Recent study shows that an individual’s perception highly motivates a smoker’s addiction

Research suggests that the individual’s perception highly motivates a smoker’s addiction. The study wanted to show that the smoker’s brain could influence his belief about nicotine content.

24 nicotine-addicted people participated in the investigation and researchers noted that the smokers had to believe that the cigarette they smoke contained nicotine to satisfy their cravings.

The participant’s brains were analyzed with an fMRI machine immediately after they smoked.

The ones that were told they smoked a nicotine-free cigarette although they just enjoyed a regular one got no satisfaction from smoking. Moreover, people who were informed they smoked regular cigarettes although smoking nicotine-free smokes felt the pleasure of smoking.

The research participants were twice given a regular cigarette and twice a nicotine-free cigarette or a placebo. Moreover, they were once told the truth about the nicotine content and the other time, researchers lied about the content.

The fMRI scans proved that there was an enhanced action in the insula which is the region of the brain that manages a human’s desires for addictive substances, so, smokers had only satisfied their cravings when they were told their cigarette contained nicotine.

However, the individuals did not get the same satisfaction when smoking the placebo cigarette no matter what they were told.

The smoker’s rush of dopamine when nicotine enters the organism usually is what produces the good feeling which leads to satisfying the craving. This points us to the conclusion that when an individual is addicted, he craves the rush psychologically and physically. However, this satisfactions seems not to come when the smoker believes he is not getting any nicotine.

The findings of the study can change the way we look at quitting smoking. If we can counteract nicotine’s effect just by not believing, scientists think that there could be easier ways to stop than the patch or medicine. CDC stated that approximately 70 percent of the total smoker are considering quitting the habit, but only 6 percent of them will actually succeed to do so.

Symptoms of withdrawal will usually be encountered by people who stop smoking because their brain has rewired itself when dependent on nicotine. The symptoms which can range from fatigue, irritability, insomnia and depression to dizziness, stomach pains, tightness in the chest and difficulty concentrating represent the brain’s adjustment to not having nicotine in the organism anymore.

Image source: Pixabay

Heart patients who work out regularly can considerably decrease their medical bill

Everybody is convinced that exercising more has many health benefits, but scientists have now revealed another cause which will give us reasons be more active, like a reduced medical bill.

A Recent study proves that individuals who exercise more tend to spend less money on medical charges than their sedentary equivalents. The reason for the decreased medical bill appears to be the actual consequences of exercising regularly on cardiovascular illness.

The manager of the Center for Healthcare Advancement and Outcomes, Khurram Nasir, said that although the benefits of working out for our health have already been analyzed, he and his colleagues have centered on the economic result that this activity could have.

The research utilized information from the 2012 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which analyzed 26,239 subjects over the age of 18. The scientist studied individuals with heart diseases including heart failure, coronary or peripheral artery condition, stroke or dysrhythmia.

They also paid close attention to people who encountered risks for heart illness like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking or obesity. One of the findings of the research showed that although more individuals understand the benefits of working out, not many decide to take action. Less than 50 percent of the participants without heart disease achieved the advised the weekly exercise goals.

The suggestion of the American Heart Association is that individuals should either engage in an intense exercise for three days a week for at least 25 minutes or reasonably exercise five days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes.

It also wasn’t a surprise that the participants with heart disease had increased health care expenses than their equivalents who had no cardiovascular illness. The notable difference was considered by the researchers between people with heart disease who exercised weekly and those who did not frequently involve in physical activities.

The findings of the study showed that people suffering from heart disease who worked out at the suggested levels spent more than $2,500 less on medical bills than the individuals with cardiovascular problems which did not work out. It was also showed that the people with at most one heart risk who exercised regularly, spent a standard $500 less on preventive expenses per year in contrast to their companions who did not engage in physical activities.

While there are some health issues that individuals cannot dodge, the risk of cardiovascular illness is highly decreased by exercise. Probably the new research will convince patients to be more active by highlighting that exercise could also save them money.

Image source: Wikipedia

Donald Trump’s doctor has been sued since 1992 at least three times by families of deceased patients

Donald Trump’s doctor who wrote Republican presidential candidate’s certificate of health has been sued since 1992 at least three times by families of deceased patients who assume he recommended their loved ones high doses of dangerous medicines.

Dr. Harold Bornstein reportedly paid $86,250 to a previous patient’s husband in 2002 to resolve a lawsuit claiming that Bornstein had overmedicated his spouse with unneeded, powerful prescriptions, which encouraged her addiction, and eventually her death.

Two of the lawsuits testify that the gastroenterologist improperly authorized powerful medications which conducted to the death of patients. Both the cases were completed with no verdict of liability against Dr. Bornstein before jury trials.

Last week, the same doctor had declared that he had signed a clean bill of health for Trump in five minutes. Bornstein, who has worked as Trump’s gastroenterologist since 1992, published a four-paragraph letter declaring the 70-year-old billionaire has an extraordinary health condition implying that if elected, he could be the healthiest president in history. It occurs at a time when the fundamental focus of the 2016 presidential campaign is health.

