Heavy smoking can make you look older

Heavy tobacco smoking may give you a "Smoker's Face" -- a condition where people look older than they are, according to a study.

Researchers in the UK noted that some people carry one or two copies of a genetic variant linked with heavier tobacco use.

To identify the effects of heavy smoking, scientists can separate out the effects of the genetic variant through tobacco use from other possible effects associated with carrying that variant that are unrelated to tobacco use.

To simultaneously identify these two types of effects the study, published in the journal, used a novel combination of two data analysis approaches and applied them using data from people in the UK Biobank.

The researchers separated people into two groups. The first contained people who had never smoked, and the second included current and former smokers.

They reasoned that the smoking group would reveal the effects of tobacco exposure, while the never-smokers would show them any unrelated effects of the genetic variant.

The analysis searched across 18,000 traits and apart from finding more rapid facial ageing, also identified several previously reported effects of smoking, confirming the method's effectiveness, the researchers said.

The known effects of smoking that the analysis identified included worse lung function, and higher risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and skin cancer, they said.

"We proposed a novel approach that can be used to search for causal effects of health exposures, and demonstrated this approach to search for the effects of smoking heaviness," study author said in a statement.

"We searched across thousands of traits to identify those that may be affected by how heavily someone smokes," he said.

As well as identifying several known adverse effects such as on lung health, the researchers also found an adverse effect of heavier smoking on facial ageing.

this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.     
https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  
https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and healthy recipes    
https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement              

Heavy drinking can change your DNA

Are you a heavy drinker? Take note. Besides alcohol taking a toll on your health in many ways, it may also trigger a long-lasting genetic change resulting in an even greater craving for alcohol, researchers  have warned.

"We found that people who drink heavily may be changing their DNA in a way that makes them crave alcohol even more," said a Prof. "This may help explain why alcoholism is such a powerful addiction, and may one day contribute to new ways to treat alcoholism or help prevent at-risk people from becoming addicted," said the Prof.

For the study, researchers focused on two genes implicated in the control of drinking behaviour: PER2, which influences the body's biological clock, and POMC, which regulates our stress-response system.

By comparing groups of moderate, binge and heavy drinkers, the team found that the two genes had changed in binge and heavy drinkers through an alcohol-influenced gene modification process called methylation, according to the findings.

In addition, the binge and heavy drinkers also showed reductions in gene expression, or the rate at which these genes create proteins. These changes increased with greater alcohol intake.
Also, in another experiment, the drinkers viewed stress-related, neutral or alcohol-related images. They were also shown containers of beer and subsequently tasted beer, and their motivation to drink was evaluated. 

Results showed that alcohol-fuelled changes in the genes of binge and heavy drinkers were associated with a greater desire for alcohol. The findings may eventually help researchers identify biomarkers -- measurable indicators such as proteins or modified genes -- that could predict an individual's risk for binge or heavy drinking, the Prof. noted.

In 2016, more than 3 million people died from the harmful use of alcohol. More than three quarters of alcohol-caused deaths were among men. The harmful use of alcohol also caused 5.1 per cent of disease and injuries worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

THIS IS ONLY FOR INFORMATION, ALWAYS CONSULT YOU PHYSICIAN BEFORE HAVING ANY PARTICULAR FOOD/ MEDICATION/EXERCISE/OTHER REMEDIES.                                    PS- THOSE INTERESTED IN RECIPES ARE FREE TO  VIEW MY BLOG-                                                                                           https://gseasyrecipes.blogspot.com/       
                                                                                                                                                                      FOR INFO ABOUT KNEE REPLACEMENT, YOU CAN VIEW MY BLOG-                                                  https:// kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com/           
                                                                           FOR CROCHET DESIGNS                                                                                                                                                                                                  https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com  

10 Worst Female Health Habits

Finishing off their kids’ meals: Although this applies only to moms, it’s such a common habit that we had to include it in this list. In an attempt to reduce left overs and wasted food, many moms wipe off their kids’ plates at the end of a meal. Depending on how much the child has left, this could be a substantial addition of calories and can seriously derail the mom’s weight management efforts.


Wearing heavy earrings : One of the best things about being a woman is the joy of accessorising! And who can resist a great pair of earrings? Some women, however, go overboard when it comes to wearing large, dangling earrings. Cosmetic surgeons are often approached by women who’ve torn their ear lobes because of constantly wearing big earrings or worse, sleeping with their earrings on. To avoid torn earlobes, it’s best to wear light earrings on a daily basis or wear heavy ones with a chain as support.




Indulging in fad diets:   The need to lose weight, and lose it fast, causes women of all ages to turn to fad diets. From cabbage soup diets to zero carb diets, almost all these fad diets have been proven to be disasters. Not only do they cause your weight to go through the roof the second you get off the diet, they can also cause serious medical harm. The only trick to weight loss is a healthy diet, regular exercise and enough sleep.




Not wearing the right bra: The right bra not only gives you a great shape and allows your clothes to fit better; it can also be a huge contributor to better back health. Wearing a bra that’s the wrong size or one that does not give you the support you need can cause neck and back pain, as well as cause circulation problems. So get yourself measured for the right size and get a bra that fits you well.




Carrying very heavy bags:  Many women, especially moms, often joke that they carry the world in their bags. And while it’s convenient to have everything you need in your bag, a very heavy bag can take a serious toll on your neck and back health. Try and take out unnecessary items from your handbag and if you carry a laptop, use a bag pack to carry it, as against a sling bag.




Wearing ultra tight jeans: While the skinny jean trend is a huge fashion hit, it may not be the best thing for your health. Studies have shown that constrictive clothing can cause a number of medical conditions like vaginal yeast infections, bladder infections and even blood clots in the legs. You may have noticed abdominal discomfort when you eat while wearing tight clothing. Constantly wearing tight jeans can worsen the condition.



Wearing uncomfortable shoes: From wearing flimsy flip-flops that provide little to no support, to wearing very high heels that can play havoc on the joints, women around the country are guilty of putting style before support. While flip-flops or V-slippers seem like a comfortable option for a hot country as ours, most of them provide very little arch or heel support. Also, being as open as they are, they expose the feet to dust and other dirt from the roads. Heels over 2 inches high have been known to have an adverse effect on the joints and can even contribute to osteoarthritis that affects the knees, hips, ankles and feet. For daily wear to college or work, remember to wear comfortable shoes that provide cushioning, as well as support to the entire foot.




Avoiding weight training in gyms: Many women believe that lifting weights as part of their gym workout will lead to them bulking up like men. The truth is that because of the presence of oestrogen in women’s bodies, weight training will not lead to bulky muscles, but rather will help to burn fat, strengthen bones and even cut down the risk of diseases like osteoporosis and diabetes in the future.


Wearing synthetic underwear: Heat, moisture and synthetic clothing can be a breeding ground for yeast infections and itching and you definitely don’t want that in your private regions. Wearing sexy underwear or thongs once in a while is not a bad idea, but for daily use, stick to good old cotton underwear.




Not paying attention to heart health: For some reason, heart disease and heart attacks are only associated with men. While it’s true that oestrogen protects women’s heart for a majority of their lives, post menopause, women are as susceptible to heart disease as men. But the notion that heart disease doesn’t touch women is so strong that very often women even ignore symptoms of a heart attack. Ignoring heart health is a big mistake and women as well as men should take all the necessary measures to ensure a healthy heart.