Mental Attitude: Subjective Cognitive Decline May Predict Mortality Risk. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD)
describes a state in which a person feels their thinking abilities have worsened, but this decline cannot be verified by
standardized tests. In a study involving 1,741 seniors, those who reported SCD had an elevated risk for death during
the following five years. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, September 2018
Health Alert: Gum Disease and Neurodegenerative Diseases. Compared to seniors with normal cognitive
function, patients with Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, or subjective cognitive decline are more
likely to have periodontitis. The results suggest that poor oral health may indicate an individual has an elevated risk
for future cognitive difficulties. Journal of Clinical Periodontology, October 2018
Diet: Vitamin D Supplements May Aid Weight Loss in Obese Kids. Childhood and adolescence obesity represent
a major health problem worldwide, as it can lead to the development of expensive, serious, and debilitating health
complications later in life. A study that involved 232 obese children and adolescents revealed that those given
vitamin D supplements had significantly lower body mass index and body fat and improved cholesterol levels after
one year. These findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation could be part of an effective strategy to address
childhood obesity and reduce the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, later in life.
European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology, September 2018
Exercise: Exercise Helps Eliminate Toxic Proteins from Muscles. A new animal-based study has found that daily
exercise helps facilitate the elimination of proteins and organelles in the muscles that are no longer functional.
Investigators say the removal of these components is vital, because when they accumulate, they become toxic and
contribute to muscle cell impairment and death. Principle investigator Dr. Julio Cesar Batista Ferreira explains,
“Imagine the muscles working in a similar manner to a refrigerator, which needs electricity to run. If this signal
ceases because you pull the plug on the fridge or block the neurons that innervate the muscles, before long, you find
that the food in the fridge and the proteins in the muscles will start to spoil at different speeds according to their
composition.” Scientific Reports, September 2018
Chiropractic: Manipulation Plus Exercise Can Help Patients with Shoulder Pain. Americans make over seven
million doctor visits each year for shoulder and upper arm pain. A review of past research has found quality evidence
that a treatment plan that combines thrust manipulation with specific exercises can reduce pain and improve function
in patients with rotator cuff dysfunction. Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, September 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Don’t Smoke! As if there were not already enough reasons to stop smoking or never start in
the first place, new research indicates that smokers with diabetes have an elevated risk for foot ulcers and more
severe foot ulcers should they occur. Journal of Diabetes Investigation, October 2018
Quote: “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” ~ Desmond Tutu
I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.

Mental Attitude: Kids with Musculoskeletal Pain Have Increased Risk for Psychological Issues… According to
a new study that looked at data from the 2011/2012 National Survey of Children’s Health, boys and girls with a
musculoskeletal condition have an elevated risk for anxiety, depression, and behavioral/conduct problems.
Rehabilitation Psychology, October 2018
Health Alert: Path to Obesity Starts in Preschool. Preschoolers who quickly gain weight are at a particularly
higher risk for becoming obese teens. In this study, researchers looked at the weight-gain patterns of more than
51,000 German children and found that more than 50% of obese teens had already become overweight or obese by
the time they reached age five. New England Journal of Medicine, October 2018
Diet: A Third of Americans Eat Fast Food Daily. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports
that 37% of adults have eaten fast food at least once in the last 24 hours.
National Center for Health Statistics, October 2018
Exercise: Family Caregivers Benefit From Exercise. Exercise can reduce stress and improve cellular health
among family caregivers. Researchers recruited 68 sedentary individuals who cared for family members suffering
from either Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. The participants were divided into either a group that
undertook 40 minutes of aerobic exercise three to five times per week or a group that was asked not to alter their
current level of activity. At the end of the six-month study, the exercise group not only experienced improved
cardiorespiratory fitness, but they also reduced their body mass index, trimmed their waistlines, and reported lower
levels of stress. Lastly, the researchers observed an increase in telomere length among participants in the exercise
group, a trait that previous studies have associated with slowed cellular aging.
Psychoneuroendocrinology, October 2018
Chiropractic: Leg Pain Commonly Precedes Spinal Pain in Children. In a study involving 1,008 Danish school
children, parents reported each week whether their child had spinal pain, lower extremity pain, or upper extremity
pain. The results revealed that children were more likely to experience an episode of spinal pain after experiencing
lower extremity pain. Additionally, the likelihood of spinal pain increased in children who had more frequent or
longer lasting lower extremity pain. The researchers conclude, “This paper confirms that attention to the entire
musculoskeletal system is required to understand the course and development of spinal pain.”
European Journal of Pediatrics, September 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Should Pregnant Women Take a Calcium Supplement? Following a review of data from
27 published studies, researchers conclude that women who take a calcium supplement during their pregnancy may
have a reduced risk for pre-eclampsia and preterm birth, particularly if they also consume a low-calcium diet.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, October 2018
Quote: “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” ~ William Penn
I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.

