Category Archives: Detoxification

Smoking Addiction Causes Cancer

November 1, 2013
Smoking Addiction causes Cancer

Dr. Dalal Akoury

How Smoking Addiction causes Cancer?

Thank you for smoking! is what you would expect from any one who benefits from the addiction and Cancer epidemics. Sad but true some people benefit from other people pain and affliction.

November is the Lung Cancer Awareness month, that is why AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is dedicating a lot of time to raise the awareness about the association between smoking addiction and cancer.  Addiction is an emotional and  mental dependence on a substance. Nicotine is the principal addictive substance in tobacco, while there could be other substances that may also contribute to tobacco dependence. Regular smoking of tobacco products lead to addiction in most users. Nicotine is an addictive drug just like cocaine and heroin. Researchers are also investigating on some of the other chemicals in tobacco that make it harder to quit.

The susceptibility to lung cancer has been strongly related with cigarette smoking, in other words Smoking Addiction Causes Cancer . It’s estimated that about 90% of lung cancers are as a result of tobacco use. The susceptibility of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes an individual smokes over time. Doctors equate this risk in terms of pack-years of smoking chronology. For instance, if a person has smoked two packs of cigarettes in each day for 10 years, he has a history of 20 years of packs.  Even though with a 10 pack-year  of smoking history can lead to cancer  risks, those with a history of smoking over 30 pack-years are considered more susceptible to cancer.

Smoking Addiction Causes Cancer, one in seven who smoke die from Lung Cancer!

Among those people who smoke more packs of cigarettes each day, one in seven will eventually die of lung cancer. Tobacco smoke has over 4,000 chemical substances, most of which have been shown to be causing cancer. The two basic carcinogens in tobacco smoke are substances known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines. The susceptibility of developing lung cancer will decrease every year following cessation of smoking. This is because normal cells always grow to replace the already damaged cells in the lungs. Former smokers have a high susceptibility to developing cancer even 15 years after cessation of smoking.  It’s important to note that there is no safe exposure to tobacco. Even Pipe and cigar smoking may also cause lung cancer however not to the same high degree as with cigarettesSmoking.  Pipe and cigar smokers have a five fold increase in cancer development compared to non smokers.

Passive smoking

Smoking addiction exposes innocent individuals to smoke passively. Passive Smoking happens when people co-live sharing a place of living or working quarters with active smoker. This scenario has also been established as one way of cancer susceptibility. Research has revealed that non-smokers who reside  with smokers have a 24% risk increase of developing lung cancer as compared to other non-smokers. An estimated 3,000 people in the U.S die from cancer -attributable to passive smoking. Smoking Addiction Causes Cancer not only to the active smoker but also to the passive smoker.

Asbestos fibers

Smoking Addiction causes Cancer

Cigarette smoking can also lead to a drastic increase in the chances of developing asbestos. That is how Smoking Addiction Causes Cancer by increasing the risk of asbestosis.
These are silicate fibers that persist for a long period in lung tissue following exposure to asbestos. These fibers are commonly associated with work places. This is because in the past, asbestos was widely used in both acoustic and thermal insulation materials. However, today most countries have banned the use of asbestos. Both mesothelioma and lung cancer are often associated with exposure to asbestos. It’s worth noting that asbestos workers and smokers have a susceptibility risk of about 50-90 times greater than non smokers to develop cancer.  On the other hand, Asbestos workers who do not smoke have a lower risk to develop lung Cancer their risk to develop lung cancer of about 5 times that of the non-smokers.

At AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we would like to share this information with you and help you to rid yourself from Smoking Addiction and Cancer

Smoking Addiction Causes Cancer

 

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Poor Nutrition causes Addiction

November 1, 2013
Poor Nutrition causes Addiction

Dr. Dalal Akoury

Why Poor Nutrition causes Addiction?

