In a study involving more than 1000 participants, investigators found a significant improvement in well-being among heavy users who went one week without Facebook compared to those who continued to use the service.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, December 2016
On Saturday, my wife Meredith was evacuated off of Winter Park’s slopes by the ski patrol with a serious knee injury. Unfortunately I need to cancel my appointments for Monday January 16 to take her to see an orthopedic surgeon and (hopefully) get an MRI to see if she will need knee surgery.
I take my responsibility to all of you very seriously and my family and I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to all of you. We fully expect to resume normal operations on Tuesday January 17, 2017.
Meaghan will call all of you with appointments for Monday January 16 asap to reschedule. Thank you for understanding.
Here’s my family at a Halloween party this past Saturday. I was a grass-fed beef cheeseburger on a gluten-free bun with slice of locally grown heirloom tomato and bio-dynamically grown lettuce 😉
We are in the office today, but closing up a little early so those of us with kids (I have 3, Office Manager Meaghan has 2) can get them ready to take over the night. If you need us, call us 303.300.0424 or reply to this email. Happy Halloween!
I have the privilege of coaching the 9-10 Gridiron Flag Football Eagles this season. For those of you with the opportunity, I strongly recommend making the time for coaching kids’ sports. It’s a great way to have fun, influence some young minds, and learn a thing or two from the kids. We beat the Texans in a 20-19 nail biter.
Mental Attitude: Mild Brain Injuries Have Long-Term Effects.
Kids who have suffered even mild head trauma appear to be more prone to serious issues later in life, such as psychiatric problems and premature death. In this study, researchers compared data collected from 100,000 Swedes who had suffered a minimum of one traumatic brain injury before age 25 to their unaffected siblings and found that those who had head injuries were more 70% more likely to die before age 41 and twice as likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric issues. Moreover, those with head trauma early in life were also 80% more likely to receive government financial assistance due to disability. The findings suggest a strong need for improved brain injury prevention as well as improved treatment post injury.
PLOS Medicine, August 2016
Health Alert: Improper Contact Lens Use Can Lead to Serious Eye Damage.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed nearly 1,100 cases of eye infections related to contact lens use and found that nearly one in five patients had either a scarred cornea, required a corneal transplant, or had other types of eye damage due to infection. Furthermore, over 10% of the patients had to go to the emergency room or urgent care for immediate treatment. Examples of unsafe use of contact lenses include: wearing contacts overnight, failing to clean and replace lens solution frequently, and getting contact lenses wet while swimming or in the shower. Study author Dr. Jennifer Cope adds, “While people who get serious eye infections represent a small percentage of those who wear contacts, they serve as a reminder for all contact lens wearers to take simple steps to prevent infections.”
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly, August 2016
Diet: Shopping for Fish.
Adding fish to your diet is a very healthy choice, and many health experts recommend eating fish at least twice per week. When shopping for fish, the Food and Drug Administration suggests the following: choose fish displayed on fresh ice in a case; fish should smell mild and fresh, not fishy and sour; the fish’s eyes should be clear and bulging, gills bright red, and flesh firm and shiny; avoid fish with signs of darkening or dryness at the edges; and choose shrimp of other seafood that shines and has no odor
Food and Drug Administration, August 2016
Exercise: Helps Improve Non-Motor Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.
A review of twenty published studies on the effects of physical activity on patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) reveals that exercise improves a PD patient’s motor skills and benefits non-motor symptoms such as depression, apathy, fatigue, day time sleepiness, sleep, and cognition.
Frontiers in Medicine, August 2016
Chiropractic: May Help COPD Patients Breathe Better.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease that makes breathing difficult, and it is the third leading cause of death in the United States. In this study, researchers found that patients who received the combination of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), soft tissue therapy (ST), and spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) experienced greater improvements in lung function than those who received either PR alone or PR and ST only.
Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapies, August 2016
Wellness/Prevention: Let Your Child Walk to School.
