October 2020 Health Newsletter

During this October's National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM), the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and chiropractors nationwide are encouraging the public to get "active and adaptive" to maintain their musculoskeletal health and function in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Since March, many people have incorporated changes into their daily routines to reduce their potential exposure to the novel coronavirus: avoiding crowded public spaces, working from home, forgoing air travel for long car trips, ordering food and supplies online, and avoiding gyms and health clubs.  Because of this new normal, many are moving less and experiencing musculoskeletal pain.  Polls conducted by ACA confirm that chiropractors are seeing an increase in musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain, neck pain, and headaches since the beginning of the pandemic. When asked what they believe is contributing most to these conditions, ACA members cite lack of movement, stress and poor posture as key factors.  During NCHM, chiropractors are encouraging the public to choose healthy ways to adapt to the new normal by getting enough movement during the day, being aware of posture and ways to improve it, getting adequate rest, and managing stress naturally.  Learn more by visiting Hands Down Better and follow the conversation on social media with the hashtag #ActiveAdaptive.  "Inactivity has been a growing problem worldwide, even before the pandemic.  While the coronavirus may limit our options, finding ways to incorporate more physical activity, as well as improved posture, throughout the day can benefit our health now and into the future," said ACA President Robert C. Jones, DC.  National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) is a nationwide observance held each October.  NCHM educates the public about the importance of musculoskeletal health and raises awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its natural, patient-centered and drug-free approach to pain management, health and wellness.

There are several ways to lower the risks of heart attack, cardiovascular disease, blood vessel diseases, and stroke. Although it is important to watch the kind of food that goes into the body, many studies have shown that it may be equally as important to pay attention to the timing of meals. Here are three ways to boost cardiovascular health:
1. Meal Planning. According to a statement released by the American Heart Association, planning the meals and snacks that you have throughout the day can help lower the risks of cardiovascular disease. This is due to the metabolic rates of the body throughout the day.
2. Eating Breakfast Daily. Several studies have found correlations between increased cardiovascular health and people who consume breakfast regularly. There is a much lower risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure associated with those who consume breakfast daily.
3. Lowering Food Consumption in the Evening. At night it is harder for the body to digest and process various foods. Many studies have shown that this may be due to a decreased metabolic rate in the evening. For this reason, lowering the amount of food eaten in the evening can lead to better cardiovascular health.
Using these methods to carefully plan meals and snacks for each day can help reduce the many risk factors surrounding cardiovascular disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and insulin complications such as insulin resistance.

New research suggests that women who exercise regularly, including walking, may lower their risk for heart failure. The study from researchers at the University of Buffalo in New York looked at over 137,000 women aged 50-79, of which over one-third had high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors such as smoking and diabetes. After a follow-up period of 14 years, researchers found that the women who got some form of physical activity were less likely to suffer from heart failure (11%). Women with the highest levels of physical activity, meanwhile, were the least likely to suffer from heart failure (35%), as compared to women who got no exercise at all. In addition, women who got the most physical activity were the least likely to develop a sub-type of heart failure called reduced ejection fraction (32%) as compared to women who never exercised. 33% of the same group of women were also the least likely to develop another sub-type of heart failure called a preserved ejection fraction. One of the biggest findings from the study, however, is that walking works just as well as other forms of exercise, including more vigorous types. To discover how much exercise the women got, researchers studied answers to a questionnaire about exercise that every participant completed. As it turns out, walking was the most common type of physical activity reported.