 

Understanding the relationship between nutrition and addiction is an important component for successful drug abuse recovery. Although many drug addicts become malnutritioned from their drug abuse behaviors, this issue is much deeper than you thought.  This article purpose is to expose to you that Why Poor Nutrition causes Addiction? Drug addicts are deficient in a variety of vital nutrients, which leads to physiological and psychological symptoms and imbalanced neurotransmitters in the brain that often result in the relapse. Thus, identifying and correcting these deficiencies is another important step in maintaining drug-free and long-term sobriety.

The role of nutrition and addiction have brings two sided adverse effects on each other. You find that drug addiction causes nutritional deficiencies, while on the other side poor nutritional cause drug addiction. Both addiction and nutrition have a reciprocal effect on one another that often makes addicts to relapse. Remember that your recovery will be much easier and long lived if you know that Poor Nutrition causes Addiction.

A poor diet lacking in vital nutrients, high in sugar or salt, refined foods and with environmental toxins that average people takes nowadays, often results in nutritional deficiencies. Contrary to most people’s popular beliefs and culture, minerals and vitamin deficiencies are quite common in our society. Their deficiency or lack of it can result into imbalances causing uncomfortable symptoms. Scientific research indicates that Poor Nutrition causes Addiction.

On the literal form, nutrients are needed in the brain to form neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are substances used by our brain to communicate with all body parts or relay messages within the brain. An imbalance or lack neurotransmitters such as GABA, serotonin, endorphins and dopamine have been found to be at the root of what causes alcohol and drug addiction. That is why Poor Nutrition causes Addiction because it causes lack of Amino acids the building blocks of all Neurotransmitters.

Why Poor Nutrition causes Addiction? is explained Below

The manufacturing process of these neurotransmitters, the body requires every nutrient with right amount to be present during the process of synthesis of neurotransmitters if the nutrients are lacking the neurotransmitter production is compromised causing imbalances leading to addiction and self medication. The lack of one or two of these nutrients during the manufacturing process can lead to failure of neurons in producing adequate quantity of neurotransmitters. This is explains why Poor Nutrition causes Addiction

You’ll want to read and understand alcohol and drug addiction and how to recover from the adverse effects caused by taking drugs. To achieve successful drug and alcohol addiction recovery, your body’s neurotransmitters must be brought into balance. So you need to understand the interrelationship between addiction and nutrition because they are important aspects if you want to maintain a lasting sobriety.

Poor Nutrition causes Addiction

prevention an aid against drug addiction Deutsch: Kampf dem Drogenmissbrauch :*Ausgabepreis: 40 Pfennig :*First Day of Issue / Erstausgabetag: 14. August 1975 :*Michel-Katalog-Nr: 864 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Symptoms and Impact of Deficiencies explaining why Poor Nutrition causes Addiction?

Symptoms from a deficiency or lack of minerals, vitamins or amino acids may include hypoglycemia, depression, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, hyperactivity, learning disorders, cognitive dysfunction, insomnia, hypertension, memory problems, personality disorders, sugar cravings, heart disease, agitation, headaches, and many more. You will realize that that many of these symptoms, as a result of nutrient deficiencies, look extremely similar to the symptoms that an addict faces in their recovery experiences.

When your diet lacks proper nutrients that it needs, then your brain is out of balance in manufacturing and realizing neurotransmitters. You must understand the importance of these crucial chemicals in making your body feel relaxed, happy or normal. Lack of it or the imbalance of these chemicals in the brain can lead to depression, anxiety, sadness, tiredness, confusion and make one not to think clearly.

All psychotropic substances mimic the effects of your neurotransmitters and thus provide one with a temporary, but artificial boost. When neurotransmitters are not balanced in the brain, then we crave things like drugs, alcohol, sugar, cigarettes and caffeine to provide us with the feelings and relieve which we could otherwise get naturally.

Since most people are eating a diet that lacking in nutrients or deities that are toxic, nutritional deficiencies are usually present in the drug and alcohol addict prior to addiction. Actually this is one of the things that lead to substance abuse and eventually addiction. You find that our body doesn’t produce enough dopamine, GABA, serotonin or endorphins, and therefore taking drugs provides us with a temporary boost to those neurotransmitters. These drugs provide us with what we are missing. However, in the long run, the temporary stimulation of these brain chemicals only depletes them even further and leads to diverse problem of substance addiction.

AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center offers an NER a Neuroendocrine Restoration that replenishes targeted amino acids in an attempt to achieve quick and long term craving free without withdrawal recovery. That is how we address the fact that Poor Nutrition causes Addiction.

 

Why Poor Nutrition causes Addiction?

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Amino Acid Addiction Treatment NER

November 1, 2013

 

Amino Acid AddictionTreatment

Dr. Dalal Akoury

Amino Acid  Addiction Treatment 

Amino Acid Addiction Treatment NER is gaining steam. Three recent medical studies, one about compulsive gambling and two about cocaine addiction, examine the role played by simple amino acid in the treatment of addiction. These amino acids taken regularly in diet can help in normalizing the brain chemistry of those people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.

 

Alcohol and drugs addiction and other various forms of pathological gambling have widely ruined addict’s family cohesiveness, personal finances and health. Addiction led  people to lose jobs and friends.  In addicted people the relapse rates are extremely high, this is why implemented Amino Acid Addiction Treatment  is very important.  Recent research provides an answer to addiction and relapse. Amino Acid Addiction Treatment, thereby offering much hope for a non-toxic, inexpensive option for treating addicts and helping them stop abusing substances.

 

N-acetylcysteine, which is a substance in form of sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine, is a chemical that is transformed to the brain neurotransmitter glutamate.  There is observational evidence that proves that reduced amount of glutamate in the brain will increase addictive behaviors of drug addicts. Taking N-acetylcysteine has been shown to increase the amount of glutamate in the nucleus accumbens (some regions in the brain). N-acetylcysteine, when low in glutamate can promotes abusers addictive behavior.

The Study confirming the value of Amino Acid Addiction Treatment 

Amino Acid Addiction Treatment

Maxim Magazine (December 2008) – Jiah Khan … “Pharmageddon”: America’s New Drug Crisis — better living through better chemistry (September 4, 2011) … (Photo credit: marsmet552)

In the first study, 15 people (volunteers) who had been taking cocaine received 600 mg of N-acetylcysteine every 12 hours for 2 consecutive days.  The test volunteers taking N-acetylcysteine were less likely to research on the internet for cocaine-related news. From the research, these volunteers who had taken this amino acid substance revealed in a questionnaire an impressive reduction in cocaine craving.

 

A second study conducted by the same researchers, provided 23 cocaine addicts with 600g, 1200g or 1800 mg of N-acetylcysteine twice daily for almost 4 weeks. These addicts who were given this amino acid substance had been seeking treatment prompting the researchers to use them as a research subjects.   Sixteen patients who successfully used this amino acid rich substance recorded a drop in cocaine use dramatically. The sixteen patients, who stuck with the program taking NAC, decreased their cocaine use. Initially, before the commencing on the use of this amino acid substance, they were taking cocaine 8 days in a month. They reduced their usage to 1 day in Month. The amount of NAC used in this study didn’t seem to matter or produce a different result. There were no side effects noted as a result of using the substance. This study substantiate the role of Amino Acid Addiction Treatment.

 

Amino Acid Addiction Treatment  is very important

This sounds great, about 80% reductions in the use of cocaine by these addicts.  But keep in mind that these people sought treatment so as to live a sober life. The will to live a life free from drugs is the key to successful therapy.  Amino acid Addiction treatment may help correct addicts’ brain chemistry and cement the desire to quit drugs consequently helping one to modify his or her behavior.

