Abstinence News and Research

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Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging a desire or appetite for certain bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to abstention from sexual intercourse, alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical considerations.

Fifteen minute walk can reduce food cravings

Researchers at the University of Exeter have found that a walk of just fifteen minutes can reduce chocolate cravings.

11 Nov 2008

35 to 55 - the danger zone for women recovering from alcoholism

According to an Australian researcher women recovering from alcoholism are in danger of relapsing between age 35 and 55 due to the increased pressure from family and work commitments.

4 Nov 2008

New research to examine relationship between anger and alcohol abuse

Research suggests that alcoholics are more likely to experience emotions such as annoyances, frustrations and anger compared to non-alcoholics.

30 Oct 2008

Educational literature can influence young women's use of indoor tanning

A new study indicates that educational literature can influence young women's use of indoor tanning, not by raising their fear of skin cancer but by changing their attitudes about indoor tanning and promoting healthier alternatives for changing appearance.

23 Oct 2008

Exercise helps pregnant women quit smoking

New research from the United Kingdom has found that exercise is effective in helping pregnant women quit smoking.

24 Sep 2008

Top scientist says alcohol guidelines should be changed

The latest research on the health effects of drinking alcohol has found that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol has a significant benefit - wait for it - for people with an unhealthy lifestyle!

18 Sep 2008

Human rights should be focus of efforts to fight HIV/AIDS worldwide, editorial says

The U.S. should shift its policy on fighting HIV/AIDS to a "fight for basic human equality, providing a basis for more realistic outreach," a Daytona Beach News Journal editorial says.

28 Aug 2008

Ottawa Citizen examines campaign aimed at changing behavior in Uganda to fight HIV/AIDS

The Ottawa Citizen on Sunday examined a campaign in Uganda aimed at stopping unsafe sexual behavior -- particularly among young women and older men -- that is contributing the spread of HIV in the country.

26 Aug 2008

Experts say male circumcision the key to beating AIDS

Experts say while no cure or vaccine for AIDS exists male circumcision could be the key to driving the epidemic into a declining state and closer to extinction.

5 Aug 2008

New figures show need for national HIV/AIDS srategy

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) long anticipated revised estimate of annual new cases of HIV infections was revealed in a paper published in the Aug. 6, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The revised estimated number of new infections suggests that the HIV epidemic here in the United States is more severe than current statistics portray.

3 Aug 2008

Study sheds light on why addiction is a chronic disease

Drug addiction dramatically shifts a person's attention, priorities, and behaviors towards a focus almost entirely on seeking out and taking drugs. Now, an animal study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, has identified some of the specific long-term adaptations in the brain's reward system that may contribute to this shift.

31 Jul 2008

Bush says he will sign PEPFAR reauthorization

President Bush on Saturday during his weekly radio address said he is eager to sign legislation (HR 5501) that would reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through 2013, the AP/Google.com reports (Reichmann, AP/Google.com, 7/26).

29 Jul 2008

Soy lowers sperm levels

Men who eat an average of half a serving of soy food a day have lower concentrations of sperm than men who do not eat soy foods, according to research published online in Europe's leading reproductive medicine journal, Human Reproduction, today (Thursday 24 July). The association was particularly marked in men who were overweight or obese, the study found.

23 Jul 2008

Coffee and smoking notorious at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings

More than one million Americans currently participate in the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program. While AA participants are reportedly notorious for their coffee drinking and cigarette smoking, very little research has quantified their consumption of these two products. Recent findings confirm that coffee and cigarette use among this population is greater than among the general U.S. population: most AA members drink coffee and more than half smoke.

19 Jul 2008

Chantix for smoking cessation performs better than placebos

Six treatments for smoking cessation perform better than placebos - including varenicline (Chantix), recently approved for use in Canada - states a team of researchers from McGill University and the University of Montreal in an article published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.

14 Jul 2008