So perhaps this isn’t the normal response you  hear if you are a police officer, but the findings of some recent research suggests that perhaps psychedelics and other assorted illegal drugs may have a place in the future of the medical industry.

In the past several months, various studies have been released that many may find surprising. Take the recent Nature Reviews Neuroscience analysis for example.  A team of researchers at Zurich’s University Hospital of Psychiatry evaluated the rumored benefits of psychedelic drug use on mental well being,  only to find that for some patients struggling with extreme depression, there may be some merit to these beliefs.

Currently many of these drugs are illegal in the United States, but often doctors are allowed to test certain drugs for research purposes in patients where nothing else seems to be helping.

Further research has also been published lately suggesting the benefits of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. For those experiencing post traumatic stress disorder, MDMA treatment has been linked to decreased levels of stress and anxiety and improvement in overall mental well being.

Earlier this week, a study conducted by Canadian researchers showed a direct correlation between marijuana usage and a decrease in chronic pain levels. A three month study followed 23 patients, who researchers tested the effects of three different strengths of marijuana on, along with one placebo. The patients given marijuana with the highest levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) reported the greatest amount of relief from pain.

California has faced a lot of controversy since legalizing medical marijuana prescriptions throughout the state since a senate bill was passed in 1996. The bill is ironically called SB 420, which is a number regarded as “pot smoking time” by many in the drug culture since it is the code police officers use when referring to marijuana possession. Currently, conditions like anxiety or chronic pain can warrant a doctor prescribing medical marijuana, which has raised ethical questions amongst those opposed to the plants legalization. When medical marijuana vending machines were introduced, many eyebrows were raised. And for those who don’t like to smoke? Well there are candies, cakes and brownies too. Despite the controversy, many report that they receive relief they could not otherwise achieve if they were not allowed a medical marijuana prescription.

As the war over medicinal marijuana use continues to reach its highs and lows, yet another rather aggressive step forward has been taken by prescription advocates.  The very first commercial advocating its use by “CannaCare”  aired in Sacramento on a Fox News affiliate channel this week.

With this recent public exposure, more controversy is sure to erupt.  While it is legal to prescribe under California state law, Federally marijuana use and distribution remains illegal. No one can say for sure where the future will lead when it comes to psychedelics  and marijuana becoming federally accepted as normal treatment for a variety of disorders, but as more studies surface, perhaps these ideas will have a bit more merit in the years to come.

Many believe that social media is reaching only a young target audience. New information provided by Pew Internet & American Life Project, however, reveals that older adults are increasing their social media use more and more each year. In fact, the information gathered by Pew reveals that nearly half (47%) of Internet users ages 50-64 and one in four (26%) users age 65 and older now use social networking sites.

Between April 2009 and May 2010, the growth in users from both age groups was phenomenal. In adults 50-64, the increase was 88% and in adults older than 65, the growth was 100%.

So what does this have to do with saving the U.S. money?

According to a 2009 study, the improved mental well being that comes with regular Internet usage in the elderly can actually lower the amount the U.S. spends each year to treat depression. The study employed 7,000 older retired people to evaluate the impact frequent Internet usage had on their mood and mental state using the eight-point depression scale developed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies. The result – there was a 20% reduction in depression, a mental condition the U.S. reportedly spends $100 billion to treat each year.

Perhaps the evidence of this was best seen with the case of the English woman who had the attention of Twitter users worldwide with her tweets of afternoon teas and daily tidbits of her life. Ivy Bean, thought to be the world’s oldest Twitter user, passed away at the age of 104, but had remained an active user from her retirement home with nearly 57,000 Twitter followers. She posted daily updates of her activities and expressed her sharp wit and sense of humor to her followers.

Aside from simply keeping connected with friends and relatives, it has long been thought that stimulation and social activity help keep the mind sharp and young. For older social media users like Ivy Bean, social media sites offer the opportunity to remain involved in constant conversation, something that many lack when coming to live in a retirement home.

In comparison,  a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation in 2005 titled e-Health and the Elderly: How Seniors Use the Internet reveals just how quickly Internet usage in older adults has changed over the last five years. In 2005, 70% of Americans ages 50-64 reported having ever used the Internet and only 31% of those 65 and older did. In 2009, the percentage of adults 65 and older who sign in to social networking sites each day was 4%. In 2010, it’s now 13%.

It appears that America’s aging population now has access to constant communication, at the tip of their fingertips, even if they are not easily able to leave their homes. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

With the numbers of elderly adults worldwide becoming more and more Internet savvy each year, the opportunity to develop additional health care platforms and additional websites licensed to facilitate the issuing of prescriptions online is here to stay. Many now have the ability to see a physician via live video chat or the software to safely diagnosis certain conditions online. We’ve learned that we have the undivided attention of the age group that needs access to health care the most. What we do with this information is still yet to be seen.

It’s long been thought that as spouses share their years together, they grow more and more alike.

You may recall the similar personalities, interests and mannerisms of your parents, grandparents or friends that have been married for an extended period of time.  A new study, however, says that these similarities existed long before the couple even came to be.

The study was recently published in the August issue of Personality and Individual Differences. Researchers at Michigan State University reviewed the findings of information gathered by the Minnesota Center for Twin and Family Research. In order to better understand whether couples truly begin to grow alike with age, they went straight to the source by looking at the behaviors of 1, 296 couples.

Many different aspects of personality were studied in both husband and wife including aggression, optimism, pessimism,  response to stress and ambition. The conclusion: these were already predetermined parts of the each person’s personality before they were married. In other words, the length of time a couple is together has no bearing on the similarities each partner displays, according to the study. In fact,  these similarities may have even been part of the “spark” that drew them together in the first place.

The only exception to these personality traits appears to be aggression. If one member of the marriage is aggressive towards the other continuously, it stands to reason that the other may become increasingly aggressive in response.

So what does this mean for couples? Perhaps on an unconscious level we are continually drawn to the things that are similar to us.

It’s become more popular over the past decade for singles of all ages to turn to online dating websites to find the perfect match. While some turn up their noses to the idea, perhaps matching people instantly based on compatibility isn’t so far fetched.

The Phoenix Business Journal published the Match.com top 10 online dating cities today.

Here is what they found:

1. Miami
2. New York
3. Los Angeles
4. Chicago
5.Washington
6.Dallas
7. San Diego
8. Phoenix
9. Boston
10. Houston

Perhaps this new study can give singles some insight into what  they should be looking for in a mate…and if you want to give online dating a go, now you know the top cities to give it a shot.

There are many things that are naturally associated with aging. Intimacy is one area where many older Americans face difficulties, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

A new study has found that for those struggling with diabetes, the challenges are often more difficult to overcome…but not impossible. In fact, the majority of older adults affected still maintain an active sex life.

The findings of this study were published in the September issue of the journal Diabetes Care. The study consisted of nearly 2,000 participants, ranging in age from 57 to 85 years of age. The average non-diabetic partnered man or woman from this age group is sexually active two to three times per month. The study found that in 70 percent of diabetic men and 62 percent of diabetic women, the average was also two to three times a month for those who had partners.

Just because these averages are the same, however, does not mean the challenges of older diabetics and non-diabetics are. Men with diabetes are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction and women find it more difficult to be sexually satisfied. Many times both partners will experience a decreased interest in sex as a result. The study also revealed that while both sexes are facing difficulties with intimacy, men are far more likely to bring it up with their doctor than women. Nearly 47% of men discussed their sexual problems with a doctor while only 19% of women did the same.

According to a statement made by the study’s lead author Stacy Lindau, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and of medicine at the University of Chicago, it is less likely for a diabetic woman to have a partner than a non-diabetic woman. About half of the women in the study did not have partners. Even those who do have partners are more likely to avoid sex than their male partners since they report that it is not as enjoyable for them.

This continues to remain a problem for not only older women, but younger women as well. While there have been countless attempts to recreate a female version of Viagra, all have failed so far.

