Health advice you should heed...

[Fwiffo]

What's behind Canada's drastic new alcohol guidance

A Canadian health agency has backed a report saying that even a little alcohol is too much alcohol.

www.bbc.com

"... zero alcohol is the only risk-free approach. If you must drink at all, two drinks maximum each week is deemed low-risk by the government-backed guidance. The advice is a steep drop from the previous recommendation, published in 2011. Those guidelines allowed a maximum of 10 drinks a week for women and 15 drinks for men."

"According to the CCSA, any more than two standard drinks - each the equivalent of a 12-ounce (341ml; 0.6 pints) serving of 5% alcohol beer or a five-ounce (142ml; 0.26 pints) glass of 12% alcohol wine - brings an increase in negative outcomes, including breast and colon cancer"

"'I think it's very new information for the public that at three standard drinks per week, the risk for head and neck cancers increases by 15%, and further increases with every additional drink.'"


Zero drinks preferable. 2 drinks a week max. Or you start getting the cancers. Photographs of cancer suffering humans will be plastered on your next bottle of Moet, pinot grigio, or Lagavulin. If you upgrade to the limited edition, the photograph will be smaller and on the bottom of the bottle.

 

[Fwiffo]

Hangover headaches are the least of your worries. Scientists say drinking can be hard on the brain

"'We can't speak to causality, but it is highly suggestive that the effects of alcohol are demonstrable, in [the brain's] grey and white matter, and that they probably influence cognitive function,' he said.

'We saw effects of drinking that were consistent with what one might see with aging.'"

 

[Fwiffo]

A calorie-restricted diet may slow aging in healthy adults, science shows

Researchers still don’t know exactly why cutting calories may slow aging, but there is evidence it prompts changes at the cellular level.

www.nbcnews.com

Eat less. Live Longer.

“It’s a signal to the body, saying, ‘Hey, pay attention. There are resource stresses in the environment. We need to make sure that we are using all of the resources available to us most efficiently.'”

 

[Dropbear]

What's behind Canada's drastic new alcohol guidance

A Canadian health agency has backed a report saying that even a little alcohol is too much alcohol.

www.bbc.com

"... zero alcohol is the only risk-free approach. If you must drink at all, two drinks maximum each week is deemed low-risk by the government-backed guidance. The advice is a steep drop from the previous recommendation, published in 2011. Those guidelines allowed a maximum of 10 drinks a week for women and 15 drinks for men."

"According to the CCSA, any more than two standard drinks - each the equivalent of a 12-ounce (341ml; 0.6 pints) serving of 5% alcohol beer or a five-ounce (142ml; 0.26 pints) glass of 12% alcohol wine - brings an increase in negative outcomes, including breast and colon cancer"

"'I think it's very new information for the public that at three standard drinks per week, the risk for head and neck cancers increases by 15%, and further increases with every additional drink.'"


Zero drinks preferable. 2 drinks a week max. Or you start getting the cancers. Photographs of cancer suffering humans will be plastered on your next bottle of Moet, pinot grigio, or Lagavulin. If you upgrade to the limited edition, the photograph will be smaller and on the bottom of the bottle.

Fuck that! I’ll never live in Canada, drinking is dangerous up there. South of the border, I can still have two standard drinks a day.

 

[Fwiffo]

“People think we’re reducing the fun in their lives”: Meet the researcher suggesting that Canadians stick to two drinks per week

Catherine Paradis discusses the controversy over the new low-risk drinking guidelines, the latest science on booze and how it feels to be the bearer of bad news

torontolife.com

When you say premature death, do you mean by months or by years?

After seven [drinks] a week, the risk of premature death is even greater.

On average, we mean a loss of 17.5 years of life—so people in the low-risk category (two drinks a week) have a one in 1,000 chance of that outcome.

Some of the recently updated guidelines in other countries seem quite a bit more relaxed than what the CCSA is suggesting. In France and Australia, it’s 10 drinks a week; in the UK, it’s 14.

Wrong, wrong and wrong. You have to understand that the places you mention have different ways of measuring a standard drink. In the UK, one unit is eight grams of alcohol. In Canada, it’s 13.45 grams. Once you make those conversions, the difference between our recommended consumption amounts isn’t as drastic.

Speaking of mental health, what about the potential positive effects of alcohol consumption that your work doesn’t account for, like blowing off steam?

