In this 20‑minute video Dr. David Koivuranta of the Toronto Neck and Back Pain Clinic delivers a daily health update for Wednesday, Feb 24 2021. He frames the talk as a friendly, community‑focused reminder that small lifestyle tweaks can have outsized health benefits. He reviews six evidence‑based health topics, citing recent peer‑reviewed research and professional guidelines. 1) A Korean Health Panel analysis (Journal of Occupational Health, Jan 2021) found that obesity combined with >52 h work weeks nearly doubles cardiovascular disease risk. 2) A review of 29 studies (Sleep Medicine Reviews, Jan 2021) links high intake of added sugar and processed foods to poorer sleep, while healthier dietary patterns improve sleep quality. 3) A study of 602 adolescents (Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness, Feb 2021) shows regular exercise is associated with better physical function, higher self‑confidence and self‑esteem. 4) A General Psychiatry report (Jan 2021) of >2,200 adults reports that regular afternoon naps improve cognition (location awareness, verbal fluency, memory). 5) The American Heart Association (Jan 2021) reiterates lifestyle pillars for heart‑attack prevention: quit smoking, healthier diet, lower cholesterol/blood pressure, exercise, weight control, stress management, limit alcohol. 6) Research from the Journal of the Formosan Medical Association (Jan 2021) indicates flat feet increase risk of spinal degenerative joint disease by ~43 % over six years; proper footwear, foot assessments and targeted exercises can mitigate this. Dr. Koivuranta intersperses practical tips (moderation in weight, diet, sleep, exercise, nap length, footwear choice) and encourages viewers to reach out for a written copy of the list. The overall message is that modest, evidence‑backed changes can improve cardiovascular health, sleep, mood, cognition, and musculoskeletal function.
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Hello everyone, it's Dr. Dave. Hopefully you're all doing well, enjoying your week, staying healthy, focused on those good choices. Coming at you on behalf of the Toronto Neck and Back Pain Clinic with your daily health update for Wednesday, February 24th, 2021. Not wearing my pink shirt today, but just a reminder to be nice to each other out there and know that even though it looks like that person is not going through a challenge or maybe has it better or different, everyone has some kind of stuff that they're dealing with. No doubt. And we can support each other by just being a nice human, respectful, so on and so forth with the list. So share some smiles today, reach out, lend a hand if you can. I'm going to share 6 areas of health and wellness today to lend a hand with your own decisions and actions and thoughts when it comes to your health and wellness. Somewhere around this video you can read all 6 of those areas, and if you'd like a copy, DM us on social, send us an email, give us a call at the clinic, we'll be sure to get that to you. Not going to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure any illness or disease with our time together today. However, you just never know what your body is capable of when you make some small changes to that part of your lifestyle or this part of your lifestyle. And it doesn't have to be big, but maybe it needs to be, but you gotta start somewhere. So this daily health update might just be it. Of course, it's always good to stay tapped in, tuned in, and turned on to some good health information so that it can support your health and wellness journey no matter where you're at or where you are going. So all 6 areas are good today. I'll try to get through it efficiently. The Journal of Occupational Health, January 2021, looked at the combination of obesity and working long hours and how that is bad for the heart. They looked at data from the Korea Health Panel Survey and they found that if you routinely work more than 52 hours a week and you're obese, it nearly doubles your risk for cardiovascular disease. So not a Good combination. So again, when we deviate from moderation, um, usually it creates problems. So we work too hard and we don't rest or enjoy ourselves or feel good and positive about ourselves and be happy, um, unless your work really does that for you. But even then, you probably need a break. And if we deviate too much from what is close to or may be considered our ideal body weight, it's always a stressor when we deviate too far from that moderate amount. So some good research there to motivate us to make changes and, um, work towards that happy moderation, perhaps. The Sleep Medicine Reviews journal, January 2021, looked at diet and sleep quality, and they looked at 29 studies, and they reviewed those findings, and they found that a high intake of sugar-added and processed foods is linked to an increased likelihood of poor sleep. They also said that there's evidence that a healthy diet pattern may be linked with better sleep quality. So again, everything about the moderation— bring those foods into a category that's a little more natural, unprocessed, unrefined, unconcentrated, and in variety, and in certain amounts, never in excess, and you're probably going to even sleep better. And maybe you'll exercise better. And exercise is good to— for everybody. Everyone should be active and moving around. But