Alcohol/Substance Abusers - ADDICTS ALL-Don’t Like Being Sick; BUT They did Choose to Conduct the WAR

Addicted People CLAIM THEY DISLIKE BEING DEPENDENT; but; the Trouble is, THEY DON’T WANT TO WORK TO GET CLEAN AND SOBER, EITHER.

Of course; they ALL suffer from more than addiction; otherwise they would not have chosen to conduct war in the first place. They suffer from HURT.

 They suffer from fear, magical thinking, delusion and instant gratification. They’re used to things happening fast. They take a pill and feel better right away. An addicted person wants the pay off, now. But recovery doesn’t work like that. Recovery is a process. Substance abusers don’t like being sick. Listening to their stories you will understand, they’re not having fun. They don’t abuse drugs to be cool, or impress anyone. They’re not using to upset their family members. By the time they realise they’re addicted, They’re Using to Maintain. The euphoric high abusers first felt when they picked up, is long gone. Now they use to feel normal. Or even just to get out of bed in the morning.

The Alarming Rise of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Children and Teens, April 25, 2017. Obesity-Related Deaths Hit New High Worldwide.

Across all racial/ethnic groups, the rate of new diagnosed cases of type 1 diabetes increased more annually from 2003-2012 in males (2.2 percent) than in females (1.4 percent) ages 0-19.

Among youth ages 0-19, the rate of new diagnosed cases of type 1 diabetes increased most sharply in Hispanic youth, a 4.2 percent annual increase. In non-Hispanic blacks, the rate of new diagnosed cases of type 1 diabetes increased by 2.2 percent and in non-Hispanic whites by 1.2 percent per year.

Among youth ages 10-19, the rate of new diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes rose most sharply in Native Americans (8.9 percent), Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders (8.5 percent) and non-Hispanic blacks (6.3 percent).  Note: The rates for Native Americans cannot be generalized to all Native American youth nationwide.

Among youth ages 10-19, the rate of new diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes increased 3.1 percent among Hispanics. The smallest increase was seen in whites (0.6 percent). The rate of new diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes rose much more sharply in females (6.2 percent) than in males (3.7 percent) ages 10-19.

Diabetes – Some Facts

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar), due to an absolute or relative insulin deficiency. Insulin, a hormone secreted from beta cells in the pancreas, assists with the conversion of glucose into energy. Without insulin, glucose cannot be sufficiently absorbed from the bloodstream into the cells of the body. Diabetes is classified as:

Type 1 Diabetes (previously called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or juvenile-onset diabetes) may account for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes (1). Type 1 diabetes is diagnosed primarily in childhood or adolescence, but may be diagnosed in adults. Multiple daily injections of insulin are required for survival. The most common form of type 1 is caused by autoimmune destruction of beta cells, resulting in an inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. Risk factors are less well-defined for type 1 than for type 2 diabetes, but autoimmune, genetic and environmental factors are involved in the development of this type of diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes was previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

(NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. Most commonly, type 2 diabetes begins after

age 40. However, in many countries, a growing number of children and

adolescents are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (2,3,4).

The onset of type 2 diabetes is a two-stage process: first, there is resistance to

insulin’s action often exacerbated by obesity; second, the pancreas fails to

increase insulin production enough to compensate adequately for the resistance.

Type 2 may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases.

**Risk Factors For Type 2** include age, obesity, family history of diabetes, prior history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, physical inactivity and race/ethnicity. Diabetes is a condition where your body is not able to regulate levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood. This results in too much or too little sugar in your blood. There are 2 types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when your pancreas stops producing insulin. If you have type 1 diabetes, you will need to use an insulin injector to make sure your body gets enough insulin.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body does not respond properly to the insulin it produces. Treatment includes medication and lifestyle changes to your diet and exercise routine.

Topic Overview

What is type 2 diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes happens when your body can't use insulin the right way. Over time, the pancreas can't make enough insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that helps the body's cells use sugar (glucose) for energy. It also helps the body store extra sugar in muscle, fat, and liver cells. Without insulin, this sugar can't get into your cells to do its work. It stays in your blood instead. Your blood sugar level then gets too high.

High blood sugar can harm many parts of the body, such as the eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys. It can also increase your risk for other health problems (complications).

