- Acne
- Addiction
- Anger
- Anorexia and Bulimia
- Anxiety
- Back Pain
- Bereavement
- Bowel problems
- Breathlessness
- Bullying
- Carpal Tunnel
- Cold and Flu
- Cough and Phlegm
- Cramp
- Depression
- Endometriosis
- Feeling unhappy
- Hayfever
- Head and Neck Pimples
- Incontinence
- Lymphoedema
- Money AND illness
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Overweight or Obesity
- Pain
- Panic Attacks
- Period Pain
- Rejection
- Self Harm
- Sex Talk
- Sexuality
- Stress
- Suicide
- Weakness or Fatigue
- Weight management
- z Learn ZONE
Christmas Excess
2nd February 2009
We are only just into 2009 and I am already fed up of diet and exercise adverts on TV. Has every celebrity released a dance, skate, jig yourself fit DVD? These are great for some January motivation but as the saying goes…change is for life not just for January! Being active and eating sensibly all year round is the only way we can maintain our weight and our health. Keep checking this Blog to see which bad habits you picked up over Christmas and how these can affect your health in 2009. In the next couple of weeks we will look at: v How much are you drinking? v How much are you eating? v Are you still snacking on chocolates and biscuits? v Is shopping the only exercise you are getting? And Howsme will help you survive the January ‘Blues’ by posting tips and support on the blog throughout January. v Are you feeling guilty? Did you spend too much? Was Christmas not as good as you hoped or expected? v Are relationships strained? Family gatherings can lead to challenging behaviour; do you need some ideas to rebuild fragile relationships? v Are your New Years Resolutions broken already? Find out why they usually don’t succeed. v Concerned about job security? Find out how to maximise your true potential for 2009 and be successful at reaching your goals. Lets work together in 2009
User Comments:
How's Me 25th January 2009 (06:56PM):
When I thought about writing a short blog on fizzy drinks I imagined that I would be talking about the calories and sugar and that it was difficult to attempt to control your weight whilst drinking fizzy drinks. These were some of the things I found out about fizzy drinks!
Gout David Rose wrote for The Times 01/02/08
More than two cans of cola or lemonade a day can “substantially” increase the risk of developing gout, researchers have found.
The condition is a form of inflammatory arthritis, characterised by pain, inflammation and swelling, and was the scourge of many bons viveurs in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is still common, affecting one in 200 men between the ages of 30 and 60.
Its symptoms, which commonly affect the big toe or lower limbs, occur when uric acid (urate) crystallises out of the blood into the joints. Urate is a normally harmless waste product which is produced by the body when it breaks down substances known as purines, found naturally in the body and also in some foods and drinks, such as beer, stout and port. The condition rarely affects women because they tend to have a lower level of urate in their bloodstream than men.
For the latest study, experts in the US and Canada studied more than 46,000 men, aged 40 and over, with no history of the disease. The men answered questions about their intake of more than 130 food and drink items.
During a 12-year follow-up, 755 newly diagnosed cases of gout were identified. Analysis found that the risk of gout increased with a rising intake of soft drinks sweetened with sugar.
In the new study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition drinking two or more fizzy drinks each day was linked to a 90 per cent extra risk of pancreatic cancer compared with people who never drank them. Cited in Daily Mail on 09/11/06
The BBC 2004 reported that a team from India's Tata Memorial Hospital FOUND consumption OF carbonated drinks had increased five-fold IN the US IN the LAST 50 years.
They linked this TO a six-fold increase IN oesophageal cancer IN white men - who consume the most fizzy drinks.
However, other scientists have questioned whether a link EXISTS, AND called FOR MORE research.
The Indian team FOUND the same trend IN UK AND Australia, WHERE fizzy drink consumption has also increased.
In the UK 7,200 people a YEAR ARE diagnosed WITH gullet cancer - up 65% IN the LAST 30 years.
