Tag Archives: Cannabis (drug)

Adipose Derived Stem Cells and Brain Regenerative Addiction

Adipose Derived Stem Cells for Brain Regenerative Addiction

Addiction to drugs is known for their adverse health effects. After using drugs for a long time a person’s health become deteriorated leading to myriads of complications. The part of the body that is the most adversely affected is the brain. The brain and the entire nervous system are subjected to lots of damage after a long use of drugs of abuse. The brain works together with the neurotransmitters to pass messages in order to initiate certain responses but after along use of drugs of abuse the coordination between them becomes altered. Neurotransmitters are very crucial in the nervous system. They are the chemicals that transmit messages from one nerve cell to another. Nerve cells are known as neurons. The nerve impulse travels from the first nerve cell through the axon, a single smooth body arising from the nerve cell to the axon terminal and the synaptic knobs. Each synaptic knob communicates with a dendrite or cell body of another neuron, and the synaptic knobs contain neurovesicles that store and release neurotransmitters. The synapse lies between the synaptic knob and the next cell. For the impulse to continue traveling across the synapse to reach the next cell, the synaptic knobs release the neurotransmitter into that space, and the next nerve cell is stimulated to pick up the impulse and continue it. An interference with the neurotransmitters can adversely affect the flow of message within the nervous system. After prolonged use of drugs they interfere with the harmonious flow of information from the brain to the rest of the body maiming its normal functions. There are myriads of neurotransmitters that are affected by prolonged use of drugs of pleasure.

Adipose Derived Stem Cells

Some of the neurotransmitters that are adversely affected during addiction

Dopamine is one of the neurotransmitters that are highly targeted by drugs of pleasure. Due to the ‘high’ feelings it is associated with, some people have called it the ‘bliss neurotransmitter’. It is responsible for good feeling, the euphoric feelings that drug addicts seek from various drugs of abuse. Dopamine has great influence on well-being, alertness, learning, creativity, attention and concentration. Levels of dopamine should be optimal in the brain since when the level of dopamine is low it can leave us craving food, sex or stimulation. When the dopamine level is too high it can cause addictive behaviors. It has been observed that patients who are put on medications to boost dopamine level especially the Parkinson’s patient, they will form an addictive behavior like gambling when the levels of dopamine shoots beyond the optimal level. Dopamine boosts the feelings of pleasure but when the levels are too high it may result in Paranoia or a suspicious personality. Dopamine is also released when there is high stress. Therefore the level of dopamine should be regulated to ensure sound health. This is where the functions of inhibitory neurotransmitters set in, however with influence of drugs this coordination between excitatory neurotransmitters and inhibitory neurotransmitters is maimed.

Some drugs of pleasure contain nicotine which influences mood, cognition, and body function by binding to and activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) located on neurons in the brain. When activated by either nicotine or the endogenous neurotransmitter acetylcholine, the nAChR opens a channel that allows ions to pass through the neuron’s membrane from the exterior to the interior of the cell and trigger changes that activate the cell. When you take tobacco or other drug with nicotine the nicotine will have interactions with nAChRs and therefore any nicotine dependence treatment should focus on altering these interactions.

Nicotine produces rewarding effects by interacting with nAChRs on neurons in the brain’s mesolimbic reward system. This system comprises dopaminergic neurons that originate in the ventral tegmental area often shortened as VTA and release the neurotransmitter dopamine in regions involved in information processing, memory, and emotions, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc), hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex (PFC). Increases in dopamine levels within the mesolimbic system give rise to rewarding effects. Nicotine directly enhances dopamine levels in the mesolimbic system by interacting with nAChRs on the dopaminergic neurons and causing them to release more of the neurotransmitter. Nicotine also modulates dopamine release indirectly by binding to nAChRs located on excitatory glutamatergic and inhibitory gamma aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) neurons in the ventral tegmental area. These glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons originate from a number of brain areas, such as the NAc, hippocampus, PFC, amygdala, ventral pallidum, and pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, and regulate the activity of dopaminergic neurons.

