They worry there are “significant gaps” in what we know about them and how they are regulated.
E-cigarettes: Cross-party group of MPs launches inquiry
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Daily Archives: 24/10/2017
Earliest known marine navigation tool revealed with scanning technology
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Supercomputers help scientists improve seismic forecasts for California
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Typhoid vaccine set to have ‘huge impact’
Around 22 million people get typhoid fever each year and 220,000 die.
Health24.com | 8 surprising things that happen to your body when you stop drinking booze
Maybe your nightly glass of wine has turned into two or three. Or you’re overdoing it on the beer and have the gut to prove it.
Giving up alcohol can be tough – but the benefits make it worth the effort, says Damon Raskin, MD, a Los Angeles-based physician who is board certified in addiction medicine.
“Taking a break from drinking alcohol – even if it’s just for a couple of weeks – is a good idea, especially if you’re regularly consuming more than the recommended daily limit,” Dr Raskin says. That’s generally two drinks a day for men.
Also, if your drinking seems to be affecting your work or personal relationships – regardless of how much booze you’re knocking back – it’s time to consider taking it easy, he adds.
Here’s what you can expect to happen, both short- and long-term, if you give up alcohol:
Read more: This is the best type of alcohol to drink if you’re trying to lose weight
1. You’ll sleep more soundly
One recent study in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found drinking before bed increases alpha wave patterns in the brain – a kind of cerebral activity that usually occurs when you’re awake but resting.
The result? Disrupted sleep.
Another review of 27 studies found that while alcohol may help people fall asleep more quickly and deeply at first, it seriously screws with sleep quality after that initial restful period.
You might toss and turn at first, but give up alcohol and the sleep you get will likely leave you feeling more refreshed and sharp the next day.
The byproducts of better sleep: improved mood, concentration and mental performance, Dr Raskin says.
2. You’ll eat less at dinner
According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, alcohol is one of the biggest drivers of overeating.
That may be because alcohol heightens our senses, according to a new study published in the journal Obesity.
Researchers found that when people received an alcohol “infusion” equal to about two drinks, they ate 30% more food than those who received a saline solution.
Even mild intoxication can increase your brain activity in the hypothalamus, making you more sensitive to the smell of food and prompting you to eat more.
3. You might crave sugar
Sugar boosts levels of the “reward” chemical dopamine, which fuels feelings of pleasure, Dr Raskin says.
Alcohol does the same thing, so it’s very possible that when you give up one substance that causes happy-making chemicals to float around your brain, you’ll be more likely to reach for the other.
“Don’t be surprised if you try to get that same enjoyment or rush you used to get after a drink from something sweet,” he says.
Read more: Is drinking every day – even a little bit – going to turn you into an alcoholic?
4. You’ll start losing weight
Alcohol has a sneaky way of increasing your daily calorie intake without you realising it.
Just one margarita may contain 300 calories or more – mostly from sugar.
Men consume an additional 433 calories on those days they drink a “moderate” amount of alcohol, according to one study.
Cut those from your diet – and don’t replace them with desserts – and you’ll start to lose weight without much effort.
5. Your skin will clear up
Within a few days of cutting out booze, you’ll notice your skin looking and feeling more hydrated.
That’s because alcohol is a diuretic, causing you to urinate more, Dr Raskin says.
Alcohol also decreases the body’s production of an antidiuretic hormone, which helps the body reabsorb water. (Less water in the body equals dry-looking skin.)
Ruddiness in your cheeks and around your nose may also start to fade, and other skin conditions – such as dandruff, eczema or rosacea – may also improve, Dr Raskin says.
Read more: How to detox your skin after overdoing the alcohol, sweets or salt
6. You’ll have more money
Drinking – especially a fine wine or scotch habit – is an expensive undertaking.
Take a moment to crunch the numbers, adding up what you spend for drinks both at home and out on the town (factoring in tax and tip).
It can be an eye-opening – and motivating – exercise.
7. Your mood might take a hit
It’s important to understand that there will be times when you feel like you’re missing out – and it can make you pretty testy, Dr Raskin says.
“People often use alcohol as a lubricant for emotions, and when they stop drinking they may feel agitated and restless,” he adds.
8. Your cancer risk falls but your heart disease risk might rise
According to the National Cancer Institute, alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk for cancers of the mouth, liver, colon and rectum.
The risk increases the more you drink.
On the other hand, multiple studies have shown moderate alcohol consumption may lower your odds of heart trouble.
