Getting the Facts
Just about everyone knows that the legal drinking age throughout the United States is 21. But according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, almost 80% of high school students have tried alcohol.
Deciding whether to drink is a personal decision that we each eventually have to make. This article provides some information on alcohol, including how it affects your body, so you can make an educated choice.
What Is Alcohol?
Alcohol is created when grains, fruits, or vegetables are fermented. Fermentation is a process that uses yeast or bacteria to change the sugars in the food into alcohol. Fermentation is used to produce many necessary items — everything from cheese to medications. Alcohol has different forms and can be used as a cleaner, an antiseptic, or a sedative.
So if alcohol is a natural product, why do teens need to be concerned about drinking it? When people drink alcohol, it's absorbed into their bloodstream. From there, it affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), which controls virtually all body functions. Because experts now know that the human brain is still developing during our teens, scientists are researching the effects drinking alcohol can have on the teen brain.
How Does It Affect the Body?
Alcohol is a depressant, which means it slows the function of the central nervous system. Alcohol actually blocks some of the messages trying to get to the brain. This alters a person's perceptions, emotions, movement, vision, and hearing.
In very small amounts, alcohol can help a person feel more relaxed or less anxious. More alcohol causes greater changes in the brain, resulting in intoxication. People who have overused alcohol may stagger, lose their coordination, and slur their speech. They will probably be confused and disoriented. Depending on the person, intoxication can make someone very friendly and talkative or very aggressive and angry. Reaction times are slowed dramatically — which is why people are told not to drink and drive. People who are intoxicated may think they're moving properly when they're not. They may act totally out of character.
When large amounts of alcohol are consumed in a short period of time, alcohol poisoning can result. Alcohol poisoning is exactly what it sounds like — the body has become poisoned by large amounts of alcohol. Violent vomiting is usually the first symptom of alcohol poisoning. Extreme sleepiness, unconsciousness, difficulty breathing, dangerously low blood sugar, seizures, and even death may result.
Why Do Teens Drink?
Experimentation with alcohol during the teen years is common. Some reasons that teens use alcohol and other drugs are:
•curiosity
•to feel good, reduce stress, and relax
•to fit in
•to feel older
From a very young age, kids see advertising messages showing beautiful people enjoying life — and alcohol. And because many parents and other adults use alcohol socially — having beer or wine with dinner, for example — alcohol seems harmless to many teens.
Why Shouldn't I Drink?
Although it's illegal to buy alcohol in the United States until the age of 21, most teens can get access to it. It's therefore up to you to make a decision about drinking. In addition to the possibility of becoming addicted, there are some downsides to drinking:
The punishment is severe. Teens who drink put themselves at risk for obvious problems with the law (it's illegal; you can get arrested). Teens who drink are also more likely to get into fights and commit crimes than those who don't.
People who drink regularly also often have problems with school. Drinking can damage a student's ability to study well and get decent grades, as well as affect sports performance (the coordination thing).
You can look really stupid. The impression is that drinking is cool, but the nervous system changes that come from drinking alcohol can make people do stupid or embarrassing things, like throwing up or peeing on themselves. Drinking also gives people bad breath, and no one enjoys a hangover.
Alcohol puts your health at risk. Teens who drink are more likely to be sexually active and to have unsafe, unprotected sex. Resulting pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases can change — or even end — lives. The risk of injuring yourself, maybe even fatally, is higher when you're under the influence, too. One half of all drowning deaths among teen guys are related to alcohol use. Use of alcohol greatly increases the chance that a teen will be involved in a car crash, homicide, or suicide.
Teen drinkers are more likely to get fat or have health problems, too. One study by the University of Washington found that people who regularly had five or more drinks in a row starting at age 13 were much more likely to be overweight or have high blood pressure by age 24 than their nondrinking peers. People who continue drinking heavily well into adulthood risk damaging their organs, such as the liver, heart, and brain.
How Can I Avoid Drinking?
If all your friends drink and you don't want to, it can be hard to say "no, thanks." No one wants to risk feeling rejected or left out. Different strategies for turning down alcohol work for different people. Some people find it helps to say no without giving an explanation, others think offering their reasons works better ("I'm not into drinking," "I have a game tomorrow," or "my uncle died from drinking," for example).