Letting kids walk to school is a great way to increase physical activity and teach independence. However, parents must teach their children the basics of pedestrian safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following: make sure kids cross the street at crosswalks or intersections; have children wear reflective clothing and carry a flashlight if it is dark; have children walk on the sidewalk or on the shoulder of the road in the opposite direction of traffic; do not allow children to use technology (phones, tablets) while walking; and take extra precautions with small children who may not be able to judge speed and distance of vehicles and don’t understand traffic rules.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 2016
I spent my Saturday morning riding up 3000 ft of dirt over 8 miles with my buddy Mike in Sedalia. Dakan Road is a great place do some training for climbing on a mountain bike. If you pull over for the jeeps going by on the dirt road, everyone is happy and nice. Great view of Devil’s Head from the top. I’m training for the Xterra Buffalo Creek relay on August 27th.
If you hurt yourself over the weekend or just feel like your spine is out of alignment, call us 303.300.0424. We’ll try to get you in ASAP!
Here’s this week’s 1-Page Health News:
Health Alert: Is Modern Lifestyle to Blame for the Obesity Epidemic?
When it comes to the obesity epidemic, is nature to blame… or nurture? An analysis of data from nearly 8,800 adults participating in a nationwide health and retirement study revealed that participants were more likely to pack on more pounds if they were born later in the 20th century, regardless of whether they had a high genetic risk for obesity. The researchers suggest that modern conveniences may be to blame as they have allowed people to become more and more sedentary. The Obesity Society’s Dr. Anthony Comuzzie explains, “When was the last time you got out of the car and opened your own garage, or got off the couch to change the TV channel?… People have more money to spend on easily available fast food, and they are less likely to engage in physical activity. It’s a double-edged sword.”
Journal of the American Medical Association, July 2016
Exercise: Exercise During Pregnancy Offers Benefits.
According to new research, women who exercise during pregnancy are less likely to require a caesarian section than women who refrain from exercise. Furthermore, exercise does not appear to increase the risk of preterm birth. The researchers also found exercise results in a lower incidence of gestational diabetes and lower rates of high blood pressure during pregnancy.
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, June 2016
Chiropractic: Adjusments & Home Exercise Beneficial to Those with Chronic Neck Pain.
Chronic neck pain is a common and disabling condition among older adults, but little is known regarding the cost-effectiveness of commonly used treatments. A recent study investigated the cost-effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy (adjustments), supervised exercise, and home exercise among a group of 241 older adults with chronic mechanical neck pain. The investigators found that spinal manipulation combined with home exercise resulted in better clinical outcomes and lower costs than either supervised exercise combined with home exercise or home exercise alone. The study demonstrates the benefit of utilizing spinal manipulative therapy in the management of chronic neck pain. This is exactly what we do at our office. If you have neck pain, call us at 303.300.0424.
The Spine Journal, June 2016
Wellness/Prevention: Keep Your Child’s Sandbox Safe.
For decades, children have played in sandboxes. But while these play areas allow kids to express their creativity and enjoy the outdoors, sandboxes can also harbor germs. To help keep your child’s sandbox safer, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests: use only natural river or beach sand, cover the sandbox when not in use to keep animals and insects out, let wet sand dry completely before covering, rake sand regularly to get rid of clumps and debris, and keep pets out of the sandbox.
American Academy of Pediatrics, June 2016
Denver Chiropractic Center303.300.0424
denverback.com
Attention men over 40, you can fix symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, irritability and depression by checking and fixing your testosterone levels naturally.
That’s me, running as fast as I ever have. You see, when I go in to these races, my main goal is to beat my time from the year before. And I knew it was going to be close this year.
Maybe getting up at 4:00 AM to drive up to the race was a mistake, but didn’t want to spend $400 for a hotel room I’d be in for just a few hours. Anyway, I had that 4:00 AM feeling the whole day and knew I was in trouble.
The swim went well, around 17:00 minutes to do my 800 meters, including the barefoot run to where the mountain bikes were. Then onto the bike, which felt steeper than it ever has before. 2200 feet of climbing in the first 3 miles. I finished the bike in 1 hour 23 minutes. Onto the trail run, where I knew it was going to be close. More steepness. I trudged up the 600ft climb as best I could and then ran as hard as I could on the downhill. Total time for 2016 2:24:56. Last year was 2:25:45. Very close, but I’ll take it. Next up is Xterra Winter Park on August 6.
