Addiction V/s Habit The Difference You need to know

People with an addiction do not have control over what they are doing, taking or using. Their addiction may reach a point at which it is harmful. Addictions do not only include physical things we consume, such as drugs or alcohol, but may include virtually anything, such abstract things as gambling to seemingly harmless products, such as chocolate - in other words, addiction may refer to a substance dependence (e.g. drug addiction) or behavioral addiction (e.g. gambling addiction).

 This article focuses mainly on addiction to physical substances.

 In the past addiction used to refer just to psychoactive substances that cross the blood-brain barrier, temporarily altering the chemical balance of the brain; this would include alcohol, tobacco and some drugs. A considerable number of psychologists, other health care professionals and lay people now insist that psychological dependency, as may be the case with gambling, sex, internet, work, exercise, etc. should also be counted as addictions, because they can also lead to feelings of guilt, shame, hopelessness, despair, failure, rejection, anxiety and/or humiliation.

 When a person is addicted to something they cannot control how they use it, and become dependent on it to cope with daily life.

A habit may eventually develop into an addiction

Many of us can use substances or become engaged in activities without any significant problems. Some people, however, may experience damaging psychological and/or physical effects when their habit becomes an addiction. 

What is the difference between a habit and an addiction?

◾Addiction - there is a psychological/physical component; the person is unable to control the aspects of the addiction without help because of the mental or physical conditions involved.

◾Habit - it is done by choice. The person with the habit can choose to stop, and will subsequently stop successfully if they want to. The psychological/physical component is not an issue as it is with an addiction.

 With a habit you are in control of your choices, with an addiction you are not in control of your choices. 

 Addiction to substances or activities can sometimes lead to serious problems at home, work, school and socially. 

 The causes of addiction vary considerably, and are not often fully understood. They are generally caused by a combination of physical, mental, circumstantial and emotional factors. 

 Addiction, often referred to as dependency often leads to tolerance - the addicted person needs larger and more regular amounts of whatever they are addicted to in order to receive the same effect. Often, the initial reward is no longer felt, and the addiction continues because withdrawal is so unpleasant. 

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Night Terrors: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Night terrors (or sleep terrors) differ substantially from standard nightmares and can be incredibly distressing for the sufferer and their family.

 Although night terrors can be genuinely terrifying, they are not normally an indicator of anything more serious and tend to cease of their own accord.

What are night terrors?

Night terrors are nocturnal episodes where the sufferer experiences terror, the sufferer may flail their limbs and scream and shout. Bouts are often associated with sleep walking.

Night terrors are most common in children, but adults can also suffer from them. A normal attack generally lasts between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, but can be substantially longer.1

Night terrors are unpleasant for all involved, but in general they are not a cause for medical concern.

A study conducted in Norway looking at various parasomnias (a category of sleep disorders) asked 1,000 random participants how often they had experienced night terrors. The results showed that 10.4% of respondents had experienced night terrors at one point in their life and 2.7% in the last 3 months. 2

A similar study was conducted in the UK. Of the 4,972 participants, 2.2% reported having experienced night terrors. 3

Extrapolating from these figures we can estimate that more than 7 million people in the US will have experienced night terrors at some point in their lives.

Signs and symptoms of night terrors

Night terrors differ from nightmares. In a nightmare the dreamer may wake up, but during night terrors they will generally stay asleep.

This difference is most likely because of the phase of sleep in which they occur. Nightmares tend to happen during rapid eye movement sleep (REM), towards the end of a night's sleep.

Night terrors, on the other hand, occur in the first third of the night during deeper sleep, also called slow wave sleep or non-REM sleep.4

The signs of a night terror episode can include the following:

◾Scream and shout
◾Sit up in bed
◾Kick and flail
◾Heavy breathing, racing pulse, and profuse sweating
◾Dilated pupils and increased muscle tone
◾Difficult to rouse from sleeping and general confusion if successfully woken
◾Stare wide-eyed as if awake but be unresponsive to stimuli
◾Behave aggressively (more common in adults)
◾Get out of bed and run around the house(D again)
◾Amnesia of the event

What causes night terrors?