But IN countries LIKE China AND Japan, WHERE the fizzy drinks craze has been much slower TO catch ON, there was NO rise IN cancers affecting the oesophagus.
Researcher Dr Mohandas Mallath said; "The surprisingly strong correlation demonstrates the impact of diet patterns on health trends.
BBC 2004 reported that fizzy drinks are the main cause of increasing tooth erosion among teenagers, research suggests.
A study in the British Dental Journal found a strong link between fizzy drink consumption and tooth erosion.
The risk of tooth erosion was 59% higher in 12-year-olds, and 220% higher in 14-year-olds who drank fizzy drinks.
Drinking at least four glasses a day was associated with an increased risk of 252% in 12-year-olds and a massive 513% increased risk in 14-year-olds.
The survey of more than 1,000 children found that two-thirds of 12-year-olds reported drinking fizzy drinks. Among 14-year-olds this figure had risen to over 92%.
For both age groups more than 40% of those surveyed reported having three or more glasses of fizzy drinks per day.
Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent The Independent
Wrote on Sunday, 27 May 2007
A new health scare erupted over soft drinks last night amid evidence they may cause serious cell damage. Research from a British university suggests a common preservative found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA.
The problem - more usually associated with ageing and alcohol abuse - can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.
The findings could have serious consequences for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who consume fizzy drinks. They will also intensify the controversy about food additives, which have been linked to hyperactivity in children.
Concerns centre on the safety of E211, known as sodium benzoate, a preservative used for decades by the £74bn global carbonated drinks industry. Sodium benzoate derives from benzoic acid. It occurs naturally in berries, but is used in large quantities to prevent mould in soft drinks such as Sprite, Oasis and Dr Pepper. It is also added to pickles and sauces.
Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance. A Food Standards Agency survey of benzene in drinks last year found high levels in four brands which were removed from sale.
Now, an expert in ageing at Sheffield University, who has been working on sodium benzoate since publishing a research paper in 1999, has decided to speak out about another danger. Professor Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology, tested the impact of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells in his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the "power station" of cells known as the mitochondria.
He told The Independent on Sunday: "These chemicals have the ability TO cause severe damage TO DNA IN the mitochondria TO the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether.
"The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it - as happens in a number if diseased states - then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously. And there is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA - Parkinson's and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing."
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) backs the use OF sodium benzoate IN the UK AND it has been approved by the European UNION but LAST night, MPs called FOR it TO investigate urgently.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat chair OF Parliament's all-party environment group said: "Many additives are relatively new and their long-term impact cannot be certain. This preservative clearly needs to be investigated further by the FSA."
A review of sodium benzoate by the World Health Organisation in 2000 concluded that it was safe, but it noted that the available science supporting its safety was "limited".
Professor Piper, whose work has been funded by a government research council, said tests conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration were out of date.
"The food industry will say these compounds have been tested and they are complete safe," he said. "By the criteria of modern safety testing, the safety tests were inadequate. Like all things, safety testing moves forward and you can conduct a much more rigorous safety test than you could 50 years ago."
He advised parents to think carefully about buying drinks with preservatives until the quantities in products were proved safe by new tests. "My concern is for children who are drinking large amounts," he said.
Coca-Cola and Britvic's Pepsi MAX AND Diet Pepsi ALL contain sodium benzoate. Their makers AND the British Soft Drinks Association said they entrusted the safety OF additives TO the Government.
All the following extracts ARE FROM Wikipedia
Studies showing a correlation BETWEEN non-diet soft drinks AND obesity
A study FROM Harvard shows that soft drinks may be responsible FOR the doubling OF obesity IN children IN the United States over the LAST 15 years.
