Advice for healthy sun exposure:

• Get regular outdoor light early in the day. I prefer 20 - 60 min unfiltered pre 10am sun. This is for natural vitamin D conversion and circadian rhythm, not tanning.
• Build exposure gradually. The first sunny trip of the year is where people do dumb things.
• Never burn. Tanning is not the goal. A burn is a receipt for losing.
• Use mineral sunscreen when your latitude and genetics do not match. Think Irish skin in Miami, Scandinavian skin in Mexico, office skin on a ski mountain.
• Read the ingredients of your sunscreen - remember what goes on your skin is absorbed through your skin. I prefer zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
• Be more careful near water, snow, altitude, and the equator. Reflected UV is rude.
• Use hats, shade, and clothing when the UV index is high. Avoid being cooked.
• Get suspicious skin lesions checked. 

Investigators in this 2016 study found that women with active sun exposure habits had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and noncancer/non-CVD death as compared to those who avoided sun exposure. Nonsmokers who avoided sun exposure had a life expectancy similar to smokers in the highest sun exposure group, indicating that avoidance of sun exposure is a risk factor for death of a similar magnitude as smoking. 


Lindqvist PG, Epstein E, Nielsen K, Landin-Olsson M, Ingvar C, Olsson H. Avoidance of sun exposure as a risk factor for major causes of death: a competing risk analysis of the Melanoma in Southern Sweden cohort. J Intern Med. 2016 Oct;280(4):375-87. doi: 10.1111/joim.12496. Epub 2016 Mar 16. PMID: 26992108.

Published: 07/21/2026

In a recent study published last month, investigators found that respondents with increased levels of leisure-time physical activity had lower odds of strong low back pain. Lifestyle factors such as sleep quality, social relationships, alcohol consumption and mental health contributed to the association with low back pain, with sex-specific differences." Need a refresher on the physical activity guidelines? Check out the guidelines on the infographic posted here on 7.7.2026. 
Schurz AP, Zwahlen M, Taeymans J, Lutz N. Leisure-time physical activity and low back pain in Switzerland: results from the 2022 cross-sectional Swiss Health Survey. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2026 Jun 30. 




Researchers in a recent study evaluated a cohort of individuals with chronic low back pain and found that they exhibit increased outer hip (gluteus medius) muscle activation during sustained walking activity. This likely indicates a compensation strategy for poor postural control and deficiency of inner core muscle activation.
Sornkaew K, Punyaphing K, Wongonta T, Phinthong S, Kiewsiri N. Increased gluteus medius activation during sustained walking in chronic low back pain: A compensatory strategy for mediolateral postural control. Gait & Posture. 2026 May 12:110218.


Rucking is the use of a weighted vest while performing walking or other weight-bearing exercise. In a recent pilot study, researchers investigated obese individuals placed on a weight loss diet with and without use of the weighted vest. They found that all participants lost weight with the dietary modifications, but only those that used the weighted vest maintained the weight loss. In the study, the amount of weight lost by the vested individuals was added to the weight of the apparatus. Apparently this increased gravitational load drives the resting metabolic rate (RMR) higher. Those participants that lost weight (and didn't replace weight by added vest weight) slowed their RMR and went into "power save mode" (think cellphone/computer) forcing the body to conserve energy (and not burn calories). Researchers postulate that the mature bone cells (osteocytes) sense changes in body weight and are animportant body weight regulator - communicating to the brain, ultimately influencing appetite and body fat stores.
DeLong, C., Nicklas, B.J., Beavers, D.P. et al. Does weighted vest use during weight loss influence long-term weight loss maintenance? A pilot study in older adults living with obesity and osteoarthritis. Int J Obes 49, 1662–1665 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366...

Improved cardiovascular health is associated with substantially lower risk of osteoarthritis and biologic aging.
Luo J, Chen X, Chen N, Li Y, Zhao L, Cui J, et al. Cardiovascular health and osteoarthritis risk: a prospective cohort study with proteomic insights from UK Biobank. RMD Open. 2026;12:e006881.
Article access

US Health and Human Services recommendations for age - related MINIMUM exercise requirements for health maintenance.

A recent study in the American Journal of Public Health found that consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPF) is associated with adverse risk factors, disease conditions, and all-cause mortality.

Am J Public Health. 2026;116(7):1015–1024
Check out the full article here

Pickleball is fun… until your shoulder or elbow says otherwise.Quick direction changes, repetitive swings, and sudden lunges can strain the shoulders, wrists, and lower back if you’re not prepared. Proper warm-ups, strength training, and recovery habits can make a big difference in helping you stay on the court longer and pain-free.Check out this infographic to learn more about preventing pickleball injuries and how to keep your game strong all season. https://chiroup.short.gy/0mfK7V

We generally recommend consuming beef on a regular basis because it is loaded with healthy protein, vitamins and minerals. Instead of avoiding red meat because of its fat content, choose grass fed (and preferably grass finished) meats and embrace HEALTHY fat consumption from the meat, which contains a more robust omega-3 to omega 6 ratio.

Otzi the Iceman is a mummy discovered in the Alps on the border of Austria – Italy in 1991. His remains have been studied for years and for a variety of reasons. Recently, scientists identified yeast in his stomach and on his skin that the used to ferment and bake sourdough bread. Would you eat the bread? See the story here

"Four studies demonstrated that exercise snacks significantly alleviated musculoskeletal discomfort compared to prolonged sitting or passive rest. Interventions incorporating targeted muscle stretching, strengthening, or moderate-intensity activities (e.g., stair climbing) demonstrated superior efficacy compared to low-intensity walking or passive controls." 
Zeng J, Lei D, Gao M, Li Y, Aslam S, Zhang W. Can exercise snacks alleviate musculoskeletal discomfort in prolonged sitting? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. BMC Public Health. 2026 May 2. 

Source: https://link.springer.com/arti...

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Chiropractic Is Safe For Older Adults
Published: 05/21/2026

"No catastrophic adverse events were reported in older adults receiving chiropractic treatment services. Mild-to-moderate symptoms such as muscle soreness and stiffness were common." Daniels CJ, Farabaugh RJ, Salsbury SA, Anderson KR, Kleppe MJ, Whalen WM, Walters SA, Killinger LZ, Schielke AL. 
Adverse events among older adults receiving chiropractic spinal manipulation and related treatments: an updated systematic review. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2026 Mar 16. Link



Source: https://link.springer.com/arti...

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