WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE from your Napa Chiropractor 1-8-2018

Mental Attitude: Anemia Increases Dementia Risk. Using data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-
National Health Screening Cohort database, researchers found that seniors with mild-to-moderate anemia have about a 19-
47% increased risk for developing dementia. Additionally, the research team also observed that patients with severe
anemia have a nearly six-times greater risk for developing dementia when compared to their peers with no history of iron
deficiency. Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy, December 2017
Health Alert: Diet May Help Epileptics When Medications Fail… The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, high-fat diet
that seeks to place the body into a metabolic state in which it becomes more efficient at burning fat for energy. In this
study, researchers found that nearly two-thirds of kids with epilepsy on the ketogenic diet successfully controlled their
seizures. This is an important finding since experts estimate that only about 30% of individuals with epilepsy respond to
traditional medicines. Dr. James Wheless, a spokesman for the American Epilepsy Society said, “Although medical
therapy is our mainstay for treatment, ketogenic dietary therapy can be a very effective option.”
American Epilepsy Society, December 2017
Diet: Eat More Fruits and Veggies! Compared to individuals with healthy blood sugar levels, the average patient with
prediabetes consumes fewer servings of fruits and vegetables in their diet. This finding suggests that eating a produce-rich
diet can help individuals better control their blood sugar. European Journal of Nutrition, December 2017
Exercise: Reducing Sitting Time Among Office Workers. In a recent study, investigators examined the impact of a
workplace intervention that addressed organizational, physical environment, and individual behavioral changes to help
reduce sitting time among employees in an office setting. The approach led to a significant reduction in sitting time during
work hours and throughout the day—improvements that persisted for up to a year. The findings confirm that it’s possible
for workplace interventions to reduce sitting time among generally sedentary employees.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, September 2017
Chiropractic: Are Heel Pain and Back Pain Linked? That annoying heel pain today may lead to future low back pain
and disability. A recent study set out to compare the prevalence of low back pain among patients with and without heel
pain and found that those with heel pain were more likely to have back pain than participants without heel pain. The
researchers also found a link between reduced foot/ankle function and higher lower back disability. The findings suggest
that evaluating foot/ankle function in patients with back pain may result in better treatment outcomes.
Foot, September 2017
Wellness/Prevention: Daily Multivitamin May Reduce Cardiovascular Risk. Among a group of 1,708 heart attack
survivors, those given a high-dose multivitamin, multi-mineral supplement had a 54% reduced risk for a poor
cardiovascular outcome when compared with participants who consumed a placebo. This finding surprised researchers
who will repeat this experiment with a larger pool of participants in the future. American Heart Journal, January 2018
Quote: “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” ~ T.S. Eliot

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