April 11, 2017
Oxytocin has long been hailed as the love hormone – a feel-good chemical released when we hug or kiss a loved one. It plays a significant role in bonding, and is released in larger amounts during sex, birth or breastfeeding [1]. Recent studies have lauded the possibilities for oxytocin to be used in treating depression and anxiety. However, research recently published in the Journal ‘Depression and Anxiety’ has revealed an interesting paradox. The study looked at the administration of synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) and post-natal depression and anxiety within the post-partum year, and it held some concerning results. Synthetic Oxytocin has […]
April 11, 2017
We know not to do the grocery shopping when we are hungry, as such timing is likely to ensure a whole lot of junk food makes it into the trolley. But research shows that it isn’t just food related choices that could suffer when we are peckish. It turns out we are best to avoid making decisions on an empty stomach. This fascinating little titbit of wisdom all comes down to the actions of a hormone called Ghrelin. It is produced in the stomach, released before meals and known to increase appetite [1]. The only problem is that in a […]
April 6, 2017
They say Meniere’s Disease is to dizziness what a Migraine is to a headache. It has the potential to be far more intense and life interrupting, with sufferers dealing with vertigo, tinnitus, in-ear pressure and even hearing loss [1]. This has the potential to greatly impact the way they carry out day-to-day tasks during episodes. What has chiropractic to do with an inner ear problem? A recent research report has looked at one specific cause: an upper cervical subluxation complex as a result of whiplash trauma. The paper, published in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, looked at 300 […]
April 4, 2017
An Australian study recently published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases has put the efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for spinal pain under the proverbial microscope. The result, pulled together from 35 randomised placebo-control trials in a wide-sweeping meta analysis, is not good news for NSAID devotees. While there is some effectiveness for spinal pain, “the difference in outcomes between the intervention and the placebo groups is not clinically important [1].” Put simply, the difference between the placebo group and the treatment group was only small. When considered alongside the possible side effects tied up with NSAID use, […]
April 4, 2017
Gone are the days where prolonged antibiotic use is without healthy scrutiny. Even in allopathic circles, there appears to be hesitation when it comes to prescribing antibiotics unnecessarily. However, the potential adverse effects that can be tied up with such use are still being revealed. A new study published in the Journal Cell Reports notes a new concern to add to that file. Studies in mice have revealed that antibiotics strong enough to kill off gut bacteria can also stop the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampus [1]. It appears that researchers have uncovered an interesting clue as […]
March 30, 2017
Study Reveals Impact Of Soft Tissue Manual Therapy On Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is significant contributor to the burden of disease in many countries. In Australia alone, 14.5% of Australians over age 40 suffer from a limitation of airflow in their lungs. This increases to 29.2% of Australians over the age of 75. It is the “second leading cause of avoidable hospital admissions and a leading cause of death and disease burden after heart disease, stroke and cancer [1].” The causes of COPD can include anything from cigarette smoking, asthma, passive smoking and exposure to environmental pollutants and chemicals [1] to name a few, and to date […]
March 28, 2017
Maybe you’re the type that can zone out if there’s a radio playing in the background? Or maybe you’re the exact opposite where just the sound of someone chewing dinner sends you tearing off down the corridor for ear plugs? Well if you’re the later, it may not be all bad news. Scientist from the Northwestern University have found that creative people can’t cope with noise. That is, technically speaking, they have a reduced ability to filter extraneous external sensory information. They call it ‘leaky’ sensory gating. What that really means, is when a person is focused on a task, […]
March 28, 2017
We’re kind of used to the idea that it’s ok to spray a liberal dose of chemicals on a cockroach or a spider. And God help you if you’re an Aussie fly at a BBQ. But have we considered that we might be doing the same things to ourselves, simply by the products we shower with, wash our hair in and rub into our skin? What if the everyday cosmetics we use to make ourselves look and feel better are in fact akin to absorbing chemicals that are no better for us than a can of Mortein? Some of the […]
March 23, 2017
We’ve all seen the avid talker who waves their hands wildly in the air, almost conducting their thoughts as they chatter aloud. However new research shows that children gesturing with their hands actually improves children’s creative thinking. In a recent study1 published in the journal Physiological Science, researchers found that children who gesticulated came up with more ideas than those who did not. In the first part of the study researchers compared the gesturing and creativity of 78 children ranging from 9 to 11 years old. They asked the children to think of as many novel uses they could […]
