WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE Week of: Monday, April 1st Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

Mental Attitude: Decreasing Depression Symptoms in Adolescents. Teenage students who received mindfulness training (a form of meditation therapy focused on exercising 'attentiveness') in school were almost half as likely to report depression related symptoms than their peers who received no such training. At a six month follow-up, these results held up. Mindfullness, March 2013

Health Alert: Type 2 Diabetes Costs! Diabetes cost the United States $245 billion in 2012. The new figure represents a 41% rise in just five years. The $245 billion includes $176 in direct medical costs (such as hospital and emergency care, visits to the doctor, and medications), and $69 billion resulting from indirect costs (such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, diabetes-related job loss, and productivity loss due to premature deaths). 26 million adults and children have type 2 diabetes, and another 79 million have pre-diabetes. Medical expenditure for people with diabetes is about 2.3 times higher than for people who don't have the disease. American Diabetes Association, March 2013

Diet: Phytonutrients? “Phyto” nutrients are substances of plant origin that appears to provide added natural protection against cardiovascular disease, cancers, and degeneration. They have anti-oxidant properties, which help with immunity, inflammation, growth, repair, and overall health. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts are rich in phytonutrients. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2009

Exercise: Short Bouts. Short bouts of moderately intense exercise seem to boost self-control, possibly due to increased blood and oxygen flow to pre-frontal area of brain. This is particularly important for children and teens, because well-developed higher brain functions are important for academic achievement.British Journal of Sports Medicine, March 2013

Chiropractic: Standard Medical Care and Chiropractic. Compared to those who received standard medical care (SMC) alone, military personnel (ages 18-35) with back pain who received chiropractic care in addition to SMC showed significantly more improvement in both decreased pain and increased physical function. Note: This particular study did not include a group of patients who only received chiropractic manipulative therapy. Spine, October 2012

Wellness/Prevention: Omega-3s Reduce Cancer Risk. According to researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, a lifelong diet containing omega-3 fatty acids may reduce cancer risk by as much as 30%.The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, February 2013

Quote: “The best doctor gives the least medicines.” ~ Benjamin Franklin