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Alcohol Is Killing More People Than Opioids

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Alcohol is killing more adults in the United States than the opioid epidemic, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington. The surge in alcohol-related deaths is new and, for many, it is surprising.

Deaths From Drinking

The opioid epidemic has gotten quite a bit of news coverage. However, it turns out the drinking epidemic may be more harmful to the U.S. population. Opioids kill around 72,000 people each year. Alcohol kills 88,000. All in all, drinking leads to 2.5 million years of potential life lost.

Over the past decade, the number of alcohol-related deaths has increased by 35 percent. Surprisingly, the demographic being affected by the alcohol epidemic is young women. Among this group, alcohol-related deaths rose by 67 percent, compared to only 27 percent for men.

Alcohol Is Killing More Women

The National Institute on Alcohol and Abuse and Alcoholism says women are more susceptible to these types of deaths because they generally weigh less than men. This makes women feel the effects of alcohol faster and those who drink excessively are prone to liver damage, heart disease, breast cancer, and possible pregnancy complications.

The Institute has also found that 9.3 percent of women said they drank alcohol while pregnant. Another 51.1. percent drank alcohol in general, compared to 61.3 percent of men. Twenty-two percent of those surveyed said they engaged in binge drinking in the past month, compared to 32.1 percent of men. Only 5.4 percent of female drinkers and 7.4 percent of men received help for an alcohol disorder.

Researchers did have some good news to uncover in the report though. Overall, teen drinking deaths are on the decline (down 16 percent in 10 years). However, deaths attributed to drinking for people between the ages of 45 and 64 have increased by 25 percent.

Who Cares?

Although it seems like women are drinking less than men, overall, they are still experiencing a higher rate of mortality associated with drinking. It is important to note that most of the alcohol deaths included in the report are not instantaneous. Many of them develop over time.

Location is also a factor. At the top of the list for most alcohol deaths is the District of Columbia, followed by Georgia and Alabama. Other states on the list are general places with lower alcohol control policies (Nevada, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Wyoming).

The bigger question here is, with alcohol-related deaths on the rise, why do Americans still feel that drinking in excess is acceptable? Psychologist Benjamin Miller noted, “Culturally, we’ve made it acceptable to drink but not to go out and shoot up heroin,” he said. “A lot of people will read this and say ‘What’s the problem?’”

Readers, what do you think about the latest report? Are you surprised alcohol-related deaths are on the rise?

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Smoking is Bad But Not Exercising May Be More Deadly

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Of course, smoking is bad for your health. That has been common knowledge for decades. Others argue your diet leads to more health problems than anything else. However, a new study found that a third factor is more important and most Americans are ignoring it completely: fitness. Not exercising may, in fact, be more deadly than smoking.

Study: Not Exercising is More Deadly Than Smoking

The study, which was published Friday in JAMA Network Open, took a look at 122,007 patients between 1991 and 2014. Each of the patients involved was subjected to a treadmill exercise test. After recording the results of the tests, researchers then took note of each patient’s mortality rate.

They also took a look at the patients’ habits, medical history, and how long they survived after the treadmill test (noting the median follow-up after the test was 8.4 years). What they found was a clear connection between high levels of exercise and longer, healthier lives.

While the study isn’t necessarily telling us anything new (we all know we should exercise), it points out something much more problematic. That is that a sedentary lifestyle or a lifestyle that incorporates no exercise is equal to having a major disease.

Are You Skipping Your Workout?

In some cases, researchers found a sedentary lifestyle to be three times as bad as smoking for health. Only about 23% of Americans get enough exercise.

Researchers called upon healthcare professionals to begin to encourage their patients to lead more active lives. It is the easiest and cheapest thing you can do to extend your lifespan and increase your overall health. And, it is undoubtedly one of the easiest things to push off.

If you get home at the end of a busy day, the last thing you want to do is go on a run. Getting up earlier simply means you are getting less sleep. So, it is easy to say you don’t have time, but just imagine how much time you’re adding to your life by doing this one simple thing.

Exercise on a Dime

Another excuse many people use to talk themselves into not exercising is the cost of going to a gym. However, that isn’t a good excuse anymore. There are plenty of ways to get your workout in on a dime.