Earlier researches had shown that there is a biochemical component to substance addiction.  The positive effects of lithium, B vitamins, glutamine and dietary modifications have been shown for alcohol abusers. The field of optimizing brain chemistry has continued to receive a boost with many doctors venturing into finding the natural, inexpensive, safe and effective nutrients to help treat addiction. That is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center use Amino Acid Addiction Treatment as a main step in our Natural addiction recovery program.

Amino Acid AddictionTreatment 

 

 

 

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Mercury poisoning and your foods

October 23, 2013

Mercury poisoning

Mercury poisoning

Dr. Dalal Akoury

Mercury poisoning: Is it so common? Yes, we are constantly exposed to mercury in whatever small amounts. This is because it is there in soft drinks and snacks that we often enjoy. So, let us know more about this element and save our health. Mercury is naturally found everywhere which includes air, water and soil. It is released into the atmosphere due to coal burning. This mercury then settles on land and water sources like rivers. Its toxic form called methyl mercury accumulates in fish and shell-fish. These are the main sources of mercury poisoning in human beings though it does not mean that all fishes have high mercury levels. Their mercury level depends on what they eat. What are the health effects of mercury poisoning? Exposure to mercury affects multiple organs including brain, heart, lungs, immune system and kidneys. Methyl mercury is rapidly absorbed from the intestine into the blood circulation. The health effects depend on whether it is inorganic mercury salts or organic methyl mercury. Methyl mercury mainly affects the nervous system and brain. Inorganic mercury affects not only brain but also causes pneumonia, kidney damage and bleeding disorder. Some of the health effects of Mercury poisoning include:

  • Ataxia: Inability to maintain body balance while standing or walking due to lack of coordination of muscles.
  • Loss of vision and hearing
  • Memory loss
  • Emotional dysfunction occurs due to involvement of frontal lobes of brain.
  • Dysarthria: difficulty in articulation.
  • Neuropathy: Loss of function of nerves like sensory, motor and autonomic functions. They develop tingling sensation and numbness of limbs. Sensory loss involving hands and feet may occur. Tremors or uncontrolled vibratory movements of limbs may occur.
  • Psychiatric disturbance resulting in abnormal behaviour
  • Kidney damage: Reduced kidney function occurs due to death of renal tubules which form urine.
  • Contact dermatitis, hyperpigmentation, stomatitis or inflammation in oral cavity. Rash may also appear over palms.
  • Respiratory difficulty occurs in acute mercury exposure.

What are the common sources of exposure to mercury poisoning?

mercury poisoning.

English: Element mercury (Hg), liquid form. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Seafood: Consumption of a lot of seafood from contaminated water is the most important cause of mercury poisoning. High-fructose corn syrup: Detectable levels of mercury have been reported in high fructose corn syrup. In a scientific study published in the Journal of Environmental Health, they reported that high fructose corn syrup may contain about 0.570 micrograms of mercury. The WHO has recommended that consumption of less than 0.2 micrograms of mercury per kilogram of body weight is within safe limits. Since the average American consumption of soft drinks and other snacks containing high fructose corn syrup is very high, it poses a risk of mercury poisoning. Soft drinks and snacks: High fructose corn syrup is used as a sweetening agent in soft drinks and other food products. Some of these favourite snacks which contain high fructose corn syrup include oatmeal, barbecue sauce, chocolate syrup, cereal bars, jellies, dressings, yogurt and other milk drinks. This probably comes from caustic soda which is used for manufacturing high fructose corn syrup. Soft drinks in which high fructose corn syrup is added as a sweetening agent are also a potential source of mercury poisoning.

What to do at home to avoid or reduce mercury poisoning? You should be careful in your selection of food that is consumed at home. Sharks and tuna are especially rich in mercury and are better avoided. Pregnant and lactating mothers should avoid consumption of large fishes. Avoid taking processed foods containing high fructose corn syrup. Read labels carefully at the time of shopping. It adds value to life. Being extra careful will go a long way to reduce and prevent further accumulation of mercury in your body. This also helps in weight loss as high fructose corn syrup consumption is associated with obesity and its complications like atherosclerosis, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, stroke and obstructive sleep apnoea.

