Category Archives: addiction

Drug Addiction recovery

Alternative addiction treatment the better option

March 26, 2016

Alternative addiction treatment the better option: Being consistent on the recovery path

Alternative addiction treatment

Alternative addiction treatment is offering great hope for all kinds of addiction recovery

The problems relating to drug addiction are not new to us in this twenty first century and even though a lot is being done to contain the a lot more still needs to be done. One of the treatment options that is becoming popular is the alternative addiction treatment practices which many health workers are in cooperating in the addiction treatment. And to help us understand this treatment option, we are going to be speaking to doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center for more clarity about alternative addiction treatment. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss and we want to encourage you to keep on the link and together let us learn from the experts on some of the reasons why alternative addiction treatment is becoming popular with many people across the globe.

Alternative addiction treatment the better option: The revelation of drug addiction

There are a number of reasons why people often choose alternative treatment. Some of those reasons may include the following options:

One of the most common reasons for why people choose alternative treatment options is because there is the feeling that the available medical treatments are not meeting their needs. In the event that the scientific medications fail to work then naturally people will be tempted to look elsewhere for solutions.

Due to the fewer number of clients that alternative therapists attend to, it is believed that they offer more personalized care. This may be because physicians are overworked or in some cases they will treat patients like puzzles instead of people.

It is believed that alternative medication has little or no side effects further crediting their use by many people to be fewer side effects associated with many alternatives.

Many times physicians have recommended alternative medicine for their patients, this communicate strongly that if they believe it will complement the current treatment or if they feel unable to find an appropriate treatment within western medicine then alternative medicine is the way to go.

People can follow a spiritual path where there is a belief in healing energies that have not yet been discovered by science. Those individuals who believe in healing energies will want to benefit from them.

People come from different cultural backgrounds where they have their own way of doing things including treatment. It therefore means that some people may be comfortable with their approaches to treatment and not be keen on the main stream medications like for example, traditional Chinese medicine or Ayurveda medicine from India.

There are some theories that claim that standard western only treats the disease but alternative medicine treats the whole person. It is suggested that a more holistic approach really gets to the root of problems it does more than just treat the symptoms.

There is a common perception in the public that alternative treatments are more natural, and that natural means they are better and safer free from chemicals.

Those individuals who have had success with alternative treatments can convince family and friends to consider these options. A common reason for why people first experiment with complimentary is due to a recommendation for a friend.

Alternative addiction treatment the better option: Samples of alternative treatment for addiction

There are many alternative addiction treatments available including:

Some individuals do seem to be able to recover from an addiction by purely relying on their own inner resources; this could be described as true natural recovery. This is not an option for everyone, and most people who seek treatment will already have tried and failed many times to quit by themselves.

There are a number of herbal remedies that may be of value to those who are trying to escape addiction. An example of this would be passion flower which is said to help with the mental aspects of addiction withdrawal.

There are many addicts who claim to have benefited from reiki, acupuncture, and other energy treatments. These techniques tend to enhance and not replace traditional treatments.

There is growing evidence that practices such as mindfulness meditation and yoga can be of great value to people in recovery. These continue to be considered alternative treatments by many in the establishment, but this is likely to change in the future under the weight of evidence that supports them.

Alternative addiction treatment the better option: Hitches related to alternative addiction treatment

In everything that people do there will always be the merits and demerits and so even with alternative addiction treatment there will be a number of problems some of which may include the following:

If these treatments had sufficient evidence to support them they would not be considered alternatives. This of course does not mean that such evidence will not appear in the future a common problem with complementary therapies is that they have not been adequately researched on.

Meditation techniques can be highly effective for people in recovery, but it is also possible to overdo it. In rare instances people have developed meditation-related psychosis as a result of their practice.

Some alternative therapists make claims for their methods that are exaggerated. This may be because they actually believe such claims or because they are out to make money and they have no scruples about this.

Some alternative treatments could prove to be dangerous. This is particularly likely to happen when untrained individuals begin offering medical advice like for instance they may tell their clients to stop taking medications prescribed by their physician which is very wrong.