the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness in February 2021 said it offers several benefits to teenagers. They looked at 602 adolescents and they filled in some surveys and those who regularly exercise not only had perhaps better physical function, but they also had greater self-confidence and higher self-esteem than their more sedentary peers. So fitness is good for your heart, good for your lungs. Sometimes it will affect the, the way your body works and moves and looks, but can actually have an effect on your cognitive function, your mood. And in an effort to be happy and be nice to others, it's good if you are happy and nice to yourself. And physical fitness, your nutrition, your sleep are all good things that will make you happy. Even though it doesn't always seem that way, they are. So find something you love to do, find some healthy foods you love to eat, rinse and repeat, and you'll be on your way. And while you're on your way, you may want to take a nap. The General Psychiatry report, January 2021, looked at a study that included over 2,200 adults, and those who regularly napped in the afternoon scored higher on cognitive assessments, particularly in the areas of locational awareness, verbal fluency, and memory. So napping is good for your noggin. Good to take a rest during the day. Not a 3-hour nap perhaps, but even 20 minutes is pretty effective according to other research and literature. You don't wanna overdo it and get droggy, but just enough to recharge and get on with the rest of your day at that point. American Heart Association, January 2021, uh, talks about heart attack prevention. Nothing new here, probably. It's not going to be shocking, um, but, uh, they do know that lifestyle is a major contributor to heart disease, so they recommend the following lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of heart attack. Always good to hear. Number 1 on the list: stop smoking. Number 2 is eat a healthier diet. Then we have, somewhat associated with reduced cholesterol levels, lower your blood pressure. Exercise, maintain a healthy weight, manage your stress, and limit that alcohol consumption. So, uh, just a good reminder. And finally, from the Journal of the Formosan Medical Association, January 2021, they looked at the association between flat feet— feet that when you stand have no arch in the bottom and the entire sole of the foot rests on the floor— uh, they've been shown to have a risk for spinal degenerative joint disease more so than those who don't have had about a 43% increased risk with those flat arches or flat feet. So, uh, that was a statistic over following those people over a 6-year time frame. So, uh, good to get those feet checked. There are treatments you can get to help those feet stay more functional. Even though they're flat doesn't mean that they're always dysfunctional or not able to do what they're supposed to do, but sometimes they just need a little bit of help, and some treatment can make sure they stay supple and functional. And you can also learn some things to keep them more supple and functional on your own. But you can also ensure that you're wearing the proper footwear. Footwear that's the proper size in length, but also width, and appropriate footwear for your task. If you're going for a long walk on a hard surface, flip-flops are not always the best thing. Minimalist shoes pose some challenges. The research shows that people are using them perhaps incorrectly, and the injury rate is increasing. There is a time and place for minimalist kinds of shoes, but preferably they be used on a soft surface, not our modern hard surfaces like concrete, pavement, wood, con— and so forth. On those surfaces, you want something that will recreate the soft surface that your foot is used to walking on, which is grass and sand. And of course, when spring and summer roll around here in our northern hemisphere, it would be great to get out and walk barefoot on some sand and grass. Protect your feet, of course, from sharp objects, but But that's one of the best things to do to strengthen and stimulate the foot to work properly. It's great for back pain. It's great for your, uh, cognitive function. There's so many nerve endings on the bottom of the feet that it stimulates a lot of nerve input. So there are some things you can learn and do. So if you do have flat feet and/or you may have some low back discomfort or you've been diagnosed with degenerative joint disease, remember that everything is connected from the feet up to that low back. And a good assessment of your ankles, your knees, your hips, your pelvis, and your lower back and maybe even above can affect posture. They're finding has far-reaching effects. But there are many things you can do to improve that situation. So hopefully you're motivated to know that that's the case. And if you fall into that category, go out and find some help. You can support the healthy function of those legs so you can do all those fun things you want to do on your feet for the rest of your life. So that's our long daily health update for Wednesday, middle of the week, lots of information. We'll try to tune it down for you for Thursday in the video, and then Friday will be a written format. That's what you have to look forward to this week. I hope you're making it a great one. We'll catch up with you tomorrow. Take care.
