Category Archives: addiction

What Is Affecting How Beautiful Your Skin Looks

November 18, 2014

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful – What is affecting how your skin looks

Beautiful Face of Young Woman with Clean Fresh Skin isolated on

Keeping your skin beautiful is not just to impress the on lookers but it is also for your good health. The effect of skin health complications are not friendly at all.

Take note of this, that your skin is your first contact with the world around you. Besides that it protects your body and it is the face you present to the world. It’s good and glowing healthy is a source of beauty. Therefore is goes without mention that the choices you make every day like what you eat, your destinations, your feelings all these affect how your skin looks. Doctor Akoury is discussing some of the common things you do or don’t do that harms your skin on a daily basis which when avoided you will succeed in keeping your skin youthful, healthy, and wrinkle-free. Take your time and read on and schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury for more remedies of beautiful skin.

Watch What You Eat For Your Face

If you want good skin, be mindful of your diet. It should interest you that consumption of more vitamin C and a lower intake of fats and carbohydrates gives better appearance as your skin ages. Therefore ensure altering your diet to help your desired looks. Remember that foods rich in antioxidants, such as fish, fruits, and vegetables help in protecting your skin.

Vitamins – Your anti-aging cream may contain vitamin C or E. Put these antioxidants to work from the inside, too. Eating foods rich in these vitamins, plus the mineral selenium, can help protect your skin against sun damage. They may even help reverse signs of aging, like wrinkles and skin discoloration.

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful – Physical Activities

Exercise benefits every part of your body including your largest organ, the skin. Working out improves circulation, helping nourish the skin. Better blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients and may help your skin produce collagen, which staves off wrinkles. It is important that you do not fret about sweat because exercise will not clog your pores and wash your face right after a workout and avoid tight headbands, which can trap sweat and irritate skin.

Get Adequate Sleep

Burn the candle at both ends for a few nights, and you may see it reflected in your face: Dark circles under the eyes, pale skin, and puffy eyes. Getting 7-8 hours a night will keep your body and skin in top shape. It matters how you sleep, too rest your face on the pillow in the same position for years, and you’ll get wrinkles where the skin is pressed against the pillow. Sleeping on your stomach will worsen bags under your eyes. With all these the solution is to sleep on your back

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful: Pregnancy

Oh stretch marks, over 90% of pregnant women get them however they are likely to fade off after delivery.

  • Moisturizers can slightly improve the appearance of stretch marks.
  • Prescription vitamin A creams or laser therapy can help, too.
  • Acne is another common skin problem, caused by the extra hormones in your body.
  • Your best bet for avoiding breakouts is to wash your face twice a day and use an oil-free moisturizer.
  • Consult with doctor Akoury before using any acne products.
The Harmful Effects Of The Sun

It may not matter your love for the sun or not, the truth is that about 90% of all skin damage is due to the sun. This can only mean that the more time you take on the sun the greater the risk of contracting skin cancer. Therefore skin protection by wearing broad-spectrum sunblock is a must and also putting on long sleeves shirts, and avoids the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when rays are strongest.

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful: Taking Coffee and Tea

Remember that the caffeine in coffee and tea are dehydrating and are likely to cause your skin to dry out.

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful: Alcohol

Too much alcohol is bad for your skin as well as your body. Alcohol is a diuretic; it causes the body to lose water and this may result in dry skin. It also dilates blood vessels. That’s why drinkers often have red, flushed faces. Over time, these blood vessels can become permanently damaged, so that skin stays red. Alcohol, especially red wine, can also trigger rosacea flare-ups.

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful: Smoking

Simply put, smoking is bad for your skin: It’s second only to the sun in causing premature wrinkles and dry skin. In fact, under a microscope you can see wrinkles in smokers as young as 20 tis is because smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and contributes to the breakdown of collagen and remember that less collagen means more wrinkling not to add that pursing your lips repeatedly also encourages wrinkles. It may be difficult reversing the damage, but you can stop it by quitting smoking.

