BLOG 305 ALCOHOL

BLOG 305 ALCOHOL

Alcohol occupies a unique space in human culture. It functions as a central component of social celebrations, fine dining, and historical traditions, while simultaneously standing as one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substances on the planet. Behind its familiar presence in bars and homes lies a complex interplay of human biology, global public health challenges, and a multi-trillion-dollar commercial industry. Understanding alcohol requires looking beyond the glass to examine what ethanol actually does inside the human body, which forms present the greatest health hazards, who is consuming it, and how big the industry driving it really is.

When you drink an alcoholic beverage, the ethanol is rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream through the stomach lining and small intestine. Because ethanol passes easily through blood vessels, it quickly reaches virtually every organ system in the body, with its most immediate effects taking place in the central nervous system. In the brain, alcohol acts as a depressant by enhancing the activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that slows brain activity and promotes relaxation, while simultaneously inhibiting glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter. This dual action impairs motor coordination, slows reaction times, alters judgment, and disrupts emotional regulation. Meanwhile, the primary responsibility for processing alcohol falls on the liver, which converts ethanol into acetaldehyde—a highly toxic compound and known carcinogen—before breaking it down into harmless water and carbon dioxide. Chronic exposure overburdens liver cells, leading to fatty liver disease, inflammation, and irreversible scarring known as cirrhosis. Throughout the rest of the body, alcohol triggers systemic inflammation, spikes blood pressure, strains heart tissue, and damages the intestinal mucosal lining.

While pure ethanol carries inherent health risks regardless of how it is served, certain types of drinks compound those risks due to their concentration, additives, or chemical compositions. High-proof spirits are particularly hazardous because their high alcohol content per volume causes a rapid spike in blood alcohol concentration, placing severe strain on the liver and increasing the risk of acute alcohol poisoning. Sweetened drinks like alcopops, flavored malt beverages, and sugary cocktails pose a double threat: the added sugar masks the strong taste of alcohol, leading people to drink faster and consume higher quantities, while the excess sugar spikes insulin levels and accelerates fatty liver development. Combining caffeinated energy drinks with alcohol is equally dangerous because the stimulant effects of caffeine mask the sedative cues of the ethanol, creating a wide-awake state that tricks drinkers into believing they are soberer than they are and driving risky behavior. Even among traditional liquors, darker spirits like bourbon, brandy, and dark rum contain higher concentrations of congeners—toxic chemical byproducts of fermentation such as acetone, esters, and tannins—which exacerbate cellular toxicity and lead to significantly worse hangovers and physical strain.

Alcohol consumption is widespread across the globe, but its health toll is equally massive. Data from the World Health Organization shows that over two billion people are active drinkers worldwide, and approximately four hundred million people live with alcohol use disorders. This widespread dependence leads to severe, long-term health consequences, contributing to roughly two point six million deaths annually, which accounts for nearly five percent of all global deaths. These fatalities stem not only from chronic illnesses like liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease, and seven distinct types of cancer, but also from acute events including motor vehicle crashes, overdoses, alcohol poisoning, and accidental injuries. In the United States alone, public health agencies report roughly one hundred and seventy-eight thousand alcohol-attributable deaths each year, shortening the lives of those affected by an average of twenty-four years.

Despite growing public health awareness, the alcoholic beverage industry remains one of the largest and most lucrative commercial sectors in the world. The global alcoholic beverages market is valued in the trillions of dollars and continues to grow at a steady annual rate, driven by expanding retail channels, premiumization trends, and rising disposable incomes, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Beer holds the largest share of the overall market by total volume consumed, while distilled spirits lead in revenue generation. At the same time, shifting consumer habits are reshaping the market landscape. Ready-to-drink canned cocktails and craft spirits are experiencing rapid growth, while changing demographic preferences—especially among younger generations—have simultaneously fueled a parallel rise in the non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beverage sectors. Ultimately, alcohol presents a striking paradox: while the industry thrives as a major driver of global commerce, the biological realities of ethanol consumption carry a profound human cost.

