Dr Beecher’s June 29 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 29th, 2015
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Mental Attitude: High Blood Sugar Could Be a Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease. Scientists suspect that high blood sugar could drive the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain that may lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In an animal study, researchers found that doubling blood glucose levels resulted in a 20% increase of beta-amyloid plaque deposits in the brains of test subjects. Lead researcher Dr. Shannon Macauley writes, “Our results suggest that diabetes, or other conditions that make it hard to control blood sugar levels, can have harmful effects on brain function and exacerbate neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.” The Journal of Clinical Investigation, May 2015
Health Alert: Cellphone Noise Can Startle a Fetus. A small study indicates that sounds emitted by cellphones carried by pregnant women can disrupt the sleep and wake cycles of their unborn fetuses. What isn’t clear from the study is whether or not being repeatedly startled by the beeping and vibration of cellphones has any effect on fetal health or pregnancy outcomes. Study co-author Dr. Boris Petrikovsky comments, “So we now recommend that women not carry cell phones… in close proximity to their baby… They should put it in their chest pocket or bag. The further away it is from the baby, the less chance the baby will be affected.” American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, May 2015
Diet: Healthy Eating Slows the Aging of Brain. If you want to preserve your memory and thinking skills as your grow older, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fish. A study that included nearly 28,000 older adults from 40 countries found that those who scored in the top 20% on a “healthy eating” scale were less likely to develop declines in memory, attention, and other mental skills over the next five years. The research team believes that the anti-inflammatory nutrients in foods like fruits, vegetables, and fish may help preserve brain health. Neurology, May 2015
Exercise: Ways to Lower Organized Sport Injury Risks. While playing organized sports is a great way for kids to get exercise and learn sportsmanship, taking precautions to reduce or avoid injury is important. The Children’s National Medical Center advises parents to have children receive a physical exam before starting organized sport, have water on hand during practice and games, encourage kids to drink water frequently, promote stretching before and after games, ask coaches to be certified in CPR and first aid, and make sure that coaches are familiar with the signs of concussion and how to prevent injuries. Children’s National Medical Center, May 2015
Chiropractic: Adverse Life Events Can Increase Musculoskeletal Pain Risk! A six-year study that followed 2,039 individuals found that adverse life events were associated with a 14% greater risk for developing chronic multisite musculoskeletal pain per incident. Adverse life events can include divorce, serious illness, the death of a loved one, disability, job loss, and a serious financial loss. Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, April 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Moms Need to Make Time for Themselves. Mothers work hard to take care of their family, but experts agree that moms also need to take care of themselves. The American Council on Exercise recommends the following to keep moms and their families healthy: drink plenty of water, eat a healthy and balanced diet, find time to exercise daily, schedule both alone time and date nights, make time to visit friends, get outside, laugh, get a massage to boost mood, and use a journal to record the things, people, and experiences you’re thankful for in life. American Council on Exercise, May 2015
Quote: “Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done.” ~ Robert A. Heinlein
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Best Houston Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 22 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 22nd, 2015
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Mental Attitude: Poor Social Relationships May Increase Dementia Risk. A lack of social interaction during adulthood may be associated with a greater risk for a dementia diagnosis later in life. A meta-analysis of data from 19 long-term studies notes that low social participation, less frequent social interaction, and a sense of loneliness are all linked to between a 1.41 and 1.58 greater risk for dementia. The authors of the study add that these risks are similar to other established risk factors for dementia such as low education attainment, physical inactivity, and late-life depression. Ageing Research Reviews, May 2015
Health Alert: Some Plastic Teething Toys May Be Unsafe. Laboratory tests conducted on a small sample of ten plastic infant teethers found that two of the toys contained endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC). Previous research has shown that EDCs can affect fertility, increase the risk of endometriosis among females, impair organ and neural development, and even cause some cancers. The researchers note that such chemicals offer little benefit to the quality of the product and should be discontinued from use given the potential danger to the children who put them in their mouths.
