WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE from your Rio Vista Chiropractor, 8-5-2024

Health Alert: One-in-Three People Know Someone Who Had a Fatal Overdose. A survey of nearly
2,300 Americans conducted in spring 2023 found that 32% have lost someone due to a fatal overdose, and
for more than half of these individuals, that person was a close friend or family member.
JAMA Health Forum, May 2024
Diet: Ketogenic Diet May Benefit Some Neurological Conditions. The ketogenic diet is an eating pattern
that aims to shift the body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
Because the diet can also reduce inflammation in the brain, it’s suggested that it may benefit patients with
neurological conditions like autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, and bipolar disorder. However,
experts caution that such individuals should consult with their healthcare provider before switching their
diet. Leiden University, June 2024
Exercise: Walking Helps Keep Back Pain from Returning. For patients who have recovered from an
episode of low back pain, a recent study found that walking for 30 minutes three times a week significantly
reduces the risk of recurrence in the following six months. The Lancet, June 2024
Chiropractic: Spinal Manipulation Reduces Pain Catastrophizing Too. Among a group of 98 chronic
low back pain patients, those treated with spinal manipulative therapy—the primary form of treatment
provided by doctors of chiropractic—not only experienced greater improvements in pain than participants
who received a sham treatment, but they were also less likely to describe their pain in exaggerated terms
(pain catastrophizing). Journal of Pain, February 2024
Mental Attitude: Service Dogs Reduce PTSD Risk in Veterans. According to a recent study, pairing
former soldiers with a service dog reduces the risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by 66%.
Veterans with service dogs also reported lower anxiety and depression levels, as well as a greater sense of
both emotional and social wellbeing. JAMA Network Open, June 2024
Wellness/Prevention: Low Vitamin D and Post-Surgical Complications. An analysis of data concerning
314 patients who underwent surgery to address osteoporotic hip fracture found that those with low vitamin
D status were two times more likely to experience post-surgical complications than those with healthy
vitamin D levels. Nutrients, June 2024
Quote: “It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.”
~ Thomas Sowell

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