Effects of Teen Drinking and How to Protect Your Kids

 

 

Drinking is known to induce a wide variety of damaging effects, and the hazards are much worse when consumption occurs during the formative teenage years. This overview explores how alcohol can permanently derail the lives of young people, and how you can help keep your teen on the right track.

 

Stunted Development

The body experiences a lot of gradual growth during adolescence, but alcohol can cause hormones to go haywire. This means many early drinkers fail to reach full physical maturity. Stunted growth and developmental problems are just some of the consequences.

 

Drunk Driving

Teenagers are involved with a substantial amount of fatal drunk driving incidents. In fact, 40% of drinking deaths on the road are caused by drivers under 20-years old. This is primarily because young people have a harder time gauging their own sobriety. Adolescence also instills an exaggerated sense of confidence. Overall, this is an exceedingly dangerous combination. A Columbus DUI Attorney says to instill in your kids the dangers and consequences associated with drunk driving. Make sure they know what’s at stake.

 

Risk Taking

Alcohol dampens critical thinking skills and reduces situational awareness. In tandem, this mixture results in decreased impulse control, and the outcome is a tendency to partake in risky activities that would otherwise be avoided. These poor behaviors include drug use, promiscuity, and violence. Long-term consequences

 

Legal Issues & Financial Difficulties

Those who start drinking at a young age, are much more likely to have run-ins with law enforcement. There are endless charges that can be filed against intoxicated teenagers. Two of the most common crimes reported include flagging minors for possession and contributing to underage delinquency. Teens should be made aware of what legal troubles they can face with underage drinking. DUIs can also become a major obstacle in the way of a fulfilling life. Driving privileges can be revoked, and legal restitution requires thousands of dollars. Incarceration may also be mandated, which can ruin one’s record for life.

 

What Parents Can Do

It is important for moms and dads to take an active role in preventing teenage alcohol consumption. The easiest way to accomplish this is by openly talking about the dangers with a policy of pure honesty. Additionally, it is smart to be a progressive role model through setting positive examples. You don’t have to have a complete ban on the substance, but make sure they know what will and will not be tolerated, and that when they reach 21 they can drink legally.

 

In the end, it is up to guardians to stop teens from drinking once and for all!

 

Categories: Alcohol, drunk driving, health, medicine, Risks, teen

Early Indicators of Alcoholism to Look Out For

 

Because drinking is so commonplace in various cultures, it’s often difficult to identify when a person is early on their path to problem-drinking or alcoholism. The developed signs are easy to spot, but early indicators are a bit more elusive. These are several early indications that a person is at risk for developing alcoholism.

 

Drinking Alone

A common early indicator of alcoholism is drinking alone and outside of social situations. While this person might still engage in social drinking, they still have no problem consuming alcohol without others around. They might often purchase alcohol in relatively large quantities for the home. For example, this person might purchase a large case of beer with the sole intention of drinking it all themselves. Drinking alone might also be indicative of embarrassment related to the drinking problem.

 

Using Alcohol as Emotional Therapy

Many alcoholics use drinking as a method for self-medication. To an alcoholic, the drink is a “quick fix” that can temporarily wash away all emotional problems, pain, and stressors. This person might be more apt to drink if they’ve had a bad day at work or a catastrophic life event has taken place. According to Rod Gregory, an Edmonton DUI attorney, the risk factor is particularly high if the individual immediately turns to alcohol after something negative has taken place.

 

Failing to Show Effects of Alcohol Use

Alcoholics typically have higher tolerance levels for the substance than average people. This means that it takes quite a bit of alcohol for the person to feel “buzzed” or drunk. The person could be able to remain composed despite consuming large amounts of alcohol. Likewise, the person might not appear to suffer hangovers, sickness, or any other negative effects associated with drinking heavily.

 

Lying about Drinking Habits

Many people that are in the beginning stages of alcoholism will regularly lie about how often or much they drink. They might go out for a night of fun with a few friends, but by the next day, they could possibly deny to others that they did anything at all the night before. Lying about the drinking habit is directly related to embarrassment concerning the addiction.

 

Becoming Defensive When Approached about Drinking

Lastly, a drinking problem could be imminent if the person is perpetually defensive about their drinking habits. When questioned or approached about their drinking, they might either clam up or become annoyed with the concern. In some cases, the irritation from being questioned could be so severe that it causes problems in the relationship between the two people.

 

Categories: Alcohol, alcoholism, Drinking, drinking habits, drinking problem, early indicators, indicators, look out, nbsp, person

7 Shocking Ways Alcohol Affects the Body

 

Nobody wants to feel as if their body is breaking down prematurely; however, many of the activities we take part in each day contribute to health conditions that can cause early strain and injury. Drinking alcohol is one of those activities that causes intense harm over time. You might not even realize that your favorite drinks could be causing some of these effects in your body.

 

1. It damages your heart.

Drinking more than a moderate amount of alcohol is drastically unhealthy. Heart conditions like cardiomyopathy, drooping of the muscle surrounding the heart, and stroke are not uncommon due to alcohol consumption over time.

 

2. It damages your liver.

Liver inflammation is common with heavy drinking over the course of a lifetime, especially because the liver is essential for eliminating harmful substances like alcohol. Cirrhosis, fibrosis and steatosis are among the worst conditions associated with the liver. Cirrhosis can be fatal when it prevents the liver from doing its job.

 

3. It damages your pancreas.

Your pancreas is essential for ensuring proper digestion of food. Your pancreas secretes enzymes and regulates insulin. Unfortunately, drinking too much can lead to inflammation of the pancreas. This leads to the expulsion of toxins. The truth is that this can lead to complete destruction of the organ.

 

4. It damages your brain.

Drinking too much over time can shrink your brain’s frontal lobes. Not only that, but short-term drinking encourages loss of impulse control. Over time, alcohol consumption may lead to dementia.

 

5. It can cause internal bleeding.

Alcohol consumption causes conditions such as ulcers and hemorrhoids. Each of these conditions can cause bleeding that can be dangerous if left unattended.

 

6. It may put you at higher risk for cancer.

Heavy drinkers often succumb to cancer of the throat or mouth. The risk of cancer increases especially with tobacco use. Women who drink heavily are much more likely to have breast cancer as well.

