Tag Archives: insomnia

Signs-Of-Female-Sex-Addiction-LoveAddictionTreatment.com_

Chronic insomnia effects on the skin health

August 11, 2016
Chronic insomnia effects

Chronic insomnia effects on the skin health can be very disturbing if not addressed promptly

Chronic insomnia effects on the skin health: Formation of collagen

The reason why the formation of collagen is very important in human life is because it’s one of the skin’s primary components which play a major role in its structure and integrity and healthy elasticity and youthful appearance. Doctor Dalal Akoury MD and also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center reiterates that sleep deficit (Chronic insomnia) can affect the optimal process of the skin’s collagen formation. She adds that one of the crucial function of the skin is to maintain a barrier that prevents excessive water loss and blocks entry of toxic foreign substances. The cascade of events that occurs during the process of collagen formation is highly dependent on immune synchronization that is initiated during restful nights of sleep.

Chronic insomnia effects on the skin health: Insidious link between sleep debt and skin aging

Numerous studies have established that stress-induced insomnia can dramatically impair skin function and precipitate numerous skin disorders. Sleep researchers have found that animals subjected to prolonged sleep deprivation develop ulcerous lesions on their legs and suffer increased risk of bacterial invasion through the skin owing to a breakdown in skin membrane integrity.

In humans, sleep debt and stress have been definitively linked to skin disorders so much so that an entire sub-specialty of dermatology has developed over the past two decades called psycho-dermatology. It emerged after an abundance of published studies revealed that many skin conditions respond well to antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications, in addition to traditional dermatologic interventions.

Scientists attribute the link between chronic insomnia and skin disorders to the immune-modulatory or immune-altering effects induced by the release of excess glucocorticoids triggered by sleep debt and stress. As the name suggests, this class of hormones regulates the metabolism of glucose. Every cell in the human body possesses receptors for glucocorticoids. Glucocorticoids also happen to play a central role in immune function. (Cortisol is the most important of the glucocorticoids.) Excess glucocorticoid production has been shown to negatively affect nearly every tissue in the body and accelerate the aging process.

In terms of skin health, the sequence of events involved in the formation of collagen is highly dependent on the immune-balancing processes initiated during restful nights of sleep. As the major structural component of your skin and other bodily tissues, collagen protects against UV damage and bacterial infection, maintains your skin’s elasticity, seals in moisture, and preserves its youthful, healthy appearance.

This nighttime balancing process is disrupted in the presence of excess glucocorticoids (cortisol in particular). Sleeplessness ultimately has a cumulative immunosuppressant effect. Of particular significance for skin health are reduced levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1) observed in insomnia sufferers. At healthy levels, this protein triggers increased white blood cell production in response to foreign invaders and plays a central role in the production of collagen. Therefore when levels of IL-1 are too low, collagen formation deteriorates. This is how chronic insomnia can cause skin disorders related to immune dysfunction. In addition to inducing such inflammatory skin conditions as eczema and psoriasis, sleep deprivation has been shown to aggravate both allergic and irritant contact dermatitis.

Finally learning from this article and even others posted on this link will only be meaningful to you if you make another step of practicing what you are learning. Remember that how chronic insomnia destroys skin health can be very wide and elaborate. You must not allow these worthy pieces of information about protecting your skin go in vain. Get the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center involved in every step you take. This way doctor Akoury and her team of experts will help you revamp the beauty of your skin giving it a new lease of life for a very long time.

Chronic insomnia effects on the skin health: Formation of collagen

http://www.awaremednetwork.com/

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin
Holistic treatment

Other mindfulness application benefits

July 16, 2016
Other mindfulness

Other mindfulness application benefits. The powerful addiction healing through Integrative Medicine benefits all

Other mindfulness application benefits

From our previous discussions we noted that mindfulness can be very essential in helping people cope with such disturbing issues like stress, anxiety and depression. That is already good news for your consumption. Nonetheless doctor Dalal Akoury MD, President and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center registers that this is not all that we can benefit from the this treatment method. In her several decades of offering quality and productive health solutions to her clients, doctor Akoury acknowledges that there are other mindfulness benefits which may include the following:

  • Insomnia
  • Chronic pain
  • Addictive behavior
  • Eating disorders

Other mindfulness application benefits: Insomnia

Mindfulness-based therapy for insomnia looks to integrate behavior therapy and sleep science with the meditation practices of mindfulness. The goal is to help increase awareness so that people can recognize and react accordingly to all the known mental and physical states that occur with chronic insomnia.