We didn’t account for it because the evidence was not there. This is a strange criticism. When scientists study the efficacy of bicycle helmets, are they expected to take into account the wonderful feeling of the wind in your hair? With cigarettes, we don’t expect to hear about how smoking helps some people manage their anxiety. So why is it different for alcohol?

 

[Fwiffo]

What running does to the knees, according to a large survey of marathon runners

Many doctors see osteoarthritis as a “wear-and-tear” condition, but a large survey among long-distance runners found no increased knee or hip risks.

www.nbcnews.com

"The 'wear-and-tear' notion doesn’t account for the ways running can benefit joint health and potentially offset deterioration, said Jeffrey Driban, an osteoarthritis researcher at Tufts University who wasn’t involved in the Chicago Marathon study. The activity can improve muscle function around the joints and encourage the body to produce more of what’s called synovial fluid, a viscous liquid that lubricates the joints."

 

[Fwiffo]

A change in diet may stave off dementia or Alzheimer's even among people with higher genetic risk

A diet rich in vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish reduced the likelihood of developing dementia by nearly one-quarter, even among people with higher genetic risk.

www.nbcnews.com

The Mediterranean diet saves everyone once again.

 

[Fwiffo]

Common virus spread through sex can cause cancer. Many people aren't aware of it, survey shows

Human papillomavirus is linked to cervical, throat and anal cancers.

www.nbcnews.com

There's a vaccine for it... oh wait, that's a tainted and dirty word now.

 

[Fwiffo]

Popular diets help you lose weight but may not be so good for heart health

For the first time, the American Heart Association ranks eating plans like ketogenic, paleo and the Mediterranean diet for how closely they follow heart-healthy guidelines.

www.nbcnews.com

DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), for its reliance on fish, poultry, beans, nuts and low-fat dairy.
Mediterranean, which is rich in seafood, vegetables, nuts and whole grains.
Vegetarian, including eggs or dairy or both.
Pescetarian, which relies on fish as the main source of protein.

Cheese is OK again.

 

[Fwiffo]

Loneliness poses health risks as deadly as smoking, surgeon general says

About half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced loneliness, Dr. Vivek Murthy said in an 81-page report.

www.nbcnews.com

Being lonely is equivalent to smoking twelve cigarettes per day..

If I talk to the cleaning lady every day I am down to six?

 

[Fwiffo]

Could ultra-processed foods be harmful for us?

Panorama investigates the links between UK's food safety advisors and the ultra-processed food industry.

www.bbc.com

"Her identical twin, Nancy, was also on a diet containing exactly the same amount of calories, nutrients, fat, sugar and fibre - but she was consuming raw or low-processed foods.

Aimee gained nearly a kilo in weight - Nancy lost weight. Aimee's blood sugar levels also worsened and her blood fat levels - lipids - went up."

• Mass-produced bread and sweetened breakfast cereals
• Instant soups, pre-packaged and microwave ready meals
• Fruit-flavoured yogurts
• Reconstituted meat - like ham and sausages
• Ice cream, crisps and biscuits
• Soft drinks and some alcoholic drinks - like whisky, gin, and rum

I did 3 of these this past weekend. I must be dying.

 

[Fwiffo]

Small amounts of alcohol may turn down stress in the brain, benefiting the heart, new study finds

“At the same amount of alcohol that was ‘protective’ of cardiovascular disease, we saw similar increased risk of cancer, so we’re not suggesting that there is an attractive quantity of alcohol for improving health,”

Heart good... cancer not good.

 

[Fwiffo]

A daytime nap is good for the brain

Those prone to napping had brains that looked up to six years younger than everyone else.

www.bbc.com

"The researchers did not directly study having a big sleep in the middle of the day, but said the science pointed towards a cut off of half an hour."

Siesta time!

 

[Fwiffo]

Intermittent fasting is as effective as calorie counting for weight loss, study finds

Time-restricted eating and calorie counting can both help people shed pounds, new research suggests.

www.nbcnews.com

"'There’s nothing sort of magical about, 'I’m only going to eat for these eight hours per day,'' Gilden said. 'The person doing that strategy still has to pay attention to what types of foods they’re eating and the portions and the amounts.'"

And all this time I thought it was all you can eat within 8 hours.

 

[Fwiffo]

New regulations mean warnings like 'poison in every puff' will soon be on every cigarette

In case after 70 years you haven't caught on that smoking is bad for you.