Type 2 diabetes is different from type 1 diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body's immune system destroys the cells that release insulin, so that over time the body can't produce insulin at all. In type 2 diabetes, the body still makes some insulin, but it can't use it the right way.

What causes type 2 diabetes?

You can get type 2 diabetes if: Your body doesn't respond as it should to insulin. This makes it hard for your cells to get sugar from the blood for energy. This is called insulin resistance.

Your pancreas doesn't make enough insulin.

If you are overweight, get little or no exercise, or have type 2 diabetes in your family, you are more likely to have problems with the way insulin works in your body. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with a healthy lifestyle, including staying at a healthy weight, making healthy food choices, and getting regular exercise.

What are the symptoms?

Some people don't have symptoms, especially when diabetes is diagnosed early. This is because the blood sugar level may rise so slowly that a person may not know that anything is wrong.

The Most Common Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar Include:

Feeling very thirsty.

Urinating more often than usual.

Feeling very hungry.

Having blurred vision.

You can get high blood sugar for many reasons, including not taking your diabetes medicines, eating more than usual (especially sweets), not exercising, or being sick or under a lot of stress.

If You're Taking Diabetes Medicine, You Can Also Have Problems With Low Blood Sugar. These Symptoms Include:

Sweating.

Feeling weak.

Feeling shaky.

Feeling very hungry.

How is type 2 diabetes diagnosed?

If your doctor thinks that you have type 2 diabetes, he or she will ask you questions about your medical history, do a physical examination, and order a blood test that measures the amount of sugar in your blood.

How is it treated?

The key to treating type 2 diabetes is to keep blood sugar levels controlled and in your target range.

All of the following help to lower blood sugar:

Making healthy food choices. Try to manage the amount of carbohydrate you eat by spreading it out over the day.

Losing weight, if you are overweight

Getting regular exercise

Taking medicines, if you need them

It's also important to:

See your doctor. Regular check-ups are important to monitor your health.

Test your blood sugar levels. You have a better chance of keeping your blood sugar in your target range if you know what your levels are from day to day.

Keep high blood pressure and high cholesterol under control. This can help you lower your risk of heart and large blood vessel disease.

Quit smoking. This can help you reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.

It seems like a lot to do—especially at first. You might start with one or two changes. Focus on checking your blood sugar regularly and being active more often. Work on other tasks as you can.

It can be hard to accept that you have diabetes. It's normal to feel sad or angry. You may even feel grief. Talking about your feelings can help. Your doctor or other health professionals can help you cope.

Health Tools

Adaptation Date: 6/16/2017

For further information on the prevention, management, and diagnosis of diabetes, speak to your health care provider. You may also call 8-1-1 to speak to a registered dietician, registered nurse, or pharmacist. Our dieticians are available Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; our nurses are available anytime, every day of the year; and our pharmacists are available every night from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. You can also Email a HealthLinkBC Dietician.

Cannabis (Marijuana) Vs Smoking Tobacco

October 6, 2015 "Tobacco is a product that does a lot of damage. Marijuana is infinitely worse and it's something that we do not want to encourage." -- Conservative Leader Stephen Harper.

Obviously, at one time, marijuana was widely (and correctly) perceived as detrimental, and acceptance was low. Today, however, polls show that some 60 percent of North Americans think it should be legalised.

Canadians have one of the highest rates of cannabis use in the world.

The gaseous and particulate composition of cannabis and tobacco cigarettes is similar, with the exception of the active components, THC and nicotine.

It’s not because we’ve learned that the health risks were overstated. Advocates have insisted for decades that pot is no more harmful than tobacco and alcohol. Indeed, many go so far as to claim it’s safer. Unfortunately for them, the medical research does not back them up.

An article (September 14, 2015) by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, published last year in the New England Journal of Medicine, documents many negative effects of marijuana use. And the research continues to pile up, showing how it can harm the developing teenage brain, increase the risk of heart attack, and diminish IQ.

“More than smoking tobacco; OR EVEN DRINKING ALCOHOL, smoking marijuana can damage the heart, lungs and brain,” write William J. Bennett and Robert A. White in the new book “Going to Pot.”