Other mindfulness application benefits: Chronic pain

While initially, the idea of paying more attention to your physical sensations when you suffer from chronic pain may seem counter-intuitive, it is thought that mindfulness can help. The idea here is that instead of focusing on the negative thought patterns that emerge upon feeling the physical sensation of pain, sufferers should view their pain with curiosity. This is essential so that the pain is experienced accurately since sometimes our minds can over exaggerate pain.

Addictive behavior

Treating negative behaviors such as addiction can be complemented with mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as this looks to make the individual more aware of their emotions and how to deal with them, while simultaneously breaking any harmful thought patterns.

Eating disorders

Mindful eating is a useful practice that involves individuals taking time to experience their food and all the sensations surrounding eating. This can help those with disordered eating see food in a different light, as well as helping them to recognize when they are physically hungry or full without any emotion influence.

Other mindfulness application benefits: How one can apply mindfulness

Doctor Akoury is registering that because of the effectiveness of mindfulness, many people are walking along this path. The question which we need to address is then “how do you start the journey?” in her view, before the commencement of mindfulness. One must first take note of the following; Taking notice of your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and the world around you. It will therefore very important that the individual needs to create some time in the day to practice this on your way to work, when you’re eating your dinner or even just before you go to bed. While it may not sound like much, taking 10 minutes a day to notice these kinds of things are great for getting you out of the auto-pilot mode many of us fall into.

Finally take note that if you are struggling with mindfulness or feel you need more guidance, learning from a counsellor or psychotherapist with experience in the practice, then calling us on telephone number 843 213 1480 should be your starting point and we will professionally do the rest.

http://www.integrativeaddictionconference.com/wp-admin

 

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

What Causes Neurodegenerative Changes

July 27, 2015

What Causes Neurodegenerative Changes

Neurodegeneration is a medical condition of the nerve system that generally refers to a gradual loss of neurons. It is a condition of damage to the nerve cells both in structure and functionality. Neurodegeneration changes also used to refer to the death of nerve cells. It is an age related condition of the brain. Neurodegeneration is however a blanket terminology. It involves several disorders. Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), HIV-related cognitive impairment, and Huntington Disease (HD) are just but a few.

  1. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)

This is degenerative brain condition that gradually erodes memory. Alzheimer’s disease AD distorts one’s ability to think clearly. It is characterized by progressive failure to solve simple numerical problems and inability to perform simple tasks. AD is reportedly the root cause of dementia. Based on several research findings, AD accounts to close to 70 percent of all cases of the brain disease. AD is one of the neurodegenerative changes that increase exponentially with age. It is even reported the number of Americans with the AD condition stands at well over 5.1 million. For an in-depth explanation of the disease please click on www.awaremednetwork.com.

AD is a genetically inherited condition. Chances of inheriting the disease are however minimal, at a low of 5% or less. Signs of the disease often begin to show at an age, 65. However there are forms of AD that can indicate early signs at as low as age 30. Early-onset Familial Alzheimer’s Disease (EOFAD) is one such. There are genetic materials that can increase or reduce proneness of a person to the disease but do not necessarily cause it. You may call up Dr. Dalal Akoury of integrative Addiction Institute and International Organization of Integrative Cancer Physicians for incisive information on genetic composition of AD and its transmission through generations.

nerve degeneration

Naturally the first sign of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is loss of memory especially about recent events. Memory lapses may also occur however not profound. An example of a person suffering early signs of these neurodegenerative changes is one asking the same thing over and over, even when that same question has been properly answered in recent prior conversations. While at home they struggle to find such small items like handkerchiefs or wallets. Ever wondered why some people constantly leave foods on the cooker? AD victims are actually worse in the kitchen. Their foods always burn. The disease often progresses from mild AD, Moderate AD to advanced stages of the Neurodenerative changes of Severe Alzheimer’s Disease. Eee…very crazy, I guess many of us are victims. This is why you must sign up for this year’s August integrative addiction medicine conferences. Click on http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com for more information.

