Mental Attitude: Growing Up Near Green Spaces Is Good for You. Following a review of data from a nationwide
database, Danish researchers report that individuals who lived near a park, forest, or other green space as children appear
to have up to a 55% lower risk for mental health issues later in life. Lead researcher Dr. Kristine Engemann notes,
“Ensuring access to green space and enhancing opportunities for a diverse range of uses, especially in densifying urban
environments, could be an important tool for managing and minimizing the global burden of disease increasingly
dominated by psychiatric disorders.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, February 2019
Health Alert: Smokers Fare Worse Against Melanoma. A study of more than 700 melanoma patients in the United
Kingdom revealed that smokers or those who had recently quit were 40% less likely to survive the disease than patients
who hadn’t smoked for at least ten years before their diagnosis. Cancer Research, February 2019
Diet: An Unhealthy Diet Linked to Poor Mental Health. A review of data of more than 240,000 telephone surveys
conducted between 2005 and 2015 has identified an association between consuming an unhealthy diet and an elevated risk
for moderate or severe psychological distress. Researcher Dr. Jim E. Banta writes, “This and other studies like it could
have big implications for treatments in behavioral medicine… Perhaps the time has come for us to take a closer look at the
role of diet in mental health, because it could be that healthy diet choices contribute to mental health. More research is
needed before we can answer definitively, but the evidence seems to be pointing in that direction.”
International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, February 2019
Exercise: Just a Little Resistance Training Benefits Older Individuals. Resistance training is a form of exercise that
improves muscular strength and endurance by using body weight, gravity, bands, or weights. A new study found that
resistance training as little as just once a week can offer seniors a number of health benefits including improvements in
blood values, muscle strength, and mental well-being. Frontiers in Physiology, February 2019
Chiropractic: Neck Pain & Dizziness. Among a group of 236 patients with dizziness, researchers found that 59% also
suffered from neck pain. Furthermore, those with neck pain reported a lower quality of life and worse dizziness
symptoms. The findings suggest that dizziness may be a symptom associated with cervical dysfunction. Doctors of
chiropractic are trained to assess patients with both neck pain and dizziness and can offer conservative treatments to
manage these conditions. Disability and Rehabilitation, February 2019
Wellness/Prevention: At-Home Test May Be Alternative to Colonoscopy. A simple at-home stool test may soon be a
reliable way to screen for colon cancer. An analysis of over 30 studies, which looked at the effectiveness of fecal
immunochemical tests, found that a one-time screen caught up to 91% of colon cancers among those at average risk for
the disease. The finding offers more support for at-home stool screening tests as an alternative to the usual colonoscopies.
Annals of Internal Medicine, February 2019
Quote: “You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress, simultaneously.” ~ Sophia Bush

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

Mental Attitude: Poor Health Can Increase the Risk for Loneliness in Seniors. Surveys completed by over 2,000
seniors revealed that one in four felt isolated from others at least some of the time, especially those in fair or poor
mental/physical health and those with hearing loss. National Poll on Healthy Aging, March 2019
Health Alert: Irregular Sleep Can Impact Heart Health. Researchers analyzed data concerning nearly 2,000 adults and
found that individuals who go to bed at a consistent time each night and who sleep nearly the same number of hours from
night to night during the week have about half the risk for a cardiovascular event as men and women with irregular sleep
behaviors. American Heart Association, March 2019
Diet: Encouraging Kids to Eat Healthy. To encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetables, the Department of
Agriculture recommends the following: create smoothies with fat-free or low-fat yogurt with fruit pieces and crushed ice;
make fun kabobs resembling caterpillars by assembling chunks of melon, apple, orange, and pear on skewers; add tomato
sauce, low-fat cheese, cut-up vegetables, or fruit to the top of whole-wheat English muffins, bagels, or pita bread to make
a personal pizza; assemble a fruity peanut butterfly by using carrot sticks or celery for the body and attaching wings made
of thinly sliced apples with peanut butter; freeze fruits for a fun and refreshing treat during summer months; top celery,
cucumber, or carrot sticks with peanut butter, then add raisins, cranberries, or cherries; make homemade trail mix with
dried apples, pineapple, cherries, apricots, or raisins; and make a “potato person” by decorating half a baked potato with
vegetables such as sliced cherry tomatoes or peas, and low-fat cheese to make a fun face.
Department of Agriculture, February 2019
Exercise: Exercise Improves Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. Current research suggests that exercise
can improve disease severity, memory, executive function, and cognitive function in patients with Parkinson’s disease
(PD). Lead investigator Dr. Tim Stuckenschneider writes, “The potential of exercise to improve motor and non-motor
symptoms is promising and may help to decelerate disease progression in individuals affected by PD.”
Journal of Parkinson’s Disease, February 2019
Chiropractic: Musculoskeletal Pain Very Common in ICU Nurses! Among a group of 702 intensive care unit (ICU)
nurses, 97% reported experiencing one or more work-related musculoskeletal disorder during the previous year, with back
pain (80.1%), neck pain (78.6%), and shoulder pain (70.4%) being the most common complaints.
Workplace Health & Safety, December 2018
Wellness/Prevention: How to Eat Less Salt. To lower one’s salt intake, the Food and Drug Administration offers these
tips: eat more fresh fruits and vegetables; eat foods that are rich in potassium, such as leafy green veggies and bananas;
season food with herbs and spices, instead of salt; opt for unsalted snacks; and read food labels to help select foods low in
sodium. Food and Drug Administration, February 2019
Quote: “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” ~ Alexander Graham Bell