There are undoubtedly people out there who are willing to scam those who looking for help for their addiction. Almost anyone can claim a new addiction wonder cure and try to sell this to other people – those who are cunning enough will be able to do this and remain within the law.

There can be unpleasant side effects associated with most of the herbal remedies. It is not recommended that people begin taking any of these natural medicines without first consulting their physician this is particularly important for those who are already taking prescribed medications because there will be the risk of negative interactions.

Finally things could be worse for some addicts particularly those who only have one more chance at recovery. Doctor Akoury says that if such people make what they call their final attempt using alternative medication and this fails to work, they are likely to give up on ever recovering from their addiction. It would be advisable that patients consult widely before taking any action. If you are worried on where to start from, then look no further and schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for a more professional approach on your struggle with an addiction.

Alternative addiction treatment the better option: Helping addicts to remain focus in recovery process

http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/

 

 

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Addiction

Treating Substance Use Disorder (SUDs)

March 25, 2016

Hormonal Intervention and restoration Evidence-based Endocrine restoration is a part of addiction treatment interventions and should be initiated for all patients referred to specialty care treatment of SUDs. 

Treating SUDsAddictions need to be tackled appropriately or the chances of recovery of the affected individual may be further thinned. There have been many researches into the best treatments for people who are suffering from Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Many of these treatments are still in the testing and evaluation stages while some are considered okay. Since there is no one-size-fits all treatment, it is appropriate to understand the needs and peculiarities of each patient before administering any kind of SUDs treatment.

The Hormonal Intervention and Restoration Technique is one of the Evidence Based Treatments which involves endocrine restoration for the affected individual. It is believed that the hormones have a lot to do with addiction. It was discovered that individuals suffering from SUDs usually have a significant amount of Vitamin and mineral deficiencies. This has caused professionals to research deeply into this area, looking for alterations in neuro-circuitry and nutrition-based hormones such as leptin, insulin and ghrelin, in people dealing with SUDs to see if there are alterations in eating behavior while using drugs, when they are recovering and when they are trying out long-term abstinence.

Virmani et al iterated that drug abuse appears to be a major factor causing risk to the metabolic syndrome which may also cause cardiovascular diseases. Considering that gain in weight as SUD individuals begin abstinence from drugs is one major source of personal suffering, it is therefore important to get a more detailed understanding of how drug addiction affects dietary intake.

Leptin

This is one of the nutrition based hormones secreted in the body by the adipose tissue. Its major role is to increase those rates of metabolism. In humans, plasma leptin has been positively associated with fat. It is anorexigenic because it is responsible for initiating response to starvation. De Arujo et al showed that a hungry individual with moderate leptin levels will attribute a higher reward value to intake of food as against someone who is satisfied (as seen in people when high dopamine release occurs). This may explain why people who are addicted hardly feel hungry after they must been exposed to the substance they are addicted to. There is high dopamine release and there is a feeling of satisfaction which makes them feel full rather than hungry even when they have not eaten. High levels of leptin has however been found to have no significant effect on metabolism and feeding in an individual. In alcoholics, increased leptin concentrations have been found to decrease the urge for alcohol and cause withdrawal in females.

Ghrelin

Ghrelin and leptin play vital roles in neuroendocrine regulation of energy homeostasis as well as food intake. Ghrelin works differently from leptin. Its job is to stimulate appetite in people by activating orexigenic neurons within the hypothalamus. Its receptors have been majorly identified in VTA, amygdala and hippocampus. Since Ghrelin is stomach-derived, its levels usually decrease after eating, thereby creating a satisfaction feeling. The sight of food has been found to elevate ghrelin levels in the body of humans that are non-obese. In obese volunteers, at the sight of food, ghrelin levels are lowered. Alcohol dependent patients have been found with increased ghrelin levels whenever they are intoxicated and in early stages of abstinence. The levels increase during the first week of withdrawal from alcohol.

