Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts

November 23, 2015

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Doing the right thing to escape addiction

What do you drink? and what flows in your glass? Whatever the answer remember that there are numerous nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts if you feed well.

Previously while we were exploring on the good nutrition and diet for recovering people with addiction we noted that there are applicable factors which when applied with the guidance of addiction experts, real time solutions can be realized. Those factors included exercise, relaxation, spirituality and adaptation of a balanced living. We were however able to discuss the exercise portion and now while focusing on the nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts, we are going to look at the remaining three, and with the help of professionals from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the MD founder and president of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, we are going to give to details all that you need to know about these three factors and so stay tuned and invite a friend to the link so that we move together as a committed team in the elimination of drug addiction by all means.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Relaxation

Relaxation is very crucial and actually there are several things you can do to readily reduce or escape the stress you feel. Doctor Akoury is registering that when you are unable to change a situation or to better cope with the stress of everyday living some of the applicable solutions are very simple and very common such that people often ignore the power behind them. Take for example simple things like laughing, playing, listening to music, storytelling, fantasizing, reading and massage are some methods of natural stress reduction yet we often ignore them. Besides that deep relaxation can be a way of relaxing the body and mind. The objective of this is to reduce stress and produce a sense of well-being. Deep relaxation rebalances the body and reduces the production of stress hormones. What happens when you relax is the opposite of the “fight or flight” reaction. When you relax, your muscles become heavy, your body temperature rises and your breathing and heart rate slow down. Remember that tension hinders muscle relaxation and that is why it is impossible to maintain tension while physically relaxing. A visit to the home of solutions (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) will equip you with all the needed techniques which will allow your body to relax effectively. You can therefore schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury for further professional direction on the relaxation modalities. And even as you do that it is important to note that the distress resulting from thought process impairments, emotional process impairments, memory impairments, and stress sensitivity can be reduced or relieved through proper use of relaxation. There are a variety of relaxation exercises that you can use including:

You can get a book that will offer you a selection of exercises or you can purchase tape-recorded exercises.
You can close your eyes in a comfortable position and repeat a pleasant word over and over to yourself.
You can imagine yourself in a soothing environment such as by a quiet lake or in a green meadow.

Pick a method that is relaxing to you and use it often. The experience will be very productive since you will find it a helpful aid for reducing stress and creating peace of mind and serenity.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Spirituality

Spirituality can be defined as “an active relationship with a power greater than yourself that gives your life meaning and purpose.” When you work a spiritual program, you consciously, actively attempt to become a part of something bigger, greater, and more powerful than yourself. The effectiveness of this is that believing in a Higher Power will take you out of the center of your universe and offers peace of mind and serenity by awareness that there is a power that is not restricted by your weaknesses and limitations. Through spiritual development you can develop new confidence in your own abilities and develop a new sense of hope. It is through a spiritual program that you can reach with hope and a positive attitude toward the future.

In working on your spirituality it is important for you to use the principles of the AA/NA program. AA/NA provides guidelines for “increasing your conscious contact with your higher power.” You do not have to have any one image of your higher power to increase your conscious contact. You do have to be open to the possibility of a Higher Power and be willing to experiment with communicating with that Power. It is important to structure your life in such a way as to spend time alone each day to interact with your Higher Power. It is important to examine your values and look within yourself to determine whether your life is in harmony with those values. And take note that spiritual discipline is a consciously chosen course of action. Discipline is uncomfortable for many recovering addicts. They have lived lives of immediate gratification, and discipline is the reverse of that. The purpose of spiritual discipline is freedom from the slavery of self-indulgence. Spiritual discipline includes prayer and meditation, spiritual fellowship, and regular inventory of your spiritual growth.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Balanced living

Balanced living can be defined in several ways including:

Balanced living means that there is bio-psycho-social-spiritual harmony in your life.
It means that you are healthy physically and psychologically and that you have healthy relationships.
It means that you are spiritually whole.
It means that you are no longer focused on one aspect of your life.
It means you are living responsibly, giving yourself time for your job, your family, and your friends as well as time for your own growth and recovery.
It means allowing a Higher Power to work in your life. It means wholesome living.
It means having a balance between work and play, between fulfilling your responsibilities to other people and your need for self-fulfillment.
It means functioning as nearly as possible at your optimum stress level, maintaining enough stress to keep you functioning in a healthy way and not overloading yourself with stress so that it becomes counterproductive.

