DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Friday, March 21, 2014 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent...Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” ~ Calvin Coolidge

Mental Attitude: Football Helmets Offer Little Concussion Protection. An analysis of ten popular football helmets reveals that while helmets are designed to protect players from skull fractures and focal brain contusions, they do little to protect wearers from the forces that are believed to be responsible for diffuse brain injuries, including concussions. According to tests conducted by Dr. Frank Conidi, the director of the Florida Center for Headache and Sports Neurology, current helmets only decrease a player's risk for concussion and other traumatic brain injuries by an average of 20% compared with not wearing a helmet at all.   The American Academy of Neurology, February 2014

Health Alert: Cancer Kills More Men Than Women. Experts note that more than 4.6 million men and 3.5 million women die of cancer worldwide each year. Compared with women, men are 24% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer and 50% more likely to die from the disease. A co-author of the study, Nick Ormiston-Smith, adds, "The contrast in cancer death rates between the sexes may be down to more men being diagnosed with types of cancers that are harder to treat, such as cancers of the bladder, liver, lung, and esophagus." Cancer Research UK, February 2014

Diet: Grape Seed May Fight Bowel Cancer. A new report suggests that grape seed can improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy for colon cancer cells while also reducing chemotherapy’s side effects. Lead author Dr. Amy Cheah explains, "This is the first study showing that grape seed can enhance the potency of one of the major chemotherapy drugs in its action against colon cancer cells… research also showed that in laboratory studies grape seed taken orally significantly reduced inflammation and tissue damage caused by chemotherapy in the small intestine, and had no harmful effects on non-cancerous cells. Unlike chemotherapy, grape seed appears to selectively act on cancer cells and leave healthy cells almost unaffected." PLOS ONE, January 2014

Exercise: Mid-Life Fitness and Dementia Risk. A thirty-year study involving 3,559 participants finds that adults who report their fitness levels as "poor" at age 50 are four times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia later in life.  Journal of Internal Medicine, January 2014

Chiropractic: Hip Arthritis Range of Motion Improved. This case-study involving four patients with hip arthritis revealed positive improvements in hip range of motion with the use of chiropractic manipulation of the lumbar spine, pelvis, knee, and ankle along with long axis traction of the hip. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of chiropractic care for hip arthritis, but this treatment approach shows promise. Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics, July 2010

Wellness/Prevention: A Little Weight Loss Helps Sleep Apnea. A new report suggests that losing as little as 5% of body weight leads to significant improvement in sleep apnea. This condition involves frequent pauses in breathing while sleeping resulting in disrupted sleep and daytime fatigue. According to researchers, being overweight increases the risk for sleep apnea by ten times. Lead study author Dr. Henri Tuomilehto explains, “We believe it represents the first-line treatment in the early phases of the disease and has a good chance of curing the disease or at least preventing the progression.” Sleep Medicine, 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.)