Thiamine Before Glucose Always For Alcohol Addiction

November 18, 2014

Thiamine before Glucose Always For Alcohol Addiction

Alcohol addiction has become chains of slave to many and economies are crippled because of this societal vice that has made many people incapable of even fending for themselves. Unfortunately alcoholism is not very easy to quit especially without professional help. Many people who try to stop alcoholism have to give in to the cravings for alcohol. Some may also be pulled back into alcoholism due to the withdrawal symptoms that may be hard to deal with. However hard dealing with alcohol addiction can be, there are numerous ways that medics can use to help an addict break the chain of addiction. One of the most important factors that will determine whether the addict will succeed in the fight against addiction is the willingness and commitment of the addict to put up with every advice of the doctors. One of the methods that doctors will use to help an addict is the use of thiamine.

Alcohol-Addiction

What is thiamine?

Thiamine or Thiamin also known as Vitamin B1 is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. This vitamin is needed so that our bodies can use carbohydrates as energy. It is a necessity for glucose metabolism. Thiamine also plays an important role in nerve, muscle and heart function.

Thiamine is found in many foods such as yeast, cereal grains, beans, nuts, and meat. It is part of vitamin B vitamins with which it is often used in making vitamin B complex products. Vitamin B complexes generally include vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin/niacinamide), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), and folic acid.

There are situations when a person will require to take Thiamine, thiamine deficiency syndromes such as beriberi and neuritis that may arise during pregnancy require supplementation of thiamine. It is also used to treat digestive problems which may include ulcerative colitis, diarrhea and even poor appetite.

This vitamin has many uses, some of its uses include; it is used in vision problems like cataracts, it is also used by HIV patients as an immune booster, used in treating brain damage and in prevention of cervical cancer. It can still be used to enhance learning abilities and to enhance positive mental attitude. It also increases energy and is also useful in preventing memory loss.

Despite its many uses thiamine is widely used in treating a memory disorder known as Wernicke’s encephalopathy syndrome. However it has been found to be effective in fighting alcoholism which in itself is an indication of thiamine deficiency.

Alcoholism and glucose

Excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful to your health is a phrase that many people are familiar with. However many people do not know how it harms your health. To begin with addiction to alcohol lowers blood sugar level and that means there is energy deficiency. This is because the majority of alcohol metabolism takes place in the liver, which is also the primary location of glucose production. Because of this, alcohol intake can interfere with the liver’s production of glucose and may cause hypoglycemia to correct this situation there is need for glucose supplementation to restore energy levels. One of the ways through which the levels of energy can be increased in a person addicted to alcohol is to break down carbohydrates to release energy. Even if glucose can be supplied through other means there is something that is still needed to help the person break the glucose to release energy and that is where thiamine comes in. thiamine is necessary for glucose metabolism and so it is vital to supplement thiamine before supplementing glucose in a person addicted to alcohol.

Thiamine and alcohol addiction

Why it is necessary to give thiamin before glucose

The biological pathways will become unregulated when there are nutritional deficiencies. In this case the precursors of ATP production like glucose will be rapidly used by the cells. However there will be an inability by previously produced enzymes to help in the process of glycolysis to help in utilization of glucose so that ATP can be produced in normal levels. This will cause a backup in the system as a result of accumulation of intermediate products in the pathways. When this happens ATP will not be produced adequately, it will also cause accumulation of pyruvate which is the result of continued glycolysis, the pyruvates will be converted to lactic acid by the cells after failing to enter the TCA cycle. This is done to maintain glycolysis by generation of NAD+ which is necessary for generation of 2 ATP3. Therefore when you feed the cells more glucose without supplementing the needed thiamin to allow for complete ATP generation you will only increase generation of lactic acid. The acidic conditions, the inability of the pentose pathway to protect the cells from reactive oxygen species that damage the cells and he increased stress in the cells causes cell death or induces apoptosis.

To prevent this cell death it is vital to give thiamine first to enhance the utilization of the glucose supplemented to form ATP and prevent the generation lactic acid that may accelerate cell damage in the brain. In chronic alcoholism the degree of cell damage is high owing to thiamin deficiency. This will cause cognitive impairment as well as poor musculoskeletal coordination. The alcohol addict will risk death when the deficiency in thiamine is too severe. It is however good to note that thiamin deficiency cannot be corrected by single IV administration of thiamin. It will take long to correct the deficiency.

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.

Thiamine before Glucose Always For Alcohol Addiction

Overweight and obesity as factors of bullying

November 18, 2014

Overweight and obesity as factors of bullying – The consequences of bullying

Overweight and obesity as factors of bullying and stigma among children is very painful psychologically. We have a duty to bring up children who are physically and emotionally healthy.