Journal of Applied Toxicology, May 2015
Diet: When You Eat May Impact Your Health. A new report suggests that watching when you eat, without necessarily changing what or how much, may result in significant health benefits. The findings suggest that eating within an 8-to-12 hour period each day changes metabolism at the genetic level, resulting in lower blood sugar levels. The researchers call the phenomenon time-restricted eating, and they believe it could be powerful enough to lower the risk for some cancers, heart disease, dementia, and diabetes. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, April 2015
Exercise: Strengthening Hips Could Ease Calf Pain Caused By Peripheral Artery Disease. People who suffer from peripheral artery disease (PAD) may be able to ease their calf pain if they exercise to strengthen their hips. PAD causes arteries in the legs and other parts of the body to narrow, which restricts blood flow. This often leads to changes in skin color, development of sores, pain, and difficulty walking. Researchers found the people with PAD used their calf muscle more when walking because their hip muscles were weak; therefore, they conclude that strengthening the hip muscles could lead to less stress on the calf muscles. American Heart Association, May 2015
Chiropractic: Improved Posture Helps Patients Avoid Back Pain Recurrence. Patients with chronic low back pain who received therapies designed to improve their posture were more likely to report clinically significant improvements in both pain and function one year after the conclusion of treatment than patients whose posture was not addressed during the course of their care. Scientific World Journal, April 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D May Help Obese Patients Lose Weight. Italian researchers studied 400 overweight and obese individuals with vitamin D deficiency and found that a low-calorie diet combined with vitamin D supplementation led to greater reductions in waistlines than a low-calorie diet alone. Lead researcher Dr. Luisella Vigna adds, “The present data indicate that in obese and overweight people with vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplementation aids weight loss and enhances the beneficial effects of a reduced-calorie diet.” The researchers suggest that overweight and obese individuals should have their vitamin D levels tested. European Congress on Obesity, May 2015
Quote: “Beware the barrenness of a busy life.” ~ Socrates
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 15 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 15th, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here. If you would like to know more about the best chiropractor in the Houston Bay Area, please give us a call!
Mental Attitude: Do You Think Your Child Is the Right Weight for His or Her Age? Most parents of overweight children misperceive their children as being “the right weight” for their age. According to a study involving nearly 7,000 overweight boys and girls, nearly 96% of mothers thought their overweight sons were the right weight for their age and almost 90% of mothers considered their overweight daughters to be the appropriate weight for their age group. The authors believe that ineffective communication between the medical community and parents accounts for a significant part of the ongoing problems with weight misperception in society. Senior author Dr. Jian Zhang adds, “We need effective strategies to encourage clinician discussions with parents about appropriate [the] weight for their child. This will be critical for childhood weight management and obesity prevention.” NYU Langone Medical Center, May 2015
Health Alert: Global Oncology Costs Increasing. While early diagnosis and more effective cancer therapies have increased the survival rates of many cancers, costs related to cancer treatment have also risen. A new report reveals that average cancer treatment costs-per-month in the United States have increased 39% over the past ten years, and global spending on cancer medicines surpassed $100 billion dollars in 2014, nearly $25 billion dollars higher than was observed as recently as 2009! IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, May 2015
Diet: Secrets to Choosing Healthier Foods. An analysis of 112 studies found that people choose healthier foods when restaurants, grocery stores, school cafeterias, and/or their spouse make foods like fruits and vegetables more visible, convenient, and attractive. Psychology and Marketing, April 2015
Exercise: New Treadmills May Be Better at Duplicating Outdoor Running. Researchers have developed a new treadmill that automatically changes speed to match the pace of the runner. The machine uses sonar to tell where the runner is on the treadmill and then speeds up if the runner is moving towards the front of the running belt or slows down if the runner is moving toward the back of the running belt. Dr. Steven T. Devor, an associate professor of kinesiology at Ohio State University writes, “If you’re running outside and you want to speed up or slow down, there is no button to push. It is the same with this new automated treadmill.” Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, April 2015
