Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, May 22nd, 2017
Charlotte Garzon, D.C.
2406 NW 87th Pl
Doral, FL 33172
(305) 463-9697
“While there’s life, there’s hope.”
~ Marcus Tullius Cicero
Mental Attitude: A Lonely Heart May Worsen Cold Symptoms.
Being lonely may mean more misery when you’re sick. Investigators tracked the mental and physical health of 159 volunteers and found that people who said they had less social support had cold symptoms that were more severe than individuals who felt more socially connected. Researcher Dr. Angie LeRoy advises people to do what you can to get more socially active because “[if] you build those networks—consistently working on them and your relationships—when you do fall ill, it may not feel so bad.”
Health Psychology, March 2017
Health Alert: US Pedestrian Deaths Are a Growing Problem.
According to a new Governors Highway Safety Association report, 15% of all motor vehicle collision-related deaths in 2016 were pedestrians, which is up from 11% just a decade ago. Factors that may possibly play a role in this increase include increased smartphone use, which can lead to distraction; improved safety features in cars, which may reduce the risk of serious injury to occupants but offer no benefit to pedestrians stuck by vehicles; and an increase in Americans walking for health, environmental, or economic reasons.
Governors Highway Safety Association, March 2017
Diet: Make Fruit and Veggies More Appetizing.
We all know how important it is to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, but it is often difficult to convince ourselves or our children to eat them. To help make fruits and vegetables more flavorful and appealing, the American Heart Association suggests the following: roast vegetables at high temperatures to caramelize them and make them naturally sweeter; throw fruit on the grill for a richer, sweeter flavor; and lightly sauté veggies until crisp, not soggy.
American Heart Association, April 2017
Exercise: Why Doesn’t Exercise Work as Well for Some People?
Physical activity is key in the prevention of obesity and associated health conditions, but some people obtain greater rewards from exercise than others. In a new study that involved 31 women, researchers found that those who had high levels of the protein selenoprotein P in their blood before partaking in an eight-week exercise program demonstrated a lower maximal oxygen intake after the study than those with lower initial blood levels of selenoprotein P. Investigators say that further research is needed to gain a more detailed understating of how selenoprotein P impacts physical activity, but they hope the study will lead to ways to reduce selenoprotein P production to aid in improving exercise endurance.
Nature Medicine, March 2017
Chiropractic: Many People Choose Manual Therapies for Headaches.
Utilizing data from 35 published studies, a new report finds that about a third (32.3%) of headache patients utilize manual therapies to help manage their condition. The report notes the most common reasons headache patients seek out manual therapies include pain relief, perceived safety, and dissatisfaction with drug-based treatment options. Chiropractors have long used manual therapies such as spinal manipulation to effectively treat headache sufferers.
BMC Neurology, March 2017
Wellness/Prevention: Protect Your Child’s Body Image.
What you say can affect your children, even if you don’t think they are listening—so when talking about body image, remember to have a positive attitude. The United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services suggests the following: avoid speaking negatively about food, weight, body shape, and body size; provide a wide variety of healthy meals and snacks, and let your child make decisions about what to eat; praise your child for values, accomplishments, efforts, and talents; communicate openly and frequently; limit TV time, but watch it together so you can discuss the images you see; become active at your child’s school; and support policies that oppose discrimination, teasing, and harassment.
US Department of Health and Human Services, April 2017