There can be a number of potential causes or contributing factors where night terrors are concerned. Here is a short list of some of them:

◾Stress
◾sleep deprivation
◾Light or noise
◾An overfull bladder
◾Spending the night somewhere unfamiliar
◾Possible genetic component

Treatment and prevention of night terrors? 

Generally, there is no need for any kind of medication for night terrors. With children, although it appears distressing, it does not permanently harm them and most children grow out of night terrors. 

Gently restraining your child and speaking calmly can help shorten the episodes.

Treatment is only generally called upon if the episodes are having a significant negative effect on the sufferer or their family's safety or their ability to function during the day. If treatment is necessary it generally falls into these categories: 

◾Treating an underlying condition - such as sleep apnea or a mental health problem

◾Improving sleeping conditions - if sleep deprivation is thought to be a major factor

◾Medication - drugs are rarely used, but benzodiazepines and serotonin re-uptake inhibitors have found to be useful in some cases5 

◾Dealing with stress - therapy or counseling can help if stress seems to be a factor.

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Biggest health mistakes women make in their 50s

1. You ignore heart health.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women, and risk rises as women age. Menopause doesn't cause cardiovascular disease. Rather, it's those bad habits earlier in life, such as smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise that can begin to take a toll on heart health in the 50 and over woman, according to the American Heart Association.

A September 2015 report issued by the CDC on so-called "heart age" versus biological age shows women, on average, have hearts that are five years older than actual chronological age. If a woman has high blood pressure (140 mm Hg or more), her heart's "age" is 18 years older than she is, according to the report.

But the good news is that it's not too late to change habits that increase your risk of heart disease, says Leslie Cho, M.D., director of the Cleveland Clinic's Women's Cardiovascular Center.

"Although some damage may already be done, the evidence points to the fact that changes you make in terms of getting more exercise, eating smarter, losing weight, and quitting smoking, no matter what your age, will benefit your heart," says Cho.

In fact, a study by the German Cancer Research Center of nearly 9,000 people between the ages of 50 and 74 showed that heart attack and stroke risk can be cut by some 40 percent within the first five years of tossing those cigarettes.

This is also the time to make sure you keep up with heart health tests such as blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol testing. "Prevention or early detection, when problems can be easily treated, will help keep a woman active and healthy," says Cho.

Don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask for help. "If you are having problems with exercise or weight loss and blood pressure control, don't think you have to do everything on your own," she says. "Talk to your doctor. He or she can help you."

2. You put up with menopause miseries.

One of the biggest mistakes women make during this time is thinking they have to learn to live with menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, sleeping difficulties, and vaginal and urinary problems. 

Although short-term use of hormonal therapy has been shown to help many women who deal with some of the most severe problems of menopause, not every woman is a candidate or may want to take hormones, says reproductive endocrinologist Barbara Soltes, M.D., of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "But that doesn't mean they have to suffer since there is other help available," she says. 

For example, if hot flashes are causing difficulty, the North American Menopause Society just released findings on what really works to cool the heat. According to their report cognitive behavioral therapy (including relaxation techniques, learning how to feel more positive about menopause, and sleep strategies) can reduce hot flash severity. Clinical hypnosis has some good evidence, too. 

Bladder issues like stress or urge incontinence can also be helped with medications, devices, and behavioral changes, says Soltes, who advises women to see a doctor with a special interest in menopause if they are having any menopausal difficulties.

3. You think sex is over.

Sexual frequency can decline with age, but a survey published in The New England Journal of Medicine shows even 75- to 85-year-olds had sex two to three times a month, with more than 20 percent reporting sexual relations at least once a week. 

However, sex can change due to hormonal upheavals at menopause, which can cause vaginal dryness and potentially painful sex. But over-the-counter lubricating products can help, as can prescription topical estrogen, says Kat Van Kirk, a licensed family and marriage therapist and board-certified clinical sexologist in Lihue, Hawaii. (Yoga, Kegel exercises, and pelvic floor physical therapy may also help some women improve sexual function, according to The North American Menopause Society.) 

It's important for women to remember that sex ". . . can be hugely beneficial to our bodies, minds and spirits," says Van Kirk, often resulting in improved pelvic muscle tone, healthier vaginal tissues, and better psychological well-being. 