More research suggests your risk for stroke, diabetes and mortality may all rise slightly when you give up booze – assuming you were a light drinker before you quit.
This article was originally published on www.mh.co.za
Image credit: iStock
Daydreaming brain network used in autopilot
The brain network associated with daydreaming plays key role in allowing us to perform tasks on autopilot, researchers find.
Hackers breach top plastic surgery clinic
The clinic, based in London, is known to have had high-profile clients, including TV star Katie Price.
Health24.com | Amnesty suggested for Life Esidimeni NGO officials
In Monday’s arbitration hearings in Johannesburg Christine Nxumalo, whose sister died at the infamous NGO Precious Angels, suggested to retired Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke that such officials had made false testimonies during the arbitration process to protect themselves from being held criminally liable for the lost lives.
‘Everything she said was a lie’
The official death toll of patients lost during the transfer from Life Esidimeni facilities to a number of unlicensed NGOs now stands at 141.
Clearly frustrated with testimonies of NGO officials, particularly Precious Angels’ founder Ethel Ncube, Nxumalo said, “I can tell you that everything she said was a lie.”
She also said the families had repeatedly warned the health department about the implications of ending the contract with Life Esidimeni but “we received no assistance whatsoever”.
She is critical of the government but is more interested in “getting the truth”. Even though she has opened up a case with the police and her sister’s body was autopsied, she had still not heard anything from the police, nor has she had any access to the post mortem results.
Ethel [Ncube] had told Nxumalo that her sister had died on August 17 2016, but it emerged, from a paramedics report, that Virginia Machpelah had actually “passed on” on the 15th.
‘Truth over justice’
Nxumalo said she was “hoping” to get answers through this arbitration process but she feels officials have consistently told “lies”.
To make matters worse, Machpelah’s daughter and Nxumalo’s niece died unexpectedly two weeks ago and they have also not yet received the post mortem results and are not sure of the cause of death.
“In fact the 8th of October which was Sunday was her 21st and the very next day she died,” she said.
Nxumalo said that Virginia’s daughter “was affected” by the circumstances around her mother’s death.
Moseneke, who is leading the proceedings, suggested that Nxumalo’s suggestion for amnesty for NGO leaders would translate to “truth over justice”.
Nxumalo admitted that it was a “catch 22” situation. But, she said, “[If you give them] amnesty, that would probably be the only thing that would get them to say something, because I think it’s a natural reaction … you won’t tell the truth – not if it’s going to get you in jail.” – Health-e News.
Image credit: iStock
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Health24.com | How much are teens really sleeping?
Teens sleep less than they used to, sacrificing shuteye to spend more time on their phones and tablets.
Experts say teens need at least nine hours of sleep a night to be engaged and productive during the day. Anything less can cause daytime sleepiness and interfere with school or daily activities.
A suspicious pattern
Faced with an array of tempting distractions, how much sleep are today’s teens actually getting? To find out, researchers analysed a pair of long-term, national surveys of more than 360 000 eighth- through 12th-graders.
One survey asked eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders how often they got at least seven hours of shuteye. The other asked high school students how long they slept on a typical school night.
In 2015, four out of 10 teens slept less than seven hours a night. That’s up 58% since 1991 and 17% more than in 2009 when smartphone use became more mainstream, the researchers said.
“Teens’ sleep began to shorten just as the majority started using smartphones. It’s a very suspicious pattern,” said study leader Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University.
The more time students reported spending online, the less sleep they got, according to the study published in the journal Sleep Medicine.
Falling asleep at school
Those who were online five hours a day were 50% more likely to be sleep-deprived than classmates who limited their daily time online to an hour.
Studies have shown that light from smartphones and tablets can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.
“Our body is going to try to meet its sleep needs, which means sleep is going to interfere or shove its nose in other spheres of our lives,” said study co-author Zlatan Krizan, an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University. “Teens may catch up with naps on the weekend or they may start falling asleep at school.”
According to a previous Health24 article, missing out on needed sleep leads to higher levels of stress hormones and the hormones that regulate hunger. That can lead to the possibility of overeating and gaining weight.
Though smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices are often an essential part of life, the researchers said moderation is key. Everyone – young and old alike – should limit use to two hours each day, they advised in a San Diego State University news release.
“Given the importance of sleep for both physical and mental health, both teens and adults should consider whether their smartphone use is interfering with their sleep,” Twenge said. “It’s particularly important not to use screen devices right before bed, as they might interfere with falling asleep.”
Image credit: iStock