This study highlights the need for older adults to feel comfortable speaking with their doctors about sexual difficulties. Research has shown that whether young or old, intimacy plays a large role in mental and physical health. With the recent trend in telemedicine, it is now becoming easier for patients to avoid the uncomfortable questioning in the doctors office. With many online prescribing facilitators, men can now answer questions and address sexual concerns from the comfort of their own homes.

It’s probably happened to you before. You are trying to enjoy your meal when you hear that unmistakable flint on metal sound. Without having any say in the matter, you are stuck smoking someone else’s cigarette.

While many states have outlawed smoking in the majority of public places, secondhand smoke is something that is nearly impossible to eliminate completely.  New studies suggest that it’s more than a mere annoyance. Secondhand smoke posses an even greater risk to your health than you may think.

Researchers at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center recently found that people exposed to secondhand smoke, or those who partake in smoking an occasional cigarette themselves, display changes in their genes. In fact, some of these alterations are the same that are found in full-time smokers.

The study was published Friday, August 20th in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

This landmark research is the first of it’s kind to show that actual biological changes are taking place in the bodies of people exposed to even relatively low amounts of cigarette smoke. The study included 121 volunteers, a mix of smokers and non-smokers. Samples of the cells in their airways along with samples of their urine were then taken. The cells would reveal if any genetic changes had taken place in the airways, while the urine provided a reading of how much nicotine/tobacco was in each persons system.

The findings may be surprising to some, especially to those who even occasionally have a cigarette thinking that it’s not hurting their health at all. The researchers, however, found what they believed to be the truth all along.

The early warning signs of conditions associated with the lungs can be seen first on a cellular level. All 25,000 human genes were looked at to see what ones turned on and off in response to cigarette smoke. Of all these genes, they found 372 genes were active in smokers, but not in non-smokers. The urine sample results then assisted the researchers in separating those who have never smoked (no levels of nicotine in system), from those who occasionally smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke  (low exposure) and those who are full-time smokers based on what the subjects disclosed along with the levels of nicotine found in the samples.

When the group of low exposure subjects were studied at the cellular level, they found that based on the 372 genes, they had 34% of the same active genes as non-smokers and 11% of the same active genes as smokers.

So what does it mean for a person’s health when these specific genes are activated?

While these levels of airway cellular changes are lower in occasional smokers or even in those who are exposed to secondhand smoke, they are early warning signs of an increased risk for lung disease. It is not yet known how permanent these cellular changes are but it’s thought that many of them may not be reversible.

What we can take from the information is this – there is no “safe” amount of cigarettes a person can smoke. Smoking “only on weekends,” or “only when stressed,” does not lessen the damage that nicotine and the other harmful ingredients in cigarettes can do the body. Being in the mere presence of smokers puts your health at risk as well.

It should come as no surprise that a large part of your health comes down to how you treat your body, but two new studies drive this message home for women.

A study in the August 24th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute revealed that women who have at least one drink a day (at least 7/week) may be at a higher risk of developing certain types of breast cancer. An additional study published in the journal contains another study by Taiwanese researchers  revealing that nicotine may in fact have the same impact on women. Bad news for the millions of women worldwide who have one, or even both, of these habits. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, one in five women in the U.S. is a smoker.

Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk
Studies have been suggesting a correlation between health complications and alcohol for some time now. In fact, a study reported at the 2005 annual meeting of American Society of Clinical Oncology proclaimed that women who had as little as half a glass of wine every day were at a higher risk than women who abstain from alcohol.

The latest study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute broke this concept down even further. The findings suggest that women who drink at least one drink per day are more likely to develop estrogen receptor- and progesterone receptor-positive breast cancers. This new information narrows down the main types of breast cancer risks connected with alcohol, which now appear to be those which are “hormone sensitive.” Additionally, the risks of non-invasive cancers, cancers confined to the breast, were higher.

