Costa Mesa Chiropractic

Costa Mesa Chiropractor Weekly health Alerts:

Exercising slows many of the degenerative issues that result from aging. This definitely seems to be the consequence of modifications in several different biological processes and systems — exercising in fact adjusts the operation of your metabolism, making it work better.

There are a number of proposed mechanisms for the effects of exercise, including:

 * The induction of heat shock proteins
 * Boost in cardiac antioxidant capacity
 * Expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress proteins
 * Anatomical and physiological alterations in the coronary arteries
 * Modifications to nitric oxide production
 * Adaptational changes in cardiac mitochondria
 * Improved autophagy
 * Improved function of sarcolemmal and/or mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels

Costa Mesa chiropractic Weekly health Alert:

Hit the sack an hour earlier before switching to daylight saving time this weekend, expert says. Worried that your sleep patterns will be disrupted when the clocks move ahead sixty minutes this weekend? The secret is getting enough sleep in advance, says one sleep expert. First, be certain you’re well rested before the switch to daylight savings time on March 13, advises Dr. Aparajitha Verma, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Center at the Methodist Neurological Institute in Houston.

One method to do that is to start changing your sleep habits in the days before the time change; one example is, start getting up and going to sleep 1 hour earlier, Verma said.

You can also take a nap on Sunday afternoon if you feel you need to and you have enough time. But avoid napping within a few hours of your regular bedtime because that can disrupt your nighttime sleep, she added.

As you try to adapt to the time change, keep in mind that certain persistent problems may indicate a more serious sleeping disorder. Included in this are: remaining awake after 30 minutes of trying to go to sleep; excessive daytime sleepiness; or sleeping for seven or even more hours and waking up tired.

If you experience such problems, you may want to consider participating in an overnight study at an accredited sleep study center. Verma suggested.

More information

SOURCE: Methodist Neurological Institute, news release, March 7, 2011

Costa Mesa Chiropractor weekly health alert:

Starting formula-fed babies on solid food too early may increase their risk of becoming obese by the time they reach age 3, according to a prospective study.

The study, which followed more than 840 young children, found that formula-fed infants introduced to solid food before four months of age had a 6.3-fold increased odds of obesity at age 3 (95% confidence interval 2.3 to 6.9), Susanna Y. Huh, MD, MPH, of Children’s Hospital Boston, and colleagues reported online in Pediatrics.

However, the same didn’t hold for breastfed infants — who showed no impact of timing of solid food introduction on obesity at age 3 (odds ratio 1.1, 95% CI 0.3 to 4.4), Huh and co-authors wrote.

The findings from the longitudinal study support guidelines recommending holding off on solids until at least 4 months of age and preferably to six months of age, the researchers noted.

“Additionally, it further confirms the tremendous long-term nutritional value of breast feeding during the first six months of life,” commented Cliff Nerwen, MD, of Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York City, in a statement sent to reporters.

Source

Medpagetoday

Costa Mesa chiropractor weekly health alert: A systematic review carried out by a team at the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry has analyzed existing studies and concluded that there are benefits to mental and physical well-being from taking exercise in the natural environment. Their findings are published in the research journal Environmental Science and Technology.

The study found that most trials showed an improvement in mental well-being: compared with exercising indoors, exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and stated that they were more likely to repeat the activity at a later date.

However, none of the identified studies measured the effects of physical activity on physical well-being, or the effect of natural environments on sticking to exercise. On balance this review has identified some promising effects on self-reported mental well-being immediately following exercise in the natural environment, as opposed to those reported following exercise indoors. This is a first step towards vindicating the positive effects of programs such as the Green Gym and Blue Gym, and innovative interventions by medical practitioners that include exercise outdoors as part of holistic treatments for those suffering from depression and similar psychological ailments.

“The hypothesis that there are added beneficial effects to be gained from exercising in the natural environment is very appealing and has generated considerable interest. By using the data currently available to us we have added strength to the link between mental and physical well-being and outdoor exercise, but further research and longer, tailor-made and focused trials are needed to better understand this link.”

Source

Science Daily