An unhealthy lifestyle could put men at risk for sexual dysfunction, according to a new study.

Several factors associated with an unhealthy lifestyle, such as weight problems, physical inactivity, high alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking and hard drugs appear to be associated with sexual dysfunctions.

Additionally, unhealthy lifestyles are more common among persons who are sexually inactive.

Danish researchers analyzed survey data from over 5,500 men and women to study the association between lifestyle factors, sexual inactivity and sexual dysfunction.

They found that unhealthy lifesty factors are associated with an increased risk of sexual inactivity by up to 78 percent in men and 91 percent in women.

Meanwhile, the risk of experiencing sexual dysfunction was up to 71 percent greater in overweight men, and more than 800 percent greater in men who used hard drugs.

The researchers also found that women who used hashish had a risk nearly three times greater of anorgasmia – not being able to reach climax during sexual activity – than non-hashish users.

“Hopefully our findings can be used in future counseling of patients with unhealthy lifestyles,” said lead researcher Professor Morten Frisch, MD, PhD, DSc, of Statens Serum Institute. “Knowing about possible negative consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle to one’s sexual health may help people quit smoking, consume less alcohol, exercise more, and lose weight.”

The study was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to physical changes in the brain, learning and memory problems and even depression, according to scientists.

Studies with mice have revealed that pollution exposure can lead to changes in the hippocampus of the brain, which is responsible for learning and memory.  Mice that were exposed to pollution over a 10 month period took longer to learn information from their surroundings and were less likely to remember what they had learned.

The mice also showed higher levels of anxiety and more depressive-like behaviors than mice who had been kept in clean air.

Researchers speculate that this may be due to the fact that air pollution exposure can decrease the number of signal receptors in the brain and lead to reduced cell complexity.

The researchers expressed concern over what these findings could mean for humans.

“The results suggest prolonged exposure to polluted air can have visible, negative effects on the brain, which can lead to a variety of health problems,” said Laura Fonken, lead author of the study and a doctoral student in neuroscience at Ohio State University.

“This could have important and troubling implications for people who live and work in polluted urban areas around the world.”

Previous research has indicated that air pollution exposure similar in concentration to that found in urban areas causes widespread inflammation in the body and can be linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.

The inflammation can even be observed in certain areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus, which is particularly susceptible to damage.

The study was published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

A new study has found that Americans are eating more and eating more often – a likely contributor to the obesity epidemic in the country.  Part of the problem, researchers say, is that we’re thinking about eating all day.  Do you suffer from constant food cravings?  Check out these 5 tips to stop them.

Eat a Protein Rich Breakfast

Starting your morning off with protein – eggs and bacon, for example – has been proven to increase satiety and reduce hunger throughout the day.  It also reduced brain signals that control food motivation and reward-driven eating behavior.  Breakfast in general is important for avoiding weight gain, but protein-heavy breakfasts seem to be the most effective for reducing appetite, according to researchers.

Eat at Regular Intervals throughout the Day

If you let yourself go too long without eating during the day, your blood sugar will plummet.  Not only will this make you feel hungrier, it will also negatively affect your self-control, according to researchers.  That means you’ll be less likely to be able to say no to those high-calorie, nutritionally-empty foods you’re usually so good at staying away from.  Try keeping a baggie of almonds or a pack of yogurt on you during the day for a healthy snack to keep you satisfied.

Picture the Sights and Smells of a Garden

According to a new study, cravings are mainly fueled by picturing a specific (usually high-cal) food in your head and imagining how it smells.  But as any multi-tasker knows, the more occupied your brain is, the more likely you are to forget something.  Same concept here – occupy the visual and olfactory parts of your brain with other sights and smells, preferably strong images and scents, like those in a garden, and your brain will have to push out the idea of food to accommodate.

Tell Yourself What You’re Eating is Indulgent

In another study, researchers gave participants the same 300 calorie shake.  However, in one group, they told the participants they were drinking an indulgent 600 cal shake, and in the other group, they told participants what they were drinking was a healthy 300 cal shake.  Guess which group felt more satisfied afterwards?  The fact is, visualizing food as an indulgent treat leaves you feeling much fuller afterwards.  So appreciate what you eat!

Surf the Web for Funny Videos

Sometimes, our strongest food cravings don’t come from hunger.  When we feel depressed or just “down”, we’re more likely to engage in emotional eating as a way of comforting ourselves.  Instead of reaching for that ice cream, pull up Youtube (or your favorite comedy website) and click on the links that’ll make you laugh and lift your mood.  Even a small lift in your mood can restore your self-control.

An analysis of heart disease and stroke statistics collected from 192 countries by the World Health Organization shows that the relative burden of the two diseases is closely linked to national income.

University of California researchers found that developing countries tend to suffer more death and disability by stroke than heart disease.  Meanwhile, the United States and other countries with higher national incomes tend to experience the opposite.