“Moreover, cannabis immediately impairs cognitive abilities and motor coordination, interfering with the smoker’s judgment, driving skills, and other basic abilities.” It delivers more tar to the lungs than tobacco does, along with cancer-causing chemicals. While one studies claim Cannabis smokers only complained of wheeze, cough, chest tightness and phlegm and that emphysema, the progressive and crippling lung disease, was only seen in those who smoked tobacco, either alone or in combination; long-term or heavy users develop symptoms of chronic asthma and bronchitis . Asthma, bronchitis emphysema, often the three are grouped together and the disease called Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (COPD) is a lung disease characterised by chronic obstruction of lung airflow that interferes with normal breathing and is not fully reversible. The more familiar terms 'chronic bronchitis' and 'emphysema' are no longer used, but are now included within the COPD diagnosis. In high doses, paranoia and psychosis result.

The amount of tar and carcinogens inhaled during cannabis smoking is comparable. However, owing to the techniques commonly used during the smoking of cannabis there may be greater deposition of these harmful substances in the airways. In particular, cannabis is usually smoked without a filter and burns much hotter (due to a shorter butt) than tobacco cigarettes. In addition, cannabis fumes are often inhaled to maximum inspiration with longer breath holding to increase THC absorption. This may lead to significant variation in the deposition of tar and carbon monoxide, depending on the mode of administration, depth of inspiration and length of breath holding.

Histological evidence indicates that marijuana exposure can injure the respiratory epithelium and reduce ciliated epithelial cell numbers, a change almost identical to that seen in tobacco smokers. Endobronchial biopsies have also shown evidence of goblet cell metaplasia, reserve cell hyperplasia and squamous cell metaplasia. These and other effects may lead to edema and inflammation of the airways as well as mucus hyper secretion. Years ago, the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the stuff that gets you high) in marijuana was much lower—around 3 to 5 percent. But today’s “turbo pot” tends to be around 13 percent, and up to 20 or even 30 percent in some cases.

“It is like comparing a twelve-ounce glass of beer with a twelve-ounce glass of 80 proof vodka,” writes Bennett, former drug czar for the United States. “Both contain alcohol, but they have vastly different effects on the body when consumed.”

The main reason for the shift is the advent of “medical marijuana.” That put a halo of safety around the substance, making those who oppose it seem insensitive to the needs of people in chronic pain.

But, Bennett and White point out; it’s not as if doctors are prescribing it in places where it’s legal. In most places, a physician gives a patient who says he’s suffering “severe pain” a note that allows him (and the vast majority are, in fact, males under 35) to obtain a medical marijuana card.

THE EXPERTS

Research has shown that about four per cent of marijuana users report some sort of health, legal or financial trouble, said David Hammond, the CIHR Applied Chair in Public Health at the University of Waterloo. The amount for tobacco is higher: anywhere between 30 and 50 per cent, Hammond said, suggesting that tobacco use carries more health concerns than marijuana use.

Heavy, long-term use of marijuana by teens has been linked to an increased risk of schizophrenia-related mental health disorders in early adulthood, said Steven Laviolette from Western University's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, who researches the effects on the brain of nicotine and THC, the psychoactive chemical in marijuana. However, Laviolette said, those teenagers are using marijuana with a heavy amount of THC.

Research has also shown these teens may have a genetic predisposition to developing mental health disorders, he said, blurring links between smoking marijuana and mental health issues. As well, a chemical in marijuana, known as CBD, has been shown to be an anti-psychotic that counteracts THC, Laviolette said, creating a debate with more subtleties than political sound bites allow.

The Canadian Cancer Society says research linking marijuana smoking to increased cancer risks "is not as strong or comprehensive as the evidence that links tobacco use and cancer." Part of the problem is that marijuana smokers also use tobacco and sometimes mix the two substances.

With mental health issues, the science isn't conclusive because marijuana use may exacerbate underlying issues.

THE VERDICT

Marijuana does carry some health concerns -- of that there is little debate. Saying it is "infinitely worse" than tobacco is "a lot of baloney; there's simply no evidence at all to suggest that's true either in terms of health care costs, or in terms of relative health dangers,"

Images for Pink Slime, industrial waste= YUCK

Images for Pink Slime, industrial waste= YUCK

Christianity's Origin,Friedrich Nietzsche (1844—1900)

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844—1900)

Quotes

That which does not kill us makes us stronger.

He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.

NietzscheNietzsche was a German philosopher, essayist, and cultural critic. His writings on truth, morality, language, aesthetics, cultural theory, history, nihilism, power, consciousness, and the meaning of existence have exerted an enormous influence on Western philosophy and intellectual history.