 

7. It can cause reproductive dysfunction.

Reproductive and sexual dysfunctions are not uncommon among drinkers. Men who drink heavily may exhibit erectile dysfunction. Additionally, it can cause infertility in women.

 

Finally, drinking alcohol has the potential to get you into trouble with the law. A Minnesota criminal attorney, or any attorney for that matter, could end up being your best friend. If you drink before getting behind the wheel of a car, a Keyser defense attorney could save you not only from further harm but also from serving time or losing your license.

 

Categories: Alcohol, body, shocking

5 Ways to Prevent Oral Cancer

 

According to the Oral Cancer Foundation, 43,250 people are diagnosed with oral cancer per year and over 8,000 of those cases will be terminal. The five-year survival rate of an oral cancer diagnosis hovers around 50 percent. This is grim, and the reason the survival rate is so bad is that it often goes undetected until the disease has significantly progressed. Therefore, prevention and early detection are key.

 

Eat an Antioxidant-Rich Diet

Cancer-fighting foods such as dark leafy vegetables, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, green tea, tomatoes and soy are all lauded for their nutritional content and anti-cancer components. While the occasional unhealthy splurge likely won’t make a difference, your everyday diet needs to be full of antioxidants.

 

Quit Using Tobacco Products

Whether its cigarettes, a pipe or chewing tobacco, stopping the use of tobacco can reduce your risk of cancer throughout your body and especially in your mouth and throat. Smoking or using other tobacco products is one of the leading causes of cancer, and one of the most preventable. If you’re having trouble quitting, seek out a tobacco cessation program online or in your local area for help.

 

See Your Dentist Every Six Months

Your dentist or oral hygienist not only cleans your teeth and polishes them, he or she is also inspecting all the tissues on your mouth for any changes. Tiny spots on your tongue or gums can be removed before they bloom into cancer. According to Dr. Bryan Murray, your dentist also looks into your throat and can help spot any changes to the tissues there, as well.

 

Perform a Self-Exam Monthly

Using a mouth mirror available at nearly any drug store, take the time to check your mouth carefully for any changes. Not only will this help you notice any deterioration in your teeth, it will help you spot changes on your tongue, the roof of your mouth or the lining of your cheeks. Shining a bright light onto a mirror can also help you get a clear view of your throat.


Lower or Eliminate Your Alcohol Consumption


Alcohol is not kind to the delicate lining of your mouth and throat and can also cause dry mouth. Not only can this destroy your teeth, it can damage your tissues and make them more likely to become cancerous. Keep drinks to special occasions or cut them out altogether.

 

Preventing oral cancer is largely a matter of good hygiene and habits. By following these tips, you can decrease your risk of a diagnosis while also setting yourself up to find any tissue changes quickly, before they have a chance to spread.

 

Categories: Alcohol, cancer, Dental, dental care, Dentist, diet, oral cancer, tobacco

Tell-Tale Symptoms of Alcohol Dependence

 

Alcohol dependence, better known as alcoholism, is a serious—and sometimes debilitating—addiction to alcohol. With 17 million adults in the United States suffering from some sort of alcohol use disorder, it’s an ever-increasing problem. Fortunately, there are a few indicators of alcohol addiction which, when noticed, often prompt intervention and treatment. Recognizing a problem is the first step to fixing it, and with 88,000 alcohol-related deaths each year, it’s definitely a problem that needs to be solved.

 

Blackouts

The first sign of alcohol dependence is blackouts. It’s a common mistake to think blacking out and “passing out” are interchangeable, but that’s not the case (although you can faint from high amounts of alcohol consumption). Blackouts do not include losing consciousness like fainting does. Blackouts instead cause you to not remember what happened when you were drinking dependence

 

 

Unexplained Accidents or Illnesses

It’s possible to develop a new problem, such as stomach aches, or exacerbate an existing health condition with an alcohol addiction. Alcohol dependence also greatly increases the chances of having accidents—and of these accidents being far more severe than they would have been had alcohol not been involved.

 

Tolerance

With alcohol dependence comes a greater tolerance for alcohol, meaning that you need to drink more and more in order to get the same effect. Tolerance also means that you can drink more alcohol than the majority of people and not reach the same level of intoxication. Tolerance leads to excessive amounts of alcohol is being consumed, because you need to drink more to need more. According to Edmonton defense lawyer Rod Gregory, a high alcohol tolerance can lead to impaired driving, as an individual could be intoxicated and still seem sober enough to operate a vehicle to those who might be able to stop them.

 

Withdrawal

The more alcohol you drink, the more your body gets used to it. If you stop drinking alcohol, you could show signs of withdrawal. Drinking in order to avoid the symptoms of withdrawal is a huge red flag when it comes to alcoholism and alcohol dependence. Some signs of withdrawal include:

 

• anxiety


• trembling


• sweating


• nausea and vomiting


• insomnia


• depression


• irritability


• fatigue


• loss of appetite


• headache

 

Alcohol dependence is a serious disorder. When treated, the person has a huge chance of living a normal life. If you or someone you know is displaying these symptoms, seek help; it could save a life.

 

Categories: Alcohol, dependence, Symptoms

Reasons It"s Important To Limit Your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol seems to permeate society and is always available at family gatherings and social events. With such a great prevalence, it’s easy to get into the habit of drinking alcohol, and many people overindulge on a regular basis. However, there are many good reasons to keep your alcohol consumption within moderation, for your own sake and the sake of others.

 

Risks To Physical Health

Heavy alcohol consumption can put individuals at risk for a number of diseases, including high blood pressure, stroke, and heart problems. Heavy alcohol use can also cause diseases of the liver and pancreas, and has been linked to certain types of cancers in research studies. The American Cancer Society recommends limiting alcohol consumption to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men to avoid being at higher risk for breast cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, as well as mouth and throat cancers. Heavy drinking can also cause nerve damage, stomach problems and seizures.

