How Much Influence Does Alcohol Have on Female Fertility?

Although abstinence from alcohol is widely recommended when trying to become pregnant, its exact implications for a woman's fertility are not known. A new study published in The BMJ charts the interaction in new detail.

An estimated 24 percent of couples in developed countries take more than 12 months to conceive.

Because drinking alcohol is a pervasive part of modern life, its impact on fertility is of great interest.

An estimated 18.2 percent of American women aged 18-44 engage in binge drinking (more than four drinks in one sitting), three times per month.

More than one drink per day during pregnancy has been linked to low birth weight, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and preterm birth.

However, although alcohol is known to influence male and female reproductive systems and the unborn fetus, its influence on fertility is not well understood

Read more: How Much Influence Does Alcohol Have on Female Fertility?

A new study looks in detail at alcohol and fertility.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Antibacterial Soaps Aren't Just Ineffective, They're Potentially Dangerous

With a new ban on antibacterial soap, the US government is finally acknowledging that it’s not just ineffective, it’s also dangerous

Fear is a potent marketing tool. Consider how a Listerine advertising campaign in the 1920s literally turned bad breath into a disease (and sold a ton of mouthwash along the way) or the run on potassium iodide in North America after the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in 2011.

Then there are antibacterial soaps and body washes, which have targeted—and arguably created—a widespread fear of disease-causing bacteria lurking on every surface of our homes and bodies. Sales of antibacterial soap skyrocketed during the 2009 H1N1 flu sale and have stayed strong since, as brands marketed their antibacterials as scientifically proven to clean better than the stuff you used to keep by your sink.

Read more: Antibacterial Soaps Aren't Just Ineffective, They're Potentially Dangerous

Lather up, but just use regular soap. (Mariana Bazo/Reuters)

Source: quartz

Chronic Kidney Disease

WHAT IS CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE?

The kidneys function as blood filters that drain waste products while retaining other valuable blood contents like proteins. If these filters are damaged, they initially may become “leaky,” and substances like proteins can seep from blood into urine. At later stages, these filters slowly shut down and lose their ability to filter. When kidney impairment lasts for more than 3 months, it is called chronic kidney disease. This process ultimately results in decreased urine production and kidney failure, with buildup of waste products in the blood and body tissues. One common reason for kidney failure in the United States is diabetes.

Sometimes chronic kidney disease is accompanied by high blood pressure, which not only can be caused by kidney damage but also further accelerates kidney injury and is a major reason for the negative effects of chronic kidney disease on other organs, including increased risk of heart disease and stroke, collection of excess body fluids, anemia, weakening of bones, and impairment of the way the body eliminates medications.

Read more: Chronic Kidney Disease

It is estimated that 1 in 10 US adults has chronic kidney disease, and many who have
he disease are not aware of it.

Source: jamanetwork

The Laser Probe, The iKnife, and The Cutting Edge of Surgery

If the thought of going under the knife fills you with fear, be reassured. No longer is surgery the brutal and hazardous experience faced by our ancestors. Thanks to wonders such as laparoscopy, robotic solutions, and, more recently, the iKnife and the laser probe, surgical intervention is getting safer all the time.

Archaeologists believe that people have been carrying out surgery for up to 11,000 years. Cranial surgery, known as trephination, probably dates back to the Neolithic era. It involved drilling a hole in the skull of a living person.

Speculation suggests it was done to cure disorders such as convulsions, fractures, headaches, and infections. The Ancient Egyptians used the same operation for "letting out" headaches and migraine.

Read more: The Laser Probe, The iKnife, and The Cutting Edge of Surgery

Technological advances make surgery safer and more precise all the time. In robotic surgery, the surgeon
controls the instruments from a console. MRI-guided surgery shows where the tumor is, but the iKnife
can detect its exact borders.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Cure The Strep Throat in One Day Without Taking Antibiotics

Strep throat is a very common problem, driving countless individuals to see a doctor for antibiotic treatment. But as with virtually all other problems, no drugs are required for strep throat treatment. In fact, there are rather simple and natural solutions for staving off and treating a case of strep. 

Unfortunately, the medical establishment can’t have you recognizing these ridiculously simple solutions for the problem, however, as drug sales and subsequent profit would take a nosedive. To avoid pharmaceutical treatment, you must learn how to treat strep throat naturally yourself.

Read more: Cure The Strep Throat in One Day Without Taking Antibiotics

Source: healthylivingstyle

What is the Function of the Hypothalamus?

