The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) reports that alcohol consumption is a normal part of life for many people.[1] Although it’s difficult to consider alcohol consumption “healthy,” it does appear that drinking responsibly and in moderation is the situation for many who indulge. “At-risk” drinking, however, can cause concerns. The NIAA considers at-risk drinking to be more than four drinks per day or fourteen per week for men, and more than three drinks per day or seven per week for women. (more…)
A warm weather staple in the South, watermelon is synonymous with long summer days spent at the beach. Though it seems like distinctly American food, the fruit we’re familiar has come a long way over the last 5,000 years. The precursor to the modern watermelon was first cultivated in northeastern Africa and undomesticated varieties still grow wild in the deserts of Egypt and Sudan today.[1] These proto-watermelons were bitter and unappetizing, but fortunately, the modern Citrullus lanatus found in grocery stores is soft, sweet, and refreshing. (more…)
Alcohol is the most commonly abused legal substance in the United States and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has revealed shocking facts to prove it. Nearly 25% of people ages 18 or older admitted binge drinking in the past month. Drunk driving fatalities accounted for 9,967 deaths (31% of overall driving fatalities). Nearly 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women) die from all alcohol-related causes annually, making it the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the United States. More than one in ten children in […]