In this July 12, 2021 video, Dr. David Koivuranta of the Toronto Neck and Back Pain Clinic delivers a concise daily health update covering six recent research findings. He begins with a brief introduction and disclaimer, then presents each study: (1) a JACC analysis of 7,000 CT scans linking pericardial fat to a higher risk of heart failure even in non‑overweight adults; (2) a Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing study showing that women with a history of yo‑yo dieting are more likely to suffer insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleep problems; (3) an European Heart Journal analysis of nearly 100,000 people indicating that meeting 150 minutes of moderate‑to‑vigorous activity per week markedly lowers the risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke; (4) an ERA Open report that therapy‑dog interactions improve executive function and stress management in college students; (5) a JAMA/USPSTF recommendation to begin colonoscopy screening at age 45 rather than 50 due to rising early‑onset colorectal cancer; and (6) a Public Health study finding that using a smartphone ≥7 hours daily nearly doubles the risk of neck pain in young adults, likely via forward‑head posture. For each topic, Dr. Koivuranta offers practical lifestyle advice and invites viewers to contact his clinic for personalized help. He closes with encouragement to prioritize health daily.
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Hello everyone, it's Dr. Dave. Hopefully you're all doing well, you enjoyed your weekend, looking forward to a good week starting today. Coming at you on behalf of the Toronto Neck and Back Pain Clinic with your daily health update. It's Monday, July 12th, 2021. Gonna look at 6 areas of health and wellness news and information today. Somewhere around this video you can read through all 6 of those areas we'll touch on. If you'd like a copy or you have any questions, DM us on social, send us an email here at the clinic, or even give us a call. We'd be happy to help you out. Not going to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure any illness or disease with our time together today. However, do promise to share with you something of interest when it comes to health and wellness based on what's out there in the research and literature recently in the last couple months. So not any old or outdated information. And when you stay tuned in, tapped on, and turned into some good information, um, it helps support your health and wellness journey. And we want to keep our health at the forefront of our mind each day so that our decisions, thoughts, and actions each day support that healthy outcome or healthy lifestyle that we'd like to have to create those great experiences, right? Happy day, healthy body, happy day. Simple as that. The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, May 2021, talked about fat around the heart. And if you have increased fat around the heart, how that could be deadly. According to a study that reviewed CT scans of nearly 7,000 middle-aged and older adults whom researchers monitored for 17 years, there's an association between fat buildup around the heart and a significant increased risk for heart failure, even in individuals who are not considered overweight. So that's a good thing to know and motivation to encourage you to keep taking care of yourself regardless of how you look and feel. We know on the inside we need everything working well and to be set up and structured the way that it should. And fat around the heart, not good. So your lifestyle can help support making sure that doesn't happen. The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, May 2021, looked at yo-yo dieting and how it may mean sleep issues. A year-long A study that included 500 women found that those with a history of yo-yo dieting, losing and regaining 10 pounds, were more likely to experience insomnia, sleep apnea, and other sleep problems. Good to try and create a nutritional program that isn't geared toward any outcome other than just supporting you on a daily basis. So finding a way to eat that keeps you healthy and you just keep it that way for the rest of your life. And if you do that, typically if you need or want to lose weight, the same nutritional system will help you get there and then keep you there. And, and that would be the ideal. And if that sounds too good to be true or challenging, then you may want to seek the health of a paramedical provider like a naturopath and/or a holistic nutritionist. The European Heart Journal, May 2021, talked about physical activity and how it lowers the risk for atrial fibrillation and stroke. An analysis of data collected from nearly 100,000 individuals found that meeting current physical activity guidelines is associated with a substantially lower risk for both atrial fibrillation and stroke. They're finding support recommendations from the European Society of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the World Health Organization for 150 minutes or greater of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. It's actually not a lot, 20-some minutes a day, and, uh, we can get that done easily, and it's good for the valves on your heart and good to prevent stroke, so why wouldn't we do it, right? So try to get that activity into your routine. Era Open, May 2021, looks at dogs and how they can help stressed-out college students. Washington State University students who participated in a program that focused exclusively on petting and interacting with therapy dogs experienced significant improvements with respect to both their executive function skills and capacity to manage stress. Great to have these pets, these animals close to us in our lives. They give us that unconditional love and spending time with them and their happy disposition position and demeanor probably calms us down. And for those college students who are working hard to get to where they want to be, having those pets around could be very useful. The Journal of American Medical Association, May 2021, looked at colonoscopies and lowering the age at which you might get your initial one from 50 to 45 due to an increase in adults being diagnosed with colon cancer at younger ages. The United States Prevention Services Task Force now recommends that all adults get their first colonoscopy at age 45 instead of 50. And of course, if you have a health or family history of cancer, especially gastrointestinal cancer, you may want to get that done even sooner in a preventive fashion. Talk to your doctor and see what's right for you. Finally, Public Health, June 2021, looks at too much phone use and how it nearly doubles the risk of neck pain in young adults. Assessments of nearly 5,000 young adults who are part of an ongoing study found that interacting with a smartphone for 7 or more hours a day can increase the risk for neck pain by nearly 80%. Past studies have shown that excessive device use is associated with forward head posture, which can elevate the risk for pain in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Doctors that use manual therapies and specific exercises to address forward head posture and neck pain can provide some benefit for these cases. There is not a day that goes by in the clinic that we don't see someone who their device use whether casually, recreational, or as part of their occupation, does not contribute to what they're presenting with. It's, it's just that prevalent these days. So be cautious of that. Of course, you can Google some information, but it comes back to what our parents probably told us when we were young, is to sit tall, stand tall, and to not slouch or always be looking down. So get those items that you're looking up, up to eye level, or at least somewhere halfway, and use your eyes to look at them instead of your neck as best you can. You don't need to be perfect. You don't need to stay that way all day, but we're not staying good enough long enough, and it is contributing to some health problems. So be cautious of that. And if you'd like any help in that regard, reach out. We're certainly able to do so for you and with you. All right, enjoy your Monday. Have a great start to the week. It's going to be a good one, I promise you, especially if you focus on taking care of yourself and those around you. Life is just so much better when things are going well with our health and wellness. So I wish you the best with that, and I look forward to chatting with you tomorrow. The next daily health update. Until then, stay well. Talk soon.