  1. Groupon: Groupon is a great place to get cheap exercise classes. For instance, there is a cycling class nearby that usually runs $99 per month. Groupon is running a deal that makes it so you’ll only pay $30 for the first month (and you can cancel after that).
  2. Free places to workout: If your local park has an outdoor gym or other “workout” machines outdoors, take advantage of it. You can also find other locally-run places to workout for free (or really cheap).
  3. Discounted memberships: As mentioned above, Groupon is a great place to get discounted memberships or exercise classes. However, you can also see about getting a discounted membership at the gym itself. Sometimes they run deals that will cut your membership in half or wave the joining fee. Keep an eye out for these deals.
  4. Workout videos online: You don’t necessarily even need to leave your home either. Check out these workout videos online and get your cardio in in the comfort of your own home.
  5. Check out Pinterest: Pinterest is another great place to find workouts you can do at home. Search for exercises by body part or skill level and you’ll be able to put together the perfect at-home workout.
  6. Walk! Walking is one of the best ways to get exercise every day and most people don’t do enough of it. Instead of driving to lunch, consider going somewhere within walking distance. Or map out some time during the day where you can take a break, soak up some sunshine, and get some exercise.

There was no doubt that making time to exercise is important. Now, with the findings from this new study, you really can’t afford to be not exercising.

Readers, what do you think of these findings? Does it make you want to jump into the gym this week? 

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Contrary to Popular Belief, Vitamin D Supplements Don’t Improve Bone Health

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If you’ve been spending money on vitamin D supplements, you may be able to save some cash. Recent scientific findings show that, contrary to popular belief, these supplements don’t do anything to improve bone health.

Doctors Mark Bolland and Andrew Grey from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, along with Dr. Alison Avenell from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, took a look at a set of randomized controlled trials. In each trial, there were adults taking vitamin D to improve bone health. The doctors evaluated the findings of each of these to determine if vitamin D supplements prevent bone loss, fractures, and falls.

So, how does vitamin D impact your overall bone health?

Vitamin D Supplements Don’t Do Much… For Bone Health

The review took a look at 81 trials including more than 53,000 participants. What they found was that vitamin D supplements have no significant impact on the risk of fractures, broken bones, or falls. This was true no matter what dose they took.

“Since the last major review of [the] evidence in 2014, more than 30 randomized, controlled trials on vitamin D and bone health have been published, nearly doubling the evidence available,” said Dr. Bolland.

It was concluded that there is little justification that vitamin D supplements will help maintain or improve musculoskeletal health. Because of these findings, the researchers involved hope doctors will consider altering their guidelines. Although vitamin D supplements won’t harm your health, they are largely unnecessary for maintaining bone health.

How to Get Vitamin D Naturally

You probably don’t need to take vitamin D at all. The researchers pointed out that natural vitamin D, through sunlight or vitamin D-rich food, can help your body absorb calcium. This is what will help you build and maintain bone strength. However, supplements do not have the same effect.

It is recommended that you get 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure without sunscreen between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least twice a week. This will improve your overall health more than any supplement on the market.

People in need of additional vitamin D can also get it through vitamin D-rich foods. These foods include cod liver oil, swordfish, salmon, tuna, sardines, orange juice, milk, yogurt, margarine, eggs, beef liver, and Swiss cheese. Eating just three ounces of salmon can provide you with 112% of the daily recommended vitamin D.

Who Needs Vitamin D Supplements?

This doesn’t go to say everyone should flush their supplements down the toilet. However, before you go wasting money on more vitamin D pills, you should chat with your doctor.

Older individuals are more likely to need more vitamin D than others. There are also a number of medical conditions that may require vitamin D supplements. For instance, people with inflammatory bowel disease or individuals who’ve had a gastric bypass surgery may need supplements because their bodies cannot absorb vitamin D from food. Individuals living in areas of the world where it is difficult to get sun exposure may also need supplements.

All in all, until another study proves anything different, vitamin D supplements are largely a waste of time and money.

