Courtesy of: Your Napa Chiropractor Dr. Joseph T. Megna

Mental Attitude: Spanking May Heighten Adult Mental Health Issues.

The results of a new survey suggest that individuals who were spanked as children face a greater risk for certain mental health problems later in life. The survey, which included over 8,300 adults, revealed that 55% were spanked during childhood at least a few times each year. Those who were spanked were 37% more likely to have attempted suicide and about 30% more likely to have abused drugs during their lives. The findings add to previous research showing both the physical and mental health dangers of this form of discipline. Researcher Dr. Andrew Grogan-Kaylor adds, “And there’s almost no literature suggesting spanking has positive effects.”

Child Abuse & Neglect, September 2017

Health Alert: 20% of Americans Still Use Tobacco.

A government study has found that nearly one in five adults in the United States still smoked tobacco in 2015. According to experts, smoking kills about 480,000 Americans each year and more than 16 million people in the United States live with diseases caused by smoking. The report reveals the need for more action to reduce tobacco use and its associated health consequences.

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, November 2017

Diet: Menus with Calories Appear to Be Paying Off.

Since the implementation of regulations and laws requiring many restaurants around the United States to include caloric information next to menu items, researchers have found that calorie counts per menu item have dropped an average of 15 calories and diners have consumed an average of 27 fewer calories per meal—with overweight restaurant goers cutting 83 calories from their average meal! Lead researcher Dr. Natalina Zlatevska writes, “In the same way that corporate or financial disclosure changes behavior, here we see the disclosure effect changing the food environment.”

Journal of Retailing, November 2017

Exercise: Aerobic Exercise May Benefit OCD Patients.

Patients under care for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who participated in a twelve-week supervised aerobic exercise program achieved greater improvements in regards to OCD symptom severity, depression, and anxiety than patients who simply attended health education classes. The authors of the study conclude, “The results of this preliminary study suggest that exercise and health-focused interventions may be beneficial adjuncts to existing OCD treatment.” General Hospital Psychiatry, November 2017

Chiropractic: Musculoskeletal Problems Common in Construction Workers.

A recent systematic review investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among construction workers and found that within a given year, more than half (51.1%) could expect to experience an episode of lower back pain. Other common conditions experienced each year by construction workers include knee pain (37.2%), shoulder pain (32.4%), wrist pain (30.4%), neck pain (24.4%), ankle/foot pain (24.0%), elbow pain (20.3%), upper back pain (19.8%), and hip/thigh pain (15.1%).

International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, October 2017

Wellness/Prevention: Self-Driving Cars Might Save Lives.

The RAND Corporation reports that the introduction of self-driving cars that are just 10% safer than human-driven cars could save hundreds of thousands of lives over the next 15 to 30 years.

RAND Corporation report, November 2017

Quote: “You can only be afraid of what you think you know.” ~ Jiddu Krishnamurti

Your Napa Chiropractor Dr. Joseph T. Megna