Health Alert: Pregnancy Complications Can Lead to Problems Later in Life. Using data from the
Swedish Medical Birth Register, researchers estimate that pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia,
eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, and preterm birth may elevate a woman’s risk for
cardiovascular disease later in life, even after adjusting for obesity, smoking, and comorbidities.
Journal of the American Heart Association, January 2022
Diet: Individuals with Epilepsy Should Skip Energy Drinks. A meta review of 50 studies found limited
evidence that caffeinated energy drinks might trigger seizures in patients with epilepsy.
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica, February 2022
Exercise: HIIT and Blood Pressure. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a form of exercise that
involves short intervals of near-maximal effort such as sprinting or stair climbing separated by intervals of
moderate-intensity exercise, such as jogging or fast walking. A meta-analysis of ten studies found that HIIT
is as effective as moderate-intensity continuous training at improving blood pressure in older adults.
Experimental Gerontology, February 2022
Chiropractic: Nearly a Third of Young Teens Have Recent Back Pain. Questionnaires completed by
1,278 schoolchildren between the ages of 10 and 15 years revealed that 31% experienced low back pain in
the preceding three months. Treatment of low back pain in children and teens is common in chiropractic
clinics. Revista Española de Salud Públic, December 2021
Mental Attitude: Stigma Against Depression May Be Decreasing. Compared with twenty years ago,
fewer American adults are willing to admit they would avoid individuals with depression. However, the
beliefs that alcohol dependence is due to “bad character” and people with schizophrenia are “dangerous”
have become more common. JAMA Network Open, December 2021
Wellness/Prevention: Meditation May Strengthen Immune System. Among a group of 100 people,
those who participated in an eight-day retreat that involved meditation for ten hours a day experienced
increased expression of 220 immune-related genes that persisted for up to 90 days. While such retreats
aren’t practical for the majority of the population, the findings suggest that meditation may play a role in
improving immune function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, December 2021
Quote: “Keep cool; anger is not an argument.” ~ Daniel Webster

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

Health Alert: Prediabetes Linked to Several Poor Outcomes. Prediabetes is a term used to describe
elevated blood sugar levels that have not yet reached the threshold for diabetes diagnosis. An umbrella
review of 95 meta-analyses found evidence that prediabetes is associated with an increased incidence of
coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, liver cancer,
hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and dementia. Diabetologia, February 2022
Diet: How Red Meat Increases Cardiovascular Disease Risk.
New research suggests that microbes in the digestive tract convert carnitine—an ammonium compound
found in red meat—into trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), which is a molecule known to promote
atherosclerosis and blood clot formation. Nature Microbiology, December 2021
Exercise: Exercise Protects the Muscles, Bones, and Joints. A review of data from the 1999-2018
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that meeting fitness guidelines of 150 minutes
of moderate-intensity physical activity a week can reduce the risk for sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and
osteoarthritis in middle-aged and older adults. Experimental Gerontology, February 2022
Chiropractic: Overactive Bladder and Low Back Pain. Evaluation of 72 women, half with overactive
bladder syndrome, revealed that those with an overactive bladder had reduced lumbopelvic stability and a
greater risk for low back pain, poor sleep quality, fatigue, anxiety, and depression. The findings suggest
that treatment options to improve lumbopelvic stability, such as chiropractic care, may benefit women with
overactive bladder syndrome. Somatosensory & Motor Research, December 2021
Mental Attitude: Teens Spend Four Hours a Day Online. Interviews with over 5,000 teenager-parent
pairs revealed that adolescents average about 3.9 hours of leisure screen time a day. Past research has
shown that excessive screen time can increase the risk for poor outcomes like depression, anxiety,
inattention, poor sleep, and physical inactivity. Academic Pediatrics, December 2021
Wellness/Prevention: How a High-Fat Diet Can Promote Poor Dental Health. An animal study found
that mice on a high-fat diet experienced an increase in immune cells called myeloid-derived suppressor
cells (MDSCs) that can develop into osteoclasts, which increase bone destruction and can lead to tooth loss.
Journal of Dental Research, December 2021
Quote: “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” ~ George Washington Carver