Insulin

Although insulin is much more widely studied than ghrelin and leptin, its Central Nervous System effects cannot be understood fully. It is known to have a lot to do with regulating blood glucose and just like leptin; it has an adiposity signal and is known to attenuate food reward. Insulin secretions are repressed by the leptin gene therapy. This method can be used to deal with diabetes. In subjects where leptin and insulin levels are low, craving for food intake is increased. Insulin and dopamine work hand in hand to make sure both the urge to be involved in consumptive behavior and the calibration of the appropriate reward is in place. Alcoholics that are practicing abstinence have been found to exhibit blunted responses in their blood glucose when they were exposed to 2-deoxy-D-glucose by intravenous means. The blunted responses were exhibited to both glucagon and insulin. The link between alcohol misuse and sugar misuse and the blunted responses show that there is negative impact of substance use on the endocrine system.  This underscores the need for intervention in the diet of SUDs and helping them to abstain till they recover.

A proper study of these hormones can be harnessed in treating patients with substance use disorders. At every given point during exposure to the addictive substance and while the individuals are trying to abstain, there are spikes in levels of ghrelin, insulin and leptin. These can be tweaked and used effectively in treating patients.

 

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SUDs

Nutritional Intervention For Substance Use Disorder (SUDs)

March 24, 2016

Evidence-based nutritional treatment interventions should be initiated for all patients referred to specialty care treatment of SUDs

SUDsSubstance Use Disorders (SUDs) alternatively called drug addiction has long kept the focus of scientists and other medical practitioners. Once a person has been become an addict, quitting addiction become s are really difficult decision to make. Surprisingly many of the drug addicts for once in their life time do gather the courage and will power to quit substance abuse. Once a decision is undertaken, choosing the right addiction option is really important. These individuals have mostly got only one shot at recovery because there is no guarantee that they will be able to have such high motivation to quit again ever in their life. Unfortunately it has been seen that people have tried quitting but they ended up with a treatment option that wasn’t suitable for their needs. That’s where Evidence based treatments come into play.

The foremost requirement for people in order to make the best choice for addiction treatment is their access to reliable information. Specifically they should be provided with some evidence that how a treatment performs, and how it had helped people having similar symptoms and severity of addiction. They also need to know if the treatment had worked for people who were addicted to one type of substance or multiple drugs. This is exactly what evidence based substance abuse treatment refers to. Every addict is different so are their treatment requirements, in evidence based treatment an addiction specialist tailors a treatment option to make sure that his client gets the best available resources present at their disposal. Despite noteworthy advancement in improving the evidence base for SUDs treatments, only a portion of the spectrum of care for SUDs is validated by the most thorough evidence in the current scientific literature.

Evidence for substance use treatment (SUD) can be divided into different levels which include:

  • Level 1: The evidence that is gained through true experimental design such as clinical trials that includes some randomization.
  • Level 2: This evidence comes from a quasi experimental design that does not include randomization.
  • Level 3: This level indicates those treatments that have been decided on the basis of consensus between most of the professional community.
  • Level 4: Evidence gained through literature reviews and publications.
  • Level 5: The last level of evidence based treatment includes personal experiences by other addicts related to a certain treatment option.

Evidence based treatment is an integrative approach; it does not only rely on medication or only behavioral counseling. This integrates multiple aspects of medication, psychotherapy and even nutrition. It is a great misconception that medication and psychotherapy is enough of a treatment combination for substance use disorders neglecting the fact that how important a role nutrition plays in over all wellbeing of an individual. It is now stressed upon at most forums that evidence-based nutritional treatment interventions should be initiated for all patients referred to specialty care treatment of SUDs. It is important to get a nutritionist on the panel while treating SUDs and the role played by dietician in treating substance abuse is very important but often had been eliminated from the patient’s long term recovery process. Nutrition therapy is a complex procedure as the risks vary considering the substance of choice and some negative overall conditions such as poor support from the family, other co occurring mental disorders and sometimes financial instability.

