Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively

September 28, 2015

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: To fight addiction, feed your brain

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively and this must be done with utmost care owing to the sensitivity of the brain. Essential nutrients must never be in luck

As the nerve center of human life, the brain is very essential in very many ways. Nothing will happen in the body without it being registered in and from the brain. The brain therefore plays an integral function in keeping the body communications to various parts of the body. Having known the importance of the brain, we now want to narrow our discussion to some of the specific role the brain play in fighting addiction. Therefore the focus of our discussion is going to be on the topic “fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively.” That topic begs to ask how is this possible and what do we know about the brain, addiction and effects of addiction to the brain? These are very fundamental questions of concern which we want to address progressively as we settle into the discussion. To help us in this, we are going to seek the professional opinion of experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury (MD) and founder of the same. To start us off, doctor Akoury shares with us her personal experience with her clients over the years as follows.

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: Denial and denying the brain essential fats

As we have said time and again that denial is the biggest problem we all face when dealing with addiction, that fact is very evident in most clients that I have been privileged to help get through their addictive situations. At one point I was attending to a client who for purposes of confidentiality I will refer to as Miss XYZ. Ideally if you met Miss XYZ, you might presume she had everything to live for. And just to share briefly about her in her early thirties she was doing well as a junior executive who was married with two young children. Yet when XYZ opened up as she sat on my couch during a session, she narrated to me how her troubles at home and work had brought her, more than once, to put a killer knife at her wrist and imagine ending her emotional pain forever.

For over a decade Miss XYZ disorderly drank bottles of wine every night and regularly smoked marijuana alongside taking pain killers. Even though she knew her actions she denied it first to herself, her family and to me (her doctor) that substance abuse was a part of her problem. “I’m not an alcoholic,” she said with a lot of confidence. Because she was such a long way from even addressing her (conventional) addictions, I inquired about what else she was ingesting and so I ask “What did you eat for breakfast?” That question revealed to me that she wasn’t just intoxicating her brain but she was also starving it of the essential nutrients. It was almost a routine for her skipping breakfast most days and when she took it will be only a cup of coffee or glass of juice once in a while. According to her, she put soy milk in her coffee because she thought that all dairy and meat products were unhealthy. She also avoided fat in all her foods because she believed fat would make her fat (are you like her?). What she didn’t know is that the brains rely on healthy fats for their functioning and for that reason two fats, EPA and DHA, are particularly known for their mood-boosting qualities. By avoiding any fats she was literally avoiding foods that would provide her brain with these naturally essential and therapeutic molecules.

Doctor Akoury continues that realizing all these she asked her to go to a local lab for some blood test. We talked about her making some dietary changes, especially the merits of nutrient-rich brain foods, such as eggs and fish. She admitted in a guilty whisper, “I’ve been craving a hamburger” and you will agree with me that wasn’t really surprising. Like a good number of other women of reproductive age, her there was great deficiency of iron in her blood further explaining what was lucking in her body to function well. With this deficiency she actually felt listless; she lacked the energy to cope with her demanding job and a family as well.

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: Certifying the brains nutrient needs

With so many challenges standing in the way of recovering from addiction, the simplest first step is to stop depriving your brain of good and necessary food and nutrients. Experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are very categorical that recovery will partly depend on developing new chemical pathways by which the brain overcomes habitual behaviors. This we want to emphasis that you owe it to your recovery as it will nourish the brain to poise it for better learning, stable moods and less intrusive cravings. Even though there are so many bad things Miss XYZ did, the good news is that eating to support recovery need not be a deprivation: It can be delicious and remember that when you feed your brain with essential nutrients from their natural sources, you are taking better care of yourself, which is a fundamental step in rebuilding your brain and your self-esteem. A diet geared to stabilize mood and minimize cravings will be high in omega-3 fats from fatty fish, folates from leafy greens, vitamin B12 from eggs and meat, and the many brain-healthy nutrients amply found in colorful fruits and vegetables. Instead of the sugar (dopamine) rushes from eating simple carbohydrates, the sustained feeling of fullness from healthy foods can fortify you in your recovery.

Finally when Miss XYZ changed her diet, her moods stabilized and her suicidal thoughts dissipated. The killer knife was now used properly for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables. The conclusion of my therapy with her was that a better-nourished brain and taking control of her eating habits were very instrumental steps in addressing her alcohol and drug problem. At this point she could now listen to the concerns of family members about her addiction. She became more responsible and registered with a support group. She stuck with her diet and got in the habit of regular exercise instead of daily sugar or alcohol. Miss XYZ is now celebrating many years of sobriety a recovery journey that began when she took her first bite of real food for breakfast. You can also benefit from the same by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the commencement of your recovery program.