 

Alcohol and Mental Health

Mental health experts believe that many people overindulge in alcohol in an attempt to “self treat” problems with stress, anxiety and depression. Many people who have bipolar disorder or personality disorder use alcohol to regulate their moods and behaviors. Alcohol itself can trigger some of these mental issues. Mental health professionals often have a difficult time diagnosing and treatment mental health problems because of the additional problem of alcohol abuse.

 

Disruption of Relationships

Heavy alcohol consumption can also have a detrimental effect on relationships. Behaviors while under the influence can cause conflicts within the relationship. Some people become violent under the influence of alcohol, which can cause breakups and divorces. Drinking can also cause employment difficulties, which add to financial problems and stress in the relationship.

 

Alcohol and Legal Problems

Excessive alcohol use can also lead people into poor decisions, such as starting public fights, abusive language or driving under the influence. Driving under the influence can cause serious bodily injury or even death to pedestrians and other drivers that will cause emotional and financial hardship for the rest of your life. Being arrested for driving under the influence can also have a serious effect on your ability to function in your employment and in your personal life. You may require the services of a Maryland DUI lawyer to assist you in your court case. If your drinking has reached a point where it has begun to cause legal problems in your life, you can still get your life back o/n track by stopping alcohol use or seeking out treatment.

Categories: Alcohol, Intake, limit

Cancer and Alcohol: The Personal Impact

It is common knowledge that abusing alcohol on a regular basis can lead to several health issues such as cirrhosis of the liver. Additionally, alcoholics have a heightened risk of dealing with high blood pressure, liver failure, seizures, decreased mental function and body tremors. However, it is also important to note that drinking can increase your odds of contracting several forms of cancer even if you do not drink on a daily basis.

 

What Forms of Cancer can be Impacted?

Extensive research has linked alcohol usage to cancer of the mouth, breast, esophagus, rectum, colon, voice box and throat. Researchers are also currently studying the potential link between pancreatic cancer and alcohol consumption. Although anyone who drinks has the increased risk of contracting one of these forms of cancer, it is important to note that your odds of developing cancer of the voice box, mouth, esophagus and throat will be much higher if you are also a smoker. In fact, drinking and smoking at the same time leads to many more cases of these types of cancer than smoking alone.

 

How does Alcohol Increase My Risk?

There is no simple link that researchers can point to that easily explains how drinking can make people more susceptible to cancer. However, there are several issues caused by alcohol that are likely to be a factor, including the fact that alcohol damages body tissues, lowers levels of folate and other necessary nutrients, has an undesired effect on estrogen levels, can cause people to gain weight and acts as a solvent that increases the harmful impact of other chemicals such as those found in tobacco smoke.

 

What are Some of the Other Dangers?

Although becoming occasionally intoxicated is not likely to significantly increase your risk of dealing with any serious health issues, it could lead to legal and social complications if you end up getting a DUI. After all, a DUI conviction is typically accompanied by high fines, a suspended license and the possibility of jail time.

 

Additionally, having a DUI on your record could cause you to lose your job, and it is likely to make it more difficult to attend the college of your choice and get a new job in the future. Retaining an experienced DUI attorney would be an absolute when faced with such difficulties due to such a charge on a record.

 

When this happens it is important to retain legal representation. According to David Katz from the Law Offices of Katz & Phillips there is a difference between DUI lawyers and DUI law firms. The team approach achieves the best possible results for clients.Legal representation can help assist in getting charges reduced in an effort to prevent the harsher punishments that can accompany it.

 

Keep in mind that getting behind the wheel when you are intoxicated can also very easily lead to a life altering injury or a fatal car accident. Due to this, it is vital for everyone to be careful with their alcohol consumption.

 

As you can see, regularly consuming alcoholic beverages can have several negative side effects. Therefore, it is safer for everyone to avoid drinking in most situations so that they do not end up dealing with issues such as cancer of the mouth or cirrhosis of the liver. It is also important to note that the total amount of alcohol that you consume will have a bigger impact on your cancer risk than the type of alcohol that you drink. Additionally, studies have indicated that binge drinking an average of once a month will greatly increase your risk of developing cancer, especially if you are a woman.

 

Health advocate and blogger Lisa Coleman personally understands the damage and risks that can accompany overconsumption of alcohol, and the effects it can cause to an individual’s life. She recently viewed how Katz & Phillips, an Orlando DUI attorney firm, can legally assist a client who is faced with a DUI charge to help them get back on their feet.

Categories: Alcohol, alcoholism, cancer, DUI, risks of drinking

How Your Addiction May Be Affecting Your Health

A long term addiction can damage nearly every system in the body. Some drugs cause more damage to some bodily systems than others. Here are only a few of the ways that an addiction can badly impact your health:

 

Damage to the Nervous System

Drugs cause intoxication because they bind surprisingly well to the receptors on the surfaces of the nerve cells in the brain. Over time, the number of receptors, nerve cells and even the structure of the nerve cells are changed. Sometimes, these changes are permanent. Depressant drugs like opioids and alcohol also slow down bodily functions like breathing. An overdose occurs when a function like respiration is slowed down to the point of unconsciousness or death.

 

Pregnancy Complications

Women who are addicted to drugs while pregnant run the risk of premature delivery and complications like breech birth. However, the baby suffers the brunt of the mother’s addiction. Alcohol can stunt the growth of the brain and lead to fetal alcohol syndrome. Amphetamines and opioids cause babies to be born with underdeveloped brains, and cocaine can cause the placenta to separate prematurely.

 

Negative Impacts To the Circulatory System

Addiction can produce effects on the heart and the circulatory system that are more insidious than a sudden heart attack or stroke. Drugs that cross the blood/brain barrier like heroin can influence both the heart rate and the blood pressure. If the drug is taken to the point of addiction, the damage to the cardiovascular system can be permanent.

 

Drugs like amphetamines can be responsible for blood clots, which can lead to heart attack and stroke. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a scourge of people addicted to alcohol. Over years, the alcohol scars the heart muscle, and the heart begins to fail. The symptoms of this are fatigue, edema in the legs and feet and swollen veins in the neck. Alcohol can also react badly with medicines that are prescribed to treat a patient’s heart disease. One of the benefits of a drug addiction rehab center is that the staff is knowledgeable when it comes to the comorbidities that often accompany addiction.

