Double Vision

Do you sometimes have double vision? For example, do you sometimes see two bridges to cross, and should you have had a drink or two, thus, do you attempt to cross the wrong bridge? That may become disastrous.

Here is sage advice. Never try to drive a car when you have been to a party that serves alcohol. Never use your cell phone, by hand, while driving. Even better advice; restrain yourself from the use of strong drink and/or cell phone tasks, regardless of the occasion, or the bridge you may have to cross might prove fatal.

Double vision technically is a physical condition that may require skilled attention. Your eyes, normally, are focused to give you single vision to avoid confusion. Your eyes are designed so that you have a pair of ligaments that are focused together serving as a team. They pull together on the same load, or as two electric units serving as a separate unit. This is not double vision, but serves a single purpose.

In your physical body, many functions are arranged in pairs for better functional purposes. For instance, you have two eyes, tow ears, two hands, two feet. In contrast, you have only one nose and one tongue so that they can function better and not get into other people's business.

How wise was the Creator for all concerned! Have you ever given thought to what has been called God's masterpiece? Have you considered your own body and how it works for a single purpose?

There are two decidedly separate, yet important, elements that work together for the common good of all. These are the spinal column, formed of many separate elements. The spinal column has 24 movable vertebrae to which all major muscles and ligaments are attached. These vertebrae are separated by padding of cartilage called discs that act as shock absorbers besides giving flexibility to the spine.

The other separate element, yet vital structure, is the nervous system that stems from the brain and spinal cord. Through this medium sensation is flashed to the brain and responds with mental impulses directing all functions and activities of the body in what is termed a state of health.

Is this not a wonderful design? The spinal column is the key to the spinal nervous system which conveys an intelligent force that directs and controls all bodily functions and activities of this creation - God's masterpiece.

"Do not try to stand higher than other people; only try to stand higher than your past self."

 

Belly Fat

Excess accumulation of belly fat is more dangerous than excess fat around your hips and thighs. Belly fat is associated with serious health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Your genes can contribute to your being overweight and help determine where you carry this extra fat, but poor lifestyle choices are likely to worsen the issue.

Eating high-fat foods is not helpful, but excess calories of any kind can increase your waistline and contribute to belly fat. Still, there is no single cause of belly fat. Genetics, diet, age, and lifestyle can all play a role. Changing dietary habits can help you fight the battle of the bulge and fight belly fat: Read labels, reduce saturated fats, increase the amount of fruits and veggies you eat, and control and reduce your portions.

Excess calories, whether from alcohol, sweetened beverages, or over-sized portions of food, can increase belly fat. Our bodies need calories, yet gram for gram, alcohol has almost as many calories as fat.

Alcohol does seem to have a particular association with an increased waistline, though. In general, that’s because when you drink alcohol, your liver is too busy burning off alcohol to burn off fat, leaving you with a beer belly. Studies show that alcohol can cause you to feel hungry by affecting hormones that regulate a sense of satiety.

Researchers at Wake Forest University found that trans fats, which are created by partially hydrogenated oil, increase the amount of fat around the belly and redistribute fat tissue to the abdomen from other parts of the body. Trans fats may be found in such foods as margarine, pastries, cookies and crackers, and fried and convenience foods.

Green tea, in combination with exercise, could help you lose weight, according to the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers think substances in green tea known as catechins stimulate the body to burn calories and enhance loss of belly fat. Blueberries also show promise, albeit in rodents. In one study, rats bred to become obese were fed either a high-fat diet or a low-fat diet rich in blueberries. Rats fed a blueberry-rich diet had less abdominal fat.

Many fast food options are typically high-fat, calorie-dense foods that are eaten in large portions -- all of which contribute to over-consumption of calories, weight gain, and an increase in belly fat when eaten frequently. Many fast food restaurants don’t provide nutritional information, but studies have shown that when this is available, people tend to pick lower-calorie meals.