Christianity's Origin

Christianity was from the beginning, essentially and fundamentally, life's nausea and disgust with life, merely concealed behind, masked by, dressed up as, faith in "another" or "better" life.- from Nietzsche's The Birth of Tragedy

Christianity as antiquity. -- When we hear the ancient bells growling on a Sunday morning we ask ourselves: Is it really possible! This, for a presumed; Jew???, crucified two thousand years ago, who said he was God's son? The proof of such a claim is lacking. Certainly the Christian religion is an antiquity projected into our times from remote prehistory; and the fact that the claim is believed - whereas one is otherwise so strict in examining pretensions - is perhaps the most ancient piece of this heritage. A god who begets children with a mortal woman; a sage who bids men work no more, have no more courts, but look for the signs of the impending end of the world; a justice that accepts the innocent as a vicarious sacrifice; someone who orders his disciples to drink his blood; prayers for miraculous interventions; sins perpetrated against a god, atoned for by a god; fear of a beyond to which death is the portal; the form of the cross as a symbol in a time that no longer knows the function and ignominy of the cross -- how ghoulishly all this touches us, as if from the tomb of a primeval past! Can one believe that such things are still believed?

Diseases and Conditions: Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Narcissistic personality disorder is one of several types of personality disorders. Personality disorders are conditions in which people have traits that cause them to feel and behave in socially distressing ways, limiting their ability to function in relationships and other areas of their life, such as work or school. Narcissists very often become addicted to alcohol or other drugs.

If you have narcissistic personality disorder, you may come across as conceited, boastful, or pretentious. You often monopolise conversations. You may belittle or look down on people you perceive as inferior. You may feel a sense of entitlement — and when you don't receive special treatment, you may become impatient or angry. You may insist on having "the best" of everything — for instance, the best car, athletic club or medical care.

At the same time, you have trouble handling anything that may be perceived as criticism. You may have secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability and humiliation. To feel better, you may react with rage or contempt and try to belittle the other person to make you appear superior. Or you may feel depressed and moody because you fall short of perfection.

Many experts use the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association, to diagnose mental conditions. This manual is also used by insurance companies to reimburse for treatment.

DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder include these features:

·         Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance.

·         Expecting to be recognised as superior even without achievements that warrant it.

·         Exaggerating your achievements and talents.

·         Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate.

·         Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people.

·         Requiring constant admiration.

·         Having a sense of entitlement.

·         Expecting special favours and unquestioning compliance with your expectations.

·         Taking advantage of others to get what you want.

·         Having an inability or unwillingness to recognise the needs and feelings of others.

·         Being envious of others and believing others envy you.Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner.

Although some features of narcissistic personality disorder may seem like having confidence, it's not the same. Narcissistic personality disorder crosses the border of healthy confidence into thinking so highly of yourself that you put yourself on a pedestal and value yourself more than you value others.

When to see a doctor.

When you have narcissistic personality disorder, you may not want to think that anything could be wrong — doing so wouldn't fit with your self-image of power and perfection. People with narcissistic personality disorder are most likely to seek treatment when they develop symptoms of depression — often because of perceived criticisms or rejections.

If you recognise aspects of your personality that are common to narcissistic personality disorder or you're feeling overwhelmed by sadness, consider reaching out to a trusted doctor or mental health provider. Getting the right treatment can help make your life more rewarding and enjoyable.

Attention-Deficite/Hyperactivity Disorder (ACHD in Adults, The Basics

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-by Mayo Clinic Staff

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour. Adult ADHD can lead to unstable relationships, poor work or school performance, low self-esteem, and other problems.

Though it's called adult ADHD, symptoms start in early childhood and continue into adulthood. In some cases, ADHD is not recognised or diagnosed until the person is an adult. Adult ADHD symptoms may not be as clear as ADHD symptoms in children. In adults, hyperactivity may decrease, but struggles with impulsiveness, restlessness and difficulty paying attention continue.

Treatment for adult ADHD is similar to treatment for childhood ADHD, though some ADHD medications approved for children are not approved for adult use. Adult ADHD treatment includes medications, psychological counselling (psychotherapy) and treatment for any mental health conditions that occur along with ADHD.