Adipose Derived Stem Cells

Using Adipose derived stem cells to restore the health of the brain

As explained above the brain chemistry is adversely altered after prolonged use of drugs of abuse and these calls for restoration and regeneration of the brain during addiction treatment. Today researchers have found that adipose derived stem cells can be used in regenerating and restoring the neurotransmitters that are affected during drug addiction. The stem cells can be used to create healthy cells in situations where drugs have damaged cells. This can be done by taking healthy stem cells and transplanting them into the nervous system through an IV. Through this doctors can cause changes in brain and body chemical compositions that offer a key to healing problems such as alcoholism and drug addiction. The healthy stem cells are capable of changing the chemical composition of our brains and how the brain works. When healthy stem cells are transplanted into the damaged brain area. In the case of drugs; the area of the brain that controls impulses and chemical reactions to substances they begin to rebuild that area without the previous cellular dysfunction. This means that brain functions that facilitate addiction will be done with.  Stem cells are the best remedy as they are new and have no mutations that therefore restore the affected areas to equilibrium and facilitating whole-body healing of the addict.

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.

Adipose Derived Stem Cells for Brain Regenerative Addiction

 

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Gluten Free Diet for Fibromyalgia

Gluten Free Diet is good Fibromyalgia patients

Gluten free dietFibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, joint stiffness, and fatigue. The condition is chronic but pain comes and goes and moves about the body. The cause of this disorder is unknown and therefore it is often misdiagnosed or unrecognized and is most of the times complicated by anxiety and mood disorders. this is a common disorder that according to the American College of Rheumatology diagnosis criteria affects about 3-5% of women, most of whom are between ages 20 and 50, but only 0.5- 1.6% of men. This disease is more common in adults than in children but it affects women more than men.

What is gluten

Gluten is the protein in wheat, barley, rye, spelt, Kamut and triticale. Just as any other foods there are people who are allergic or tolerant to gluten. It is suggested that for these people removing gluten from their diets can help them as it may lead to improved skin, including fewer problems with breakouts, eczema and psoriasis; fewer migraines; and a lessening of vague, general symptoms of malady. Gluten has been linked to fibromyalgia and now it is suggested that those who are suffering from fibromyalgia can benefit from a gluten free diet.

Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic pain sleep disturbance and fatigue combined with a general increase in medical symptoms such as problems of memory and often psychological distress. The pharmacological treatment of Fibromyalgia does not result in full healing but only offers partial relief. Fibromyalgia is mostly associated with depression and irritable bowel syndrome. On the other hand, Celiac disease is a frequent disease, affecting about 1 % of the population that can be diagnosed at all ages under different clinical settings. The classic presentation of Celiac disease is chronic diarrhea, positive anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (anti-tTG), and villous atrophy with intraepithelial lymphocytosis observed by duodenal biopsy. Celiac disease often does not conform to the classical clinical description, and up to 50 % of patients with adult Celiac disease lack prominent gastrointestinal symptoms. Clinical manifestations of Celiac disease include muscle and osteoarticular pain, fatigue, and neurological and psychological symptoms.

Research report on gluten-free diet

In a research that was aimed to describe selected patients with fibromyalgia, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, duodenal intraepithelial lymphocytosis, and clinical response to gluten-free diet, in order to raise the hypothesis that non-celiac gluten sensitivity could be a treatable cause of fibromyalgia it was found that remarkable clinical improvement can be achieved with a gluten-free diet in patients with fibromyalgia.

This study involved a trial of a strict gluten-free diet that was conducted with the help and training of the Celiac Disease Patients Association of Madrid. In addition, iron, vitamin D, and multivitamins supplements with oligoelements were prescribed to patients on this study. A lactose-free diet was also recommended when lactose intolerance was suspected on clinical grounds or demonstrated by a breath hydrogen test after lactose administration. Clinical response was defined as the achievement of at least one of the following scenarios: remission of fibromyalgia pain criteria, return to work, return to normal life as judged by the patient, or opioid discontinuation.

For this study, the mean follow-up period for the gluten-free diet was 16.4 months .Eight patients were also on a lactose-free diet. For five of these eight patients, a lactose-free diet had been attempted before the gluten-free diet, resulting in partial relief of the gastrointestinal symptoms but no improvement in the fibromyalgia symptoms. For three patients, a lactose-free diet was started concurrently with the gluten-free diet. The level of widespread chronic pain improved dramatically for all patients; for 15 patients, chronic widespread pain was no longer present, indicating remission of fibromyalgia. Fifteen patients returned to work or normal life after good improvements with the gluten free diet. In three patients who had been previously treated in pain units with opioids, these drugs were discontinued. Fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, migraine, and depression also improved together with pain. The clinical improvement for some patients began just a few months after beginning the gluten free diet therapy this was striking and showed how effective the gluten free diet therapy is beneficial to those suffering from fibromyalgia. For others the improvement was rather slow and gradual and took many months of follow up. It was also seen that some patients’ conditioned worsened when they took gluten but this was save when they were put on strict-gluten free diet.