Proper balanced diet and hydration are tantamount to the substance abuse healing process because they help in restoring physical and mental health and improve the chance of recovery. While a person is suffering from SUDs, their eating habits are usually disturbed, they often eat a lot or too less and even if they eat well enough, their diet lack certain nutrients that are required for proper functionality of human body. Another explanation for lack of these nutrients is that they are depleted from the body due to drug abuse. These macro- and micronutrient deficiencies can directly lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and low energy, all of which can force someone who already has a tendency for addiction to start using drugs or alcohol or trigger a relapse.

There are multiple programs and courses that aim at substance abuse prevention and concentrate on nutrition as well because a healthful lifestyle can promote mental health and that too for people who have been involved in substance abuse over a number of years prior to treatment. For those who are fighting substance abuse, diet tends to play the same important role in sustaining recovery while also improving the resulting health conditions and deficiencies.

Nutrition can help an addict in many ways. Substance abuse leads to vitamin and other essential mineral deficiencies that damage physical and mental health, vital organs, nervous system, and also been known to decrease immunity. Drugs and other psychoactive substances have been found to have detrimental and toxic effects on brain’s chemistry; this toxicity could lead to psychiatric problems. Balanced diet having enough carbohydrates can greatly remediate the damage that has been done to the reward and survival pathway of the patient. A stable blood sugar can also help avoid craving and irritability.

There are innumerous other benefits an evidence based nutritional intervention can offer to a substance abuser. It is safe to say that excluding nutrition therapy from treatment options can greatly reduce the treatment efficiency. There are multiple other aspects of this integrative approach that require further discussion. We are proud to announce that we have tried to bring health professionals, psychologists, and other stake holder in this area over one platform through our “Integrative Addiction Conference”. If you are somehow affected by any of the consequences of the above mentioned addictions or you are an expert on evidence based treatments of addiction, we warmly invite you to register with us on the link below and share your valuable views with us thus helping us build an integrative approach towards addiction treatments. The link is as follows: http://integrativeaddictionconference.com/

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female suxuality

Sex satisfaction associated with good body weight

March 24, 2016

Sex satisfaction associated with good weight management: The significance of overweight in sexual life

Sex satisfaction

There is no doubt that sex satisfaction is associated with good body weight and so we must all work on our weight to have the desired sex drive

Sometimes discussions about sex can be very difficult depending on how one was brought up. This is particularly practical with the religious upbringing. Under this framework sex is not a subject of discussion until certain age of maturity is reached. This school of thought is not working well in this twenty first century where our media has become a perfect forum for sex education. There is no single day that you will not find discussions touching on sex satisfaction. Over the years several issues have been identified as possible reasons why sex satisfaction is deteriorating and why many people are not able to stay long in their relationships. Poor weight management is one of the most critical reasons of sexual dissatisfaction. And from the experts desk being overweight or obese is one line that must be addressed medically if we are to achieve any meaningful solutions to the problem at hand.

It therefore means that if you are struggling with your weight management, then chances are that your sexual life will suffer a great deal. The question that follows next is that what can be done as a remedy to this problem? We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. This is a health facility that has been credited with offering timely addiction and weight complications solutions. Doctor Dalal Akoury founded this facility to primarily make a meaningful difference in the lives of people. We are therefore going to rely heavily on the expert opinions given by the professional medical doctor at this facility to impact positively on your life and that of your loved ones. Now looking at the various laws of the land, sex in marital relationships is a basic right and any infringement of that right comes with certain consequences. Therefore if being overweight or obese is causing you to be a victim of infringement of this right then scheduling for an appointment with doctor Akoury today will be very necessary. Doctor Akoury is a weight loss expert and together with her team of experts, they will help you in the most natural ways of cutting down on your weight so that you can enjoy your sexual life to the fullest.

