Therapist Unlimited Blog

Parents around the world should strive hard to keep their children away from smoking cigarettes since tobacco can lead to life-threatening diseases and premature death.
In a recent data gathered by the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) it was discovered that although it is illegal to sell cigarettes to children under the age of 18, 42% of 13 year old regular smokers and 57% of 15 year old regular smokers are reportedly buying cigarettes from a shop, while 13% of 13 year old regular smokers and 10% of 15 year old regular smokers buy their tobacco from a vending machine.
With the alarming result of their research a group of doctors in Scotland wants to see a robust approach to tobacco control in order to reduce the number of teens who smoke.
Dr. Peter Terry, Chairman of physicians group in Scotland explained it is essential that cigarettes are made less accessible to children.

Medical experts revealed children hooked on smoking cigarettes can suffer death if their addiction could not be stopped.

Terry said banning point of sale displays and getting rid of tobacco vending machines will go some way to doing this.
He said smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease and respiratory problems.
He added smoking also ages skin, makes your breath smell and stains fingers yellow.
Moreover, Terry said every day doctors witness the death and despair caused by smoking.
Terry said there is a need to break the tobacco trap.
Terry added young smokers will become tomorrow’s parents who smoke and they will continue the cycle of smoking-related ill health.

According to a latest medical data one in every 25 persons who died around the world is due to alcohol addiction.
In the research conducted by Dr. Jürgen Rehm, of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, and the University of Toronto, and colleagues they found out that in 2004, the net effect of alcohol consumption on health is harmful, accounting for 3.8 per cent of deaths globally (6.3 per cent for men and 1.8 per cent for women), and 4.6 per cent of years lived with disability.
The team of experts revealed most of the alcohol-related deaths were due to cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disorders like cirrhosis, plus injuries and violence.
Based on the result of their research, the medical experts suggested that the level of alcohol-related disease is linked to the amount consumed, the effect being strongest on poor people and those marginalized from society, for every extra unit consumed.

People who are addicted to drinking better stop their habit now since latest data has shown that one in 25 deaths worldwide are caused by alcohol.

According to the researchers, the cost of this burden is equal to more than one per cent of gross national product in high income and middle-income countries and most of this is not the health care cost but the social harm caused.
The researchers said they looked at two different aspects of alcohol consumption: the total amount drunk and the pattern of drinking, such as binge drinking where a lot is consumed in a short time.
The researchers explained they calculated the average global alcohol consumption per person per year is about 6.2 liters of pure ethanol, which is a rate of a dozen or so units of 10 mls each per week. One unit is roughly the amount of alcohol in a shot of spirits, a medium strength bottle of beer or a medium glass of wine.

A recent medical study has shown that pregnant women who work on their first-trimester are putting the welfare of their baby at higher risk.
Based on the research conducted by medical experts pregnant women who work on the first three months of their pregnancy are associated with reduced birth weight and an increased risk of delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.
The significant pieces of information were taken from the study made on 8,266 pregnant women in Amsterdam, Netherlands who all work on the first-trimester of their pregnancy.

Pregnant women should stop working or reduce their workload for the sake of their incoming babies.

The medical experts found out that workweek of 32 hours or more and high job strain were significantly associated with low birth weight.
The team of experts also discovered that the combination of high job strain and a long workweek resulted in the largest birth weight reduction and the highest risk of delivering an SGA infant.
To avoid harm and complications to their incoming offspring, the experts recommended that women temporarily stop working while they are still pregnant.
The experts said if ever they could not really stop working it would be best that she reduce her workload and make it minimal to ensure the well-being of her baby will be sufficiently protected from harm.

According to a latest medical research organic food are no better nutritionally than conventionally produced.
The finding was based on the 50-year study conducted by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
According to the data from 2007, the organic food industry is estimated to be worth 29 billion pounds (about 48 billion US dollars) worldwide and continues to grow while consumers appear willing to pay premium prices for food they believe to be superior in health and nutritional benefits.
Based on the study it was discovered that conventionally produced crops had a significantly higher content of nitrogen.
The researchers found out that organically produced crops had a significantly higher content of phosphorus and higher titratable acidity.
The research team also discovered that there was no evidence of a difference among the remaining eight crop nutrition categories.
The team said analysis of the few quality studies on livestock products showed no evidence of differences in nutrition content between those that were organically and those that were conventionally produced.
With the result of their study, the researchers concluded that on the basis of a systematic review of studies of satisfactory quality, there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs.

A recent research has shown that organic food no better nutritionally than conventionally produced.

The researchers explained the small differences in nutrient content detected are biologically plausible and mostly relate to differences in production methods.
The researchers added the differences detected were most likely due to differences in fertilizer use (nitrogen and phosphorous) and ripeness at harvest (acidity).
Gill Fine, director of consumer choice and dietary health at the FSA, the body that sponsored the research, said that the FSA was neither for nor against organic food, but ensuring people have.
Fine said accurate information is absolutely essential in allowing us all to make informed choices about the food we eat.
She said the study did not say people should not eat organic food, but it did show that there was no evidence of a nutritional difference between organic and conventionally produced food.
Moreover, Fine said that there were many reasons why people might choose to eat organic, such as being concerned about animal welfare and the environment.