Gluten Free dietIn this research it was observed that the reduction in the level of pain was accompanied by improvements in asthenia and gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. This shows that a common underlying cause of fibromyalgia is related to gluten.

For this research, the clinical response definition was decided upon after the initial observations of impressive improvement in some patients after starting the gluten-free diet. This was the chosen outcome measure; the remission of fibromyalgia or return to normal life, rather than changes reflected by questionnaires. This is one of the treatments that have shown the highest degree of improvement in treatment of fibromyalgia. Most of the patients that were used for this research were under severe distress and disability and were unable to cope normally with daily activities or on sick leave, despite having been treated with many different regimens for years. This fact endorses the fact that gluten-free diet can help patients suffering from chronic pain as a result of fibromyalgia.

Chronic pain is a serious symptom of many diseases. Very many people who have bee to opioid use as a result of chronic pain sometimes end up being addicted to them. There is need to come up with safer alternatives to pain management. This is why here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing the best integrative approaches to treatment of diseases. Visit as at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) will be of help.

Gluten Free Diet for Fibromyalgia

 

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Effects of Cannabis Deregulation on College Students

Effects of Cannabis Deregulation on College Students

Scientifically Cannabis sativa popularly known by many titles such as weed, marijuana among others, has always been a drug that is accessible to many youths in spite of harsh laws that regulate its use in given countries. In most countries the use of this drug is prohibited and if you are unlucky to be caught you will serve a jail term longer enough to make you regret knowing it in the first place. Despite the stringent rules that have outlawed the use of this drug in many countries it has remained one of the highly abused drugs especially by college students and teens who are out of school.

Marijuana is currently an outlawed drug in most countries but it does not defy the saying that every dark cloud has a silver lining, it also has good effects that were once valued- this drug being rich in THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is one of the most active ingredient in cannabis that has medicinal qualities, due to its high content in this medicinal content, many researchers have opined that marijuana can be used in treatment of many diseases including cancer. However owing to the fact that it is a highly addictive drug that is prone to be abused it has attracted the attentions for all the wrong reasons making it outlawed in many parts of the world.

The use of cannabis is common despite the strict laws in fact it is on the rise among college students, thanks to its hallucinatory effects that has made it a darling to many students.  Most college students begin using this drug without even knowing all the side effects that it is always associated with. Due to peer pressure and a need to belong some students also begin using this drug since some of their friends are using it. in the long run the number of college students affected grows and by the time they become aware of the dangerous effects of using cannabis they are have already become addicted to the drug so much that it can’t be easily stopped. This leads to a situation where college students become adversely affected with the drug so much that they cannot effectively study.

Cannabis and students

The use of cocaine on the rise among students

According to an article published on Michigan University News on Sept/8/2014; the use of illicit drugs has been rising at an alarming rate among American college students since 2006 when only 34 per cent indicated that they had used some illicit drugs in years prior to 2006. By 2013 the rate of those who indicated to have used illicit drugs had heightened by 39 per cent. The report also stated that marijuana is one of the drugs that are highly abused by college students. This study was done by University of Michigan scientists who conduct the nationwide Monitoring the Future study.

The report states that the use of marijuana is on the rise while that of other drugs of leisure is declining and this can be attributed to availability of this drug and affordability in comparison to such drugs as cocaine and heroin.  According to this study, Daily marijuana use is now at the highest rate among college students in more than three decades. 51 percent of all full-time college students currently have used an illicit drug at some time in their lives; roughly four in 10 have used one or more such drugs in just the 12 months preceding the survey.

The results are based on a nationally representative sample of some 1,100 students enrolled full time in a 2- or 4-year college in spring 2013. The survey is part of the long-term MTF study, which also tracks substance use among the nation’s secondary students and older adults under research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

The study showed that marijuana has remained the most widely used illicit drug over the 34 years that MTF has tracked substance use by college students, but the level of use has varied considerably over time. In 2006, 30 percent of the nation’s college students said they used marijuana in the prior 12 months, whereas in 2013 nearly 36 percent indicated doing so. This shows how marijuana use in colleges is rising despite the fact that it is still regulated. The question is what will happen if it is deregulated.

If marijuana would be deregulated today, the students will begin using it like some sort of over the counter drugs, without fear of authorities and deregulation in itself may sound as an approval by the state on the positive effects of the drug hence many students will use it.