If saying no to alcohol makes you feel uncomfortable in front of people you know, blame your parents or another adult for your refusal. Saying, "My parents are coming to pick me up soon," "I already got in major trouble for drinking once, I can't do it again," or "my coach would kill me," can make saying no a bit easier for some.
If you're going to a party and you know there will be alcohol, plan your strategy in advance. You and a friend can develop a signal for when it's time to leave, for example. You can also make sure that you have plans to do something besides just hanging out in someone's basement drinking beer all night. Plan a trip to the movies, the mall, a concert, or a sports event. You might also organize your friends into a volleyball, bowling, or softball team — any activity that gets you moving.
Girls or guys who have strong self-esteem are less likely to become problem drinkers than people with low self-esteem.
Where Can I Get Help?
If you think you have a drinking problem, get help as soon as possible. The best approach is to talk to an adult you trust. If you can't approach your parents, talk to your doctor, school counselor, clergy member, aunt, or uncle. It can be hard for some people to talk to adults about these issues, but a supportive person in a position to help can refer students to a drug and alcohol counselor for evaluation and treatment.
In some states, this treatment is completely confidential. After assessing a teen's problem, a counselor may recommend a brief stay in rehab or outpatient treatment. These treatment centers help a person gradually overcome the physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.
What If I'm Concerned About Someone Else's Drinking?
Sometimes people live in homes where a parent or other family member drinks too much. This may make you angry, scared, and depressed. Many people can't control their drinking without help. This doesn't mean that they love or care about you any less. Alcoholism is an illness that needs to be treated just like other illnesses.
People with drinking problems can't stop drinking until they are ready to admit they have a problem and get help. This can leave family members and loved ones feeling helpless. The good news is there are many places to turn for help: a supportive adult, such as your guidance counselor, or a relative or older sibling will understand what you're going through. Also, professional organizations like Alateen can help.
If you have a friend whose drinking concerns you, make sure he or she stays safe. Don't let your friend drink and drive, for example. If you can, try to keep friends who have been drinking from doing anything dangerous, such as trying to walk home at night alone or starting a fight. And protect yourself, too. Don't get in a car with someone who's been drinking, even if that person is your ride home. Ask a sober adult to drive you instead or call a cab.
Everyone makes decisions about whether to drink and how much — even adults. It's possible to enjoy a party or other event just as much, if not more so, when you don't drink. And with your central nervous system working as it's supposed to, you'll remember more about the great time you had!
Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: April 2009
Originally reviewed by: Eugene Shatz, MD
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http://kidshealth.org/
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Wednesday, May 12, 2010
127 Foods That Fight Fat
By Howard M. Shapiro, DO, Prevention
Weight loss starts with shopping. Taking control of what you eat begins with taking control of what you buy.
Every time you toss a low-calorie food into the cart, you're taking responsibility for losing weight—even before you sit down to a meal.
There's a very simple formula for low-calorie eating: Stock up on low-calorie staples. These are the basic packaged, canned, and frozen ingredients that you'll reach for to create tasty, healthful, low-calorie meals anytime.
The Picture Perfect Anytime List is a menu of the lowest-calorie produce, soups, sauces, condiments, marinades, dressings, dips, candies, desserts, and beverages available. Stuff your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer with them, and reach for them anytime. Feel free to go to the foods on the Anytime List when you want a snack or are planning a meal. Eat any amount of them for any reason. When the Anytime List becomes the core of your eating—in other words, the main dish around which you build your meals—you'll have no trouble staying thin for life.
The Anytime List
Fruits and vegetables
All fruits and vegetables—raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, canned—belong on the Picture Perfect Anytime List. Avoid any packaged fruits that have added sugar. Otherwise, the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the better.
Soups
You've heard of value for your money. Soups give you very good value for the calories. They are filling; a bowl of soup can be an entire meal. They are satisfying. For many people, they are more satisfying than raw vegetables, while many give you all the benefits of veggies (if you choose the soups chock full of vegetables). They are inexpensive, convenient, easy, and quick to make. Soups don't make you feel like you're on a diet. Above all, soups are versatile. They can serve as a snack, as part of a meal, or as a cooking ingredient.
Sauces, Condiments, and Marinades
Put the following items at the very top of your shopping list. They're invaluable for adding flavor, moisture, texture, and versatility to every food and every meal.
