Dr. Brad’s Weekly Health Update: 7 ways to reduce your risk for age-related cognitive decline
Introducing babies to eggs and peanuts before their first birthday may help decrease their risk of food allergies.
A review of 146 studies found that babies fed eggs when they were 4 to 6 months old and children given peanuts between 4 and 11 months of age had lower risks for allergies to those foods during childhood than kids not exposed to eggs and peanuts early in life. Dr. Matthew Greenhawt, an allergy specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora concludes, “Delay of introduction of these foods may be associated with some degree of potential harm, and early introduction of selected foods appears to have a well-defined benefit.” Journal of the American Medical Association, September 2016
7 ways to reduce your risk for age-related cognitive decline:
Geneva University’s Dr. Jean-Pierre Michel notes that numerous studies have identified at least 93 risk factors for age-related cognitive decline. Of these, he believes that targeting these 7 modifiable risk factors can delay cognitive decline and potentially reduce the risk of late onset dementia by 50%: low education, sedentary lifestyle, midlife obesity, midlife smoking, hypertension, diabetes, and midlife depression. Korean Journal of Family Medicine, September 2016
Open concept living spaces with easy access to the kitchen may lead to overeating.
In a new study, college students completed 2 dining sessions served buffet-style. For one meal, the students were in an area where they could view and access food (open plan). For the other meal, researchers placed a barrier between the buffet and the kitchen (closed plan). The researchers found that students in the open eating situation were about 10% more likely to make more trips for food than when in the closed condition. Study co-author Dr. Kim Rollings writes, “In order to reduce food consumption, results suggest that serving areas should be placed out of sight from diners.” Future studies are needed to explore the effect of floor plan openness in settings where overeating occurs, such as residential kitchens; college, school and workplace cafeterias; and buffet-style restaurants. Environment and Behavior, August 2016
According to a new government report, abuse of prescription painkillers costs the U.S. economy $78.5 billion dollars a year.
In the report, researchers determined the financial toll of opioid abuse by analyzing direct healthcare costs, lost productivity, and costs to the criminal justice system. The authors conclude, “These estimates can assist decision makers in understanding the magnitude of adverse health outcomes associated with prescription opioid use such as overdose, abuse, and dependence.” Medical Care, October 2016
Chiropractic patients get back to work faster.
Does the type of healthcare provider you see first have an effect on how quickly you can recover from back pain following a work injury? An analysis of data from 5,511 workers injured in 2005 revealed that those who initially consulted with a doctor of chiropractic for their work-related back injury—versus a medical doctor or physical therapist—returned to work more quickly and were also less likely to experience a second episode of back pain during the following 2 years. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, September 2016
Yours in health,
Dr. Brad Butler, DC