From 1991 AND 1995, adolescent boys IN the United States, ON average, increased their intake OF soft drinks FROM 345 mL TO 570 mL. Most soft drinks ARE sweetened WITH sugar OR corn syrup, AND NOT artificial sweeteners. Dr. David Ludwig OF the Boston Children's Hospital showed that school children drinking at least eight U.S. fluid ounces (240 mL) or more of regularly sweetened drinks daily will consume 835 calories (3,500 kilojoules) more than those avoiding soft drinks; i.e., children who drink soft drinks loaded with sugar tend to eat much more food than those who avoid soft drinks. Either those taking sugared drinks lack the same restraint on foods, or sugared drinks cause a rise in insulin that makes adolescents more hungry, causing them to eat more. Soft drinks (including diet soft drinks) are also typically consumed with other high-calorie foods such as fast food, and may also accompany television viewing.
Children who drink soft drinks regularly are therefore fatter on average, in addition to being more likely to develop diabetes later in life (see below).
In March 2006, Pediatrics published a paper Effects of Decreasing Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption on Body Weight in Adolescents: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study. This suggests that reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages helped reduce body mass index in the heaviest teenagers. This was reported as drinking a single 330ml can a day of sugary drinks translated to more than 1lb of weight gain every month.
Soft drinks linked to weight gain and type 2 diabetes
In 2004, an eight-year study of 50,000 nurses showed a correlation that suggests drinking one or more sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soft drinks and fruit punches) per day increases one's risk OF developing diabetes by 80% versus those who drink less than one such drink per MONTH. This finding was independent OF other lifestyle factors. It concludes, "Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a greater magnitude of weight gain and an increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes in women, possibly by providing excessive calories and large amounts of rapidly absorbable sugars.".
Soft drinks AND dental decay
Most soft drinks contain high concentration OF simple carbohydrates - glucose, fructose, sucrose AND other simple sugars. Oral bacteria ferment carbohydrates AND produce acid, which dissolves tooth enamel during the dental decay process; thus, sweetened beverages ARE likely TO increase risk OF dental caries. The risk IS greater if the frequency OF consumption IS high.
A large NUMBER OF soft drinks ARE acidic AND SOME may have a pH OF 3.0 OR even LOWER. Drinking acidic drinks over a long period OF TIME AND continuous sipping can therefore erode the tooth enamel. Drinking through a straw IS often advised by dentists AS the drink IS THEN swallowed FROM the back OF the mouth AND does NOT come INTO contact WITH the teeth AS much. It has also been suggested that brushing teeth RIGHT after drinking soft drinks should be avoided AS this can result IN additional erosion TO the teeth due TO the presence OF acid.
Soft drinks may affect sleep patterns
According TO one report, soft drinks WITH caffeine can disrupt children's sleep and leave them feeling tired during the day.
Soft drinks and bone density
There has been a hypothesis that the phosphoric acid contained in some soft drinks (colas) displaces calcium from the bones, lowering bone density of the skeleton and leading to conditions such as osteoporosis and very weak bones. However, calcium metabolism studies by leading calcium and bone expert Dr. Robert Heaney determined that the net effect of carbonated soft drinks, (including colas, which use phosphoric acid as the acidulent) on calcium retention was negligible. He concluded that it is likely that colas prominence in observational studies is due to their prominence in the marketplace, and that the real issue is that people who drink a lot of soft drinks also tend to have an overall diet that is low in calcium.
More research into the effects of fizzy drinks, the problem is we may not know for years when it will be too late!!
When I thought about writing a short blog on fizzy drinks I imagined that I would be talking about the calories and sugar and that it was difficult to attempt to control your weight whilst drinking fizzy drinks. These were some of the things I found out about fizzy drinks!
Gout David Rose wrote for The Times 01/02/08
More than two cans of cola or lemonade a day can “substantially” increase the risk of developing gout, researchers have found.
The condition is a form of inflammatory arthritis, characterised by pain, inflammation and swelling, and was the scourge of many bons viveurs in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is still common, affecting one in 200 men between the ages of 30 and 60.
