Mental Attitude: A History of Exercise Reduces Postpartum Depression Risk… Postpartum depression affects
about one in five new mothers. A review of data from sixteen published studies found that women who exercise
before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and following the birth of their child had a lower risk for postpartum
depression than new moms with poor fitness levels. Medicine (Lithuania), September 2019
Health Alert: Is There a Link Between Blood Pressure and Breast Cancer? Past studies have demonstrated that
high levels of a protein called GRK4 can cause high blood pressure. In a recent study, researchers detected the
GRK4 protein in breast cancer cells but not in normal breast cells. Researcher Dr. Vesna D. Garovic writes, “While
previous studies have shown that breast cancer risk is increased in hypertensive women, this study adds to the
current knowledge by providing the molecular mechanisms that underlie this association.”
American Heart Association, September 2019
Diet: Pumpkin Pulp and Seeds Reduce Blood Pressure in Animal Study. Rats fed a diet that included pumpkin
pulp and seeds for eight weeks had blood pressure 20% lower than rats on a control diet. Researcher Dr. Soweto
Thomas notes, “With the animal model we can never really fully say that what we see is exactly what is going to
happen in a human trial… But there is a slew of dietary intervention studies that have shown that, overall, a healthy
diet can make real changes in someone’s health.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, September 2019
Exercise: Exercise Can Boost Exam Grades. Among a group of 86 primary school students in the United
Kingdom, researchers observed that the children who were physically active tended to perform better on reading,
writing, and mathematics assessments than their sedentary peers.
Journal of Physical Activity Research, October 2019
Chiropractic: Conservative Care Offers Benefits to Chronic Back Pain Sufferers. Kinesiophobia, or fear of
movement, is common occurrence among patients with musculoskeletal pain and can increase the risk for prolonged
pain and disability. A review of data from 60 published studies revealed that manual therapies reduced fearavoidance beliefs among patients with chronic back pain. Doctors of chiropractic often utilize manual therapies and
other conservative treatment options to reduce pain and improve function in patients with chronic back pain and
other musculoskeletal disorders. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, August 2019
Wellness/Prevention: How to Treat Tonsillitis. Inflammation of the tonsils is called tonsillitis, which can
sometimes resemble the flu. Symptoms usually resolve in three to four days, but there are things that can be done to
relieve symptoms in the meantime. The National Health Service recommends the following when treating tonsillitis
at home: get plenty of rest, enjoy cool drinks to soothe the throat, take pain medicine, and gargle with warm
saltwater. National Health Service, September 2019
Quote: “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” ~ Nelson Mandela

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