Danger Not Only From The Alcohol, but, Also Poor Decision Making That Accompanies It

In the 21st century the dangers of alcohol are well understood, if consumed heavily. Those who drink alcohol excessively are in danger not only from the alcohol, but, also poor decision making that accompanies it. There are not many things that humans consume that wear on the body like alcohol; coupled with poor eating habits, no exercise, and unsafe decision making, the disease of alcoholism is complex and composed of many factors. These factors can determine the rate of deterioration on the human body.

Findings from a recent study were published in the journal Addiction Research and Theory which researched the decision making process of heavy drinkers. 7,884 hospital patients in Oregon and Washington were used for the study, they found that people who had an average of three or more alcoholic drinks daily, had a much greater chance of: having poor eating habits, were less likely to see their doctors regularly, and would hardly ever wear their seat belt. Interestingly, the study found that heavy drinkers were less likely to think that they could change their own health behaviors and that literally the state of their health was out of their hands. Whereas, those who drink less and are considered to be moderate drinkers, were more likely to report good health than light drinkers, heavy drinkers, and abstainers.

Last Thursday, we discussed the potential health benefits of moderate drinking. It would seem like this study lends it support to the theory that moderate drinking can reduce your chances of cardiovascular problems like heart disease.

The fact is, alcohol is a symptom of the problem, what actually deteriorates the alcoholic is the disease itself. Alcohol itself has killed very few people, the disease of alcoholism has taken and will continue to take the life of countless people. That is why substance abuse treatment facilities are putting more emphasis on nutrition and physical exercise, to help re-teach sound health practices to the alcoholics who over many years have forgotten what a balanced diet actually is. "Physicians should not only be concerned about patients' heavy drinking, but also these other health-related practices," said study author Carla Green of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research.

Moderate Alcohol Consumption Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease

There has been a debate within the world of health over the benefits, if any, of drinking alcohol moderately. There have been several studies over the years that claimed small amounts of alcohol could decrease your chances of cardiovascular problems. Eight published studies regarding the subject, which involved more than 16,000 heart patients, concluded that there are good signs that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of heart disease, by raising the level of "good" cholesterol. Kenneth J. Mukamal at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston led the research review.

The research group determined that people who drank alcohol moderately had a lower chance of dying from heart problems like stroke or disease; light drinkers risk was reduced by 31 percent, while moderate drinkers had any even lower risk at 38 percent. However, they are quick to point out that any drinking to the excess will cancel out the helping properties the alcohol may of had. Coupled with the review, there was another study done by Simona Costanzo of Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy. They determined, "Cardiovascular patients should be informed that low-to-moderate alcohol consumption (1 drink/day for women or up to 2 drinks/day for men) should not be harmful to their health". Costanzo's study echoed the American study regarding excessive drinking and it removing any chance of health benefits.

Alcohol is actually ethanol, which also powers things like automobiles; it is hard to see how ethanol, which is poisonous to the human body, could be good for you. What these studies fail to mention is the damage alcohol, even moderately consumed, is doing to other parts of your body. Maybe alcohol is good for your heart, but it is in no way good for your liver and even more importantly your brain. If doctors and scientist encourage people to drink in order to save their heart, we may have people start drinking who never should have been drinking in the first place, i.e. someone born with the disease of alcoholism, who cannot stop once they start. There is no question, at the end of the day it is probably safer to abstain from alcohol than it is trying to control it in order to save your heart.

Affordable Health Care America Act Signed Today

Doug Mills/The New York Times

"We have just now enshrined, as soon as I sign this bill, the core principle that everybody should have some basic security when it comes to their health care," President Obama declared.

A big day in Washington D.C. and a monumental day for the nation, as we move forward towards affordable health care and the removal of pre-existing conditions which, for years, has kept millions of people uninsured. Today, Obama, armed with pen, signed his health care overhaul; this bill is, perhaps, the biggest act of social legislation in decades. Obama used twenty pens in the signing of the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which he planned to pass out as tokens to key lawmakers. The Affordable Health Care Act has been a dream for many politicians for 40 years, starting with the late Senator Ted Kennedy in 1970 when he introduced the idea to provide national health insurance. In the audience, Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island (perhaps one of the most important players in the quest for this health bill), held his father's original bill from 1970 which he gifted to Obama with a personal message inside.

Passed by the House on Sunday night by a vote of 219-212, the bill will provide coverage to the estimated 30 million people who do not have it, as well as:

• require most Americans to have health insurance coverage
• add 16 million people to the Medicaid rolls
• would subsidize private coverage for low- and middle-income people
• cost the government about $938 billion over 10 years
• estimated that the bill would reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over a decade

The battle is far from over and there will be many who are not happy about the signing of this bill. There are always two sides to every argument and there will be a lot more said about this subject before any recognizable changes can be seen within our health care system. No longer will Americans be disenfranchised regarding their health care. In the recovery community countless people will be able to get health insurance for the first time. This bill will have lasting effects perhaps unlike anything seen since the 30's regarding social legislation. We will be following this story.

