Weekly Health Update
Week of: Monday, May 27th, 2019
Courtesy of: Michael Ellis D.C.
Mental Attitude: Autistic Kids “In Tune” with Mom’s Feelings. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) usually have trouble interpreting facial emotions, but a new study finds that some autistic kids are just as “in-tune” with their mother’s expressions as kids without ASD. In the study, researchers had young children with and without ASD view five facial expressions of both familiar and unfamiliar faces. The researchers observed that boys and girls without autism were better able to read strangers’ expressions, especially negative emotions such as fear and sadness. However, children with high-functioning autism read the emotions on their mother's faces just as well as kids without the condition. Based on the findings, the study’s authors recommend future large-scale studies to determine if this effect also applies to expressions from other familiar individuals, such as fathers, siblings, and classmates. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, March 2019 Health Alert: The Night Shift Is Tough on the Heart. In this study, researchers analyzed data concerning more than 320,000 people and found that individuals who routinely work nights are 13% more likely to develop coronary heart disease than daytime workers The cause of the increased risk is unknown, but the research team speculates that disruption of the normal sleep-wake cycle, increased stress, and unhealthy lifestyles associated with shift work may be factors for the increased risk. Occupational Medicine, March 2019 Diet: Red/Processed Meats and Colorectal Cancer Risk. A review of dietary data concerning over 600,000 middle aged men and women in the United Kingdom suggests that consuming more than 76 grams of red or processed meat per day is associated with an increased risk for colorectal cancer. International Journal of Epidemiology, April 2019 Exercise: Exercise Improves Survival Odds for Cancer Patients. The results of a new study suggest that exercising for at least one hour a day may improve the five-year survival rate of cancer patients by up to 15%. Southern Medical Journal, April 2019 Chiropractic: Back Pain and Firefighters. Surveys completed by 430 firefighters revealed that those exposed to higher levels of occupational stress were 52% more likely to report a musculoskeletal pain condition, with back pain being the most common complaint. Int’l Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, March 2019 Wellness/Prevention: Keeping Pets Safe During Severe Weather. Keeping your pets safe during severe weather events should be part of your family safety plan. The National Weather Service recommends bringing pets indoors during storms, never leaving pets alone in the car during hot or cold weather, confining pets to one room in case of flooding or wildfire, and making plans to care for pets in the event you must evacuate. National Weather Service, April 2019 Quote: “Life is half spent before we know what it is.” ~ George Herbert