Salad dressings: oil-free or low-calorie (light or lite)
Mayonnaise: fat-free or light
Sour cream and yogurt: fat-free, plain, or with NutraSweet (or low-fat nondairy substitutes)
Mustards: Dijon, Pommery, and others
Tomato puree, tomato paste, and tomato sauce
Clam juice, tomato juice, V8 juice, and lemon or lime juice
Butter Buds or Molly McButter
Cooking sprays (such as Pam) in butter, olive oil, garlic, or lemon flavors
Vinegars: balsamic, cider, wine, tarragon, and others
Horseradish: red and white
Sauces: salsa, cocktail sauce, tamari, soy sauce, A1, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, duck sauce, chutney, relish, and others
Onion: fresh, juice, flakes, and powder
Garlic: fresh, juice, flakes, and powder
Herbs: any and all, including basil, oregano, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, dill, chives, sage, and bay leaves
Spices: any and all, including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cumin, nutmeg, coriander, curry, paprika, and allspice
Extracts: vanilla, almond, peppermint, maple, coconut, cocoa powder, and others
Dressings and Dips
I recommend fat-free or light dressings and dips. The light category—low-fat, reduced-fat, and low-calorie—is midway between totally fat-free and regular, and it's often more pleasing to the palate than fat-free.
Dressings can be used as all-purpose condiments, dips, toppings, even cooking liquids. They already contain a mixture of ingredients, so just slather them on vegetables, seafood, and pretty much anything else. Or cook with them to make up for the lack of butter or oil.
I recommend keeping several varieties of dressings and dips on hand, including at least one creamy version. Try brushing a light creamy dressing on seafood, then broiling; the dressing adds moisture and flavor.
Candy
Yup, candy. The real thing—not the dietetic variety—is best when your sweet tooth starts aching. Dietetic candies have almost as many calories as regular candies, often lack flavor, and are an incentive to eat more. Stick to the real thing.
Chewing gum or gum balls: any and all
Hard candy: any and all, including sour balls, candy canes, lollipops such as Tootsie Pops or Blow Pops, Jolly Ranchers, Werther's Original, and TasteTations
Frozen Desserts
Any fat-free frozen yogurt, frozen nondairy substitute, or sorbet is a fine addition to the freezer. Try the lower-calorie choices. Here are some examples:
Soft serve: up to 25 calories per ounce, including Skimpy Treat; TCBY, Colombo nonfat frozen yogurt, and Tofutti
Hard pack: up to 115 calories per 1/2-cup serving, including Sharon's Sorbet, Low-Fat Tofutti, all Italian ices, and Sweet Nothings
Frozen bars: Creamsicles, Fudgsicles, and Popsicles; any others containing up to 45 calories per bar, including Welch's Fruit Juice Bars, Weight Watchers Smart Ones Orange Vanilla Treats, Tofutti Chocolate Fudge Treats, Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chocolate Mousse, Dolly Madison Slender Treat Chocolate Mousse, and Yoplait
Individually packaged frozen bars: up to 110 calories each, including FrozFruit, Hagen-Dazs bars, and Starbucks Frappuccino Blended Coffee Bars
Beverages
Avoid beverages labeled "naturally sweetened" or "fruit-juice sweetened," but help yourself to these:
Unsweetened black coffees and teas
Diet teas and juices: Crystal Light, Diet Snapple, Diet Natural Lemon Nestea, Diet Mistic, and others
Noncaloric flavored waters: orange, chocolate, cream, cherry-chocolate, root beer, cola, and other flavors of bottled or filtered water
Seltzer: plain or flavored, but check the calorie count if the product is labeled "naturally sweetened," since this usually means that the product has sugar in one form or another
Hot cocoa mixes: 20 to 50 calories per serving, including Swiss Miss Diet and Fat-Free and Nestle Carnation Diet and Fat-Free; avoid cocoa mixes with 60 or more calories per serving
Let's Go Shopping
Today's supermarkets are filled with choices for the weight conscious. Here are some of the lowest-calorie choices for a variety of food categories that aren't covered in the Anytime List.