Now it can be told.
A recent medical study has validated early observations that physical activities can make the children fall asleep early.
Based on the study it was also discovered that in every hour of the day children are inactive adds three minutes to the time it takes them to fall asleep.
According to the research those children who fall asleep faster also sleep for longer, although, it appears one is not the direct consequence of the other.
The study has also shown that an estimate 16 percent of parents of school aged children report that their child finds it difficult to get to sleep.

To keep your children fall asleep early allow them to undergo rigorous physical activities everyday.

Researchers also found out that there is a connection between poor sleeping patterns in children and inferior school performance.
It is also linked to an increased risk of overweight and obesity.
The researchers get the data they are seeking using an activity monitor (called an actigraph) worn for 24 hours.
The team then evaluated the daytime activity and sleep patterns of a representative sample of 591 seven year olds.
The researchers got hold of the full information on sleep patterns for 519 of the children.
They took an average of 26 minutes to fall asleep.
This is known as sleep latency, ranging from 13 to 42 minutes (interquartile range).
The parents reported that around one in ten of the children regularly found it difficult to fall asleep quickly.
These children took around 15.5 minutes longer to get to sleep.
Moreover, the researchers said those children, who were physically active during the day, fell asleep more rapidly than their more sedentary peers.
Researchers said the more vigorous activity they did, the faster they fell asleep.
In addition, the researchers said in every hour of the day spent in sedentary activity increased sleep latency by three minutes.
The team also discovered that shorter sleep latency was also associated to longer duration of sleep.
It fell by more than 11 minutes for each additional hour of sleep.
The researchers concluded that their study emphasizes the importance of physical activity for children, not only for fitness, cardiovascular health and weight control, but also for sleep.

Pregnant women around the world should avoid exposure to environmental pollutants known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) since it can adversely affect a child’s intelligence quotient or IQ.
Based on the study conducted by the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at the Mailman School of Public Health it was learned that PAHs are chemicals released into the air from the burning of coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic substances such as tobacco.
It is said that in urban areas motor vehicles are a major source of PAHs.
According to the study, funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a component of the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and several private foundations, children exposed to high levels of PAHs in New York City had full scale and verbal IQ scores that were 4.31 and 4.67 points lower, respectively than those of less exposed children.
Researchers reveal high PAH levels were defined as above the median of 2.26 nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3).
Frederica Perera, DrPH, professor of Environmental Health Sciences and director of the CCCEH at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and study lead author explained their findings are of concern because these decreases in IQ could be educationally meaningful in terms of school performance.
Perera added the good news is that they have seen a decline in air pollution exposure in our cohort since 1998, testifying to the importance of policies to reduce traffic congestion and other sources of fossil fuel combustion byproducts.
The study included children who were born to non-smoking Black and Dominican American women age 18 to 35 who resided in Washington Heights, Harlem or the South Bronx in New York.
The children were followed from in utero to 5 years of age.

Pregnant women around the world should avoid exposure to urban air pollutants to protect the IQ of their children.

The mothers wore personal air monitors during pregnancy to measure exposure to PAHs and they responded to questionnaires.
At 5 years of age, 249 children were given an intelligence test known as the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of the Intelligence, which provides verbal, performance and full-scale IQ scores.
The researchers developed models to calculate the associations between prenatal PAH exposure and IQ.
The researchers added other factors such as second-hand smoke exposure, lead, mother’s education and the quality of the home caretaking environment could also affect the IQ of the baby.
The study has shown that participants exposed to air pollution levels below the average were designated as having "low exposure," while those exposed to pollution levels above the average were identified as "high exposure."
A total of 140 children were classified as having high PAH exposure.
Furthermore, Perera said the decrease in full-scale IQ score among the more exposed children is similar to that seen with low-level lead exposure.
Perera added this finding is of concern because IQ is an important predictor of future academic performance, and PAHs are widespread in urban environments and throughout the world.
She said fortunately, airborne PAH concentrations can be reduced through currently available controls, alternative energy sources and policy interventions.

Having sufficient sleep ideally eight hours a day is a must for any person in this planet.
Medical experts said having sufficient sleep keeps the body healthy and away from sickness.
To avoid sleepless, here are some practical tips people around the world could follow.

A. Have a relaxing bedtime routine to beat out sleeplessness

After a busy day do not immediately go to bed since most likely you could not immediately sleep.
It would be best that you do some relaxing bedtime routine to offer you comfort in sleep.
Among the relaxing bedtime routine anyone could do to sleep comfortably are yoga, biofeedback and meditation which are proven to help relax both body and mind prior to sleep.
A small glass of warm milk with nutmeg can also help ease the passage from daytime activities to bedtime.