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful: Cleaning Regularly

No matter what you do or where you are your skin comes in contact with pollution like cigarette smoke, car exhaust, or smoggy air and other pollutions every day. Therefore keep a skin healthy by clean regularly. Depending on the needs of your skin, you can cleanse your face with a gentle soap or wash, or exfoliate nightly with gentle scrubs and toners to remove dead skin cells, and then apply a retinoid cream and moisturizer.

Finally like we said before that your skin form the entry point with the world around you and taking good care of your largest organ is very primary of all things. Doing this is not just about applying the right creams and good food, it will also require the input of a qualified professional and that is why Dr. Akoury made a decision to create a medical center (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. It will be very important that you schedule for an appointment with this great professional for any skin care concerns you may be having.

Keeping Your Skin Beautiful – What is Affecting How Your Skin Looks

 

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Addiction causes Hypothyroidism

November 17, 2014

Addiction causes Hypothyroidism

Addiction is a host of many disease, in itself it is a vice, no a jail that, many people find too hard escaping from.  Addiction can host many diseases because it debilitates the neurotransmitters or in the affects how they work one of the diseases that can be caused by addiction is hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism- this is a condition in which the thyroid glands fail to produce certain crucial hormones or produces the hormones but in limited quantity. Hypothyroidism is a disease that commonly affect Women who are 60 years and above of age. At an early stage it may not show any symptom but when it stays for a long time without getting treating then such symptoms as joint pain, heart disease and obesity may occur.  Hypothyroidism affects the chemical balances in the body.

The thyroid gland is located at the base of the neck just over the collarbone and is responsible for producing hormones which manage protein production and oxygen use by the body cells. The most important role of the thyroid gland is that they help in metabolism in the body.  It also serves another purpose which is to distribute calcium in the body.

Hypothyroidism

Addiction causes hypothyroidism

Several studies have linked addiction to hypothyroidism. These studies have found out that consumption of opium derivatives can affect the function of hypothalamic-pituitary axis. Even though some studies have rejected the effect of alcohol and heroine consumption on hypothalamic-pituitary axis or on T3 and T4 levels some other studies have reported different results and showed decreased rate of hypothalamic-pituitary axis function in alcohol and heroin addicts. A scientist Pfeiffer showed that endogenous opioids including β-endorphin, enkephalins and dynorphins and also opiate receptors have an important role in regulation of several neuroendocrine functions. It is a known fact that opioids inhibit luteinizing hormone (LH) and thyrotropin secretion in rats. Opioids control neuroendocrine processes in hypothalamic level through releasing hypothalamic releasing or inhibiting factors.

Addiction to drugs of abuse affects hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and body hormonal system. Morphine particularly increases hormones such as adrenalin, noradrenaline, corticosterone and glucagon and can reduce the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary axis, however in relation to alterations of T3, T4 and especially TSH levels following morphine consumption, different and sometimes controversial results have been reported. In some research study reports it has been reported decrease of TSH level but no alterations in T3 and T4 levels during morphine consumption. In other researches there has been reported decrease of TSH, T3 and T4 levels following short-term consumption of morphine. One particular study that was done in Pakistan has it that opium consumption leads to total T3 increase and total T4 decrease.

The controversies that are around opium effect on hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis left a gap that a more recent study strived to fill. The most recent study sought to investigate alterations of thyroid function hormones among opium addicts compared with non-addicts.

Consuming different types of opiates will lead to different effect on hypothalamic-pituitary axis and thyroid functions. For example, it has been reported that when a person consumes buprenorphine and heroin consumption it will lead to increased thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). In a study, no difference in TBG level has been observed between heroin- dependents and normal subjects. According to another study, those who received methadone maintenance therapy showed normal level of TSH and T3 responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone administration. This present study emphasizes the places a particular emphasis on the effects of drugs of abuse on the thyroid and encourages doctors to pay attention to the thyroids as they take care of the entire endocrine system.