This information was gathered from the more than 80,000 participants of the Women’s Health Initiative study from 1993 to 1998. Nearly 2,000 of these women were diagnosed with breast cancer during this time period. Based upon information provided by the women, those who drank at least seven drinks per week were twice as likely to develop hormone-receptor-positive invasive lobular carcinoma. However, the incidence of the more common type of breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma, seemed to have no bearing on alcohol intake.

Nicotine and Breast Cancer Risk
The notion that smoking is unhealthy is far from new, but a recent study has given researchers and medical professionals some insight into how nicotine, the main chemical that causes addiction, has a carcinogenic effect on the female body.  Researchers from Taipei Medical University studied tissue samples from 276 breast tumors to see what effect nicotine had on the actual cells. Researchers found that nicotine receptors could more easily attach to the cancerous cells than the healthy ones. Additionally, when normal cells were in contact with nicotine, they took on the characteristics of cancerous ones.

Researchers in China have been studying the first-ever hepatitis E vaccine (HEV239) over a trial period and have now concluded that it is nearly flawless.

After testing the vaccine’s efficiency in preventing against the HEV virus (which causes hepatitis E), the evidence was overwhelmingly in favor of the new vaccine.

The study included 112,000 healthy people age 16 to 65, half of whom were given the vaccine. None of the vaccine recipients  became infected with the virus 30 days after finishing the three shot series. While the three shots are intended to be administered over a six month interval, the study also revealed that an incomplete dose of just two injections administered over a one month period can still be effective.

The findings were published today in The Lancet, a world renowned medical journal.

While hepatitis E may be something we don’t hear a lot about in the United States, as many as 26,000 people die worldwide as a result of complications. The HEV virus is found mainly in areas of poor sanitation and is passed by fecal matter that enters into the food or water supply. This virus results in jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes) and fever. Complications are particularly severe in pregnant women.

Unlike the other strands of the hepatitis virus, hepatitis E does not spread from person-to-person through bodily fluids or sexual contact. It can only be spread through contaminated water and food. Another main difference is that there is no chronic version of the infection, and full recovery is often possible. The mortality cases, however, typically involve pregnant women. According to the World Health Organization, occasionally a lethal form of the virus occurs  that will result in death during the third trimester in approximately 20% of pregnant women with the virus.

Adults suffering from liver disease are also at a high risk. Since hepatitis of all strands causes liver inflammation and infection, the virus can be deadly for those with preexisting liver maladies.

The vaccine appears to be well tolerated in adults and is thought to be a breakthrough for many areas of the world where clean food and water are not as easily accessible. As far as use in the United States, the vaccine would be particularly helpful for those who are traveling to developing areas of the world or people who are at high risk of infection due to liver problems.

In the midst of one of the largest egg recalls in United States history, how can you protect yourself from this illness-causing bacteria? This is the question being asked all over the nation this week.

It began a week ago (August 13th), when Wright County Egg in Galt, Iowa, voluntarily recalled  220 million eggs from the market in response to hundreds of reports of salmonella cases thought to be a direct result of eating their eggs. Now, the outbreak is more widespread than that. Thursday the number was bumped up to 380 million eggs to be included in the recall.

What makes this even more tricky is that Wright County Egg supplies eggs around the country under 143 different brands. The brands that are believed to be affected are, Albertson, Boomsma’s, Dutch Farms, Farm Fresh, Hillandale, Kemps, Lucerne, Lund, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Shoreland, Sunshine, and Trafficanda. They eggs are believed to be in distribution centers in the following states: Washington state as well as California, Arizona, Missouri, Minnesota, Texas, Georgia, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Iowa, Illinois, Utah, Nebraska, Arkansas, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma.

Today, another farm has enacted a voluntary recall, Hillandale Farms of Iowa. A press release was issued by the farm this afternoon and distributed by the Egg Safety Center. the following brands may be affected : Hillandale Farms, Sunny Farms, and Sunny Meadow in 6-egg cartons, dozen-egg cartons, 18-egg cartons, 30-egg package, and 5-dozen cases. Loose eggs are packaged under the following brand names: Wholesome Farms and West Creek in 15 and 30-dozen tray packs.   The loose eggs may also be repackaged by customers.