Questions have swirled about Bornstein’s competence and methods since Donald Trump published his certification of health which looks as if he wrote it himself and Bornstein solely signed the bottom of the document.

During the Trump campaign, he has been stating that Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee is suffering from some diseases which could affect her capacity to carry out her responsibilities if chosen the new US president. But while she hasn’t commented on Trump’s medical condition, the Republican presidential nominee, and his staffers have dispersed gossip that Clinton is attempting to hide medical problems.

Kenneth Levin had testified that Dr. Bornstein was irresponsible, negligent and ignorant in treating his wife, Janet Levin and failed to accurately diagnose the plaintiff. He also wrongfully prescribing morphine and valium, especially in light of the history of drinking. Keneth also stated that the doctor has failed to provide treatment for the patient and ended up overmedicating the decedent.

Moreover, another family member mentioned that he also prescribed medicine that was unbalanced for her physical weight and she winded up dying.

Lorraine Pollifrone suggested that Bornstein caused her husband’s death during a colonoscopy by improperly medicating him in 2000.

Image source: Twitter

McDonald’s has begun recalling its fitness trackers due to reported skin rashes

McDonald’s, which is the world’s largest toy distributor has begun recalling its fitness trackers with children’s Happy Meals after reports of the wearables causing skin irritations.

As of 2001, the fast-food chain was giving away 1.5 billion toys annually. 20 percent of all their sales include a toy and they presumably sell more than 75 hamburgers a second. Apparently, this kind of volume doesn’t come without some quality control issues and the fitness tracker isn’t the first fail that the company suffered.

After widespread complaints of the trackers causing skin rashes, McDonald’s removed the trackers from their locations in the United States and Canada.

In an attempt to rebrand itself as a healthier option McDonald’s recently started sharing fitness trackers with their Happy Meals. Nobody ever knew where they came from, just that they were made by McDonald’s. Unfortunately, the first rule of wearables which is making sure they aren’t toxic to human skin wasn’t followed by the company.

In 2010 they had to recall the Shrek-themed drinking glasses which contained cadmium, a carcinogen that can generate bone softening and severe kidney damage. Also, in 2014, choking problems were reported because of Hello Kitty toys. Moreover, despite loads of reports that the prerecorded voice in the Minion-based toys was uttering curse words, McDonald’s refused to recall them.

McDonald’s has been holding controversial McTeacher’s Nights for years in which teachers will work for McDonald’s. In exchange, a part of the revenue will go to their school. As children respect and trust their teachers, this is a way of selling kids junk food which had been highly criticized.

The fast-food chain also found the best way to ingratiate to busy parents and kids under 13 by offering a free McMeal to kick off the school year. They do so, in the hope of this habit becoming a part of the morning routine. In Houston, the company offers free breakfast to teachers and students in third through eighth grade.

McDonald’s U.S. President Mike Andres mentioned the importance of their presence in schools.

Attempting to improve their reputation, the company even started promoting salads but that backfired when it was proved that a salad had more calories than a Big Mac.

Image source: Flickr

This rare brain-eating amoeba has infected over 37 people between 2006 and 2015 in the United States.

This rare brain-eating amoeba has infected over 37 people between 2006 and 2015 in the United States. The last person seems to have caught the amoeba while swimming on the Edisto River in Charleston County.

The amoeba is proved to live in rivers and lakes in warm water locations. When it enters the human, it uses the human brain as a food source, but this creature usually feeds on bacteria.

The infection is named naegleriasis and symptoms appear after about a week after one has caught the disease. Vomiting, extreme headaches, fever, and nausea seem to be among the symptoms. After the infection is well spread in the human brain, symptoms include lack of attention, loss of balance, hallucinations, confusion and a stiff neck that are usually followed by death.

It is known that the mortality rate when contracting this amoeba is 99 percent, the victim practically suffers from both a brain infection and meningitis.

According to media reports, three people died a few days earlier from this infection after swimming in the Trinity River in Texas.

The diseases are very rare, so specialists assure us that we do not have to worry every time we go swimming in warm waters.

A pharmaceutical company has sent the hospital treating the infected patient a drug called miltefosine. It was initially invented in the 1980s to fight cancer, and it is well known to fight diseases caused by parasites transmitted through flea bites, tropical climates or sand. The treatment with this drug costs around $48,000

It’s difficult to contract the amoeba because you must first swim in the waters the amoeba can be found in, and secondly, you must jump feet-first in the water in a way that the amoeba –containing water would go up your nose with a force that will propel it close to your brain. Most often, the amoeba dies before causing the infection.

Doctors recommend holding your nose or using nose plugs when jumping in the water because just drinking the water containing the amoeba doesn’t contaminate you. Specialists also assured that salty waters are not an enabling environment for the amoeba and the infection cannot be spread through contact with another person.

Image source: Wikipedia