Why alcohol is killing more women than ever before

Plus: LSD and autism; curing hot flashes; what healthy hair really means [IS IT TIME TO MASK UP AGAIN?]( [VIEW ONLINE]( [IS IT TIME TO MASK UP AGAIN?]( This week: How [alcohol harms the female body]( using [psychedelics]( for Alzheimer's and autism; a [cure for hot flashes]( what's in your [shampoo]( how a [face transplant]( transformed one woman's life. PHOTOGRAPH BY ARTUR WIDAK, NURPHOTO/GETTY IMAGES [Alcohol is much worse for women than men—and it's killing more women than ever before]( With women now drinking nearly as much and as often as men, alcohol-related complications in women are rising. But even when consuming the same amount of alcohol as men, women are far more susceptible to its negative effects. [From immune system disorders to breast cancer, here's how alcohol harms the female body.]( [WHY ALCOHOL IS WORSE FOR WOMEN THAN MEN]( Alcohol and your body: • [How alcohol messes with your sleep]( • [Tannins? Egg whites? Sturgeon bladders? Here's what's in your wine]( PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN FINKE [ FROM THE ARCHIVES ]( [Our 9,000-year love affair with booze]( People were imbibing alcohol long before they invented writing. But it isn't just a mind-altering drink: It has been a prime mover of human culture, fueling the development of arts, language, and religion. [ALCOHOL THROUGH THE AGES]( PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER BROWN, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION [Can LSD heal a brain injury—or even treat autism? Some scientists think so.]( Research has revealed that psychedelic drugs can improve mood disorders like severe depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Now, [scientists are exploring whether these powerful medicines might also treat various brain injuries and diseases]( stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's—or even those whose brains are wired differently. [HOW PSYCHEDELICS WORK ON THE BRAIN]( [PSYCHEDELICS WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS? Why scientists want to create psychedelics that give better trips +]( ILLUSTRATION BY MY BOX, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO [A cure for hot flashes? We're getting closer.]( The sudden onset of fast-rising heat, often accompanied by sweating, heart palpitations, dizziness, fatigue, and/or anxiety is much more debilitating than the zippy name suggests. While nearly all women suffer from hot flashes during menopause, [researchers have only recently figured out what triggers them—paving the way for the first new class of treatments since 1941](. [EXCITING NEW TREATMENTS]( [MYSTERIES OF MENOPAUSE: New research is piecing together what actually happens during menopause—and how best to cope +]( [WHAT DOES YOUR HAIR REALLY NEED?]( PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRISTOPHE FOUQUIN, REA/REDUX While countless products market themselves as promoting hair growth and hair health, it can be hard to figure out what your hair actually needs. [We asked dermatologists to explain what "healthy" hair really means—and what all those shampoo ingredients do.]( [HOW TO READ LABELS]( [WHAT YOUR SKIN NEEDS: Most people only need these 3 products +]( [IS IT TIME TO MASK UP AGAIN?]( PHOTOGRAPH BY ROGER LEMOYNE/REDUX EG.5, a descendant of a previous XBB strain of Omicron, is on the rise across the globe and sending more people to the hospital. "We should take all of these subvariants very seriously." [Here's what you need to know about the new variant and your immunity, and whether current boosters are effective.]( [WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW]( [REINFECTIONS: How multiple COVID-19 infections can harm the body +]( [SLEEP APNEA'S TOLL ON THE BODY]( PHOTOGRAPH BY BSIP, UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES [Even mild sleep apnea can cause you to stop breathing several times an hour—setting off a cascade of threats to your brain and heart health.]( Here's a deep dive into what the condition is, the short- and long-term consequences to your overall health, how it's diagnosed, and how to treat it. [HOW TO TREAT IT]( [READ MORE TOP STORIES FROM NAT GEO]( PHOTOGRAPH BY MAGGIE STEBER At 18, Katie Stubblefield lost her face. At 21, doctors gave her a new one, making her the youngest person in the U.S. to undergo the still experimental surgery. [This is a story of trauma, identity, resilience, devotion, and amazing medical miracles.]( [FOLLOW HER JOURNEY]( [These 12 men shaped Christianity—but did they really exist?]( [How much protein do you actually need? Consider these factors.]( [Where is Malaysian Airlines Flight 370? A simple barnacle could help lead us to the missing plane.]( [What does cancer smell like? These animals can sniff it out]( [What really caused the collapse of the Mayan civilization?]( [Dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin: Your happy hormones, explained]( [SHOP]( [DONATE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [TRAVEL]( [READ OUR LATEST STORIES]( [SHOP]( [DONATE]( [SUBSCRIBE]( [TRAVEL]( [FB]( [Twitter]( [IG]( Clicking on the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and National Geographic Channel links will take you away from our National Geographic Partners site where different terms of use and privacy policy apply. This email was sent to: {EMAIL}. Please do not reply to this email as this address is not monitored. 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