Negative Drinking Consequences Do Not Alter Readiness to Change Behaviors in Young Adults: Is Peer Pressure King?

Consequences of drinking in general promote very mixed messages. First off, moderate consumption of alcohol (specifically, wine) is often touted as being beneficial to one’s health and is frequently encouraged. Drinking too much, on the other hand, is discouraged

Photo by Flickr user Ben Lesser (http://www.flickr.com/photos/benlesser/2154632525)
Photo by Flickr user Ben Lesser (http://www.flickr.com/photos/benlesser/2154632525)

across the board due to potential harm to oneself or others.

How do these behaviors affect one’s “readiness to change” consumption habits? I can certainly relate to when I was in college and how after a night or two of debauchery I swore up and down I would never drink that much again.

A new study, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, focused on drinking behavior of young adults, and how these behaviors affect their “readiness to change” alcohol consumption habits.

Continue reading Negative Drinking Consequences Do Not Alter Readiness to Change Behaviors in Young Adults: Is Peer Pressure King?

Wine, Mediterranean Diet, and Your Health News for 01/23/2015

Please click on the links below to read the full articles.

Photo by Flickr user NatalieMaynor (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliemaynor/2539111053)
Photo by Flickr user NatalieMaynor (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nataliemaynor/2539111053)

Wine

Alcohol

Olives & Olive Oil

Mediterranean Diet & Healthy Eating

Nuts

Mediterranean Diet May Significantly Reduce Fatty Liver Disease Risk

Fatty liver disease is a metabolic condition that has been liked to type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular diseases. Specifically, fatty

Photo courtesy pixabay.com
Photo courtesy pixabay.com

liver disease is a known risk factor for these diseases, making care and prevention of the disease of utmost important in a world where type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are all too prevalent in society.

A healthy diet, like a Mediterranean-style diet, has been often cited as a way to reduce the risk of fatty liver disease and associated diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

A new study published in the journal Current Opinion in Lipidology reviewed published research on the effects of diet on the risk of fatty liver disease from March 2013 through August 2014. A total of 5 peer-reviewed studies were published during this time period and used for analysis.

Important Findings:

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Wine, Mediterranean Diet, and Your Health News for 01/22/2015

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Photo by Flickr user Michael Bentley (http://www.flickr.com/photos/donhomer/9019573051)
Photo by Flickr user Michael Bentley (http://www.flickr.com/photos/donhomer/9019573051)

Wine

Alcohol

Continue reading Wine, Mediterranean Diet, and Your Health News for 01/22/2015

Healthy Lifestyle Choices Significantly Reduce Heart Disease in Younger Adult Women

While heart disease is one of the top killers of Americans, the number of cases has actually been on the decline recently. Despite this supposed downward trend, cases of heart disease in young women have stabilized. One possible explanation for this lack of

Photo by Flickr user Global Panorama (http://www.flickr.com/photos/121483302@N02/15683243130)
Photo by Flickr user Global Panorama (http://www.flickr.com/photos/121483302@N02/15683243130)

further decline in heart disease cases in young women could be related to lifestyle choices.

A new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology explored this issue by evaluating the proportion of heart disease cases and cardiovascular risk factors among young women that may be related to poor diet and other lifestyle choices.

88,940 younger women between the ages of 27 and 44 were followed between 1991 and 2011.

Lifestyle habits were determined by self-reported questionnaires.

A “healthy lifestyle” was defined by: 1) non-smoker; 2) “normal” BMI; 3) being physically active for at least 2.5 hours per week; 4) watching TV for less than 7 hours per week; 5) eating a healthy diet (i.e. in the top 40% of Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 scores); and 6) consuming between 0.1 and 14.9g/day of alcohol.

Proportion of heart disease and risk factors (inc. diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia) were calculated.

Important Findings:

Continue reading Healthy Lifestyle Choices Significantly Reduce Heart Disease in Younger Adult Women