Both smoking and alcohol consumption have terrible negative effects on an individual. While in some instances, the effects of smoking may not surface promptly in an individual, the ones who suffer from any disease or who have diabetes experience worsening symptoms and more complexities within the management.

Both habits create resistance to insulin, endanger glucose control, and create long-term complications, such as cardiovascular diseases, nerve damage, and kidney failure not to be taken lightly lightly because it is all related to each other.

Smoking and Its Impact on Diabetes

Smoking rapidly increases insulin resistance; a primary characteristic feature of the disease type 2 diabetes. Nicotine and other chemicals in cigarette smoke impair the body's capacity to utilize its own insulin appropriately. Eventually, that makes it difficult to regulate blood sugar level by causing hyperglycemia (high blood sugar), one among the most common side effects of diabetes.

Of course, other lifestyle parameters such as good nourishment, working on the management of stress levels, and optimal movement therapy, which is a combination of creative workouts, calisthenics, yoga, functional exercises, and sleep cycles, play equally important roles in balancing the insulting levels.

Smoking is also another promoter of inflammation in the body, which leads to poor control of blood sugar. Chronic inflammation will damage one's blood vessels; therefore, glucose cannot easily diffuse into the cells. So, it's your duty to maintain an alkaline medium in your blood, through good food, healing fruits, cleansing help vegetables, and even nuts and seeds that act as fortifiers.

Smoking increases the production of free radicals, exacerbates oxidative stress contributing to increased causation of diabetic retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy.

Moreover, smoking accelerates the heart rate and blood pressure-advantageous factors that are harmful to a patient with diabetes. People who suffer from the disease face higher risks to their cardiovascular system, and smoking hastens this risk by contributing to a condition known as atherosclerosis, or the build-up of plaque in the arteries, which eventually can contribute to heart attacks, strokes, and other effects of cardiovascular problems.

Hence, cosmic and natural elements are meant to create harmony inside the body so that the body finds itself regulating in sync.

Alcohol and Its Impact on Diabetes

Alcohol consumption may also affect blood sugar as it elevates blood sugar, especially when taken with sugars or overindulged. It is also often combined with salty foods and nuts that are also causing the blood pressure to rise. On the other hand, it can lead to hypoglycemia or low blood sugar, especially when taken on an empty stomach or together with drugs such as insulin or sulfonylureas. This is because alcohol damages the functions of the liver in releasing glucose to the blood for release, especially after heavy intake.

Therefore, they are at greater risk for both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, since the effects of alcohol on glucose metabolism are unpredictable. Low blood sugar because of alcohol may be dangerous and lead to symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, and even loss of consciousness. Conversely, over-ingestion of alcohol leads to levels of high blood sugar and poor diabetes control, with an increased chance of complications from DKA among those with type 1 diabetes.

Alcohol tends to induce appetite and causes overeating that can make one have unhealthy weight levels-another thing that one has to sort in managing diabetes. A large amount of taking alcohol leads to putting on too much weight, which will then increase insulin resistance.

Smoking and alcohol combined create the perfect storm of risks for the individual with diabetes. Each alone compromises insulin function, raises blood pressure, and contributes to cardiovascular issues. Together they increase risk for severe complications and make more difficult to control blood sugars.

And smoking and alcohol abuse can even worsen the symptoms of diabetes, making it complicated in management and poses grave threats to health.

Simple steps toward better control of diabetes, minimal complications, and good quality of life that improves one's Longevity, Immunity, and Vitality are quitting smoking and moderate alcohol use.

The way our body reacts to outside stimulants depends on various factors, whether it is what kind of food we eat, lifestyle choices, what kind of environment we live in as well as what our biological sex is. Due to the difference in physical attributes, it is not unlikely that the outcome of certain conditions is not the same for everyone.

A simple example that we can take is how two people who start gym at the same time, have different levels of progress despite doing the same exercises. There could be various reasons for it, one being different dietary choices, or whether they are male or female, etc. This logic can also be applied to medical issues. A new study found that while women are more likely to fall ill with a number of diseases, men are actually more likely to fall victim to these health conditions.

Men Have A Higher Rate of Death Across Multiple Health Issues

Published in the Lancet Public Health journal, researchers analyzed worldwide health data from 2021. The findings indicated that for 13 of the top 20 causes of injury and illness, men experienced higher rates of both sickness and death compared to women. This includes significant health challenges such as COVID-19, traffic accidents, heart conditions, respiratory illnesses, and liver diseases, highlighting a broad spectrum of vulnerabilities affecting men's health.

While the study highlights the higher risk of early death for men, the researchers also noted that women generally tend to live longer. However, their analysis also revealed that women experience a greater burden of illness throughout their lives from non-fatal conditions. These include musculoskeletal problems, mental health issues, and headaches, suggesting a different pattern of health challenges where women may face more chronic, even though they are not as fatal for them.

How Did The Researchers Find This?

For this crucial study, researchers looked at information from a big project called the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. This project collects information about sickness and death from all over the world. Their analysis specifically focused on identifying health differences between men and women for conditions affecting both sexes, so they excluded health issues like ovarian and prostate cancer. The results showed that clear disparity between the rates of men and women who succumb to the diseases.

