Alcohol and drug abuse are costly---not only for the users, but for America in general. In fact, half a trillion dollars are lost annually due to health, crime-related expenses and productivity losses, according to the National Institute on Drug...
The abuse of alcohol and drugs can cause many serious medical conditions. Drug abuse can include the use of street drugs, as well as prescription drugs when they are not used in a manner prescribed by a physician. Drugs can be found as liquid,...
Drug and alcohol abuse are serious public health problems that affect millions of people in the United States directly and/or indirectly. MedlinePlus reported in 2010 that approximately 40 million people in the United States become ill or injured...
Alcoholism is the inability to stop drinking alcohol or to control the amount of alcohol you drink. Alcohol in large quantities is a toxin that damages many bodily organs. Most, if not all, alcoholics have serious health problems from their...
Adolescents who consume illicit drugs, cigarettes and alcohol have lower self-esteem, a more liberal attitude toward and greater knowledge of these substances compared to adolescents who do not use these substances, according to a study published...
From the perspective of pure health, quitting alcohol, if you drink, is one of the best things you can do for your body. It goes well beyond having a headache and upset stomach the morning after a bender. Excessive and even moderate drinking are...
Drugs abuse can involve illegal, prescription and over-the-counter drugs. PeaceHealth estimates that in the United States and Canada, approximately 40 percent of adults will use an illegal drug. Using excessive amounts of these drugs affect the...
A few drinks throughout the week won't affect you too much, but a weekend ritual of binge drinking may take its toll not only on your social life, but on your skin as well. Alcohol depletes skin of moisture, vitamins and nourishment, leaving it...
Studies have shown that people who abuse alcohol or smoke regularly are more likely to develop cataracts and other eye problems down the line. Some researchers hypothesize that the toxins in cigarette smoke (and potentially in alcohol) can damage...
There's some debate about the effects of marijuana on a growing fetus. It's difficult to study because there's not a large pool of women to sample and previous tests have included women who also smoke, use other drugs or drink alcohol. Some...
Certain foods can cause you to sweat almost immediately after consumption. Different foods make this happen for different reasons. Some foods do it by temporarily increasing your metabolic rate, causing you to burn more calories. Other foods...
The term "detox" is used to describe two types of programs: detox diets and detox programs for drug and alcohol abuse. Each has its own standard processes. Detox diets are intended to cleanse the body of toxins, bloat and excess weight by limiting...
Substance abuse and chemical dependency can have a devastating effect on the individual and the family. Often the individual enters a rehab facility, where he undergoes some form of treatment, and leaves only to return a few months later....
"I have a whole new set of problems to think about now because of a choice I made in one stupid second...," reads an excerpt from "Incredibly Disgusting Drugs: Hallucinogens and Your Neurons." Having abused alcohol before trying a drug for the...
Everyone knows about the link between cancer and smoking, cut if you're interested in links between cancer and what you eat and drink, things can get complicated. According to the American Cancer Society, some nutrients in your diet can protect...
Partying, puffing on cigarettes, being a couch potato and packing in the junk food impacts health here and now and in the future. For example, you may immediately feel bloated or suffer stomach issues after drinking too much, be lethargic after a...
In order to help metabolize the proteins and carbohydrates you consume as well as avoid an excess of fluid retention, you need a healthy balance of potassium in your diet. Because potassium is present in many different foods as well as in the...
Alcohol and tobacco use increase the risk for many of the diseases effecting mortality rates in the United States today. Smoking harms nearly every organ in the body and alcohol can increase the chances of injury, accident, assault and damage to...
As reported by the National Cancer Institute, 29,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer every year in the United States. The pancreas is both an exocrine gland and an endocrine gland and is six inches long, located just below the stomach...
Wild American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a medicinal herb that's used for its roots. Ginseng has been used for centuries in treating an array of ailments, and medical researchers have found that ginseng can be beneficial to the body in many...
A holistic approach to the care of terminal cancer patients includes herbal treatments. Although these treatments are believed to be effective in stimulating the immune system when used in conjunction with conventional medical treatments, research...
The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that according to researchers at Wake Forest University, 28 percent of college drinkers try the combination of alcohol and caffeine together every month. Caffeine is a primary ingredient in...
Exercise can help with the recovery from alcohol addiction. Research studies on hamsters have shown that exercise helps to reduce the consumption of alcohol. There are different types of exercise that may help with recovery from alcohol addiction....
Teenage alcoholism can lead to a host of problems, ranging from hurt relationships to brain damage. When alcohol is consumed in excess, it passes through the body affecting processes that contribute to productive functioning and optimal health....
There is no single simple cause for alcoholism. Rather, medical experts believe that alcoholism develops from a combination of interrelated genetic and environmental factors. The Department of Psychology at the University of Minnesota reports a...
Fatty liver disease is a condition in which fat accumulates in your liver. The symptoms often are invisible, but in some people it can cause inflammation and scarring. There generally are two types of fatty liver disease. Alcoholic liver disease...
Heart disease risk is directly associated with elevated total cholesterol, but more specifically with low levels of "good" cholesterol, or HDL, coupled with high levels of "bad" cholesterol, or LDL. High levels of "good" cholesterol, on the other...
According to the Journal of Studies on Alcohol, about 13 percent of the population of the United States will suffer during their lifetime from alcohol dependence, commonly referred to as alcoholism. A person who drinks heavily and regularly can...
Drinking a glass or two of alcohol daily raises people's good blood cholesterol levels, but numerous medical organizations do not recommend consuming liquor because it can lead to heavy drinking, which can ultimately have a negative impact on...