This is how addiction causes hypothyroidism. Drugs of abuse such as Opiates exert their effects on hypothalamic-pituitary axis through K-receptors located in hypothalamus and their peripheral effect on liver leads to increase in production of TBG and decrease of thyroid hormones metabolism. However, the involved mechanism causing such alterations in liver has not been known.

Addiction induced depression causes hypothyroidism

It has also been noted that depression has a link to hypothyroidism, depression and addiction are more of synonyms, and depression can either be a cause or a result of addiction and vice versa. When you have a mild depression, it is better to seek medical advice as the problem may affect your thyroid. Hypothyroidism may not have very severe effects on a person but when coupled with depression then all may be very difficult to deal with.

When it comes to depression then all substances of addiction come to mind, the fact is that when a person is addicted to any substance one of the side effects of addiction is depression and that isn’t safe for thyroid health and may lead to hypothyroidism.

However there are still some controversies on this topic and therefore further studies with more general evaluation of endocrine system and hypothalamic-pituitary axis and TBG are recommended to recognize the effects of opium and other substances abuse. The subject of addiction is not a light matter, many people are suffering from irreversible effects of this vice and so whenever possible its effects should be tamed for better health.

Finally, Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing help to addicts by availing some of the most integrative approaches to healing an addict. We advocate for natural healing to all kinds of addiction. In case you are struggling with addiction just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Addiction causes Hypothyroidism

 

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Healing Addictions, Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia with Nervine Herbs

November 17, 2014

Healing Addictions, Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia with Nervine Herbs

Some of the ills that have hurt society for a long time are addiction, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Today these ills have crippled our society and endangered people’s lives and to be honest these are diseases that many are struggling with even now but have proved to be a hard nut to crack. Even the standard pharmaceutical drugs have not been very successful in dealing with all these ills. Despite the gap that exists many people are still stuck in the use of standard medications that do not offer much relief in the end of it all. I have written a lot about addiction and so most of my readers are well aware of what it entails but the rest of these ills on our topic today need a definition so we may begin on right foot.

Definition of terms

Nervine Depression- This is a mood disorder that causes endless feelings of sadness and loss of interest in any kind of activity. This disorder affects how you relate to everything around you and in the end of it all you will fail to attend to your normal duties as it causes emotional and physical problems, it will control your thoughts and your behavior. It’s accompanied by a feeling of worthlessness and this explains why most people who commit suicide do so because of depression. Contrary to what people think depression is more than just a feeling of ‘lows’ that you can easily escape from. It requires long term treatment to be fought effectively.

Anxiety- this is an emotional disorder that is characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People who suffer anxiety do have intrusive thoughts, nagging thoughts that may lead them to avoid accomplishing other things because of worry. They will also show physical symptoms that may include but not limited to rapid heartbeat, trembling and even sweating. Just like depression it needs to be attended to medically failure to which it may culminate into other more severe health problems.

Insomnia- this is a sleeping disorder that is characterized by difficulty in falling asleep and maintaining a sound sleep long enough to refresh a person’s mind. The body and mind needs a rest from all activities and sleep is the perfect avenue for that to be achieved without which may lead to variety of health problems. Chronic insomnia needs medical intervention to be cured.

These three disorders closely related to addiction since most people in their bid to self-medicate turn to drugs of abuse that eventually they become addicted to. An addict will also suffer from these disorders, depression, anxiety and insomnia are either a cause or an effect of addiction and it is continuous cycle that needs healing to be broken.

What are Nervine herbs?

Nervine herbs are herbs for the nervous system. The nervous system is composed of all nerve tissues in the body.  The nerve tissues are responsible for receipt and transmission of stimuli to nerves centers to initiate specific responses. The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the brain and the spinal cord serves a great role coordination of all the nerve impulses unfortunately use of certain drugs of addiction may interfere with the way the nervous system works hence maim the receipt and transmission of nerve signals to initiate desired responses.