 

mercury poisoning.

Soft drinks on shelves in a Woolworths supermarket (Australia). Taken by myself. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How to get rid of mercury which is already there? In people with serious disease with symptoms described above, chelating agents are used. These are chemicals with bind with mercury or convert it into non-toxic substance which is then easily excreted. These chelating agents include dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and Penicillamine. DMSA is the agent of choice in people with mild or chronic poisoning. For people with acute poisoning, Dimercaprol is used. If there is recent ingestion, the decontamination of the gastrointestinal tract is done. For this, activated charcoal is consumed and is known to neutralize both organic and inorganic forms of mercury. The other agent of use here is Polyethylene glycol. This is a laxative with strong osmotic effects.

Mercury poisoning and you foods

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Women Addiction on the Rise

October 21, 2013
Women Addiction

Dr. Dalal Akoury

Women Addiction on the Rise

According to the report released by National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, addiction is on the rise among women abusers in the United States. The report shows that about six million women are dependent on alcohol and about 2.6 million women drug abuse issues. The report shows also shows that the number of women abusing drugs has increased sharply over the last decade. This is because women have always felt stigmatized in the society. Some of them keep their drinking or drug habits a secret; a factor that can hinder the true statistics of women who abuse alcohol and other related substances.
Why Are Women Engaging More Than Ever In Addiction
Violence
The rate of sexual abuse and physical abuse, among women, continue to rise. Rape cases continue to be reported in various parts of the country. A part from sex abuse, others continue to be physically abused by their male counterparts. As a result of the above factors, many women result into taking drugs and other substances to help them forget what they underwent or what they continue to face in the society. In an attempt to maintain family or relations Most of the women who continue to stay in violent domestic relationships or those who grew up in violent homes continue to turn into substance abuse to cope with their life’s dysfunctional circumstances. They do so in an attempt to

Women Addiction on the Rise how does it affect the family?

maintain family or relations.
Emotional abuse or marginalization
In most relationships there is unequal distribution of household responsibilities and lack of empathy. In this kind of relationships, women are the one who are affected most. They therefore feel trapped in this relationship, unable to quite because of the reason to maintain family or relationship. These women seek ways to cover the pain of feeling under-appreciated thus resulting into abuse of drugs. They turn to substance abuse to help them achieve their own happiness. They think that by taking drugs, it gives them a sense of comfort, power and relief from to give them a sense of power, comfort and relief from depression over their dwindled relationship. Also, other women continue to grow up feeling stigmatized because of their gender. They feel disrespected for being female and as a result they lead into drug abuse.
Isolation

Women Addiction on the Rise

Pregnant Woman-Alcohol-Cigarette addiction

Factors like divorce, separation or where husband die leaving a woman to take care of children are o the raise in our society. The most affected party is women who feel lonely or isolated. You find that it is mothers who are left with a burden of caring children and when they feel that they are stressed up with the situation, they seek solace in drugs and other substances. They use drugs to help them feel forget about their partners, feel energized, make connections and feel loved. For example, a mother might initially begin drinking alcohol with friends, only leading to her addicted at the end. What begins as a social activity can quickly result into a social problem among women who feel that their sense of companionship or belonging is connected to their drug use.

Women Addiction...

White House Visits Christiana Care’s Substance Abuse Intervention Program (Photo credit: Christiana Care)

Women Addiction on the Rise; What is the role of lifestyle changes

Change in lifestyle
With an effort to feel part of certain social class or lifestyle, many women try hard to feel part of the ‘wine society’. They feel that by taking wine, they are not actually abusing drugs. In modern society women don’t want to feel like they’ve had their freedom and fun taken out of their lives by having children. They admire their past lives without children and attempt to feel young ones more. Their initial purpose is not to take drugs but wine which they recognize as being accepted as woman’s drink. But eventually they result into full abuse of alcohol and other substances.

Women Addiction on the Rise

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