Mental Attitude: Sleep Duration May Affect Stroke Risk in Men. After reviewing data concerning
approximately 17,000 American adults, researchers report that men who sleep nine or more hours per night have a
70% greater risk for stroke than average sleepers. Neurology, October 2018
Health Alert: Dementia and Diabetes Are a Deadly Combo. An analysis of data regarding nearly 20,000 seniors
with either type 1 or 2 diabetes revealed that older adults with both diabetes and dementia had a 67% elevated risk
for death following dangerously low blood sugar than those with only diabetes. Dr. James Pickett, the head of
research at the Alzheimer’s Society notes, “Very low blood sugar levels are clearly dangerous to anyone with
diabetes, and this suggests the effects might be even more extreme in people with dementia.”
European Association for the Study of Diabetes, October 2018
Diet: Mediterranean Diet May Help Your Vision. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, such as the
Mediterranean-style diet, may significantly reduce your risk for developing age-related macular degeneration
(AMD). In this study, researchers analyzed data on over 5,000 people, aged 55 and older, and found that those who
closely followed a Mediterranean style diet had a 41% lower risk for developing late-stage AMD than participants
who did not follow such a diet. American Academy of Ophthalmology spokesperson Dr. Emily Chew adds,
“Chronic diseases, such as AMD, dementia, obesity and diabetes, all have roots in poor dietary habits. It’s time to
take quitting a poor diet as seriously as quitting smoking.” Ophthalmology, September 2018
Exercise: Exercise Helps Kids with ADHD. A review of data from 18 published studies found moderate-to-highquality
evidence that engaging in an exercise program improved attention and social behavior in children with
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, September 2018
Chiropractic: Chiropractic Care Improves Health-Related Quality of Life. Assessments completed by 2,024
neck pain and back pain patients at 125 chiropractic clinics throughout the United States revealed that overall,
chiropractic treatment results in significant quality of life improvements with respect to physical functioning, pain,
fatigue, sleep disturbance, and social health. Spine, October 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Dealing with Poison Ivy. If you touch or even get near poison ivy, you can develop an itchy,
blistering rash within 72 hours. Though the rash usually goes away after a short time, some people can have serious
reactions that require a trip to the doctor. To help manage a poison ivy rash, the American Academy of Dermatology
offers these suggestions: wash anything that may have come in contact with the oil; avoid scratching, which can
trigger an infection; take lukewarm soapy baths to ease itching; apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to the
rash; and take an antihistamine if recommended by your physician.
American Academy of Dermatology, September 2018
Quote: “It’s the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.” ~ John Wooden
I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.

Mental Attitude: Asthma May Increase Postpartum Depression Risk. A review of data concerning over 200,000
new mothers found that those with asthma were 58% more likely to develop postpartum depression within one year
of the birth of their child. The researchers conclude, “A close monitoring of signs of depression for pregnant women
with asthma is indicated, allowing prompt and efficient interventions if needed.”
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, October 2018
Health Alert: Diabetes Linked to Arthritis and Osteoporosis. Data from a Danish National Health Survey
involving 109,218 adults over the age of 40 showed that those with diabetes were 33% more likely to have
osteoarthritis, 70% more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis, and 29% more likely to have osteoporosis. Low back
pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain were also more common among diabetics. Researchers suspect that the
relationship between these conditions and diabetes may be due to the presence of chronic inflammation.
European Association for the Study of Diabetes, October 2018
Diet: Diet May Affect Breast Cancer Risk. A new animal study suggests that the breast glands have a
“microbiome” that’s influenced by diet—just like the gut! In the study, researchers found that monkeys fed a
Mediterranean-style diet had a different mix of bacteria in their breast tissue than those fed a Western-style diet.
Specifically, the researchers observed a ten-fold increase in lactobacillus in the mammary glands of the monkeys in
the Mediterranean-style diet group, which past studies have demonstrated can inhibit breast cancer tumor growth.
Cell Reports, October 2018
Exercise: Fitness May Improve Cancer Survivability! In this study, researchers found that men with greater
cardiorespiratory fitness at the time of their cancer diagnosis were 23% less likely to die during the following five
years than those with poor fitness scores. Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, October 2018
Chiropractic: Back Pain is a Major Problem for Med School Students. Brazilian researchers interviewed 629
medical school students and found that 77% of female students and 51% of male students experienced periods of
recurrent back pain. One in five said their back pain interfered with social activities, while about 30% noted back
pain interfered with either physical activities or school activities. The research team also noted a strong association
between the risk of recurrent back pain and poor posture habits among the participants in the study.
Clinical Rheumatology, October 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Coping with Cancer. The American Cancer Society offers the following advice for
individuals who have received a cancer diagnosis: become informed about your cancer and how you can improve
your health; face your fears, but don’t dwell on them; express your feelings to a loved one or counselor; enjoy the
present, rather than dwelling on the future or past; make time to do what you want; maintain a positive attitude;
identify things you feel grateful about; eating well and exercise; rest often; and explore different ways to relax.
American Cancer Society, October 2018
Quote: “Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.