Controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods

July 1, 2015

Controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods: Essential diet tips to fight sugar cravings

Controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods is not going to be easy if we do not change our attitude towards sugar consumption

We all like to associate ourselves with sweet food that taste appealingly well to our desires. Because of the nature of humans feeding style, a lot of food businesses are so much concentrated around sweet food. In other words the world today is feeding literally on sugar without knowing the health consequences they are putting themselves into. If this is becoming a way of life, is there anything that can be done to salvage the situation? The steps of sugar addiction are increasing daily and today it is not a single step that begun the journey but miles and miles covered all for the wrong direction. We have a passion as experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury who is the MD and founder of the facility to make a difference in controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods. And so we ask are you tired of this life full of sugar consumption and you are looking for effective ways to beat sugar addiction? Here you will find a whole slew of nutrition-related resources for people who want to break free of an addiction to sugar and sweet foods.

Doctor Akoury founded this facility primarily to help you cope with whatever form of an addiction you may be struggling with. We are aware that sugar addiction causes over-indulgence in sweets and other sugary treats which can lead to many health complications in the long term, including obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. And that is why we want to help you all the way to complete recovery says doctor Akoury. Remember that just in the short term, a high consumption of sugar is likely to cause mood swings and make you feel tired or irritable. Some of the negative effects of sugar are linked to its effect on the hormone insulin and its high calorie count like for instance a table sugar also known as sucrose, has 387 calories per 100 grams or 3.5 ounces, while others are linked to the impact of sugar on vital nutrients. Remember that refined sugar is void of vitamins and minerals, so your body will have to borrow these nutrients from healthy cells in order to be able to metabolize the sugary food. The direct effect of this is that your body will be depleted of its minerals, enzymes and vitamins stocks especially vitamin C and the B complex vitamins.

Controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods: The addictiveness of sugar

Even though sugar is food but when it comes to addictiveness, just like any other drug sugar can be very addictive and sometimes seen even as being more addictive than other drugs since it is legally allowed for consumption. This accessibility and the fact that it is sweet make sugar to be the preference of many at the expense of possible health complications attached. It is sincerely worrying that even with the knowledge we have today about the negative indulgence of sugar on health, many people and more so in the western nations are comfortably making marry with sugar. If you were to get access to various individuals house hold, you will notice that many families are very comfortable adding sugar to their foods, and we indulge in store-bought foods which contain tons of added sugar. And besides that according to various research findings, it has been estimated that the average people and in American for example consumes 125-160 pounds of sugar every year.

With this experience, the question that comes in mind is that “why is it so difficult to beat an addiction to sugar and sweets?” This is actually a direct question whose answer can be traced anciently from the evolution periods. History has it that the early human beings lived in an environment where quick sources of energy were scarce, and thus their taste buds evolved to like foods that provide an abundance of readily available energy. That food which could deliver energy timely at that time was sugar. In both times anciently and currently sugar is still an excellent source of energy and any sweet taste would typically indicate that the food in question is actually rich in sugar. And again looking at the feeding habits then, people were using lots of vegetation where non-poisonous plants were the favorites to many because of their sweet taste nature while poisonous plants were typically bitter. This habit may have also encouraged our ancestors to develop a natural preference for sweet foods. It is therefore possible that the addictive nature of sugar is not just a present happening but has been there time immemorial further complicating the effectiveness in controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods.

Controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods: The stimulant factor of sugar

Doctor Akoury says that at a cellular level, sugar and other sweet substances appear to stimulate the brain’s beta-endorphin receptor sites, these are the same chemicals that are activated whenever a drug addict intoxicate himself or herself with heroin or morphine. It is important to note that even though the addictive properties of sugar are nowhere near the effects of illegal substances, it may essentially be difficult to eliminate those sweet cravings. Nonetheless to help you break free of a sugar addiction, AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care will be here for you to ensure that all your concerns about sugar addiction are professionally addressed. Besides that we will be discussing in the next article certain essential diet tips which are very helpful in fighting sugar cravings. This is a discussion you don’t want to miss. So stay tune on the link and keep the knowledge flowing so that you can learn more about how to fight sugar cravings naturally by revamping your diet explicitly with the professionals. You can also schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury to have a one on one discussion about any topic about all kinds of addiction, healthy living and weight loss programs.

