Health Alert: Bad Sleep in Teen Years May Raise MS Risk.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system in which the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord resulting in symptoms such as numbness, tingling, mood changes, memory problems, pain, fatigue, blindness, and paralysis. A survey of 2,100 adult MS patients and 3,000 otherwise healthy adults revealed that sleeping less than seven hours a night during adolescence is associated with a 40% higher risk for developing MS in adulthood.
Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, January 2023 Diet: Vitamin A Deficiency May Affect Metabolic Health.
In a recent animal study, researchers observed an association between vitamin A deficiency and reduced expression of genes associated with metabolic function (extraction of energy from fat, extraction of energy from glucose, and the production of the energy-carrying molecule adenosine triphosphate).
American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, January 2023 Exercise: Staying Active Can Slow Mental Decline.
Researchers analyzed long-term data from the Women's Health Initiative study and found that for about every half hour of moderate-to-vigorous activity a woman over age 65 averages per day, her risk for developing mild-cognitive impairment or dementia decreases by 21%.
Alzheimer's & Dementia, January 2023 Chiropractic: Is Working Nights Linked to Back Pain?
An analysis of data from 40 studies found that working nights is associated with an elevated risk for low back pain, especially among healthcare workers.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, January 2023 Mental Attitude: A Healthy Lifestyle May Reduce Depression Risk.
Using data from the UK Biobank study, researchers calculate that living a healthy lifestyle (not smoking, avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly) may decrease an individual's risk for depression over the following fifteen years by more than 50%.
Journal of Affective Disorders, February 2023 Wellness/Prevention: Drive Safely with Children.
The Department of Health and Human Services offers the following guidelines for driving safely with a child in the car: make sure the child is in an age-appropriate car seat or booster seat (and always wear a seatbelt yourself); never drive while impaired (alcohol, drugs, medication, or drowsy); don’t text and drive; keep your eyes on the road; don’t speed; drive according to road conditions; and maintain a three-second distance behind the car traveling in front of yours.
Health and Human Services, January 2023 Check out this month's pain relief updates here! | 