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

Mental Attitude: An Active Brain and Body May Stave Off Dementia. The findings of a multi-decade study involving
over 800 Swedish women suggest that being more physically and mentally active in middle age is associated with a
reduced risk for dementia in old age. Neurology, February 2019
Health Alert: New Way to Measure Vitamin D. Researchers from Trinity College Dublin and St. James’s Hospital
report that human hair can be used to measure vitamin D. This is important, as traditional blood analysis captures only a
moment in time, while hair can reflect vitamin D status over several months capturing the large seasonal differences in
vitamin D status. Study co-author Dr. Martin Healy explains, “The finding that vitamin D can be measured in hair
samples potentially opens up a new approach to epidemiological studies relating the vitamin to bone and non-bone related
medical conditions which have been associated with its deficiency.” Nutrients, February 2019
Diet: Fish Oil During Pregnancy Offers Benefits to Kids. The results of a new study involving 171 mother-child pairs
suggest that taking a daily 600mg DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) supplement during pregnancy may help protect kids from
high blood pressure in childhood. The findings may lead to changes in the amount of DHA found in prenatal supplements,
as current levels are usually much lower. JAMA Network Open, February 2019
Exercise: Unfit Teens More Likely to Be Disabled Later in Life. Staying fit during adolescence may pay dividends
throughout life. In this study, researchers reviewed health data concerning 1,079,128 Swedish men from age 16 to about
age 46 and found that those with poor cardiorespiratory fitness as they entered adulthood were over three times more
likely to be out of the workforce due to disability by midlife. Annals of Internal Medicine, February 2019
Chiropractic: What Research Says About Manipulative Therapies… A recent article published in the American
Family Physician notes that spinal manipulative therapy can provide short-term improvement in patients with acute or
chronic low back pain and is comparable to other standard treatments. For patients with neck pain, the current research
shows cervical manipulation/mobilization provides better short-term pain relief and improved function when compared
with oral analgesics. The authors of the article add that manipulative therapies may be as effective as the prescription
medication amitriptyline for managing patients with migraines. Doctors of chiropractic are highly skilled in the art of
manipulation and mobilization techniques, which they utilize in the management of musculoskeletal conditions.
American Family Physicians, February 2019
Wellness/Prevention: Reducing Infertility. About 1 in 10 couples trying to have a baby suffer from infertility. The
National Institutes of Health notes that advancing age is the primary cause of infertility, but there are other factors that can
affect the chances of having a baby including excessive alcohol consumption, smoking, exposure to environmental toxins,
certain medicines, radiation treatment and chemotherapy, stress, poor diet, being overweight, and sexually transmitted
infections. National Institutes of Health, February 2019
Quote: “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” ~ John R Wooden