Symptoms

Some people with ADHD have fewer symptoms as they age, but some adults continue to have major symptoms that interfere with daily functioning. In adults, the main features of ADHD may include difficulty paying attention, impulsiveness and restlessness. Symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Many adults with ADHD aren't aware they have it — they just know that everyday tasks can be a challenge. Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger.

Adult ADHD Symptoms may Include:

Impulsiveness

Disorganization and problems prioritizing

Poor time management skills

Problems focusing on a task

Trouble multitasking

Excessive activity or restlessness

Poor planning

Low frustration tolerance

Frequent mood swings

Problems following through and completing tasks

Hot temper

Trouble coping with stress

What's normal and what's ADHD?

Almost everyone has some symptoms similar to ADHD at some point in their lives. If your difficulties are recent or occurred only occasionally in the past, you probably don't have ADHD. ADHD is diagnosed only when symptoms are severe enough to cause ongoing problems in more than one area of your life. These persistent and disruptive symptoms can be traced back to early childhood.

Diagnosis of ADHD in adults can be difficult because certain ADHD symptoms are similar to those caused by other conditions, such as anxiety or mood disorders. And many adults with ADHD also have at least one other mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety.

When to see a doctor

If any of the symptoms listed above continually disrupt your life, talk to your doctor about whether you might have ADHD.Different types of health care professionals may diagnose and supervise treatment for ADHD. Seek a provider who has training and experience in caring for adults with ADHD.

ALCOHOL ABUSE=DRUG ABUSE

Meaning of "drug" in British (English) English:

Noun: 1.) Any natural, or artificially, made chemical that is used as a medicine.

2.) Any natural or artificially made chemical that is taken for pleasure, to improve someone's performance of an activity, or because a person cannot stop using it.

3.) ANY ACTIVITY THAT YOU CANNOT STOP DOING.

Verb: 1.) To give a person or animal a chemical that causes him, her, or it to lose feeling or become unconscious.

ALCOHOLIC=DRUG ADDICT
ALCOHOL IS THE STRONGEST OF ALL DRUGS,
THANKFULLY, IT CAN NEVER BE MADE 100% PURE
Remember: The stories of hoochinoo and beewhack.

Sourdough beer is simple to make but disagreeable to drink. If consumed in quantity, it will produce any degree of intoxication. All one needs is a barrel, flour, and water. Into this pour some sourdough and Nature does the rest, from there. A little sugar will speed things up." Beewhack" is never bottled-- only a fool would carry a live bomb.
Using an old rifle barrel and a trade pot North American tribal peoples also created a crude “still". The resultant spirits were known by the Tlingit word Hooch-m-noo, from which we get the term "Hootch "Yukon Hootch, or as the Yanks insist Alaskan Hooch.
All of nature’s ground waters contain a certain percentage of alcohol (up to 3%, enough to get anyone intoxicated, if not for the fact that we consume a like concentration eadh and every day of our lives.) and in the fall or early winter wild berries may also contain enough alcohol to get one tipsy—damn well drunk.
If, that is not enough, our bodies also produce alcohol. But any whoooh! Alcohol does have it’s other uses:
1. Alcohol will remove stains from clothes.
2. Stains from clothes are not the only things alcohol will remove.
3. Alcohol will remove the clothes as well. Strange as it may seem, alcohol will do this not only for the man who drinks it, but also for his wife and children as well.
4. Most democratically, alcohol will remove smiles from the faces of wives and mothers. Or husbands and fathers.
5. It will remove laughter from the lips of innocent children.
6. It will remove even the joy of playtime.
Alcohol will remove heat from the home, furniture from its rooms, and food from its table.
Alcohol is a great remover. As a remover of things alcohol has no peer.
7. It removes fine homes and leaves hovels.
8. It removes plenty; and leaves poverty.
9. It removes fame; and leaves shame.
It removes honour; and leaves humiliation.
10. It removes self-esteem; and leaves disgust.
But removing things is not all that alcohol will do. It not only removes stains, but also creates them.
11. Alcohol can quickly stain a reputation. Worse, it can gradually stain and deform a character. It can mar the potential of any man or woman who indulges. And it can ultimately ruin the person caught in its deceptive snare.
12. Alcohol can mark a man for life with its cursed stain. And it can remove from one's experience everything, great or small, that makes life worthwhile.
But that is not the worst that can happen to man. The real tragedy is that alcohol will bar or remove a man's name from the Book of Life. It will remove from his heart all hope of heaven. It will remove from the realm of possibility fellowship with Nature, both now and in the eternal future.
Nature-the Creator of All says, "Be not deceived: neither fornicators . . . nor thieves . . . nor drunkards . . . nor Gods made in man’s image shall inherit MY KINGDOMS.~~~Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan

Cardiovascular Manifestations of Substance Abuse: Alcohol, Amphetamines, Heroin, Cannabis, and Caffeine.