Finally a balanced living requires proper health care so that the body is functioning well. Nutrition, rest, and exercise all receive the proper focus in your life to provide energy, manage stress, allow freedom from illness and pain, combat fatigue, and rebuild a damaged body. Freedom from physical distress allows psychological growth. When you feel good it is easier to think about your attitudes and values and to work on eliminating denial, guilt, and anger. Balanced living requires doing things to develop self-confidence and self-esteem and learning to feel good about your-self. All these factors are geared towards ensuring total elimination of addiction by putting aside all triggers of addiction and you can get more information on this and other nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts by visiting AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and all your concerns will be addressed professionally.

Nutritional benefits enjoyed by recovering addicts: Doing the right thing to escape addiction

Cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction treatment

November 23, 2015

Cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction treatment: Shaping the mind to deliver addiction solutions

The application of Cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction treatment solutions is one of the painless treatment approach that is suitable for everyone

Somebody once said that what you see in the outside of any person is the manifestation of what is taking place in their mind. It is also true that out of the mind we speak and take actions on our daily activities. This is also applicable with the issues relating to substance abuse and misuse of alcohol. It therefore means that if we want to be in total control of our actions, the most important thing to do is to have sobriety and exercise good control of our minds. Many people normally get into drugs because of the influence they have from their friends and pressure of wanting to belong and not to be left out in the process. The drug barons have actually succeeded in luring people both the young and the old into drugs because they have understood that when the mind is destabilized, then they will be in business because you will certainly buy to quench your thirst for the drug and to temporarily escape withdrawal symptoms for a while. Over the past we have dealt with several modalities of offering addiction solution to all people and Doctor Dalal Akoury has been of great help in making us understand the root causes of this problem and also the solution to the same. In view of that, we want to focus on the topic “cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction treatment.” We owe it to ourselves and to our children’s children that we must have a healthy environment to live in. the intoxication of our surrounding is what we must all address and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the avenues of addressing it.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction treatment: When cognitive behavioral therapy becomes necessary

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center over the past years there has been increasing interest in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a means to help clients escape from the scourge of addiction. CBT is actually a kind of talking therapy where the emphasis is made on empowering the individual patient to take charge of their own thoughts and feelings. In many instances the majority of the problems the individual will often experience will be due to faulty thinking or belief about themselves or others. Like for example, it is possible for the individual give up on life and develops the feeling that they can never be loved by someone. And such negative thought can be very dangerous because such thinking can lead people into addiction. This is what the application of cognitive behavioral therapy needs to address. And by examining thoughts and feelings more closely the client, and with the help of the professional therapist from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, one is able understand them a lot better. Remember that one of the advantages of CBT is that it can lead to breakthroughs in a relatively short period of time – although this is not always the case. During the treatment the client is encouraged to examine those thoughts that are leading them to engage in substance abuse. Once they see that their flawed thinking has been the source of much of their problems they will find it a lot easier to break away from addiction.

Doctor Akoury is registering that even though cognitive behavioral therapy is all about mind set, it may not be as easy as it is pronounced. Many addicts are living in great denial and so even applying what appears to be simple and straight forward may be a great challenge. It is because of such challenges that doctor Dalal Akoury founded this facility (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) primarily to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness that will bring a total mindset change about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Besides that it will also interest you to note that in her several decades of impacting positively in people’s lives, Dr. Akoury’s practice are of the highest standard of profession and focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. This is what you and your loved ones need if you are struggling with any kind of addiction. If this description suits your situation, then you need not to die silently. You can therefore call on doctor Akoury today on telephone number 843 213 1480 to schedule for an appointment of your life time and by the time she will be done with you, you will be a completely different and changed person with great life a head of you for an absolute fulfillment and comfort.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction treatment: Pros and cons of behavior therapy as an addiction treatment

And just like any other thing around you, there will be some merits and demerits. Therefore even though cognitive behavioral therapy can be highly effective, it is probably not going to work for everyone. That is to say that some people may lack the insight to be able to benefit from CBT for various reasons. Nonetheless some of techniques like self-monitoring will require a high degree of self-honesty which can be a serious problem to very many individuals struggle with this problem of addiction. Besides that there is also the worry that aversion therapy may prove harmful, and in particular, overt techniques that produce vomiting or involve electrical shocks. Anti-abuse can lead to death if the individual has consumed too much alcohol. And finally doctor Akoury reiterates that there is no doubt that behavior therapies can help the individual beat their addiction. This is why such techniques have been widely adapted in rehabs and other treatment programs. Remember that CBT receives a lot of praise for its ability to get the individual to take charge of their own life. Such empowerment can not only help them escape addiction, but to also build a successful life in recovery in the long run.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for addiction treatment: Shaping the mind to deliver addiction solutions

