Tag Archives: Diet (nutrition)

The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition

August 10, 2015

The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition: Liver intoxication

The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition

The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition can not be ignored owing to the rate at which alcohol is being misused currently

To be malnourished is a condition that deprives the body of the essential nutrients necessary for health and body comfort. It is therefore very important to make all the observations to ensure that the body gets all the food nutrients it needs. In the quest of achieving this, there will be obstacle along the way and one of the main impediments of insufficiency of nutrients is the element of substance abuse and that is why this article is going to focus on the significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition. It is always our desire and objective to post informative health blogs and articles as a way of giving our contribution in the noble assignment of defeating the scourge of addiction from our societies. In that respect doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is going to take us through the discussion and we want to appeal to you to keep on the link and invite a friend so that we can have a healthy learning experience together.

The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition: Why do we say that alcohol addiction causes malnutrition?

By all standards alcohol is the world’s most abused substance. Ironically, it is also the most income generating business for authorities in terms of taxes levied on it. In other words am simply saying that despite its serious health consequences, it is legally allowed for human consumption. I have always appreciated that most authorities have put certain restrictions as controlling measures to minimize its consumption, but the truth is that these has not yielded any meaningful truth. This is because the effects of alcohol consumption is actually felt in all our families both directly and in directly. Our learning institutions are not left out either and young boys and girls are drinking disorderly to the amazement and deterioration of our morals. Now to the question “why do we say that alcohol addiction causes malnutrition”? It will surprise you to note that in this generation many alcoholics across the globe are malnourished for various reasons. Like for instance, victims of alcohol abuse will often suffer the high risk of being malnourished either because they take in very little of essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and vitamins, or because alcohol and its metabolism inhibit their body from performing its duty of properly absorbing, digesting and using those nutrients as effective as it should. This therefore brings in the significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition in the picture. It is no wonder majority of alcohol consumers and particularly the alcoholics frequently experience deficiencies in vital food nutrients including proteins and vitamins, particularly vitamin A. the danger of these deficiencies is that if not addressed in good time, the victims risk being affected by serious and chronic liver disease and other serious alcohol–related disorders.

A complex relationship exists between a person’s alcohol consumption and nutritional status. Many people, including light to moderate drinkers who consume one to two glasses or less of an alcoholic beverage per day, consider those beverages a part of their normal diet and acquire a certain number of calories from them. When consumed in excess, however, alcohol can cause diseases by interfering with the nutritional status of the drinker. For example, alcohol can alter the intake, absorption into the body, and utilization of various nutrients. In addition, alcohol exerts some harmful effects through its breakdown (i.e., metabolism) and the resulting toxic compounds, particularly in the liver, where most of the alcohol metabolism occurs.

The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition: Nutritional value of alcohol

Alcoholic beverages primarily consist of water, pure alcohol which is chemically known as ethanol and variable amounts of sugars i.e., carbohydrates; these are the major ingredients you will find in purr alcohol drink nonetheless in what would be considered to be seriously negligible is the content of other nutrients including proteins, vitamins, or minerals which would construed to apportion of less than one percent of the whole content of pure alcohol put together. Doctor Akoury says that looking at the negligibility of the nutrient content in pure alcohol, experts have in unison consented that because they provide almost no potential food nutrients and alcoholic beverages are considered empty calories. It therefore means that any calories that may be provided by alcoholic beverages are derived from the carbohydrates and alcohol they contain. Besides that it is very important to note that even as we appreciate this inadequacy, the carbohydrate content varies greatly among beverage types.

In spite of all these says doctor Akoury that under certain conditions, it will however interest you to note that alcohol derived calories when misused and taken in extensive amounts can have less biologic value than carbohydrate derived calories. This has been a subject of several studies. Like for instance in ones of the studies where the weights of two groups of participants who received balanced diets containing equal numbers of calories. In this study, it was established that one of the groups, 50 percent of total calories were derived from carbohydrates, whereas in the other group the calories were derived from alcohol. The study participants were observed on the metabolic ward of a hospital during the experiments. The quantity of alcohol administered did not exceed the amount routinely consumed by these volunteers.

Finally although all participants received the same number of calories, those in the alcohol group exhibited a decline in body weight compared with those in the carbohydrate group. Moreover, when the participants received additional calories in the form of alcohol, they did not experience any corresponding weight gain. This suggests that some of the energy contained in alcohol is “lost” or “wasted” meaning, it is not available to the body for producing or maintaining body mass. This is a very interesting discussion and we are going to continue with it in our most immediate article. And for that reason we want to make a further appeal to you to stay on the link to continue receiving these valuable health information. In the meantime, if you are struggling with alcohol addiction and you don’t know how to start or who to approach, then you are at the right place where all addiction problems are professionally addressed. take that initiative of calling doctor Akoury to schedule for an appointment with her for the commencement of your recovery process.

The significance of alcohol addiction in malnutrition: Liver intoxication

 

 

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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

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Alternative to Joint Replacement Stem Cell for Joint Diseases

February 28, 2015

Safe and Time-Proven Alternative to Joint Replacement Stem Cell for Joint Diseases

Joint diseases are common these days maybe because of poor eating habits that depletes the most important nutrients in the body. The most common joint diseases are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. These joint diseases have maimed many people as they interfere with motion and movement around the joints. These diseases may occur as a result of wear and tear that happens around the joints. The bones in the joints are supposed to be separated from each other by cartilage however when there is wear on the cartilage the bones may begin grinding interfering with normal movements and leading to pain. there has been several ways through which the joint diseases were fought some pharmaceutical products have been in use for a good time some of which has yielded great results while some have not been very efficient . In cases of extremes a person may have a joint operated on, surgical treatments are mostly used after the pharmaceutical products have failed to yield any desirable fruits and the pain is unbearable.

Another promising approach to treatment of joint diseases is by utilization of the stem cells. The stem cells have become useful in regenerative medicine owing to the fact that they are able to differentiate into other types of cells that play crucial roles in the body. These stem cells can differentiate to give rise to daughter cells that are of their same type or give rise to even more differentiated cells forming bones, cartilage, tendons, and muscles among others. Due to this rare ability they have been targeted for treatment of not only joint diseases but also other diseases like cancer, diabetes, autism among other disorders. Mesenchymal stem cells that are found in large quantities in the adipose tissue and the bone marrow are useful in treatment of regenerative diseases. The treatment through stem cells is also safer with autologous mesenchymal stem cell transplant, which means that the stem cells are from the body of the patient and therefore there is no risk of the patient’s body rejecting the stem cells transplanted. With several research institutions working on the stem cells medicinal abilities there is hope that treatment of bone diseases will be much easier. however the technology that may make stem cell transplant a reality may not be available in some countries or worse still may not afforded by a particular patient therefore there are other natural ways that have been in use over the years to manage joint diseases.

Joint Disease

Here are some of the natural alternatives of treating joint diseases

Use of supplements

We eat foods that we may get essential nutrients that may help us to fight against certain diseases. When our body fails to acquire these nutrients in the foods we eat it is logical to seek the nutrients from the supplements. There are quite a number of supplements that have been used for joint diseases. A combination of glucosamine and chondroitin is believed to help reform and repair worn or torn cartilage. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil or flaxseed oil are anti-inflammatory agents. Studies have found that SAMe (s-adenosyl-L-methionine) can help reduce osteoarthritis pain. Early evidence has shown that the natural vegetable extract called avocado soybean unsaponifiables (ASUs) could be an effective osteoarthritis treatment that might even slow progression of the disease. Therefore you may consider shopping for appropriate supplements that can help you in case you are suffering from this disease.

Practice Mind-Body Medicine

Body and mind medicine may help you to reduce the pain on the joints. There are practices that encourage stretching the muscles and straightening the joints while relaxing the mind and shifting the mind from the pain. These practices include yoga and Tai chi. Yoga can improve your flexibility and strengthen muscles important to the support of arthritic joints. Tai chi also can relieve osteoarthritis symptoms. There is not enough literature to show the benefits or the effectiveness of these practices but there is a study published in the British Journal of Rheumatology that found that people with rheumatoid arthritis who participated in a yoga program over a three-month period had greater grip strength than those who did not practice yoga. Another study published in the same journal reported that people who practiced yoga showed a significant improvement in pain, tenderness, and finger range of motion for osteoarthritis of the hands. The benefits of exercises are known and yoga and tai chi are exercises that are even more effective that they also emphasize body mind connection and wellbeing.

Use Acupuncture

stem cellAcupuncture has been in use for centuries now. This practice was common in the ancient Chinese medicine. It involves inserting thin needles into specific parts of the body to help relieve pain. Several clinical trials have shown that acupuncture can be very effective in relieving pain though most doctors believe that it cannot be used solely for long-term healing goals. Be it for short term pain management it is effective and so its use is encouraged.

Include anti-inflammatory foods in your diet.

Joint diseases are characterized by persistent inflammations. It is these inflammations that mostly cause the unbearable pain. There are a number of foods that can help to reduce these inflammations and quell the pain that arthritic patients go through. Some of these foods include the following; horseradish, mustard, garlic, onions, watercress, parsley, celery, pickles, lemon, and rose-hip tea. The omega-3 fatty acids in nuts, seeds, and fish also can reduce inflammation. Using natural means to manage joint pains may be beneficial but again you need help of an integrative medicine expert, Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help. Visit her at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Safe and Time-Proven Alternative to Joint Replacement Stem Cell for Joint Disease

 

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The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin

February 7, 2015

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: Is your diet trashing your face?

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin is very necessary for a healthy skin

We are at it again, the most desired thing in all human race. I am talking about the beauty of very individual. Can you imagine life where everyone if just looking frail, dry and un-kept? It is not something you would want to associate with. It is for this reason that every day we see every new beauty product being introduced in the market. These beauty products are good however care needs to be taken every time you are changing the product you are using lest you cause more damage to your much desired beauty. Therefore for perfection on your beauty, I advise that before you use any beauty product it would be very important that you consult with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care. In the meantime one of the things you can do to keep your beauty is feeding well and having a positive lifestyle. Therefore keep on the link to get the best diets for a more glowing skin that will make people turning back to have a second look at you when you pass by.

While it is true that good diet will keep your body in good shape and perfect healthy, there is more than that with good nutrition. Doctor Akoury says that the food you eat is helpful in many ways since it helps in:

All these are very important to your skin just in equal measure as it does to your waistline. Therefore, the question we need to ask ourselves would be “is you’re feeding habits helping or hurting your skin complexion?” doctor Akoury is helping us understand how best good nutrition can be helpful to our skin complexion in the discussion below.

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: Mediterranean diet

Remember that foods like fish, leafy greens, olive oil, and fruit are the stars of heart-healthy diet. However, the benefits don’t end there since the consumption of Mediterranean may also shield the skin against melanoma, which is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer. Not forgetting that on the cosmetic front, omega-3 fatty acids in fish help keep skin-cell membranes strong and elastic. And finally on this olive oil, tomatoes, and red wine also have antioxidants that help block the chemical reactions that lead to sun damage. With this alone you can see the benefits accruing from Mediterranean (good nutrition) as one of the best diets for a more glowing skin

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: Vegetarian

Whether you skip meat and other animal products for your health, ethical reasons, or both, you probably eat more fresh produce and whole grains as a result—good news for your skin. The antioxidants in these eats neutralize the free radicals that contribute to wrinkles, brown spots, and other signs of aging.

Veggie diets tend to be low in fat, so incorporate ground flaxseeds and olive and safflower oils to help your skin retain water making it more supple.

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: High-protein, low-carb

Cutting back on white bread, pasta, and refined sugar can also lower the stress hormone cortisol and minimize breakouts. Plans that switch in whole grains, fresh produce, and lean meats also up antioxidants, blemish-busting zinc, and collagen-building protein. However in so doing these beware of meat heavy plans because too much animal fats can actually lead to increased production of free radicals which are believed to be interfering with normal cellular processing. Alongside these, drinking lots of water also helps in keeping the skin well hydrated. And always desire to choose fish and other lean proteins, not just red meat. Eat antioxidant-rich leafy greens daily.

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: Low-fat

Remember that cutting down on concentrated fat is great for your heart and waistline as well. Together with these a diet low in animal fat also stems the production of free revolutionaries that can prematurely age skin. Even though we are all in agreement that fats needs to be cut, there are certain categories of fats which are very essential for the skin. For instance those fats emanating from nuts and olive oils are very helpful for your kin since they absorb complexion friendly antioxidants and fat soluble vitamins. They are also helpful in strengthening cell membranes and ultimately your epidermis for a more moisturize face.

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: Raw Food Life Force Energy

Raw-food who snack mainly on produce, nuts, and sprouted beans and grains believe that not cooking food preserves its natural enzymes, aiding digestion, energy, and weight loss. Though these claims aren’t universally accepted by doctors, there’s no denying that these foods make for a happy complexion. What’s more, the healthy oils in nuts, avocados, and olive oil keep skin cell membranes strong and pliant. The downside: When you eat very little meat, it’s challenging to get enough of the building blocks for collagen.

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: What about the Carb lovers Diet?

The cornerstone of Health’s signature plan is Resistant Starch (RS), a type of carbohydrate that acts like fiber, moving through the digestive tract without being fully digested, absorbed, or converted to glucose. Piling your plate with RS foods boosts metabolism and keeps you fuller longer, which helps you steer clear of skin-damaging foods, such as fat- and sugar-laden snacks, while lowering blood sugar and insulin levels.

Finally the business of keeping your skin glowing is a combine force between several things and skills. Those skills can only be available at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. Therefore for you to acquire apportion of those skill, you need to schedule for an appointment with Doctor Akoury today for a happy, healthier body and clearer skin. It may not matter what you are doing or where you are coming from because even the carb lovers can also provide lots of skin-smoothing omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant-packed whole grains, and collagen-building protein.

The Best Diets for a more glowing Skin: Is your diet trashing your face?

