Healthy Life Newsletter, December 2025
Patient of the Month: Paula Brynen
I had pain in my neck and back for two years and my right hip for three months. The hip pain was very severe and kept me up at night. I saw medical doctors for the back pain and received injections. The back pain had become worse recently and radiated to my right leg. I had not been to a doctor for the hip pain but decided to try chiropractic after a friend recommended me to Dr. Mha Atma. She was a patient and had had a great experience here.
I had been to a chiropractor years ago, so I expected it would help, but I was surprised at how well it works. From the beginning I felt very comfortable here. All the folks who work here are lovely and the doctor is fabulous.
Dr. Mha Atma recommended chiropractic treatments—twice weekly at first then gradually less frequently—along with an anti-inflammation diet and supplements. I experienced relief after every chiropractic visit. Now, a year later, my visits are occasional and although I still experience intermittent symptoms, whenever I see Dr. Mha Atma I have relief for weeks.
My husband has also been a patient for his back pain and has experienced good results. I have told several people about my chiropractic experience here and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone suffering or looking to improve their health. I’m a big fan.
Note from Dr. Mha Atma: I am repeating this first article from last December’s newsletter because I think it is powerful and helpful and definitely worth repeating…
The Radical Power of Gratitude to Rewire Your Brain and Life
Science proves that daily appreciation can dismantle stress, amplify joy, and create lasting mental wealth…
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, science is revealing that our annual tradition of giving thanks might be more powerful than we ever imagined. Research shows that expressing gratitude doesn’t just make us feel good momentarily — it actually reshapes our brains in ways that enhance our well-being long after the holiday dishes are cleared away.
When you take a moment to count your blessings, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin, chemicals that create feelings of pleasure and contentment. It’s like turning on a happiness switch in your mind.
But what’s really fascinating is that this isn’t just a temporary boost — these moments of thankfulness create a positive feedback loop, training your brain to look for more reasons to be grateful.
Brain imaging studies have captured this process in action. When people express gratitude, they activate the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s command center for decision-making and emotional regulation.
This triggers a cascade of beneficial effects, including sharper attention and increased motivation. Think of it like building a muscle — the more you exercise gratitude, the stronger these neural pathways become, making it progressively easier to access positive emotions.
Perhaps even more remarkable is gratitude’s effect on stress. When you focus on appreciation, your brain actually dials down the production of cortisol, your body’s primary stress hormone. This helps explain why grateful people often seem more resilient in the face of life’s challenges — their brains are literally wired to handle stress better.
But the benefits don’t stop there.
Research conducted at Indiana University found that practicing gratitude can actually change the structure of your brain, particularly in areas linked to empathy and emotional processing.
It’s as if giving thanks regularly renovates your brain’s emotional architecture, creating lasting improvements in how you process experiences and relate to others.
These changes ripple out into nearly every aspect of life. People who practice gratitude regularly report sleeping better, probably because they’re replacing anxious thoughts with appreciative ones before bedtime.
They tend to have stronger relationships, likely because gratitude activates brain regions involved in social bonding and empathy. Many even report improvements in their ability to solve problems and think creatively, suggesting that a thankful mind is also a more flexible one.
To read the rest of this article go to: hartmannreport.com
Good Sleep Is Good for Pain
Pain is a common consequence of poor sleep. Unfortunately, sleep issues are rampant these days for various reasons, including screen overreliance, stress, diet and other factors that prime your body and mind to struggle with sleep. Understanding why sleep is so important when it comes to avoiding pain could be the first step in solving the problem.
Researchers have found that the increased sensitivity to pain that can occur after chronic sleep disruption (not getting enough sleep, experiencing interrupted sleep or low-quality sleep, etc.) is due to signaling from the brain’s “thalamic reticular nucleus” (TRN). More specifically, poor sleep reduces a type of neurotransmitter known as N-arachidonoyl dopamine in the TRN. Findings appear in the research journal Nature Communications.
OK, so now that we know how poor sleep contributes to pain on a neurobiological level, let’s talk about what you can do to ensure a good night’s sleep. It starts with prioritizing sleep – not just a few nights a week, but every night. Here are five ways to prioritize sleep courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Be consistent.
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature.
Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom.
Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime.
Get some exercise.
The hours you spend asleep are as critical, if not more critical, than the hours you spend awake in terms of your health. If you’re experiencing sleep issues, especially chronic ones, talk to your doctor about ways to sleep soundly and give your body and mind the rest, relaxation and restoration they deserve.
Stay Cool Under Pressure – with Better Hydration
Most people know that staying hydrated is important for energy, focus, and physical health. But new research suggests it could also influence how your body handles stress. A 2025 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that people who drink less water on a daily basis may have stronger stress-hormone responses than those who stay well-hydrated.
A Closer Look at the Study
Researchers from the University of Connecticut studied 32 healthy adults who differed in their usual fluid intake.
Some drank about a liter of fluids per day (roughly four cups) while others averaged significantly more: over four liters daily (about 16 cups).
After a week of maintaining their normal drinking habits, all participants went through a stress test involving public speaking and mental math challenges designed to raise anxiety levels. Throughout the test, researchers measured cortisol – a hormone released by the adrenal glands that helps control metabolism, blood pressure and the body’s “fight or flight” response.
People who habitually drank less water had more concentrated urine, showing mild dehydration. When stressed, their cortisol levels rose significantly more than those of the well-hydrated participants. These findings suggest that even mild dehydration can amplify the body’s internal reaction to stress. In contrast, steady hydration may help soften that cortisol surge, potentially reducing wear and tear on the body over time.
Cortisol is essential in short bursts – it helps us stay alert and respond quickly to challenges. But when it stays high too often, it can contribute to fatigue, inflammation, high blood pressure and other health problems. If hydration helps keep cortisol in check, it adds another reason to make water part of your daily wellness plan.
Action Plan
Drink steadily throughout the day. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty; that’s a late sign your body needs fluids.
Check your urine color. Pale yellow usually signals good hydration; darker shades mean it’s time to drink more.
Hydrate before big events. If you know you’ll face a stressful day – presentations, travel, deadlines, etc. – start with a full glass of water.
Remember that context matters. People with kidney, heart, or electrolyte conditions should follow medical guidance on fluid intake.
The Bottom Line
Staying hydrated won’t erase stress, but it might make your body’s reaction less extreme. The next time you refill your water bottle, think of it not just as a health habit—but as a small, steady investment in emotional resilience.
Help Your Kids Cope with Stress
The world around us is always filled with uncertainty. As adults, we process experiences and how the world affects us in various ways, including stress. Often, we get tangled up in our own stress and forget about how stress may also be affecting the children in our life.
Kids, as carefree as they may seem, also experience stress and are subject to the adverse health effects that accompany stress. It is important to know how to teach the children in your life how to cope with stress when they are confronted with it daily.
Here are some tips to help you achieve success when it comes to helping your child have healthy relationship with stress:
Listen: Most of the time, children seek an open ear to process their everyday stress. Make sure to listen to them every time they seem stressed out and walk them through solutions so they know you are always available. Kids need reassurance at a young age and they will seek it at the most stressful times.
Teach Them To Be Present: When confronted with an issue, kids can benefit from learning how to be present in their lives and ask for help when they need it. By being open and honest, they can decrease stress and be able to talk about what their concerns are. Next time your child is stressed out help them access the issue and look at issues head on.
Think of Fun Activities: Problem solving activities can be utilized when children confront stress. Next time you find your child stressed out, work together to come up with a solution by using fun activities such as playtime to get them engaged.
When your child is confronted with stress, make sure to keep their emotional health in mind at all times. Breathing techniques can help. By assuring your child’s mental health is at ease you won’t have to worry about their physical health being at risk.
The Anti-Dementia Vitamin
Dementia: It’s a word we all dread, even at a young age – as soon as we’re old enough to start thinking about what life will be like when we’re old. We realize that if there’s one thing perhaps even more important than keeping our bodies healthy and functional, it’s keeping our brains that way, too.
Unfortunately, dementia – the #1 form of which is Alzheimer’s disease – can destroy our dreams of healthy aging.
