, “These findings reinforce the importance of adequate vegetable intake to reduce
your risk of atherosclerosis [“hardening of the arteries”], heart attacks, and strokes.”
Journal of the American Heart Association, April 2018
Exercise: Tai Chi Improve Respiratory Function for Those with COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) patients who engaged in a twelve-week tai chi intervention experienced similar improvements on the Saint
Georges Respiratory Questionnaire—a standard measure of health status for patients with airway obstruction—as patients
in a traditional pulmonary rehabilitation program. Chest, March 2018
Chiropractic: On-Call Work May Raise Risk for Back Pain and Other Problems. On-call work requires being ready
to work at any time, which can be very stressful for many individuals. A recent study investigated the association between
on-call work and health issues among a sample of over 29,000 men and women from a variety of industries and found that
being on-call increases the risk for the following conditions: hearing problems, skin problems, back pain, muscular pain in
arms and legs, headache, abdominal pain, depression and anxiety, and sleep problems.
Annals of Occupational Environmental Medicine, March 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Be Aware of Gluten in Medication. Individuals who suffer from gluten intolerance or sensitivity
must pay close attention to ingredients, as even a small amount of gluten can cause a reaction. Even over-the-counter and
prescription meds can contain gluten. To avoid gluten in medications, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests:
carefully read the ingredients on all your meds, talk to you physician about your gluten issues, and ask your pharmacist to
double check ingredients on the medications you are picking up. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, March 2018
Quote: “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” ~ Dale Carnegie

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

Mental Attitude: High Blood Pressure Linked to Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative
disorder that affects over one million Americans. After reviewing data from seven studies involving over 340,000
patients, researchers report that hypertensive adults have more than a 30% increased risk for developing Parkinson’s
disease later in life. Frontiers in Neurology, March 2018
Health Alert: Obesity May Cause Liver Damage By Age Eight. A long-term study involving 635 children found that
obese eight-year-olds are almost twice as likely to have elevated levels of an enzyme called ALT in their blood, which
signals their liver function may be impaired. Lead author Dr. Jennifer Woo Baidal writes, “With the rise in childhood
obesity, we are seeing more kids with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in our pediatric weight management practice…
Many parents know that obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes and other metabolic conditions, but there is far less awareness
that obesity, even in young children, can lead to serious liver disease.” Journal of Pediatrics, April 2018
Diet: Red Meat Linked to Colon Cancer Risk in Women. In this study, researchers reviewed data concerning more
than 32,000 women in the United Kingdom and found that those who regularly ate red meat were more likely to develop
distal colon cancer than the females in the study who did not eat red meat. Dr. Elena Ivanina, a gastroenterologist at
Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City notes, “Multiple studies have already highlighted that long-term consumption of
red meat or processed meats are associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, particularly for left-sided or distal
tumors, and this study does uphold this.” International Journal of Cancer, April 2018
Exercise: Yoga and Exercise Help Atrial Fibrillation Patients. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition that causes a rapid
and irregular heartbeat, which can lead to cardiovascular events like stroke and heart failure. A systemic review of studies
published in over 1,800 journals concluded that both yoga and moderate physical exercise can help patients manage the
symptoms associated with AF and improve their overall quality of life. American Journal of Cardiology, February 2018
Chiropractic: Manipulative Therapy Provides Benefits to Those with COPD. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
(COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes breathing difficulty, cough, mucus (sputum) production, and
wheezing. A recent study found that manipulative therapies can help improve functional exercise capacity in patients with
COPD, potentially helping to improve the quality of life of patients with the condition.
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, March 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Rear-Facing Car Seats Protect in Rear-End Crashes. Little research exists on child safety in
rear-facing car seats in the event of a rear-end crash. In this study, Ohio State University researchers tested several rearfacing
car seats in rear-end crashes and found that all of the seats were effective at supporting a child’s head, neck, and
spine. Study lead author Dr. Julie Mansfield adds, “Even though the child is facing the direction of the impact, it doesn’t
mean that a rear-facing car seat isn’t going to do its job…It still has lots of different features and mechanisms to absorb
that crash energy and protect the child.” SAE International, April 2018
Quote: “Our entire life consists ultimately in accepting ourselves as we are.” ~ Jean Anouilh

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

Mental Attitude: Nutritional Deficiencies in Early Life May Affect Dementia Risk. Past research has identified a
relationship between short adult leg length and the quality of nutrition in early life. In a study that included over 13,000
seniors from East Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America, researchers found an association between short leg length and
dementia risk. This finding suggests that poor nutrition in childhood may be predictive of dementia risk later in life.
PLOS ONE, April 2018
Health Alert: Stressful Life Events Increase Diabetes Risk. According to a new study that involved almost 8,000
middle-aged adults, there is a relationship between an elevated risk for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and the total number of
major stressful events an individual encounters in his or her lifetime. Examples of stressful life events include the death of
a spouse or child, divorce, marital separation, imprisonment, the death of a close family member, personal injury or
illness, and job loss. The researchers conclude, “Reducing the direct effect of stress with management interventions may
reduce the indirect effect of developing T2DM and warrants further investigation.” Journals of Gerontology, April 2018
Diet: High-Carb Diet May Be Bad for Cancer Survivors… In this study, researchers tracked the pre- and posttreatment
diet of more than 400 cancer patients and found that those who consumed the most carbohydrates and sugars in
the year before cancer treatment had an elevated risk of mortality from any cause during the following two years.
International Journal of Cancer, March 2018
Exercise: Encourage Teens to Play Organized Sports. Previous research has demonstrated that individuals with poor
fitness levels as they enter adulthood have an increased risk for a number of negative health outcomes. In this study,
researchers found that teens who participated in organized sports during late adolescence had higher fitness levels at age
19 than their peers who did not. The authors conclude, “From a health perspective, in terms of [cardiorespiratory fitness],
the findings highlight the importance of encouraging adolescents to participate in organized sport and to refrain from
dropping out of organized sport programs.” Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, April 2018
Chiropractic: Canadian Guidelines Support Manipulation for Back Pain. An eight-member multidisciplinary panel
recently set out to determine clinical practice guidelines for the management of acute and chronic low back pain in adults.
Their review of the current available evidence led them to conclude that a multimodal approach including spinal
manipulative therapy, other commonly used active interventions, self-management advice, and exercise are an effective
treatment strategy for the management of both acute and chronic back pain, with or without leg pain.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, March 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Help Reduce Water Pollution. The Office of Women’s Health notes that drinking polluted water
can cause vomiting, diarrhea, skin rashes, and reproductive and developmental problems. To help reduce the risk of
consuming polluted water, the agency recommends the following: recycle batteries and other harmful electronic waste;
test your drinking water for harmful pollutants; filter or boil water to remove bacteria, lead, or chlorine; take used motor
oil to a recycling center; and use cold water for drinking and cooking, as it is less likely to contain lead.
Office of Women’s Health, April 2018
Quote: “Only a mediocre person is always at his best.” ~ W. Somerset Maugham

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