 

[Fwiffo]

Fitness: Fewer than 5,000 steps a day enough to boost health - study

The step count needed to reduce the risk of disease is lower than previously thought, research suggests.

www.bbc.com

The 14,166/day I was doing in July was too much?

 

[Fwiffo]

Which is the best position to sleep in?

Some swear by a night on their side, others on their back. But which sleeping position is the best for a good night's rest?

www.bbc.com

"First that, all other things being equal, sleeping on your side seems to have several advantages, but your precise posture can have an effect on neck and back pain – and the side you sleep on can increase or reduce acid reflux. Snoring increases if you sleep on your back, but we all vary so it could still be the way you sleep best."

Sleep on the side and on your left. Okay that's not me.

 

[Fwiffo]

The curious ways your skin shapes your health

Weathered or unhealthy skin is emerging as a major risk factor for almost every single age-related disease, from Parkinson's to type 2 diabetes.

www.bbc.com

"The chemicals released by diseased and dysfunctional skin soon enter the bloodstream, where they wash around, damaging other tissues. Amid the ensuing systemic inflammation, chemicals from the skin can reach and harm organs that seem entirely unrelated, including your heart and brain.

The result is accelerated ageing, and a higher risk of developing the majority of – or possibly even all – related disorders. So far, aged or diseased skin has been linked to the onset of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cognitive impairment, as well as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease."

No sun and moisturize.

 

[Fwiffo]

Ultraprocessed foods linked to depression, study finds

Women who consumed nine servings of ultraprocessed food each day were more likely to develop depression than those who consumed no more than four servings.

www.nbcnews.com

"The researchers found that women who ate the most ultraprocessed food — nine servings per day — were 50% more likely to develop depression than those who ate the least, no more than four servings a day. Consuming a high amount of foods and drinks that contained artificial sweeteners had a particularly negative effect, the study found."

Thankfully I'm a man.

 

[Dropbear]

Ultraprocessed foods linked to depression, study finds

Women who consumed nine servings of ultraprocessed food each day were more likely to develop depression than those who consumed no more than four servings.

www.nbcnews.com

"The researchers found that women who ate the most ultraprocessed food — nine servings per day — were 50% more likely to develop depression than those who ate the least, no more than four servings a day. Consuming a high amount of foods and drinks that contained artificial sweeteners had a particularly negative effect, the study found."

Thankfully I'm a man.

Cause-effect? People who are depressed tend to eat shit food.

 

[fxh]

Ultraprocessed foods linked to depression, study finds

Women who consumed nine servings of ultraprocessed food each day were more likely to develop depression than those who consumed no more than four servings.

www.nbcnews.com

"The researchers found that women who ate the most ultraprocessed food — nine servings per day — were 50% more likely to develop depression than those who ate the least, no more than four servings a day. Consuming a high amount of foods and drinks that contained artificial sweeteners had a particularly negative effect, the study found."

Thankfully I'm a man.

9 servings a day? WTF

 

[Fwiffo]

Men need to be aware of lifestyle factors that could affect fertility, researchers say

Men ‘bear the burden of protecting their health, protecting their fertility, but also the health of future generations,’ professor says

www.theglobeandmail.com

"The World Health Organization estimates that infertility affects one in six couples, and that men compose half of all cases. Studies suggest that behavioural and environmental factors play a major role in male fertility. Among them, says Kimmins, are an increasing exposure to hormone-hindering chemicals known as endocrine disruptors; a rise in obesity; poor diet; stress; cannabis use; alcohol consumption; and smoking and vaping"

With that list I'm surprised any man is fertile.

 

[Fwiffo]

8 ways to slow your biological aging, according to new research

Aging may be slowed significantly when people adopt heart-healthy habits in their daily lives, new research suggests.

www.nbcnews.com

Cut back on booze, no smoking...doesn't say much about recreational drugs.

 

[fxh]

8 ways to slow your biological aging, according to new research

Aging may be slowed significantly when people adopt heart-healthy habits in their daily lives, new research suggests.

www.nbcnews.com

Cut back on booze, no smoking...doesn't say much about recreational drugs.

