Mental Attitude: You’re Only as Full as You Think.
In this experiment, participants consumed what they believed to be either a two-egg or four-egg omelet on separate mornings; however, they were actually fed a three-egg omelet on both days. Interestingly, when participants ate what they believed to be the smaller omelet, they felt hungrier and consumed more calories throughout the day than on the day when they thought they had eaten the bigger omelet. The results confirm that an individual’s expectations can have an impact on their subsequent feelings of hunger and fullness, as well as their later calorie consumption.
British Psychological Society, September 2017
Health Alert: Taller People Appear More Susceptible to Blood Clots.
A large-scale study involving more than two-million siblings suggests that taller people have a greater risk for developing blood clots. Specifically, men shorter than 5 foot 3 inches (1.62 m) appear to have a 65% lower risk of blood clot than men 6 foot 2 inches (1.89 m) or taller. Among women, those shorter than 5 foot 1 inch (1.55 m) may have up to a 69% lower risk of developing blood clots than women who are 6 feet (1.83 m) or taller. Lead researcher Dr. Bengt Zöller writes, “It could just be that because taller individuals have longer leg veins there is more surface area where problems can occur. There is also more gravitational pressure in [the] leg veins of taller persons that can increase the risk of blood flow slowing or temporarily stopping.” The findings suggest that assessments for the risk of blood clots should include a patient’s height.
Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics, September 2017
Diet: Whole Grains May Help Prevent Colorectal Cancer.
Investigators looked at 99 studies that included data on 29 million adults from all over the world and found that eating three servings of whole grains daily can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 17%.
American Institute for Cancer Research, September 2017
Exercise: Fitness May Lower Risk for Breast Cancer.
Aerobic fitness appears to substantially lower the risk of breast cancer. In a new animal study, researchers observed that rats with low natural fitness were about four times more likely to develop breast cancer than rats with high fitness levels. Furthermore, less-fit rats developed the disease earlier than the highly fit rats, and once the disease began, it also progressed more rapidly.
Carcinogenesis, July 2017
Chiropractic: Back Pain Patients May Also Benefit from Hip Treatments.
In a recent study, researchers split 84 patients with mechanical back pain into two treatment groups: usual back pain care and usual back pain care plus exercises and mobilization treatment focused on improving hip function. Following two weeks of care, the patients in the back plus hip treatment group reported greater improvements in pain, disability, and overall satisfaction with care. Chiropractic evaluations typically include whole body assessments and therapies to address issues that may have played a role in the development of a patient’s chief complaint.
Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, August 2017
Wellness/Prevention: New Value in Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing.
For many years, experts have debated the value of prostate cancer screening. A recent analysis of data from two major trials involving prostate-specific antigen testing revealed that early tumor detection lowers a man’s risk of prostate cancer death by 25% to 32%. The American Cancer Society’s Dr. Otis Brawley reports that the review provides some much-needed “clarity in an area where there was at one time a great deal of confusion.”
Annals of Internal Medicine, September 2017