Its symptoms, which commonly affect the big toe or lower limbs, occur when uric acid (urate) crystallises out of the blood into the joints. Urate is a normally harmless waste product which is produced by the body when it breaks down substances known as purines, found naturally in the body and also in some foods and drinks, such as beer, stout and port. The condition rarely affects women because they tend to have a lower level of urate in their bloodstream than men.
For the latest study, experts in the US and Canada studied more than 46,000 men, aged 40 and over, with no history of the disease. The men answered questions about their intake of more than 130 food and drink items.
During a 12-year follow-up, 755 newly diagnosed cases of gout were identified. Analysis found that the risk of gout increased with a rising intake of soft drinks sweetened with sugar.
In the new study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition drinking two or more fizzy drinks each day was linked to a 90 per cent extra risk of pancreatic cancer compared with people who never drank them. Cited in Daily Mail on 09/11/06
The BBC 2004 reported that a team from India's Tata Memorial Hospital FOUND consumption OF carbonated drinks had increased five-fold IN the US IN the LAST 50 years.
They linked this TO a six-fold increase IN oesophageal cancer IN white men - who consume the most fizzy drinks.
However, other scientists have questioned whether a link EXISTS, AND called FOR MORE research.
The Indian team FOUND the same trend IN UK AND Australia, WHERE fizzy drink consumption has also increased.
In the UK 7,200 people a YEAR ARE diagnosed WITH gullet cancer - up 65% IN the LAST 30 years.
But IN countries LIKE China AND Japan, WHERE the fizzy drinks craze has been much slower TO catch ON, there was NO rise IN cancers affecting the oesophagus.
Researcher Dr Mohandas Mallath said; "The surprisingly strong correlation demonstrates the impact of diet patterns on health trends.
BBC 2004 reported that fizzy drinks are the main cause of increasing tooth erosion among teenagers, research suggests.
A study in the British Dental Journal found a strong link between fizzy drink consumption and tooth erosion.
The risk of tooth erosion was 59% higher in 12-year-olds, and 220% higher in 14-year-olds who drank fizzy drinks.
Drinking at least four glasses a day was associated with an increased risk of 252% in 12-year-olds and a massive 513% increased risk in 14-year-olds.
The survey of more than 1,000 children found that two-thirds of 12-year-olds reported drinking fizzy drinks. Among 14-year-olds this figure had risen to over 92%.
For both age groups more than 40% of those surveyed reported having three or more glasses of fizzy drinks per day.
Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent The Independent
Wrote on Sunday, 27 May 2007
A new health scare erupted over soft drinks last night amid evidence they may cause serious cell damage. Research from a British university suggests a common preservative found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA.
The problem - more usually associated with ageing and alcohol abuse - can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's.
The findings could have serious consequences for the hundreds of millions of people worldwide who consume fizzy drinks. They will also intensify the controversy about food additives, which have been linked to hyperactivity in children.
Concerns centre on the safety of E211, known as sodium benzoate, a preservative used for decades by the £74bn global carbonated drinks industry. Sodium benzoate derives from benzoic acid. It occurs naturally in berries, but is used in large quantities to prevent mould in soft drinks such as Sprite, Oasis and Dr Pepper. It is also added to pickles and sauces.
Sodium benzoate has already been the subject of concern about cancer because when mixed with the additive vitamin C in soft drinks, it causes benzene, a carcinogenic substance. A Food Standards Agency survey of benzene in drinks last year found high levels in four brands which were removed from sale.
Now, an expert in ageing at Sheffield University, who has been working on sodium benzoate since publishing a research paper in 1999, has decided to speak out about another danger. Professor Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology, tested the impact of sodium benzoate on living yeast cells in his laboratory. What he found alarmed him: the benzoate was damaging an important area of DNA in the "power station" of cells known as the mitochondria.
He told The Independent on Sunday: "These chemicals have the ability TO cause severe damage TO DNA IN the mitochondria TO the point that they totally inactivate it: they knock it out altogether.
