Saucier

We ve all heard the news about the potential heart-health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption. It s no wonder such stories grab headlines. They re the nutritional equivalent of the classic media formula of man bites dog. As for the rest of us, we celebrate by raising a glass to our health. But whenever I hear one of these reports, I wonder whether it actually ends up doing more harm than good. Most fail to mention the health risks of excessive alcohol consumption, which will do a body far more damage than moderate consumption will do it good. And they leave the impression that health benefits apply to men and women alike. Most of the research regarding alcohol s effects in raising good cholesterol, or HDL, levels looks at men and post-menopausal women. Very little, if any, evidence suggests that alcohol consumption in younger women is beneficial. Even worse, other studies associate younger women s alcohol consumption with increased disease risk. Up to 4 percent of breast cancers can be attributed to alcohol. According to a recent study in the British Journal of Cancer, every drink increases a woman s chances of developing...

People have a strange habit of discouraging others anytime they try to improve themselves. This applies to everything from finances to health to careers. I constantly encounter this when people discover that I ve never bought a new car. I ve always known that a high quality used car is a far better deal than a new one that loses 25 percent of its value the day it s driven home. My lifelong philosophy on this was confirmed when Tom Stanley and William Danko reported in The Millionaire Next Door that the average millionaire never buys new cars and later by financial guru Dave Ramsey. Yet the people who mock me for this the most are those who are drowning in a sea of debt including huge car payments. I also encountered this when I went on a low carbohydrate diet. I was amazed at how quick people were to tell me the diet was unhealthy and that I should get off it immediately. Many were graphic in describing how all the red meat would block my arteries and kill me. None of those critics ever cared enough to learn that I actually ate more fish and chicken once I started the diet, and far less red meat than I ate before I started it. My...

While we come across information on how we can have a good night s sleep every now and then, we are seldom aware of how an insufficient sleep can affect our health and well-being. Because of paper works either from work or school and other household obligations, everyday is like a race against time. Add to it the temptations of the computer and the TV shows airing late at night, and the parties and gimmicks. At the end of the day, all the hours that should have gone to a good night s sleep go to all of these, slowly robbing your body off a deserving rest and making you feel drowsy the next day. If you are accustomed to this way of life, be warned. All the bad things you do to your body have their own consequences, and they could be more serious than you thought. The Social And Economic Costs While there are health risks when you get a few hours of sleep each night, we cannot ignore the fact that its dire risks affect the nation s economy. According to a report from the Institute Pf Medicine, an arm of National Academy of Sciences, 50-70 million Americans have chronic sleep problems, with as many as 30 million suffering from chronic...

The swollen, twisted, and discolored veins that are characteristic of varicose veins occur when blood pools in the legs and distorts the veins. Blood is returned to the heart via a network of veins throughout the body, and the veins in the legs have the difficult task of directing blood to flow uphill. A series of valves in the veins keeps the blood from flowing backwards, but the valves can be faulty for a variety of reasons. Varicose veins typically appear along the insides of the legs and the backs of the calves. Common symptoms include tired, aching legs and swollen ankles and feet. Often, the skin covering the veins becomes sensitive and itches. The swollen, twisted veins are usually surrounded by hard, lumpy tissue caused by an excess of fibrin, a protein made by the body that promotes blood clotting and the formation of scar tissue. Healthy veins naturally produce a substance that helps to break down excess fibrin, but people with varicose veins have a decreased ability to break down fibrin. Many women find that their symptoms are worse before and during menstruation, and also in the perimenopausal years because high levels...