Health News

CRAVING

For many people, weight control is a battle against cravings for fats and sweets. The cravings may be difficult to deny because when sweets or fats are consumed the body produces “pleasure chemicals” called opioids. And while experts say that there is no cure for food cravings in the forseeable future, they may have taken a step toward just such a solution recently.

In a study at the University of Michigan, researchers injected nine women with the drug naloxone, which is also used to prevent heroin from being absorbed by the brain when people have taken overdoses. The drug, known as a “pleasure killer” stopped cravings for fats and sweets.

Researchers say naloxone worked in their test because it effectively blocks opioids from delivering their message of pleasure to the brain. Once the message of pleasure has been eliminated, the craving ceases to exist.

To confirm their initial findings, the researchers reversed the experiment. Another group of women were injected with “extra” pleasure chemicals with the drug butorphanol. The women injected with this drug reported an increase in pleasure when eating fats and sweets.

Even though naloxone was successful in blocking food cravings in the controlled study, it is not available to the public for that purpose. Scientists say its effects are only temporary and wouldn’t make much of a difference. However, continuing research using the information uncovered in the University of Michigan study could lead to an eventual solution to food cravings and a significant victory for many people battling weight problems.

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Sleep on your side with your knees bent and with a pillow between them. This not only will relieve pressure on your back muscles, it will also prevent you from overstretching your hip muscles during the night. Other Back Pain Relief Tips:

It is important that you stand up straight with your head up, your shoulders back, and your weight resting equally on both feet. Always avoid standing in one position for longer than a few minutes. If you can’t avoid standing in one position, try shifting your weight from foot to foot. This will prevent any single area from being subjected to excessive stress. You can also try putting one foot up on a stack of books or a stool to keep your back from arching. And always try to avoid wearing shoes that have high heels, because they can place unnecessary strain on your lower back.

When you pick something up, you should squat in front of the object, keeping your back straight while holding the object close to your body. You should then rise slowly by straightening your knees. This allows your legs to do most of the work.

When carrying something relatively heavy, such as luggage, always try to keep the load balanced with equal weight in each hand. You should never twist at the waist when carrying a heavy object— rather move your feet instead.

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