By 2030, a fifth of the fuel that motorists put into the petrol tanks of their cars could be alcohol, according to research concluding that new petrol and ethanol blends can reduce carbon emissions from Europe’s transport sector with little additional cost to consumers.
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No single country is adequately protecting children’s health, their environment and their futures, finds a landmark report released today by a Commission of over 40 child and adolescent health experts from around the world. The Commission was convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and The Lancet.
The report, A Future for the World’s Children?, finds that the health and future of every child and adolescent worldwide is under immediate threat from ecological degradation, climate change and exploitative marketing practices that push heavily processed fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco at children.
“Despite improvements in child and adolescent health over the past 20 years, progress has stalled, and is set to reverse,” said former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Co-Chair of the Commission, Helen Clark. “It has been estimated that around 250 million children under five years old in low- and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential, based on proxy measures of stunting and poverty. But of even greater concern, every child worldwide now faces existential threats from climate change and commercial pressures.
“Countries need to overhaul their approach to child and adolescent health, to ensure that we not only look after our children today but protect the world they will inherit in the future,” she added.
The report includes a new global index of 180 countries, comparing performance on child flourishing, including measures of child survival and well-being, such as health, education, and nutrition; sustainability, with a proxy for greenhouse gas emissions, and equity, or income gaps. [Top & Bottom 10 countries; Full Global Index on pp. 35-38] [1]
According to the report, while the poorest countries need to do more to support their children’s ability to live healthy lives, excessive carbon emissions – disproportionately from wealthier countries – threaten the future of all children. If global warming exceeds 4°C by the year 2100 in line with current projections, this would lead to devastating health consequences for children, due to rising ocean levels, heatwaves, proliferation of diseases like malaria and dengue, and malnutrition.
The index shows that children in Norway, the Republic of Korea, and the Netherlands have the best chance at survival and well-being, while children in Central African Republic, Chad, Somalia, Niger and Mali face the worst odds. However, when authors took per capita CO2 emissions into account, the top countries trail behind: Norway ranked 156, the Republic of Korea 166, and the Netherlands 160. Each of the three emits 210% more CO2 per capita than their 2030 target. The United States of America (USA), Australia, and Saudi Arabia are among the ten worst emitters.
“More than 2 billion people live in countries where development is hampered by humanitarian crises, conflicts, and natural disasters, problems increasingly linked with climate change,” said Minister Awa Coll-Seck from Senegal, Co-Chair of the Commission. “While some of the poorest countries have among the lowest CO2 emissions, many are exposed to the harshest impacts of a rapidly changing climate. Promoting better conditions today for children to survive and thrive nationally does not have to come at the cost of eroding children’s futures globally.”
The only countries on track to beat CO2 emission per capita targets by 2030, while also performing fairly (within the top 70) on child flourishing measures are: Albania, Armenia, Grenada, Jordan, Moldova, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay and Viet Nam.
The report also highlights the distinct threat posed to children from harmful marketing. Evidence suggests that children in some countries see as many as 30,000 advertisements on television alone in a single year, while youth exposure to vaping (e-cigarettes) advertisements increased by more than 250% in the USA over two years, reaching more than 24 million young people.
Professor Anthony Costello, one of the Commission’s authors, said: “Industry self-regulation has failed. Studies in Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and the USA – among many others – have shown that self-regulation has not hampered commercial ability to advertise to children. For example, despite industry signing up to self-regulation in Australia, children and adolescent viewers were still exposed to 51 million alcohol ads during just one year of televised football, cricket and rugby. And the reality could be much worse still: we have few facts and figures about the huge expansion of social media advertising and algorithms aimed at our children.”
Children’s exposure to commercial marketing of junk food and sugary beverages is associated with purchase of unhealthy foods and overweight and obesity, linking predatory marketing to the alarming rise in childhood obesity. The number of obese children and adolescents increased from 11 million in 1975 to 124 million in 2016 – an 11-fold increase, with dire individual and societal costs.
To protect children, the independent Commission authors call for a new global movement driven by and for children. Specific recommendations include:
Dr. Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet family of journals, said: “The opportunity is great. The evidence is available. The tools are at hand. From heads-of-state to local government, from UN leaders to children themselves, this Commission
calls for the birth of a new era for child and adolescent health. It will take courage and commitment to deliver. It is the supreme test of our generation.”
“From the climate crisis to obesity and harmful commercial marketing, children around the world are having to contend with threats that were unimaginable just a few generations ago,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “It
is time for a rethink on child health, one which places children at the top of every government’s development agenda and puts their well-being above all considerations.”
