Mental Attitude: “Phubbing” Bad for Relationships. A report published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior suggests that smartphones can damage romantic relationships and lead to greater levels of depression. The research focused on “phubbing,” or “partner phone snubbing,” a term given to those who use or are distracted by their cellphones while in the presence of a partner. Researcher Dr. James A. Roberts writes, “What we discovered was that when someone perceived that their partner phubbed them, this created conflict and led to lower levels of reported relationship satisfaction. These lower levels of relationship satisfaction, in turn, led to lower levels of life satisfaction and, ultimately, higher levels of depression… Something as common as cellphone use can undermine the bedrock of our happiness – our relationships with our romantic partners.” Computers in Human Behavior, August 2015
Health Alert: Taller People at Greater Risk of Cancer. The taller you are, the greater the risk you have of developing cancer. Investigators followed 5.5 million Swedish men and women for over 50 years and found that for every additional 10 cm (~3.4 inches) of height, the risk of developing cancer increased by 18% in women and 11% in men. Lead researcher Dr. Emelie Benyi comments, “It should be emphasized that our results reflect cancer incidence on a population level. As the cause of cancer is multifactorial, it is difficult to predict what impact our results have on cancer risk at the individual level.” The team hopes to investigate how mortality from cancer and other causes of death are associated with height.
Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology, October 2015
Diet: Higher-Protein Diet Could Help Some with Type 2 Diabetes. A high-protein diet might benefit people with type 2 diabetes, but it may depend on whether or not they possess a particular gene related to vitamin D metabolism. In a new study, individuals with a particular gene variant that boosts blood levels of vitamin D experienced greater reductions in insulin levels and improved insulin sensitivity when they ate a higher-protein diet. The researchers note this information is not practically useful at present time since people do not know the genetics behind their personal vitamin D metabolism but it may be helpful in the future as genetic profiling becomes a more common aspect of healthcare. Diabetologia, September 2015
Exercise: Find 30-Minutes to Workout. Finding the time and motivation to exercise 30 minutes a day can be difficult. However, if you can devise ways to make your routine interesting and enjoyable, you may wind up looking forward to exercising. The Academy of Nutrition of Dietetics recommends: planning three 10-minute mini-workouts per day, exercising as a family, using household chores to burn extra calories, and taking a walk with a co-worker during lunch or breaks. Academy of Nutrition of Dietetics, October 2015
Chiropractic: Migraine Sufferers Have Altered Muscle Performance. A new study has found that individuals with chronic migraines exhibit altered neck muscle performance, take longer reach to maximum strength with some neck movements, and have higher co-activation of neck flexor muscles when bending forward at the neck. These findings add to the growing body of research that dysfunction in the neck may play some role in the presence, frequency, and intensity of migraine headaches.
Headache, September 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Staying Up Late Associated with Weight Gain in Teens and Young Adults. The later a teenager or young adult goes to bed during weekdays, the more likely they are to gain weight over time. Researchers analyzed data of 3,342 teens and young adults and found that the later an individual’s bedtime, the more weight they were likely to gain over a five-year period. Lead author Dr. Lauren Asarnow comments, “These results highlight adolescent bedtimes, not just total sleep time, as a potential target for weight management during the transition to adulthood.” Sleep, October 2015
Quote: “It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

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