BLOG 304 CAYANNE PEPPER

BLOG 304 CAYANNE PEPPER

Cayenne pepper is more than just a fiery spice. Cayenne has been used for centuries in recipes and traditional medicine around the world. Cayenne pepper comes from dried and ground chili peppers. It originated in Central and South America. Today, cayenne peppers are grown globally, especially in countries like India, Mexico, China, and the United States.

The spice gets its heat from capsaicin, which is the compound responsible for its spicy kick and many of its health benefits. Cayenne pepper is packed with nutrients and bioactive compounds that support overall health:

1. Boosts Metabolism

Capsaicin can increase metabolic rate and help the body burn calories more efficiently, making cayenne popular in weight-loss friendly diets.

2. Supports Digestion

Cayenne stimulates digestive enzymes and increases blood flow to the stomach, which can improve digestion.

3. Promotes Heart Health

It may help reduce bad cholesterol (LDL), improve circulation, and prevent blood clots by supporting healthy blood flow.

4. Natural Pain Relief

Capsaicin is commonly used in topical creams to relieve joint, muscle, and nerve pain by blocking pain signals.

5. Rich in Nutrients

Cayenne contains vitamins A, C, E, and B6, potassium and manganese, which support immune and cellular health.

Cayenne pepper is very potent, so a little goes a long way. Sprinkle a pinch into soups, stews, and sauces. Add it to marinades and spice rubs. Mix it into salad dressings or roasted vegetables. Stir it into hot water with lemon and honey. Use it in herbal teas or detox drinks. Apply it topically (in creams) for pain relief

Cayenne pepper is a powerful spice that brings both heat and health benefits to the table. When used in moderation, it can boost flavor, support metabolism, and contribute to overall wellness. Whether you’re cooking spicy meals or experimenting with natural remedies, cayenne pepper is an addition worth exploring.

BLOG 303 NAPS

BLOG 303 NAPS

Somedays you just feel a little nap could serve you well. A long night, less than usual sleep, a hard day, or just needing a little down time.....whatever the reason is, a nap typically feels restorative and rejuvenating to face the remainder of the day. Some people can take naps very easily, allowing themselves to shut their eyes and distractions out for a short period of time. Others struggle to just stop the day momentarily and pause their mind and body to allow themselves to take a nap. Sometimes you can be so exhausted that the nap just happens and you dozed off unintentionally.

There are actually different types of naps we take because they can serve a different purpose for you.

1. Recovery nap: This is a nap which functions to make up for sleep loss.

2. Appetitive nap: You might just enjoy taking a nap and it can serve a pleasurable purpose for you.

3. Prophylactic nap: This type of nap is common among nurses or people who work night shifts, as they prepare for the lack of sleep or different sleep period that will take place as a result.

4. Essential nap: The common cold often requires the body to use a little extra rest to recover. The immune system needs the nap to keep fighting for you.

5. Fulfillment nap: These types of naps are those that children take because their bodies actually require more sleep for growth and development.

The duration of a nap can very because your body might nap until it is ready, or you might only have an allotted period of time to nap. Typically, a nap can last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, which have also coined the term “power naps”. Children are the most common longer nap takers because their body will have them sleep as long as it needs to.

Napping has many benefits with the most obvious being making you feel less tired and sleepy. Feeling more awake in turn helps you to be more alert and better perform tasks. Memory can also be heightened. Operating on a drowsy mind is not safe or even enjoyable. This is especially true when driving.

However, napping can have negative side effects such as making it harder for you to go to sleep when it is your regular bedtime. Napping later in the day can especially cause this. You have to really let your mind relax and not worry about what is going on during the day and sometimes setting an alarm can help you fall asleep because you know you won’t oversleep or miss out on what lies ahead.

It’s hard to believe as adults that we might have hated taking naps when we were younger. Now, we would love to have the ability to do so to break apart our day. Naps are nice and don’t always get to happen, and sometimes we are so caught up in the fast-paced lives we live that it takes removing ourselves from our environment (going on vacation) to actually allow a solid nap to take place. We need our sleep and naps communicate this to our bodies and minds.

