Author: Dr. Robert Speirs DC

Health Alert: Mercury Air Pollution = Mercury in Ocean Fish.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Health Alert: Mercury Air Pollution = Mercury in Ocean Fish.

Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment report that the increasing amounts of mercury measured in ocean fish may be the result of rising mercury levels in the atmosphere. After analyzing past data, investigators found that mercury concentration in ocean fish is rising lockstep with increasing mercury emissions into the air. Assistant researcher Dr. Paul Drevnick warns, “More stringent policies are needed to reduce releases of mercury into the atmosphere. If current deposition rates are maintained, North Pacific waters will double in mercury by 2050.”

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, February 2015

Mental Attitude: Money is the Top Stressor in the United States.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Mental Attitude: Money is the Top Stressor in the United States.

Despite the ongoing economic recovery and an overall decline in stress levels, money worries continue to plague Americans. A new survey reveals that 64% of adults believe finances to be a significant source of stress, ranking higher than three other major sources of stress: work (60%), family responsibilities (47%), and health concerns (46%). Dr. Norman Anderson of the American Psychological Association explains, “Money is a very important component of establishing a secure life. When people are financially challenged, it makes sense that their stress level would go up.” American Psychological Association, February 2015

Wellness/Prevention: Reducing Work-Family Conflict Can Improve Sleep.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Wellness/Prevention: Reducing Work-Family Conflict Can Improve Sleep.

A study involving hundreds of managers and employees at a firm in the United States found that employees enrolled in a program to reduce work-family conflicts reported improved sleep quality. The program, which lasted three months, included discussion groups, role-playing, and games. Managers were also trained to be supportive of employees’ family demands. Lead investigator Dr. Orfeu Buxton writes, “Work can be a calling and inspirational, as well as a paycheck, but work should not be detrimental to health. It is possible to mitigate some of the deleterious effects of work by reducing work-family conflict, and improving sleep.” Sleep Health, January 2015

Diet: Soda Consumption May Prompt Early Puberty in Girls.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Diet: Soda Consumption May Prompt Early Puberty in Girls.

Harvard researchers report that girls who consume a lot of sugary drinks may enter puberty earlier than girls who do not consume such beverages. The female participants in their study who drank more than 1.5 servings of sugary drinks per day began having periods 2.7 months earlier than those who drank two or less sugary drinks per week. Study author Dr. Jenny Carwile adds, “Starting periods early is a risk factor for depression during adolescence and breast cancer during adulthood. Thus, our findings have implications beyond just starting menstruation early.” While this study does prove that drinking sugary drinks causes early puberty, the researchers add that there is no good reason for anyone to drink sugar-sweetened drinks or sodas regularly at any age. Human Reproduction, January 2015

Chiropractic: Musculoskeletal Pain Affects School Teachers.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ 2 Comments

Chiropractic: Musculoskeletal Pain Affects School Teachers.

An assessment of 486 self-evaluation surveys from female school teachers in Saudi Arabia reveals that musculoskeletal pain is surprisingly prevalent in the profession. Their most common complaint was low back pain, followed by knee pain, heel pain, shoulder pain, upper back pain, hip joint pain, ankle pain, and neck pain. Furthermore, nearly half (46.1%) of the teachers surveyed claimed that their pain affected their teaching performance. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, November 2014

Exercise: Muscle Weakness Affects 1 in 5 Older Americans.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Exercise: Muscle Weakness Affects 1 in 5 Older Americans. Twenty percent of Americans 80 years of age and older have weak muscle strength, according to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prior studies have linked fading muscle strength to slower walking speed and an increased risk of death. The CDC recommends that seniors should strive to maintain optimal physical conditioning through good overall preventive care, nutrition, and exercise.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2015

Depression Associated with Inflammation in the Brain.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Mental Attitude: Depression Associated with Inflammation in the Brain. According to a new study, clinical depression is associated with a 30% increase of inflammation in the brain. The researchers’ findings are based on brain PET scans comparing 20 patients with depression and 20 healthy control patients. They did not find any support to suggest inflammation increases the risk for depression and thus conclude that depression is more likely to contribute to inflammation in the body.

JAMA Psychiatry, January 2015

Health Alert: Many Public Defibrillators Failing Over Past Decade.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment
Photo by Edgar Martu00ednez on Pexels.com

Health Alert: Many Public Defibrillators Failing Over Past Decade.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that there have been 72,000 reports of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) devices failing since 2005. AEDs are portable devices that are usually found in public places that are designed to save lives by automatically detecting potentially deadly heart rhythms and delivering an electrical shock to restore a normal heart rhythm. Based on the findings, the FDA plans to strengthen its approval process by inspecting manufacturing facilities and having manufactures file annual reports on device performance.

Food and Drug Administration, January 2015