Drinking milk is also an effective way to beat out sleeplessness.

Regular exercise at least four or five hours before bedtime also helps since exercising raises core body temperature, which can delay sleep onset.

B. Avoid caffeinated and sugary foods, as well as alcohol, for the eight hours prior to bedtime.
C. Keep your bedroom dark, cool and quiet to ease your passage into sleep. Make sure that your sleeping area is comfortable.
D Keep a regular sleep schedule during both the week and weekend.
E. Use your bedroom for sleep so that you don’t associate other daily activities with going to bed.

With these practical tips, anyone who suffers from sleeplessness has strong chances of recovering from their ordeal.

Those elderly persons around the world who wish to hone their computer skills just need to engage in computer games and other computer related activities.
One place to go for those elderly who aspire to keep their mind fresh and active is the Brain Emporium Northeast, Ohio’s first computerized brain fitness center.
The Brain Emporium is a mind gymnasium where local elders can pump up their mental strength and increase their flexibility.
Founder and director T.J. McCallum, an associate professor of psychology at Case Western Reserve University, envisioned such an exercise center three years ago.
McCallum revealed with some funding he received from the university, the one of a kind gymnasium finally opened at the Fairhill Partners complex, where older adults the opportunity to work with cutting-edge brain-training programs and games at little to no cost.

Those elderly who wish to hone their brain should play computer games.

He said the Brain Emporium programs aren’t yet proven to slow diseases such as Alzheimer’s, but do engage elders and sharpen their minds.
He added if persons do not use their body, it atrophies and the same is true for the brain.
Moreover, McCallum said in addition to offering a diverse array of brain-fitness computer programs, the Brain Emporium also encourages older adults to engage in physical movement, thereby building coordination and agility, while playing virtual tennis, bowling, or darts on a Nintendo Wii.

People around the world need to be careful about the so called rabies in animals since it could kill them if it is not treated early.
Rabies is defined as a virus that occurs in mammals and infects the central nervous system.
It is said that nearly 90 percent of cases occur in wild animals (raccoons, bats, foxes etc.); less than 10% of cases occur in domestic animals like dogs or cats.
According to researchers humans usually become infected when they are bitten by an infected animal.
Based on studies, early symptoms of rabies are fever, headache and general malaise.
Since these are similar to other illnesses, infected persons often do not seek treatment because they are unaware they have rabies.
Progressive symptoms include: Insomnia, Anxiety/confusion, Partial paralysis, Agitation, Hallucination, Excess saliva, Difficulty swallowing, and Fear of water.

Rabies is a deadly disease that can kill a person if not treated early.

Medical experts strongly advised that anyone who has been bitten by any animal should seek medical care immediately.
After possible exposure to rabies, the wound should be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
Treatment for someone who has contracted rabies is called post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP.
PEP treatment consists of one dose of a substance called immune globulin and five doses of the rabies vaccine over 28 days, both of which help your body fight the virus.
Treatment must be given as soon after exposure as possible for the best chance of recovery.
Moreover, medical experts said if you see an animal you suspect of having rabies, you should call your local health department or animal control agency.
These agencies will have ways to safely remove the animal from the area so that no one becomes infected.
Infected animals often display symptoms similar to those listed above and may seem to be acting strangely or seen somewhere outside their normal habitat.
The best way to prevent the spread of rabies is to have all your pets vaccinated against the virus.
This will also help prevent them from being infected if they come in contact with an infected animal.

According to the latest medical research blacks had 51 percent higher prevalence of obesity, and Hispanics had 21 percent higher obesity prevalence compared with whites.

Based on the research conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention it was learned that greater prevalence of obesity for blacks and whites were found in the South and Midwest than in the West and Northeast.
Hispanics in the Northeast had lower obesity prevalence than Hispanics in the Midwest, South or West.
To get the result the researchers examined data from 2006-2008.
Doctor William H. Dietz, Director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, explained this study highlights that in the United States, blacks and Hispanics are disproportionately affected by obesity.
Diaz added if we have any hope of stemming the rise in obesity, we must intensify our efforts to create an environment for healthy.

Black people around the world need to be careful with regards to their health since study shows they are prone to eating disorders.

Moreover, the researchers said in their research they also found out that in 40 states, obesity prevalence among blacks was 30 percent or more.
In five of those states, Alabama, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oregon, obesity prevalence among blacks was 40 percent or greater.
For blacks, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 23 percent to 45.1 percent among all states and the District of Columbia; among Hispanics in 50 states and DC, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 21 percent to 36.7 percent, with 11 states having an obesity prevalence of 30 percent or higher. Among whites in 50 states and the District of Columbia, the prevalence of obesity ranged from 9 percent to 30.2 percent, with only West Virginia having a prevalence of 30 percent or more.