Fighting addiction begins in the brain effectively: To fight addiction, feed your brain

Diet for Adrenal Fatigue

March 30, 2015

Choose the Safest Diet for Adrenal Fatigue

Diet The need for a good diet in the body can never be underestimated. Your food ought to be your medicine. Most of the diseases that we now suffer from are as a result of poor diet. From elementary schools in home science lessons pupils are taught on the benefits of balanced diet, however most of these lessons are never carried out of the classrooms; they are confined within the walls of the classroom and children enjoy sampling some of the ‘sweetest’ delicacies or snacks that end up to be a slow poison in their lives. Today children are suffering from various diseases that are a corollary to poor diet even adults are victims and this explain why obesity has since become a world threat. With proper diet very many diseases can be prevented or even fought and won. To begin with let’s know what adrenal fatigue is.

What is adrenal fatigue?

The term Adrenal Fatigue refers to a stress-related condition that is suffered when the adrenal glands, hypothalamus and pituitary gland are functioning below their optimal level. If the adrenal glands are new to you then you need to spare some time out of your rather busy schedule and learn on their functions, it by doing this that you will know how important they are and the need to take care of them well by eating the foods that will maintain their good health. the adrenal glands perform very vital roles that all aims at maintaining our good health but most importantly they control how the body respond to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol, DHEA and epinephrine, which are used to regulate your heart rate, immune system, energy storage and improve the general health and stability.

The adrenal glands will weaken when they are overstimulated for a long period of time. Some of the common causes of adrenal fatigue include long term exposure to stress that may stem from job, family, relationships. Another cause of adrenal fatigue is long-term suffering from chronic diseases. After a long term exposure to stressing environment the adrenal glands will be weakened so much that they will be incapacitated to perform the ordinary functions they ought to perform. When the adrenal glands have failed to perform optimally, a person will begin having such feelings of tiredness, mild depression and lack of enthusiasm. Sleep is a known cure but with adrenal fatigue even sleeping for long hours still leaves the body exhausted. This will make the person to resort drinking caffeinated drinks, indulge in sugary drinks and other stimulants which will eventually lead to even more complex problems. To solve this problem well there is need to have good diet to restore the functions of the adrenal glands.

These are some of the foods that are highly recommended adrenal fatigue patients

To help eradicate the dangers of adrenal fatigue and help restore the functions of the adrenal glands there is need to avoid some foods that affects our adrenal glands adversely and eat those foods that will nourish our adrenal glands. Some of the foods that are highly recommended for adrenal fatigue patients are not common foods you will interact with but seeking them will be worthwhile. Here they are.

Seaweed

Seaweeds are rich in minerals and phytonutrients that are not available on our regular diets. They can be made into a salad or starfry and helps in boosting the nutritional content of our daily meals. Currently there are supermarkets that stock different varieties of seaweeds which anybody suffering from adrenal fatigue can sample and reap the nutritional benefits they contain. The benefits of seaweeds were brought to surface by a research titled Nutritional and digestive health benefits of seaweed that was done by University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

Fermented drinks

Some fermented drinks are very healthy to our adrenal glands and can help restore them and fight adrenal fatigue. Some of the fermented drinks are not only healthy to the adrenal glands but also to the overall digestive health and the immune system. Unlike in most parts of the world, fermented drinks are not yet common in North American market but they can be found in some health stores plus you can make your own. The fermented drinks are good for those suffering from adrenal fatigue as they are very rich in minerals and good bacteria that help in improving digestion and nutrient absorption. Some of the good drinks you can look foe in health stores include kvass and kombucha.

Bone broth

Diet Bones make a crucial part of animals. Apart from just being the framework on which meat is supported, the bones are very rich in minerals that can be very helpful to us. The bone marrow is a part of bones that is very rich in nutritional content and this explains why the bone soup is a highly valued drink in some parts of the world even today. The bone marrow helps in reducing inflammation, boost the immune system and encourage healthy cholesterol. It can also provide essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are easily absorbable in our intestines. It is a good broth for adrenal fatigue patients and it can be easily made at home.

Here is a general diet guide on how to fight adrenal fatigue. Reduce caffeine intake as well as avoid highly sugary foods as they are not very healthy for the adrenal health. Stay hydrated ‘the eight glass a day’ sentence should make meaning to you. Adrenal health is important to the general well-being of a person and that is whey here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing the best integrative approaches to treatment of diseases. We advocate for dietary as well as natural healing to diseases wherever possible. Visit as at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) will be of help.

