Healthy Life Newsletter April 2026
More pervasive than
back pain...and chiropractic can often help!
While back pain holds the title as the leading cause of disability and
high healthcare costs, with nearly two of five U.S. adults experiencing
back pain in the previous three months as of 2021 (39%), an even more
pervasive health threat has now been recognized.
A new cross-sectional study of data from the Global Burden of Disease
2021 reveals that 180.3 million people in the U.S. were impacted by
disorders affecting their nervous-system health in 2021. That’s over 54%
of that population.
The most common of the 36 conditions included in the study: tension-type
headaches (121.9 million people; 37%); followed by migraines (57.7
million) and diabetic neuropathy (17.1 million).
Not only are nervous-system ailments competing for the top spot in terms
of disability-adjusted life-years (YLDS); the U.S. age-standardized
prevalence was higher than that of the world population (54.2% vs 43.1%)
and higher than every other country. As the study authors noted:
“Disorders affecting the nervous system are highly prevalent and cause
disability for millions of US individuals, with reduced mortality
leading to more YLDS.”
The authors concluded: “The United States should prioritize efforts to
combat these conditions with development and implementation of new and
effective prevention strategies, therapeutics, and focused
rehabilitation.”
The scientific literature provides significant demonstrations of
chiropractic’s effectiveness for tension headaches, including a
comparison to pharmaceutical treatment and for recurrent headaches in
children. And there are a number of studies indicating that chiropractic
may help migraines as well.
To see the rest of this article and references, go to: https://dynamicchiropractic.com/article/103020-more-pervasive-than-back-pain-but-you-are-still-the-perfect-doctor-to-help
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https://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=3179
Eat Breakfast Early
Eat your first meal of the day early – that's one piece of advice for
preventing type 2 diabetes, suggests new research. While not eating
breakfast – or not eating until late in the morning – has become a trend
for weight loss (think intermittent fasting) and overall health, when it
comes to diabetes prevention, that might not be sound advice. According
to a new study, eating breakfast after 9 a.m. increases the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes by a whopping 59% compared to eating
breakfast before 8 a.m.
But eating breakfast early isn't the only timing variable impacting
diabetes risk: eating more frequently (approximately five times per day)
vs. eating less frequently decreased risk. Researchers arrived at their
findings by tracking 100,000+ adults for an average of seven years after
gathering dietary data from participants, including meal timing, for
three non-consecutive days over the first two years.
The researchers address the intermittent fasting issue as it relates to
their findings (they evaluated the impact of nighttime fasting as well),
suggesting that intermittent fasting can be best accomplished within the
parameters of the "start early, end early" eating pattern (early
breakfast, early dinner). Study participants who ate breakfast before 8
a.m. and fasted for more than 13 hours overnight showed a reduced
incidence of type 2 diabetes. (The implication is that to achieve a
13+-hour overnight fast when eating breakfast early, they must have
eaten their final meal of the day earlier, rather than later.)
Keep in mind, of course, that meal timing and frequency are only part of
the diabetes-prevention equation. What and how much you consume is an
entirely different conversation, as diet is a key lifestyle variable
impacting type 2 diabetes risk. Talk to your doctor for more
information.
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https://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=3418
Sleep In, Feel Better
Feeling overwhelmed and exhausted has become almost normal for teens and
young adults today. Between school, work, social life and screen time,
many young people don't get enough sleep during the week. A study
published in the Journal of Affective Disorders suggests staying in bed
a little longer on weekends could actually help ease depressive feelings
among this age group.
Researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES), a large, nationally representative health
survey in the United States. They focused on 1,087 participants between
the ages of 16 and 24, examining how their weekday sleep patterns
compared to their weekend sleep habits, and whether those patterns were
linked to daily feelings of sadness or depression.
The study centered on what's known as "weekend catch-up sleep" – extra
hours of rest on Saturdays and Sundays that make up for sleep lost
during busy weekdays. Many teens and young adults fall short of
recommended sleep amounts during school or work nights, so weekends
often become a chance to recharge.
The findings were striking. Young people who regularly caught up on
sleep during the weekend were significantly less likely to report daily
depressive symptoms compared to those who did not. Consistently getting
adequate sleep overall and maintaining a relatively steady sleep
schedule were also associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing
depressive feelings.
