DAILY HEALTH UPDATE, Friday, October 23rd, 2015
Courtesy of: Dr. Darren Taylor
Mental Attitude: Most Patients in Addiction Treatment Programs Smoke. A review of 54 studies that included more than 37,000 people found that 84% of those in treatment for drug and alcohol problems were smokers compared with only 31% of the general population. Study leader Dr. Joseph Guydish adds, "Every person who enters substance abuse treatment ought to have their tobacco use evaluated and treated. If they don't want to be treated and quit right away, they should have some education to help them think more about quitting." He adds that a number of previous studies have strongly suggested that addressing patients' smoking can improve the outcomes of substance abuse treatment. Addiction, September 2015
Health Alert: Vitamin D Deficient Individuals at Increased Risk for Acute Rhinosinusitis! Compared with those whose vitamin D levels are considered adequate, adults with low levels of vitamin D are at a 33% greater risk for acute rhinosinusitis — a condition that occurs when the tissues of the nasal cavity are inflamed, usually a result of the common cold, allergies, or bacterial or fungal infections. This finding adds to a growing body of research regarding the poor health outcomes of individuals who fail to maintain healthy vitamin D levels. Medicine, October 2015
Diet: Americans Eating All Day Long. Researchers asked 150 adults to track the food they ate during a three-week period. They found the majority of participants in the study regularly ate throughout their waking day and consumed a majority of their calories after 6:00 pm. Dr. Lona Sandon, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas adds, "I see this a lot in those that I work with in my weight-loss classes. There is a lack of planning and stability in their eating schedules, so eating just happens whenever. Many skip breakfast, have a light lunch, then find themselves hungry and tired in the afternoon and seeking a pick-me-up from the vending machine, only to get home from work ravenous and wanting to eat anything and everything with no energy to exercise. They then spend the night snacking before bed. This is a common phenomenon. [So] planning ahead for regularly scheduled meals is an important strategy for weight loss or just simply eating healthier." Cell Metabolism, September 2015
Exercise: Physical Activity Helpful for Mental Health of Bullied Adolescents. Exercising four or more days per week is associated with about a 23% reduction in both suicidal thoughts and attempts among bullied teens. Bullying is a growing public health burden and is associated with academic struggle, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and self-harm. Based on the findings, the authors conclude that exercise may be a safe, economical, and potentially effective option for teenagers who have been the target of bullies. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, October 2015
Chiropractic: Pillow Height Affects Muscle Activity and Comfort. Chiropractors often recommend cervical pillows to their patients to promote spinal alignment and reduce neck pain. A new study suggests that pillow height can affect muscle activity in the neck/upper back, as well as user comfort. In the study, 21 asymptomatic participants used foam pillows of three different heights (5 cm, 10 cm, and 14 cm). The participants gave the 10 cm high pillow the highest comfort rating while electromyography showed laying on the 10 cm and 14 cm high pillows resulted in less neck/upper back muscle activity than the 5 cm pillow height. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, July 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Nearly 3 of 10 Cancer Cases in Australia Link to 4 Preventable Risk Factors! Australian researchers estimate that 29.1% of all cancers diagnosed in their country in 2010 were caused by four preventable risk factors. These factors include smoking (13.4%), too much sun exposure (6.2%), poor diet (6.1%), and being overweight or obese (3.4%). The most common types of cancer caused by these risk factors are lung cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, and melanoma of the skin. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, October 2015
Quote: “Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” - Franz Kafka
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Dr. Darren Taylor
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