WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE
Wednesday, December 18th, 2019
Courtesy of: Michael Ellis D.C.
Mental Attitude: Lack of Sleep Drains the Brain. A study involving 77 people who stayed awake all night and 61 who slept at home revealed that sleep deprivation doubled the risk of making errors while following instructions and tripled the number of lapses in attention among participants. Co-author Dr. Michelle Stepan writes, “Our findings debunk a common theory that suggests that attention is the only cognitive function affected by sleep deprivation… our results suggest that completing an activity that requires following multiple steps, such as a doctor completing a medical procedure, is much riskier under conditions of sleep deprivation.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, November 2019 Health Alert: Neighborhood Characteristics Linked to Knee Pain. New research that utilized data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study suggests that older individuals living in areas that encourage pedestrian traffic have up to a 9% reduced risk for knee pain than seniors residing in neighborhoods with less walkability. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, November 2019 Diet: Infants Should Eat Peanuts Early. An analysis of data concerning over 2,600 Canadian children revealed that infants who did not eat peanuts in their first year of life were over four times more likely to have a clinical allergy to peanuts by age three than kids who consumed peanuts before their first birthday. Lead researcher Dr. Elinor Simons adds, “Infant feeding guidelines have changed to promote the early introduction of foods such as peanut, but we know that some parents are still worried about giving their infants potentially allergenic foods… This study's findings should reassure parents, caregivers, and healthcare professionals about the benefits of early peanut introduction for all children.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, November 2019 Exercise: Balance and Functional Exercise Reduce Falls Risk in Seniors. Injuries from falls can dramatically reduce the mobility and independence of older adults. Following a review of findings from 59 published studies, researchers report that engaging in an exercise routine that emphasizes balance and function can reduce fall risk among adults over the age of 75 by up to 34%. British Journal of Sports Medicine, December 2019 Chiropractic: Conservative Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. A review of findings from two previous studies found that neurodynamic techniques, such as mobilization of neural tissue in the affected region, can result in significant improvements in pain, symptoms, and strength in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome that can persist for up to six months following the conclusion of treatment. Doctors of chiropractic often use mobilization and other conservative therapies to reduce pain and disability in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. PeerJ, November 2019 Wellness/Prevention: Cold Environment and Chronic Pain. An analysis of 6,533 men and women aged 30 to 67 showed that exposure to cold temperature during work was positively associated with pain at three or more sites in the body. The finding suggests that musculoskeletal pain could be reduced by improving work temperature conditions and wearing proper clothing when possible. BMJ Open, November 2019 Quote: “Adversity introduces a man to himself.”
~ Albert Einstein