Wellness/Prevention: Positive Emotions May Be Best Anti-Inflammatories.

Wellness/Prevention: Positive Emotions May Be Best Anti-Inflammatories.

University of California, Berkeley researchers have discovered a link between positive emotions and lower levels of inflammatory proteins that are knows to signal the immune system to work harder. The research team found that participants who experienced positive emotions had the lowest levels of the cytokine and interleukin 6, which are known markers of inflammation. Sustained high levels of cytokines are associated with conditions such as type-2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and clinical depression. Emotion, January 2015

Exercise: Low Fitness Associated with Depression in All Body Sizes.

Exercise: Low Fitness Associated with Depression in All Body Sizes.

After analyzing 20 years of data from the Adults in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study to determine the effect of body size on depression risk, researchers found that low fitness levels are more strongly associated with the onset of depressive symptoms than body mass index, waist circumference, or body fat percentage. The authors of the study add that to reduce an individual’s risk of developing depression, they should be encouraged to improve their physical fitness levels, regardless of their body size. American Journal of Epidemiology, February 2015

Mental Attitude: Stress Reduces Our Ability to Deal with Pain.

Mental Attitude: Stress Reduces Our Ability to Deal with Pain.

Chronic stress can take a mental and physical toll on the body. A new study suggests that stress can affect our ability to withstand physical pain as well. Of the study’s 29 participants, those who experienced higher levels of psychological stress had a significantly lower ability to withstand pain than those with lower stress levels. Lead researcher Dr. Ruth Defrin explains, “Modern life exposes individuals to many, recurrent stressful situations. While there is no way to predict the type of stress we will feel under different circumstances, it is advisable to do everything in our power – adopt relaxation and stress reduction techniques as well as therapy – to reduce the amount of stress in our lives.” Pain, February 2015

Diet: Green Tea & Exercise = Weight Loss.

Diet: Green Tea & Exercise = Weight Loss.

Green tea extract may aid in weight loss, according to a new study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Researchers found that recreationally active participants who took a green tea extract capsule every day for four weeks experienced a body fat reduction of 1.63% compared with a placebo group. They also noted a 10.9% increase in exercise performance among those taking the green tea extract during the four-week study. Lead researcher Dr. Dustin Roberts writes, “In essence, our study showed that the use of a green tea extract could potentially help people to lose weight, if combined with exercise. However, we recognize that a larger scale study is now required.”
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, January 2015

Health Alert: Over 50 Million Non-Smokers in the US Are Still Exposed to Secondhand Smoke!

Health Alert: Over 50 Million Non-Smokers in the US Are Still Exposed to Secondhand Smoke!

While secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure was cut in half between 1999/2000 and 2011/2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 58 million non-smokers are still regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. Furthermore, the risk of secondhand smoke exposure is higher among minorities, those living below the poverty line, and those living in rental housing. Experts from the CDC add, “Each year exposure to SHS causes more than 41,000 deaths from lung cancer and heart disease among non-smoking adults and 400 deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, as well as about $5.6 billion annually in lost productivity.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 2015

DAILY HEALTH UPDATE

DAILY HEALTH UPDATE

Friday, February 27th, 2015 Courtesy of Aberdeen Chiropractic Office:

Mental Attitude: Childhood Neglect May Affect Brain Development. A new study finds that severe childhood neglect may cause structural changes to the brain, but early intervention may reverse such alterations. Researchers found that children who remained in institutional care exhibited structural changes in certain areas of the brain’s white matter which facilitate communication between different areas of the brain. However, they found that children who had been moved from institutional care to foster care had white matter similar to that of children who had never been in institutional care, suggesting that the movement to foster care reversed the white matter abnormalities. The researchers write, “Our findings have important implications for public health related to early prevention and intervention for children reared in conditions of severe neglect or adverse contexts more generally.” JAMA Pediatrics, January 2015

Health Alert: Chemical Exposure May Drive Earlier Menopause in Women. Researchers have discovered that women exposed to high levels of certain chemicals found in household items, personal care products, plastics, and the environment typically begin to experience menopause two to four years earlier than women with less exposure to these chemicals (which include PCBs, pesticides, phthalates, and furan). Senior study author Dr. Amber Cooper adds, “Many of these chemical exposures are beyond our control because they are in the soil, water, and air. But we can educate ourselves about our day-to-day chemical exposures and become more aware of the plastics and other household products we use.” The research team recommends further research to determine how much exposure is needed to impact female health.