I am addicted to, have an obsessive compulsive psychological “need” to abuse, drink far, far too much coffee. I sincerely hope that some of my readers will find this abstract as helpful as I have.

Department of Medicine, The New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Centre, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.

Heart Disease (Hagerstown, Md.) [2003]

Abstract: “The abuse of alcohol is associated with chronic cardiomyopathy, hypertension, and arrhythmia. Abstinence or using alcohol in moderation can reverse these cardiovascular problems. Alcohol is also distinguished among the substances of abuse by having possible protective effects against coronary artery disease and stroke when used in moderate amounts. Amphetamines (eg, speed, ice, ecstasy) have many of the cardiovascular toxicities seen with cocaine, including acute and chronic cardiovascular diseases. Heroin and other opiates can cause arrhythmias and noncardiac pulmonary edema, and may reduce cardiac output. Cardiovascular problems are less common with cannabis (marijuana) than with opiates, but major cognitive disorders may be seen with its chronic use. It is still controversial whether caffeine can cause hypertension and coronary artery disease, and questions have been raised about its safety in patients with heart failure and arrhythmia.” Read full article, Google publisher’s site.

Poor Health, Especially Among Men, Costs Canadian Taxpayers $36.9 Billion a Year.

THE EVEN BETTER NEWS IS

Research has shown, time and time again-should the Canadian male, or female just make the decision to (although for senior’s on pension “BENEFITS” the SCAM term politicians prefer to use; when referring to the pensions working Canadians have paid for all their lives and been FORCED to allow the GOVERNMENTS to ADMINISTER such is often next to impossible) to live tobacco free, eat well, participate in regular physical activities, and to do what we can to prevent chronic disease there is absolutely no OTHER reason they should not live to be over  one hundred twenty five (125) years old.

It’s not all or nothing, even small improvements in nutrition and activity add up to big benefits later.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia June 15, 2015 /Canada NewsWire/ - Canadian Men's Health Week is kicking off (more cost, [but, possibly worthwhile, in the ling run] to the taxpayer) with an urgent message: Unhealthy lifestyle choices are running rampant, and they are costing TAXPAYERS (this country) NOT THE GOVERNMENTS an arm and a leg.

A NEW??? ground-breaking study released today shows that smoking, excess weight, over-consumption of alcohol and physical inactivity (I thought we already knew that, one or two thousand years ago) are some of the leading causes of chronic disease, among Canadian men.

The annual economic burden attributable to these four factors is staggering: $36.9 billion. No wonder the second annual Canadian Men's Health Week is striving to raise awareness about this issue and is encouraging men to make small but essential changes to their lifestyles.

The cost of Peoples (men and women) poor health is a huge problem that more and more people are talking about but few are DOING ANYTHING ABOUT. Encouraging men (and women) to make some changes in their lifestyle is helping to prevent up to 70% of these problems without adding another doctor, hospital, or taxpayer expense to the health care system.

The study, commissioned by Canadian Men’s Health Foundation, breaks down the economic burden: Direct health care accounts for $11.9 billion, with the remaining $25.1 billion caused by premature mortality ($14.0 billion), short-term disability ($2.4 billion) and long-term disability ($8.6 billion). Of this, $13.0 billion is attributable to smoking, $11.9 billion to excess weight, $7.6 billion to alcohol, and $4.4 billion to inactivity.*

These four risk factors contribute to approximately 40 different chronic conditions including 78% of chronic lung diseases, 73% of cancers of the head and neck, 72% of lung cancers, 67% of type 2 diabetes, 58% of heart diseases, 56% of strokes, 52% of colorectal cancers, and 30% of chronic back pain.

Should OUR governments ever take some responsibility; start doing-EVEN A SMALL PORTION-of the job to which they have been entrusted; this report reaffirms that healthy life choices by British Colombians WOULD help in lowering the strain on the health system and THE CANADIAN TAXPAYER.