If you have been with us on this site you must have learnt of several consequences of being overweight or obese and particularly to our children. We recently introduced bullying as one of the major consequences our overweight children face psychologically. We want to further on that and get answers to certain pertinent questions you may have. I therefore invite you to keep staying on the site and invite a friend or friends so that we pull together in the fight of overweight and obesity in our children and our children’s children. We have made it a priority in AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center to do all we can to fight tooth and nail the scourge of obesity because we understand the pains it afflicts in our people’s lives. At this facility doctor Akoury the C.E.O has established a working team of experts to ensure good health for all of us in all dimensions. I want to encourage you that as the discussion progresses, you may consider calling doctor Akoury for a much more professional advice and treatment.

Bullying being one of the most psychological problems is a highly individualized experience just as physical pain is. Some days the child or teen may endure bullying better than others. It is therefore very important that the type of bullying, the level, intensity and frequency of contact with the bully or bullies be deliberated on when assessing and evaluating the emotional and physical consequences of being a victim. The result of such is that overweight children who are victims of bullying will avoid attending to activities at the playground or schools which will translate into their being inactive and poor performance academically. Besides this bullying can be very extreme in some case and lead to much more catastrophic results like suicide. This is very painful and so we must be careful when discussing the consequences of bullying in general terms since the threshold for different types of bullying will fluctuate from child to child.

Helping a child who is being bullied

It is always said that knowledge is power and therefore it will be very important that you are well informed adequately about this situation of bullying and especially in overweight or obese children. Remember that to addressing this situation with your children will require consistency, humility, compassion and above all listening to the child’s experience without judging them. I am not promising that it will be easy you must be ready to weather the obstacles which may come your way like for instance it can be tempting to portion blame on the child or even suggest that, “You need to learn to defend yourself.” Being overprotective may also be an option for you like “I must discuss this with his/her parents straightaway.” These are obstacles and should be avoided because they will make you harden your position which may only result in to making enemies. Therefore your best plan of action should be to show your child how to use all the resources available to create a safer and more secure environment for them.

Surround your child with family and neighbors who know your child is being bullied and ask that they support you in protecting your child is not just important for your child but also to theirs as well.
Cultivating a “zero tolerance” for bullying environment in your child’s community ensures all children have access to a safe, nurturing, learning environment.
You and your child can work together to ensure all kids are safe and empowered to speak up against bullies.
Remember, you may be the only person your child can trust and come to for help.

Fighting the war of Bullying

Remember that we are talking about one of the consequences of being overweight or obese and so if your child is a victim of bullying, the following are some of the things you can do to help:

Schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury to get first hand professional treatment for the root course of the problem which is being overweight.
Encourage your child to ask the adults around them for help.
Encourage your child to join an organization or group at school. Be sure to create a safe and welcoming place for your child to have friends visit.
The most important thing is to help your child stay safe by not trying to not worsen the situation.
Help your child learn to defend themselves from bullies by encouraging them to stay calm, look the bully in the eye and stand up tall.
When bullying incidents occur, write them down with your child. Keeping track of the incidents will help you prepare for meetings with teachers, parents and, if necessary, law enforcement officers.
Enrolling children in self-defense or martial arts classes can build their confidence and teach them how to protect themselves from bullies even as they cut on weight.
Make an appointment with your school principal and your child’s teacher to inform them of the bullying and to ask their help in addressing the situation. Ask about the school policies on bullying and for any available resources to help you and your child.

The Community’s Role

Looking from the discussion, the root course of the all problem is overweight, as a society we have a duty to transform our habits to be in line with the required standard of healthy lifestyle. Our children literally learn from our habits. Parents and families must ensure total change of vents towards healthy lifestyle. When we encourage the whole society into living and eating healthy food, participating on physical activities and supporting one another in ensuring this is achieved collectively or individually then we will be addressing the root course of the problem and our children will not become victims of bullying, stigma or lose their self-esteem.

As a community we have a duty to become the good ambassadors of change we want, therefore we need to create an intensified awareness about healthy lifestyle not just to our communities but also to the neighboring communities so that we do not have our children relapsing when they mingle with their friends from the neighborhood. We must also impact positively to the learning institutions where our children go to by encouraging good programs to help schools, parents and organizations create safe, secure environments for all children.

Finally, overweight children needs to hear the same positive message. They need us to step-up and advocate for their basic human right to safe, secure environments where they can grow and succeed. We need to work together to make it better for them. Talk of working together please call doctor Akoury today for better understanding of what your role would be as a parent.

Overweight and obesity as factors of bullying – The consequences of bullying

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

Preventions of Overweight and Obesity

November 17, 2014

Preventions of Overweight and Obesity – Adoption of healthy lifestyle

Preventions of Overweight and Obesity is very paramount if we want to protect our children from physical and psychological effects.

Following a healthy lifestyle can help you prevent overweight and obesity in all seasons whether during the holidays or any other event. We are often introduced to most of these lifestyle habits during childhood. Meaning that if families and more so parents take the lead role from the word go in their children’s life at very tender age then the problem of overweight and obesity can be avoided in the future. We all have a duty to make sure that our children make healthy choices in their lives like being physically active and taking a healthy diet.

The effects of obesity and overweight are very disturbing to everyone. Whereas this is a problem of everyone in the society, we are going to narrow it to the children and considering two major effects on the children which include physical effects and psychological effects.