How to Boost Dopamine Levels Naturally

May 20, 2015

Boosting Dopamine Levels Naturally

Dopamine is a vital brain chemical that is responsible for crucial functions. Dopamine allows for feelings of bliss, pleasure, euphoria, drive, motivation, focus, and concentration. Dopamine is involved in the frontal cortex in executive functions like attention and feelings among others. In the rest of the body, dopamine is involved in nausea, in kidney function, and in heart function. Though only relevant to most people when it comes to such aspects as motivation, addiction, attention or lust, dopamine is a crucial neurotransmitter that also does vital functions in different pathways. As a neurotransmitter the hormone transmits messages from nerves. When a nerve releases dopamine, it crosses a very small gap called a synapse and then attaches to a dopamine receptor on the next nerve. So when dopamine is depleted the impulses sent by the nerves can’t be transmitted and hence may impair brain functions such as behavior, mood, cognition, attention, learning, movement and sleep.

dopamine

Here are some ways to naturally boost dopamine

Adopting a healthy diet– healthy eating helps in solving most health problems. By adopting a healthy diet you are taking a good leap into naturally boosting your dopamine levels. Foods rich in carbohydrates, vegetables, whole grains, whole grain pasta, rice, broccoli, spinach, lettuce among other healthy foods can go a long way in boosting dopamine levels. Eating fat processed foods will do the opposite. You may also eat sweet foods like chocolate, only a couple squares of good quality chocolate with a high percentage of Cocoa in it can raise these chemicals. You can also get an adequate supply of B vitamins, folic acid and vitamin C because these vitamins play a role in transmitting brain chemicals. Spicy foods like chili peppers and jalapenos are also good for the course. The heat triggers the release of endorphins, so the spicier the better. You may get help from a nutritionist who may give you a list of foods that may be of benefit.

Acupuncture – acupuncture has been used for a long time and has been very effective in restoring the flow of energy in the body. Among the Chinese acupuncture is a highly regarded ancient treatment of complex diseases. Apart from boosting the flow of energy it helps in the release of dopamine and endorphins and this explains why many therapists use acupuncture to help their patients who are struggling with addiction to drugs and other substances.

Eating animal proteins- foods that are rich in animal proteins are good for boosting the levels of dopamine in the body. This includes many varieties of fish, chicken, turkey and other forms of poultry. It also applies to most types of meat as well as eggs. These tyrosine-rich foods offer an effective way to maintain or increase dopamine levels. For vegetarians there are vegetable sources of proteins that can help in the same way, these may include; sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts and legumes.

Eat fruits especially bananas.

Eating fruits especially the ripe bananas help in regulating dopamine because they have a high concentration of tyrosine. Other food sources of tyrosine include almonds, apples, watermelons, cherries, yogurt, beans, eggs and meats. It is important to note that foods alone generally do not have the therapeutic amino acid levels necessary to boost dopamine levels for someone experiencing major depressive disorder. Therefore, to boost your dopamine levels adequately, tyrosine supplementation is often needed.

dopamine

Meditation– meditation has been practiced for a long time, thanks for its therapeutic effects. Through meditation the fatigue in the nervous system is mitigated and so their performance is enhanced. Doing meditation right helps in production of dopamine at required levels. Meditation is a common practice in Asia especially among the Chinese. There are therapists who can help you achieve this. At AWAREmed Dr. Dalal Akoury will help you achieve this.

Herbal supplements – Some herbs like St John’s Wort, 5-HTP and L Tyrosine can all increase dopamine in the brain. These herbal supplements will even help restore the levels of dopamine after use of drugs such as opiates.

Exercise – when you exercise there are lots of benefits that you can reap from exercise. Exercise is one of the best natural ways to produce serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. however to enjoy the benefits of exercise and help boost dopamine levels and other vital neurotransmitters you need to do more vigorous exercise as stronger the physical demand you place on your body, the greater the release of endorphins. You should try weight training and high and low intensity exercises. Hit the gym and reap big.

Sex – sex is helps in boosting the dopamine. A long session can dramatically increase dopamine. When a person is suffering from withdrawal effects of drugs and dopamine is at lows then sexual intercourse can be a good remedy.