Controlling addiction to sugar and sweet foods: Essential diet tips to fight sugar cravings

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

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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Manage Addiction: Drug Addiction Withdrawal Diet

August 10, 2014

Drug Addiction Withdrawal Diet

What is a withdrawal diet?

A withdrawal diet refers to a program of food(s) which have been devised to counter the effects caused by the addictive drugs in the addict’s body. The nutritional values of the foods form the basis on which the diets are chosen from. These foods provide the body with ingredients which it requires to fight the effects of the drug such as craving for the drug and side effects during the period of recovering from addiction. Another important role of the diet should be to help heal the damaged parts of the body or organs.

Before a diet is devised to help in recovery from addiction, there is need to first understand the substance which is causing the addiction. This will help to assess the harm it is likely to cause in the body and the various organs likely to be affected. The most affected body organ by almost all the addictive substances is the brain. Brain controls the functioning of all the other body organs and if it is affected by the drug, the functioning of the other body parts may change. A good recovery diet should focus on the affected areas and restore them to their functional states.

How do I understand the effects of a drug addiction?

Before choosing a diet, it is important to first understand the effects that the addictive substance has to our bodies. Most of the addictive substances have two major effects on our bodies. These are:-

The substance itself may affect the body, due to its chemical compounds.
The substance addiction may cause negative lifestyle changes, such as irregular eating, poor dieting, uncontrolled consumption of the addictive substance despite negative effects it has, among other effects.

What should my diet include to help me in recovery?

In the process of recovery, you may not be able to reverse all the damage caused by the drug. The good thing though is that a good nutrition can go a long way towards rebuilding a body that is stronger, healthier and even more attractive. There are key nutrients that these foods should have, in order to be able to offer the recovering power needed. In this guide, we will look at the general important nutrients which can help you recovery from varieties of addiction from different drugs. The following are some of these nutrients:-

Take foods rich in protein- proteins are the building blocks for our brains. Any recovering brain should therefore be supplied with sufficient amount of proteins. In the cases when the drug has affected the liver, if not too badly damaged, quality protein can help make it work efficiently. The choice of these proteins is equally important, as you should choose proteins that are easy to digest. Such sources of easily digestible proteins are fish, poultry and beans. Apart from the easy to digest proteins, the withdraw diet must include abundant potassium. For the potassium eat lots of easiest protein to digest and
also if you’re a vegan take a few spoons of amino acid powder with your meals. What I recommend is cooking tasty chicken vegetable soup with lots of ginger etc.
Take foods rich in fiber – most of the addictive substances, especially alcohol interferes with your digestive system, fiber intake is vital during recovery. Try to gradually start replacing your floor foods with whole grain foods. Foods such as brown rice, black beans, peas, artichokes and whole grain pasta will provide your body with valuable roughages for restoration of your digestive system functioning.
Try going decaf – it is a fact that the caffeine which is found in drinks such as sodas, tea and some other drinks is stimulating. While you are trying to recover from a stimulant addiction, it may trigger hard to resist cravings due to moods fluctuations. This makes it difficult to avoid taking the drug. It is also important to note that the stimulant found in such drugs can also be a habit forming and addictive. Avoid them!

Withdrawal Diet

As much as possible, avoid sugary foods and refined carbohydrates – in the same way as caffeine, sugar and refined carbohydrates can cause mood fluctuations hence causing harder to resist cravings for the substance. They also have another disadvantage in that they give your body empty calories hence making you less likely to eat nutrients that your body desperately needs.
Eat foods rich in antioxidants – these nutrients play a big role in restoring your immune system. They do this by protecting cells from free radical damage that can lead to cancer. Foods rich in these nutrients are fruits and vegetables. Consider including some of the following fruits in your diet:- apples, strawberries, blueberries etc, or vegetables like; broccoli, peppers, carrots etc in every daily meals.
If your addiction had something to do with the diet you were taking, consider a diet do-over: look back and see the damage that the addiction has caused to your body and see whether it was triggered by your diet. If the diet played a role, consider completely doing and overhaul and begin eating healthy. Ensure that you are supplying your body with the correct nutrients that it requires.