Training for race season 2016 continues. Yesterday, the thermometer at hit 96 just as I was leaving to ride.Here I am taking a break from laps of the Greenwood Village Bike Park.
I also wanted to let you know that we are back in the office and ready to help you. If something’s hurting, or you feel like you’re out of alignment, just call us @ 303.300.0424 and we will get you in!
Here’s this week’s 1-Page Health News.
Health Alert: Air Pollution Can Make Blood Pressure Soar.
A review of 17 studies from around the world has found a link between dangerous blood pressure and air pollutants, such as vehicle exhaust, coal burning, and airborne dirt or dust. The researchers explain that just a few days of increased air pollution can lead to more emergency hospital visits due to temporary spikes in blood pressure. Over the long term, those living with constant high levels of air pollution may end up with chronically high blood pressure. The findings are of great concern as high blood pressure is a key risk factor for stroke and heart disease, the number one cause of death worldwide. Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles comments, “These findings suggest that strategies to effectively reduce exposure to air pollution may have cardiovascular benefits.”
Hypertension, May 2016
Diet: Healthy Fats Don’t Boost Weight.
According to new report, consuming a diet that includes healthy fats such as olive oil and nuts isn’t likely to cause weight gain. The study included more than 7,400 women and men who ate one of three meal plans: an unrestricted-calorie Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil; an unrestricted-calorie Mediterranean diet rich in nuts; or a low-fat diet intended to avoid all dietary fat. After five years, the researchers found that a diet with little fat did not result in more weight loss, but it did result in a greater likelihood of increased waist circumference, which is a risk factor for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes. In a commentary that accompanied the study Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian notes, “Dietary guidelines should be revised to lay to rest the outdated, arbitrary limits on total fat consumption. Calorie-obsessed caveats and warnings about healthier, higher-fat choices such as nuts, phenolic-rich vegetable oils, yogurt, and even perhaps cheese, should also be dropped.”
The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, June 2016
Exercise: Find Time for Fitness.
The American Council on Exercise offers the following advice about how to squeeze in a few minutes of exercise during the day: take a walk around the block when you get home from work, park your car a little further from your office building, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk for ten minutes without stopping when shopping, clean your home, work in the yard, exercise during your lunch or coffee break, and ask a co-worker to join you for a quick walk.
American Council on Exercise, May 2016
Chiropractic: Neck Trauma Linked to Jaw Pain!
In this study, researchers followed up with individuals who had been seen in an emergency room for neck pain resulting from a car accident and found they were up to six times more likely to report jaw pain than their peers who had no history of neck trauma. This finding adds to previous research indicating a link between cervical trauma or injury and the development of orofacial pain.
Journal of Dental Research, June 2016
Wellness/Prevention: Drink Fewer Sugary Soft Drinks.
Consuming more than five sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages on a weekly basis may increase an individual’s risk for a heart attack. Researchers measured the coronary artery calcium levels of over 22,000 men and found those who consumed more than five sugary soft drinks per week were 70% more likely to have plaque build-up in their arteries, which is an early indicator for coronary heard disease.
American Heart Journal, July 2016
Don’t let pain, injury or stiffness get in the way of your summer. We are here to help you. We are also here to help your friends or family. Dr. Hyman has 18 years of experience treating back pain, neck pain and headaches. He also gets great results with shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles. There is no reason to let pain slow you down, whether it’s new or old.
Call us today at 303.300.0424 and get ready to get back in the game! Or just reply to this email and get straight to Jessica at the front desk. We look forward to helping you!
Attention men over 40, you can restore the Warrior Within– If you are interested in losing weight, building muscle, and getting rid of fatigue / irritability (or other symptoms), we have something new for you. Natural hormone balance for men is a way to optimize testosterone and cortisol levels naturally – no dangerous drugs or untested herbs – using diet, training and coaching from a fellow over-40 guy who understands (Me: I fixed myself up using these exact protocols). If you’re interested you can learn more on our website: http://www.denverback.com/forMen-Over-40.
