Mental Attitude: Grip Strength May Hint at Dementia Risk. In this study, researchers monitored 1,055 older Japanese adults for 24 years and found that participants who experienced a reduction in handgrip strength over time were up to 51% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia in their later years. Journal of Epidemiology, December 2018 Health Alert: Is More Green Space Good for the Heart? Though more research is necessary to understand the underling mechanisms at play, a five-year study has found that individuals living in neighborhoods with more green space appear to be less affected by stress, which may reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease. Journal of the American Heart Association, December 2018 Diet: High-Sodium Diet May Increase Risk for Heart Arrhythmia. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a condition characterized by an irregular heartbeat, which has been linked to both stroke and heart failure. A new study that monitored over 700 middle-aged men and women for an average of 19 years revealed a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation among those who consumed the most salt. Lead author Dr. Tero Pääkkö adds, “This study provides the first evidence that dietary salt may increase the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation, adding to a growing list of dangers from excessive salt consumption on our cardiovascular health.” Annals of Medicine, November 2018 Exercise: Anxious? Go Running. Among a group of 35 young adults with generalized anxiety disorder, researchers observed that running on a treadmill for 30 minutes resulted in an immediate reduction in participants’ anxious symptoms. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, December 2018 Chiropractic: Grip Strength Linked to Low Back Pain. A review of health data concerning 15,000 South Korean adults revealed that women over the age of 50 with a weaker grip (which may indicate lower fitness levels) were more likely to report chronic low back pain than those with a stronger grip. The findings suggest that maintaining an active lifestyle in middle and old age may reduce one’s risk for developing low back pain. PLOS ONE, November 2018 Wellness/Prevention: Skin Patch Might Tell if You’ve Been in the Sun Too Long. Scientists from Northwestern University report that individuals may soon be able to wear a small battery-free patch that can alert them when they are approaching an unsafe level of ultraviolet (UV) ray exposure. Researcher Dr. Steve (Shuai) Xu notes, “In the [United States], we’re in a skin cancer epidemic, which is driven by excessive UV exposure… Thus, this technology would be useful for the majority of individuals by empowering them to know how much UV they are actually getting.” Science Translational Medicine, December 2018 Quote: “The secret to keeping moving is keeping moving.” ~ Dick Van Dyke

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