"Our presence here today is remarkable, and improbable: with all the punditry, all of the lobbying, all of the game-playing that passes for governing in Washington, it's been easy at times to doubt our ability to do such a big thing, such a complicated thing; to wonder if there are limits to what we as a people can still achieve." -President Obama-

Rapper DMX Violating Probation

DMX was arrested in Arizona on Tuesday, after violating his probation by regularly using illegal drugs during the last nine months. The artist whose real name is Earl Simmons, reportedly admitted to his probation officer that he had regularly used cocaine for almost a year. DMX has been in and out of jail for drug related offenses over the years, he had been ordered to comply with the terms of his treatment plan and was not, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio told Reuters. He is being charged with five counts of violating the terms of his probation. Simmons has run into a lot of trouble in Arizona especially, he was serving probation for throwing a food tray at a detention officer inside a Phoenix jail last year; he also had to serve 90 days in jail on drug, theft, and animal abuse charges.

"We would hope that he is finally sent to prison," Arpaio said. "We've arrested him five times already. How many times do you have to violate the law"? Simmons is no stranger to jails and institutions and it seems clear that locking him up for drug possession is not the right answer - he clearly needs treatment. DMX has sought out the help of Dr. Drew Pinsky to help the rapper clean up his life by helping get into treatment. Gary Jenkins, DMX's lawyer, thinks that the he would be better off in a drug rehab than behind bars, he believes the solution to his client's addiction problems is Celebrity Rehab host, Dr. Drew Pinsky.

Simmons was booked into a Phoenix jail late Tuesday afternoon and was isolated from other inmates, sheriff's officials said. Jenkins said to TMZ, "He's been battling addiction for some time and he's in need of treatment. We're hoping that maybe Dr. Drew might be able to help him." We have seen time and time again that drug addicts need treatment help, not punishment.

Teens Huffed Inhalants Before Other Drugs

A study shows that twelve year-olds are more likely to have tried huffing than any other drug. The National Inhalant Prevention Coalition published startling results, finding that more 12-year-olds have huffed dangerous inhalants than have used marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined. Teenagers have been known to huff, will breathe in the fumes of just about any chemical solvents or condensed gases to achieve the desired euphoria and disorientation. Getting one's hands on solvents like Dust Off are as easy for teenagers to acquire as it is for the chemicals to kill them. In many cases parents never expect that their children would be consuming these household chemicals that it often goes undetected, inevitably ending with the death of a child.

There is no way to drug test your kids to find out if they have been huffing. "Parents can't see the signs," said Rachelle Gardner, Fairbanks' director of adolescence. "It's not a long-lasting affect like with marijuana or alcohol. You can't see them drunk and you can't see them stoned". You have to be 18 to buy keyboard cleaners and other inhalants like them, which does have some effect and prevents some kids from getting their hands on the potentially dangerous chemicals. Kids still find a way and keyboard cleaner around the house should be locked up or at least out of sight.

Here are some signs that your child might be huffing:

• chronic sore throat
• runny nose
• moody
• exhausted

Huffing is extremely dangerous and every parent should be aware of the dangers. Teenagers are curious people, it would be a shame if their curiosity brought them harm. Legal household substances including: aerosol sprays, nail polish, gasoline and air conditioner refrigerant should be closely monitored according to 6News. Huffing is the most popular in the Mid West but it happens all over the country by countless teens who are not aware of the inherent dangers.

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Dad Was Arrested For DUI, After Crash Killed His Three Kids

Not even a year after the tragedy on the Taconic Parkway this past summer, a horrific accident just occurred in the central valley of California. A dad was arrested for DUI, after a crash killed his three kids in southwest Madera County on Tuesday afternoon. There has not been a whole lot of information released at this point; we know from Sheriff Officials that on Tuesday afternoon Aref Kareem Mohammed of Firebaugh drove his mini-van head on into another vehicle. The other car had four passengers inside, all of which suffered both major and minor injuries; the fate of the three children who were not wearing seat belts in Mohammed's vehicle would not be so fortunate.

The thought of any parent driving while intoxicated with their children aboard is mind boggling, after hearing about the Taconic Parkway massacre this summer; when Diane Schuler drove the wrong way down the parkway crashing head-on with an SUV killing eight people including herself. Shock waves were felt around the world, people asking how or why an accident like this can take place. Parents began to question who they let drive their children when car pooling. Sadly, months later the Schuler story seems to be forgotten and history repeats itself once again.

Mohammed who was not seriously hurt will have to live with knowing that he killed his 6-year old twin sons and his 3-year old daughter Fatima. No punishment mankind could impose upon him could ever out-weigh the punishment of knowing that your actions resulted in the death of all your children. The AP reported that, "34-year-old Mohammed faces multiple charges, including DUI with gross negligence, child endangerment and driving under the influence of a controlled substance". There has not been any talk of vehicular manslaughter charges as of yet, but, it seems likely that more charges will be filed.