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Scientists: Baby Poop May Hold Beneficial Probiotics to Prevent and Treat Disease

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When you think about a dirty diaper you don’t generally think, “yum.” However, scientists have found evidence that a cocktail containing baby poop may hold beneficial probiotics to help prevent and fight disease.

Gut Health and Probiotics

If you cringed reading that sentence, you’re not alone, but it is true. Baby poop may be a source of microbes that promote healthy digestion. Recent studies have shown that there are certain types of bacteria present in baby feces that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in mice and a simulated human gut.

SCFA are a subset of fatty acids that are associated with maintaining gut health and protecting against disease. “Short-chain fatty acids are a key component of good gut health,” lead study author Hariom Yadav, said in a statement. “People with diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disorders and cancers frequently have fewer short-chain fatty acids. Increasing them may be helpful in maintaining or even restoring a normal gut environment, and hopefully, improving health.”

Digestive health disorders like this lead to more than $141 billion in direct and indirect costs each year. So, finding a natural and cost-effective way to treat people is important.  Scientists found that a probiotic containing baby poop microbes may be able to boost SCFA production in a compromised digestive system.

Studying Gut Bacteria and Digestive Health

In previous studies, scientists have verified that fecal microbiota transplants (poop transplants) can help treat gut disorders. This treatment involves infusing bacteria from a healthy donor’s poop into an individual affected by a disease in their digestive system. A transplant of this type helps balance the microbial diversity within a gut infected with Clostridium difficile (C. diff), a bad gut bacteria that can lead to the development of serious digestive disorders.

All previous studies wanted to see how probiotics and transplants may impact guts already impacted by disease. The newest study, however, wanted to take a look at how a probiotic may impact the production of SCFA in a healthy gut.

How Baby Poop Might Make a Difference

Researchers chose to investigate the impact with baby poop because their guts are generally free from any age-related diseases. Also, “their poop is readily available,” Yadav noted.

The study, which was relatively small, took a look at 10 bacterial strains in samples from 34 babies. The researchers identified these strains as good candidates for creating a 10-bacterial probiotic cocktail that would stimulate SCFA production.

To determine whether or not this cocktail would, in fact, help SCFA production, they tested different doses of the probiotic blend in mice. They also tested it in human feces to mimic the human digestive system.

Their findings showed that a single dose was enough to maintain a healthy microbial balance and the blend helped increase SCFA production in both mice and humans.

“This work provides evidence that these human-origin probiotics could be exploited as [treatments] for human diseases associated with gut microbiome imbalance and decreased SCFA production in the gut,” Yadav stated. “Our data should be useful for future studies aimed at investigating the influence of probiotics on human microbiome, metabolism and associated diseases.”

Because this study was done on such a small scale, much more research is needed before people will be able to buy baby poop probiotic health products in stores. However, researchers are optimistic that they’ve found something that may help millions of people with digestive health issues.

Readers, would you ingest a baby poop probiotic smoothie? 

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Medical Marijuana and Medicare Coverage

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As more states embrace the idea of medical marijuana, many Medicare beneficiaries wonder, “Does Medicare pay for medical marijuana?” Often, the question stems from the fact that cannabis is still illegal at the federal level.  Medicare is a federal government program.

The Federal Government’s Stance on Medical Marijuana

Marijuana is a Schedule 1 controlled substance. The federal government believes that it has a high potential for abuse. It states that there is no accepted medical treatment that utilizes medical marijuana. Additionally, they assert that there are no accepted safety standards regarding the use of marijuana as a medical treatment.

Additionally, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal government agency which approves prescription drugs, has not recognized marijuana as a medicine.

Does Medicare Pay For Medical Marijuana?

No. Marijuana is not an approved treatment for any medical condition and not officially classified as a medicine. Therefore, Medicare will not cover medical marijuana, regardless of whether a beneficiary has a prescription.

Is There Any Medical Marijuana Insurance Coverage?

Probably not. Most private insurance companies take the same stance as the federal government in regards to marijuana as a viable treatment option for any medical condition, even if you have a prescription. This means that medical marijuana insurance coverage essentially does not exist.

Are There Any Marijuana-Based Medications?