Cannabis

These are some of the problems that the students will face

Inconsistence in performance- consuming alcohol doesn’t end with blowing the smoke in the air; its effects are far more than the euphoric effects that an individual may get from using the drug. When used for a long time it will result in anxiety which will not enable the student to study and perform well in exams and being that it will be unregulated the dosage may hike to a dangerous limit that over a time may cause cognitive malfunctions.

Depression- this is a threat that most people using cannabis have to face. Depression is not good for a student as it alienates him from his studies and even lecturers it may graduate to other serious problems.

Addiction to marijuana is a serious concern that needs to be duly addressed. Here at AWAREmed we are dedicated to offer the best treatment available to addicts. Contact Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) for more help in any kind of addiction you may be wrestling with.

Effects of Cannabis Deregulation on College Students

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Progesterone hormone influences addiction in men

Progesterone Hormone and Nicotine Addiction in Men

Progesterone hormoneJust like any other addiction, nicotine addiction is a grave health problem. It is a problem that has affected the whole world. About 35 million people in the United States alone try to quit smoking each year, but less than 7 percent are successful. Many smokers report a feel of high sensation, followed by a feeling of relaxation. It is because of these positive feelings that nicotine has been associated with plus the normal cravings make nicotine products very hard to be abandoned by those already using them. Past research has suggested that women may experience fewer nicotine cravings and may be less affected by smoking’s positive reinforcement factors when compared to men. This according to researchers is because the women have higher levels of progesterone hormone. Fluctuations in levels of the female hormones estradiol and progesterone during menstruation may play a role in determining how women are affected by nicotine. this also affects men, little known to many, men also have progesterone hormone though in lower quantities but still serving crucial suppose. In men the adrenal glands and testes also make progesterone and they work to counter the activities of hormone estrogen in men. in case of low levels of progesterone in men , they will exhibit the following symptoms; Low libido, Hair loss, Weight gain, Fatigue, Depression, Gynecomastia (“man-boobs“), Erectile dysfunction, Impotence, Bone loss and Muscle loss.

According to a study that was done to examine the effects of a controlled oral dose of progesterone on smoking behavior, nicotine withdrawal symptoms, and nicotine-related positive reinforcement factors in nicotine dependent males it was found that Higher progesterone blood levels corresponds both to reduced β2*-nAChR availability in all brain regions except the thalamus and to craving and withdrawal symptoms. These findings suggest that progesterone might promote men’s positive abstinence experiences by inhibiting β2*-nAChR availability. However, the study did not detect any direct link between men’s β2*-nAChR availability and craving or symptoms. In this study that took four days, participants were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of 200 mg of progesterone, 400 mg of progesterone, or placebo. All participants had to abstain from smoking for Days 1 through 3. On Day 4, participants took part in a smoking session, during which their smoking habits, including the number of puffs, duration of puffs, and number of cigarettes smoked, were measured. Outcome measurements also included self-reports of cravings; carbon monoxide monitoring; and standardized questionnaires to assess nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Progesterone modulates the reward system

In other Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that progesterone modulates the reward system and responses to stimulant drugs. The majority of the preclinical work in this area however has been conducted with cocaine with results showing that progesterone, and its active metabolite allopreganolone, attenuates the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse. Animal studies have mainly focused on the ratio of estradiol to progesterone as a predictor of sensitivity to drug reward with results generally showing that when levels of estradiol are high and relatively unopposed by progesterone drug reward is heightened. Though this study was done using cocaine and not nicotine it makes sense that the balance between progesterone and estradiol is crucial in mitigating the effects of a drug and minimizing chances of a drug user to be addicted to the drug. It is therefore safe to say that it is important for the levels of progesterone in men to be at safe levels to limit effects of drugs.

Progesterone to fight nicotine Addiction

progesterone hormoneProgesterone being a hormone that is mostly dominant in women, most researchers having linked it to nicotine addiction worked mostly with women. However bearing the understanding that men also have estrogen and progesterone as well as other hormones it is evident that progesterone might have similar effects on them. As a man ages the production of hormone progesterone becomes slowed or stops, the main function of hormone progesterone in the body of a man is to check on the activities of the estrogen hormone. Estrogen dominance is a problem that not only women grapple but men also are tied to it. in few research findings that have been published, it has been found that progesterone may help men who are fighting nicotine addiction but this hormone decreases as a man grows and so to help it can be supplemented. Clinical research studies in this area have many challenges including the difficulty of conducting the study during a certain phase of the hormonal transition. In addition, men of reproductive age have multiple commitments and participation in a research study with a demanding schedule is not an easy task. Nevertheless, clinical research in this area is crucial to develop more effective treatments for nicotine addiction that will tailor to the needs of women.

