Alcohol, PTSD, and the Leading Cause Of Preventable Birth Defects.

5 Mar

A new study has been released that shows alcohol use might increase trauma victims’ chances of getting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Heavy drinkers are at an increased risk to have traumatic events like car accidents and domestic violence, but now research is showing that drinking may affect the brain’s “circuitry” and recovery speed.

According to Andrew Holmes, PhD, at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, “A history of heavy alcohol abuse could impair a critical mechanism for recovering from a trauma, and in doing so put people at greater risk for PTSD… The next step will be to test whether our pre-clinical findings translate to patients currently suffering from comorbid PTSD and alcohol abuse. If it does, then this could lead to new thinking about how we can better treat these serious medical conditions.”

In another study reported by the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Kathleen K. Sulik, PhD, reports, “We now know that maternal alcohol use is the leading known and preventable cause of birth defects and mental disability in the United States… Alcohol’s effects can cause a range of cognitive, developmental and behavioral problems that typically become evident during childhood, and last a lifetime.”

Tags: , ,

The Tale Of Two Heroes.

5 Mar

What do you imagine when you think about a hero?  Most envision people with super-human qualities that make them larger than life.  Hollywood movies have trained us to think this way through characters like Batman, Superman, the X-Men, and more.

But, the fact of the matter is, real heroes do exist.  They NEVER have super-human powers.  Ironically, most of the time, they are either completely average or are even challenged in a way that would lead some people to believe they could never be a hero.

Harry Moseley is a perfect example.  Harry was a cancer stricken Birmingham, England youngster who is the subject of a new book written by his mother.

Harry was only 11 years old and struggled with a brain tumor.  At a time when many people feel sorry for themselves and give up, Harry dedicated his life to helping others.

He made bracelets to raise cash for several charities.  He also donated gifts sent to him from other people and went to schools to talk to students.  From doing all of this, he raised more than £650,000 for charity.

Harry’s legacy will live on partly because of what he did and partly because his mother has authored a book about her son with the help of a ghost writer. She said, “He would have been so proud of the book.  I only wish that it was an autobiography rather than a biography. I’m just writing it on his behalf…  It has been a real labor of love to put together. There have been emotional moments, and I cry whenever I have to read through it again, but I believe Harry deserved this.”

She added, “The story relives Harry’s life, but focuses more on when he was diagnosed and how he selflessly helped others. A lot of people know about the bracelets, but they don’t know about the other things he did… I wanted to tell people about his work and this was the perfect way to do it.”

Harry is not alone.  Paul Oxley has a story that is equally impressive.  Paul suffered with cystic fibrosis his entire life, but he did not let his illness get in the way of helping others.

He belonged to a site called “post pals” and took time every single day to help other sick children.  He constantly encouraged the children to make the most of their lives and stay positive despite their illnesses.  Even with everything he did, Paul still had time to play football or referee the games.

Not only that, over the years he raised more than £12,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust in the hopes of helping other sufferers with the condition. He was named a Herald Young Hero in 2010 and received the Marjorie Lynden Stannator Award for his charity work. The devoted youngster also received a Lifetime Achievement accolade at the Pride of Plymouth awards in 2009.

All this time, he was struggling himself and waiting for a transplant that never came.  Several times he got the call saying they had found a donor, but each time they ended up not being compatible.

Paul Oxley passed away at the age of 21, still waiting for that transplant.

That’s why his parents are making a plea to change organ donor laws.  They would like to see it changed to an opt-out system.  In other words, everyone is automatically an organ donor and must opt out if they do not want to do it.

 

Our Excuses Are Invalid. Here Is Why…

2 Mar

Most people have heard of Facebook.

Chances are, you have also heard of Pinterest.

It doesn’t matter if you have or not, what matters is this… On both Facebook and Pinterest there is a viral theme called, “Your excuse is invalid.”

Basically, people post pictures of someone doing something that by all appearances, they shouldn’t be able to do.

For example, consider the South African sprinter who just became the first double amputee to compete in the Olympic games.

He had both his legs amputated at 11 years old and now runs using carbon fiber “legs.”

His nicknames are: The “Blade Runner” and “The fastest man on no legs.”

Think about this for a minute, the guy has NO LEGS and yet, he made the South African Olympic track team.

How many times have you started to eat well… and then quit?

How many times have you started an exercise program… and then quit?

How many times have you decided to improve your health and life… and then quit?

Why did you quit?

Not enough time? Too tired? Was it too hard?

ENOUGH!

Just think about the Blade Runner. That’s right, your excuse is invalid. It’s 100% made up in your head.

Not everyone has the genetics to run in the Olympics. But we can all be BETTER. We can all be HAPPIER. We can all be HEALTHIER and in BETTER SHAPE.

Lastly, your excuses (and mine) are invalid. ☺

Sincerely,

Dr. Binder

Tags: ,

Are You A Dog Lover?

1 Mar

If you are a dog lover, here’s a silly question… If your dog was in pain, what would you be willing to do to take away that pain? The answer (of course) is ANYTHING. You would do anything it takes to make your loving pet feel good. That’s why it was no surprise that this story went viral on the internet. The post about it on Facebook got over 207,000 likes and 116,000 shares almost instantly.