These results matter because depression remains one of the most common
mental health challenges among adolescents and young adults. Academic
pressure, social stress, screen time, and early schedules all contribute
to chronic sleep deprivation. This research suggests improving sleep
habits – even in simple, realistic ways – may play a meaningful role in
supporting emotional well-being.
While weekend catch-up sleep is not a substitute for professional mental
health care, it may serve as a practical and accessible strategy for
sleep-deprived young people. Prioritizing enough total sleep across the
week and allowing the body to recover when possible could be one small
but powerful step toward protecting mental health.
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https://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=3419
Meal Timing and Heart Health
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States,
and many adults struggle with high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar
and weight gain – all key drivers of cardiovascular risk. While most
health advice focuses on what to eat, emerging research suggests that
when you eat could play an important role in protecting your heart.
Published in a journal of the American Heart Association, the study adds
to growing evidence that meal timing – particularly avoiding late-night
eating – may meaningfully improve cardiometabolic health.
Researchers at Northwestern University examined whether extending the
overnight fasting period and finishing dinner at least three hours
before bedtime could influence heart and metabolic markers. Middle-aged
and older adults who were overweight or obese were asked to lengthen
their nightly fasting window to roughly 13-16 hours. Importantly, they
were not instructed to reduce calories or lose weight; the only
significant change was aligning food intake more closely with their
natural sleep cycle.
After several weeks, participants who adopted the earlier eating
schedule showed measurable improvements. Their nighttime blood pressure
dipped more appropriately during sleep – a pattern associated with
healthier cardiovascular function – and their resting heart rates were
lower overnight. They also demonstrated better blood-sugar control
during testing, suggesting improved insulin response. In addition, their
day-night cardiovascular rhythms became more distinct, indicating their
bodies were better synchronized with natural circadian patterns.
Late-night snacking and irregular eating schedules are common. The body
is biologically primed to process food more efficiently earlier in the
day, and eating too close to bedtime may disrupt metabolic and
cardiovascular recovery that should occur during sleep. Over time, those
disruptions can contribute to increased risk for heart disease and type
2 diabetes.
The practical takeaway is straightforward: Consider finishing your last
meal at least three hours before bed and aiming for a consistent
overnight fasting window of 13 hours or longer. You may not need to
overhaul your diet or drastically cut calories to see benefits; paying
attention to timing could be a simple, sustainable step toward better
heart health.
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https://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=3237
Time to HIIT the Water
That's not a typo: HIIT – high-intensity interval training –
"incorporates several rounds that alternate between several minutes of
high intensity movements to significantly increase the heart rate to at
least 80% of one's maximum heart rate, followed by short periods of
lower intensity movements," according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of
Public Health. Research suggests HIIT increases exercise capacity (the
maximum amount of exercise someone can sustain), among other benefits.
But what if you can't do high-intensity interval movements – at least
not on land? Try HIIT in the water – a new review study says it's just
as effective as land-based HIIT.
Researchers analyzed 18 trials involving approximately 900 participants
who performed water-based HIIT. Participants had been diagnosed with a
range of medical conditions that could make land-based workouts
challenging (type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, heart conditions, etc.).
Compared with not exercising at all, performing HIIT improved exercise
capacity to approximately the same extent whether done in the water or
on land. Findings appear in BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine.
The importance of these findings can't be emphasized enough, especially
with an aging, too-often health compromised population that desperately
needs physical activity for health and wellness, but can't always do it
because of limitations. As the authors make clear, water-based HIIT may
be a great alternative to land-based HIIT.
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https://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=2810
Probiotics Help Fight Depression?
I take probiotics for gut health, but what does that have to do with
depression? A great deal, suggests research. Probiotics are "healthy
bacteria": live microorganisms that may help restore gastrointestinal
flora.
Our GI tract contains trillions of such bacteria naturally, but
antibiotics, poor diet – particularly the processed, sugary,
high-animal-fat variety too many of us are accustomed to – and other
factors can decrease good bacteria, causing health issues.
Enter probiotics, which may do more than just help restore damaged gut
health, perhaps even helping fight depression, according to researchers.
In reviewing previous studies that met the study authors' criteria,
probiotic use (one strain or multiple strains) was associated with a
significant reduction in anxiety and/or depression symptoms compared to
not taking probiotics. One study that included combined therapy with
probiotics and prebiotics (a type of dietary fiber that, among other
health functions, nourishes "good" GI bacteria) also was effective at
reducing symptoms.
Talk to your doctor to learn more about the power of probiotics (and
prebiotics) for gut health, and as this review study suggests, mental
health. To learn more about probiotics in general and how healthy gut
bacteria help optimize our valuable intestinal "microbiome,"
click here.
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Popular surgeries that do more harm than good
Intragastric balloons “arrived with much fanfare in the 1980s,” since
they could be implanted into the stomach and inflated with air or water
to fill much of the space. Unfortunately, surgical devices are often
brought to the market before there is adequate evidence of effectiveness
and safety, and the balloons were no exception.
The “gastric bubble” had its bubble burst when a study at the Mayo
Clinic found that 8 out of 10 balloons “spontaneously deflated,” which
is potentially dangerous because they could pass into the intestines and
cause an obstruction. Before balloons deflated, however, they apparently
caused gastric erosions in half the patients, damaging their stomach
lining. The kicker is that, in terms of inducing weight loss, they
didn’t even work when compared to diet and other behavior modification
strategies. Eventually, intragastric balloons were pulled from the
market. But now, balloons are back.
By now, most people know about the overly cozy financial relationships
doctors can have with Big Pharma, but fewer may realize that surgeons
can also get payments from the companies for the devices they use. The
100 top physician recipients of industry payments received an
unbelievable $12 million from device companies in a single year. Yet
outrageously, when they published papers, only a minority disclosed the
blatant conflict of interest.
In 2002, a courageous study was published in The New England Journal of
Medicine. The most common orthopedic surgery—arthroscopic surgery of the
knee—was put to the test. Billions of dollars are spent on sticking
scopes into knee joints and cutting away damaged tissue in
osteoarthritis and knee injuries, but does that actually work? People
suffering from knee pain were randomized to get the actual surgery
versus a sham surgery, in which surgeons sliced into people’s knees and
pretended to perform the procedure—even splashing saline—without
actually treating the joint.
Guess what happened? The surgical patients got better, but so did the
placebo patients.
What sham surgery trials have shown us is that some of our most popular
surgeries are themselves shams. Doctors like to pride themselves on
being men and women of science. For example, we rightly rail against the
anti-vaccination movement. Many of us in medicine have been troubled by
the political trend in which people “choose their own facts.” But when I
read that some of these still-popular surgeries are not only useless but
may actually make matters worse (for example, increasing the risk of
progression to a total knee replacement), I can’t help but think we are
hardly immune to our own versions of fake news and alternative facts.
To read the full article, go to https://nutritionfacts.org/blog/from-gastric-balloons-to-fake-knee-surgeries-when-the-fix-is-an-illusion/
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What New Research Confirms About Omega-3s and Mood Disorders
When people hear “omega-3s,” they often think of heart health or fish
oil supplements. But a growing body of research, including a new 2026
critical narrative review by Lastretti et al. (2026), shows that omega-3
fatty acids play an important role in brain function, inflammation
regulation, and mood disorders.
Depression and other mood disorders are complex, multifactorial
conditions. While medications and therapy remain optional tools,
nutrition is increasingly recognized as a meaningful piece of the mental
health puzzle.
Previous research has consistently shown that nutritional status matters
for mental health outcomes. Previous studies demonstrate that
maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is associated with significantly
lower risk of depression, reduced suicide risk, and broader benefits for
brain and cardiovascular health, highlighting vitamin D as a
foundational nutrient for mood regulation. Similarly, earlier studies on
omega-3 fatty acids have linked higher intakes, particularly EPA-rich
formulations, to improvements in depressive symptoms, especially in
individuals with inflammation or clinically diagnosed depression,
suggesting that omega-3s are not universally effective but may be highly
beneficial in targeted populations. Together, these findings reinforce
the concept that both vitamin D and omega-3s play complementary,
biologically plausible roles in supporting mental health when status,
dose, and individual context are considered.
What this new research shows is that omega-3s can help, but it may
depend on the right people receiving the right form, at the right dose,
and within the right dietary context.
To read the rest of this article, go to: https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/what-new-research-is-teaching-us-about-omega-3s-and-mood-disorders/