Chiropractic: Heavy Smartphone Use Can Lead to Hand and Wrist Problems! If you are a heavy smartphone user and experience wrist pain, you may want to reduce your reliance on handheld devices. Researchers examined the wrists and hand complaints of 102 adults and found that those who spent the most time interacting with their devices had enlarged median nerves in their dominant hand, reduced pinch strength, and reduced hand function when compared with low/non-smartphone users. Muscle & Nerve, April 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Heart Attacks Could Be Diagnosed with a Thermometer-Like Device. Scientists have developed a simple, thermometer-like device that may help healthcare providers diagnose heart attacks with minimal materials and cost. The technology works by detecting a protein called troponin, which rises when blood is cut off from the heart and the muscle is damaged. Current methods to detect this protein are expensive and often not practical for point-of-care in low and middle- income countries where up to 75% of cardiovascular disease-related deaths occur. Analytical Chemistry, April 2015
Quote: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” ~ Norman Vincent Peale
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 8 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 8th, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
Mental Attitude: Exercising Your Memory. To help individuals keep their minds sharp at any age, experts from the Harvard Medical School recommend learning a new skill or language, taking up a new hobby, reading books, and solving puzzles. Harvard Medical School, May 2015
Health Alert: Don’t Wear Heels at Home! According to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, half of high heel-related injuries occur at home. This suggests that a simple strategy for women to reduce their risk of injury is to simply wear more appropriate footwear around the house. University of Alabama at Birmingham, May 2015
Diet: Can a South African Diet Reduce Colon Cancer Risk Among Americans? Based on the dramatic effects observed when American and South African volunteers swapped diets for just two weeks, researchers suggest that a diet high in fiber and low in fat could possibly reduce an individual’s risk for developing colon cancer. After fourteen days on the high-fiber, low-fat South African diet, the American group had significantly less inflammation in the colon along with a reduction in biomarkers associated with colon cancer risk. Meanwhile, tests on the African group showed the opposite, indicating a dramatic increase in cancer risk after just two weeks on the high-protein, low-fiber American diet. According to the study’s authors, one could achieve similar results by increasing their fiber intake to 50 grams per day.
Nature Communications, April 2015
Exercise: Cardio May Help Slow Down Aging in the Brain. The findings of a new study suggest that cardiorespiratory exercise could be prescribed to lessen age-related declines in brain structure. Researchers found that cardiorespiratory fitness was positively linked to the structural integrity of white matter in the brains of the older adults. They write, “We hope this study provides additional motivation for older adults to increase their levels of physical activity, which positively impacts health, mood, cognition and the brain.” Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology, April 2015
Houston Chiropractic: How Physical Inactivity Affects the Spine. MRI scans conducted on 72 older adults found that physical inactivity can be detrimental to the spine. Researchers observed the intervertebral disks of those with low physical activity levels appeared to be shorter than the disks of those who were more physically active. Previous research suggests a reduction in disk height is associated with a greater risk for back pain. The researchers also found the lumbar stabilizing muscles of inactive participants were more likely to have fatty deposits, suggesting compromised function.
Arthritis Research & Therapy, May 2015
Wellness/Prevention: How to Choose a Bicycle Helmet. Wearing a helmet when cycling is vital for both young and old riders to prevent head injuries, but it is important that a helmet fits properly. The Cleveland Clinic suggests the following: the helmet’s padding should fit snuggly, it should sit level and not move in any direction, look for the Consumer Product Safety Commission sticker when buying a helmet, and a pre-owned helmet should only be worn if it has no cracks or breaks and was made after 1999. The Cleveland Clinic, May 2015
Quote: “I believe that we form our own lives, that we create our own reality, and that everything works out for the best.”