 

Cognitive Damage

Addiction to drugs like amphetamines and marijuana can also impair thought processes like the ability to concentrate, decision making and planning and locating and reacting to objects in space. Some of these impairments are permanent.

 

As can be seen, the impact of addiction on a person’s health can be devastating. The sooner an addict joins a drug rehabilitation center, the higher his or her chances are of returning to good health.

Categories: addiction, Alcohol, drugs, Habits, health concerns, heart, Heart Attack, nbsp, nerve cells, permanent nbsp

What Are the Biggest Causes of Any Alcohol Addiction?

Have you ever wondered why it is that some people can drink a lot without it having any effect on their long term wellness and wellbeing, whilst others quickly become dependent on alcohol? Do you wonder why some people turn to alcohol in times of emotional turmoil whist others don’t, and why drinking one glass of wine often leads to drinking a few more.

 

When you are dependent on alcohol, it is known as ‘alcohol addiction’ and you are considered an alcoholic, regardless of how much you actually drink. When you are an alcoholic, it is helpful to start learning a bit more about alcoholism and try to understand why it is that you drink, in order to find out what you can do to get past it.

 

Some studies suggest that alcoholism can be linked to genetics – in other words if your father or mother is an alcoholic, there, is a good chance that you may also have these same genes, and that casual drinks can turn into an addiction. Studies are still ongoing on this.

 

Some people are also psychologically more predisposition to become alcoholics, due to their personality types. Others fin that peer pressure is the reason that they start drinking. In social circles, there is often a lot of pressure to drink, or to drink a certain amount. Friends get together and drink as teenagers, and often the need to ‘look cool’ is greater than any factors that may put you off drinking alcohol.

 

Advertising may also be to blame. Advertising makes drinking alcohol looks cool, and makes people aware of what alcohol there is on the market when they would otherwise be unaware. Alcohol also appears on television in non-advertorial format, so in television shows where people are drinking alcohol, and this leads to the normalisation of a drinking culture, which can lead to people blurring the lines between what are acceptable drinking habits and what counts as a problem.

Categories: addiction, Alcohol, alcohol addiction, drink, Drinking, drinking alcohol, nbsp, people

Dangerous Drink: Four Greatest Perils of Alcohol Abuse

Enjoying a glass of wine, a beer or a cocktail is a common practice in today’s society. However, some people who are susceptible to binge drinking and alcoholism are unable to stop at just one or two drinks. They continue drinking until they have reached a dangerous level of drunkenness. This type of drinking behavior affects the well being of both the alcoholic and society. Here are four of the most dangerous side effects of consistent heavy drinking.

 

Obesity

The obesity epidemic is often thought of as a food problem. However, it is also an alcohol problem. Heavy drinkers, who consistently drink more than four alcoholic beverages a day, are 46% more likely to obese than non-drinkers. When inebriated, individuals are unable to control impulses, such as the urge to overeat. Also, they often feel hungrier because alcohol hinders the ability to process the signals that tell the brain know the body is full.

Domestic Abuse

Alcoholics are three times more likely to abuse their spouses and domestic partners. This means seventy-five percent of reported cases of spouse or domestic partner abuse involve alcohol. Also, children whose parents abuse alcohol are three times more likely to suffer abuse than children from families without an alcoholic. Since many cases of domestic assault go unreported, these numbers cannot accurately reflect the abuse suffered at the hands of alcoholics, though they do provide a close approximation. Alcoholics with violent tendencies should strongly consider professional rehabilitation. Rehab centers like Ascend Recovery and a multitude of others can help reshape the behaviors of those afflicted with alcoholism and correspondingly reduce violent episodes.

 

Crime

One-fourth of all violent crimes, in the U.S., are committed by individuals who were abusing alcohol prior to the crime. Since overconsumption of alcohol often leads to aggressive behavior, this statistic isn’t surprising. What is surprising, however, is how much higher the chances of an alcoholic committing a violent crime is than non-alcoholics. There were roughly 1.2 million violent crimes committed in the U.S last year, and approximately 17.6 million adults out of a population of 313 million individuals suffer from alcoholic tendencies. This means, alcoholics have a 5.5 times greater chance of committing a violent crime.

 

Disease

While it’s common knowledge alcoholism can lead to heart and liver diseases, it’s less commonly known that alcohol abuse can lead to diabetes and other diseases, as well. Alcohol abuse causes type 2 diabetes, first, because it interferes with the body’s glucose levels and the hormones that control blood glucose levels. Second, drinking heavily causes pancreatitis, and type 2 diabetes is a side effect of pancreatitis. Next, heavy consumption of alcohol suppresses the immune system, making it easier for over-drinkers to contract infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV, and pneumonia. Alcoholism isn’t just responsible for physical ailment, but also causes several mental health issues. It is known for damaging memory, causing anxiety and depression, and it is suspected in certain cases of psychosis.

 

Light to moderate drinking, or one to two alcoholic beverages a night, is quite healthy and unlikely to lead to any long-tem social or physical problems. However, unchecked alcoholism and constant overconsumption of alcoholic beverages lead to many issues, damaging both the individual and society. These include a higher chance of being a violent crime offender, assaulting family members and loved ones, contracting serious diseases and developing obesity.

Categories: abuse, Alcohol, alcohol abuse, alcoholic, alcoholic beverages, Dangerous, drink, glucose levels, perils, violent, violent crime, violent crimes

How to Ditch that Beer Belly Without Ditching the Beer

Everyone likes a drink now and then, so ditching drinking in favour of your weight loss wellness can make you jack in your diet altogether. According to personal chef Diane Henderiks, RD, founder of Dish with Diane, your liver processes alcohol before other it does any other carbs and protein, meaning that the sheer presence of alcohol in your body slows down your fat-burning ability. Your wellbeing won’t be ruined if you have stick to one drink a day (that’s five ounces of wine, 12 ounces beer, or one ounce of a spirit) but if you want to drink AND lose weight, you might need to develop a few of the following healthy habits as well:

 

1. Chill Out: Cortisol is the hormone that encourages your body to store fat—particularly in your abdominal region – and anxiety causes cortisol to be produced in spades. It has been shown that deep-breathing exercises help to lower your stress levels, so pause for some deep-breathing time every hour. Set an hourly alarm on your phone and, when it goes off, take five to 10 deep-belly breaths, inhaling for five counts and exhaling for 10 counts.