These are some of the many ways to help boost your dopamine levels naturally, there are other ways of boosting dopamine but you need to discuss with your doctor if you want to be safe as some of the supplements will cause you great harm; not everything bought over the counter as natural supplement is harmless. In fact to get help in case you have been using drugs of abuse that have since led to the erosion and depletion of dopamine levels in your brain you are advised to seek the help of an integrative doctor who will evaluate which option will best fit your condition. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help

Boosting Dopamine Levels Naturally

Sexual Abuse, Rape and Female Sex Addiction: The Link

May 18, 2015

Role of Sexual Abuse and Rape on Female Sex Addiction

Sex addiction is real and today very many people are enslaved to its chains, rummaging through life looking for all and every viable point of egress from this monster but to no avail. The reality however is that of all those who are already victims the fight against it is just as fierce as any other against other known addictions. it is quite unfortunate that the dangers of sex addiction or the very existence of this phenomenon is still overlooked, this is probably because most the people affected by sex addiction are women who are not ready to expose themselves as sex addicts and look for help; the society can be blamed for this, women have been associated with all the wrong reasons, called derogatory names in relation to their sexuality so it no surprise that most of them will endure all the problems that come with sex addiction in silence. It is quite unfortunate that most of the people who are sex addicts do not even know that they are suffering from sex addiction. There are various causes of sex addiction but sexual abuse and rape have been linked to sex addiction as causative agents.

sex addiction

Though overlooked, sex addiction is a real problem that has been here to stay and will continue to cause nightmares to many people. Statistics has it that between 10% and 17% of people aged between 20- 35 years struggle with sex addiction. The frequency of sex addiction is said to be at 3% generally. Past sexual misgivings of a person may lead to sexual addiction, therapists, healers and doctors have all noted the clear correlation between sexual abuse and sex addiction. If a person got raped at a younger age, the incident will make him incapable of differentiating between healthy sexual relationship and unhealthy sexual relationship. as opposed to what many people think sexual addicts are not engaged in the act for the sake of pleasure they can get from, therapists have taught that these addicts do not even enjoy sex but use it to help numb their painful feelings that may stem from past experiences. Though the major causes of sexual abuse are sexual abuse and rape, the availability of free porn sites on the internet has fueled sex addiction. many people are able to log into these porn sites and watch the videos which further corrupts minds into believing that compulsive sexual behaviors are in fact a ‘virtue’ to be highly upheld. These videos depict sex as an act that is not borne out of love and care but rather out of compulsion.

Sex addicts may exhibit the following symptoms

Sexual thoughts that is obsessive.
having multiple sexual partners
prioritizing sexual intercourse even at the expense of the daily work
inability to stop or control the behaviors
linking sex to pain, most addicts believe sex have to be endured
having intercourse with prostitutes and minors
Quest for dominance and control in sexual encounters
feeling remorse or guilt after sex

Sexual abuse and rape are leading causes of sexual addiction.

When a child is raped, the emotional baggage will continue to haunt her for a long time into her adult hood. This trauma often leaves the mind craving for something to make up for the emptiness and feelings of bitterness that follows when a person has been sexually abused. To self-medicate most victims will turn to sex as a therapy and this compulsive sexual behavior will become a part of her life. According to Doug Weiss, a therapist and executive director of the Heart to Heart Counseling Center, 80 percent of sex addicts have been sexually abused in the past and the emotional baggage still haunts them. These vies are also echoed by Mark Schwartz, psychologist and former director of the Masters and Johnson Institute in St. Louis, Missouri. He has observed that many people coming forward as sex addicts have been abused assaulted or raped. Dr. Schwartz opines that when a person has been raped or put through any other act of a sexual abuse in the past, she will fail to trust in other people and become more susceptible to turn to sex addiction as a manifestation. however he points out that this failure to trust people readily that makes people predisposed to sex addiction has also been shown by individuals who were neglected by parents mostly as a result of divorce or when the parents were engrossed in their professions and failed to spend time with the children.

sex addiction

It has been known that imbalances in the naturally occurring chemicals in the brain like the serotonin and dopamine can contribute to sexual problems but the relationship between these hormones and sex addiction have not been established. This according to Mayo Clinic may be because the research into the neuroscience of sex addiction has not been conclusive for the links to be drawn and established. However it has been found that these chemicals are lower in children who were sexually abused in the past and so they have to use their own bodies and sometimes food to help them boost their levels of these crucial hormones especially serotonin.

today very many people are suffering from sex addiction, the biggest problem that comes with sex addiction is that many addicts are not ready to accept what happened in the past and live in the present, most of them feel that they are to be blamed for what happened to them and hence not willing to open up and seek help. Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we have enlisted sex addiction as a real threat that can only be treated through integrative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an expert at this. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Role of Sexual Abuse and Rape on Female Sex Addiction

