Courtesy of: Your Napa Chiropractor Dr. Joseph T. Megna
Mental Attitude: Low Vitamin D Levels Make Stress More Difficult to Manage. Previous studies have noted that vitamin D deficiency increases one’s risk for a number of negative health outcomes. Now, a new study involving mice indicates that vitamin D deficiency also makes it more difficult to cope with stress. In the study, researchers fed mice either a normal diet or a vitamin D-poor diet for ten weeks before exposing them to stressful situations. The research team observed that the vitamin D-deficient mice had a greater vulnerability to stress, suggesting that vitamin D plays a role in the stress response.
Psychoneuralendocrinology, December 2017
Health Alert: Belly Fat Increases Emergency Surgery Issues.
An analysis of the health records of 600 patients who had emergency surgery showed that those with excess belly fat were five-times more likely to experience complications and eight-times more likely to die than slimmer patients. The findings are important, as two thirds of Americans are currently overweight or obese.
American College of Surgeons, October 2017
Diet: Western Diet May Increase Risk of Diabetes.
In a recent study involving rodents, researchers observed that a high-fat diet could cause blood vessel damage and increased blood pressure—symptoms common in diabetics—within a short period of time. Researcher Dr. Maria Alicia Carrillo Sepulveda writes, “Our findings suggest that short-term exposure to the western diet can put individuals at risk for developing vascular damage long before the tell-tale signs of diabetes are present. This may explain why some diabetics who successfully manage their blood glucose still experience other cardiovascular diseases, like hypertension, even while receiving treatment.”
New York Institute of Technology, October 2017
Exercise: College Students Who Exercise Drink Less Alcohol.
A new study that evaluated the lifestyles of 132 university students found a link between increased physical fitness and reduced alcohol consumption. This suggests that programs aimed at encouraging increased physical activity could reduce alcohol consumption among college students.
Journal of Behavioral Medicine, December 2017
Chiropractic: Metabolic Syndrome Common Among Workers with Back Pain.
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels that occur together, increasing one’s risk for diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. A recent study involving 656 healthcare workers who experienced an episode of lower back pain in the previous year found that those with metabolic syndrome reported higher levels of disability related to their back pain. The findings suggest that addressing metabolic syndrome may be an effective way to reduce disability due to low back pain.
International Journal of Occupation of Medical Environmental Health, November 2017
Wellness/Prevention:
Healthier Lifestyle May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk in Women with Higher Genetic Risk. Previous research indicates that women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations have an elevated risk for developing breast cancer. A pilot study involving 68 BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers indicates that the incidence of breast cancer is lower among those who regularly exercise and refrain from smoking. The research team recommends a larger scale study to confirm their findings.
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, December 2017
Quote: “We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.” ~ Chuck Palahniuk
Your Napa Chiropractor Dr. Joseph T. Megna