Cereals
Cheerios: a whole grain cereal with 110 calories and 3 g fiber per cup
Kellogg's All-Bran with Extra Fiber: 50 calories and 15 g fiber per 1/2 cup
Original Shredded Wheat: 80 calories and 2.5 g fiber per biscuit
Fiber One: 60 calories and 14 g fiber per 1/2 cup
Wheaties: 110 calories and 2 g fiber per cup
Whole Grain Total: 110 calories and 3 g fiber per 3/4 cup
Spreads
Peanut butter
Low-sugar or sugar-free jams and jellies with 10 to 40 calories per tablespoon
Breads
Light breads with 40 to 45 calories per slice: oatmeal, premium white, wheat, rye, multigrain, sourdough, Italian
Whole grain regular breads or rolls
Rice and Pasta
Whole wheat/whole grain pastas: Hodgson Mill, Ancient Harvest
Brown rice
Whole wheat couscous
Pearled or hulled barley
Other whole grains: quinoa, whole grain cornmeal, kasha, bulgur, millet
Frozen Meals
Low-calorie frozen breakfast foods such as those from Kellogg's, Aunt Jemima, and Pillsbury—and a special mention for the low-calorie, whole grain offerings from Van's
Low-calorie, vegetable-focused frozen meals in the 150- to 350-calories-per-package range, especially the Amy's brand
Beans
All beans, dried or canned
Health Valley canned bean/chili combinations
Low-fat or fat-free refried beans
Snacks
Make it a point to eat starchy, crunchy snacks only in conjunction with a food from the Anytime List. For example, have fruit with popcorn or soup with crackers. Fill up on the former, and go easy on the starchy snack.
Protein Foods
Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas
Soy products: bean curd/tofu, meat-replacement products by Boca, Gardenburger, Yves, and Lightlife
Seafood: fresh (do not fry!), smoked, canned, frozen
Note: Calorie counts in this story may vary depending on the brand of products used. Remember to check the labels.
Weight loss starts with shopping. Taking control of what you eat begins with taking control of what you buy.
Every time you toss a low-calorie food into the cart, you're taking responsibility for losing weight—even before you sit down to a meal.
There's a very simple formula for low-calorie eating: Stock up on low-calorie staples. These are the basic packaged, canned, and frozen ingredients that you'll reach for to create tasty, healthful, low-calorie meals anytime.
The Picture Perfect Anytime List is a menu of the lowest-calorie produce, soups, sauces, condiments, marinades, dressings, dips, candies, desserts, and beverages available. Stuff your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer with them, and reach for them anytime. Feel free to go to the foods on the Anytime List when you want a snack or are planning a meal. Eat any amount of them for any reason. When the Anytime List becomes the core of your eating—in other words, the main dish around which you build your meals—you'll have no trouble staying thin for life.
The Anytime List
Fruits and vegetables
All fruits and vegetables—raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, canned—belong on the Picture Perfect Anytime List. Avoid any packaged fruits that have added sugar. Otherwise, the more fruits and vegetables you eat, the better.
Soups
You've heard of value for your money. Soups give you very good value for the calories. They are filling; a bowl of soup can be an entire meal. They are satisfying. For many people, they are more satisfying than raw vegetables, while many give you all the benefits of veggies (if you choose the soups chock full of vegetables). They are inexpensive, convenient, easy, and quick to make. Soups don't make you feel like you're on a diet. Above all, soups are versatile. They can serve as a snack, as part of a meal, or as a cooking ingredient.
Sauces, Condiments, and Marinades
Put the following items at the very top of your shopping list. They're invaluable for adding flavor, moisture, texture, and versatility to every food and every meal.
Salad dressings: oil-free or low-calorie (light or lite)
Mayonnaise: fat-free or light
Sour cream and yogurt: fat-free, plain, or with NutraSweet (or low-fat nondairy substitutes)
Mustards: Dijon, Pommery, and others
Tomato puree, tomato paste, and tomato sauce
Clam juice, tomato juice, V8 juice, and lemon or lime juice
Butter Buds or Molly McButter
Cooking sprays (such as Pam) in butter, olive oil, garlic, or lemon flavors
Vinegars: balsamic, cider, wine, tarragon, and others
Horseradish: red and white
Sauces: salsa, cocktail sauce, tamari, soy sauce, A1, Worcestershire sauce, barbecue sauce, ketchup, duck sauce, chutney, relish, and others
Onion: fresh, juice, flakes, and powder
Garlic: fresh, juice, flakes, and powder
Herbs: any and all, including basil, oregano, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, dill, chives, sage, and bay leaves
Spices: any and all, including cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cumin, nutmeg, coriander, curry, paprika, and allspice
Extracts: vanilla, almond, peppermint, maple, coconut, cocoa powder, and others
Dressings and Dips
I recommend fat-free or light dressings and dips. The light category—low-fat, reduced-fat, and low-calorie—is midway between totally fat-free and regular, and it's often more pleasing to the palate than fat-free.