BLOG 302 AUTISM

BLOG 302 AUTISM

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a type of developmental disability that affects people in different ways. A person with autism will communicate, interact, and behave differently. There is not a single cause or single type of symptom which makes this disability very unique to each person. Symptoms also appear differently and can start as early as in the first few months or life or can start in early childhood. Most of the time, signs appear before age 1, and if not 80-90% of parents see the symptoms by age 2. The spectrum is also very wide. Some children also “out-grow” certain behaviors. Some children show very noticeable symptoms while others have very mild forms. The common denominator is the person’s ability to communicate and interact, which all ties into social behaviors. Social skill problems are the most common difficulty people with ASD have. Relationships are hard to handle.

Understanding diagnosis can be complicated. Certain signs to watch for include:

1.       Preferring to be alone.

2.       Disinterest in talking, sharing, or playing with others.

3.       Not understanding emotions.

4.       Avoiding eye contact and/or physical contact.

For 40% of autistic children, they do not talk at all. However, some do start to talk later in life and others (25-30%) do have language skills but then lose them. Trouble with language skills might include repeating the same phrase over and over (echolalia), trouble pronouncing, delayed speech, having a robotic voice, trouble staying on topic, and not responding to humor or sarcasm.

There are also tell-tale sign behaviors. Repetitive hand motions are common like flapping or twirling. Having routines and rituals are common and a person with ASD does not like these habits to be disrupted. They can become fixated on certain tasks or habits. Pacing or feeling hyper is common. Being extremely sensitive can be a trait or having aggressiveness. Clumsiness is also a behavior.

The key is early detection. Therefore, as a parent, be sure to take notice if your child has one of the following characteristics:

1.       Does not smile by 6 months.

2.       Does not coo or babble by 12 months.

3.       Cannot speak with single words by 16 months.

4.       Does not play or have imaginative qualities by 18 months.

Doctors don’t know what exactly causes autism. Genes seem to be the biggest culprit. There is not a lab test to diagnose ASD, rather, determination is based upon observed behaviors. Every child needs to have their regular check-ups with their pediatrician. It is in fact a fallacy that vaccinations can cause autism.  Having a healthy pregnancy is important. ASD is a special condition that many people still grow up to lead successful lives with. Behavior is a learned trait, so with time ASD can be addressed with different therapies and with practice these actions become more and more manageable and controlled.

BLOG 301 FALLING

BLOG 301 FALLING

When we fall it isn’t exactly something we planned for or meant to do, but it happens. Falling happens especially as we age, and sometime the resulting injuries can be major setbacks. People over the age of 65 are at the highest risk. In fact, 35% of this 65 and older population experiences at least one fall per year. The risk increases even more with people over age 70. At least 45% of this age range falls at least once per year. Three million of these adults go to the emergency room each year and then 800,000 end up being admitted to the hospital. Even though falls are unpredictable, there are preventative measures to help at least lower the risk of incidence and the ability to recover quicker from the fall.

Individuals are at risk not just with age, but also with their health status and type of lifestyle. As we age, balance is not as efficient as it once was, so unstable surfaces and stairs can be problematic. Stepping up and down off sidewalk curbs is troublesome. Vision and hearing loss are also common with aging, so this too can make getting around safely an issue. Cognitive functioning is not as precise as it once was either. Muscles atrophy with age and conditions like osteoporosis and diabetes can impact overall wellbeing. There are medications that can also pose a risk to being more prone to falling because they can affect coordination and balance. These typically are psychotropic drugs, antidepressants, or sedatives. They can cause drowsiness. Other possible medications that can cause risk for fall are cardiovascular related such as beta-blockers or diuretics. This is because they can cause cognitive impairment, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Some people feel this when they go from seated to standing. This can also cause them to feel weak in their first few steps and possibly fall.  

Falling at home is probably the most preventable environment. Making sure the home is not cluttered, placing most used items in areas easy to access, and making sure bathing and bathroom areas are not too low or not requiring a high step in and step out entry/exit, are practical measures to take. Floors should not be slippery, areas should be well lit, and trip hazards shouldn’t be around.

The fear of falling can be limiting for some people who would rather not go anywhere to avoid this happening. Broken wrists, hip fractures, head injuries, and broken ankles are all possible fall related injuries. Up to 95% of hip fractures are from falls. Staying active, making sure you are aware of your surroundings, and using a cane or walker, are preventative measures. Often, we become reactive after falling and then try to improve balance and coordination. These things shouldn’t be put off until we age. Exercise is medicine for all ages, and if you don’t move it, you do lose it. We should be ready for the unknown as much as we can.