Diet for Adrenal Fatigue

Understanding Leaky Gut Syndrome

December 22, 2014

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut syndrome is a term that is used to describe an abnormally hyperpermeable intestinal walls. This is a condition in which the intestines become more porous therefore leaking the undigested food particles into the blood stream. This creates very many holes that are allowing too much of undigested food particles into the bloodstream causing myriads of problems. Apart from undigested food particles toxins, yeast and other wastes find their way into the blood stream therefore overwhelming the liver which is supposed to be sieving all the unwanted content from the blood.

The biggest problem that is presented by this condition is that the intestine should function as the first sieve as it keeps the unwanted materials from getting into the blood stream but since holes have been created on the lining of the intestines everything finds their way in the blood stream and the body may react by inflaming.

Symptoms of Leaky Gut Syndrome

Food Sensitivities – food sensitivities has been closely linked to leaky gut syndrome. This sis because of the high toxins that are accumulated in the blood, this will force the body to produce very many antibodies which makes them more susceptible to some kind of foods.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Researchers from Hungary have recently uncovered that elevated gut permeability is often times localized to the colon in people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis.

Thyroid Problems – leaky gut syndrome causes thyroid problems so if you are experiencing thyroid problems, the leaky gut syndrome may be the culprit.

Malabsorption – the leaky gut syndrome causes poor absorption of food, this is because it causes nutritional deficiencies especially of vitamins and minerals such as magnesium and vitamin B12 that help in digestion of food.

Leaky Gut Syndrome

Causes of Leaky Gut Syndrome

Unhealthy diet- when you eat lots of processed foods, refined sugars and preservatives, they cause high chemical amounts in the body which are considered toxins. The body will begin to fight these toxins but since you are taking more and more of these toxins the system may be overwhelmed and this may cause inflammations. Accumulation of these toxins will cause corrosion on the intestinal walls causing the leaky gut syndrome.

Medications- some medication has Aspirin or Acetaminophen as part of their content. Aspirin and Acetaminophen irritate the intestinal lining and decrease the mucosal levels .this affects the protection offered by the mucus on the walls of the intestine. It may also encourage inflammation which increases permeability of the intestinal wall.

Lack of Zinc- Zinc is a vitamin that is good in maintaining the strength of intestinal walls. A deficiency of the vitamin can lead to the mucosal lining losing strength and becoming more permeable. There are studies that show that supplementing with Zinc when it is deficient can dramatically improve intestinal lining integrity. Therefore eating meals that are rich in zinc such as nuts may help prevent against leaky gut syndrome.

Yeast- too much yeast causes candida that may grow roots in the intestinal lining, this results in their tentacles making holes on the lining of the stomach creating entry for non-digested food into the blood stream.

Chronic Stress-Chronic stress almost always results in a suppressed immune system. A weakened immune system cannot handle doing it’s normal job and gets easily overwhelmed with pathogens very. This increases overall gut inflammation leading to increased permeability of the intestinal lining.

Inflammation-Any type of inflammation in the gut can lead to leaky gut. This can be brought on by low stomach acid. Low stomach acid passes undigested food into the small intestine which then causes myriads of digestive problems that may in turn cause the leaky gut syndrome.

Treatment for Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky gut syndrome is a mysterious condition that is up to now still not fully understood by the medical fraternity probably because it is not taught as a diagnosable disease. However it is a multifaceted condition that must be tackled by joining really several dots to form a line. Here are some of the approaches that can be used to treat this disease.

Watch what you eat- it is very important to keep away from foods that may lead to accumulation of toxins in your body. Foods that are over processed, high in sugar content should be avoided to alleviate inflammations that make the intestine lining more permeable. When you stop eating these kinds of foods the toxin levels will go down and the yeast will be starved and overgrowth stopped, this will enable the walls to repair and regain normal permeability.

Leaky gut syndrome

Using nutritional supplements- leaky gut syndrome causes nutritional deficiencies therefore the body needs to be supplemented with these nutrients. Some nutrients like zinc are also important in strengthening the intestine lining and hence boost recovery.

Digestive Enzymes– eating foods that are rich in digestive enzymes can help you a great lot in fighting leaky gut syndrome. The digestive enzymes are naturally found in the foods that we eat the whole foods that are not over processed. Fruits and vegetables are rich in these digestive enzymes, they work in the intestines helping to break food into finnier particles before they are absorbed to the blood stream. They also remove toxins, bad bacteria and even worn out cells of the intestine lining creating a clean environmental for absorption of digested food particles.

Leaky gut syndrome is a complicated, debilitating condition. But you aren’t on your own: please contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) on 843-213-1480 and tap into her wealth of knowledge and experience.

Understanding Leaky Gut Syndrome

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