Dressings can be used as all-purpose condiments, dips, toppings, even cooking liquids. They already contain a mixture of ingredients, so just slather them on vegetables, seafood, and pretty much anything else. Or cook with them to make up for the lack of butter or oil.
I recommend keeping several varieties of dressings and dips on hand, including at least one creamy version. Try brushing a light creamy dressing on seafood, then broiling; the dressing adds moisture and flavor.
Candy
Yup, candy. The real thing—not the dietetic variety—is best when your sweet tooth starts aching. Dietetic candies have almost as many calories as regular candies, often lack flavor, and are an incentive to eat more. Stick to the real thing.
Chewing gum or gum balls: any and all
Hard candy: any and all, including sour balls, candy canes, lollipops such as Tootsie Pops or Blow Pops, Jolly Ranchers, Werther's Original, and TasteTations
Frozen Desserts
Any fat-free frozen yogurt, frozen nondairy substitute, or sorbet is a fine addition to the freezer. Try the lower-calorie choices. Here are some examples:
Soft serve: up to 25 calories per ounce, including Skimpy Treat; TCBY, Colombo nonfat frozen yogurt, and Tofutti
Hard pack: up to 115 calories per 1/2-cup serving, including Sharon's Sorbet, Low-Fat Tofutti, all Italian ices, and Sweet Nothings
Frozen bars: Creamsicles, Fudgsicles, and Popsicles; any others containing up to 45 calories per bar, including Welch's Fruit Juice Bars, Weight Watchers Smart Ones Orange Vanilla Treats, Tofutti Chocolate Fudge Treats, Weight Watchers Smart Ones Chocolate Mousse, Dolly Madison Slender Treat Chocolate Mousse, and Yoplait
Individually packaged frozen bars: up to 110 calories each, including FrozFruit, Hagen-Dazs bars, and Starbucks Frappuccino Blended Coffee Bars
Beverages
Avoid beverages labeled "naturally sweetened" or "fruit-juice sweetened," but help yourself to these:
Unsweetened black coffees and teas
Diet teas and juices: Crystal Light, Diet Snapple, Diet Natural Lemon Nestea, Diet Mistic, and others
Noncaloric flavored waters: orange, chocolate, cream, cherry-chocolate, root beer, cola, and other flavors of bottled or filtered water
Seltzer: plain or flavored, but check the calorie count if the product is labeled "naturally sweetened," since this usually means that the product has sugar in one form or another
Hot cocoa mixes: 20 to 50 calories per serving, including Swiss Miss Diet and Fat-Free and Nestle Carnation Diet and Fat-Free; avoid cocoa mixes with 60 or more calories per serving
Let's Go Shopping
Today's supermarkets are filled with choices for the weight conscious. Here are some of the lowest-calorie choices for a variety of food categories that aren't covered in the Anytime List.
Cereals
Cheerios: a whole grain cereal with 110 calories and 3 g fiber per cup
Kellogg's All-Bran with Extra Fiber: 50 calories and 15 g fiber per 1/2 cup
Original Shredded Wheat: 80 calories and 2.5 g fiber per biscuit
Fiber One: 60 calories and 14 g fiber per 1/2 cup
Wheaties: 110 calories and 2 g fiber per cup
Whole Grain Total: 110 calories and 3 g fiber per 3/4 cup
Spreads
Peanut butter
Low-sugar or sugar-free jams and jellies with 10 to 40 calories per tablespoon
Breads
Light breads with 40 to 45 calories per slice: oatmeal, premium white, wheat, rye, multigrain, sourdough, Italian
Whole grain regular breads or rolls
Rice and Pasta
Whole wheat/whole grain pastas: Hodgson Mill, Ancient Harvest
Brown rice
Whole wheat couscous
Pearled or hulled barley
Other whole grains: quinoa, whole grain cornmeal, kasha, bulgur, millet
Frozen Meals
Low-calorie frozen breakfast foods such as those from Kellogg's, Aunt Jemima, and Pillsbury—and a special mention for the low-calorie, whole grain offerings from Van's
Low-calorie, vegetable-focused frozen meals in the 150- to 350-calories-per-package range, especially the Amy's brand
Beans
All beans, dried or canned
Health Valley canned bean/chili combinations
Low-fat or fat-free refried beans
Snacks
Make it a point to eat starchy, crunchy snacks only in conjunction with a food from the Anytime List. For example, have fruit with popcorn or soup with crackers. Fill up on the former, and go easy on the starchy snack.
