DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Tuesday, February 04, 2014 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“No matter how long you train someone to be brave, you never know if they are or not until something real happens.”~ Veronica Roth

Mental Attitude: Anonymous Online Comments More Likely to be Uncivil. According to a new study, when on-line users were allowed to anonymously comment on news articles, 53.3% of their comments were classified as being vulgar, racist, or offensive as opposed to 28.7% of comments submitted in a non-anonymous forum. This is important information for high-traffic news sources that want to promote constructive and intelligent conversation. University of Houston, January 2014

Health Alert: Ear Infections Cost Health Care System $3 Billion Yearly. Each year, acute otitis media, the most common ailment among young American children, results in about $2.88 billion worth of added healthcare expenses in the United States. Researchers found that children with ear infections had an average of two additional outpatient visits, 0.2 emergency visits, and 1.6 prescriptions filled. Furthermore, ear infections were associated with an increase of $314 per child annually for outpatient healthcare and an average of $17 in additional medications costs. Study co-author Dr. Nina Shapiro comments, "The take-home message is that the common ear infection is an extremely costly entity with significant financial burdens on the health care system." The Laryngoscope, January 2014

Diet: Low Levels of Vitamin D Can Worsen Multiple Sclerosis. Researchers looked at multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers from Canada, Israel, and 18 European countries and found that MS patients with normal levels of vitamin D had “a 57% lower rate of new brain lesions, a 57% lower relapse rate, and a 25% lower yearly increase in lesion volume.” The study concludes that vitamin D supplements should be incorporated in MS treatment. Harvard School of Public Health, January 2014

Exercise: Dementia Patients Helped by Intensive Exercise Programs. A recent report shows that an intensive exercise program that is specifically designed for dementia patients in the hospital is more beneficial than normal rehabilitation. By focusing on basic motor functional tasks such as rising from a chair or walking, individuals with dementia can maintain independence by reducing their risk of falling while increasing mobility and quality of life. Lead author Dr. Micheal Schwenk writes, “Results indicate that medium to high training adherence can be achieved in the majority of geriatric inpatients despite cognitive impairment and acute functional impairment." Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, January 2014

Chiropractic: Balance & Neck Pain? Unsteadiness and balance problems are commonly associated with neck pain. In this case-study, a 45-year-old man with unsteadiness and balance issues received therapeutic exercises and spinal manipulation. After eight weeks, improvements in postural and balance control were noted, thus supporting the use of chiropractic for this common symptom. Chiropractic & Osteopathy, November 2008

Wellness/Prevention: Quit Smoking for a Better Night's Sleep. New research suggests that smoking disrupts the circadian clock function in the lungs and brain. This disruption decreases sleep quality and contributes to cognitive dysfunction, mood disorders, depression, and anxiety. The FASEB Journal, January 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.)