Health Alert: Steroids Linked to Concussion in High School Athletes. Using data from the Youth Risk
Behavior Surveillance System, researchers report that 55% of high school athletes with a history of steroid use
have sustained a mild-traumatic brain injury, which is more than twice the rate of non-steroid teen athletes at
20%. The research team notes that steroid use may lead to more aggressive play, increasing the risk of head
injury. Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, October 2023
Diet: Processed Red Meat Intake Linked to Heart Disease and Diabetes. University of Hong Kong
researchers estimate that increasing one’s processed red meat intake by 50 grams a day may elevate the risk for
cardiovascular disease by 26% and the risk for type 2 diabetes by 44%. European Heart Journal, October 2023
Exercise: Time of Day for Exercise May Not Matter for Bone Health. In a recent animal study, researchers
observed that time of day is not a factor when it comes to exercise that promotes stronger, healthier bones in
rats. Of course, further research is needed to determine if these results are consistent in human subjects.
Frontiers in Physiology, October 2023
Chiropractic: Is Poor Knee Balance Linked to Low Back Pain? Assessments of 49 women, 25 with chronic
non-specific low back pain, revealed an association between abnormal knee joint proprioception and chronic
non-specific low back pain. The findings demonstrate how abnormal biomechanics in one area of the body may
contribute to musculoskeletal disorders in adjacent areas.
Journal of Bodyworks and Movement Therapies, July 2023
Mental Attitude: Most Concussed College Athletes Miss About Two Weeks of Play. Among a group of
1,049 collegiate athletes who sustained a sports-related concussion, researchers observed that symptoms tended
to resolve within 6-9 days and athletes returned to play within 11-17 days.
Annals of Biomedical Engineering, November 2023
Wellness/Prevention: Alcohol Abuse Affects the Muscles. A literature review that included 96 studies found
that alcohol impairs mitochondrial function and extracellular matrix remodeling, which can have detrimental
effects on skeletal muscle mass and function in individuals with a long-term history of alcohol abuse.
Alcohol Research, November 2023
Quote: “Our power lies in our small daily choices, one after another, to create eternal ripples of a life well
lived.” ~ Mollie Marti

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

Health Alert: Is Pediatric Brain Injury Linked to Epilepsy? Among a group of nearly 72,000 children
treated for traumatic brain injury, researchers observed that such patients had a fourteen-times increased risk for
developing epilepsy in the following four years, and the risk remained elevated in the following decade.
Epilespsia, October 2023
Diet: Children with Diabetes or Prediabetes Should Avoid Low-Carb Diets. The American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) advises against a low-carb or ketogenic diet for children and teens with prediabetes or
diabetes, except when closely supervised by a specialized diabetes care team. Instead, the AAP recommends
getting regular exercise, avoiding processed foods and sugary drinks, and eating nutrient-rich carbohydrates as
part of a balanced diet. American Academy of Pediatrics, October 2023
Exercise: Walking Helps Peripheral Artery Disease Patients. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is described as
the narrowing of leg arteries, which limits blood flow to muscles, making it difficult to stand or walk. A
systematic review that included five studies found that a home-based walking program can serve as a
convenient and efficient intervention for improving walking ability in PAD patients.
JAMA Network Open, September 2023
Chiropractic: Neck and Back Pain Common in College Students. Questionnaires completed by 289
university students revealed that about two thirds experienced either neck or low back pain in the previous year
with close to half having either condition in the previous week. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, June 2023
Mental Attitude: Mindfulness App Can Improve Kids’ Mental Health. Mindfulness is described as the
ability to be fully present, aware of where you are, and calm about what’s going on around you. In a recent
study, researchers observed that children who used a mindfulness app at home for 40 days experienced
improvements in mental health, stress, and negative emotions. PLOS One, October 2023
Wellness/Prevention: Healthier Lifestyle Can Help Address Fatty Liver. Metabolic dysfunction-associated
fatty liver disease (MAFLD) occurs when fat accumulates in the liver, leading to inflammation, scarring, and
serious complications. A systematic review that included twelve studies found that poor diet and a sedentary
lifestyle is common among MAFLD patients and adopting a healthier eating pattern, reducing sedentary time,
and engaging in regular exercise can improve liver health, weight status, blood sugar levels, and overall quality
of life. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, November 2023
Quote: “Information’s pretty thin stuff unless mixed with experience.” ~ Clarence Day

