DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Monday, December 30, 2013 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

"Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly." ~ John F. Kennedy

Mental Attitude: Blood Test for Concussions. Currently, 15-30% of concussion sufferers will experience significant, persistent cognitive deficits, such as processing speed, working memory, and the ability to switch or balance multiple thoughts. Unfortunately, doctors have no reliable way to asses if a concussion sufferer may fall into that group. Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Baylor College believe they have discovered a blood test that can determine if a concussion sufferer will experience long-term neural complications. By testing blood for elevated levels of a specific protein (STNF), medical professionals can accurately identify if recovery issues will arise and what additional treatment measures should be taken. Frontiers in Neurology, November 2013

Health Alert: Alcohol and Acetaminophen. There were 116,395 new kidney failures, 571,414 people living with kidney failure, and 90,118 deaths from the disease in the United States in 2009. Moderate or light consumption of alcohol taken with acetaminophen may increase the risk of kidney dysfunction. Acetaminophen usage and low to moderate alcohol consumption are not considered as individual risk factors for kidney damage, but together, they increase a person's risk for kidney damage by 123%. Mayo Clinic, November 2013

Diet: Fruits and Veggies are Good for Your Child's Bones! A study from the United Kingdom found that fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with increased total body bone mineral density and bone mineral content in adolescent girls and boys. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2006

Exercise: It Can Take Time… After the first two months of an exercise program, volunteers who had insomnia reported they were not sleeping any better than they had at the start of the study. It wasn't until the four month mark that their insomnia improved. They also rarely reported sleeping better on nights when they had exercised and they almost always exercised for a shorter amount of time on the days after a poor night’s sleep. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, November 2013

Chiropractic: Significant Improvement! Fifty patients with neck and arm pain caused by an MRI-confirmed cervical disk herniation received chiropractic adjustments over a 90-day period. After two weeks, 55.3% of patients reported their pain had significantly improved. This number rose to 68.9% after one month and 85.7% after three months of care. No adverse events were reported. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, October 2013

Wellness/Prevention: Pesticides and Endometriosis. Endometriosis is a common condition that affects 10% of women during their reproductive years. Symptoms may include painful menstrual periods, pelvic pain, and infertility. Researchers looked to see if exposure to environmental chemicals with estrogenic properties (like some pesticides) could increase a woman's risk for developing the disease. They found that women with blood samples showing exposure to two now-banned pesticides (beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and mirex) have a 30-70% higher risk for developing the condition. Study author Dr. Kristen Upson concludes, "The take-home message from our study is that the persistent environmental chemicals, even those used in the past, may affect the health of the current generation of reproductive-age women with regard to a hormonally driven disease." Environmental Health Perspectives, November 2013

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

(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.)