DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Friday, November 08, 2013 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“The trouble is if you don’t spend your life yourself, other people spend it for you.” ~ Peter Shaffer

Mental Attitude: Brain Training May Not Help Intelligence. New research shows that popular brain training games may improve memory, but not IQ. Fifty-five college students studied for 20 days on certain cognitive tasks. The results showed none of the students demonstrated any training benefit on measures of fluid intelligence, but it was clear their memory had improved. Psychological Science, October 2013

Health Alert: Colored Contact Lens Risk! Colored contacts may look neat but they can pose a risk to healthy eyes. A study of 15 brands of colored contact lenses found that brands colored by surface dyes (as opposed to embedded or sandwiched color) were more likely to experience micro-adhesions when rubbed. When microbes were introduced, bacteria were six times more likely to find a home in the colored lenses with micro-adhesions. The authors of the study recommend anyone wanting to wear colored contact lenses first undergo a proper eye exam and have their lenses prescribed by an eye care professional. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, October 2013

Diet: You're Probably Not Eating Enough Fiber. A 10-year study of over 23,000 Americans found that the average adult consumes only 16.2 grams of dietary fiber per day. Depending on age and sex, the recommended intake levels range from 21-50 grams per day. Low fiber intake has been associated with increased risks for obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular inflammation. The American Journal of Medicine, October 2013

Exercise: Yoga Improves Arrhythmia Symptoms. Consistent twice-weekly yoga helps people with cardiac arrhythmia by reducing symptoms and reducing anxiety, according to a new study. The study's authors noted that, while the exact mechanisms for why yoga was beneficial were unclear, likely reasons included its effect on the autonomic nervous system and its ability to increase parasympathetic activity. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, March 2013

Chiropractic: Decrease Migraines with Chiropractic. Thirty-two patients with a diagnosis of migraines received two months of chiropractic adjustments. Patient outcomes were measured on frequency, pain intensity, duration, disability, and the use of medications. Results showed statistically significant improvement in migraine frequency, pain intensity, disability, and medication use compared to their initial baseline scores.  Australasia Chiropractic and Osteopathic Journal, July 2013

Wellness/Prevention: Probiotics to Prevent or Treat Excessive Infant Crying? A systematic review of twelve studies on the effect of probiotics (beneficial bacteria) on infantile colic found that half of the studies supported the use of probiotics in reducing colic. Three studies concluded that probiotics effectively treat colic in breastfed infants, while another suggested ineffectiveness in breastfed babies with colic. One study suggested possible effectiveness in formula fed babies. JAMA Pediatrics, October 2013

(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.)