Dr. Glenn Hyman’s Denver Chiropractic Center- Weekly Health News for You

Mental Attitude: A Purpose in Life is Important for Longevity.
Having a sense of meaning and purpose in your life may do more than just give you focus, it may help you live longer. Researchers interviewed more than 9,000 older adults and found that those who professed having a sense of purpose in life were less likely to die during the eight-year study. Research leader Dr. Andrew Steptoe adds, “[There] are several biological mechanisms that may link well-being to improved health, for example through hormonal changes or reduced blood pressure. Further research is now needed to see if such changes might contribute to the links between well-being and life expectancy in older people.”
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, November 2014

Health Alert: Cigars Contain Harmful Toxins.
Many cigar smokers believe that cigars pose fewer health risks than cigarettes; however, a new report reveals that cigar smokers are exposed to high levels of cancer-causing agents, as well as other toxic substances. Investigators found that cigar smokers had higher levels of cotinine, NNAL, cadmium, and lead in their bodies than people who did not use tobacco. Lead author Dr. Jiping Chen writes, “Cigar smoking exposes users to similar types of harmful and cancer-causing agents as cigarette smoking.” This is alarming as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that cigar use doubled between 2000 and 2011.
Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, November 2014

Diet: Micronutrient Levels in Female College Students.
Blood samples from 308 female college students showed that nearly 44% had below-normal iron levels, 11.3% had low vitamin B12 levels, and nearly 100% had excess folate (vitamin B9) levels. It’s hoped that future research will investigate the food choices and dietary behaviors that may be most responsible for these results.
Nutrients, November 2014

Exercise: Tips to Avoid Over-Training.
Over-training or over-exercising can be counterproductive to achieving your fitness goals. Over-training usually occurs when you do not allow your body to adapt, adjust, and recuperate in response to an exercise training regimen. Signs that you are over-training include decreased performance, increased resting heart rate and blood pressure, increased muscle fatigue, poor sleep, gastro-intestinal disturbances, depression, irritability, apathy, and even low self-esteem. Dr. Adrian Shepard from Butler University suggests the following to avoid over-training: gradually work your way into exercise, ask the staff at your fitness center about how to correctly use the equipment, and ask for a fitness assessment to determine current physical health status and fitness level so appropriate exercises can be recommended and goals can be set.
Butler University, January 2010

Chiropractic: Providers Should Consider Vitamin D for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain.
Because vitamin D deficiency is very common and has been associated with a myriad of health problems, many Chiropractors recommend vitamin D supplements to their patients as part of a healthy lifestyle. For patients with chronic non-specific musculoskeletal pain, vitamin D supplementation is known to help reduce symptoms and has little-to-no documented side effects.
The Lead South Australia, November 2014

Wellness/Prevention: Epinephrine Injections Save Lives in Schools.
Epinephrine injections are given when an individual is experiencing a life-threatening allergic reaction to an insect sting or food. In the United States, about 15% of school-aged children with food allergies have had an allergic reaction at school, and about one-fourth of epinephrine injections given at schools involved children who didn’t know they had an allergy. Dr. Bryan Martin, vice president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, adds, “Stocking emergency epinephrine is a medical necessity for schools in every state.”
American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, November 2014