Are you struggling with recovery from addiction? Or are you an addict and you feel it’s time to seek your help? All you need to do is to call or visit: Awaremed wellness and resource center (www.awaremednetwork.com)

Drug Addiction Withdrawal Diet

IT’S BITTER SWEET: THE TRUTH BEHIND SUGAR ADDICTION

July 28, 2014

It’s Bitter Sweet: The Truth Behind Sugar Addiction

sugar addiction Almost every day in our diets we include sugary foods. Sugar is a source of sweetness that everyone will always want to get. Under normal circumstances, we take sugar in the form of food additive though some people will sometimes take it directly due to its natural sweetness. It is almost a common knowledge that sugar has been attributed to obesity and diabetes when taken in excess. This has neither made people all over the globe to reduce the intake of sugar.

Why bitter sweet?

Obviously sugar is very sweet. Its sweetness remains unquestionable, but the facts about the effects that the sugar has in our bodies makes it bitter. How? One of the negative facts about sugar is that it has been in the frontline contributor of obesity and diabetes. Due to its natural sweetness makes it a very rewarding food substance and hence leading many people to overeating and consequently obese.

Apart from these bitter facts about sugar, research has now shown that sugar is a “new tobacco”, worse than many addictive drugs we know and a secrete killer! You will not believe it, According to the research done by Dr. Mark Hyman et al, shows that sugar is over eight times more addictive than cocaine.

What makes sugar a very common source of addiction?

Unlike many other addictive drugs, which are illegal in many countries, sugar is a legal food substance all over the world. This makes sugar readily available and it is also cheap to acquire. The nature of its sweetness cannot also be underestimated as this is what actually makes a sugar a highly rewarding substance in the human brain.

How does sugar addiction occur?

Among the known foodstuffs which have capability to stimulate the pleasure centers in the brain, sugar is one of them. This center of pleasure which sugar stimulates is known as dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s pleasure and reward centers. Research has shown that sugar acts on human brain in the same way as cocaine.

When sugar is taken, just like any other dopamine producing substance it enters the brain system and activates the neurotransmitters responsible for pleasure. High amounts of dopamine are released to the system and hence the rewarding effects occur. This rewarding occurs in a form of pleasure that the person taking the sugar feels. With time, the number of dopamines which are released when the sugar is taken reduces and this results to the condition known as resistance. This eventually means in order to produce the pleasurable feeling, you have to consume more that you used to consume before. This launches a viscous cycle of increased consumption of sugar leading to further desensitization and end up with an insatiable appetite for sugar.

Another qualifier factor of sugar as a silent killer substance is that apart from the increase in consumption of sugar, the dopamine receptor decrease and there is a marked decrease also in their activity. This makes the part of human brain which is responsible for execution of functions such as planning, organizing and rational decision making paralyzed.

sugar addiction

What danger does this pose? This is a double cutting sword for the sugar addict. Apart from the fact that the addict will be required to consume more and more sugar to achieve the required pleasure effect, the addiction also makes it more difficult for the addict’s brain to plan ahead and makes wise decisions on foods to take. This makes the addict to keep on dangerously eating sugary foods. This poses more danger to the addict.

What does sugar have to do with obesity?

The understanding of the relationship between sugar and obesity may look hidden unlike its direct relationship with diabetes. The main reason behind obesity is overeating. So, does it mean sugar addicts eat more than normal people? Let’s find out by asking another related question, “How do we know that we have eaten enough food and hence stop eating?”

The reason why we will always know when we have had enough of food is that our brains have a hormone known as Leptin. This hormone sends a signal when one has had enough of a food and hence the person stops eating. This hormone is naturally produces in the fat cells and it functions well under normal healthy dieting. However, this hormone is easily interrupted by things such as ingesting too much artificial sweeteners, high levels of insulin and not forgetting excess sugar. When a sugar addict consumes excess sugar, this disrupts the hormone and hence it fails to function.

When Leptin hormones fail, the hunger homes begin to run rampantly and unopposed. This makes the addict feel hungry and hence want to eat every now and then. Every time such a person eats, there will be obviously overeating since there are no regulatory signals in the brain and this is why sugar addiction is highly associated with obesity.

Can sugar addiction be treated?

Sugar addiction is curable. The main problem is that sugar has high craving levels and when you will be recovering from sugar addiction you will need to be very much determined lest you will have relapse. If you have a sugar addiction, all you need to do is to visit a specialist, a doctor of psychologist and a recovery method that best suits you will be devised based on mediation or therapy.

IT’S BITTER SWEET: THE TRUTH BEHIND SUGAR ADDICTION

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