Exciting new findings show that chiropractic adjustments may up production of specific immune marker.

As part of the analysis, 74 asymptomatic subjects were divided into three groups: 1) venipuncture control, 2) chiropractic adjustment with cavitation, or 3) chiropractic adjustment without cavitation. Blood samples were obtained from the study participants before the intervention, 20 minutes after the intervention, and again 2 hours after the intervention. Antibody (immunoglobulin) synthesis was conducted in cultures, and then immunoassays were conducted. Findings showed that production of immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M was significantly increased in cultures from subjects who received chiropractic adjustments.

Specifically, after 20 minutes immunoglobulin G synthesis was significantly elevated in cultures for subjects who received adjustments with cavitation, compared with cultures from those who received adjustments without cavitaion or control subjects.

And, after 2 hours, “immunoglobulin M synthesis was significantly elevated in subjects who received adjustments with cavitation relative to the venipuncture group. There were no quantitative alterations within the population of peripheral blood B or T lymphocytes in the studied cultures.”

Chiropractic & Osteopathy – September 8, 2010;Epub.

If you’re striving to reduce your waist size, consider swapping refined grains in your diet for whole grains.

According to a study of 2,834 middle-aged Americans, those who consumed the most whole-grain foods had a significantly smaller waist circumference.

Having a large waist circumference – 94 centimetres (37 inches) or greater for men and 80 cm (31.5 inches) or greater for women – increases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart attack, stroke, metabolic syndrome and some cancers.

Waist circumference is a good measure of visceral fat, the type of deep fat that packs itself around the organs and secretes chemicals that increase the body’s resistance to the hormone insulin and cause inflammation throughout the body.

Read the entire article here.

This summer, after one baby girl died, and more than 250 other children were hospitalized with convulsions and high fevers following their seasonal flu vaccine injections, Australian health banned the shot for all children under the age of five.

A short time later, Finland also suspended the H1N1 vaccines due to six reports of narcolepsy in children and teens immediately following vaccination. According to The Helsinki Times, “Medical reports suggest that over 750 of those who have been vaccinated have experienced harmful effects.”

Full article.

Taking acetaminophen (Tylenol®) once a month more than doubles the risk of asthma in adolescents. And, even taking the drug just once a year boosts the risk by 50%. These findings are from a new study slated to be published in theAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

“This study has identified that the reported use of acetaminophen in 13- and 14-year-old adolescent children was associated with an exposure-dependent increased risk of asthma symptoms,” notes lead author Richard Beasley, MD.

As part of the analysis, two written questionnaires and one video questionnaire were administered to more than 300,000 13- and 14 year old children in 113 centers throughout 50 countries, asking them to quantify their use of acetaminophen and their asthma, eczema and allergy symptoms.

There was a significant association between acetaminophen use and risk of asthma and eczema. For medium users the risk of asthma 43% higher than non-users; high users had 2.51 times the risk of non-users. Similarly, the risk of rhinoconjunctivitis (allergic nasal congestion) was 38% higher for medium users and 2.39 times as great for high users. For eczema, the relative risks were 31% for medium users and 99% for high users.

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine – August 12, 2010;Epub

Exercise is necessary to remain healthy, as it ties together a lifestyle of proper diet, stress management and social interaction. Our need for regular exercise is encoded into our genes, as our earliest ancestors required short bursts of energy to hunt for food or evade predators.

At the most basic level, our metabolic function and ability to fight off disease is dependent on the food we eat and the amount and type of exercise we provide for our wellbeing. Exercise provides the added benefits of improving mood, boosting energy levels and providing for better sleep. Regular exercise is part of the formula necessary to remain healthy.

Exercise Regularly To Improve Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrate that regular exercise reduces the risk of developing major illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Exercise has a powerful effect on cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, and is viewed as a significant means to lower the risk associated with elevated levels. 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week can reduce triglyceride levels by as much as 40%.

You can read more about the amazing benefits here.

Researchers in Great Britain studied 12 genetic variants known to increase the risk of obesity and tracked the physical activity levels of 20,430 people.

They created a genetic summary score to quantify a person’s risk of obesity and then examined whether an active life could reduce the genetic influence.

Findings: Physical activity can reduce the genetic tendency toward obesity by 40%, according to the research, reported Tuesday in PLoS Medicine.

“Our findings challenge the popular myth that obesity is unavoidable if it runs in the family,” says senior researcher Ruth Loos of Great Britain’s Medical Research Council in Cambridge. “We see this as a hopeful message.”

You can get the benefits without running marathons, she says. You can walk the dog, bike to work or take the stairs: “Being active about 30 minutes a day is a good start in reducing the effects of the genes.”.

From USA Today.

At his research clinic in Dallas, psychologist Jasper Smits is working on an unorthodox treatment for anxiety and mood disorders, including depression. It is not yet widely accepted, but his treatment is free and has no side effects. Compare that with antidepressant drugs, which cost Americans $10 billion each year and have many common side effects: sleep disturbances, nausea, tremors, changes in body weight.

This intriguing new treatment? It’s nothing more than exercise.

That physical activity is crucial to good health — both mental and physical — is nothing new. As early as the 1970s and ’80s, observational studies showed that Americans who exercised were not only less likely to be depressed than those who did not but also less likely to become depressed in the future.

Here’s the full article.

Drinking water before meals can help dieters shed extra pounds, according to a new study.

Slimmers can lose an average of 5lb (2.3kg) extra if they drink two cups of water before meals, three times a day.

The study was funded by the charity the Institute for Public Health and Water Research.

While it has long been believed that drinking water can help people feel full, there has been very little scientific evidence to support the claim.

So a team of experts in the US decided to test the theory on 48 adults split into two groups

The first group followed a low calorie diet but did not drink any extra water before meals. Meanwhile, the second group followed the low calorie diet but also drank two cups of water before each meal.

Over the course of 12 weeks, those drinking water lost about 15.5lb (7kg) compared with the non-drinkers, who lost about 11lb (5kg). All adults were aged 55 to 75.

The experts presented their findings at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in Boston.

Dr Brenda Davy, senior author on the study, said it was the first randomised controlled trial looking at water consumption and dieting.

Dr Davy, from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, said water may be so effective simply because it fills the stomach up with a liquid that has no calories.

Eighty percent of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic, i.e., not caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture, or cancer.

What Causes Back Pain?
The back is a complicated structure of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles. You can sprain ligaments, strain muscles, rupture disks, and irritate joints, all of which can lead to back pain. While sports injuries or accidents can cause back pain, sometimes the simplest of movements-for example, picking up a pencil from the floor-can have painful results. In addition, arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and psychological stress can cause or complicate back pain. Back pain can also directly result from disease of the internal organs, such as kidney stones, kidney infections, blood clots, or bone loss.

Back injuries are a part of everyday life, and the spine is quite good at dealing with these often “pulled” muscles. These very minor injuries usually heal within 1 or 2 days. Some pain, however, continues. What makes some pain last longer is not entirely understood, but researchers suspect that the reasons may include stress, mood changes, and the fear of further injury that may prevent patients from being active. In addition, sometimes a painful injury or disease changes the way the pain signals are sent through the body, and, even after the problem has gone away or is inactive, the pain signals still reach the brain. It is as if the pain develops a memory that keeps being replayed.

Read more…