Healthy Life Newsletter, August 2025
Yes to Chiropractic
And no to most drugs, says the World Health Organization (WHO), which recently released its “Guideline for Non-Surgical Management of Chronic Primary Low Back Pain in Adults in Primary and Community Care Settings.” The purpose of the document is to “provide evidence-based recommendations on nonsurgical interventions for chronic primary LBP in adults” that will improve outcomes. “Spinal manipulative therapy” which includes chiropractic, is among the interventions the guideline recommends for all adults, including older adults. In addition to spinal manipulative therapy, the guideline is also in favor of structured exercise, acupuncture, massage, and topical cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens).
Among the medication interventions the guideline recommends against are opioids, antidepressants (tricyclic, serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor), skeletal muscle relaxants, injectable local anaesthetics and pharmacological weight-loss medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) continue to be the only recommended pharmacotherapy.
Acetaminophen, benzodiazepines and cannabis-related pharmaceutical preparations received “no recommendation,” while listing potential harmful effects including “cardiovascular, renal and gastrointestinal harms and increased mortality risk” for acetaminophen; “potential harms including memory impairment, misuse, overdose deaths from respiratory depression, somnolence, fatigue and light-headedness potentially leading to falls” for benzodiazepines; and “evidence of possible adverse events, including harms associated with its nonmedicinal use” for cannabis-related pharmaceutical preparations.
Within the short list of recommended interventions, most chiropractors provide at least three: spinal manipulation, structured exercise and massage. Some also provide acupuncture as part of a multidisciplinary clinic. Thus, it is not hard to conclude that doctors of chiropractic should be the first choice when it comes to chronic low-back pain management.
Muscle Can Be a Life Saver
For everyone out there who thinks cardio is the only exercise you need, think again. Particularly as we get older, muscle is an essential component of healthy living. Here’s why.
As we get older, we naturally lose muscle if we don’t maintain / build it: up to 3-5 percent loss per decade, beginning as young as age 30 or so. Muscle is also harder to develop as we age, even if you stay physically active. That’s two strikes against us. The third strike, if we let it happen, is where the real problem lies: Lack of muscle can increase the risk of injury, falls, weight gain and more; and even reduce our overall life expectancy.
Yes, muscle can truly be a life saver, and recent research proves it. A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise put the theory to the test by evaluating 4,449 participants ages 50 years and older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Low muscle strength increased the risk of all-cause mortality (risk of death) … regardless of the person’s overall muscle mass, whether they suffered from metabolic syndrome, and their total sedentary time or leisure-time physical activity. In other words, muscle made the difference.
Depending on your community’s current social distancing restrictions and your home gym set-up, exercise – muscle-building or otherwise – to be a challenge lately. But don’t throw in the towel; certainly not after reading about the importance of muscle strength. Click here for a sample video tutorial on simple body-weight exercises you can do at home; and ask your doctor for help designing a muscle-building program that’s right for you.
Green Tea for Hypertension
An estimated 119 million U.S. adults suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension), increasing their risk for experiencing a life-threatening event such as a heart attack or stroke. While medication remains a mainstay of hypertension treatment, lifestyle changes – including diet and exercise – are proven nondrug options without the potential side effects of drugs.
On the diet front, green tea has been proposed as a natural alternative to blood pressure medication – and current research supports its value. Case in point: an analysis of randomized, controlled trials that compared green tea supplementation with placebo (an inactive pill patients thought was green tea). When evaluating changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure before and after the intervention, researchers, whose findings appear in the appropriately named journal Blood Pressure, found that the studies showed reductions in both variables attributable to green tea supplementation.
Drinking green tea also may help lower blood pressure, which gives you two options if you’re suffering from high BP – or doing your best to stay healthy and keep your blood pressure in the ideal range (below 120/80 for most adults, with the first number representing systolic BP and the second diastolic BP). Talk to your doctor for more information.—————–
Higher vitamin D levels in a mother’s blood during pregnancy have been linked to higher IQ scores in early childhood and reduced behavioral problems.