The report is a reminder for all men (and women) of how critically important it is for every one of us try to make better choices – to live tobacco free, eat well, participate in regular physical activities, and to do what we can to prevent chronic disease.

Wake-up to the huge personal and economic costs associated with excess weight, inactivity, smoking and drinking.

The personal costs associated with family tragedy are incalculable.

Poor lifestyle choices are costing Canadians $11 billion in short and long term disability. Health care costs that already absorb more than 40 cents of every ((presently virtually worthless) dollar spent on programs-other than political “PERKS” and SALARIES.

While the economic costs are high, the effects on men's families and communities are even higher.

Widows DO account for 45% of all women aged 65 and over. We men DO need to start making changes to take better care of ourselves, not just for us, but also for the people who count on us and for our communities."

Fierce Determination, a Clear Vision of Their Future, and High Motivation Toward Self Improvement.

Such were the dominant characteristics of most of my acquaintances, classmates, TRUE FRIENDS of early life. Most all of them were highly appreciative of the unlimited opportunities presented by variety and versatility. None were really in a high risk category for developing addictions; for all had clear vision of what was worth the spending away of any portion of their lives—and knew what their futures could and should be. They just did not have the time to sit around in coffee shops, in bars, do drugs, or develop any sort of harmful addiction. Call them “LUCKY" call them an "ELITE" group; call them what you must; THEY RECOGNISED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANY ADDICTION—ANY HABIT (alcohol, cheating, determination, lying, drugs, “sloughing off” smoking, working hard; TAKES TIME and is developed due to CONSCIOUS CHOICE of action. When speaking of addictions and other "BAD" habits,  that conscious decision, invariably is to "GIVE UP"" "QUIT',  and "STOP COMPETING.
Those true, lifelong friends were not out to fight the world or to start any wars. The Blacks, the Browns, the one with Downs Syndrome, the Midget, the Boy With Only One Leg, and the Yellows just felt great joy in being part of Canada-Part of the world.  

Plastic, Plastic, Everywhere, Everywhere Plastic-Drink to Your Health?

Notice the plastic top on the  glass milk bottle.

Have you ever noticed how a re-used water bottle becomes brittle over time? That is because the phthalates have leached out of it - and you have drunk them.

Have you Been Poisoned by Plastic? 

It’s all around us, and it’s poisoning us. Scaremongering, or the truth?

Research has shown that harmful compounds can leach from plastics into the food and drinks that we consume Chemicals in water bottles and food packaging have been linked to infertility and birth defects.

One problem is; that most of us are utterly complacent or even totally ignorant. Like sheep, following the good shepherd right into the slaughterhouse; many of us have long come to trust, implicitly, the commercial food industry and that our government??? actually tries, or is, to capable of, should they ever do so; set safe health wise standards. We’ve all, well most all; come to take plastics so much for granted that we just assume they’re safe. Well, they aren’t!

So, what exactly are these people learning? And, should you follow their example?

The answer is, not much. And, hardly.

For example, a 33-year-old former lawyer who gave up the profession to launch Bare Skin Beauty, her own brand of organic cosmetics, earlier this year; she is one of a growing number of people who actually believes they are turning their backs on plastic bottles, plastic-lined tin cans and anything edible that comes in plastic packaging.
She, and many more like her, have these beliefs because they have all failed to recognise much of the plastic packaging; or, exactly, what, all, is commonly packaged in plastics. The reality is, if you want to avoid biphenyl-a and phthalates is that you probably can’t.

• People, humans, are probably the item most commonly packaged in layers of plastic.
• Plastics are all around us, in compact discs, car parts, carpets, cell phones, the fabrics used in most clothing, computers, cosmetics, key-boards, floor tiles, beds, upholstery - the list is endless.

• "Paper" cups, for hot beverages  all contain plastic.
• Processors all pack soft fruits and vegetables in plastic insulation, to avoid bruising.
• "Butcher" paper has a film of plastic on one side, in order to make it moisture proof,
• All candy wrappers and snack food bags contain plastic.
• One thing you should notice, on a walk through the the Bulk Foods aisle of you favourite supermarket--all the bulk containers are plastic--it does not matter, in the least, what the purchaser decides to put them in, these food products have all been exposed to plastics, numerous times. 