The study showed that men were 45% more likely to get sick or die from COVID-19 than women. This difference was biggest in places like Africa south of the Sahara, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Heart disease was another big problem for men. They were also 45% more likely to get sick or die from heart issues compared to women. This was especially true for men in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.

The study showed that many of the health problems that affect men more, the risk might be small when they are young. But as men get older, the difference in risk between them and women gets bigger. One exception was car accidents, which sadly affect young men between 10 and 24 years old more than anyone else.

What Is The Biggest Health Concern For Most Women?

For women, the biggest health problem was low back pain. In 2021, women had this problem much more often than men. This was especially true for women in rich countries, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Unlike men, women often start having more of their specific health issues when they are young, and these problems can get worse as they age.

This study shows how different men and women are, and how despite living in similar situations and dealing with the same issues, the outcome can drastically vary.

While medications are made to have a certain effect on one’s body, everyone’s body is built differently. What may work on one person may not have the same effect on others. Different eating habits, lifestyle choices and other factors can enhance or decline the effect of medication.

One such anomaly that researchers have found is a particular spice. A new study found that consuming this spice can change the way medication reacts to your body. Published in the Food Chemistry: Molecular Sciences journal, researchers have found that cinnamon is a key ingredient in the way one’s body processes medicine. While some cinnamon is good for your body, a lot of it could stop your body from using certain drugs properly.

How Does Cinnamon Impact Medication In The Body?

Researchers in this study wanted to understand exactly how cinnamon and the important parts of it affect the way our bodies break down medicines. To do this, they did experiments that copied how our stomachs digest food. They looked closely at cinnamon oil and two main things it contains: cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid. The study showed that both of these things can turn on special sensors in our bodies called xenobiotic receptors. These sensors are important for controlling how we deal with drugs.

Researchers explained the activation of these receptors by excessive cinnamon intake could lead the body to eliminate some drugs too rapidly, meaning, it could make our bodies get rid of some medicines too quickly. If this happens, the medicines might not stay in our bodies long enough to do their job properly, making them less effective. So, while a little cinnamon might be good for you, using too much could actually make some of your medications not work as well as they should.

How Much Cinnamon Poses Risk?

The researchers pointed out that even though a small amount of cinnamon in your food is probably okay, using a lot of it regularly or in strong forms could be a problem. They specifically warned that cinnamon supplements, which have a much higher amount of cinnamon in them, might be more likely to cause these issues with your medicines. Because of this, the researchers strongly advise people to talk to their doctors before they start taking any cinnamon supplements or similar products to be safe.

As the popularity of cinnamon grew researchers wanted to bring this issue to the forefront. A lot of people like type 2 diabetes patients who benefit from cinnamon. According to a study published in the American Diabetes Association 2003, one three and six grans if cinnamon per day reduced the amount of serum glucose, LDL or bad cholesterol and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes, effectively lowering risk of cardiovascular diseases and other conditions linked with diabetes.

As many people become aware of the health benefits of cinnamon and start incorporating it in their diet, it is important to do more research to find out what side effects it could have and how it could potentially affect our health. While this new study gives us some important information, the researchers say we still need to do more research, especially studies with people, to really understand how cinnamon might interact with different medications.

Showering every day has been a matter of discussion. But you will always find someone who has gone a day or two without a shower. While it is generally not considered unhygienic, dermatologists have now raised concerns about this habit.

There are always red flags which are sent by your skin if you miss bathing. Some of you may experience scaly patches or discoloured parts. It may even start to look dirty because of hyperpigmented spots. It's not dirt, though. If you reach that point, you might want to see a dermatologist right away, who can determine if you have dermatitis neglecta.

Understanding This Condition

Dermatitis neglecta, as the name suggests, is caused by neglecting the skin. While it might look like dirt, it is just neglecting the skin. Besides discolouration, it is also reflective of significant inflammation and irritation caused by a lack of personal hygiene.

Why Does It Happen?

The answer lies in how your skin sheds. Every few weeks, all dead cells are removed. Cells slough off. Showering helps this process along, even if you don't use an exfoliant. Therefore, when you aren't showering, those cells are likely to remain on the upper layer of your skin or epidermis. If left for days, it will naturally combine with all the bacteria, sweat, oils, and grime your skin encounters. And a layer of tough buildup will begin to appear.

How Long Can It Take For A Person To Get Dermatitis Neglecta?

Dermatitis neglecta does not happen overnight or even in a couple of weeks. A 2015 study in the Journal of Dermatology explored three cases. In one of the cases, the affected individual had not cleaned a part of her body for no less than three to four months. (As a side note, the woman had gone through surgery and was worried about causing an infection in the area, which is why she stopped washing it.) Fortunately, the skin treatment for dermatitis neglecta is fairly simple. Most people can resolve skin issues that are related to dermatitis neglecta with regular cleaning and, in stubborn or severe cases, alcohol-based wipe-downs or administration of topical agents.