Mental Attitude: Social Media and Eating Disorder-Related Behavior. Researchers looked closely at how middle school students used social media and identified a correlation between social media usage and thoughts and behaviors associated with eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, December 2019
Health Alert: Vitamin D Status and Back Pain. Previous studies have suggested an association between deficient vitamin D levels and an increased risk for low back pain. In a new study, researchers found that for low back pain patients with deficient vitamin D levels, improving their vitamin D status via a 60,000 IU per day supplement for ten days resulted in a significant improvement in both backache symptoms and disability. Doctors of chiropractic often advise their patients to maintain optimal vitamin D levels as part of living a healthier lifestyle. Journal of Clinical Orthopaedic Trauma, November 2019
Diet: Poor Sleep Linked to Bad Diet. The results of a recent study that looked at the dietary and sleep characteristics of 256 teens suggest there’s an association between insufficient sleep and increased cravings for sugary food and an unhealthy dietary pattern. Nutrients, November 2019
Exercise: Rapid Resistance Exercise Key to Recovering from Inactivity. According to a new study, years of inactivity causes a disproportionate decline in explosive muscle strength, which can affect balance, increase the risk of joint injuries, and hamper movements during athletic activity. For patients recovering from prolonged inactivity, researchers recommend that rehabilitation programs should focus on using resistance exercises to build strength with a focus on lifting as rapidly as possible. Experimental Physiology, November 2019
Chiropractic: Headaches and Chronic Whiplash. The term whiplash associated disorders (WAD) describes a constellation of symptoms that includes (partial list) pain, stiffness/limited motion, dizziness, headache, depression/anxiety, and brain-fog. A study that involved 188 chronic WAD patients with headaches found that a majority of those who performed neck-specific exercises for twelve weeks experienced at least a 50% reduction in headaches and the benefits persisted for up to a year. Doctors of chiropractic often use neck-specific exercises in combination with spinal manipulation, mobilization, and nutritional recommendations when managing WAD patients. Medicine, November 2019
Wellness/Prevention: Managing Relationship Stress. To help deal with relationship stress, Johns Hopkins Medical School recommends the following: discuss life stresses with your doctor; check if your coping strategies are healthy; find stress outlets that make you feel better in the short and long term; make taking care of yourself a top priority; and pay attention to newer symptoms, such as pain or nausea. Johns Hopkins Medical School, December 2019
Quote: “There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” ~ Henri Matisse