Fortunately, during the past five years, public awareness has slowly very slowly, grown over concerns about compounds in some plastic bottles, food containers, and, some, food packaging. The compounds on which most concerns have focused are biphenyl-a (commonly known, mostly in North America as BPA), which is used in tough polycarbonate products, and in epoxy resins that line rarely “tin” usually galvanised or aluminium cans, and a group of plastic softeners called phthalates.

Research has shown that these compounds can and do leach from plastics into the food (including all “fresh” and highly processed-like ground meat/hamburger) meats now sold in North American Supermarkets, and all the drinks (soft, hard, milk, juice, and bottled water; that we consume - more so if they are heated to high temperatures; which should raise additional concerns not about the kinds of plastics that are used as containers in microwave ovens but freezer/oven braising bags as well.

So prevalent is biphenyl that tests by the United States of the Americas Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in 2004 found it in 93 per cent 93% of urine samples taken from a group of 2,517 people.

Furthermore, a landmark report on biphenyl-a published in 2008 by the United states of the Americas National Toxicology Program concluded that there were concerns over biphenyl-a’s effects on the brain, behaviour and prostate gland development in foetuses, infants and children. It also found that because of the ratio of body weight to exposure, the highest estimated daily intake of Bisphenol A in the general population occurs in infants and children. This is because if a man of 180lb and an infant weighing 20lb ingested 5mg, the infant would have taken in more of the substance than the man, relative to their size.

Such concerns also extend to phthalates - there are 25 different kinds and several are already banned in children’s toys in the European Union/United Kingdom and for certain types of food packaging. Laboratory tests on rats and mice have found that some male offspring of females exposed to phthalates suffered birth defects and sexual development problems; but, so far, when larger mammals (man, as with meat packaging and “real meat” added by-products ‘pink slime’) were tested, the results could not be duplicated. One fact has been proven in tests in several developed countries, including Denmark and Israel, is that male fertility rates have fallen by about a half and rates of testicular cancer have soared since the use of plastics became widespread after World War II. Is this a coincidence, or cause and effect?

Breast Cancer, United Kingdom, believes something is clearly wrong. It was at the forefront of a successful campaign to have baby-feeding bottles containing biphenyl-a banned in the European Union this year. Now it wants the ban extended. 

Minuscule amounts can make an impact and many studies have found evidence that they affect the development of foetuses in the womb.

Scientists say that environmental oestrogen can act as an “endocrine disrupter”, which means it can affect sexual development, leading to breast, prostate and testicular cancer, reduced levels of fertility, and undescended testes. In polluted rivers, it has lead to fish and mollusks actually changing sex from male to female. The problem is that not all studies have found evidence of this.

Over the past few decades an estimated $300 million has been spent on research; resulting in the publication of more than 5,000 papers. The Food Industry, most Government

Bureaucracy, and, Many Research Scientists; are still arguing, over whether or not it is harmful. For the government’s National Cancer; or any other, Plan to be effective, ministers must look beyond lifestyle choices as the cause of soaring cancer rates and consider our routine exposure to chemicals and/or other potentially harmful substances.

If you see plastic that is soft and pliable, then it is because of phthalates. Have you ever noticed how a re-used water bottle becomes brittle over time? That is because the phthalates have leached out of it - and you have drunk them.

Of course, the food processing and chemicals/plastics industries say time has proven that their products are safe; after all just as no one has yet reported dyeing from Canadian E- coli contaminated foods; no one has reported dyeing from plastic poisoning. The British Plastics Federation says: biphenyl-a and phthalates have been the subject of extensive scientific testing and governmental reviews worldwide. “Based on the overwhelming weight of evidence, these assessments have consistently concluded that human exposure levels to both compounds are low and within the safe limits set by government authorities”.

At present, the only real recourse; we could avoid all commercially processed and packaged meals, tinned food and canned drinks. We could use only fresh (home grown, build a large, green house, farmers and commercial packers all use plastic packaging) produce and freshly squeezed(using ceramic, glass, or stainless steel)fruit juice instead. Lastly, we could fire all existing governments and then hire competent people, willing to actually DO the job they were hired to do (thus avoiding the huge cost of elections) - regardless of whether the dangers of plastic containers are real or imagined, these solutions could or can only do us all some real indisputable- no need for further research or scams-good.© Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan. All rights reserved