Finally

Dr. Dalal Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Center has dedicated her life to helping patients restore their lives by use of integrative medicine. She also holds many conferences in which she offers training on how integrative medicine can be used to fight addiction among other conditions. Call her on (843) 213-1480 for help.

Progesterone Hormone and Nicotine Addiction in Men

 

 

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College Students Participating In Study-Abroad Programs Drink Twice More

American College Students Participating In Study-Abroad Programs Drink Twice As Much As They Did Before Going Abroad

College Students Students get a sense of freedom in universities and other higher learning institutions especially after spending most of their time learning close to their homes where parents will monitor everything they do. The fact that college students are considered old enough to make decisions on their own has only made students prone to problem drinking and use of other drugs. Students studying abroad meet people with different values that they trade and embrace, they will exploit the freedom they have in all manner of ways, they will engage in any pleasurable activity as the sense of camaraderie creeps in their mind. They do most of the things together and most decisions are made in groups. Those who left their homes when they were not taking alcohol fall victims in quest of belonging. They will do anything that will improve their cohesion and bonding even if it means breaking some barriers that one was bred with such as abstinence from alcohol and other drugs.

Colleges have been known as havens for drinking and merrymaking where students involve in all sorts of activities that may give pleasure however according to a new research it is evident that students who travel abroad to study will drink twice as much as they were drinking before travelling to study abroad. The study a broad campus has been given a perception that they are moments that you need to enjoy your liberties and have fun as opposed to studying in local campuses that seem more of a cage for many students.

In a study that was published in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, a study that surveyed 177 students from the University of Washington about their drinking habits before, during and after their terms in an educational exchange program. Students studied overseas for 3-to-5-month stints, and during that time reported consuming an average of eight drinks per week, double the amount they drank while at home.

This study revealed that where students studied impacted their drinking behavior. Students who went to Europe, New Zealand and Australia drank the most, this is probably of the massive amounts of alcohol hat is generally consumed on social circles in these countries. Those who went to the Middle East or other places where drinking was not as widespread drank less. As known supply of alcohol in Middle East is not as much as in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Even the culture of those living in the middle east discourages alcohol and other drugs use therefore students who go to the middle east to study lose that opportunity of drinking as much and as frequent as they would have done when in Europe and other countries where the laws that regulate alcohol use is not as strict.

Apart from the place where students studied, another factor that influenced the drinking habits of students was legal age. According to a report published by The Los Angeles Times reports, Students under 21 drank less than their older peers before traveling, but once abroad they increased their drinking more. The students increased their rate of drinking by about 170%. They also drank more when they returned compared with before their trip abroad, and those numbers had no association with turning 21. It should be noted that in some countries the legal drinking age is under 21. So when students travel to a country where for example the legal drinking age is 18 he will begin drinking taking liberty with the loophole that has been created by traveling to study abroad.

The study also found out that students who had got into the habit of heavy drinking while on study abroad programs continued drinking heavily even when they got back home in the United States. However the other students who had not embraced heavy drinking when abroad returned to their normal drinking habits when they got back into the United States.

College drinking

Some of the reasons that led to the students drinking more than they did while at home may include; the students who went to study in Europe met a culture where wines are served with meals and that increased their alcohol consumption. Another reason is that study abroad programs are regarded by many students as outings and outings are synonymous to merrymaking where alcohol must feature to add spice into the experience.

How can these students be helped?

The students that have become heavy drinkers even after coming back to the United States should be helped so that they refrain from excessive consumption of the alcohol. However as known they will find it rather hard to quit this habit on their own and therefore input of professionals is needed to help them through a detoxification program that will restore the neuro endocrine functions and help them quit drinking the natural way. Dr. Dalal Akoury has been using NER and intravenous amino acid therapy to help addicts.  Intravenous amino acids and the NER are natural approaches to treating addicts that have so far bore juicy fruits. They are affordable, effective and are free from withdrawal symptoms that many people suffer after going through addiction treatment with pharmaceutical medicines. We at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. We advocate for natural healing to all kinds of addiction. These students who are struggling with addiction should just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

American College Students Participating In Study-Abroad Programs Drink Twice As Much As They Did Before Going Abroad

 

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