The nervine herbs can be divided into three categories: nervine relaxants, nervine stimulants, and nervine tonics. Each of these categories serves a crucial purpose as they facilitate whole person healing and not just treating the symptoms. The nervine tonics serve to strengthen and feed the nervous system. In case of any debility it corrects and restores the normal functioning of the nervous system. The nervine relaxants work as the natural nerve tranquilizers and be used instead of the orthodox tranquilizers while the nervine stimulants work as direct stimulants to the nervous system and they unlike the common stimulants are free from any side effects and offer longer lasting effects. They can be very effective in managing stress, depression and fatigue.

Nervine herbs effective in treating addiction, insomnia, anxiety and depression

Nervine The nervine herbs have been used for a long time in healing of addiction, insomnia, anxiety and depression traditionally and are safe and effective. Despite their effectiveness there is little scientific literature about the nervine herbs and hence of scientific research ought to be done to verify how effective they really are. Few researches have been done but in most of them the findings were very positive. In one research that was done by the French the effectiveness of the nervine herbs in healing conditions that affect the nervous system was applauded. In the French study where 264 patients suffering from either of the above disorders participated 50% showed positive results on the Hamilton anxiety scale. The reduction shown on the HAM-A scale showed how these herbs are effective. The study used a nervine herb known as hawthorn scientifically known as crataegus oxyacantha.

The problem that most people suffering from these disorders face with the standard pharmaceutical products is that none of the pharmaceutical products focus on repairing and restoring the functions of the damaged nervous system. When the nervous system has become dependent on drugs of addiction to be able to send signals and initiate responses any treatment that fails to rectify this will fail in healing the person. The nervine herbs therefore work as a whole person healing approach that uproots the disorder from its roots. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is committed to availing integrative care to all addicts and victims of nervous system debility disorders call on her at Myrtle beach, South Carolina for help.

Healing Addictions, Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia with Nervine Herbs

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Addiction and metabolic Disorders

November 16, 2014

Addiction and metabolic Disorders

Remedies-For-ThyroidMost of the time when a person becomes addicted to a drug he will begin to feel sick, generally an addict is never in good health and that is why most of them may have certain strange behaviors such as irritability and even slurred speech. The reason for this is that when a person takes drugs that are rewarding in nature he will be compelled to increase the doses day by day so as to get the euphoric feeling they seek in drugs. Even the drugs that are used in pain management like the opiates have specified dosages beyond the patient will not only get addicted to the drug but will suffer other diseases that come with overdose of such drugs. Drugs of abuse majorly affect the neurotransmitter and this will be extended to the central nervous system (CNS) which is composed of the brain and the spinal cord. The brain is the engine that drives all the activities in the body of every human being but these drugs will interfere with chemical balances in the brain making it unable to perform normally. In some instance even the neurotransmitters that work to transmit signals so as to provoke certain necessary responses may get debilitated hence everything will be messed up.

Researchers have shown that substance addiction may be linked to metabolic disorders. Individuals with substance addictions may very likely be suffering from an assortment of one or more metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemia, hypoadrenia, hypothyroidism, Vitamin B deficiency, mineral deficiencies, liver malfunction, and depression.

Serious maladaptive patterns, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypoglycemia, and candida albicans, have always been common among drug addicts and alcoholics.

Addiction and hypothyroidism

It has been established that hypothyroidism and addiction are linked. Addiction to drugs of abuse affects hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and body hormonal system. Morphine particularly increases hormones such as adrenalin, noradrenaline, corticosterone and glucagon and can reduce the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary axis, however in relation to alterations of T3, T4 and especially TSH levels following morphine consumption, different and sometimes controversial results have been reported. In some research study reports it has been reported decrease of TSH level but no alterations in T3 and T4 levels during morphine consumption. In other researches there has been reported decrease of TSH, T3 and T4 levels following short-term consumption of morphine. One particular study that was done in Pakistan has it that opium consumption leads to total T3 increase and total T4 decrease. Several studies that have been done on this topic make us certain to say the link between these two exist.