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAS) For Addiction Treatment

April 24, 2015

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAS) To Treat Addiction

After a prolonged use of drugs of abuse, the brain chemistry becomes altered. The brain becomes damaged. Entirely the nervous system is the target of many drugs, they inhibit the coordination between the nerves and after a long time of drug use some neurotransmitters like dopamine becomes depleted to an extent that by natural release the level of dopamine can never be enough for optimum functioning of the brain and the entire nervous system. Eventually the effect of the breakdown in communication in the nervous system is exhibited in poor health and behavioral misnomer. By the time this abnormal behavior is seen in a person the brain has become addicted to the drug of abuse that it won’t operate normally without it. This causes such feelings of anxiety and stress. However dangerous the effect of drug abuse is it is made worse with poor nutrition, stress, inflammation and excess oxidation. Drug abuse destroys nerve cells and disrupts neural circuitry. Obviously, this aggregate damage can affect behavior, mood, memory, impulse control, cognitive functioning, and decision making. Fortunately, the brain is forgiving and nerve cells can regenerate and rewiring takes place through a process known as neuroplasticity. Though psychotherapy stimulates growth and repair, healing will be compromised and slowed without the addition of critical nutrients and sound dietary practices; your choice of meals may worsen or help you overcome addiction. Researchers have shown that eating foods that are rich in some essential fatty acids can help in treatment of addiction disease.

Essential Fatty Acids

The Essential Fatty Acids

For a long time fats in a diet have been fought for no apparent reason. Everybody is going for a low fat diet forgetting all the benefits that can be drawn from some essential fats. I am not saying that you can just eat any fat anyhow, it is just that the name fat has been associated with serious health problems like obesity and the irony is even after evading fats and going for the low fat foods, the number of people dying from obesity are still increasing. The truth however is there are unhealthy fats but also healthy fats are not extinct.

EFAS are Essential

Essential fatty acids also known as EFAS are as essential as the name suggests meaning that without them then a person’s health will be deteriorated and he will be prone to many infections. EFAs should not be avoided as they help rather than interfere with the body’s metabolic function and significantly aid in weight loss. Unlike the unhealthy fats that you are always told to sweat off, these essential fatty acids will help to build your fuel-burning metabolic machinery. So eating these fats can actually help you become leaner and healthier as they provide your body with adequate energy to keep the cells nourished and rejuvenated. And establishing a proper ratio and intake of EFAs will reap you other major benefits as well, including increased athletic performance and better mood and brain function which are known to be deficient in most addicts.

There are three main EFA substances that work together to promote health. The first is omega-3 fatty acid, or alpha-linolenic acid. The second is omega-6 fatty acid, or linolenic acid. When these EFAS are taken in the right ratios they will help the body the producing other important derivatives like the omega-9 fatty acids. The other group of EFAS include these substances that are also very essential for cognitive functions and general wellbeing, they are; lecithin, carotene, chlorophyll and vitamin E, among others they are important for their valid health contributions.

The most commonly EFA associated with its ability in addiction treatment is Omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acids are one of three categories of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) important in human biology. The other two PUFA categories are omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids. . Some drugs of abuse such as tobacco have been found to be a major cause of peroxidation that is why most cigarette smokers are having low levels of omega- 3 fatty acids. When the levels of omega-3 PUFAs are low, the neurogenerative process is accelerated leading to slowed nervous transmission in mesocortical areas of the brain, disrupting pathways involved in reward and punishment. As a result, the craving for nicotine is reinforced, interfering with smoking cessation therapy. While this mechanism constitutes a vicious cycle, a group of Israeli researchers found that omega-3 supplementation can bring the cycle to an end.

Essential Fatty Acids

EFAS contribution to cell energy goes a long way in helping in addiction treatment. Most addicts suffer since their mitochondria have been severely affected to an extent that production of energy needed by the body is altered. By enriching the body with energy such withdrawal effects like anxiety, depression and stress can be effectively taken care of.

For addicts who are low on these EFAS it is advisable to supply sufficient omega 3 fatty acids from fish oils, nuts, flaxseed each day for nerve cell repair and maintenance. These essential fatty acids are critical to nerve cell receptors because they make the membrane more flexible to capture the chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters. Fats make up 60% of the brain’s dry weight and the majority of this fat is an omega 3 called docosohexanoic acid (DHA). Fats also speed up the transfer of electrical information by severing as insulation (myelin sheath) for the brain’s wiring system, it is therefore necessary to supplement the EFAS during addiction treatment.

Lastly, Here at AWAREmed we are dedicated to finding the best solutions to addiction and dependence on substances. We are located at Myrtle Beach. Contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) for help.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAS) To Treat Addiction

Category Archives: Natural Addiction Treatment Certification