March 23, 2017
As each summer fades into memory, people head into their local doctors surgery for flu shots – a ‘convenient’ way to avoid the acute respiratory infections and seasonal influenza that are all too common in the colder months. However, a recent study holds some interesting information for us on this front. A meta-analysis of 25 high-quality studies was undertaken and published in the British Medical Journal recently. It found that a Vitamin D supplement was a safe and effective way to minimise risk of acute respiratory infections [1]. The study took in data from almost 11,000 participants across the 25 […]
March 21, 2017
It’s hard not to jump in and tell someone when they’re doing something wrong. But it appears there is a difference between explaining an error and just being down right rude. In a recent study1, researchers have found that putting people down actually impairs their cognitive abilities and in fact, makes their performance worse. The researchers of University of Florida specifically targeted the neonatal emergency wards in hospitals to see how families of patients criticising medical staff impacted their performance. With thousands of patients dying in hospitals every year due to preventable errors, a team of American researchers at the […]
March 15, 2017
Sometimes when a piece of research lands in a reputable journal, it is heralded and celebrated. At the very least, it makes the science section of the big newspapers. Other times, research arrives with more of a whisper than a yell. Of the two categories, this piece of news fits more with the latter: it appears the use of an antibiotic in treating infant ear infections is only slight [1]. It’s a rare and lucky parent who hasn’t had to nurse a child through a painful ear infection (technically called ‘acute otitis media’ or AOM). The condition, marked by pain […]
March 15, 2017
It’s already the first couple of months into 2017. After committing to yourself you’d do a stellar job of keeping to your new fitness routine, your new eating habits or whatever else was on your goal list, here we are, and how’s it shaping up for you? If you’re one of those people who made your resolutions and you were pumped on January 1st only to have let them slide, you’re not on your own. A new study by the University of Scranton1 has found only a staggering 8% are likely to succeed. Eight percent? With such dismal results we […]
March 14, 2017
You only have to ask someone like Jerry Maguire, driving his car, flicking through the radio stations searching for just the right song, how important music is. Music when it hits that sweet spot makes your foot tap and your heart sing. It makes you want to jump up and dance, or sing loudly out of tune. Music can bring out the depths of your sadness and trigger long lost memories. It can make you laugh or it can touch your soul. Music has been prevalent in all human cultures since we first started scratching flint together to make flames. […]
March 9, 2017
It’s that time of year again. Kids have been back at school a few weeks and parents are starting to see just how heavy their kid’s backpacks are. Half the weight seems to be in the school bag itself, even before it’s loaded up with books and laptops and sports shoes. Whilst being stoic and resilient are all qualities we want to see in our children, injury isn’t one of them. Numerous studies have documented the effects of spinal, shoulder and neck pain not to mention the effect on their gait from school age kids lugging around heavy bags1,2,3,4,5,6. “There […]
March 9, 2017
Depression is a worldwide issue. To give you some idea, it’s the number one psychological disorder in the western world1. And not unlike the common cold, it doesn’t discriminate between age groups or gender assignment. Depression is growing in all age groups, the largest increase noted in the younger generations, in our teenagers. At the rate of knots this psychological issue is developing, by 2020, it is estimated to be the second most debilitating condition behind heart disease. Think about it, the neuroscientists at the University of Bern2, have. Traditional treatment for depression is usually with antidepressant medication and psychotherapy. […]
March 7, 2017
Gluten free is everywhere these days. You can’t stop for a coffee in your local café without seeing half a dozen gluten free (GF) muffins or friands. Fancy the GF pasta or pizza? Or how about being alerted to the fact your spicy prawns are GF too? Menus everywhere are touting GF options galore. So what’s going on? Have we all just jumped on the gluten free bandwagon or is this a real issue that requires a genuine diagnosis and intervention? “Avoidance of wheat and gluten containing products is a worldwide phenomenon,” states the study published in the United European […]
March 2, 2017
There’s a new magic number. 39. That’s the number of hours you should be working in any given working week. That is, unless you want to get sick. That’s a substantial number less than the 49-hour week limit that was brought in around 80 years ago as the internationally recognised number of what a person should be slogging out for a wage. A new study, published in the journal of Social Science and Medicine1 has found that working beyond 39 hours a week puts employees at risk of developing mental health problems. With almost a quarter of Australians working longer […]