 

2. Eat Enough: This is good advice for anyone wanting to lose weight, regardless of whether you ditch the drinks or not. When you don’t eat enough food to satisfy your body, it goes into starvations mode, Henderiks warns. This means that, out of fear of not being fed, your body will store extra fat for energy, rather than burning it off and keeping your belly taut.

 

3. Keep Up Your Strength: The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism is and the more calories you burn all day long. This is because muscle is more metabolically active than fat, and exercise physiologist Tom Holland, author of Beat the Gym: Personal Trainer Secrets Without the Personal Trainer Price Tag, asserts that you need to do two to three total-body strength sessions a week in order to build that quality lean muscle.

 

4. Eat Wholegrains: In a study from PennsylvaniaStateUniversity, it was found that eating wholegrains instead of refined grains helps you lose more fat around your midsection. Moreover, researchers at Tufts University have reported that including three servings of whole grains and less than one serving of refined carbs in their diets every day helped participants lose 10% more visceral fat than those who didn’t follow this diet.

 

5. Work Your Abs from All Angles…: Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson, who works with Sofia Vergara, Kim Kardashian, and Vanessa Lachey, points out that there are three planes of motion you need to target when working on your abs. To challenge and define your ab muscles, you need to hit your sagitall plane (front to back and up and down) with crunches and reverse crunches; your frontal movement (side-to-side) with standing side bends; and transverse action (rotational) with chops or twists.

 

6….But Don’t Overdo the Ab Work: While you need to do ab-specific moves to tone your tummy, Holland asserts that these are the “finishing moves” once you’ve removed excess fat via diet and exercise. The majority of your workout should be focused on the rest of your body, and only 10% of your time should be dedicated to abs work. For the other 90% of your workout, focus on strength training and/or cardio.

 

7. Drink More…Green Tea: There is a whole heap of studies show to show that green tea deals with belly fat. This is due to an antioxidant called EGCG which helps boost metabolism and may specifically target abdominal fat.

Categories: abdominal fat, Alcohol, Belly, body, Deep Breathing, drink, green tea, Lose, Lose weight, nbsp, Personal Trainer, Weight Loss

When Alcohol Works: Health Benefits of Moderate Drinking

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but can the same be said for a glass of wine or a beer? Perhaps a legend exists in your family that relatives have told you about your great-grandfather having a glass of beer with dinner every night and living to be 98 years old. Is there any truth in that? Can consuming alcohol in moderation really be beneficial to your health? Read on to find out.

 

Drinking in Moderation

According to research, drinking in moderation can be defined as consuming one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Moderate drinking does not mean abstaining all week then getting drunk on the weekends. Drinking in excess not only puts your health at risk, but potentially your life as well. 

When you overdo it with alcohol, you increase your chances of driving under the influence (DUI). As Jack Diamond, a DUI lawyer in Massachusetts addresses on his website, being arrested for a DUI can lead to a multitude of problems in your life, including your health, legal and financial situations. It goes without saying that if you are not of legal drinking age, you should not consume any alcohol until you are.

 

Good for Your Heart

Studies have shown that a moderate amount of alcohol actually raises the levels of “good cholesterol,” or HDLs in your bloodstream. Higher levels of HDLs are beneficial in preventing several types of heart disease that result from cardiovascular disease. So, a drink a day may reduce your risk of suffering a heart attack or even a stroke.

 

Live Longer

Apparently, there is some truth to why your great-grandpa lived so long when he had a glass of beer every night with dinner. Consuming alcohol with meals may reduce your risk of dying by up to 18 percent. Just take a look at people who follow the Mediterranean diet for proof of this one. Wine is a staple at Greek, Italian and Spanish lunch and dinner tables, and these cultures tend to suffer from lower instances of diseases and health issues in general, thus, living longer than the rest of us.

 

Prevent Symptoms of the Common Cold

Who knew that a cold could be prevented with a glass of red wine? Researchers discovered that non-smoking individuals who consumed eight to 14 glasses of red wine each week were 60 percent less likely to develop a cold! Sixty percent! That is rather significant when so many Americans miss work each year because of the annoying symptoms of an incurable cold. It seems that the antioxidant properties of red wine are an excellent dose of preventative medicine (and wine tastes better than medicine, too).

 

If you are worried that your usual glass of wine or beer with dinner, or your afternoon martini might cause health issues later in life, worry no more. Instead, enjoy the fact that you are able to reap the benefits of drinking alcohol in moderation. As long as you maintain that moderate intake, you could very well become the next legend in your family.

Writer Melanie Fleury has watched family members get DUI’s, but she also has seen many friends and family members who know not to drive after enjoying a glass of wine with dinner. Jack Diamond, of Jack Diamond Law, knows that a DUI can seem like the end of the world, but assures clients that it is not. 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/klauspost/92783024/

Categories: Alcohol, Benefits, consuming alcohol, Drinking, family members, health, health issues, jack diamond, moderate, moderate drinking, Red Wine, Wine

Should You Always Avoid Alcohol in Skincare Products?

When you are choosing the best anti-aging product for your skin, you may have had it drummed into your subconscious that alcohol is damaging for the wellness and wellbeing of your skin. Perhaps you find yourself poring over the ingredients list on the back of various skincare products, hoping to find one that is free from alcohol but without really knowing why.

 

The truth is, that it is simply not true to say that all alcohol is bad for your skin, as there are different types of alcohol. In particular, those who have sensitive or dry skin are often advised to stay away from skincare products with alcohol in them, as there is thought to be a link between red, flaky skin and alcohol-based products. Then of course there is the little issue that very few products are actually alcohol free, so finding a product you deem to be ‘suitable’ can be quite a challenge.

 

Out of 20 skincare products on the market, it is estimated that around 12 will contain alcohol in some form. Alcohol is actually incredibly useful as a skincare ingredient, and, contrary to popular opinion, is not totally out of the question for those who suffer from dry skin. Alcohol is actually a broad term for an entire group of chemicals that have a common makeup but with some variations. It is the variations that determine how the alcohol works on your skin.