Yes. The FDA has approved medications such as those containing cannabinoids, which are chemical compounds found in marijuana that can assist with specific health conditions.

For example, Marinol (dronabinol) contains cannabinoids, and often treats severe nausea and vomiting. They are often used with chemotherapy, and to increase the appetites of persons with AIDS.

Epidiolex (cannabidiol) is an oral solution that contains CBD, a chemical substance in marijuana that does not produce the euphoria or intoxication that commonly comes with marijuana use. It is used to treat seizures associated with Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. These are both two severe forms of epilepsy.

Medicare does cover Marinol and Epidiolex through Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans. Many private insurers will offer coverage as well.

Can You Use Medical Marijuana as a Medicare Beneficiary?

If medical marijuana is legal where you live, you may be able to use it even it if you are a Medicare beneficiary. As long as you have a current prescription, you can purchase medical marijuana on your own.

However, any costs associated with the purchase of medical marijuana will not go toward your Medicare prescription drug plan out-of-pocket maximum. This means the financial burden is entirely on your shoulders.

Additionally, since medical marijuana is not legal at the federal level, you cannot claim the cost as a medical expense on your federal income taxes. This is true regardless of whether it is legal in your state.

States also will not allow medical marijuana to count as a medical expense deduction. The majority of states follow federal rules regarding what is deductible, using your federal adjusted gross income as a basis for state income taxes. This means you cannot separately deduct the expense on your state taxes alone.

Is Medical Marijuana Different from Recreational Marijuana?

No.  By and large, medical marijuana isn’t different from recreational marijuana in states that have made both legal. Both options come from marijuana plants and feature many of the same chemicals.

However, there can be differences between individual marijuana products. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD levels can vary from one strain or product to the next, impacting how “high” a person feels, how much it reduces pain, and similar effects. In states where medical and recreational marijuana are both legal, legislation often requires packaging that identifies how much THC and/or CBD is present. This serves as both a regulatory measure and it helps to inform buyers.

There are factors that may affect illegally purchased marijuana, such as the marijuana you purchase through a local drug dealer. Product purchased on the street may contain other substances, including potentially hazardous ones, or have varying compositions that impact effectiveness.

Ultimately, Medicare and other insurers are not likely to cover medical marijuana unless it is made legal at the federal level and becomes an FDA-approved treatment for specific medical conditions. Until that time, even those with prescriptions will have to manage the costs on their own.

Have you or someone you know ever used medical marijuana? Tell us about it in the comments below.

New Research Shows Ties Restrict Blood Flow to the Brain

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Men who are comfortably dressed are generally more productive throughout the day. According to new research, this may be because ties restrict blow flow to the brain, thereby reducing productivity.

The study, which was published in Neuroradiology, took place in Germany at the University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein. To determine the impact of wearing a tie on blood flow, the study authors took MRI brain scans of 30 young men. Half of the men were instructed to wear comfortable, open-collared shirts. The other half were asked to wear a business shirt and tie with the knot tightened to the point of slight discomfort.

Researchers found ties may be squeezing the veins in the neck and thereby limiting blow flow.  The group of men wearing ties had 7.5% less blood flow to the brain which can impact an individual’s ability to be productive throughout the workday.

In more extreme cases, not having enough blood flow to the brain can cause a stroke and kill organ tissue. If the individual already has high blood pressure, it could prove to be fatal. And, in the short term, experts warn it can impair your cognitive functioning.

This study follows previous research finding that ties may increase pressure in the eyes of individuals who wear them as well and MRI studies that show cognitive function is strongly impacted by changes in cerebral metabolism.

Should You Stop Wearing Ties?

Does this study mean is there enough evidence to throw out all your ties?

No. Before you run to the HR department about changing the office dress code, it is important to remember this study had a number of limitations.

For example the study examined a very small group of individuals.  The study also was not clear on what the specific impact of decreased blood flow may be. The study didn’t delve into changes in reaction time or decision-making skills.  Also, the researchers asked the group of men wearing ties to adjust them to the point of slight discomfort.  Comfortable ties might have not have the same effect on blood flow and cognitive functioning.

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