Despite the challenges, sexual relationships can actually improve as people age since women no longer fear pregnancy and couples have less stress about careers or financial situations.

4. You believe weight gain is inevitable.

Here's the real story: The risk of weight gain rises due to advancing age, but it does not mean extra pounds are inevitable. But you do have to work harder to maintain your weight and to lose weight, says Rush Medical Center's Soltes. 

That's because so-called energy expenditures decrease during menopause due to loss of muscle and hormonal changes. "If you eat the same things and exercise the same amount as you did in your thirties, you could potentially still gain weight," says Soltes. "Women don't want to hear that, but it is biology." 

A good starting point is the American Heart Association's recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate exercise every week, broken into 30 minutes, five times a week, or smaller increments such as 15 minutes twice a day, says Cho, of the Cleveland Clinic. 

While exercise is great, you have to eat a little smarter, too. A study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion followed nearly 200 middle-aged women for three years, tracking eating patterns, overall health and lifestyle. The researchers found women who did not change their eating habits as they aged were 138 percent more likely to put on 6.6 pounds or more during midlife. 

The fix is to eat more fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, and be aware of what you are putting on your plate, says Soltes. 

5. You lose your sense of "purpose."

"Purpose" provides structure to our lives, says psychiatrist Niranjan Karnik, M.D. of Rush University Medical Center. And when retirement or other age-related challenges loom, some individuals may lose their sense of "purpose" and positivity, leading to poor health and poorer sense of well-being, he adds. 

Having "purpose" in midlife and beyond doesn't mean you have to strive to change the world — although if you think you can, why not try? Rather, ". . . it's simply finding meaning in the day to day," whether that's gardening, learning a new language, volunteering at a local pet shelter, or even starting a new career if you want, says Karnik. 

It's these small things that can pay some big dividends. A study of some 6,000 people, who were a part of the Midlife in the United States study, found a lower risk of mortality during the study's 14-year-follow-up among participants who had a sense of purpose in life and maintained good social relationships. 

A study at Rush University showed having "purpose" later in life slowed cognitive decline by about 30 percent. Other studies show "purpose" reduces your risk of heart failure, Alzheimer's disease, and may even make an individual more likely to follow a healthy lifestyle. 

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Dental Myths May Be Hurting Your Health

Research shows that your teeth can speak volumes about your overall health, so it’s important to be informed when it comes to taking care of your mouth.

Sugar is the main cause of tooth decay.

We’ve all heard it growing up:  Sugar will rot your teeth. But while sugar can lead to cavity formation – as well as a variety of other health maladies – it’s not the real culprit when it comes to tooth decay.

"This is a myth in a sense because sugar, while being 'the gasoline in the tank' is not the cause of tooth decay. It's actually acids from bacteria that have gone to the dark side,” Curatola told FoxNews.com. “We talk about good bugs and bad bugs; bad bugs are actually an unhealthy expression of natural bacteria in the mouth.”

“Bad bugs” are formed when you digest carbohydrates. Refined sugar is an example, but other carbohydrates can include healthy foods like vegetables, fruits and grains. These “bad bugs” produce acid in your mouth that, when combined with saliva, result in plaque formation.

Teeth whitening will damage your enamel.

The key ingredients in over-the-counter whitening products are hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which work as oxidizing agents to remove stains on the surface of the enamel. White strips, trays and pastes meant for at-home use usually contain about 3 to 10 percent of these active ingredients and are generally considered safe. Curatola noted as with everything, moderation is important.

“Really, the safest teeth whitening is done under the supervision of a dentist or a dental hygienist in a dental office … There's a lot of over-the-counter products that can damage your enamel,” said Curatola. “If the product is too acidic, the product is too strong …  Overuse or misuse of these products can cause the enamel to get fragile and even more porous. These are the kinds of things that really need more regulation, and they can be damaging, but teeth whitening by itself is a safe treatment.”

Silver fillings don’t need to be replaced.

One of the most hotly debated issues among dentists these days is whether or not old, silver amalgam fillings in the mouths of so many Americans are safe.  