What is Salmonella?
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are over 2,000 types of salmonella bacteria, but only about a dozen of this cause illness in humans. Most often this bacteria results in extreme stomach discomfort and can lead to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache and many other symptoms. There are two main types, gastroenteritis and typhoid fever. The most common type of salmonella is the first and while it is often very uncomfortable it normally is treatable. In frail aging adults or young children, however, more serious conditions can result. Typhoid fever, often is fatal. This type of salmonella does not ordinarily originate in the United States, but is sometimes brought back by travelers from developing countries. Both current outbreaks are gastroenteritis.

Where do these outbreaks come from?
Typically these outbreaks originate from the the feces of an infected animal. In  this recent Wright County Egg outbreak it is believed that rodents carrying the bacteria are to blame.

Am I at risk?
While the numbers of the newest recall are not yet in, the Egg Safety Center has made the following estimate that many may find reassuring- the risk of eating an egg infected with salmonella is nearly one in 20,000.

For the latest egg recall info, check out the Egg Safety Center.

In a time when reality TV shows and the media expose every dueling celebrity couple, it seems there has been a bit of a dark cloud looming over the idea of marriage.  However, couples can take comfort in the fact that these committed relationships, while they may have their ups and downs, don’t mean doom and gloom. They actually lead to better health.

A study recently published in the journal Stress shows that people who are married, or in long term relati0nships, actually respond to stress in a healthier way then their single peers. Professor Dario Maestripieri of The University of Chicago, lead the study which observed stress patterns in 500 Master’s degree students from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Nearly 40% of men and 53% of women were married or in committed long term relationships.

These students were presented with a challenging series of economic situation computer games which they believed were part of their exam. These students were also told that their performance on the exam would play a large role in the future of their careers.

The typical reaction of the body is to respond to a stressful situation with the “fight or flight response.” During this time, the stress triggered hormone cortisol is produced by the adrenal gland and released by a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. When this happens, people experience the typical nervous response – increased heart rate, blood pressure and a sudden surge of energy.

As expected, the response during the exam was an increase cortisol, especially in women. These hormonal levels were measured through saliva samples  taken before and after the exam. However,  those in committed relationships released lower amounts of cortisol than their single counterparts therefore proving what many researchers have believed for some time now. Relationships and social interactions help overall health and happiness.

A new study has found perhaps a surprising statistic.

Men with spouses who bring home the most money are five times more likely to cheat. While this idea may not be revolutionary, the ability to put a tangible statistic to this fact is. The news was announced  at the recent annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, by Christin Munsch of Cornell University in New York.

The reason: Men are the hunters, women are gatherers. When these, now seemingly archaic, roles are challenged, the male ego is thrown off kilter and as a result, men often retaliate in the way that can really destroy a woman – infidelity. This is the basic conclusion that was also presented at the meeting by Munsch.

As this study has been released in the media, these findings have been put into terms that most people linked to pop culture can easily understand – Jessie James and Sandra Bullock.  This high-profile couple has exemplified what can happen when the woman takes over the “breadwinner” role. A seemingly happy couple – woman makes more than man in relationship – man cheats and nation is shocked how anyone could do this to one of America’s most loved and beautiful actresses – classic example.

While this may all sound overly simplified, these feelings of inadequacy are believed to not be the only reason that men with higher income women feel compelled to cheat. Many men who are not making a lot of money simply do not feel fulfilled in their own lives and fall into the same humdrum schedule of working hard with very little to show for it. This can lead to the need for something exciting to make him feel like he is in charge or powerful. This same theory was also sited by Munsch  as a possible reason for the results of the study.

Strangely enough, the same research department found that the opposite is true of women. When they are being financially cared for by a man, women are less likely to go astray.

So what will make a man want to be faithful?
The study found, that the ideal formula for a faithful relationship is when his spouse is making nearly 75% of what his own income.

The information for this study was gathered from 2002 to 2007 from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth and included couples who had been together for at least a year, lived together and were between the ages of 18 and 28.