Pretty low numbers and not strong design to draw too many conclusions. Although pretty non controversial conclusions EXCEPT for the bit about Genetic Inheritance - you cant defy all the coding that easily

 

[Fwiffo]

Five myths about lifting weights

These misconceptions about strength training could be holding you back from getting started. Here’s how to get past them.

www.theglobeandmail.com

You have to lift to failure

Why this myth exists: The basic idea behind lifting to failure is that instead of doing a specific number of repetitions of a lift and stopping when finished, you keep going until you are physically unable to perform another one. Then you rest before doing it again. Advocates of this type of training suggest that it’s the optimal way to encourage muscle growth.

Why it’s wrong: While training to failure can promote gains in muscle strength and size, it’s not clear that it does so in a better or more efficient way than regular strength training in which you perform a prescribed number of reps and sets. More importantly, it’s not necessarily a safe method. “Training to failure consistently can lead to fatigue, increased injury risk and slow recovery,” says Sean Blinch, CrossFit coach and co-founder of Toronto’s RedLeaf Fitness. Progressive overload can lead to strength gains without the risk of overtraining.

 

[Fwiffo]

Nutritionists and dietitians reveal the foods they avoid in their own lives

Health experts say they steer clear of processed foods high in sugar and salt — items that can be especially common during the holiday season.

www.nbcnews.com

“There are no bad foods, only bad quantities,”

I can have my prosciutto di parma!

 

[Fwiffo]

Mumbai doctors blame pigeons for spike in lung disease

"The pulmonologist is part of a group of doctors working in India's most populous city who are increasingly alarmed over what they've observed over the past seven years: a fivefold increase in cases of a severe inflammation of the lungs called hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

It's a steep spike that experts link directly to Mumbai's exploding pigeon population. The bird's droppings contain fungi that, if inhaled over a sustained period, can cause the immune system disorder. "

I walk by these creatures and their crap every single day. Some don't even get out of my way when I'm stomping my foot behind them.

 

[Fwiffo]

Seasonal affective disorder: How the dark days of January shape your mood, intelligence and sex drive

Our behaviour and decisions can vary with the changing of the seasons. The trick is to learn to make the most of this natural variation.

www.bbc.com

Seasonal affective disorder. I should move to California like Adele.

 

[Fwiffo]

Bottled water contains quarter of a million invisible pieces of nanoplastics on average, scientists find

Potential risks to health remain unclear, but researchers say nanoplastics contain more than 100 cancer-causing chemicals - and those involved in the study say they are reducing their consumption of bottled water after their shocking discoveries from typical 1-litre samples.

news.sky.com

You mean bottled water isn't cleaner and BPA free?

 

[Fwiffo]

More evidence suggests a multivitamin may help slow memory loss

Findings from the third in a trio of studies had similar results to the earlier two: A daily multivitamin had a modest effect on preventing memory loss in older adults.

www.nbcnews.com

"In a meta-analysis of all three, the researchers concluded the daily multivitamin benefited both global cognition — things like reasoning, attention and planning — and the ability to recall memories from day-to-day life in healthy older adults."

I just stopped mine....

"But it’s unclear which specific vitamins and minerals in a multivitamin are protective or how they exert their effects."

Oh great..the shotgun approach.

 

[belinmad]

More evidence suggests a multivitamin may help slow memory loss

Findings from the third in a trio of studies had similar results to the earlier two: A daily multivitamin had a modest effect on preventing memory loss in older adults.

www.nbcnews.com

"In a meta-analysis of all three, the researchers concluded the daily multivitamin benefited both global cognition — things like reasoning, attention and planning — and the ability to recall memories from day-to-day life in healthy older adults."

I just stopped mine....

"But it’s unclear which specific vitamins and minerals in a multivitamin are protective or how they exert their effects."

Oh great..the shotgun approach.

Yeah I forgot to take it.

 

[Fwiffo]

Men on Viagra may reduce their Alzheimer's risk - study

A study suggests a link, but more research is needed to prove the drugs benefit the brain.

www.bbc.com

Get erections and fight dementia. It's a win win.

 

[Fwiffo]

Marijuana use as little as once per month linked to heart attack and stroke risk

The new study is among the largest to show a connection between marijuana and cardiovascular health in people who don’t also smoke tobacco.

www.nbcnews.com

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

 

[QuandoDio]

Marijuana use as little as once per month linked to heart attack and stroke risk

The new study is among the largest to show a connection between marijuana and cardiovascular health in people who don’t also smoke tobacco.

www.nbcnews.com

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I know you smoke (Tobacco and the like?) or used to smoke? I never knew you were partial to these as well.

