WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE from your Napa Chiropractor, 12-7-2020

Health Alert: A Third of Seniors Prescribed Inappropriate Medications. The American Geriatrics Society
reports that during a recent four-year timeframe, 34% of individuals over the age of 65 received a potentially
inappropriate prescription, which increased their risk for a visit to the emergency room by 26% and hospital
admission by 17%. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, October 2020
Diet: Western Diet May Impair Sense of Smell. The Western-style diet is characterized by high-fat and high-sugar
intake and has been linked to several adverse health outcomes. A recent study found that mice fed a Western-style
diet were more likely to experience impaired odor detection, odor-related learning, and olfactory memory than
rodents on a standard diet. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, October 2020
Exercise: Exercise Benefits Hypertensive Patients. Patients under treatment for high blood pressure who
participated in a twelve-week combined aerobic and resistance training exercise program experienced improvements
in systolic blood pressure and endothelial function, as well a reduction in biomarkers for low-grade inflammation.
The findings suggest that aerobic and resistance training should be emphasized in the management of hypertension.
Journal of Hypertension, December 2020
Chiropractic: Mobilization or Manipulation for Cervicogenic Headaches? According to a study that included 45
patients with headaches caused by dysfunction in the neck, both mobilization and manipulation are effective
interventions for improving pain, disability, and cervical range of motion. Doctors of chiropractic often use both
approaches when managing cervicogenic headache patients.
Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, November 2020
Mental Attitude: Teachers May Be Key to Adult Mental Health. An analysis of data on nearly 20,000 young
adults revealed that those who characterized their relationships with teachers during adolescence as “supportive”
were less likely to have mental health challenges than their peers who experienced a difficult relationship with their
teachers during middle school and high school. School Psychology, October 2020
Wellness/Prevention: Should Colon Cancer Screening Start at Age 45? Current guidelines recommend that
people aged 50 to 75 get screened for colon cancer, which prevents about 25 deaths per 1,000 screenings. However,
because the current data shows an increase in colon cancer cases among those aged 45 to 49 years, the United States
Prevention Services Task Force is considering a recommendation for starting colon cancer screening at age 45,
which could prevent at least one death for every 1,000 people screened.
United States Preventive Services Task Force, October 2020
Quote: “Happiness does not lie in happiness, but in the achievement of it.” ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky
I found that Dr. Joe Megna is one of the best chiropractors I have found in the Napa region.