The story is about a Wisconsin man, John Unger, and his dog, Schoep. John rescued Schoep 19 years ago when he was only 8 months old. They instantly became best friends and went through almost two decades of ups and downs together.

In his old age, Schoep has become riddled with arthritis. It is so bad that he has a very hard time sleeping. John discovered that Schoep feels better in water, so he takes him into Lake Superior at night and holds Schoep up while he sleeps.

A photographer, Hannah Stonehouse-Hudson, is John’s friend and captured one of the “Schoep sleeping moments” with an incredible picture. In the picture, Schoep is out cold with his head resting on his owner’s chest. Partially submerged, the warm lake water soothes Schoep’s aches and pains enough so he can rest peacefully.

It is a picture of polar opposites; both heartbreaking and wonderful all at the same time. It’s heartbreaking to see Schoep in the final stages of his life, and wonderful to see such an incredible loving bond between a man and his dog. Because Schoep trusts John enough to fall asleep while his owner holds him up in the lake, you instantly know the love that was given during all those years to create that trust.

John Unger is reported as saying that he will do whatever he has to do to give Schoep relief from pain. He credits Schoep with saving his life 19 years ago when a relationship failed.

According to an interview with John Unger in the Huffington Post: After breaking up with his former fiancée, Unger had been having suicidal thoughts. “To be honest with you, I don’t think I’d be here if I didn’t have Schoep with me (that night)… He just snapped me out of it. I don’t know how to explain it. He just snapped me out of it… I just want to do whatever I can for this dog because he basically saved my [behind].”

Every night, John carries his dog into the waters of Lake Superior and holds him up while he sleeps. Yes, he stands in the lake water while his dog sleeps every single night.

Photographer Hannah Hudson said, “I want people to identify with this photo, and remember a time when they felt safe, loved, and cared for… Then I want them to channel those feelings and pay it forward! There is way too much negativity in this world – maybe with this one photo we can start to change things just a tiny bit.”

We just “paid it forward.” You should, too.

To watch the video and see the picture, go here.

Tags:

At Risk For Kidney Stones? Don’t Drink This…

1 Mar

According to Loyola University Health System, do NOT drink iced tea if you have a history of kidney stones. Iced tea contains high concentrations of oxalate, one of the key chemicals that lead to the formation of kidney stones, a common disorder of the urinary tract that affects about 10 percent of the population in the United States.

Though hot tea also contains oxalate, it isn’t as easy to consume a quantity large enough amount to encourage the formation of stones. “For many people, iced tea is potentially one of the worst things they can drink,” said Dr. John Milner, Assistant Professor, Department of Urology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL. “For people who have a tendency to form kidney stones, it’s definitely one of the worst things you can drink.”

What should you drink to stay properly hydrated?  SPRING WATER.☺

Tags:

8 Interesting Facts About Dreams.

28 Feb

Dreaming is one of the most mysterious and interesting experiences in our lives. During the Roman era, some dreams were even submitted to the Roman Senate for analysis and dream interpretation. They were thought to be messages from the gods. Dream interpreters even accompanied military leaders into battles and campaigns! But, what do we actually know about dreams? Here are a few interesting facts about dreams:

  1. Within 5 minutes of waking, half of your dream is forgotten. Within 10 minutes, 90% is gone.
  2. Every human being dreams (except in cases of extreme psychological disorders).
  3. In our dreams, we only see faces that we already know. Our mind does not invent faces. We see real faces of

    real people whom we have seen during our lifetime but may not know or remember. We have all seen hundreds of thousands of faces throughout our lives, so we have an endless supply of characters for our brain to utilize during our dreams.

  4. The most common emotion experienced in dreams is anxiety. Negative emotions are more common than positive ones.
  5. You can have four to seven dreams in one night.
  6. Animals dream too. Studies done on many different animals show the same brain waves during dreaming

    sleep as humans. Watch a dog sleep. Their paws move like they are running and they make yipping sounds

    as if they are chasing something.

  7. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a normal stage of sleep characterized by rapid movements of the eyes.

    REM sleep in adult humans typically occupies 20-25% of total sleep, or about 90-120 minutes of a night’s sleep. During REM sleep, the body is paralyzed by a mechanism in the brain in order to prevent the movements which occur in the dream from causing the physical body to move. However, it is possible for this mechanism to be triggered before, during, or after normal sleep while the brain awakens.

  8. Dream Incorporation. Our mind interprets the external stimuli that our senses are bombarded with while we are asleep and makes them part of our dreams.
  9. Dream interpretation has many forms. In one technique, everything in your dream in considered an aspect of you, including people, places and events. If your mother shows up in a dream, it may be a symbolic representation of the mother (care giver or nurturer) inside of you.
  10. Dream Control. Lucid dreaming is a technique that can be practiced over time,           acquiring the skill to make decisions in a dream. This technique may be useful in helping individuals avoid conflict an negative emotions associated with their dreams.

Tags: ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →