Mental Attitude: Loneliness Could Be Early Sign of Alzheimer’s. Subtle feelings of loneliness experienced by seniors may be an early warning sign of impending Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers examined the relationship between late-life loneliness and Alzheimer’s disease among 43 women and 36 men with no signs of dementia and found that healthy seniors with an elevated brain level of amyloid (a protein fragment has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease) were 7.5 times more likely to feel lonely than those with lower levels of amyloid build-up. The findings suggest that screening lonely seniors could lead to the earlier detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. JAMA Psychiatry, November 2016
Health Alert: Lack of Sleep May Widen Your Waistline. A review of eleven publishes studies revealed that sleep-deprived individuals consumed an average of 385 more calories per day than those who get enough sleep. Senior study author Dr. Gerda Pot writes, “Reduced sleep is one of the most common and potentially modifiable health risks in today’s society in which chronic sleep loss is becoming more common. More research is needed to investigate the importance of long-term, partial sleep deprivation as a risk factor for obesity and whether sleep extension could play a role in obesity prevention.”
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, November 2016
Diet: Can Diet Impact Migraines? Eating processed foods high in nitrites or monosodium glutamate (MSG) and drinking too much alcohol are potential migraine headache triggers. After performing a literature review of more than 180 studies, investigators found that eating more natural foods such as fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and fresh meat while avoiding processed foods high in nitrites or MSG and managing caffeine consumption is an effective way to prevent such headaches.
The Journal of Head and Face Pain, October 2016
Exercise: Exercising While Pregnant Beneficial for Offspring. Exercise during pregnancy appears to protect offspring from age-related health risks. Researchers examined markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity in mice that were born to mothers that either exercised or didn’t exercise during pregnancy. They found that the offspring of mothers that exercised had better stress resistance and improved insulin sensitivity, even into adulthood, than the mice born to sedentary mothers. The researchers write, “Our findings highlight pregnancy as a sensitive period when positive lifestyle interventions could have significant and long-lasting beneficial effects on offspring metabolism and disease risk.” American Physiological Society’s, November 2016
Chiropractic: Chronic Back Pain Affects Balance. In this study, thirteen subjects with chronic, recurrent, non-specific low back pain and 13 subjects without low back pain participated in a series of experiments to measure the effect of chronic low back pain on standing balance. The investigators found that individuals with low back pain exhibit altered late brain processing of posture with altered kinematic and muscle responses, and these responses correlated with reports of pain-related fears and activity interference. The findings demonstrate that chronic back pain can negatively affect the ability of the brain to manage balance.
Neuroscience, October 2016
Wellness/Prevention: Tips for Keeping Your Baby Safe During Sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following suggestions to parents to help keep their infant safe during sleep: always put your baby to sleep on his or her back until they turn a year old; keep the crib clear of any objects, such as pillows, bumper pads, toys, and blankets; when your baby falls asleep in a swing or car seat, move them to a crib as soon as possible; make sure your baby’s crib mattress is firm; don’t let your baby sleep in your bed; never let your baby sleep on a couch or chair; and if you swaddle your baby, make sure it’s not too tight and stop swaddling when your baby starts to roll over. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 2016
Quote: “A man who does not think for himself does not think at all.” ~ Oscar Wilde

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