DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“Patience can be bitter but her fruit is always sweet.” ~ Habeeb Akande

Mental Attitude: Mental Health Problems in Children Mistaken for Physical Health Problems. Experts warn that some health complaints in children like abdominal pain, headaches, and limb pain may be symptoms of mental health problems caused by stress, an unstable home, or even parental over-protectiveness. Identifying these issues early could lead to better outcomes and lower healthcare costs. Nursing Children and Young People, February 2014

Health Alert: Many Hospitals Fall Short in Preventing Infections. A new report reveals that most hospitals in the United States don’t follow rules to protect patients from preventable and potentially deadly infections. Investigators found that one in ten hospitals did not have a checklist to prevent bloodstream infections and one in four did not have checklists to prevent ventilator associated pneumonia. Approximately 30% of hospitals did not have policies to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections. Even when hospitals had checklists in place, they were only followed 50% of the time. Lead researcher Dr. Patricia Stone writes, "Every hospital should see this research as a call to action -- it's just unconscionable that we're not doing every single thing we can, every day, for every patient, to avoid preventable infections." American Journal of Infection Control, February 2014

Diet: Vegetarian Diets Lower Blood Pressure? A review of 32 studies published over the course of a century finds that adopting a vegetarian diet is associated with a reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP). The authors of the review add, "Further studies are required to clarify which types of vegetarian diets are most strongly associated with lower BP. Research into the implementation of such diets, either as public health initiatives aiming at prevention of hypertension or in clinical settings, would also be of great potential value." JAMA Internal Medicine, February 2014

Exercise: Losing Weight May Improve Cognitive Function. A preliminary study on mice indicates the presence of excess body fat stimulates an inflammatory reaction that damages neural synapses in the brain, resulting in decreased cognitive function. Researchers found that when the excess fat was removed (either surgically or through a combination of diet and exercise), the inflammatory response diminished and cognitive function appeared to improve. JAMA, February 2014

Chiropractic: Best Option for Sports-Related Back Pain. Athletes often suffer injuries that result in disability, forcing them to sit on the sidelines. Fortunately, there are several treatment options to help them quickly return to their sport. A study found that chiropractic adjustments and heat applications had the strongest clinical benefits and least amount of side effects for athletes with back pain compared with treatments including medication, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, laser treatments, and cold packs.  Sports Health, November 2011

Wellness/Prevention: Kids with Involved Parents Become Thinner Adults. A new study has discovered a potential predictor of obesity by suggesting that children whose parents are very involved in their lives are more likely to be slim when they become adults. In general, the authors of the study found that parents who play with their children, talk about nutrition, or just spend time with them are more likely to have children who grow up to be lean adults. Lead researcher Dr. Brian Wansink explains, "The bottom line for parents is: Spend a lot of time with your kids - it almost doesn't matter what (activity) you do with them - just stay in their young lives." PLOS ONE, February 2014

For More Information on Back Pain, Neck Pain, Headaches, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and Whiplash, and To Sign Up For Our Daily Health Update Emails, Go To:www.DrJeffAllynBlog.com or our website at:www.berkleychiropracticclinic.com 

(This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.)