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

Mental Attitude: Veterans with PTSD Often Have Other Mental Health Issues… The Veterans Health
Administration (VHA) reports that veterans under treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often have one or
more accompanying psychiatric conditions. According to a review of records from 2012, 70.2% of VHA patients with
PTSD had at least one co-existing psychiatric condition, while a third of all PTSD patients had two or more additional
mental health issues, with anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder being the most common.
Psychiatric Quarterly, March 2019
Health Alert: Toxins Found in Home Furnishings Can Be Passed to Kids. In this study, researchers analyzed indoor
air, indoor dust, and foam from furniture in 190 homes and found that children living in homes where the sofa in the main
living area contained flame-retardant called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in its foam had a six-fold higher
concentration of PBDEs in their blood. Furthermore, children from homes that had vinyl flooring in all areas had
concentrations of benzyl butyl phthalate metabolite in their urine that were 15 times greater than those in children living in
homes with no vinyl flooring. Experts say that these semi-volatile organic compounds have been linked to serious adverse
health effects, such as neurodevelopmental delays, endocrine and thyroid disorders, and reproductive disorders.
American Association for the Advancement of Science, February 2019
Diet: Olive Oil May Reduce Stroke Risk Among Obese. According to a new study, severely obese patients who
consumed olive oil at least once per week had lower platelet activation, which reduces the propensity of blood to clot,
lowering the risk for heart attack or stroke. American Heart Association, March 2019
Exercise: Walking More May Benefit Dialysis Patients. Experts recommend taking 10,000 steps per day as part of a
healthy lifestyle. In a recent study involving 48 kidney dialysis patients, researchers observed that the more steps per day a
patient took, the less likely they were to experience fatigue and insomnia. Unfortunately, the data show that most of the
patients in the study averaged 2,631 steps per day or less. Kidney International Reports, November 2018
Chiropractic: Poor Posture Affects Breathing. Pulmonary function tests performed on fifteen healthy males revealed
that when participants adopted a forward head posture (FHD), they had significantly lower forced vital capacity,
expiratory and inspiratory reserve volumes, forced expiratory volume at one second, and peak flow rate. Doctors of
chiropractic routinely check for FHD and recommend exercise and ergonomic modifications to address this faulty posture.
Journal of Physical Therapy Science, January 2019
Wellness/Prevention: Better Posture May Reduce Musculoskeletal Pain Risk… Among a group of 176 office
workers, those who participated in a three-month program aimed at improving their sitting posture were less likely to
report neck pain, back pain, elbow pain, and knee pain during the course of the study.
Journal of Education and Health Promotion, December 2018
Quote: “Time moves in one direction, memory in another.” ~ William Gibson

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

Mental Attitude: Anxiety Late in Life Linked to Alzheimer’s. Using data from the Zaragoza Dementia and Depression
Study, researchers report that seniors with clinically significant late-life anxiety have up to a 400% greater risk for
Alzheimer’s disease when compared to older adults without an anxiety disorder.
Journal of Affective Disorders, February 2019
Health Alert: Opioid Deaths Up Fourfold in Last 20 Years. Researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine,
Harvard University, and the University of Toronto report that opioid-related deaths in the United States have jumped
fourfold in the last two decades, with Eastern states being hit the hardest. According to the data, the highest rates of
opioid-related deaths occurred in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New
Hampshire, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The researchers hope that identification and characterization of opioid “hot spots”
will allow for better-targeted policies that address the current state of the opioid epidemic and the needs of the population.
JAMA Network Open, February 2019
Diet: Can a Cup of Hot Cocoa Ease the Fatigue of Multiple Sclerosis? Dark chocolate contains flavonoids that are
known to be powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits. In a recent study involving 40
adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), those who drank one cup of a high-flavanoid hot cocoa each day for six weeks
experienced less pain, a 45% reduction in fatigue, and an 80% improvement in their walking speed. Researcher Dr. Shelly
Coe adds, “Our study establishes that the use of dietary interventions is feasible and may offer possible long-term benefits
to support fatigue management.” Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, March 2019
Exercise: Fitness Protects Against Lung Cancer. A new study that followed nearly 5,000 older men for a decade found
that not only are physically fit men less likely to develop lung cancer, but they are significantly more likely to survive the
disease should it occur. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, April 2019
Chiropractic: Mid-Back Adjustments for Neck Pain? In a study involving 30 patients with chronic neck pain,
researchers observed that spinal manipulative therapy applied to the mid-back resulted in improvements in both neck pain
and the range of motion of the upper limbs. While neck pain is commonly associated with dysfunction in the cervical
spine, past research has demonstrated that the thoracic spine plays a limited role in cervical rotation and flexion, which
may explain why mid-back adjustments benefited the chronic neck pain patients in this study.
Journal of Physical Therapy Science, February 2019
Wellness/Prevention: Reduce CTS Risk. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that occurs when pressure is
placed on the median nerve as it passes through the wrist. To reduce your risk for CTS, the NYU School of Medicine
recommends the following: minimize repetitive hand movements, keep wrists straight, alternate between activities or
tasks, and avoid holding an object the same way for long periods. NYU School of Medicine, March 2019
Quote: “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” ~ Albert Einstein
I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.