May 2014 Health Newsletter

Tension-type headaches are the most common form of headaches experienced in the general population today. These headaches are characterized by pain and tightness around the hatband area of the head. Associated pain and stiffness in the neck region may also be present. Tension headaches are made worse by several things, most notably stress, anxiety and physical tension such as poor posture. A recently published study indicates chiropractic care that includes manipulative therapy (chiropractic adjustments) and/or manual therapy (stretching and massage related therapies) are both beneficial in reducing the pain as well as improving neck range of motion. These beneficial results were seen with just 4 treatments administered during a 4-week period. If you or someone you know if suffering from headaches, call your local chiropractor today to schedule a no obligation consultation.

Want to significantly reduce your risk for stroke?  Research indicates eating fruits and vegetables can do so by almost one-third.  To obtain their data, researchers evaluated twenty recent studies that included more than 760,000 participants and approximately 17,000 strokes.  Those eating the most fruits and vegetables were 21 percent less likely to experience a stroke.  For every 200 grams of fruit consumed daily, stroke risk was reduced 32 percent and 11 percent with every 200 grams of vegetables consumed.  What fruits and vegetables seemed to have the most beneficial effects you ask?  According to researchers, citrus fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, lemons and limes as well as apples, pears and leafy vegetables were most linked to reduced stroke risk.  With strokes listed as the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., adding or increasing consumption of these fruits and vegetables is a no-brainer.


New research has found that children exposed to second-hand smoke experience aging of their arteries by 3.3 years by the time they reach adulthood. The passive smoke causes irreversible damage to their arteries and as a result, significantly increases their risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attack and stroke) later in life. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in addition to the 6 million people who die each year from their own smoking, another 600,000 die as a result of second-hand smoke. Moreover, approximately 40 percent of children are regularly exposed to second-hand smoke at home. If you’re a smoker and have yet to kick the habit, especially if you’re a parent, it's time.