It is important to note that even as you consider taking the weight loss option, losing weight is not every ones cup of tea. Many people often start but drop along the way without realizing their dream. This is not what we want for you and that is why doctor Akoury and her team of experts will always be there for you to guide you all the journey till you achieve your objective and to the benefit of not just yourself but also to your partner. Besides that scientifically it has also been established that there are certain physical conditions that are associated with obesity and are a serious problem to the sex drive. These if not addressed will further dampened the desire of people struggling with their weight. Therefore in all these challenges there is still rays of hope and one can still redeem themselves by taking the following actions to bring meaningful changes to their bodies and also enhance their libido:

  • Losing weight is not about shading off big units, in fact just by losing as little weight as 10 pounds will go a long way in helping you to stimulate sex hormones thereby bringing back sex satisfaction
  • Eating more nutritious foods that help in controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels
  • During workout it is important that you design the exercise to have the blood flowing to the pelvic area
  • Encourage reading relevant sexy novel and other materials
  • Be happy and comfortable with your body at any size
  • And most of all believe in and appreciate your sensuality

With all these done the next point would be being careful in identifying the physical and psychological impediments that may be causing you not to enjoy your sex life. When this is done you will be able to have the very best sex satisfaction and live a much more fulfilling life.

Sex satisfaction associated with good weight management: How too much weight hampers sex drive

According to a recent study conducted by various professionals, it was established that up to 30% of obese people seeking help controlling their weight indicate problems with sex drive, desire, performance, or all three. Often, the latest research shows, these problems can be traced to physical conditions that co-exist with obesity.

Medical conditions such as high cholesterol and insulin resistance [an early indicator of type 2 diabetes] do have the ability to impact sexual performance, which in turn impacts desire, particularly in men. And because both conditions can cause the tiny arteries in the penis to shut down, particularly when vessel-clogging fatty deposits begin to form impotence or erectile dysfunction is often the result.

A man who has problems having an erection is going to lose his desire for sex in not too long a time. Men aren’t alone with sex problems caused by poor blood flow. Research shows overweight women’s sex drive and desire are affected by the same problem.

We are beginning to see that the width of the blood vessels leading to the clitoris [the area of the vagina most closely related to sexual response] in women are affected by the same kind of blockages that impact blood flow to the penis. When this happens, a woman’s body is far less responsive, and a drop in desire is not far behind.

Better sex is realized with a lean weight: Think sexy and certainly you’ll be sexy

Finally what goes on in your mind can be the reason why you have inabilities to deliver sexually like for instance, for some people, getting physical problems under control is all they need to trigger up the flames of desire. Yet for others, it’s still not quite enough. Experts believe that one of the biggest obstacles why people are not getting the sex satisfaction or enjoying sex at any time is poor body image. They caution that the inability to accept your weight and your size can leave you sleeping single in a double bed. There is this idea out there that if you accept your body and your weight that it’s somehow going to take away your motivation to change the way you look in a way, society almost tells us that you have to hate your body before you can improve it.

The significance of overweight in sexual life

http://regenerativepotential.com/integrativeaddictionconference/

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Increasing sex performance

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis and treatment

March 23, 2016

All the necessary tests involved must be done

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis the primary objective that needs to be ascertained before any meaningful treatment can be done. When done well all the frustrations will be eliminated

For any meaningful treatment solution to be arrived at there must be proper diagnosis of the problem. Therefore erectile dysfunction diagnosis becomes very important if treatment is to be effective. Without proper diagnosis we cannot purport to be making any head ways in finding lasting solutions to this problem. And owing to the health complications attached to erectile dysfunction, we are not going to take chances and that is why we are engaging the expert and professional opinions of doctor Dalal Akoury a medical professional who has been in this practice for several decades now. Together with her team of expert’s doctor Akoury reiterates that before any diagnosis is arrived at a comprehensive medical history and a physical examination must be carried out on the individual patient before any appropriate treatment recommendation can be administered. To ascertain this, the following are some of the tests that will be necessary to diagnose the underlying cause of you ED:

  • Blood tests to primarily check for anemia, diabetes, low hormone levels, liver or kidney disease and any other medical problems deemed necessary for the determination of ED treatment.
  • Tests to diagnose any underlying vascular disease.
  • Ultrasound to check blood flow to your penis. It involves using a wand-like device (transducer) held over the blood vessels that supply the penis.
  • Test for Endothelial Integrity – This test is sometimes done in combination with an Ultrasound to determine if there is an increase in the blood flow in response to the medication.