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

Health Alert: Curling Irons Can Pose a Hazard for Kids. Between 2013 and 2022, nearly 31,000 children
and teens in the United States received treatment for burns associated with hair curler and curling iron use. It’s
crucial for parents and other caregivers to keep such products out of the reach of young children and to educate
and/or supervise older kids and adolescents on how to use them safely.
American Academy of Pediatrics, October 2023
Diet: DASH Diet in Midlife May Benefit Long-Term Brain Health. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop
Hypertension) diet emphasizes eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, poultry, fish, and low-fat dairy
while limiting the intake of salt, red meat, sweets, and sweetened beverages. A recent study found that greater
adherence to the DASH diet in middle age is associated with a 17% reduction in cognitive complaints in the
following three decades. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, October 2023
Exercise: Best Type of Exercise for Diabetics. For patients with type 2 diabetes, a recent study found that an
exercise regimen that includes both aerobic and resistance training led to greater improvements in body
composition, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose than either form of exercise alone.
BMC Sports Science, Medicine & Rehabilitation, November 2023
Chiropractic: Choose Chiropractic First for Neck Pain. According to a recent study, patients who first visit
a doctor of chiropractic for new-onset neck pain are less likely to undergo costly advanced imaging services and
invasive treatments in the following six months than those initially treated by a medical physician.
Spine, October 2023
Mental Attitude: Short-Duration Sleepers May Be at Greater Risk for Depression. A recent study found
that individuals genetically prone to short sleep (less than five hours a night) have an elevated risk for
depression in the following four to twelve years. On the other hand, adults with a genetic predisposition to
depression are not at increased risk for short sleep. Translational Psychiatry, October 2023
Wellness/Prevention: Menopause Poses Risks for Women’s Heart Health. The American Heart Association
notes that factors linked to menopause—including depression, sleep problems, elevated visceral fat, and
declining estrogen levels—can elevate a woman’s risk for heart disease, especially those who begin menopause
before age 45. American Heart Association, October 2023
Quote: “To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.”
~ Marilyn vos Savant

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

Health Alert: Concussion Linked to Brain Issues Later in Life. In a recent animal study, researchers
observed that a mild-traumatic brain injury sustained during adolescence resulted in ongoing signs of
neuroinflammation and oxidative stress that persisted into middle age in rats, which manifested as impaired
cognitive function, anxiety, and depression. Frontiers in Neuroscience, October 2023
Diet: Fiber Could Help Chemotherapy Patients. “Chemo brain” refers to thinking and memory problems
caused by an inflammatory response in the body to chemotherapy treatment. In a recent study, researchers
found that increasing fiber intake in patients undergoing chemotherapy led to positive changes in their gut
microbiome, which reduced inflammation in the brain by up to 50%, likely due to the effect gut bacteria have
on regulating the immune system. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, October 2023
Exercise: Activity Key to Preventing Alzheimer’s. The glymphatic system is important for maintaining
cognitive health by removing the waste products from the brain that can contribute to Alzheimer’s and other
neurodegenerative conditions. The function of the glymphatic system is mediated in part by the health of the
cardiovascular system, highlighting the importance for engaging in regular physical activity.
Nature Neuroscience, June 2023
Chiropractic: Fascia Tightness and Neck Pain. Tightness of the fascial tissues in the neck often contribute to
neck pain and disability. In a recent study that included 52 chronic neck pain patients with fascial tightness,
researchers found that manual therapies to address adhesions in fascial tissue—such as those provided by
doctors of chiropractic—led to improvements in both neck pain and range of motion.
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, October 2023
Mental Attitude: Job Worries Keeping People Up at Night. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine
recently surveyed more than 2,000 American adults and found that nearly three-quarters of those polled have
lost sleep or experienced poor-quality sleep related to worries about losing their job or the state of the economy
as a whole. Academy of Sleep Medicine, October 2023
Wellness/Prevention: Lifestyle Improvements to Combat Chronic Disease. To better manage chronic
disease, researchers recommend focusing on improvements in the following areas: nutrition, sleep health, stress
management, physical activity, social connections, and risky behavior avoidance/reduction.
HSS Journal, November 2023
Quote: “The imagination is the golden pathway to everywhere.” ~ Terence McKenna

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