"The mitochondria consumes the oxygen to give you energy and if you damage it - as happens in a number if diseased states - then the cell starts to malfunction very seriously. And there is a whole array of diseases that are now being tied to damage to this DNA - Parkinson's and quite a lot of neuro-degenerative diseases, but above all the whole process of ageing."
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) backs the use OF sodium benzoate IN the UK AND it has been approved by the European UNION but LAST night, MPs called FOR it TO investigate urgently.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat chair OF Parliament's all-party environment group said: "Many additives are relatively new and their long-term impact cannot be certain. This preservative clearly needs to be investigated further by the FSA."
A review of sodium benzoate by the World Health Organisation in 2000 concluded that it was safe, but it noted that the available science supporting its safety was "limited".
Professor Piper, whose work has been funded by a government research council, said tests conducted by the US Food and Drug Administration were out of date.
"The food industry will say these compounds have been tested and they are complete safe," he said. "By the criteria of modern safety testing, the safety tests were inadequate. Like all things, safety testing moves forward and you can conduct a much more rigorous safety test than you could 50 years ago."
He advised parents to think carefully about buying drinks with preservatives until the quantities in products were proved safe by new tests. "My concern is for children who are drinking large amounts," he said.
Coca-Cola and Britvic's Pepsi MAX AND Diet Pepsi ALL contain sodium benzoate. Their makers AND the British Soft Drinks Association said they entrusted the safety OF additives TO the Government.
All the following extracts ARE FROM Wikipedia
Studies showing a correlation BETWEEN non-diet soft drinks AND obesity
A study FROM Harvard shows that soft drinks may be responsible FOR the doubling OF obesity IN children IN the United States over the LAST 15 years.
From 1991 AND 1995, adolescent boys IN the United States, ON average, increased their intake OF soft drinks FROM 345 mL TO 570 mL. Most soft drinks ARE sweetened WITH sugar OR corn syrup, AND NOT artificial sweeteners. Dr. David Ludwig OF the Boston Children's Hospital showed that school children drinking at least eight U.S. fluid ounces (240 mL) or more of regularly sweetened drinks daily will consume 835 calories (3,500 kilojoules) more than those avoiding soft drinks; i.e., children who drink soft drinks loaded with sugar tend to eat much more food than those who avoid soft drinks. Either those taking sugared drinks lack the same restraint on foods, or sugared drinks cause a rise in insulin that makes adolescents more hungry, causing them to eat more. Soft drinks (including diet soft drinks) are also typically consumed with other high-calorie foods such as fast food, and may also accompany television viewing.
Children who drink soft drinks regularly are therefore fatter on average, in addition to being more likely to develop diabetes later in life (see below).
In March 2006, Pediatrics published a paper Effects of Decreasing Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption on Body Weight in Adolescents: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study. This suggests that reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages helped reduce body mass index in the heaviest teenagers. This was reported as drinking a single 330ml can a day of sugary drinks translated to more than 1lb of weight gain every month.
Soft drinks linked to weight gain and type 2 diabetes
In 2004, an eight-year study of 50,000 nurses showed a correlation that suggests drinking one or more sugar-sweetened beverages (such as soft drinks and fruit punches) per day increases one's risk OF developing diabetes by 80% versus those who drink less than one such drink per MONTH. This finding was independent OF other lifestyle factors. It concludes, "Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a greater magnitude of weight gain and an increased risk for development of type 2 diabetes in women, possibly by providing excessive calories and large amounts of rapidly absorbable sugars.".
Soft drinks AND dental decay
Most soft drinks contain high concentration OF simple carbohydrates - glucose, fructose, sucrose AND other simple sugars. Oral bacteria ferment carbohydrates AND produce acid, which dissolves tooth enamel during the dental decay process; thus, sweetened beverages ARE likely TO increase risk OF dental caries. The risk IS greater if the frequency OF consumption IS high.