 

[Grand Potentate]

I know you smoke (Tobacco and the like?) or used to smoke? I never knew you were partial to these as well.

if you'd read any of his daily posts you'd know he's not.

 

[Fwiffo]

I know you smoke (Tobacco and the like?) or used to smoke? I never knew you were partial to these as well.

I smoke Djarum Black Bliss Cloves. Ironically smoking was a way for me to take a break from drinking. This was when you were still able to drink and smoke outside on the patio. I also find it useful to bond with certain colleagues and staff at work.

But I was never a big smoker. I tried in high school because my cousin was a smoker. I then started vaping way back before vaping was a thing. Then I switched to clove cigarettes and found I was winded just climbing up three flights of stairs. I then switched to herbal clove cigarettes thinking it was healthier and nicotine free. Women like the smell of it but herbal cigarettes taste horrible. After a few drinks you don't notice it though. They burn very quickly. I do smoke the odd cigar.

Marijuana I started getting into because I met a DJ at a pub down the street from me. He had a medicinal certificate before it was legalised. After a few drinks and a few smoke breaks where he'd join I'd take a puff or two. I then used it to take a break from smoking (which was my break from drinking) when bar hopping. He's now a budtender so I was getting free samples from him.

It makes the time pass by more happily and I deluded myself into thinking it is healthier than smoking half a pack of herbal cloves if you were sitting on a beach for the afternoon.

Other recreational drugs I've ditched since I quit the men's athletic club. You were always offered something if you stayed late enough at the bar - snorting, dodgy pills, etc. One time I didn't quite make it back to my flat and was face down in front of the right door, and the right building, but one floor below at 6am.

That said I stopped everything in November when I caught that horrendous 2 1/2 week cold from my mum. I normally don't smoke much in the winter (one pack per month would be plenty) because I can't smoke with a glove on and I find it stupid to stand outside in -10c weather trying to finish a cigarette.

if you'd read any of his daily posts you'd know he's not.

It's just cannabis. It's harmless. It's natural!

 

[Fwiffo]

Thirty-two reasons to avoid ultra-processed foods

A new evidence review has linked these industrial foods to 32 harmful health effects. Here’s what to know

www.theglobeandmail.com

"Studies indicate a global shift toward an increasingly ultra-processed diet. In Canada, it’s estimated that nearly 50 per cent of the calories in our diet come from UPFs, with Canadian kids consuming even more."

I know some kids that are on 80% ultra processed food diets with the rest being fruits which luckily they eat (as long as it's sweet).

"UPFs are also engineered in ways that drive excess consumption. For example, they contain added flavours and sweeteners that enhance palatability. Industrial processing also changes the structure and texture of UPFs, making them 'soft', which speeds up chewing time and delays satiety. And it’s thought that certain additives, such as artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers, can alter the composition of the gut microbiome in a direction that promotes inflammation."

Yet my parents are still buying them...

 

[fxh]

Thirty-two reasons to avoid ultra-processed foods

A new evidence review has linked these industrial foods to 32 harmful health effects. Here’s what to know

www.theglobeandmail.com

"Studies indicate a global shift toward an increasingly ultra-processed diet. In Canada, it’s estimated that nearly 50 per cent of the calories in our diet come from UPFs, with Canadian kids consuming even more."

I know some kids that are on 80% ultra processed food diets with the rest being fruits which luckily they eat (as long as it's sweet).

"UPFs are also engineered in ways that drive excess consumption. For example, they contain added flavours and sweeteners that enhance palatability. Industrial processing also changes the structure and texture of UPFs, making them 'soft', which speeds up chewing time and delays satiety. And it’s thought that certain additives, such as artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers, can alter the composition of the gut microbiome in a direction that promotes inflammation."

Yet my parents are still buying them...

I was thinking about this the other day - I cant think of anything we eat that's UPF. Very odd bit of ice-cream perhaps - very occasionally a small packet of Twisties.

 

[fxh]

Whats is this stuff UPF - that people eat - give some examples.

 

[Fwiffo]

Whats is this stuff UPF - that people eat - give some examples.

Boxed breakfast cereal
Soda
White bread ('enriched')
Fried chicken
Granola, museli, protein bars
Crisps
Jerkies, sausages, and other cured meats especially with nitrates
Things that sit in a box or a tin - mashed potato flakes.