Diet: Follow the Mediterranean Diet to Lower Stroke Risk.

New research suggests that the Mediterranean diet may reduce an individual’s risk of ischemic stroke. The Mediterranean diet includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, poultry, and olive oil, with limits on red meat, sweets, saturated fats, butter, and full-fat dairy products. Study author Dr. Paul Wright writes, “Overall, there is strong evidence, based on this study, that strict adherence to a Mediterranean diet significantly reduces stroke risk.”

American Stroke Association, February 2015

Health Alert: Smoking Deaths Underestimated.

Smoking may be a bigger killer than currently estimated. The current estimate from the United States Surgeon General is that 480,000 Americans die yearly of smoking-related causes, but researchers from the American Cancer Society claim that the figure may be closer to 540,000 after including at least some deaths caused kidney failure, intestinal disease, heart disease caused by high blood pressure, infections, breathing problems, and breast and prostate cancer. Though these diseases are not typically associated with smoking, researchers found that smokers are more likely to die from these conditions than non-smokers. Thus, they believe these additional deaths should be included in smoking-related mortality calculations.

New England Journal of Medicine, February 2015

Wellness/Prevention: Use of Media Devices Affect Teens’ Sleep Significantly.

A Norwegian study has found that if it takes more than an hour for a teenager to fall asleep, there is an almost 50% likelihood that they are spending more than four hours per day outside of school using electronic devices such as computers, TVs, smartphones, and MP3 players. The findings are of concern since the majority of teens in the United States report having at least one electronic device in their bedroom, and poor sleep has implications on school performance. The authors add, “The current recommendation is not to have a TV in the bedroom. It seems, however, that there may be other electronic devices exerting the same negative influence on sleep, such as PCs and mobile phones. The results confirm recommendations for restricting media use in general.” Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, November 2014

Chiropractic: Resolution of Shoulder Pain Following Chiropractic Care.

A new case study sheds light on the benefits of chiropractic care for shoulder pain. A 73-year-old woman with a one-year history of shoulder pain presented for chiropractic care. Her working diagnosis included brachial neuritis, cervicalgia, arthritis, and cervical spinal joint fixations. She reported resolution of pain, and improvements in both function and quality of life following just eleven chiropractic treatments over the course of ten weeks.

Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, February 2015

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