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

Health Alert: Good Oral Health May Have Cardiovascular Benefits. Following a review of data from
the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort concerning nearly 53,000
hypertensive patients, researchers report that participants who developed five or more dental caries during
an eleven-year time frame were 37% more likely to have a stroke or heart attack. On the other hand, those
who brushed at least twice a day reduced their risk for poor cardiovascular outcomes by 12%.
Journal of Hypertension, February 2022
Diet: Why Some Love Black Coffee and Dark Chocolate… New research suggests that individuals who
prefer their coffee black and chocolate dark carry genes that are associated with more efficient
metabolization of caffeine, which speeds up the time it takes to provide an increase in mental alertness.
Scientific Reports, December 2021
Exercise: Benefits of Resistance Training for Senior Men. For older men, a recent study found that
twelve weeks of whole-body resistance training can improve leg extension and leg press performance,
increase muscle mass, cut body fat, improve walking ability, and reduce inflammatory biomarkers in the
blood. Experimental Gerontology, February 2022
Chiropractic: Spinal Alignment Linked to Low Back Pain. Examinations of 1,491 adults revealed that
those with low back pain were more likely to have exaggerated sagittal (from the side) spinal curvature.
The findings suggest that spinal malalignment may be a contributing factor for back pain. Doctors of
chiropractic focus on improving spinal alignment to reduce spinal pain and disability.
Scientific Reports, October 2021
Mental Attitude: Social Engagement Protects the Brian. During a four-year study, researchers observed
that older adults with mild cognitive impairment who socialized in a greater number of environments were
less likely to progress to dementia. Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders, January 2022
Wellness/Prevention: Safety Tips for Snow Shoveling. For many, winter means shoveling snow. Since
this activity can increase one’s risk for back injury and heart attack, Traveler’s Insurance recommends the
following: warm up beforehand, push rather than lift, choose your shovel wisely, take frequent breaks, keep
up with the snowfall, wear layers, and stay hydrated. Traveler’s Insurance, December 2021
Quote: “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~ William James
Joseph T. Megna, D.C. (707) 226-5200 945

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

Health Alert: Dementia Cases to Triple in Next 30 Years. Experts project that the number of dementia
patients worldwide will increase to 152 million by 2050, up from 57 million in 2019, largely due to the
aging populace in richer countries. Lancet Public Health, January 2022
Diet: Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Go Beyond Weight Loss. A review of data from 11 studies found
that intermittent fasting (restricting eating to a limited window each day or not eating one or two days a
week, for example) is not only effective for weight loss but it can also improve cholesterol, blood pressure,
and blood glucose readings. JAMA Network Open, December 2021
Exercise: How Exercise Protects Against Fatty Liver. According to a recent study, exercise training
improves mitochondrial function and regulates important enzymes of glucose and fructose degradation in
the liver, which may explain how exercise helps reduce the risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Molecular Metabolism, December 2021
Chiropractic: Many Misbeliefs Persist About Back Pain. Questionnaires completed by 3,724 adults
revealed that many people still retain false beliefs about low back pain, which not only increases their risk
for the condition but can also lower their chances for recovery. Some of these myths include the idea that
imaging tests can always identify the cause of low back pain; bed rest should be the mainstay of therapy;
individuals with back pain should take it easy and limit activity; back pain will get worse; and surgery is
needed for disk herniation. Physiotherapy International Research, October 2021
Mental Attitude: Weak Grip May Suggest Dementia Risk. Researchers use handgrip strength to
estimate an individual’s overall fitness level. A systematic review of data from 16 studies has concluded
that poor handgrip strength is also associated with a nearly two-times increased risk for dementia.
Geroscience, January 2022
Wellness/Prevention: Preventing Obesity in Kids. Healthline reports that the following can help reduce
the prevalence of obesity in the pediatric population: breastfeed infants, if possible; eat healthy foods as a
family; encourage eating slowly and only when hungry; limit unhealthy foods in the house; encourage
physical activity; limit screen time; ensure proper sleep habits; and know what children are eating outside
the home. Healthline, December 2021
Quote: “When a deep injury is done us, we never recover until we forgive.” ~ Alan Paton

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