 

Ethanol, for example, is just one type of alcohol, and it is simply this type of alcohol that can cause skin dryness – no other type. Ethanol is also in wine, beer and spirits (but with a slightly altered taste, of course). It is a thin liquid that evaporates quicker than water and hence it is often used to help a product to dry quicker, but this can be damaging for those with dry or sensitive skin.

Categories: Alcohol, dry, Dry Skin, product, products, skin, skincare, skincare products

The Absolute Worst Weekend Weight Loss Mistakes

Many of us want to lose weight. Dieting is big business and it seems that so many people are willing to do virtually anything if it mean that we drop a few pounds. So, many of us turn to dieting systems in the hope that they will see us shedding weight. And these systems may work for a little while but ultimately it may be the case that they fail at the weekend. This is because we tend to find ourselves slipping into more relaxed habits at the weekend and that can make us put the weight back on that we worked so hard all week to lose. So we’ve compiled a list of some of the worst weekend weight loss mistakes that can see you piling back on that weight that you have lost.

 

Drinking alcohol

Many of us love to drink alcohol on the weekend. For many it is part of a weekly ritual, for others it is simply a way of relaxing and letting off steam at the end of a long working week. You might think that there is nothing wrong with that, but the trouble is that drinking alcohol comes with a number of problems attached to it. Of course we all know that alcohol is just empty calories and that many alcoholic drinks are surprisingly high in calories.

 

So if you go out and have a heavy night drinking you’re loading up on wasted calories that serve no purpose aside from their ability to spoil your diet. But there is another problem too, because it’s not just the calories that you accumulate from the alcohol but also that alcohol often makes you more like to want to pick up some late night snacks, whether that is in the form of crisps or nuts in the pub, or perhaps even a kebab or burger afterwards.

 

Eating at the cinema

If you’re like many people then you may like to watch a film at the weekend – everyone enjoys going to the cinema every once in a while. But there are issues going to the cinema too. Especially the fact that many people love to chow down when they are watching a film, and cinema lobbies are not exactly notorious for their range of healthy goods on offer. This means that you will likely be eating something along the lines of popcorn and a sugary drink. Clearly these are very bad for you and if you want to keep up your diet through the weekend, you can’t be buying these kind of snacks to go into the movie with.

 

Shopping on an empty stomach

The weekend is a popular time to go shopping, mainly because we’ve got enough free time to go around the shops and buy the things that we need for the coming week. But the scourge of shopping is the empty stomach. It’s well known that if we go shopping when we are hungry we are more likely to make purchasing decisions that include unhealthy foods and things that we feel like we want to eat right then – this usually includes crisps, chocolate and other foods that are bad for us. The knock on effect is that we then have these foods in our homes that we wouldn’t usually buy. That puts you in the place of being very tempted all the time by the junk food sitting in your cupboard. Do yourself a favour and don’t shop on an empty stomach – all it will do is fill your shelves with unhealthy foods that you wouldn’t normally eat.

Categories: Alcohol, drinking alcohol, foods, loss mistakes, unhealthy foods, weekend, weekend weight, weight, Weight Loss, worst mistakes

Could Cutting Out Alcohol Help You to Lose Weight?

Weight loss and fitness are important topics for discussion. Everyone wants to know the latest tricks for improving wellness and wellbeing, and there is always a diet trend, exotic fruit which is rumoured to speed up metabolism, magic shakes that are meant to make you less hungry or even which weight loss supplements are trendy.

 

Whilst these things all do exist, the big question is what happens to the body after you stop these kind of fad diets and trends; the answer is, the weight piles back on.

 

One of the true pillars of losing weight is eating real food. That means fresh fruit, seeds, vegetables, nuts and organic or free range animal products.

 

Giving up alcohol is also really key for weight loss. If you want to lose weight, you absolutely have to do it – just for a little while. Try to stay off alcohol for a month, and see what happens. When you drink, your body has to burn it off straight away, which means that any food that you eat is stored so that you can burn off the alcohol instead. Going out for a meal is the worst scenario, as you are eating and drinking at the same time.

 

On top of that, you want your liver to be in great condition for weight los, as it is an important part of fat emulsification. If your liver is not working, then it is much harder for your body to break down and get rid of fats.

 

Sunshine and happiness are also vital ingredients of weight loss. Getting some sunshine helps to boost your vitamin Dlevels, and this, in turn, boosts your metabolism. Making sure that you are happy also helps to guard against comfort eating on unhealthy foods like carbohydrates and sugars.

Categories: Alcohol, body, Lose weight, loss, nbsp, Tricks, weight, Weight Loss

Alcohol And Mental Illness: There Is A Connection

Sadly, one of the most popular ways for someone coping with a mental health issue to ease their mental and emotional pain is by numbing these emotions with alcohol. These individuals who could benefit from other types of therapy find solace in a bottle. What is even more tragic is the knowledge that they may not even realize there is a problem until they have been arrested or injured from driving under the influence.

 

The problem with alcohol abuse is that it can also lead to additional forms of behaviors that will induce mental health issues. Many actions committed by someone under the influence leads the person to feel shame when they are sober. That shame then brings on a depression or becomes too hard to handle, so the person resorts to alcohol to cover the pain. It is a vicious circle that must be broken.

 

Driving Under the Influence

Any of these individuals suffering from a mental illness and treating with alcohol continue to drive. They believe that they do not have an alcohol problem, and therefore justify driving. Often referred to as functioning alcoholics, these drunk drivers are some of the most dangerous on the road. According to one DUI attorney San Bernardino based, a DUI often leads to license suspension, fines and even community service.

 

What makes them so dangerous? Their confidence level when they are driving drunk. In a recent study, it was discovered that confident intoxicated drivers caused more accidents, and had more deadly results than first time DUI offenders. Their “confidence” in their skill to drive, because they do not believe they have a drinking problem, allows them to justify irrational decisions behind the wheel without question.

 

Programs to Help

in San Bernardino, a state program is in place for individuals who have been caught driving under the influence. The program requires a series of courses that have to be taken before driving priviledges are reinstated.

