IN YOUR DAILY DOSE today is new research that demonstrates a head injury doesn’t resolve as quickly as we once thought. Schools are using MRI imaging to compare pre and post-injury images to determine if an athlete is ready to return to play.

IN MAKING CHANGES today you’ll discover that while it can “feel” unnecessary to sit the sidelines longer than you feel necessary, if you don’t, you could suffer permanent damage for a lifetime.

IN FACT OR FICTION you’ll discover some very interesting and amazing facts about the small ant.

In The News

Sports related concussions are receiving more attention in the public media and through the school systems. Some high schools are paying for baseline MRI scans of their athlete’s brain to compare against if they sustain a concussion during competition.

Recently, research revealed that athletes who experienced sports-related concussions continued to show reduced blood supply to their brain, even after physicians declared they had recovered.

Lead researcher Wang said, “In eight days, the concussed athletes showed clinical recovery. However, MRI showed that even those in clinical recovery still had neurophysiological abnormalities. Neurons under such a state of physiologic stress function abnormally and may become more susceptible to second injury."

SOURCE:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151130083955.htm

Daily Health Tip

If you or your child suffers a sports-related head injury, it’s important that you do not return to your previous level of activity until your head is fully healed.  While you might appear to have fully recovered, your brain has not fully healed.

Making Changes

Think of head injuries like getting a bruise on your leg. In the beginning the bruise is both black and blue and sore. After several days the soreness to the touch is just about gone. But the black and blue mark on the skin is still resolving.

Your brain is the same. Your function will appear to be fully recovered. You’ll test well on the neurological tests from your doctor, but your brain still has a reduction in blood flow from the bruise it sustained.

Until this bruise is fully resolved you are at greater risk of suffering another injury in the same place that can result in permanent injury. Although it may feel unnecessary to sit on the sidelines for a couple weeks, it’s a necessary part of staying healthy for the rest of your life.

My Daily Affirmation

My friends, family, and even strangers love it when I do something nice for them. They don't expect it, so it is a pleasant surprise.

Sometimes, I make a special dish or buy a small gift for someone. I might do a favor to help ease their load. These good deeds may be small, but they always make them smile.

Fact Or Fiction?

Can an ant live up to 30 years? You’ll discover if this is true and some truly amazing facts about this little insect.

Did you know . . .

• Ants are everywhere on earth except the Arctic, Antarctic and a few small islands.
• For every one person, there are about 1 million ants.
• Ants function as a hive. So while small, they can move together as one organism when needed.
• Ants cooperate with other species, which is highly intelligent and unusual in the insect world.
• Some colonies of ants practice slavery. They raid other colonies, capture the young and either eat them or make them work for the colony. Some colonies of ants cannot survive without these slaves.
• Ants are the longest living of all insects, some up to 30 years.
• Some ants can swim.
• Although most ants have poor eyesight, there are some species that don’t have eyes at all.
• Ants are a female driven society - all workers, soldiers and queens are females.

Have a wonderful day!

Your Healthy Life America Team