This finding may help health officials design tailored interventions to best fit the needs of developing countries, the researchers say.

“In general, heart disease is still the number one cause of death worldwide, but there is quite a lot of variation across the globe,” said Anthony  Kim, MD, MAS, assistant professor of neurology at UCSF .

For instance, there was a wide variation in the mortality rate for stroke highlighted by the new research.  Rates ranged from a worldwide low of 25 deaths per 100,000 in the island nation of Seychelles to a high of 249 deaths per 100,000 in Kyrgyzstan – a rate nearly 10 times greater.

In the United States, there are approximately 45 deaths per 100,000 people due to stroke.

Heart disease and stroke are similar in that they are both are caused by reduced or restricted blood flow to vital organs and share many of the same common risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity and smoking.

However, because they affect very different tissues – the heart and the brain – they diverge in terms of symptoms, approaches to critical care, follow-up treatment and the duration and cost of recovery.

“There was a striking association with national income,” Kim said.

In the United States, for instance, heart disease is the number one killer and stroke the number four, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This also holds true for the Middle East, most of North America, Australia and much of Western Europe.

The opposite is true in many developing countries. Stroke  is more prevalent in China, many parts of Africa, Asia and South America.

Overall, nearly 40 percent of all nations have a greater burden of stroke compared to heart disease.

“This is significant,” said Kim, “because knowing that the burden of stroke is higher in some countries focuses attention on developing a better understanding of the reasons for this pattern of disease and may help public health officials to prioritize resources appropriately.”

The study was published in the journal Circulation.

Labor Day weekend heralds the start of September and, in turn, a new school year.

Are your kids ready to go back to school? Sure, they probably have their school supplies by now, but what about their vaccinations?

Here some of the back-to-school guidelines I think are the most important to address to ensure your children have a happy, healthy year:

Vaccinations

In order to enter kindergarten, there are a number of required vaccinations children must receive, though they vary from state to state. Check with your school system for specific requirements. Additionally, in New York, children must receive the booster for TDAP in order to enter middle school.

Other vaccines, such as Hepatitis A or chicken pox boosters, are recommended, but not required. Also, don’t forget to get an influenza shot ahead of the upcoming flu season this year. Kids are busy enough without having to worry about getting sick!

Nutrition

Three meals a day is still the rule of thumb for children, according to nutritionists. Kids shouldn’t skip breakfast because this can lead to weight gain. They should also avoid fried or sugary foods in the school cafeteria at lunch.

Make sure kids are drinking enough water to avoid dehydration during warmer months. This holds especially true for athletes, who have to exert extra energy and sometimes wear heavy gear during practice.

Exercise

Kids need daily exercise. I know we’re all tied to our laptops and iPods or what have you (and I think my kid’s cell phones might actually need to be surgically removed from their hands) but it’s important to set technology aside for an hour or so to run around outside.

Studies have shown that sedentary lifestyles lead to a number of health problems, and I’m not just talking about weight gain. In recent years, more and more kids have been diagnosed with typically “adult” diseases, such as type II diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol.

Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important factors that influence health. Students have a lot going on during the school year, from clubs to sports to music lessons or other extracurricular activities – and that’s not even factoring in nightly homework assignments.

Don’t let your child get too overbooked this year. Inadequate rest can increase susceptibility to illness, as well as cause weight gain and lower concentration in class, among other health problems. Eight hours of sleep a night should be the absolute minimum, especially for younger children.

Finally, try not to stress too much. I know school comes with certain pressures and expectations, but one of the most important things kids can do to keep themselves healthy both physically and mentally is to cut out the anxiety and take the time to have fun. Have a good school year, everyone!

Stroke rates are rising among adolescents and young adults, according to a new study, which blames the increased prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and obesity for the higher rates.

Ischemic stroke hospitalizations increased 37 percent between 1995 and 2008 among adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 44.

Of the patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke, researchers found that one third of patients aged 15 to 34 years and over half aged 35 to 44 years were also diagnosed with hypertension. One-fourth of patients aged 35 to 44 years also had diabetes.

Additionally, a quarter of females and a third of males aged 15 to 44 were regular tobacco users.

“We identified significant increasing trends in ischemic stroke hospitalizations among adolescents and young adults,” said Mary George, M.D., a medical officer with CDC’s Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. “Our results from national surveillance data accentuate the need for public health initiatives to reduce the prevalence of risk factors for stroke among adolescents and young adults.”

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and is one of the top 10 causes of childhood death.

Nearly 90 percent of all cases are attributed to ischemic stroke, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked by blood clots or a build up of plaque inside blood vessels.

The researchers recommended that adolescents and their guardians minimize stroke risk factors by eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and foods low in sodium and saturated fat, maintaining a healthy weight, engaging in regular physical activity and not smoking.

The study was published in the journal Annals of Neurology.