~ Jim Henson
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 1 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Week of Monday, June 1st, 2015
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
Mental Attitude: More Sleep May Help Alzheimer’s Patients. Extra sleep may help improve the memories of patients with Alzheimer’s disease. In a study involving fruit flies, researchers found that extra sleep — the equivalent of three-to-four hours of sleep for humans — restored the ability of flies with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms to make new memories. Though more studies are needed, this finding could one day offer a new path of treatment for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Current Biology, April 2015
Health Alert: One in Four Breast Cancer Cases May Be Preventable. Experts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology advise that a healthy lifestyle can reduce a woman’s risk for breast cancer nearly 25%, even if she has a family history of the disease. Previous research has associated the following lifestyle factors with a lower risk of breast cancer diagnosis: maintaining a healthy weight, performing at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, limiting alcohol consumption, not smoking, and eating a healthy diet. American Society of Clinical Oncology, May 2015
Diet: Could a Smiley Face Make Healthy Foods More Appealing to Kids? While schools in the United States are providing healthier food options in their cafeterias as part of a federal initiative, getting kids to put more nutritious items on their plate can be a challenge. Researchers have found that adding a smiley face label to healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables or adding a small prize to a plate of four healthy foods resulted in a 62% rise in vegetable servings and a 20% increase in fruit servings on student trays. Pediatric Academic Societies, April 2015
Exercise: Reduces Vertigo Risk in Women. After examining the lifestyles of nearly 500 older women, researchers conclude that performing regular physical activity can reduce a woman’s risk for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) by over 160%! International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, October 2014
Chiropractic: Back Pain and Sleep Difficulties. After following both chronic and new-onset back pain patients for six months, researchers report that two out of three patients with low back pain experience difficulty sleeping, typically during the week following an episode of back pain. Therefore, to ensure back pain patients have the best opportunity to achieve restful sleep, it’s important for them to follow their doctor’s advice in regards to maintaining a healthy spine and making recommended lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of re-injury. Clinical Journal of Pain, May 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Smartphone App Could Prevent Teens from Using Phone While Driving. A preliminary study suggests that a smartphone app that turns off a teenager’s cell phone service when they turn on their car could help prevent accidents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car accidents are the leading cause of accidental death among teens, with cell phone use behind the wheel increasing teen accident risk by nearly 24 times! Researchers found that teens who drove cars outfitted with phone-blocking technology drove up to 80% safer than teens in a control group. The communications director of the Governors Highway Safety Association adds, “The more we can get parents to implement these new technological tools and really engage in the process with their novice drivers, the greater chance we have of preventing teen driver crashes and the resulting injuries and fatalities.” Pediatric Academic Societies, April 2015
Quote: “Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.” ~ Anne Frank
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or BeecherChiropractic.com .
Dr Beecher’s June 2015 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download a copy of this newsletter, click here.
“Every man is the architect of his own fortune.” ~ Sallust
If some exercise is good, then more
must be better… right? Not so fast…
Want To Live Longer?
Doing This Amount
of Exercise Will Probably Prolong Your Life, But
More Doesn’t Seem to Help.
Also this month:
- New Study Claims Adolescent Drinking Alters Adult Behavior. Binge drinking during teen years disturbs brain development with long-lasting effects.
- Which Is Worse, Eating Junk Food During Early or Late Pregnancy? One has a greater chance to cause children to be addicted to high-fat, high-sugar diets.
- Watching TV Increases Type 2 Diabetes Risk. Study shows each hour you spend watching TV increases your chance of developing diabetes by 3.4%.
- The Secret to a Happy Life: How a fisherman from a small Mexican village taught a Harvard-educated investment banker the meaning of life…
In a study published April 6, 2015 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed information from more than 660,000 people ages 21 to 98 in the United States and Sweden who answered questions about how much time they spent doing physical activity, including walking, running, swimming, and bicycling.Houston – The idea that exercise can help you live longer isn’t a new one. Experts have touted the benefits of exercise for decades. What is new is that researchers may have found the optimal amount of exercise needed to extend your longevity…
The most interesting findings were that doing just a little exercise showed quite a bit of benefit and doing a lot more exercise provided only marginal returns.
People who exercised a little, but not enough to meet current physical activity recommendations (150 minutes of moderate activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week), were still 20 percent less likely to die during the 14-year study than those who did not perform any physical activity.
