DAILY HEALTH UPDATE: Thursday, October 03, 2013 Dr. Jeff Allyn, Berkley Chiropractic Clinic

“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain.” ~ Emily Dickinson

Mental Attitude: Meditation. Incorporating meditation into your day-to-day routine is one of the best ways to combat stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, “During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process results in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.”   Mayo Clinic, April 2011

Health Alert: 1/3 Of World Population May Have Low Levels of Vitamin D. A systematic research review revealed that 37.3% of the world’s population has vitamin D serum levels below 20 ng/ml, a level considered inadequate by health authorities around the world. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, osteomalacia, osteopenia, osteoporosis, and risk of fracture. Cancer and cardiovascular risks also increase with lower vitamin D levels.   British Journal of Nutrition, August 2013

Diet: Commercial Baby Foods Do Not Meet Needs of Children. Researchers say that many commercial baby foods fail to meet the weaning needs of infants. According to Dr. Peter Richel, chief of the department of pediatrics at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, New York, "Weaning from milk-based diets to food-based diets… should not be taken lightly. We must provide adequate nutrition to provide energy, consistent growth velocity, and age-appropriate milestones in all areas of development."   Archives of Disease in Childhood, September 2013

Exercise: Superman for Core Strength. This exercise helps strengthen the lower back. Lie on your stomach with a rolled towel or a small pillow under your hips to support your back. Stretch your arms out in front of you. Tighten your abdominal muscles, raise your right arm, and hold for 3 breaths. Lower your right arm and repeat with the left arm. Raise your right leg off the floor and hold for 3 breaths, lower and repeat with the left leg.   Mayo Clinic, August 2011

Chiropractic: Patients Satisfied. Regarding treatment for low back pain, a survey of 14,000 people revealed that “eighty-eight percent of those who tried chiropractic manipulation said it helped a lot, and 59 percent were ‘completely’ or ‘very’ satisfied with their chiropractor.”   Consumer Reports, May 2009

Wellness/Prevention: Quitting Smoking with E-Cigarettes? A recent study has found e-cigarettes are comparable to nicotine patches in regards to successfully quitting smoking. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that allow the users to inhale vaporized nicotine. According to lead investigator Dr. Chris Bullen, "Our study establishes a critical benchmark for e-cigarette performance compared to nicotine patches and placebo e-cigarettes, but there is still so much that is unknown about the effectiveness and long-term effects of e-cigarettes."   The Lancet, September 2013