Physical effects prevention

The family unit needs to take the full responsibilities in bringing up healthy children free from health risks associated with overweight and obesity. How this affects children we had discussed in our previous articles, however the following healthy lifestyle goals should be encouraged by our families:

Follow a healthy eating plan – consider making healthy food choices, keeping your calorie needs and your family’s calorie needs in mind, and focusing on the balance of energy taken in and energy used out.
Focus on portion size – be very keen with the portion sizes in fast food and other restaurants. Remember that in many cases the portions served often are enough for two or three people. Children’s portion sizes should be smaller than those for adults. This will ensure that you only consume the right quantity and this helps you put good control on the energy taken in and given out.
Be active – create personal and family active time by finding certain activities that everyone will enjoy like for instance, go for a brisk walk, bike or rollerblade, or train together for a walk or run.
Reduce screen time – discourage the prolonged use of TVs, computers, and videogames because take or reduce the time for physical activity. The experts recommend 2 hours or less a day of screen time that’s not work- or homework-related.
Keep track of your weight – the body mass index, and waist circumference will be very instrumental in keeping track of your weight as well as that of your children’s growth.

Psychological effects

There are very many forms of psychological effects that are related to being overweight and obesity particularly in children. For the purpose of this article, we’re going to discuss bullying and stigma as some of the psychological effects. It is regrettable that bullying has become an epidemic in most societies. Many children have fallen victims of sexual bullying and cyber bullying, with the overweight children being the targeted. Bullying actually kills the child’s self-esteem and the sooner we take and practice the above mention preventive measures the better for our children. The psychological effect as a result of bullying can leave a permanent mark in a child’s life for a very long time.

The Alarming Statistics

The statistics on bullying are upsetting. In a recent national survey of overweight in sixth grade, 24 percent of the boys and 30 percent of the girls experienced daily teasing, bullying or rejection because of their size. The number doubles for overweight high school students with 58 percent of boys and 63 percent of girls experiencing daily teasing, bullying or rejection because of their size. This is a clear manifestation of the pain our children go through because of what we could easily solve if we did the right thing from their initial stages of life. Therefore what is bullying? The word bullying can take different forms of definitions including:

Bullying involves intentional, and largely unprovoked, efforts to harm another
Bullying can be physical or verbal, and direct or indirect in nature
Bullying involves repeated negative actions by one or more against another
Bullying involves an imbalance of physical or psychological power

While it feels somewhat clinical and removed to define bullying in this manner, we must do so to address the issue in a consistent and effective manner. However, we must also talk about this issue in plain English to keep it real and to understand the impact of bullying.

Overweight children and teens who are bullied are often called names, teased, punched, ganged up on, humiliated and ignored relentlessly either in-person or in social media by mean and often troubled peers. Victims often feel depressed, ostracized, sad, powerless, lonely, alienated, angry, anxious and fearful. It is very important that we address bullying in our schools, neighborhoods and communities because every child has the basic human right to feel safe and secure.

Who are the bullies and who are the victims?

For instance a study conducted in 2004 of bullying behaviors it was established that overweight and obese school-aged children were more likely to be the victims and perpetrators of bullying behaviors than their normal-weight peers. Furthermore, there are gender differences in bullying behaviors. Naturally, both male and female children and teens report bullies making fun of the way they look, dress or talk. However, males are more likely to report being physically harmed through punching or kicking, whereas girls are more likely to be excluded, ostracized and the target of rumors, especially pertaining to sexual activity.

In fact, it comes as no surprise that overweight children are at risk for bullying. The risk factors associated with bullying victims – feelings of insecurity, low self-esteem, depression, social isolation and marginalization, lack of social skills and the inability to defend themselves in confrontational situations – are similar to the psycho-social conditions of overweight children and teens; depression, anxiety, social isolation and marginalization and low self-esteem.

Types of bullying

We have quite a number of different kinds of bullying some of which includes the following:

Verbal bullying
Being threatened or forced to do things
Cyber bullying (via cell phone or the Internet)
Physical bullying
Social exclusion or isolation
Bullying through lies and false rumors
Racial bullying
Sexual bullying
Having money or other things taken or damaged

Bullying often come in two categories; direct and indirect. Direct bullying usually involves confrontations, name calling, derogatory comments, hitting, kicking, shoving and chasing. Indirect bullying is equally aggressive, but partially hidden from the victim and can include social isolation, the spreading of lies and rumors to peers and ignoring victims in group activities. Cyber bullying may also fall into this category because the harassment and bullying is a step removed from face-to-face contact using text messaging or social media networks such as Facebook and YouTube. Now dear reader it will only be fare that we take our right full positions as parents to help bring our children up in a healthy way to save them from this epidemic of bullying. This may not be easy and the services of weight loss professionals may be required. It is because of this challenge that 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. You can schedule for an appointment with her today for a more elaborate evaluation and treatment.

Preventions of Overweight and Obesity – Adoption of healthy lifestyle

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

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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