Wednesday, April 14, 2010

TEEN DRINKING TIED TO BREAST DISEASE

TEENS DRINKING ALCOHOL FACE
HIGHER RISK FOR BREAST CANCER
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Young women who drink alcohol may put themselves at higher risk of developing breast disease that is a known risk factor for cancer, a new study suggests. Alcohol or alcoholic beverages are officially recognized by the National Toxicology Program as human cancer causing agents. A few cancers including breast cancer are associated with drinking alcohol. A new study in the May, 2010 issue of Pediatrics confirmed that alcohol drinking at young ages can be particularly harmful. The study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis and Harvard University found that girls and young women who drank alcohol were at higher risk of benign breast disease, which can develop to become breast cancer. High consumption of alcohol was associated with high risk of benign breast disease, the researchers found. In a group of nearly 6,900 women aged 16 to 23, researchers found that those who drank six or seven days a week had more than five times the odds of developing so-called benign breast disease years later, than those who didn't drink or who had less than one drink per week.

Women with benign breast disease have hard lumps in their breasts, which may in some instances turn cancerous. The broad group of conditions includes irregular cysts, breast discomfort, sensitive nipples, and itching, according to the National Cancer Institute. Earlier reports have linked adolescent drinking to benign breast disease based on women's recollections many years later, but the new study is the first to survey alcohol drinking directly during adolescence and follow the girls into adulthood. “Our study results give older girls and adolescents another reason to avoid alcohol,” said Catherine Berkey of Harvard Medical School, who led the research.


We are spiritual entities, and according to our actions we attain happiness or suffering. Illusion and intoxication resides into our subtle body. Due to the false identification, we carry on so many mistaken activities that harm both our physical health and our spiritual life.


WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?
Forgetting his spiritual form, the jīva took on a material form, and through his self-identity fell into deep forgetfulness of his role as servant of the Lord. Maya bestowed two coverings - the gross and subtle bodies - over the spiritual form. The subtle body is composed of material ego, material memory, material intelligence and material mind. … Obtaining the gross body, the jīva became even more entangled in his misidentification. Then the jīva began to think of himself as a material gross body. By mistaking his true identity, the jīva fell into the tight bondage of action impelled by desires. … Innumerable obstacles arose as a result of the connection with the gross and subtle bodies.


Śrīla Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Thākura :
“Mahāprabhura Śikshā”: The Teachings of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Chapter 7 - “The Jīva in Māyā”

Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library - www.bvml.org/SBTP/

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