 

The San Bernardino DUI program has been very successful in helping those who have a substance abuse problem and have been arrested for driving under the influence. However, it would probably be more useful to address these mental health and alcohol problem issues before a DUI arrest or conviction occurs. Family members and friends must be observant about their loved ones and make sure that they are not suffering quietly from mental health issues. If you notice that alcohol or drugs are being used to help them cope with problems, you need to act to find them the appropriate help.

 

You can make a difference in someone’s life by stepping up and addressing this issue in a calm and compassionate way These people know deep down there is a problem, and many times they are just waiting for someone to offer them help.

 

 

Writer Melanie Fleury has several family members who suffer from mental illness. She has noticed that they also seem to drink more than other people in the family. She learned through the blog of a DUI attorney San Bernardino based, that driving under the influence has consequences beyond legal ones.

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamescridland/1391010417/

Categories: Alcohol, alcohol problem, attorney san, bernardino based, dui attorney, family members, health issues, illness, mental, Mental Health, mental illness, san bernardino

Alcohol and Your Health: The Path Through Your Body

Whether out to dinner or just popping over to a friend’s house, alcohol is everywhere. Though some alcohol, like red wine, has been found to have certain health benefits, regularly tying one on can lead to disastrous results for your health and well-being. From damage to your vital organs to the possibility of a DUI, being aware of your personal alcohol intake can be one of the most important things you can do for your body and your safety.

 

Booze & Your Body

While many people understand that the overuse of alcohol is dangerous, not many people understand why or what particular organs are damaged or effected. The simple fact is that overindulging with alcohol, either just one time or on a regular basis, can have serious and lasting adverse health effects.

 

Brain

Think of your brain as a series of telephone wires which the brain then uses to communicate or send signals to other parts of your body. Drinking can seriously impede these lines of communication, resulting in less control of your basic motor skills. Thought processing times also drop, as does your ability to make good judgement calls. It’s alcohol’s effect on the brain that results in drunk driving and DUI’s, as the driver is unable to process information as quickly as someone who isn’t drinking.

 

Liver

Your liver is pretty much in charge when it comes to dealing with the alcohol you consume. As it’s your liver’s responsibility to mop up most of the damaging effects alcohol can have, it suffers a lot more than most of your other organs. Regular alcohol use can result in life-threatening illness such as cirrhosis, alcoholic hepatitis and steatosis (fatty liver).

 

Heart

This may come as a surprise to most people, but alcohol can be extremely damaging to your heart and cardiovascular systems. While some studies have shown that moderate use in healthy adults can actually have positive affects on the heart, excessive use can result in a whole host of health problems. Both high blood pressure and strokes can be linked to overuse of alcohol, as can high mortality rate diseases such as cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias.

 

Immune System

Though you may be under the impression that the worst you can get from a heavy drinking session is a hangover, alcohol can actually impede your body’s ability to fight off infections and illnesses. In fact, your body’s immune system can be compromised for up to 24 hours after drinking. Chronic drinkers, unsurprisingly, suffer a worse fate and are more likely to contract serious illnesses such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.

 

Drinking & Your Safety

It’s obvious that engaging in regular and prolonged drinking can result in fairly serious consequences for your health. However, drinking can also impact your safety as well. Lack of motor skills or coordination while drinking can result in trips and falls, many times requiring a visit to the emergency room.

 

DUI’s and drunk driving accidents are also a sad fact of life for the regular drinker. As your ability to make judgements on distance and reaction times are slower, driving after drinking can put both you and other drivers at risk of a crash. There are also the additional social stigmas and legal problems that can come from being convicted of a DUI, which can impact your life for years to follow.

 

Though going out and having a few drinks with your friends or family can seem like fun, it’s important to realize the extent of your drinking and the possible effects it can have on your life and health. If you feel that you are drinking too much, then chances are you probably are. Talk about your drinking with your health professional if you are concerned, and learn more with groups like Alcoholic’s Anonymous. The life you save could be your own.

 

 

Writer Melanie Fleury has often taken on the role of designated driver and has watched friends become physically ill from drinking. She hopes that by reading this article, those that are not dissuaded by the short term hangover or chance of DUI, will be dissuaded by the long term health effects. She used the website of http://jackdiamondlaw.com/ to learn about the consequences, legally and physically, of drinking.

 

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/imagensevangelicas/6340176887/

Categories: Alcohol, body, Drinking, drinking nbsp, drunk driving, health, health effects, motor skills, nbsp, nbsp nbsp, people understand

When is the Right Time to Talk to Your Kids About Alcohol?

We all know that parents have the most important influence on child and family wellness, so it’s not surprising when, time and time again, research shows it. Even though there are other factors involved in your child’s wellbeing, such as peer pressure, you have the largest influence on your child’s attitude towards drinking alcohol.

 

A 2009 report from US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, for example, showed that teens who talked to their parents about the dangers of substance abuse were ‘less likely than those who did not have such conversations to have been past month users of alcohol (16.2% vs. 18.3%).’ So it’s not a giant leap to make in saying that you are the most important factor in preventing your child from engaging in underage drinking. You need to talk to your children about drinking, and you should start early and speak often.

 

Again, research proves that this is something you already know. In a recent survey by global market research firm Ipsos, which asked 1,000 adults across 11 different countries about how they are talking with children about drinking, it was shown that the vast majority of respondents believe it’s important for parents to talk with their children about alcohol. Of the parents with kids aged between five and 17, more than 90% in 10 of the 11 countries surveyed agreed with this statement. Still, the study also found that while you may think it’s a good idea to talk to your kids about alcohol, there’s a large gap between believing in it, and actually doing it.

 

So why is there this disconnect between beliefs and actions? The survey noted the number one reason for not speaking up about drinking was because the parents thought their child was too young to have the conversation. Among the US respondents, for instance, 89% of parents gave this reason. But are we being too sensitive or delicate with our kids? After all, the US surgeon general actually recommends that ‘it’s never too early to start talking with young people about the dangers of underage drinking.’ Other excuses parents gave were that they trusted their children to make the right decision, and that they weren’t sure how to start the conversation.

