By Wesley Gallagher A glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away – that’s what they say, right? Well, maybe that’s not the phrase, but one of the prevailing thoughts about alcohol is that one or two drinks per day is completely harmless. And in some cases, it’s thought to be good for you. Well, new research is showing that may not be the case. A recent meta-study published in The Lancet involving a total of 600,000 participants suggests that even low levels of alcohol are linked with earlier death, and drinking small amounts of alcohol may not have […]

Many things are handed down through families, from your dad’s blue eyes or your mom’s musical ability to your grandparents’ antique trunk or cherished set of China. But could alcoholism — or the genetic predisposition toward it — be something else you inherit? Scientists have long researched how significant a role genetics play in determining whether children and grandchildren are at risk of inheriting this destructive disease. And the answer, while still up for some debate, is as complex as the gene pool is deep. Is There an Alcoholism Gene? According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, […]

By Jenni Deming If you’re considered medically obese — or have been at some point in your life — you know firsthand how cruel such a small word can be. At times, it feels like you’re no longer a person at all. You’re a health condition. But obesity isn’t a medical classification to you. It’s a personal label you’ve had to contend with for years. You know what it’s like to go to the doctor for a sinus infection and suffer through a condescending lecture on diet and exercise. You’ve felt the stabbing pain of airplane armrests digging into your […]