According to the American Heart Association, “soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugars in the American diet.” Added sugars mean added calories, something you want to avoid to help with weight loss and cut down on belly fat. Yet, high-fructose corn syrup has gradually replaced refined sugar as the main sweetener in soft drinks and has been blamed as a potential contributor to the obesity epidemic.

Does switching to diet sodas help? Although some research has suggested that people who drink artificially sweetened sodas as part of a calorie-restricted diet do lose weight, other studies have suggested that diet soft drinks could even lead to weight gain. For now, there’s no conclusive evidence either way.

To trim your waistline, add whole grains to your diet. For example, choose brown or wild rice instead of white rice. Refined and other highly processed foods can contribute to weight gain and interfere with weight loss. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains can trim extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.

Couscous, spaghetti, and corn flakes are made from refined grains (though whole grain options may be available). But popcorn is a whole grain food that can boost fiber. The best way to prepare popcorn is with an air-popper, which requires no oil for cooking. Read labels to see what oils have been added to microwave popcorn.

All else being equal, though, whole grains are better than refined grains because they tend to be high in fiber and take longer to digest. This satisfies your hunger better and helps lower blood glucose levels and reduce fat.

Overall, men tend to store fat in the abdominal area more than women do, thanks to sex hormone differences. Before age 40, women tend to store most of their fat in the hips, thighs, and buttocks. After 40, as estrogen levels drop, body fat is redistributed to the abdomen.

When you lose weight, you’re much more likely to lose it in your midsection. Losing weight on a well-balanced plan will melt body fat, including belly fat. The best way to decrease your waist size is through healthy eating and regular exercise.

Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Damages the Unborn Brain

Reuters Health news service ran an article dated Feb 10, that stated that researchers now know how drinking alcohol during pregnancy can affect the brain of a fetus. This study also published in the February 11, 2000 issue of the Journal of Science, was conducted at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Missouri.

One of the authors, Dr. John Olney, stated that "Its a mechanism that involves interfering with basic transmitter of the systems in the brain, which literally drives the brains nerve cells to commit suicide." The shocking part of the report was that it was reported that just one episode of getting drunk during the third trimester of pregnancy would be enough to damage the brain of a fetus.

Effects alcohol could have on the baby

When you drink, the alcohol quickly travels through your bloodstream, crosses the placenta, and reaches your baby. Your baby breaks down alcohol more slowly than you do, so she may end up with higher levels of blood alcohol than you have.

Drinking endangers your growing baby in a number of ways: It increases the risk of a miscarriage and stillbirth. As little as one drink a day can raise the odds for having a baby with a low birth weight and raise your child's risk for having problems with learning, speech, attention span, language, and hyperactivity.

Some research has shown that expectant moms who have as little as one drink a week are more likely than nondrinkers to have children who later exhibit aggressive and delinquent behavior. One study found that girls whose mothers drank during pregnancy are more likely to have mental health problems.

"Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders" (FASD) is the term experts use to describe the range of problems related to alcohol exposure before birth. The most severe result of alcohol use is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a lifelong condition characterized by poor growth (in the womb, after birth, or both), abnormal facial features, and damage to the central nervous system.

Babies with FAS may also have abnormally small heads and brains, as well as heart, spine, and other anatomical defects. The central nervous system damage may include mental retardation, delays in physical development, vision and hearing problems, and a variety of behavioral problems.

Frequent drinking (seven or more alcoholic drinks per week, including liquor, wine, and beer) or binge drinking (four or more drinks on any one occasion) greatly increases the risk that your baby will suffer from FAS. Even babies whose mothers drink less can also develop this syndrome. Babies exposed to alcohol before birth – even if they don't have the full spectrum of FAS – may still be born with some of these birth defects or later exhibit a number of mental, physical, or behavioral problems.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fetal exposure to alcohol is one of the main preventable causes of birth defects and developmental problems in this country. More than 10 percent of women in the United States drink during pregnancy, and about 1 in 50 pregnant women binge drink. The babies of all these women are at risk for alcohol-related effects.