 

BLOG 300 BONE BROTH

BLOG 300 BONE BROTH

Bone broth has been given extra attention by health minded people. Bones and connective tissues of animals are simmered with water to make this broth, which doesn’t necessarily sound appealing to drink. The most common animals the broth is made form include chicken, beef, pork, lamb, bison, fish, turkey, and venison. There isn’t an exact recipe or correct way to make bone both, but usually a large pot of water, vinegar, and the animal parts are simmered to taste. Vinegar is the key ingredient because it pulls all the nutrients out of the bones. Salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, and thyme are commonly used ingredients as well.

Why would anyone want to drink the broth of animal parts? Animal bones are filled with vitamins and minerals our body greatly benefits from. These include calcium and magnesium which strengthen our own bones. Animal bones also have zinc, iron, vitamin A and B, as well as collagen. Simmering the bone parts releases all these nutrients so that we can drink and absorb the benefits.

Another purpose of bone both is its ability to improve the digestive system. It can help reduce inflammation in the digestive track. The collagen in bone broth turns into gelatin which has an amino acid called glutamic acid. Once in the body it converts to glutamine which helps the functioning of the intestinal wall. This fights against leaky gut and other gastrointestinal diseases. Collagen also aids with joint health. The other amino acids in bone broth (glycine and arginine) help fight inflammation. Glycine has also been shown to help with sleep. Deeper sleep, less waking up, and falling asleep faster have all been found by those who drink bone broth near dinner/bedtime.

Bone broth is packed with benefits and has very little calories. It can help with weight management because it is high in protein and low in calories. It can be homemade, or store bought. Bone broth dates to pre-historic times when hunter-gatherers used the left-over body parts of the animals they killed for food. Today, the benefits remain and what might seem like the part of the animal you would normally throw away, you could save (or freeze) to make use of for a healthy drink.

BLOG 299 LACTOSE INTOLERANT

BLOG 299 LACTOSE INTOLERANT

When someone says, “I can’t have dairy”, we automatically assume they are lactose intolerant. For many, of use, we just think that means you are allergic to dairy and that is as far as our knowledge goes with this condition. “Lactose” actually means “sugar”. This type of sugar is specifically found in dairy products. Lactase is an enzyme that our body produces in the small intestine. However, when a person is lactase deficient, symptoms can arise once they eat dairy. Many people who have a low level of lactase are still fine eating dairy. For others who have true intolerance, symptoms can include gas, bloating, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and sometimes vomiting.

When the body has an adequate amount of the lactase enzyme, it turns the lactose sugar into glucose and galactose. When there is a deficiency of the lactase enzyme, the food consumed moves to the colon instead of undergoing digestion and absorption. Then bacteria in the colon forms causing the symptoms of lactose intolerance.

There are a few risk factors. Asian, African, American Indian, and Hispanic people find this condition to be more common among their race. Premature babies are at risk because their small intestine may not have fully developed. Having any problems or disease associated with the small intestine raises the risk for someone.

There are three types of this condition:

1.       Primary: This is the most common type that develops in adulthood. Milk products become hard to digest and genetics are usually the key determinant.

2.       Secondary: This type occurs as the result of an injury, illness, or surgery that affected the small intestine. The small intestine has started to produce less lactase. This is the type of condition that is associated with celiac disease and Chron’s disease.

3.       Congenital or developmental: This would arise if the mother and father have both passed on the gene to their child. It is rare to be lactose intolerant during infancy.

A doctor can diagnose this condition by having a person perform the lactose intolerance test which involves drinking a liquid that monitors the body’s reaction to lactose. There is also the hydrogen breath test where a doctor has the person consume a high containing lactose beverage then measures the amount of hydrogen in the breath. If the body doesn’t like lactose, it will release those gases and hydrogen during this test. A stool sample can also be taken. Through trial and error, a person can determine if they need to completely avoid dairy, discover what items to particularly avoid and those that are safe foods, and can use lactose-free or reduced products. We have to eat to live but were not all given the same digestive tract for this process. Milk does a body good, but not when the body rejects its digestion.