Courtesy of: Your Napa Chiropractor Dr. Joseph T. Megna
Mental Attitude: Lung Function May Affect Dementia Risk. Compared to their peers with strong lungs, young and middle-aged adults with poor pulmonary function (PPF) have up to a 30% increased risk for developing dementia later in life, even after controlling for smoking status and vascular comorbidities.
Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders, March 2018
Health Alert: Can a Sunny Childhood Reduce MS Risk Later in Life? Growing up in sunnier regions may shield individuals from developing multiple sclerosis (MS) decades later. In this study, researchers reviewed the history of 400 women with an average age of 40 and found that those who lived in regions with the highest levels of UV-B exposure between the ages of 5 and 15 were 51% less likely to develop MS than those who spent their childhood in areas with less UV-B exposure. The findings are not surprising because UV-B rays play a role in vitamin D production and past research has linked low levels of vitamin D with an elevated risk of MS.
Neurology, March 2018
Diet: Eating More Produce Linked with Weight Loss. In this study, researchers reviewed the dietary habits of 4,357 adults five years apart and found that participants who increased their fruit and vegetable intake during this time were more likely to lose weight than those whose produce intake remained the same or declined.
Public Health, March 2018
Exercise: Is Exercise an Antidote for Aging? Exercise may be the best option to counter the physical effects of aging. In this study, investigators assessed both female and male cyclists, aged 55 to 79, and found that compared with non-exercisers, the cyclists did not exhibit age-related muscle mass or strength loss, they did not experience age-related increases in body fat or cholesterol levels, and their immune system was as robust as that of a younger person. Researcher Dr. Janet Lord writes, “Our research means we now have strong evidence that encouraging people to commit to regular exercise throughout their lives is a viable solution to the problem that we are living longer but not healthier.”
Aging Cell, March 2018
Chiropractic: Neck and Back Pain Are a Global Burden. A review of data from two studies found that in 2015, neck and low back pain ranked as the fourth leading cause of disability-adjusted life years worldwide just after ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and lower respiratory infection. The review also notes that in 2015, over 500 million people worldwide suffered from low back pain and over a 333 million individuals suffered from neck pain longer than three months duration. The findings reveal the need to prioritize spinal pain research funding to address the huge and rowing global burden caused by neck pain and back pain.
European Spine Journal, February 2018
Wellness/Prevention: Colonoscopy Saves Lives. An analysis of the health histories of over 25,000 veterans revealed that colonoscopy screening cuts the risk of colorectal cancer mortality by as much as 61%. Harvard Medical School’s Dr. Andrew Chan writes, “I am not surprised… The results confirm an already substantial body of data supporting that colonoscopy is associated with a substantial reduction in risk of colorectal cancer.”
Annals of Internal Medicine, March 2018
Quote: “Create your own miracles; do what you think you cannot do.” ~ Roy T. Bennett
Your Napa Chiropractor Dr. Joseph T. Megna