People who engaged in the recommended level of physical activity saw even more benefit. According to the data, they were 31 percent less likely to die during the study than those who did not engage in any amount of physical activity.
The maximum benefit was seen by people engaging in three-to-five times the recommended levels. They were 39% less likely to die over the study period than people who did not exercise.
Here is something interesting: Many believe if some exercise is good, then more is better. But there appears to be a ceiling on the amount of exercise that has a beneficial effect on your health.
According to the study, exercising more than three-to-five times the recommended levels did not show any significant additional health benefits. (In fact, previous research indicates that excessive exercise can even be harmful to the heart.)
The authors of the study write, “In regard to mortality, healthcare professionals should encourage inactive adults to perform leisure time physical activity and do not need to discourage adults who already participate in high-activity levels.”
Here’s the Biggest Take-Home
Message from This Study…
While many people shy away from exercise because they do not feel like they have enough time to exercise enough, this study shows that the people most likely to benefit from increasing the amount of exercise they do are those who do not currently exercise at all.
In other words, if you are not doing any exercise, you can see quite a big potential benefit from just doing a little.
You do not have to go crazy and start running marathons. You just have to get moving and do something.
And the best part is: if you do a little exercise, then you will start to feel better and be able to do more. Who knows, soon you may find yourself exercising the recommended levels and then one day you’ll look at your journal and realize you are actually exercising the maximum beneficial amount, as uncovered during this study.
But reaching the maximum level is not the important thing, and if you are not doing any exercise right now, then you should not even think about that much physical activity.
Probably the biggest reason for failure is setting goals too high. (I know goal-setting experts often say to set high goals and REACH FOR THE SKY!)
If that is working for you, awesome. But if you are like most people and do not reach a majority of the goals you set, let’s try something a little different.
Let’s set a very small goal, one that you can reach relatively easily and in a short time. When you do, you will not only feel great, you will gain a little momentum.
Once that first little goal is reached, set another small goal and so on…
For many people, this is the best way to actually reach their big goals.
So, if you are not exercising now, then make a small goal. Write down some small thing you are going to do TODAY just to get started.
Make it easy. Make it quick. Then, just do it. Tomorrow write down another one. One of the best techniques is to write down your exercise goal the night before so when you wake up you know exactly what you are going to do that day.
But let’s make this very clear: make your goal very easy so you can get the ball rolling. Remember, you are going to get quite a bit of benefit from just a small amount of exercise.
While We Are on the Topic of Exercise,
Here’s Something You Should Think About…
Do you know how much television you watch every day? According to recent research, the average American watches five hours per day! And get this, the number increases with age. By 65, the average American watches an average of seven hours of television per day.
That kind of blows the whole, “I don’t have enough time to exercise” excuse right out of the water, doesn’t it?
But here is something else you should know: a study published in Diabetologia (the Journal of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes) found that each hour spent watching TV daily increases an individual’s risk of developing diabetes by 3.4%.
It’s no wonder why the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported in 2014 that 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3% of the population of the United States, have diabetes. What’s incredible is 8.9 million of that 29.1 million (27.8%) are undiagnosed. That means almost 9 million people are pretty much ticking time bombs for all kinds of serious health problems and do not even know it.
The good news is that many type 2 diabetics can benefit from diet and exercise. (There is that “exercise” thing again!)
Advice for this month: Take 20 minutes out of the five-to-seven hours you may spend watching television and instead do a little exercise and watch what happens!
Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.
Inspirational Story Of The Month
(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
The Secret to a Happy Life:
How a Fisherman from a Small Mexican Village Taught a
Harvard-Educated Investment Banker the Meaning of Life…
Fables are short, fictitious stories that convey a moral intended to teach a lesson to help you live a better life. What you are about to read is an incredible modern fable, especially if you want to live a happy life…
An American investment banker was at the pier of a tiny coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the boat were several large yellowfin tuna.