A large NUMBER OF soft drinks ARE acidic AND SOME may have a pH OF 3.0 OR even LOWER. Drinking acidic drinks over a long period OF TIME AND continuous sipping can therefore erode the tooth enamel. Drinking through a straw IS often advised by dentists AS the drink IS THEN swallowed FROM the back OF the mouth AND does NOT come INTO contact WITH the teeth AS much. It has also been suggested that brushing teeth RIGHT after drinking soft drinks should be avoided AS this can result IN additional erosion TO the teeth due TO the presence OF acid.
Soft drinks may affect sleep patterns
According TO one report, soft drinks WITH caffeine can disrupt children's sleep and leave them feeling tired during the day.
Soft drinks and bone density
There has been a hypothesis that the phosphoric acid contained in some soft drinks (colas) displaces calcium from the bones, lowering bone density of the skeleton and leading to conditions such as osteoporosis and very weak bones. However, calcium metabolism studies by leading calcium and bone expert Dr. Robert Heaney determined that the net effect of carbonated soft drinks, (including colas, which use phosphoric acid as the acidulent) on calcium retention was negligible. He concluded that it is likely that colas prominence in observational studies is due to their prominence in the marketplace, and that the real issue is that people who drink a lot of soft drinks also tend to have an overall diet that is low in calcium.
More research into the effects of fizzy drinks, the problem is we may not know for years when it will be too late!!
How's Me 20th January 2009 (09:47PM):
ARE you drinking too much AND drinking too much OF the wrong stuff?
Christmas IS a TIME FOR over indulgence AND if you ARE NOT careful this can quickly become a habit!
Although alcohol (beer, wines AND spirits) ARE associated WITH social events ANY increased consumption can quickly become a habit continued well INTO the New YEAR, this IS especially TRUE WHEN we drink AT home. An odd glass OR two can quickly become normal. AS well AS being really bad FOR our health there ARE lots OF hidden calories IN beer, wines AND mixed drinks, which means our calorific intake can quickly mount up even if we watch what we eat.
Did you know that AS well AS being a central nervous system depressor alcohol has lots OF other side effects. The amount AND the way we drink will affect how drunk we become. It IS TRUE that drinking after a large meal will mean the alcohol IS absorbs MORE slowly AND so the effects ARE NOT usually AS bad.
At FIRST the effects ARE feelings OF relaxation AND cheerfulness but THEN comes blurred vision AND a lack OF coordination. Now we ALL know that it IS illegal TO drink AND drive but did you know that there ARE laws regarding drunk sailing, cycling AND even roller blading IN SOME countries…I thought it was just common sense!
It IS the poor old liver that has TO break down the alcohol AND it IS TRUE that excessive use can lead TO cirrhosis OF the liver.
Some people ARE much less able TO tolerate alcohol AND can ONLY drink small amounts before feeling sick. Drugs used TO treat alcoholism can artificially reproduce this reaction
Alcohol confuses a BIT OF the brain that triggers the release OF a hormone that affects the kidneys. Consequently the kidneys ARE ‘tricked’ INTO being unable TO absorb AS much water AS they should meaning that we go TO the toilet MORE frequently AND become dehydrated.
Dehydration IS one OF the reasons FOR a hangover AND can be reduced by drinking water BETWEEN alcoholic drinks AND before you go TO bed. Because a hangover has numerous causes drinking water may help TO reduce it but sadly it won’t stop you HAVING a hangover altogether.
January IS a TIME TO be aware OF exactly how much alcohol we ARE drinking AND compare that TO the guidelines AS TO safe limits. Try reducing OR replacing alcohol WITH healthier options FOR January AND THEN see if that can become a habit FOR the New YEAR.
Wikipedia has lots OF useful infomation ON the effects OF alcohol.
ARE you drinking too much AND drinking too much OF the wrong stuff?
Christmas IS a TIME FOR over indulgence AND if you ARE NOT careful this can quickly become a habit!