By: Melissa Melough, University of Delaware
July 18, 2025 (The Conversation) – Children whose mothers had higher vitamin D levels during pregnancy scored better on tests of memory, attention and problem-solving skills at ages 7 to 12 compared with those whose mothers had lower levels. That is a key finding of a new peer-reviewed study that my colleagues and I published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
While vitamin D has long been known for its role in maintaining bone health, scientists have since uncovered its importance in regulating immune function, reducing inflammation and protecting the nervous system. Now, growing evidence – including our new findings – suggest it may also support brain development beginning in the womb.
My team and I found that the link between prenatal vitamin D levels and childhood cognition was strongest among Black families, who also face higher rates of vitamin D deficiency.
This suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be a promising, low-cost strategy to support brain development while reducing racial disparities. Our study also suggested that vitamin D levels early in pregnancy may be most important for childhood cognitive development, highlighting the importance of early action by health care providers…..
Why It Matters
Vitamin D deficiency is a common global problem.
In the U.S., about 42% of adults have vitamin D levels below 20 nanograms per milliliter, or ng/ml, a commonly used cutoff for deficiency. About a third of U.S. pregnant women are deficient, and the rates are even higher among Black pregnant women, with 80% found to be deficient. This racial difference is partly due to differences in skin pigmentation, as melanin pigment reduces the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight.
Although we can get vitamin D both from sun exposure and our diets, deficiency is common because these sources don’t meet everyone’s needs. Sunlight isn’t always a reliable source, especially for people with darker skin, those living in northern climates or those who often wear sunscreen or sun-protective clothing. Natural food sources such as fatty fish, egg yolks and certain mushrooms contain some vitamin D, and fortified products such as milk and breakfast cereals help, but not everyone eats enough of these foods to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.
That’s why supplements are often necessary and are recommended in many cases by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Although current guidelines recommend that pregnant women consume 600 international units, or IUs, of vitamin D daily, higher doses of at least 1,000 to 2,000 IU are often needed to correct deficiency. On average, U.S. women consume only 168 IU from food and beverages, and many prenatal vitamins provide just 400 IU.
(Note from Dr. Mha Atma: I routinely recommend at least 5,000 IU/day of vitamin D to any adult who tests below 30 ng/ml or any pregnant woman who has not been taking D and hasn’t had a blood test.)
To read the rest of this article go to grassrootshealth.net
Could Magnesium Help Protect Your Brain? A New Comprehensive Review Says Yes
Magnesium is an essential nutrient that has been shown in prior studies to play a critical role in mood and mental wellness. In fact, a 2017 clinical trial by Tarleton et al. found that daily supplementation with 248 mg of elemental magnesium significantly reduced both depression and anxiety symptoms within just two weeks in adults with mild to moderate symptoms. (Read summary)
A newly published 2025 comprehensive review by Varga et al. in Nutrients offers a clearer and more complete understanding of magnesium’s relevance to brain health. It synthesizes findings from over 40 clinical trials and large-scale population studies to evaluate magnesium’s role in three major neurological conditions: depression, migraine, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as its contribution to overall cognitive function and mental resilience.
Read much more at grassrootshealth.net
Tackle Back Pain Early
Are you ignoring your low back pain (LBP) – or masking the pain temporarily with over-the-counter pain medication? That’s two mistakes that can lead to chronic LBP – pain that lasts more than a few months and is tough to resolve.
In fact, according to research, once your back pain becomes chronic, your chances of getting rid of it are much lower, which makes early intervention / prevention – for example, with chiropractic care – a great choice, whether you’re experiencing LBP or want to reduce your risk of experiencing it.
An international research team reviewed nearly 100 studies that investigated low back pain of various durations, including chronic LBP (pain lasting 12-52 weeks). People with persistent low back pain continued to experience moderate to high levels of pain and disability, with minimal improvement over time, compared to people with LBP that lasted for shorter time frames. On the other hand, people with LBP of shorter duration (“acute” pain, lasting less than six weeks) were more likely to recover quicker and more completely.