“A lot of patients are not even informed that silver-colored fillings are actually 52 percent mercury,” said Curatola. “There's also research – and it's proven that mercury leeches out over time from these silver fillings – more if you drink hot liquids and chew things. My opinion is that I don’t think any amount of mercury is good, and especially if [these fillings are] breaking down, they should be replaced.”

Mercury is a powerful neurotoxin that at certain levels has been linked to autoimmune diseases, neurological issues, chronic diseases and even mental disorders.  One concern among dental professionals is that people with amalgam fillings who grind their teeth, chew gum and drink hot or carbonated drinks could be exposed to a dangerous level of mercury vapors.

Mouthwash with alcohol is good to use.

The use of mouthwash containing alcohol has been linked with oral cancer since the 1970s. But more recent research has questioned the association, citing that many study participants who frequently use alcohol-containing mouthwash were drinkers and smokers, making it hard to establish a definitive cause-and-effect outcome. But Curatola warns that frequent use of these mouthwashes can lead to other dental problems.  

“Mouthwash should not have alcohol,” said Curatola. “Alcohol is dehydrating and denaturing to this natural ecology of the mouth called the oral microbiome.”

Wisdom teeth serve no purpose.

Wisdom teeth are a product of evolution that got their name from the time that they appear in your mouth – usually between the ages of 17 to 25. It is thought that the coarse food our ancestors ate caused the jaw to grow larger and stronger, allowing for more teeth in our mouths. But over time, our jaws began to shrink to make way for our growing brains, leaving many people with overcrowded mouths and painful impactions when their wisdom teeth break through.   

“Wisdom teeth are called vestigial organs, like your tonsils and your appendix,” said Curatola. “I don't think every child should have their wisdom teeth ripped out, but I do believe that we are finding an intraspecies evolution where wisdom teeth are not having room to erupt, and if they are malpositioned, they can cause problems [like] cysts in the jaw, infections and pain.”

If your wisdom teeth are not causing you any problems, you may want to think about leaving them where they are. Research out of Japan shows that the pulp inside your molars contains stem cells similar to those found in bone marrow. Some experts say that banking those stem cells could lead to the ability to regrow teeth in the future.  

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Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers your questions on processed meats, Complete Latest Details on Processed Meat

I recently Blogged About The consequences about Processed Meat and it's effects that it caused Cancer According to WHO.
But still the Accurate reason is hard to find and many Researchers are finding the correct reasons about it.

Here's a latest update given by Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Of the thousands of things the World Health Organization has studied for possible links to cancer, this week's announcement that hot dogs, bacon and other processed meats increase the risk of colon cancer was especially hard to swallow for many.

It's a finding that has many seeking a deeper understanding about what this means.

Is eating bacon as bad as smoking? Exactly how much processed meat is harmful? Are your children at risk?


Lots of meat-eaters have enjoyed long lives and never got cancer. Why should I change my eating habits?

This is a discussion about risk across populations of people. There are smokers who live a long time as well. In just about everything we do in life -- we are constantly (sometimes subconsciously) evaluating the risk and benefit. With regard to this new study: It really comes down to balancing your risk tolerance with your love of bacon.


What exactly is a processed meat?

The World Health Organization (WHO) report defines processed meat as "meat that has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to enhance flavour or improve preservation." Many processed meats may contain other red meats or meat by-products.


Everything causes cancer! Why take this seriously?

It is true that we are exposed to all sorts of different carcinogens, even before we are born. What is interesting here is that based on 800 studies looking back 20 years, we can better quantify risk -- as is the case with processed meats and colon cancer.


How much processed meat can I give my kids before their risk for cancer increases?

 This new report looked at daily consumers of processed meat and concluded that each 50-gram portion of processed meat increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. That's the equivalent of two pieces of bacon, two slices of ham, or one piece of smoked sausage.


If I can't see myself stopping my meat consumption and eat it in moderation, what is my best bet?

This new WHO report classifies processed meat as Group 1 -- carcinogenic to humans -- based on sufficient scientific evidence. Red meat is classified as Group 2A -- probably carcinogenic to humans -- based on limited scientific evidence. For now, you're better off with red, unprocessed meats.

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