Hobbies

In the cold winter months, routines can become mundane. To achieve optimal health, it is important to make time for hobbies like art, reading and music according to Heidi Yachter in her article titled, “In Praise of Healthy Hobbies”. Yale conducted a study that divided 3,635 Americans over the age of 50 into three groups. These groups of participants included those that didn’t read, those that read up to 3 1/2 hours each week and those who read more than 3 1/2 hours each week. When researchers controlled for variables like race, sex, class, education and self-reported health those that read books were 20 percent less likely to die prematurely than those that do not read. Book readers were also found to live an additional 23 months. Some strengths that readers possessed were recall and ability to count backwards, which were skills found in previous longevity studies. 

Art  and music have been found to decrease stress in people. Researchers did a study measuring cortisol levels before and after making art like using clay, drawing or creating collages. The results showed that 3/4 of the participants showed reduced levels of cortisol after doing art work. Music is another hobby that can have beneficial effects on health. In a study done in Germany, 120 participants were subjected to either Mozart, Strauss or ABBA. The other group sat in silence for 25 minutes. During this time, subjects’ blood pressure, heart rate and levels of cortisol were measured. Those that listened to Mozart or Strauss had lowered blood pressure and heart rate, while the other genres and even those that sat in silence had reduced cortisol levels. In conclusion, reading, art and music can all have benefits for your long-term health. To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com.

Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/in-praise-of-healthy-hobbies/

Microbiome and Alzheimer's Disease

Recent studies have found that the gut microbiome can increase the development of certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Alzheimer's disease is a recently found disease that can develop due to the microbiome according to the article titled, "Can Gut Bacteria Affect Alzheimer's Disease?" by Heidi Wachter. Certain microbiota that is found in the gut can increase the development of chronic brain disease as found in a study done by Scientific Reports. When a study was done examining healthy and diseased mice, the mice that had Alzheimer's disease had a different diversity of gut bacterium. Mice that were deemed healthy had lower levels of plaques in the brain that could lead to inflammation in the brain. Researchers placed microbes from the mice that had Alzheimer's disease with mice who were deemed "germ free". The results were that the "germ free" mice developed more plaques when exposed to the Alzheimer's disease mice than those that got bacteria from the healthy mice. Researchers can now use this information to prevent disease, delay onset and even use dietary modifications to reduce risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. In a study done by Iranian researchers, probiotics helped increase memory from those suffering from Alzheimer's disease. The study was particularly small and was only done for a short period of time, but it suggests that consuming foods beneficial for the microbiome could improve memory for those suffering from cognitive difficulties. Alzheimer's researcher, Rudolph Tanzi, suggests avoiding processed and inflammatory foods and focusing on eating real food. To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com. 

Source: https://experiencelife.com/article/can-the-bacteria-in-your-gut-affect-alzheimers-disease/?utm_source=home1

Importance of Breakfast

According to Fox News Health in their article titled, "Skipping Breakfast May be Bad For Your Heart", state that eating breakfast and planning meals ahead of time may help lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 

The American Heart Association states that if more calories are consumed earlier in the day and calories are reduced in the evening, that can decrease the risk of having a heart attack or stroke and developing high cholesterol, high blood pressure or other cardiovascular diseases. People have become more accustomed to snacking throughout the day rather than eating full meals, and this had led people to be more likely to skip meals altogether. Approximately 30 percent of Americans currently skip breakfast. Those that skip breakfast are more likely to become obese, have poor nutrition and even develop diabetes. The cause of developing diabetes may be due to our bodies not being able to process sugars as effectively during the evening hours. Studies have shown that those who eat breakfast can have lower weights, although this isn’t always the case if they are choosing poor food items to consume. Some guidelines for healthy eating include an abundance of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy, poultry and fish while reducing items such as sugar, salt and red meat. When meals are planned in advance this could allow a diet that’s better for the heart. In general, it is best to not eat after dinner to avoid overeating. To find out more ways to keep yourself healthy, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2017/02/01/skipping-breakfast-may-be-bad-for-your-heart-doctors-say.html

Chiropractic Adjustments

According to Christina DeBusk, one out of every five Americans experiences anxiety disorders according to Christina DeBusk. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to lower feelings of nervousness and unease that can be caused by these disorders. In a poll completed by the website AnxietyCentre.com more than 52 percent of those who responded stated they "experienced little to great benefit" in anxiety levels after chiropractic adjustments and reduced negative side effects that can be caused by anxiety. In those participants, one out of five said they would recommend chiropractic care for others that may be experiencing stress.

Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to improve sleep, lower digestive issues and irritability.  For those that may be fearful of manual chiropractic adjustments, there are tools that can be used to reduce anxiety and increase comfort. Instruments used in chiropractic work adjust at a rate that doesn't allow muscles to tense and try to resist treatment. The instrument only affects the area it to applied to so it doesn't negatively impact any nearby joints. This can be a gentler approach to chiropractic work for those who are anxious about adjustments. To find out how chiropractic adjustments can benefit you, please visit our website at www.oxborochiro.com. 

Source: https://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic-adjustments-2/