Here’s this week’s 1-Page Health News:
Diet: The Good & Bad News About Higher Calcium Intake.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), men aged 51-70 should consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily, increasing to 1,200 mg at age 71. NIH experts also recommend that women take in 1,200 mg of calcium daily starting at age 51. In a new study, a research team analyzed the calcium intake as well as the heart disease, stroke, and fracture risk of 2,199 men and 2,704 women over 50 years of age. The team found that participants who had a higher calcium intake had a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those with a lower calcium intake; however, the analysis found the risk of fracture or stroke did not significantly decrease among those with a higher calcium intake.
The Endocrine Society, April 2016
Exercise: Just 75 Minutes of Exercise Per Week Has Benefits!
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, accounting for approximately 3.2 million deaths annually. Past evidence suggests that regular physical activity can lead to risk reductions of at least 20-30% for more than 25 chronic health conditions and premature mortality. However, the ideal amount and intensity of exercise to recommend to the general public is still a topic that’s hotly debated among the experts. Current physical activity guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise per week, but a new review of the published literature indicates that just half this level of activity may still lead to noticeable health benefits. The authors of the review write, “There is compelling evidence that health benefits can be accrued at a lower volume and/or intensity of physical activity. These health benefits are seen in both healthy and clinical populations.”
Canadian Journal of Cardiology, April 2016
Chiropractic: How Does Obesity Increase the Risk of Low Back Pain?
Obesity is known to be an independent risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders; however, the mechanism behind the association between obesity and lower back pain is not yet fully understood. In an effort to add to the available research, Nigerian scientists investigated the spinal curvature of 300 individuals of varying body shapes/sizes and found those with both an above-normal body mass index and waist-hip ratio were more likely to have greater curvature in the lumbar spine. This suggests the spines of those who are overweight or obese have an increased curve (“sway back”) to accommodate a greater load which the researchers speculate may increase their risk for developing lower back pain.
Patient Preference and Adherence, March 2016
Daily Apple Consumption Helps the Heart.
Consuming fresh fruit, such as apples, each day appears to reduce the risk of dying from either a heart attack or stroke by about one-third. Investigators collected data on more than 500,000 adults between 2004 and 2009 and found that fewer than one-in-five ate fruit on a daily basis. However, the researchers found that those who ate about a half cup of fruit a day had a significantly lower risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Lead researcher Dr. Liming Li reports that participants who ate fruit the most often had lower blood pressure and blood sugar compared to those who ate less fruit, which could explain the reduced risk for heart attacks and stroke.
New England Journal of Medicine, April 2016
Mental Attitude: Sleepless Nights Linked to Changes in the Brain.
Chinese researchers report that insomnia may lead to abnormalities in the white matter of the brain, the tissue which carries information between the various parts of the organ. For the study, the researchers recruited 23 patients with primary insomnia and 30 healthy volunteers. The participants completed surveys that allowed investigators to evaluate their mental status and sleep patterns. Using an advanced MRI technique, the research team also looked at the pattern of water movement in white matter to identify any irregularities. They found that participants with insomnia had significantly reduced white matter integrity in several regions of the brain including the thalamus, which regulates consciousness, sleep, and alertness, as well as the corpus callosum, the area that connects the two halves of the brain. Researcher Dr. Shumei Li notes, “Our results can potentially provide the evidence about how the lack of sleep may lead to the impairment of white matter related to emotional or cognitive disorders.”
Radiology, April 2016
Health Alert: Diabetes Has Quadrupled Worldwide Since 1980.
According to a new report, the number of men and women diagnosed with diabetes around the globe increased from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014, with the most severe increases noted in low- and middle-income countries. Experts say these findings should sound an alarm for large-scale, effective action that focuses on reducing the health and economic impact of diabetes.
The Lancet, April 2016
Exercise: Too Few Children Get 60 Minutes of Exercise Daily.
In this study, investigators observed 453 schoolchildren during a one-week period and found that only 15% achieved the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each day. Furthermore, compared with normal or underweight children, the researchers report that the overweight and obese children in the study were be less active overall and achieved fewer minutes of MVPA during school, out-of-school, and on weekends. Senior author Dr. Jennifer Sacheck comments, “Clearly, schools need to be aware of this disparity and should focus on increasing all intensities of physical activity equally for all children across the school-day.”
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, March 2016
Chiropractic: Musculoskeletal Pain Common in Veterans.