 

According to Carol Clark is Global Vice President of Beer & Better World at Anheuser-Busch InBev, ‘To help parents with these conversations, for example, AB InBev launched Family Talk About Drinking, an underage drinking prevention programme developed by experts in the areas of education, counselling and family counselling, more than 20 years ago in the United States. Today, in collaboration with local experts, the programme is now available in 10 countries, in the local languages. Family Talk gives parents resources, from suggested conversation starters to supportive online communities, to help them talk with their children about drinking. There are also similar excellent parent programmes offered by Mothers Against Drunk Driving; the US government; and in our other markets around the world like Brazil and Mexico.’

 

She adds, ‘It’s also important to acknowledge that parents are not the only solution. The effects of underage drinking impact each one of us, and we are all responsible for helping to address the challenge. We at AB InBev have also pledged to provide ID-checking materials to 500,000 bars, clubs, restaurants and grocery stores worldwide by the end of 2014 to help them prevent sales to minors. We have also committed to training at least 1 million bartenders, waiters and others around the world who serve and sell our beers on responsible alcohol beverage sales.’

Categories: ab inbev, Alcohol, Drinking, family talk, Parents, parents gave, Research, substance abuse, talk, underage drinking

How to Deal With the Suffering of Alcohol Withdrawal

You may think that struggling with an alcohol problem is the most difficult thing that your mental/emotional health could possibly deal with, but actually the bit just after you manage to quit alcohol is arguably even worse. Alcohol withdrawal is such an unpleasant thing that it often puts people off straight away when they are trying to quit.

 

It’s not easy to deal with alcohol withdrawal, but it is important to remember that with the right support, withdrawal will not kill you, whereas drinking can do serious damage to your wellness and wellbeing (and that of those around you) and actually could end up killing you in the end.

 

One of the best ways to deal with alcohol withdrawal is distraction. Ideally you want to move your (or the person you know who is withdrawing) attention away from the feelings of craving a drink and onto something more neutral. One tip is that whenever you feel that you are about to lose control and have a drink, stop immediately and focus on your surroundings. Try to describe them to yourself in lots of detail. This helps to divert your mind away from the negative thoughts that may be plaguing it and focus on something else. It also breaks the loop in your head. Don’t be afraid to talk out loud as a form of distraction, especially to a friend, relative or counsellor, but you could also strike up a conversation with a stranger, for example at the bus stop.

 

Imagery is another effective way to stop yourself thinking about alcohol withdrawal. For example, you can imagine that you are telling the cravings to stop, and as you do so you can picture in your head a big red stop sign. Or instead, you can focus on the image of your favourite peaceful spot and imagine what it would be like if you were there.

Categories: Alcohol, alcohol withdrawal, deal, focus, nbsp, Symptoms, withdrawal

The Mum Shun: Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

When you find out you’re going to be a mother, you want to do what’s best for your baby’s wellness as soon as possible. You start taking care of your wellbeing by adding healthy foods to your diet, but do you know the nutrition nightmares to avoid? Here’s our list of foods you should steer clear of during pregnancy.

 

1. High-mercury seafood: Too much mercury could damage your baby’s developing nervous system, and you’ll find high levels of the toxin particularly in big and old fish. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pregnant women should avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. You’re OK to eat up to 12 ounces (340 grams) of tuna a week.

 

2. Raw, under cooked or contaminated seafood: These kinds of seafood are likely to contain harmful bacteria or viruses, so avoid raw fish and shellfish, especially oysters and clams. You are fine to eat smoked seafood if it’s canned, shelf-stable or an ingredient in a cooked dish, but you should avoid refrigerated smoked seafood, such as lox.

 

3. Under-cooked meat, poultry and eggs: Pregnancy increases your risk of bacterial food poisoning, gives you more severe reactions than you might experience when not pregnant, and, in rare cases, food poisoning affects the baby, too. Cook all meats, poultry and eggs properly and avoid refrigerated pates, meat spreads and pre-stuffed raw poultry.

 

4. Unpasteurized foods: While low-fat dairy products – like skimmed milk, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese — can be a healthy part of your diet, foods containing unpasteurized milk could cause you to develop foodborne illnesses. Unless clearly labelled as otherwise, don’t eat brie, feta, camembert, blue cheese or Mexican-style cheeses, such as queso blanco, queso fresco and panela. You should also consider pasteurized eggs.

 

5. Unwashed fruits and vegetables: It’s vital that you eliminate any chance of harmful bacteria by thoroughly washing all your fruits and vegetables, as well as cutting away any bad or damaged bits. Raw sprouts — including alfalfa, clover, radish and mung bean — might also contain disease-causing bacteria so don’t eat them raw but be sure to cook the sprouts thoroughly.

 

6. Large quantities of vitamin A: Although this vitamin is essential for eye health, too much vitamin A can lead to your baby developing birth defects. If you’re pregnant and over the age of 19, it is the recommendation of The Institute of Medicine that you get 2,565 international units (IU) of vitamin A daily. This sounds like a lot, but bear in mind that cooked beef liver contains 27,185 IU in three ounces and cooked chicken liver has 12,325 IU per three ounce portion.

 

7. Excess caffeine: Not only does caffeine interfere with your baby’s heart rate, research suggests that it may actually increase your risk of miscarriage. While this is yet to be fully proven, doctors recommend pregnant women to consume no more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day. To work that out in terms of your daily drink needs, in an eight-ounce cup of brewed coffee there are about 95 milligrams of caffeine, the same-sized brewed tea contains about 47 milligrams and a 12-ounce caffeinated cola soft drink contains roughly 29 milligrams.

 

8. Herbal tea: Data on the effects of specific herbs on developing babies is thin on the ground – even the types of herbal tea marketed specifically to pregnant women – so it’s best to avoid herbal tea unless your doctor tells you it’s OK.

 

9. Alcohol: While one drink probably won’t harm your baby, no level of alcohol has been proved safe during pregnancy so your best bet is to avoid alcohol entirely.

Categories: Alcohol, avoid, avoid refrigerated, Baby, caffeine, Food Poisoning, harmful bacteria, herbal tea, nbsp, Pregnant Women, smoked seafood