Addiction and hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the blood sugar level becomes low. This condition is mostly caused by insulin resistance and is termed a pre-diabetes condition. However it may take twenty years and above for a pre diabetes to be full blown diabetes. Drug addiction has been linked to hypoglycemia .Alcohol consumption and addiction goes hand in hand with hypoglycemia. And scientists opine that it is this condition that is often responsible for many of the debilitating symptoms that recovering alcoholics, and other addicts experience, like anxiety, depression, shaking and nervousness, crankiness, irritability, mental confusion, uncontrollable hunger, weakness, impaired concentration, mood swings, fatigue and more. Hypoglycemia can even trigger relapse in a recovering addict since  as the blood sugar level floors so do the neurotransmitters and this will cause even more craving for a substance of abuse that maybe rewarding. Addiction basically is caused by imbalances in the neurotransmitters and therefore if there is to be a recovery then the neurotransmitters must be restored.

Alcohol is sugar, the most refined form of sugar when you are addicted to alcohol you will be eating more refined sugar that will increase the blood sugar level to abnormal highs, this will trigger production of more insulin to restore the normal blood sugar level, when this happens the insulin will work on the high sugar content reducing its level plus the level of neurotransmitters and this causes hypoglycemia.

Addiction and liver malfunctions

The liver is a vital organ in the body since it is the sieve through which all that gets in the body is filtered. It is charged with the responsibility of detoxification. The liver removes chemicals from the blood turning them into harmless chemicals and then either secretes them with the bile for elimination in the stool, or secretes them back into the blood where they then are removed by the kidneys and eliminated in the urine. Drug addiction will result in a burdened liver since drugs of abuse are highly toxic especially they have to be taken in higher doses for the feelings of euphoria to be reached.

Hypothyroidism

The drugs have chemicals that may be dangerous to the liver itself causing harm to the crucial organ. Drugs may induce liver hepatitis a disease characterized by swelling of the liver. Long-term consumption of alcohol also causes liver cirrhosis.

Addiction and mineral deficiency

Addiction to drugs also causes depletion of crucial minerals in the body. Some of the crucial minerals that are depleted by long-term use of drugs and alcohol include magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is mostly caused by long-term use of alcohol. Alcohol causes wastage of magnesium through urination. Other ways through which alcohol contributes to magnesium deficiency include malnutrition, gastrointestinal losses, phosphate deficiency, acidosis and/or alkalosis, vitamin D deficiency and free fatty acidemia associated with alcohol withdrawal.

Finally, Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing help to addicts by availing some of the most integrative approaches to healing an addict. We advocate for natural healing to all kinds of addiction. Call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Addiction and metabolic Disorders

 

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Low Estrogen and Progesterone Causes Sugar Craving and Addiction

November 16, 2014

Low Estrogen and Progesterone Causes Sugar Craving and Addiction

Estrogens are hormones that play important roles in matters of sexual and l and reproductive development in women. In most cases they are referred to as female sex hormones. Estrogen refers to all of the chemically similar hormones in the women which are estrone, estradiol and estriol. Contrary to what many people think estrogen and progesterone hormones play other crucial roles other than the sexual purpose that they are well known for. Apart from their sexual purpose they can also be useful in performing the following purposes that are equally crucial.

The estrogen hormone helps in fighting depression in women by boosting the levels of serotonin, a boost in the levels of serotonin improves the quality of sleep. Estrogen also increases GABA which are crucial as they help in calming the neurotransmitters.