Although alcohol (beer, wines AND spirits) ARE associated WITH social events ANY increased consumption can quickly become a habit continued well INTO the New YEAR, this IS especially TRUE WHEN we drink AT home. An odd glass OR two can quickly become normal. AS well AS being really bad FOR our health there ARE lots OF hidden calories IN beer, wines AND mixed drinks, which means our calorific intake can quickly mount up even if we watch what we eat.
Did you know that AS well AS being a central nervous system depressor alcohol has lots OF other side effects. The amount AND the way we drink will affect how drunk we become. It IS TRUE that drinking after a large meal will mean the alcohol IS absorbs MORE slowly AND so the effects ARE NOT usually AS bad.
At FIRST the effects ARE feelings OF relaxation AND cheerfulness but THEN comes blurred vision AND a lack OF coordination. Now we ALL know that it IS illegal TO drink AND drive but did you know that there ARE laws regarding drunk sailing, cycling AND even roller blading IN SOME countries…I thought it was just common sense!
It IS the poor old liver that has TO break down the alcohol AND it IS TRUE that excessive use can lead TO cirrhosis OF the liver.
Some people ARE much less able TO tolerate alcohol AND can ONLY drink small amounts before feeling sick. Drugs used TO treat alcoholism can artificially reproduce this reaction
Alcohol confuses a BIT OF the brain that triggers the release OF a hormone that affects the kidneys. Consequently the kidneys ARE ‘tricked’ INTO being unable TO absorb AS much water AS they should meaning that we go TO the toilet MORE frequently AND become dehydrated.
Dehydration IS one OF the reasons FOR a hangover AND can be reduced by drinking water BETWEEN alcoholic drinks AND before you go TO bed. Because a hangover has numerous causes drinking water may help TO reduce it but sadly it won’t stop you HAVING a hangover altogether.
January IS a TIME TO be aware OF exactly how much alcohol we ARE drinking AND compare that TO the guidelines AS TO safe limits. Try reducing OR replacing alcohol WITH healthier options FOR January AND THEN see if that can become a habit FOR the New YEAR.
Wikipedia has lots OF useful infomation ON the effects OF alcohol.
How's Me 20th January 2009 (08:20PM):
Christmas and the New Year can be a time that many disagreements happen.
This is surprising to some people and a cause of a tremendous amount of distress.
However, when we look at the amount of stress that people are under at this time of year it is hardly surprising.
The financial pressure that everyone feels causes anxiety and the many social gatherings that we feel obliged to attend, mixed with alcohol, whether work related or family gatherings creates a perfect recipe for a degree of challenging behaviour.
Please send in any of your experiences or comments.
Christmas and the New Year can be a time that many disagreements happen.
This is surprising to some people and a cause of a tremendous amount of distress.
However, when we look at the amount of stress that people are under at this time of year it is hardly surprising.
The financial pressure that everyone feels causes anxiety and the many social gatherings that we feel obliged to attend, mixed with alcohol, whether work related or family gatherings creates a perfect recipe for a degree of challenging behaviour.
Please send in any of your experiences or comments.
Add Comments
Sign up to our newsletter
Join our newsletter and receive regular updates and information from How's Me
Join our newsletter and receive regular updates and information from How's Me
"I'm glad I stopped searching for information and used How's Me instead. I got excellent advice and great value for money."
Do you LIKE me struggle TO drink enough water IN Winter? I am pretty good IN summer but IN the cold weather I prefer a cup OF tea! Well tea OR coffee isn't too bad and still counts towards your fluid intake for the day, it is the fizzy drinks and alcohol that we need to cut down or stop.
Water is essential for life and has lots of health benefits, see if you can switch at least one of your drinks each day to a glass or bottle of water.
A drink of water may make you feel fuller and so if you are trying to loose weight, add a glass in the middle of the morning instead of tea and biscuits!