DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” ~ Coco Chanel

Mental Attitude: Treatment for Depression Has Cardiovascular Benefits. A new study suggests that more active treatment for depression might reduce a person's risk of both heart attack and stroke as depressed people are more likely to smoke, have a poor diet, be sedentary, and not exercise -- all risk factors for cardiovascular problems. The study followed 235 people with diagnosed depression and found that those who received more active treatment to address their depression were 50% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke during the length of the study compared with those who received more passive care. Psychosomatic Medicine, January 2014

Health Alert: Increased Blood Clot Risk After Pregnancy. New research suggests a new mother's risk for a blood clot is higher than normal during the 18 weeks following the birth of her baby. Compared to similar women who have not given birth, women who have recently had a child are 11 times more at risk for a blood clot during the first six weeks after delivering a baby. The risk drops to double the risk in weeks 7-12 and one and one-half times the risk for weeks 13-18. Lead researcher Dr. Hooman Kamel explains, "While rare, blood clots are a serious cause of disability and death in pregnant and postpartum women, and many members of our research team have cared for young women with these complications. Clinicians should consider our results when caring for high-risk postpartum patients, such as those with previous clots, or postpartum patients with symptoms concerning for thrombosis." The American Heart Association, February 2014

Diet: Food Industry Making Shift from Artificial to Natural. Perhaps soon, synthetic ingredients and food additives like blue No. 1, BHT, and aspartame will be replaced by extracts from algae, rosemary, and monk fruit. Manufacturers are aware that consumers are concerned about synthetic additives and now research is enabling the shift form artificial colors, sweeteners, and preservative to natural ones.   American Chemical Society, February 2014

Exercise: Moderate Exercise Cuts Stroke Risk. A new report shows that moderate exercise, such as a brisk evening walk, could cut stroke risk in women by 20%. American Heart Association, February 2014

Chiropractic: Satisfying for the Spine. Researchers followed-up with 369 new patients six weeks after commencing chiropractic care to assess improvements in pain and disability as well as satisfaction with treatment. The researchers conclude, "Based on these results, it seems that patients suffering from back and/or neck complaints [believe] chiropractic care [to be] an effective means of resolving or ameliorating pain and functional impairments, thus reinforcing previous results showing the benefits of chiropractic treatment for back and neck pain." Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics, May 1997

Wellness/Prevention: Can Vitamin C Ward Off Stroke? Individuals who are vitamin C deficient may be at an increased risk for hemorrhagic stroke. This type of stroke only represents about 15% of strokes, but it is the deadliest. This link is probably related to vitamin C's role in lowering blood pressure and maintaining the health of blood vessels. However, the study did not show a direct cause-and-effect relationship. The authors recommended getting vitamin C through diet and not through supplementation. American Academy of Neurology, 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.)