Another crucial function of the estrogen hormones is that they responsible for good mood in women. They increase the levels of endorphins that help women to feel good. When the levels of estrogen go down the feelings of sadness and hopelessness will find their way in a woman and therefore it is necessary for a woman to stress free.

Estrogen hormone is also very important in bone formation and strengthening, it works with vitamin D and other mineral calcium in developing bones that are strong enough. As the level of estrogen declines women will begin to have weak bones and that explains why women in menopause are most likely to suffer osteoporosis.

Estrogen hormone also plays a role in blood clotting, maintaining the strength and thickness of the vaginal wall and the urethral lining, vaginal lubrication and a host of other bodily functions. It affects skin, hair, mucous membranes and the pelvic muscles. The hormone also affects the brain and literally estrogen rules a woman’s life.

Estrogen

Just like estrogen Progesterone also plays very crucial roles in our lives. This hormone is present in both men and women but it is more dominant in women than in men. This hormone helps in promoting healthy sleep, it also balances the levels of estrogen in the body. Progesterone has a natural calming effect and is a natural diuretic and antidepressant. When the levels of progesterone drop it will cause insomnia and lead to bad moods as well.

These hormones are produced in the ovaries and are available in the highest levels in women at puberty but may also be produced in lower levels in fat cells and the adrenal glands.  During menopause the production of these hormones stops and that explains why women in menopause have lower levels of estrogen.

A fall in levels of these hormones Causes sugar cravings

Some women will feel sugar cravings escalating in perimenopause periods in their forties, this may be caused by a fall in the levels of estrogen and progesterone and estrogen levels. On DR. Oz show Jacob Teitelbaum, MD opines that earlier in a woman’s life the cravings for sugar are likely to manifest as premenstrual syndrome. This is often associated with lower levels of progesterone and estrogen in them that may be accompanied by severe irritability that happens in during the periods. In his article he explains that when a woman hits mid-forties the levels of estrogen will drop. The drop in estrogen and progesterone causes deficiency of the hormones in the body and this causes increased craving for sugar. Other symptoms of low progesterone and estrogen fatigue, moodiness and insomnia as well as decreased vaginal lubrication.

According to Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, it is not only progesterone and estrogen deficiency that causes increased craving for sugar but  testosterone deficiency associated with andropause can also cause sugar craving along with other severe problems in men. Depression, decreased libido, decreased erectile function, high blood pressure, weight gain, diabetes or high cholesterol can suggest testosterone deficiency. This problem can be solved by supplementing testosterone.

He reveals that blood testing for hormonal deficiency may not reveal the problem when still mild and manageable, it can only work in severe conditions that will leave a person debilitated for long time. He advises that it is very essential to eliminate sugar addiction that is caused by estrogen, progesterone or testosterone.

Treatment

EstrogenThere are natural therapies that can be used in restoring the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body and calm the sugar craving and break the addiction. These natural therapies may include edamane and black cohosh also known as remifemin, they are very effective in treating estrogen deficiency syndrome more effectively and naturally. In case the drop in level is more severe then prescription of natural bioidentical hormones can help.

Dr. Teitelbaum advices that using non-bioidentical hormones may not to be so safe and therefore encourages the use of the natural bioidentical hormones to help patients with low estrogen and progesterone levels hence  break their sugar addiction and stop the craving. He advises that post menstrual syndromes characterized by increased sugar craving can be greatly reduced by taking vitamin B6 200 mg a day, magnesium 200 mg a day, and Evening Primrose oil 3,000 mg a day for 3 months. Then the dose can often be lowered. Bioidentical progesterone can also help in severe cases that persist after three months of the nutritional treatments above.

When you use the natural bioidentical hormones, your metabolism will be improved and your cravings for sugar will stop. With improved metabolism you will reap additional benefits like loss of weight hence a more satisfying life. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is committed to availing integrative care to all addicts call on her at Myrtle beach, South Carolina for help.

Low Estrogen and Progesterone Causes Sugar Craving and Addiction

 

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