Posts tagged with ‘health care’
Sex and Marijuana: Risking Parenthood and Performance
If being called “Dad” is on your bucket list, studies say there are a few things you can do to get those sperm in fighting shape: exercise more, eat fewer fats, watch less TV (really), and lay off the marijuana.
Alcoholism Can Lead to Vision Loss, Study Finds
People affected by long-term alcoholism have clearly increased risks for developing various forms of nerve damage or neuropathy. When this damage appears in either of the optic nerves that link the eyes to the brain, experts in the field commonly refer to it as optic neuropathy. In a pilot study published in June 2014 in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, a team of French researchers sought to determine how often optic neuropathy appears in people with alcoholism. These researchers concluded the condition appears in a relatively small but significant number of individuals.
How Will New Marijuana Laws Affect Public Health?
The United Nations has spoken publicly against new U.S. laws that make marijuana use legal in a few states. The U. N. official who heads up international drug monitoring has said that the new laws pave the way for increased recreational marijuana use. With drugs representing a significant health problem around the world, the U.N. ambassadors do not see decriminalization as a step in the right direction. Full Story
Elderly at Greater Risk of Alcohol Impairment
As Baby Boomers become senior citizens and health care advances extend the quality and quantity of life, Americans are living longer lives. This generation brings with it those who have healthy lifestyles along with those who suffer from substance abuse. With such a large percentage of Americans losing some regular mobility and possibly memory with age, comes a greater chance that those who already suffer from alcohol abuse will suffer even greater impairment as senior citizens, according to a new study from Baylor University. Full Story
Cocaine Use Shown to Speed Brain Aging
Brain aging is a general term used to describe structural, chemical and psychological changes that commonly occur in the brains of older individuals. While this process doesn’t affect everyone in the same way, aging in the brain is associated with a number of significant health problems, including Alzheimer’s disease and depression. Current evidence indicates that people who habitually abuse cocaine develop changes in their brains that point toward the onset of premature brain aging. In particular, habitual cocaine abuse can destroy grey matter, the material that forms the core of the brain’s communications network. Full Story
Alcohol Consumption and Stroke Risk
Alcoholics risk alienating their family, losing their job, and damaging their health. Now researchers from the University of Lille Nord de France have found evidence that heavy drinkers also risk having a stroke at a younger age than most people.
Alcohol Consumption Could Increase Risk for Certain Types of Cancer
Many are aware of the laundry list of health risks that go alone with heavy alcohol consumption. What they may not be aware of is the fact that cancer is also on that list. Alcohol can lead to accidents which cause injury as well as long-lasting health problems. Weight gain is a common problem, as is a rise in blood pressure, the potential for birth defects, liver damage and the potential for alcohol addiction. It has been known for some time that alcohol is linked to cancer, but new research shows how the breakdown of alcohol in the body, may actually produce a deadly carcinogen. Full Story
Seniors With Chronic Illness Cling to Smoking and Drinking
Old habits die hard. Smoking and drinking are difficult habits to break for anyone, but research shows that quitting is especially difficult for older individuals diagnosed with major health issues. Full Story
The More Alcohol You Drink the Greater Your Risk of Breast Cancer
Those concerned about their risk of developing breast cancer may decide that happy hour cocktails just are not worth the risk anymore. That is because a recent review conducted over multiple studies which examined possible links between alcohol and breast cancer says that such a link definitely exists. Full Story
What Does Excessive Alcohol Consumption Do to the Heart?
The human heart is an astounding four-chambered muscle. Though only slightly larger than your fist, it is responsible for pumping blood throughout your body and will do so at least 2.5 billion times during your life. This pumping action is powered by a self-contained electrical system and delivers the blood through a highway of vessels which, if laid on end, would reach thousands of miles. Full Story
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The Addiction Primer: Everything You Need to Know to Get Help for a Loved One
A very inexpensive yet indispensable guide for anyone struggling with a loved one's addiction. Chapters on intervention, what to expect from rehab, and information on how addiction impacts the family.