PLOS ONE, January 2015

Diet: Oatmeal for Breakfast = Fullness & Lower Calorie Intake at Lunch. Your breakfast choice may affect how full you feel during the rest of the morning and how much you eat for lunch. Scientists from the New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital report that having oatmeal for breakfast results in greater fullness, less hunger, and fewer calories eaten during lunch compared with those eating a ready-to-eat cereal for breakfast. The researchers believe that the greater satiety effect of oatmeal cereal compared to sugared ready-to-eat cereal or water might be due to slower gastric emptying, as they found that oatmeal took longer to leave the stomach.

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, January 2015

Exercise: Elderly COPD Patients Benefit from Home-Based Rehabilitation with a Pedometer. A small-scale study found that older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) achieved greater improvements in physical function when they used a pedometer in conjunction with their home-based pulmonary rehabilitation. The researchers believe the pedometer helps to motivate patients to be more active when they have viewable feedback. Respiratory Medicine, January 2015

Chiropractic: More Sitting Time More Neck and Shoulder Pain. According to a study involving 118 males in blue-collar jobs across a variety of industries, those who spend nearly the whole workday sitting are nearly three times more likely to experience neck and shoulder pain than workers who spend more than half the workday on their feet.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, February 2015

Wellness/Prevention: Remember to Use Sunscreen. The use of sunscreen is vital in preventing sunburn and the future development of skin cancer. The Cleveland Clinic suggests wearing sunscreen if you spend several hours outdoors, have fair skin and burn easily, ski frequently, work in your garden, or sunbathe. The Cleveland Clinic, January 2015

Quote: “Life is so short. I would rather sing one song than interpret the thousand.” ~ Jack London

For More Information on Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Whiplash, and To Sign Up For Our Daily Health Update Emails, Go To:

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This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.

Wellness/Prevention: Remember to Use Sunscreen.

Wellness/Prevention: Remember to Use Sunscreen.

The use of sunscreen is vital in preventing sunburn and the future development of skin cancer. The Cleveland Clinic suggests wearing sunscreen if you spend several hours outdoors, have fair skin and burn easily, ski frequently, work in your garden, or sunbathe. The Cleveland Clinic, January 2015

Exercise: Elderly COPD Patients Benefit from Home-Based Rehabilitation with a Pedometer.

Exercise: Elderly COPD Patients Benefit from Home-Based Rehabilitation with a Pedometer.

A small-scale study found that older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) achieved greater improvements in physical function when they used a pedometer in conjunction with their home-based pulmonary rehabilitation. The researchers believe the pedometer helps to motivate patients to be more active when they have viewable feedback. Respiratory Medicine, January 2015

Chiropractic: More Sitting Time More Neck and Shoulder Pain.

Chiropractic: More Sitting Time More Neck and Shoulder Pain.

According to a study involving 118 males in blue-collar jobs across a variety of industries, those who spend nearly the whole workday sitting are nearly three times more likely to experience neck and shoulder pain than workers who spend more than half the workday on their feet.
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, February 2015

Diet: Oatmeal for Breakfast = Fullness & Lower Calorie Intake at Lunch.

Diet: Oatmeal for Breakfast = Fullness & Lower Calorie Intake at Lunch.

Your breakfast choice may affect how full you feel during the rest of the morning and how much you eat for lunch. Scientists from the New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital report that having oatmeal for breakfast results in greater fullness, less hunger, and fewer calories eaten during lunch compared with those eating a ready-to-eat cereal for breakfast. The researchers believe that the greater satiety effect of oatmeal cereal compared to sugared ready-to-eat cereal or water might be due to slower gastric emptying, as they found that oatmeal took longer to leave the stomach.

Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, January 2015