A recent study investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among United States veterans. The study included 5,237,763 former soldiers and found that non-traumatic joint pain (27%), back pain (25%), and osteoarthritis (21%) are the most commonly reported and treated musculoskeletal disorders among those who received Veterans Health Administration care. The findings show that musculoskeletal complaints are highly prevalent, painful, and costly disorders among veterans.
Pain, March 2016
Wellness/Prevention: Vitamin D Levels Linked to Cardiovascular Disease Risk.
New research suggests that the risk of cardiovascular disease could be predicted by measuring levels of total and bioavailable vitamin D in both men and women. The study analyzed the vitamin D levels of 4,200 individuals aged 52-76 and assessed whether vitamin D levels had any effect on future cardiac events. The findings revealed that individuals with low levels of both total vitamin D and bioavailable vitamin D were at the greatest risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and even cardiovascular death.
American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Chicago, April 2016
Mental Attitude: Chronic Stress Can Affect Memory.
Individuals subjected to chronic stress due to bullying or a tough job may experience problems with their memory. Researchers found that mice who were repeatedly stressed by larger, more aggressive mice when they tried to find an escape hole in a maze became more forgetful than mice not exposed to the aggressive mice. The researchers say that the mice’s inability to remember coincided with stress-induced inflammation in the brain. They hope that a better understanding of stress, cognition, and mood problems may help create strategies for those suffering from anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Journal of Neuroscience, March 2016
Health Alert: Secondhand Smoke Exacerbates COPD Symptoms.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease that makes breathing difficult and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. A recent study found 20% of COPD patients live with an active smoker and 27% were exposed to secondhand smoke during the previous week. For the COPD patient, secondhand smoke exposure is linked to a greater risk for severe exacerbations (51%), nocturnal symptoms (58%), wheezing (34%), and chronic cough (77%).
Thorax, March 2016
Diet: High-Fat Diet May Raise Cancer Risk.
New research suggests that a high-fat diet could increase the risk of colon cancer. In this study, researchers fed healthy mice a high-fat diet (60% of total calories from fat) for nine months and found the mice gained 30-50% more body mass and developed more intestinal tumors than mice on a control diet.
Nature, March 2016
Exercise: Brain Chemicals Affected By Exercise.
Researchers have found that people who exercise not only have better physical fitness than inactive persons, but they also have better mental fitness. Using MRI scans, researchers found that intense exercise increased the levels of two common neurotransmitters called glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid in study participants. The finding offers insights into brain metabolism and how exercise could become an essential part of treating depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders associated with deficiencies in neurotransmitters. Lead researcher Dr. Richard Maddock adds, “We are offering another view on why regular physical activity may be important to prevent or treat depression… Not every depressed person who exercises will improve, but many will. It’s possible that we can help identify the patients who would most benefit from an exercise prescription.”
Journal of Neuroscience, February 2016
Chiropractic: Is it CTS or Double Crush Syndrome?
Many patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may also have median nerve entrapments further up the course of the nerve (in the neck, shoulder, elbow, etc). When the median nerve is encumbered at two anatomical locations, it’s described as a double crush syndrome (DCS). In this study, researchers compared the results of nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests on patients with CTS and patients with CTS and cervical spondylotic radiculopathy (an example of DCS). The results showed worse nerve function in the patients with DCS, supporting the possibility of more severe CTS symptoms with a lower likelihood of resolution if treatment only focused on the wrist.
Journal of the Chinese Medical Association, September 2015 (Note- we treat both of these conditions with a combination of Active Release Techniques (ART) and chiropractic work. Call us at 303.300.0424)
Wellness/Prevention: Experts Unsure If Seniors Should Have Routine Vision Checks.
A panel of experts concludes there is not enough data to say whether or not seniors should be routinely screened for vision trouble by their primary care physicians. According to the panel, primary care doctors typically check vision with an eye chart test and while this test can detect refractive errors, it does not identify early stage age-related macular degeneration or cataracts. Task force member Dr. Michael Pignone notes, “Older adults who are having vision problems should talk to their primary care doctor or eye specialist… in the absence of clear evidence, primary care doctors should use their clinical judgment when deciding whether to screen for vision problems in patients without vision symptoms.”
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, March 2016