Enter vitamin D – let’s call it the anti-dementia vitamin, because research suggests people who supplement it when they’re older have a lower risk of dementia than people who don’t, pure and simple. A research team discovered that among older adults (at least age 71 at the start of the study), those reporting taking vitamin D supplements at baseline (any “vitamin D exposure”) were significantly less likely to experience dementia / receive a dementia diagnosis over a 10-year period. We’re talking a 40% lower dementia risk if taking vitamin D vs. not taking it. Findings appear in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring.
Now if you know anything about vitamin D, you’re probably thinking: Why take a vitamin D supplement? I can just go outdoors every day. While direct exposure to sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D, it’s also complicated greatly by factors such as skin cancer risk, climate / weather, etc. Common food sources of vitamin D (particularly dairy) come with their own health issues. That’s why an estimated 42% of the U.S. population is vitamin D deficient according to the National Institutes of Health. Talk to your doctor to learn more.
Note from Dr. Mha Atma: Other studies have shown a more drastic difference in dementia levels with higher doses of vitamin D. Taking enough D to achieve blood levels of 60 ng/ml or above is optimal, which requires 5 to 10,000 IU/day for most folks.
Even a Little Running Is Better than None
Want to live longer? It could be as easy as doing a little – yes, we mean little – running every week if you’re not already doing any.
Research continues to support the longevity benefits of consistent physical activity, particularly in accordance with national guidelines.
But what about running only once per week for less than 50 minutes at a reasonable pace (about 10 minutes per mile)? According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, you’ll up your chances of living longer compared to doing no running at all.
Researchers reviewed data from 14 previous studies involving more than 232,000 adults who were tracked for a considerable amount of time, depending on the study: at least 5.5 years and as much as 35 years. Compared to adults who didn’t run at all, those who did were significantly less likely to die (of any cause) during the time they were tracked. In fact, those who ran were 27 percent less likely to die of any cause, 30 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease and 23 percent less likely to die of cancer.
Now here’s the intriguing part: The mere act of running vs. not running – independent of frequency, duration, pace or total weekly time spent – did not appear to affect the risk reduction. In other words, it didn’t matter how much, how long or how fast someone ran - the mere fact that they ran made the difference in terms of longevity.
“Increased rates of participation in running, regardless of its dose, would probably lead to substantial improvements in population health and longevity,” state the researchers. “Any amount of running, even just once a week, is better than no running, but higher doses of running may not necessarily be associated with greater mortality benefits.”
If you’re currently running (even once a week), great job! You’ll reap the longevity benefits, suggests research. If you’re not running at all - what are you waiting for?
The 5-Hour (Sleep) Mark
If you’re only “enjoying” five hours or less a night, your health is bound to suffer. That’s because research implicates inadequate long-term sleep in chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Let’s look at why getting enough sleep matters so much.
Researchers conducted a 25-year study that evaluated average nightly sleep multiple times, beginning at age 50. Among more than 7,000 men and women, people who reported getting five hours or less of sleep per night had a higher risk of developing a first chronic disease compared to men and women who reported sleeping up to seven hours per night. Short sleepers with a first chronic disease also were more likely to develop a second chronic disease compared to adequate sleepers. Sleep duration was also associated with an increased risk of dying during the 25-year study period – which is understandable due to the presence of one or more chronic diseases.
Heart disease, diabetes and cancer weren’t the only chronic diseases identified in the study; the researchers defined the presence of a chronic disease as any one of the following (in addition to the three already mentioned): stroke, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, COPD, liver disease, depression, dementia, other mental disorders, Parkinson’s disease and arthritis / rheumatoid arthritis. Of course, you can’t eliminate your risk of suffering any of the above, but getting enough sleep as often as possible sure seems like it can help! If you can’t seem to fall asleep, stay asleep or get enough sleep, let your doctor know right away. Your conversation could be a life saver.
In Love with Chiropractic?
Have you ever experienced back and/or neck pain? The answer is probably yes if we consider national statistics. According to the National Spine Health Foundation, nearly 100 million people experience one or both conditions annually. This staggering statistic makes treatment options – ones that don’t rely on potentially risky over-the-counter and prescription pain medications – essential.
Chiropractic to the rescue. A recent Harris Poll suggests that although most adults who experience back / neck pain continue to turn to medication, those who choose chiropractic instead (approximately 30% according to the poll) overwhelming say chiropractic was effective in addressing their pain: four of every five back/neck pain patients who utilized chiropractic.