Protein Foods
Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas
Soy products: bean curd/tofu, meat-replacement products by Boca, Gardenburger, Yves, and Lightlife
Seafood: fresh (do not fry!), smoked, canned, frozen
Note: Calorie counts in this story may vary depending on the brand of products used. Remember to check the labels.
Lack Of Sleep Linked To Early Death : Study
LONDON (AFP) - – People who get less than six hours sleep per night have an increased risk of dying prematurely, researchers said on Wednesday.Those who slumbered for less than that amount of time were 12 percent more likely to die early, though researchers also found a link between sleeping more than nine hours and premature death.
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The foot of a sleeping patient at the Sainte-Anne psychiatric hospital in Paris. People who get less than six hours sleep per night have an increased risk of dying prematurely, according to British and Italian researchers.
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"If you sleep little, you can develop diabetes, obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol," Francesco Cappuccio, who led research on the subject at Britain's University of Warwick, told AFP.
The study, conducted with the Federico II University in Naples, Italy, aggregated decade-long studies from around the world involving more than 1.3 million people and found "unequivocal evidence of the direct link" between lack of sleep and premature death.
"We think that the relation between little sleep and illness is due to a series of hormonal and metabolical mechanisms," Cappuccio said.
The findings of the study were published in the Sleep journal.
Cappuccio believes the duration of sleep is a public health issue and should be considered as a behavioural risk factor by doctors.
"Society pushes us to sleep less and less," Cappuccio said, adding that about 20 percent of the population in the United States and Britain sleeps less than five hours.
Sleeping less than six hours is "more common amongst full-time workers, suggesting that it may be due to societal pressures for longer working hours and more shift work"
The study also found a link between sleeping more than nine hours per night and premature death, but Cappuccio said oversleeping is more likely to be an effect of illness, rather than a cause.
"Doctors never ask how much one sleeps, but that could be an indicator that something is wrong," said Cappuccio, who heads the Sleep, Health and Society Programme at the University of Warwick.
Research showed no adverse effects for those sleeping between six and eight hours per day.
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Taken from http://yahoo.com news
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Working Overtime = Serious Heart Problems
By Ben Hirschler
LONDON - People working 10 or 11 hours a day are more likely to suffer serious heart problems, including heart attacks, than those clocking off after seven hours, researchers said on Tuesday.
The finding, from an 11-year study of 6,000 British civil servants, does not provide definitive proof that long hours cause coronary heart disease but it does show a clear link, which experts said may be due to stress.
In all, there were 369 cases of death due to heart disease, non-fatal heart attacks and angina among the London-based study group -- and the risk of having an adverse event was 60 percent higher for those who worked three to four hours overtime.
Working an extra one to two hours beyond a normal seven-hour day was not associated with increased risk.
"It seems there might a threshold, so it is not so bad if you work another hour or so more than usual," said Dr Marianna Virtanen, an epidemiologist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University College London.
The higher incidence of heart problems among those working overtime was independent of a range of other risk factors including smoking, being overweight or having high cholesterol.
But Virtanen said it was possible the lifestyle of people working long hours deteriorated over time, for example as a result of poor diet or increased alcohol consumption.
More fundamentally, long hours may be associated with work-related stress, which interferes with metabolic processes, as well as "sickness presenteeism," whereby employees continue working when they are ill.
Virtanen and colleagues published their findings in the European Heart Journal.
Commenting on the study, Gordon McInnes, professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Glasgow's Western Infirmary, said the findings could have widespread implications for doctors assessing patients' heart risks.
"If the effect is truly causal, the importance is much greater than commonly recognized. Overtime-induced work stress might contribute to a substantial proportion of cardiovascular disease," he said.
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Taken from http://yahoo.com news
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LONDON - People working 10 or 11 hours a day are more likely to suffer serious heart problems, including heart attacks, than those clocking off after seven hours, researchers said on Tuesday.
The finding, from an 11-year study of 6,000 British civil servants, does not provide definitive proof that long hours cause coronary heart disease but it does show a clear link, which experts said may be due to stress.
In all, there were 369 cases of death due to heart disease, non-fatal heart attacks and angina among the London-based study group -- and the risk of having an adverse event was 60 percent higher for those who worked three to four hours overtime.
Working an extra one to two hours beyond a normal seven-hour day was not associated with increased risk.
"It seems there might a threshold, so it is not so bad if you work another hour or so more than usual," said Dr Marianna Virtanen, an epidemiologist at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University College London.
The higher incidence of heart problems among those working overtime was independent of a range of other risk factors including smoking, being overweight or having high cholesterol.
But Virtanen said it was possible the lifestyle of people working long hours deteriorated over time, for example as a result of poor diet or increased alcohol consumption.
More fundamentally, long hours may be associated with work-related stress, which interferes with metabolic processes, as well as "sickness presenteeism," whereby employees continue working when they are ill.
Virtanen and colleagues published their findings in the European Heart Journal.
Commenting on the study, Gordon McInnes, professor of clinical pharmacology at the University of Glasgow's Western Infirmary, said the findings could have widespread implications for doctors assessing patients' heart risks.
"If the effect is truly causal, the importance is much greater than commonly recognized. Overtime-induced work stress might contribute to a substantial proportion of cardiovascular disease," he said.
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Taken from http://yahoo.com news
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Saturday, May 8, 2010
Let Me Tell You A Story .......
let me tell you a story ...
by Laurajean of Georgia
A little girl (11 yrs old) and her sister (13 yrs) old — their mama, who was the heartbeat of the home — died very suddenly and unexpectedly.
After her death, these girls suffered horribly at the hands of the ones who should have been caring for and protecting them. Their own father wanted to put them in an orphanage, but when he found out that he would have to pay a monthly fee for this "service" he didn't want to do it. (Now, this man had plenty of money and was very adept and skilled at making money.)
He put his two little girls in situations where they were neglected, mistreated and abused — even sexually molested. Unfortunately, he also sexually molested at least one of these girls. The older girl found him in bed with their aunt about two weeks after their mother's funeral. (This aunt "tricked" him into marrying her — said she was pregnant, but she wasn't. They did get married, but spent at least 30 years hating each other. They were miserable.)
These girls had an aunt and uncle who loved them and nurtured them and took them in every chance they got, but often the daddy would prohibit the girls from seeing them — just out of spite and meanness.
Now, according to the world's standards, these two girls had every "right" to be prostitutes, alcholics, drug users, etc. No one would have blamed them. But let me tell you about these two women. They are strong Christians — strong in their faith and walks, strong in leading others to the Lord, strong in counseling and discipling others in their faith, and very strong and firm in the hard stands that they are willing to take. They both became Christians at very young ages IN SPITE of their circumstances, married fine Christian men, and raised their children to be strong Christians as well.
All this to say, that God may not have "caused" these horrible and unspeakable things to happen, but he was never, ever surprised. He was, and is, ALWAYS and at ALL TIMES in control. Romans 8:28 in action —
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
— Romans 8:28
The youngest of the two girls is my mother. I cannot even begin to tell you the number of people on whose lives she has had a tremendous impact — mine included. She did NOT allow the horrific circumstances in her life — over which she had NO CONTROL — to control her.
She had a heart full of forgiveness and she dearly loved her father.
And now, for the good part....
One day, YEARS later (I must have been around 5 or 6 yrs old at the time), a woman called my aunt and introduced herself. She asked my aunt how she was doing, was her husband a Christian, how about her children ... Then, she began asking the same questions about Mary, my mother.
She ended by telling my aunt that she just wanted to know "HOW" her prayers had been answered. You see, she was a good friend of my grandmother. She told my aunt that she stood at the graveside service and she knew that "those two girls" were going to have a hard time of things. She promised the Lord RIGHT there to pray for those two girls EVERY DAY BY NAME. And she did. She continued to pray for my mother and my aunt BY NAME every day until she died. When I was diagnosed with cancer, who do you think that I wanted praying for me???
Do the prayers of one person make a difference?
