Mental Attitude: Some Schizophrenics Say They're Happy. Schizophrenia is one of the most severe forms of mental illness
a person can suffer from; however, a new study claims that 37% of people with the disorder say they’re happy. According to
researchers, their happiness is associated with positive mental and social characteristics such as optimism, resilience, and lower
stress levels. The authors believe the findings are valuable because these positive traits can be taught to others who struggle
with the same illness. Schizophrenia Research, August 2014
Health Alert: Many Seniors Get Unnecessary Cancer Tests. A new report has found that seniors who aren’t expected to live
longer than 10 years are being screened for prostate, breast, and colon cancer, even though such tests are unlikely to benefit
them. Researchers say these unnecessary diagnostics can lead to invasive procedures, which can affect their quality of life
without extending it. They add that patients and physicians need to be educated about the benefits and harms of screening older
individuals. JAMA Internal Medicine, August 2014
Diet: Keep That Lunchbox Clean. Experts recommend keeping children’s lunchboxes clean to protect them from foodborne
illness. Parents are often unaware of how much grime their kid’s lunch box can pick up in a day. Following proper hygiene and
food safety practices when packing lunches such as washing fruits and vegetables, cleaning the food preparation area, and
washing hands before handling both the lunchbox and food are simple and effective ways to reduce the likelihood of germ
contamination. Natasha Haynes, a family and consumer sciences agent adds, "Once in the cafeteria, kids should avoid setting
down their food on the table… Include a paper towel, a piece of wax paper, or even a small fabric placemat that can be washed
at home to help children keep their food off surfaces that may have been used by multiple people."
Mississippi State University, August 2014
Exercise: Is Vigorous Exercise Safe for Heart Transplant Recipients? One would think that vigorous exercise would be
dangerous for a heart transplant patient, but new research suggests that it is both safe and beneficial for such individuals.
Researchers found that recipients doing high-intensity exercise increased the maximum amount of oxygen they could take in by
17% compared with a 10% increase among those doing moderate exercise. They also noted a reduction in systolic blood
pressure for those who partook in high-intensity exercise compared with participants in a moderate-intensity exercise group. It's
recommended that heart transplant patients get their doctor's approval before starting any new exercise program.
American Journal of Transplantation, August 2014
Chiropractic: Poor Posture Associated with Back Pain in Students. Early adolescents who display poor posture while sitting
or standing (or both) are 2.01 to 3.39 times more likely to experience non-specific low back pain than their peers with good
posture. Journal of Orthopaedic Science, August 2014
Wellness/Prevention: Good Neighbors Lead to a Healthier Heart? A study including over 5,000 elderly American adults
found that people who reported higher levels of neighborhood cohesion were less likely to have a heart attack. Neighborhood
cohesion is measured by how friendly and trustworthy your neighbors are and how connected you feel with your neighborhood. For every single unit increase in neighborhood social cohesion, researches noted a 17% decrease in heart attack risk. Though the study found an association between the two, it did not prove a cause-and-effect link.
Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, August 2014
Quote: “You cannot change what you are, only what you do.” ~ Philip Pullman
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