Mexican Cartels Are Not Playing Around and They Will Stop At Nothin

Mexican cartels have been ravaging the pristine forests that cover the vast state of California. Unlike anything that has ever been seen, the size of the cartels marijuana fields dwarf any fields planted by the residents of California. As the medical marijuana movement sweeps across the country the cartels have found a way to exploit the relaxed marijuana laws. Plant numbers are of no concern to the cartels who smuggle illegal immigrants into the country to tend 70,000 plant crops on public lands, which end up yielding 35 to 75,000 pounds of marijuana in one harvest. At the end of the day it makes financial sense for the cartels to grow marijuana in the United States, having the product already on this side of the border saves millions in transportation costs. When the marijuana is harvested the cartels can easily move the drug to every major city in the United States. California is finding that it simply does not have the manpower to police these activities.

Brent Wood, a supervisor for the California Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, said to the AP; "just like the Mexicans took over the methamphetamine trade, they've gone to mega, monster gardens". Methamphetamine production shifted across the border into Mexico a few years back when the United States cracked down on the availability of Pseudoephedrine, the main ingredient in Meth. The meth labs created in Mexico were larger than any ever attempted before, reminiscent of the scale of the guerrilla marijuana operations taking place in the States. The cartels are not playing around and they will stop at nothing to get what they desire - billions of dollars.

On top of trashing public lands, the cartels have been holding people hostage on the farms to work the land. The cartels find out where their workers' families are back in Mexico and use their loved ones as leverage to keep them working. "Many of the plots are encircled with crude explosives and are patrolled by guards armed with AK-47s who survey the perimeter from the ground and from perches high in the trees", according to an AP report. How are local authorities supposed to combat this growing threat?

The Final Words Have Been Said About the Death of Brittany Murphy

AP

Well, it seems like the final words have been said regarding the death of actor Brittany Murphy. The Los Angeles Coroner found that Murphy's weight was in the normal range for her height despite the rumors of an eating disorder. The coroner confirmed Brittany's husband, Simon Monjack's, repeated claims that she did not abuse drugs or alcohol; even though there were high levels of pain medication in her system, as well as over-the-counter cold medicine. In the beginning of this month the coroner stated that Murphy died from pneumonia, with multiple drug intoxication and a low-blood count as contributing factors - the death was believed to be accidental but preventable. Preventable?

It is true that people die from pneumonia every day, actually it can be quite common for elderly people to succumb to it. Brittany was a successful young actor who was reportedly healthy and had no substance abuse or mental disorders. It seems like her death was more than avoidable! If drugs were not an issue, then why did Murphy fill a prescription for 120 Vicodin pills 11 days before her death, and only 11 were left when she was found collapsed in her home. No one seems to know why she was prescribed the medication and the prescribing doctor surprisingly cannot be located. No more than four Vicodins are to be taken daily because of the acetaminophen levels, making the max she should have taken in eleven days would be 44 pills instead of 109. Apparently, to no avail, the coroner's officials have tried to find out from Murphy's husband, Simon Monjack, if he knows anything about the whereabouts of the missing doctor.

It all seems strange that her death is being ruled an accident when it clearly seems like there is more than meets the eye. It saddening that people would try and cover up the truth about the tragic and needless death of a beautiful star; to say that Brittany was struggling with prescription pain medication would be an understatement and Vicodin certainly played a part in her death. We do not honor Murphy's memory by trying to hide the truth about her life.

Zookeepers Have Sent a Chimpanzee to Rehab in Russia

The word "addiction", is a word that once could only be applied to human beings. The thought of an animal becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol is something hard to believe and is almost comedic. Unfortunately, those animals that are not far down the evolutionary ladder from humans are just as susceptible to developing habits and addictions. Chimpanzees have commonly been used for drug experiments over the years. In one experiment, a chimpanzee was taught to hit a lever in his cage, when hit, a dose of cocaine would be administered. The scientists would gradually change the amount of times the chimp would have to hit the lever to get a single dose. The study was finally canceled when the chimpanzee was witnessed hitting the lever 12,000 times to get one dose of cocaine. Other experiments have been done that allowed the animal a choice between a lever for water and a lever for a morphine solution, as you might guess, the lever for water saw little activity. It's pretty clear that brain chemistry in animals is not too dissimilar from human beings. The main difference between a chimpanzee becoming an addict and human beings, is a matter of perception; no one would ever say that an animal that has become addicted to a substance is : attempting to be different, a rebel, a criminal, from a bad family or the product of socioeconomic disasters. Therein lays the key point about addiction that it doesn't matter where you are from or what you have been through; addiction makes no exceptions for the person you are, it is a disease that countless people are born with.

The Moscow Times recently reported that zookeepers have sent a chimpanzee to rehab in Russia after the chimp named Zhora began begging visitors for booze and cigarettes. Zhora, picked up smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol while performing in the circus. Zhora has been at the whim of visitors to the zoo who find it funny to see her smoke cigarettes and stumble around drunk inside the cage. I fail to see the humor in all this, when an animal is an addict it's "funny", yet, when a human is an addict it is pathetic. Nevertheless, wild animals in captivity are subject to whatever we put them through, if you give a substance to an animal like alcohol repeatedly, dependency is bound to develop.

Now, Zhora is in treatment fighting off the demons that the audience gave her with a smile on their faces - hilarious, right? Animals have little business in captivity to begin with, they have enough environmental stress day to day inside of their cages; to think that humans would work to shorten a life already shortened by giving them drugs. Sad!