Patients who tried standard medical care instead (39% of adults experiencing back or neck pain) “visited a medical doctor or physicians’ assistant for treatment,” according to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, which commissioned the poll. “Among those who did, many were recommended prescription medication (52%) or OTC medication. … More than three in five (42%) were referred for imaging and 16% for surgery, adding additional and potentially unnecessary costs for patients.”
Are you in love with chiropractic? If you’re suffering back and/or neck pain, visit your chiropractor and see what it can do for you.
Plant-Based Hospital Menus
The American Medical Association passed a resolution encouraging hospitals to offer healthy plant-based food options.
“Globally, 11 million deaths annually are attributable to dietary factors, placing poor diet ahead of any other risk factor for death in the world.” Given that diet is our leading killer, you’d think that nutrition education would be emphasized during medical school and training, but there is a deficiency. A systematic review found that, “despite the centrality of nutrition to a healthy lifestyle, graduating medical students are not supported through their education to provide high-quality, effective nutrition care to patients…”
It could start in undergrad. What’s more important? Learning about humanity’s leading killer or organic chemistry?
In medical school, students may average only 19 hours of nutrition out of thousands of hours of instruction, and they aren’t even being taught what’s most useful. How many cases of scurvy and beriberi, diseases of dietary deficiency, will they encounter in clinical practice? In contrast, how many of their future patients will be suffering from dietary excesses—obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease? Those are probably a little more common than scurvy or beriberi. “Nevertheless, fully 95% of cardiologists [surveyed] believe that their role includes personally providing patients with at least basic nutrition information,” yet not even one in ten feels they have an “expert” grasp on the subject.
If you look at the clinical guidelines for what we should do for our patients with regard to our number one killer, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, all treatment begins with a healthy lifestyle…
Less than half of medical schools report teaching any nutrition in clinical practice. In fact, they may be effectively teaching anti-nutrition, as “students typically begin medical school with a greater appreciation for the role of nutrition in health than when they leave.” Below and at 2:36 in my video is a figure entitled “Percentage of Medical Students Indicating that Nutrition is Important to Their Careers.” Upon entry to different medical schools, about three-quarters on average felt that nutrition is important to their careers. Smart bunch. Then, after two years of instruction, they were asked the same question, and the numbers plummeted. In fact, at most schools, it fell to 0%. Instead of being educated, they got de-educated. They had the notion that nutrition is important washed right out of their brains. “Thus, preclinical teaching”— the first two years of medical school—“engenders a loss of a sense of the relevance of the applied discipline of nutrition.”…..
Following medical school, during residency, nutrition education is “minimal or, more typically, absent.” “Major updates” were released in 2018 for residency and fellowship training requirements, and there were zero requirements for nutrition. “So you could have an internal medicine graduate who comes out of a terrific program and has learned nothing—literally nothing—about nutrition.”
“Why is diet not routinely addressed in both medical education and practice already, and what should be done about that?” One of the “reasons for the medical silence in nutrition” is that, “sadly…nutrition takes a back seat…because there are few financial incentives to support it.” What can we do about that? The Food Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School identified a dozen different policy levers at all stages of medical education and the kinds of policy recommendations there could be for the decision-makers…..
The good news is that the American Medical Association (AMA) has passed a resolution encouraging hospitals to offer healthy food options. What a concept! “Our AMA hereby calls on [U.S.] Health Care Facilities to improve the health of patients, staff, and visitors by: (a) providing a variety of healthy food, including plant-based meals, and meals that are low in saturated and trans fat, sodium, and added sugars; (b) eliminating processed meats from menus; and (c) providing and promoting healthy beverages.” Nice!
“Similarly, in 2018, the State of California mandated the availability of plant-based meals for hospital patients,” and there are hospitals in Gainesville (FL), the Bronx, Manhattan, Denver, and Tampa (FL) that “all provide 100% plant-based meals to their patients on a separate menu and provide educational materials to inpatients to improve education on the role of diet, especially plant-based diets, in chronic illness.”
This article has been condensed. To read all of it and see some charts and graphs illustrating its points go to nutritionfacts.org