Mental Attitude: Obesity Associated with Increased and Decreased Dementia Risk, Depending on Age. A new study finds
an increased risk of dementia for those who are obese in early mid-life, while for elderly individuals, obesity may actually have
a protective effect against the condition. Researchers found that obese people in their 40s are 1.7 times more likely to develop
dementia, obese individuals in their 50s have a 1.5 times higher dementia risk, and those who are obese in their 60s have a 1.4
times greater dementia risk than their non-obese peers. However, obese individuals in their 70s are no more or less likely to
develop dementia, while obese individuals in their 80s are 22% less likely to develop the condition.
Postgraduate Medical Journal, August 2014
Health Alert: Early Antibiotic Exposure May Lead to Obesity. The risk of later-life obesity and metabolic abnormalities
appears to be increased by antibiotic exposure during infancy. Researchers found that giving mice long courses of antibiotics
early in life changed the population of their gut bacterium, which then affected their metabolism and made them more prone to
gain weight. Further research will assess if introducing "good microbes" following antibiotic treatment can restore the gut's
bacteria population before metabolic changes have occurred. Cell, August 2014
Diet: Food Allergy Risks Higher Among Inner-City Kids. Children who live in inner-city areas are more susceptible to food
allergies -- especially to peanuts, milk, and eggs -- than those living in rural or suburban communities. Senior investigator Dr.
Robert Wood writes, "Our findings are a wake-up call [and signal] an urgent need to unravel the causes, contributors and
mechanisms that drive the high prevalence of food allergies among an already vulnerable group known for its high risk of
asthma and environmental allergies." Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, August 2014
Exercise: Fitness May Boost Kids' Minds. Brain scans of two dozen 9 to 10-year-old children suggests that fitness may
supercharge a child's brainpower. Investigators found that white matter was different in more physically fit kids, suggesting they
have better-connected brains. Researchers are now focusing on a study that follows kids who take part in exercise programs to
see what happens to their brains over time. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, August 2014
Chiropractic: Infant Sleeping Helped with Chiropractic. This case study documented the effects of chiropractic care on a
nine-month-old infant with a history of disturbed sleep. Infants at this age should sleep about 14 hours per day, on average. The
infant girl not only had disturbed sleep but also had fussiness, refused to breastfeed on one side, and generally exhibited an
unsettled behavior. After receiving her first adjustment to address spinal joint fixations found on examination, she fell asleep for
five hours. Over the next three weeks, she slept longer through the night and her breastfeeding habits improved. The authors
concluded that the dramatic improvements after just one adjustment indicated that the spinal joint fixations found in this case
were at least in part responsible for the patient's disrupted sleep pattern. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics, July 2006
Wellness/Prevention: Overweight, Obesity Associated with Higher Risk of Common Cancers. If you want to reduce your
cancer risk, then you may want to make sure you maintain a proper weight. Researchers found that every five point increase in
BMI is associated with a higher risk of the following cancers: womb (62% increased risk), gallbladder (31% increased risk),
kidney (25% increased risk), cervical (10% increased risk), thyroid (9% increased risk), and leukemia (9% increased risk).
The Lancet, August 2014
Quote: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You
are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
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