Absolutely.
*This is a TRUE story with a happy ending!!!
:-)
There is SO much more to this story. It is so amazing. Even now — so many years later — I am still getting bits and pieces of my mother's life story. What she lived through as a child and young person is unreal. It is totally by God's grace, and God's grace alone, that she is who she is today.
An interesting note: My mother's favorite Bible character/story is Joseph and his story of difficulties and forgiveness. She has always maintained that God is in control of even the smallest of circumstances. She has never used her past as an excuse to do the wrong thing, and she never let us (my sister and I) do it either. She refused to be a "victim" of her circumstances. I would say, that through God's grace, she is quite the victor! I dearly loved my grandfather. He was saved when my mother was around 19 or 20, and spent the rest of his life repenting for his actions that caused so much pain.
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http://www.lovetolearnplace.com
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by Laurajean of Georgia
A little girl (11 yrs old) and her sister (13 yrs) old — their mama, who was the heartbeat of the home — died very suddenly and unexpectedly.
After her death, these girls suffered horribly at the hands of the ones who should have been caring for and protecting them. Their own father wanted to put them in an orphanage, but when he found out that he would have to pay a monthly fee for this "service" he didn't want to do it. (Now, this man had plenty of money and was very adept and skilled at making money.)
He put his two little girls in situations where they were neglected, mistreated and abused — even sexually molested. Unfortunately, he also sexually molested at least one of these girls. The older girl found him in bed with their aunt about two weeks after their mother's funeral. (This aunt "tricked" him into marrying her — said she was pregnant, but she wasn't. They did get married, but spent at least 30 years hating each other. They were miserable.)
These girls had an aunt and uncle who loved them and nurtured them and took them in every chance they got, but often the daddy would prohibit the girls from seeing them — just out of spite and meanness.
Now, according to the world's standards, these two girls had every "right" to be prostitutes, alcholics, drug users, etc. No one would have blamed them. But let me tell you about these two women. They are strong Christians — strong in their faith and walks, strong in leading others to the Lord, strong in counseling and discipling others in their faith, and very strong and firm in the hard stands that they are willing to take. They both became Christians at very young ages IN SPITE of their circumstances, married fine Christian men, and raised their children to be strong Christians as well.
All this to say, that God may not have "caused" these horrible and unspeakable things to happen, but he was never, ever surprised. He was, and is, ALWAYS and at ALL TIMES in control. Romans 8:28 in action —
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
— Romans 8:28
The youngest of the two girls is my mother. I cannot even begin to tell you the number of people on whose lives she has had a tremendous impact — mine included. She did NOT allow the horrific circumstances in her life — over which she had NO CONTROL — to control her.
She had a heart full of forgiveness and she dearly loved her father.
And now, for the good part....
One day, YEARS later (I must have been around 5 or 6 yrs old at the time), a woman called my aunt and introduced herself. She asked my aunt how she was doing, was her husband a Christian, how about her children ... Then, she began asking the same questions about Mary, my mother.
She ended by telling my aunt that she just wanted to know "HOW" her prayers had been answered. You see, she was a good friend of my grandmother. She told my aunt that she stood at the graveside service and she knew that "those two girls" were going to have a hard time of things. She promised the Lord RIGHT there to pray for those two girls EVERY DAY BY NAME. And she did. She continued to pray for my mother and my aunt BY NAME every day until she died. When I was diagnosed with cancer, who do you think that I wanted praying for me???
Do the prayers of one person make a difference?
Absolutely.
*This is a TRUE story with a happy ending!!!
:-)
There is SO much more to this story. It is so amazing. Even now — so many years later — I am still getting bits and pieces of my mother's life story. What she lived through as a child and young person is unreal. It is totally by God's grace, and God's grace alone, that she is who she is today.
An interesting note: My mother's favorite Bible character/story is Joseph and his story of difficulties and forgiveness. She has always maintained that God is in control of even the smallest of circumstances. She has never used her past as an excuse to do the wrong thing, and she never let us (my sister and I) do it either. She refused to be a "victim" of her circumstances. I would say, that through God's grace, she is quite the victor! I dearly loved my grandfather. He was saved when my mother was around 19 or 20, and spent the rest of his life repenting for his actions that caused so much pain.
*******************************
http://www.lovetolearnplace.com
*******************************
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