Dr. Brad’s Weekly Health Update: Feeling lonely? It may be harming your sleep
Loneliness May Reduce Sleep Quality
Researchers surveyed more than 2,200 young adults and found that between 25% and 30% of the participants felt lonely sometimes, while another 5% reported they frequently felt lonely. Furthermore, they observed that the lonelier people were 24% more likely to feel tired and have difficulty concentrating during the day. Study author Dr. Louise Arseneault adds, “Diminished sleep quality is one of the many ways in which loneliness gets under the skin, and our findings underscore the importance of early therapeutic approaches to target the negative thoughts and perceptions that can make loneliness a vicious cycle.” Psychological Medicine, May 2017
Whole Fruits May Reduce Risk of Diabetes
An analysis of the diet and health records of thousands of people revealed that those who ate two or more daily servings of fruits like blueberries, grapes, raisins, prunes, apples, and pears reduced their likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes by 23%. However, the study also showed that drinking fruit juice daily increased the risk of diabetes by 21%. The findings suggest that eating more whole fruits can help prevent the onset of diabetes. BMJ, May 2017
Exercises Improve Neck Pain in Office Workers
Chronic computer-related neck pain is common among office workers. In this study, researchers randomly selected 109 female office workers with chronic neck pain to perform either progressive resistance training (PRT), fixed resistance training (FRT), or no exercise to act as a control group (CG). Those in the exercise groups performed four exercises targeting the neck muscles with an elastic rubber band on a regular basis for six weeks. The investigators found that outcomes (pain levels, pain threshold, and neck strength) were significantly better in the PRT and FRT groups than in the control group both immediately after the six weeks of training and three months later. The study suggests that women with work-related neck pain may benefit from neck exercises. chiropractic care for neck pain often includes specific neck exercises to help reduce pain and improve mobility and function. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, May 2017
Vitamin A
Most are aware that vitamin A is good for the eyes, but it is also vital for a healthy immune system and cell growth. Retinoids and beta-carotene are the two types of vitamin A found in the foods we eat. Retinoids come from animal products, while beta-carotene comes from plant sources. While most individuals get enough vitamin A from their diet, a doctor may suggest a supplement to patients with a vitamin A deficiency. WebMD, June 2017
Brain Inflammation and OCD
An analysis of data from the Finnish Care Register for Health Care indicates that patients who experience a moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury during their working years have a 90% increased risk for developing dementia later in life. PLoS Medicine, July 2017
Yours in health,
Dr. Brad Butler, DC