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis and treatment: Different approaches for ED treatment

Drugs and Medical Treatments for ED – for a very long time Pharmacological methods have been used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction alongside the use of vasodilators. But even though these approaches have been popular in the past, it is important noting that just as each approach will have its weak point, vasodilators were only seen to be able only to induce a temporary response thereby causing it to be ineffective for many patients due to the underlying endothelial damage. Not to mention the fact that these medicine can have serious side-effects including heart attack, stroke and may even cause death. Nonetheless as time goes by and new technological inventions are being made, it is now emerging that besides the medical or surgical ways of ED treatment, we are today able to use the application of regenerative medicine as a new treatment approach. Under this approach stem cells from the individual’s patient born marrow or Platelet rich plasma (PRP) for one’s own blood are being used in the repair of the problem in a more painless way.

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis and treatment: Adult Stem Cell Procedure for ED

The goodness of Stem cells is that they are found in every part of the body. Their function is to regenerate and repair cells in the human bodies by replacing all the damaged cells and repairing injured tissues along the way. Doctor Akoury is explaining that it is during the smartchoice procedure that the individual patient bone marrow stem cells alongside mesenchymal stem cells available in high concentrations in the fat are used primarily to rejuvenate, repair and to regenerate the penile tissues. During this process we will only use your own adult stem cells without adding any kind of medication. Now the good news about this procedure is that because your own bone marrow is used, fat and blood cells are only being used at the clinic thereby eliminating any risk of transmissible infections or instances where tissues are being rejected by your own body.

Adult (Autologous) Stem cells – Your Own Cells

Stem cells are naturally occurring cells in the body that help to create new cells in existing healthy tissues. They also help repair tissues that are injured or damaged. They are the basis for the specific cell types that make up each organ in the body. Stem cells are distinguished from other cells by a few important characteristics including:

  • They have the ability to self-renew and they have the ability to divide for a long period of time
  • Under appropriate conditions, they can differentiate into other specialized cells including heart cells, liver cells, bone cells, cartilage cells, nerve cells and other cells.

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis and treatment: Bone Marrow Stem Cells

Bone marrow contains stem cells; primarily hematopoietic stem cells. Bone marrow is harvested from the hip (iliac crest) using local anesthetic and a specialized needle. It is important to understand that bone marrow harvesting for BMAC is vastly different from bone marrow harvesting for transfusion for cancer therapies. In bone marrow harvesting for transfusion, a hematologist, oncologist, or surgeon removes a very large amount of bone marrow. BMAC requires only a very small amount of bone marrow. Surprisingly, the procedure is not painful, takes under ten minutes, and causes only mild soreness afterward. It has an excellent safety profile.

Erectile Dysfunction diagnosis and treatment: Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP)

PRP is an acronym for Platelet Rich Plasma. Plasma is essentially blood without the red blood cells. Platelets are cells found in the blood that are essential for clot formation and wound healing. PRP, the mix of concentrated platelets and serum, contains factors that promote repair of tissues. PRP is injected into the targeted area for repair. And because they are packed with growth and healing factors, platelets initiate repair and attract the critical assistance of stem cells. PRP therapy’s natural healing process, by providing required growth factors, intensifies the body’s efforts to renew and rejuvenate your aging face. To create PRP therapy, a small sample of your blood is drawn (similar to a lab test sample) and placed in a centrifuge that spins the blood at high speeds, separating the platelets from the other components. The concentrated platelet rich plasma (PRP) is then injected into and around the point of injury, jump-starting and significantly strengthening the body’s natural healing signal.

All the necessary tests involved must be done

 

 

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