“This report shows that the world’s decision makers are, too often, failing today’s children and youth: failing to protect their health, failing to protect their rights, and failing to protect their planet,” Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,
Director-General of the World Health Organization said. “This must be a wakeup call for countries to invest in child health and development, ensure their voices are heard, protect their rights, and build a future that is fit for children.”
Notes to editors
[1] About the index; please see pp. 35-38 of the report, with technical details in the Annex, pp. 19-72
[2] This Commission was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
For more information or to set up interviews with report authors, please contact any of the listed media contacts.
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https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/19-02-2020-world-failing-to-provide-children-with-a-healthy-life-and-a-climate-fit-for-their-future-who-unicef-lancet
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Alcohol and drug abuse is the root cause of many problems in an individual’s life. From developing severe mental health issues and physical troubles to encountering serious challenges in one’s relationships, abuse of illegal substances is linked with innumerable adverse effects.
It is a widely known fact that long-term, committed relationships and substance abuse do not go together. Having a partner who is engaged in drinking or abusing drugs can be an insurmountable challenge, with the negative effects rippling and influencing all the near and dear ones. In worst cases, substance abuse problem can take a heavy toll by causing an emotional distance between the partners, which eventually results in frequent fights and violence at home.
Sadly, a person fighting substance abuse is deprived of the emotional connect with his or her partner resulting in the loss of trust and affection. Overall, such couples have a tough time dealing with this downward spiral, wherein a person drinks or uses drugs to reduce tension arising out of frequent conflicts, and vice versa.
Substance abuse and impact on relationships
A person abusing drugs is very likely to have a poor sex drive and may fail to maintain a healthy sexual relationship. This is because when someone is addicted to any substance, there is no room left for anything else. Some of the telltale signs that the substance abuse problem is negatively affecting one’s relationships are:
When it comes to intimate relationships, believing that one can prevent problems by avoiding sexual relationships post sobriety is incorrect. A complete recovery is possible only when a person gets enough love and care from his or her partner. Since intimate relationships are considered one of the most rewarding parts of human existence, a lack of it can leave people feeling unwanted and incomplete.
For a person recovering from an addiction, lack of sexual relationships might lead him or her to revisit the places that had triggered drug or alcohol abuse.
How detox can be helpful in restoring relationships
When a person fighting substance abuse enters a detox program, he or she needs to work harder to recover from the addiction and regain his or her ability to enjoy fruitful relationships with the loved ones. While undergoing treatment, it is important for a person to not just focus on maintaining sobriety but also reshape his or her habits and old attitudes that could act as a barrier to his or her interpersonal or intimate relationships.
While detoxification might pave the way for a person’s recover from an addiction, it is important to ensure that it also brings back his or her sexual drive. With low self-esteem and confidence, it becomes difficult for the recovering individual to even think about any personal relationship. Undergoing a detox program can be a great help in gaining enough confidence to deal with relationship problems.
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Source by Barbara Odozi
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A drug and alcohol addiction treatment program is one of the most successful ways to wean yourself from drugs, alcohol and all other addicting processes. If you are at the stage where you are considering drug and alcohol addiction recovery, the good news is that you are on the road to recovery. The bad news is that this is a long and very difficult journey that you will have to take. A drug rehab clinic is often one of the best ways for you to detox from alcohol and drug use. But, you need to do so with the necessary knowledge about the drug and alcohol addiction treatment program you plan to attend.
Here are some fundamental things to consider about the drug and alcohol addiction treatment program you are considering.
· Your drug rehab clinic should provide help for all areas of the infected person. That includes their psychological, medical, and legal problems.
It can also address their needs for finding a way to work and overall restart their life.
· Realize that not all treatment programs are the same for everyone. You should work with the clinic to determine the most appropriate treatment program for your specific circumstances.
· The program should allow for continuous change to it, as the individual grows through it. As they begin to repair the damage done to them by drugs, the effective treatment program should change to accommodate these needs.
· Time is needed. It is necessary for a person to stay in treatment for as long as possible. On average, this is about three full months. Only with enough time will the treatment be successful.
· The drug and alcohol addiction treatment program also needs to focus on the medicinal needs of the patient. That would mean careful consideration for their specific medical concerns. Things like withdrawal medications are almost always necessary in severely addicted individuals.
· You should realize that detoxifying the individual is not enough to stop the behavior. The drug rehab clinic needs to handle more than just this process. It needs to look for the long term rehabilitation of the individual. Detoxing is just not enough.
· Also, you should take note that voluntary drug treatment is not always necessary. If a person is motivated to detox because of family, employment or legal problems, this can be enough to push them through it.
Additionally, this force to go in can help them to become more successful at their program as well.