The takeaway is clear: Tackle your back pain early! That means two things: going to your chiropractor whenever you experience low back pain; and visiting your chiropractor periodically, even when you’re not in pain, so you can prevent pain from starting in the first place. Now that’s a win-win for your health and wellness.
Chiropractic for Kids
Research supports chiropractic’s value - although satisfied patients with clinically verifiable results have done that for more than a century. However, research that supports chiropractic care is more proof of what you and your chiropractor have known all along: chiropractic works, and not just for back pain.
A new study adds to the evidence, revealing improvements in quality of life and other variables in school-aged children receiving chiropractic care. This retrospective case series reviewed records of patients (ages 5-18) presenting for chiropractic care at a public-school chiropractic clinic operated by two practicing chiropractors.
Patients received 12 weeks of chiropractic care, and researchers used questionnaires (which inquired about quality of life, mental health, school, and peer relationships) and neurophysiological scans to assess improvements.
The study “revealed statistically significant improvements following 12 weeks of chiropractic care in several areas. Notably, statistically significant improvements were observed in the health and activity domain and overall score of the PedsQL questionnaire, reflecting enhanced self-reported quality of life related to health and activities. Additionally, significant improvements in the [Strengths and Disabilities Questionnaire) hyperactivity domain were evident following the chiropractic care. These positive changes highlight the potential benefits of chiropractic care in addressing certain aspects of well-being and behavior of school-age children.”
The takeaway: No matter your age, chiropractic works – and it works for a whole lot more than just back and neck pain. It can help improve your overall quality of life from head to toe.
5 Flights a Day
We’re not talking about airline flights or flights of craft beer; this article focuses on how walking up at least five flights of stairs every day can lower your heart disease risk. With all the talk about walking 10,000 steps per day, add walking up stairs to your list of must-do’s for a healthy heart.
Let’s see what research says about the power of stair climbing.
Researchers evaluated stair climbing and its relationship to heart health among a population of more than 450,000 adults over a 12+-year period. Climbing more stairs on a daily basis reduced cardiovascular disease risk (coronary artery disease, ischemic stroke or acute complications), particularly among people with a low risk of disease. However, even among higher-risk individuals, stair climbing appeared to effectively offset the increased risk.
Compared with people who reported no stair climbing at baseline (the start of the study window), cardiovascular disease risks were lower for people climbing 1-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, and 21 or more flights of stairs per day. The more flights of stairs climbed, the greater the risk reduction. Findings appear in the research journal Atherosclerosis. Overall, individuals who climbed at least five flights of stairs daily (approximately 50 steps) had a 20% risk reduction compared with non-stair climbers.
The good news is that not only is stair climbing a great way to diversify your physical activity, but it’s also as easy as walking to accomplish, at least in terms of accessibility. In fact, if you live in a multi-story home or work in a multi-story building, you can walk up five or more flights of stairs every day without any planning whatsoever. Wherever you go, find ways to take stairs if available, particularly if standing in an elevator (and not getting any exercise) is the alternative. Your heart will thank you for it.
Curcumin – Especially for Seniors
Curcumin, the primary active ingredient in the spice turmeric, is known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. In other words, curcumin is a valuable component of overall health at any age.
But research suggests curcumin is particularly important for seniors – here’s why.
A review of previous studies confirms that seniors with metabolic syndrome who take curcumin improve their inflammatory and metabolic profiles. That’s significant because metabolic syndrome – a constellation of conditions such as abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol that elevate heart disease, stroke and diabetes risk – is bad, bad news.
While the findings are based on a review of studies involving seniors, keep in mind that anyone can suffer from metabolic syndrome; all it takes is eating a high-processed-food, high-sugar, high-fat diet, which too many people pursue. However, seniors are more at risk because the risk of metabolic conditions rises with age.
While foods including curry powder, green tea, oily fish, ginger, berries, and certain spices like cayenne pepper provide curcumin, by far the primary source is turmeric, which can be added to foods and/or taken as a supplement.
(Note from Dr. Mha Atma: For a great way to imbibe turmeric, see Ideas for Good Health