The investment banker complimented the fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The man replied, “Only a little while.”
The American then asked why he didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish. The fisherman said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The banker then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”
The fisherman laughed and replied, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos. I have a full and busy life.”
The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman, you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing, and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA, and eventually New York City where you will run your expanding enterprise.”
The Mexican fisherman asked, “But how long will this all take?”
“15 to 20 years.”
“But what then?”
The American laughed and said, “That’s the best part. When the time is right, you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions!”
“Millions? Then what?”
“Then you would retire, move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siestas with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine, and play your guitar with your amigos.”
That’s a pretty incredible life lesson, isn’t it? Surprisingly, too many people get trapped in a self-made prison because of what they think they want, and what they think they want is simply what they think everyone else wants them to do. Their lives become a blur as they constantly chase a “dream” that is unattainable and will never lead to happiness.
Clearly, small inexpensive (or even free) things can provide a beautiful life. You don’t need an impressive title, big car (or boat), or big business to live a beautiful life and be a beautiful person. In fact, in most cases, a smaller home and fewer obligations can make life easier and much more enjoyable.
If you have a nagging feeling that you could do better, make more, and deserve to upgrade, then remember that the secret to having it all is recognizing that you already do. You just have to start recognizing it. Life is what you let slip away while you are endlessly chasing things you wished you had but don’t need.
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and
getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!
Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!
Did You Know?…
Which Is Worse, Eating Junk Food During Early or Late Pregnancy?
Does it matter if a mother eats junk food during pregnancy? A recent study claims that eating junk food has different effects on the developing fetus depending on which stage of pregnancy an expectant mother eats junk food.
According to Dr. Jessica Gugusheff, post-doctoral researcher in the School of Agriculture, Food, and Wine at the University of Adelaide, “Our research suggests that too much junk food consumed late in pregnancy for humans has the potential to be more harmful to the child than excess junk food early in the pregnancy… Importantly, it also indicates that if excess junk food was consumed by the mother in those early stages of pregnancy, there may be a chance to reduce those negative effects on the baby by eating a healthy diet in late pregnancy. The second critical window is adolescence and we’ve found differences between males and females. Our experiments showed that eating a healthy diet during adolescence could reverse the junk food preference in males but not females.”
Dr. Gugusheff also mentioned that the brain grows the fastest during these critical windows, which is probably why it is so susceptible to the effects of junk food at these times.
Tip Of The Month
New Study Claims Adolescent Drinking Alters Adult Behavior.
Here is the shocking first sentence of a recent study abstract: “Binge drinking is common during adolescence and can lead to the development of psychiatric disorders.”
Furthermore, binge drinking during adolescence may alter brain development during this important time, leaving lasting effects on genes and behavior that will continue into adulthood. In a recently published study in the journal Neurobiology of Disease, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine provided alcohol to rat subjects on-and-off in two day increments during their adolescence. Then, they observed them during adulthood. The rats given alcohol displayed much higher levels of anxiety than the control rats who were not given alcohol during development. Also, when given the choice between alcohol and water during adulthood, the rats given alcohol during adolescence drank more alcohol than the rats in the control group.
When researchers looked at the brains of the rats in the study, they found the rats in the alcohol group had higher levels of a protein called HDAC2 in the part of the brain called the amygdala. Previous studies have linked elevated levels of HDAC2 in the amygdala to higher levels of anxiety and alcohol-drinking behavior. This suggests that alcohol exposure during adolescence activates the gene/s responsible for increased HDAC2 expression.
Lead study author Dr. Subhash Pandey, a Professor of Psychiatry and Director of Neuroscience Alcoholism Research at UIC writes, “This may be the mechanism through which adolescent binge drinking increases the risk for psychiatric disorders, including alcoholism in adulthood… On-and-off exposure to alcohol during adolescence altered the activity of genes needed for normal brain maturation… [The gene alterations] increased anxiety-like behaviors and preference for alcohol in adulthood.”
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal
and maintain the pain free body you deserve.
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.