Drug and alcohol addiction recovery does and can happen through a high quality drug and alcohol addiction treatment program. Once the alcohol and drug detox has happened, the next step is to correct the behavioral, emotional, physical and long term effects of the drugs. This can be the mark of healing when the program addresses the full scope of what is happening.
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Source by Sandy Sizemore
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Do you want to lose 80 pounds in ninety days or less? Do you want to get rid of the stubborn stomach fat and become more lean and sexy?
Well, I have the answers for your questions. But before that, here is my story-
I weighed 250 pounds and had a huge 40 inch waistline. I do understand the way you feel. After being frustrated with weight loss pills and fad diets, I gave up. But then I came across these two powerful secrets which changed my life.
After using these secrets I lost around ninety four pounds in just seventy four days. If I can do it, so can you!
Warning: There is a disadvantage if you use these secrets. You will definitely lose 80 pounds in ninety days or less if you follow this method.
But the problem is, you will have to follow a healthy lifestyle if you want to maintain that weight.
With that said, here are two secrets to help you lose 80 pounds in ninety days or less…
Secret # 1 – The Apple Diet
The apple diet is one of the best diets on the planet. During the course of this diet, you are allowed to eat apples and drink water. Nothing else. You can bid goodbye for your junk foods.
How Long Should The Apple Diet Be Followed?
The Apple Diet lasts usually for around three to five days. I understand that it’s not possible for some people.
If it’s not possible for you, you can still follow the diet and lose 80 pounds. There are lots of variations to this diet. Here’s one of them:
Follow the diet for only one day every week for the next three months.
What Are The Benefits Can You Expect From The Apple Diet?
1. All the unwanted toxins present in your body will be washed away.
2. Your body’s fat burning process will quadruple
3. All your skin problems like acne will reduce or be completely gone.
4. You will have lost a lot of weight.
5. You will have more energy.
6. Your immune system will be stronger
7. You will have better bowel movements
8. Any infections will go away
Secret # 2 – Replace Your Drinks
This is a powerful secret. Replace all your drinks with Water or fruit juices. For the next 90 days, don’t drink coffee, sugary soft drinks or alcohol. Here is what you can drink…
1. You can drink green tea
2. You can drink Apple/Lemon/Grape juices
3. Cranberry Juice
During these ninety days, stay away from junk foods and processed foods. Also stay from supplements that promise miracles.
And keep drinking lots of water. This is the simplest and the fastest way to lose 80 pounds in 90 days or less.
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Source by Jennifer DeAngelo
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There is, of course, a reason why people become addicted to drugs. The psychological aspect of addiction is extremely powerful. The human mind is a marvellous thing, and the thoughts we have can become all-ruling in our lives.
Because we are these complex creatures, with thinking and reasoning capabilities, we can often discount the mind as only a small part of what we are. This is totally wrong, and in fact the psychiatric implications of drug use (or more properly drug abuse) are ever present, and can cause major disruption in the life of an addict.
So just what exactly are we talking about here? The psychological aspects of the mind, and how it can control our lives, has been well known to professionals in the field for many years. For example, if one is the child of an addict, be it drugs, alcohol, or whatever, your own mind will rapidly justify to you the use of these substances as being OK. Let’s face it, you love your parents and if they are doing it then it’s got to be allright and can’t possibly be bad for you. You are in effect brainwashing yourself.
Of course, as we know from proven scientific research, it is a fact that drugs have an effect on the brain. It becomes a brain problem. Drug abusers brains get so used to having these chemicals in them that sooner or later, depending on the substance, they actually “talk” themselves into needing those chemicals to function, and so the brain gives the body various (withdrawal) symptoms in order to get those chemicals.
So what can be done to try to beat the psychological side of drug addiction? Getting help is a tried and tested method. Talking to a trained drug abuse counsellor, or other health professional is agood start to finding ways to overcomes your addiction.
Wherever you are, there are many excellent programs available to those with a problem with substance misuse. The best of these will treat both the mind and the body. Because, as we already know, when you initially try to reduce your dependence on drugs, your mind will give your body a variety of withdrawal symptoms in order to get its “fix”. However, with professional help it is possible to successfully break the hold that drug addiction has on your body, your mind, and your life.
It’s not strictly necessary to go into a rehabilitation facility. However it is proven that this method is very effective. These facilities can be expensive, as also can psychologists/psychiatrists. However, most long term drug abusers find that if they work it out they are spending over a period of time far more on their habit than the cure would cost, and the benefits to your wallet can easily be calculated. Even if it’s impossible to put a price on your future wellbeing.
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Source by Chris Haycock
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