DAILY HEALTH UPDATE | Monday | November 16, 2015
Courtesy of: Dr. Darren Taylor
Mental Attitude: Common Flame Retardants May Cause Attention Problems in Children. According to a new article published in the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology, prenatal exposure to commonly used fire retardants is associated with attention problems in young children. In the study, researchers analyzed umbilical cord blood samples for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are commonly used as fire retardants, and found the children in the study with the highest exposure to certain PBDEs had approximately twice the number of attention problems at ages 3-7 when compared with the other children in the study with less PBDEs exposure. Senior author Dr. Julie Herbstman writes, "These findings reinforce the decision to phase-out the use of PBDEs in consumer products and support the need to develop programs for safely disposing of products containing PBDEs that are still in use." Neurotoxicology and Teratology, October 2015
Health Alert: Antibiotic-Resistant 'Superbug' an Emerging Threat. Health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn antibiotic-resistant bacteria are on the rise in some major American cities. CRE, or Carbapenem- resistant Enterobacteriaceae, are a class of common bacteria that have become resistant to some of the most widely used antibiotics. According to the CDC, experts have recorded higher-than-expected levels of this bacteria in Atlanta, Baltimore, and New York. Most CRE infections occur in hospitals, but officials from the CDC are worried that havoc could ensue if CRE starts to become transmitted outside of healthcare settings since enterobacteriaceae are so common.
Journal of the American Medical Association, October 2015
Diet: Looking for an Energy Boost? If you feel rundown or tired, coffee isn’t the only option to perk you up. The National Sleep Foundation recommends eating magnesium-rich nuts, iron-rich spinach, eggs, or fresh fruit. National Sleep Foundation, October 2015
Exercise: Sit-Stand Desks Promotes More Movement for Office Workers. More and more employers are introducing sit- stand desks in their office spaces to encourage more physical activity. A new study involving 69 participants revealed that employees with sit-stand desks stand for one hour more a day at work when compared to co-workers with sit-only desks. The study also found that sit-stand desk users walked an average of six additional minutes and burned an extra 87 calories per day at work. Lead study author Dr. Lucas Carr writes, "Our findings are important because they support redesigning the traditionally sedentary office environment as a potentially cost-effective approach for fighting the obesity epidemic."
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, October 2015
Chiropractic: Smokers at Greater Risk for Sciatica. A comprehensive literature search has identified smoking as a risk factor for sciatica, a condition often described as numbness or tingling in the leg that stems from dysfunction in the lower back. More specifically, investigators found current smokers are 1.46 times more likely to experience lumbar radicular pain or have clinically verified sciatica than those with no history of smoking. Though the risk is lower among former smokers, they are still 15% more likely to develop the condition than nonsmokers. The American Journal of Medicine, September 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Asthma Prevention. If you suffer from asthma, keeping it under control is essential for your overall health. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute suggests creating an asthma action plan that includes medications and what to do if symptoms worsen, avoiding your asthma triggers, getting regular checkups, recording symptoms and peak flow readings to share with your healthcare provider, and sticking closely to your treatment plan. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, October 2015
Quote: “The beginning is always today.” - Mary Shelley