 

 

 

 

 

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Memory Loss Causes and Natural Treatment

January 27, 2015

Memory Loss causes and Natural treatment

We all experience forgetfulness at one time in our lives. That moment when you find that you don’t remember a conversation you had with someone you just met. When you can’t figure out the name of a person you just talked to minutes ago. This in some cases is normal memory loss that is temporary. Most of this is caused by something major happening in our lives, for example when you are undergoing mental stress or have too much on your plate to handle. This can make you forget simple things happening around you.

On the other hand, aging plays a role in our forgetfulness. It is absolutely normal to forget some things along the way as we become old. This is normal aging process which comes with a package of forgetfulness.

The Memory Loss Question

However, you have to be careful. When this memory loss is not as a result of aging, then there is a problem. In this case you could be experiencing abnormal memory loss also referred to as amnesia. Amnesia is an abnormal memory loss that manifests itself in a person. It is characterized by an abnormal ability to recall events that happened in the past which you would normally remember. This poses a lot of problems to not only the victim but also the people close to him or her.

Depending on what is causing the amnesia it could occur gradually or you may just wake up one morning and find that you are not remembering anything that happened in your past. Some memory loss may just be temporary but in some cases it may affect someone for the rest of their life. Amnesia can be limited to inability to recall past events or even those that happened recently or a manifestation of both.

Memory Loss

Aging brings with it some degree of forgetfulness as we have seen. This memory loss may result into difficulties in learning or retaining new knowledge. However, aging is not necessarily a cause of abnormal memory loss. In this case you will find that the victim has other factors causing the memory loss to be extreme like a disease.

This gives us three types of amnesia that people may experience in their lives. Transient global amnesia is a type of memory loss that results in the loss of all memory both from recent or past events. It’s like your entire memory is scrapped off. This kind of memory loss however is very rare and if it happens it is temporary and through medication a person is able to recover.

Anterograde amnesia on the other hand comes about after a person has experienced a trauma of some kind. It is characterized with inability to remember recent events that happened after a trauma but the distant past events remain unaltered.  Retrograde amnesia on the other hand is characterized by inability to remember events that may have occurred before a trauma. However, your ability to remember events afterwards is not affected in any way.

There are several factors which may cause memory loss like alcohol and drug abuse, depression, nutrition, medication, trauma, infections or psychological stress.

Aging and Hormonal Imbalances

Hormones are very important in the normal body functioning. However as we grow older some processes in our bodies begin to slow down. As we age hormone production decreases creating an environment of hormonal imbalances. Studies show that this decline in hormones is responsible for certain conditions that are as a result of the aging process.  Such conditions include cardio vascular infections, degenerative illnesses, memory loss as well as hair and muscle loss.

The endocrine system becomes ineffective with aging. The system which is responsible for secretion of all hormones becomes inefficient and hormones are not produced as they normally would. This ends up throwing hormones way off balance. Such hormones include insulin, sex hormones like testosterone among others.

Most anti-aging doctors recommend hormone replacement therapy to overcome these aging effects. The therapy involves replacing the hormones with artificial ones which are of similar molecular properties.

Memory Loss

Nutrition

You have heard that what you eat translates into your general health. This is the case with memory loss. It may be caused by the wrong diet and lack of exercise. Some foods inhibit the functioning of brain cells resulting in amnesia.

Alcohol

Prolonged alcohol and drug abuse results in amnesia. It works by damaging the cells in your brain leading to gradual memory loss. You find that your ability to learn or retain new information is impaired. You are also not able to recall recent and past events.

Depression

This is another causative factor of amnesia. Depression will naturally results in throwing your hormones off balance. When hormones are not balanced conditions such as memory loss and impaired concentration levels occur.

Natural Remedies for Memory Loss

Avoid stress: stressful situations will only result in depression which is a bridge to memory loss. Always try living on the positive side of life and avoid in as much as possible anything negative.

Diet: eating the right diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants works to prevent memory loss. These can be found in foods like vegetables, fruits, dark chocolate, tea, flaxseed, cold-water fish and walnuts.

Mind exercise: strive to keep your brain active in all ways. Things like mind games, crossword puzzles and reading all work to exercise the brain and keeps it active and strong.

Avoid alcohol: alcohol end ups damaging your brain cells inhibiting the functioning of neurotransmitters.

Avoid stress: depression is dangerous to your health. It ends up throwing your hormones off balance which results in memory loss. Avoid situations that are likely to stress you.

To find out more about this topic visit www.awaremednetwork.com today. For any questions you may have about this topic or any other health topic, Dr. Akoury will be more than happy to offer the assistance you require. She has many years of medical experience which has seen her help many patients recover from conditions like memory loss.

Memory Loss Causes and Natural Treatment

 

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