The hypothalamus is a small area in the center of the brain that has many jobs. It plays an important role in hormone production and helps to stimulate many important processes in the body.

When the hypothalamus is not working properly, it can cause problems in the body leading to many disorders. Though diseases of the hypothalamus are uncommon, it is important to keep it healthy to keep the risk low.

Contents of this article:

1. What is the hypothalamus?
2. Hypothalamus disorders
3. Diet tips for hypothalamus health

Read more: What is the Function of the Hypothalamus?

The hypothalamus plays a huge role in both the endocrine and nervous systems. Head injuries impacting
the hypothalamus are the most common cause of hypothalamic disease. Diets high in saturated fats can
influence and alter the function of the hypothalamus.

Source: medicalnewstoday

It’s ‘Digital Heroin’: How Screens Turn Kids into Psychotic Junkies

Susan bought her 6-year-old son John an iPad when he was in first grade. “I thought, ‘Why not let him get a jump on things?’ ” she told me during a therapy session. John’s school had begun using the devices with younger and younger grades — and his technology teacher had raved about their educational benefits — so Susan wanted to do what was best for her sandy-haired boy who loved reading and playing baseball.

She started letting John play different educational games on his iPad. Eventually, he discovered Minecraft, which the technology teacher assured her was “just like electronic Lego.” Remembering how much fun she had as a child building and playing with the interlocking plastic blocks, Susan let her son Minecraft his afternoons away.

At first, Susan was quite pleased. John seemed engaged in creative play as he explored the cube-world of the game. She did notice that the game wasn’t quite like the Legos that she remembered — after all, she didn’t have to kill animals and find rare minerals to survive and get to the next level with her beloved old game. But John did seem to really like playing and the school even had a Minecraft club, so how bad could it be?

Read more: It’s ‘Digital Heroin’: How Screens Turn Kids into Psychotic Junkies

Source: nypost

Watch video: 'Digital Heroin'

This Is Why You Have Bloated Stomach And How To Get Rid Of Bloating And Lose Weight Overnight!

What would you think if anyone told you that there’s a bacterium infecting 2/3 of the world population? You will probably just laugh it off. But there is a bacterium in the intestines which has caused issues for quite a while.

Symptoms

Helicobacter Pylori is indicated by the following symptoms: burping, bloating, diarrhea, flatulence, esophageal reflux, heartburn, constipation and upper and mid-stomach torment. For some, these symptoms are hard to relate to this bacterium. Numerous people basically regard these signs as common, so they are rarely related to the occurrence of this bacterium.

H Pylori causes gastritis, which is an irritation of the stomach lining. It is the reason for 90% of duodenal ulcers and around 80% of gastric ulcers. Also, H Pylori can cause different non-digestive conditions, such as cardiovascular issues, headaches and Raynaud’s sickness, which is the impaired circulation in the hands and feet.

This bacterium can also cause sadness and anxiety. This is in light of the fact that H Pylori can cause an absence of serotonin in the brain.

Read more: This Is Why You Have Bloated Stomach And How To Get Rid Of Bloating And Lose Weight Overnight!

Source: healthylivingstyle

Folic Acid May Protect Against Congenital Heart Defects

Foods fortified with folic acid decrease rates of some types of congenital heart defects in Canada, finds new research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

Folic acid is a B vitamin that our bodies use to make new cells, and it is important for the development of a healthy fetus.

Adding folic acid to white flour, pasta, and cornmeal has been mandatory in Canada since 1998. Evidence of folic acid reducing neural tube defects, oral cleft, and cardiovascular anomalies led to the Government of Canada taking steps to help women of childbearing age increase the amount of folate they consume.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that women take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day from at least 1 month before getting pregnant to prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida).

Read more: Folic Acid May Protect Against Congenital Heart Defects

The risk of the most common type of congenital heart disease could be reduced with foods fortified
with folic acid.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Vitamin D and Autism: The Missing Link

Causes, Prevention, and Treatment

I first became interested in vitamin D when I learned that it is not a vitamin. Instead, it is the only known substrate of a seco-steroid neuro-hormone that functions, like all steroids, by turning genes on and off.

That means it has as many different mechanisms of action as the genes it regulates. Moreover, vitamin D directly regulates hundreds, if not thousands, of the 21,000 coding genes of the human genome. Genes are responsible for making the proteins and enzymes the human body relies on for normal development and function.

Evidence that vitamin D is involved in the autism epidemic is mounting.

Read more: Vitamin D and Autism: The Missing Link

Source: naturalsolutionsmag