  1. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

This is a degenerative brain condition that often affects the motor neurons in adults. It is one of the most common forms of neurodegenerative changes in the U.S. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) often causes a discerned loss of neurons that normally connects the brain to the muscles. It affects both the dorsal superior motor neurons and the lower inferior neurons of the spinal cord in the rest of the body. This condition is well very popular in the U.S. according to population studies, the figures stand at an astonishing 5600 patients each calendar year, with well over 15 new victims every single day. Men are reportedly 20% more prone to this type of degenerative change compared to women. You may click on www.awaremednetwork.com to further research on ALS and the other neurodegenerative changes. Dr. Akoury will be of great assistance too in understanding genetic composition and transmission of the ALS.

Basic symptom of ALS involves a feeling of weakness in the arms. Other symptoms include clumsiness, stiffness, and slowness. Muscles in the said organs often become smaller as the disease progresses. Other symptoms; cramping and twitching even though are common in much healthier people, tend to be profound when one is nursing ALS. It is for the same reasons the degenerative change is normally ignored in its primary stages. ALS does not uniformly progress from one stage to the other in every victim. The disease is however worse at an advanced stage, paralysis. There are not specific laboratory tests to ALS however low co-ordination between the fine motor neurons always serves a good one. Again, there are various professionals attending this year’s August integrative addiction medicine conference, catch some of them via the above link. The speakers are carefully selected to handle a number of subjects across a wider array of medical problems you might be interested in knowing treatment of such neurodegenerative changes.

  1. Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD)

CBD is sometimes called Corticobasal ganglionic degeneration (CBGD). Clinically, It is similar FrontoTemporal Dementia (FTD). Just like the AD above, CBD is also characterized by loss of neurons and contraction of certain parts of the brain among them; the basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex. The disease is more often diagnosed in patients within the age brackets of 45 and 70. CBD is hardly genetically transmitted down the generations. The symptoms vary from locomotive difficulties to cognitive discrepancies. They are usually very unique. It is therefore advisable to refer suspected patients to a practitioner with good experience with the disorder. Consistent advances in scientific studies and research have led to a better understanding of CBD among other neurodegenerative changes hence improved medical care and therapeutic interventions.

NEURODEGENERATIVE changes

  1. Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)

This is a cluster of related neurodegenerative changes resulting from progressive deterioration of the temporary and font lobes of the human brain. In a case similar to that of AD, FTD greatly affects decision making, emotional control, speech and general behavior of the patient.

Frontotemporal dementia is a cluster of related conditions resulting from the progressive degeneration of the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain. These areas of the brain play a significant role in decision-making, behavioral control, emotion and language.

  1. HIV-related Cognitive Impairment

Thanks to antiretroviral interventions, effects of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) on the nervous system have declined. Few cases however still exist. HIV- related impairments can be broadly categorized into Asymptomatic neurocognitive impairments, mild neurocognitive disorder, and HIV-associated dementia (HAD). The first two categories barely have any visible symptoms. However the third category, HAD has from time to time indicated severe effect on the victims both clinically and on their daily life activities. As earlier mentioned, cases of HAD are however rare. The other form of neurodegenerative change is the Huntington Disease (HD), which affects the underlying neurons of the brain. You may visit any of the above links for more information on HD and the other neurodegenerative changes. Once again click http://www.integrativeaddiction2015.com for your chance to participate in the integrative addiction medicine conference mentioned earlier.

Neurodegenerative Changes

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction

July 24, 2015

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction: Alternative addiction recovery options

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction is the right thing that every one of us should do to help those suffering both directly and indirectly from drug addiction complications.

The kind of life demands in the societies we are living in today makes life very difficult especially for people struggling with addiction. Depression and stress are all written over us and we are often pushed to the wall to the point that we resort to doing wrong things to quench our life’s frustrations. Alcohol and drugs have become the silence to most individuals fighting the challenges of life. It therefore means that we all have a duty to play in bring back hope to the generation that is soon becoming hopeless. That is why we are purposing through this forum to candidly discuss this topic of increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction. Like we have said that people are faced with different life situation and majority have resorted into drugs and are now dependence to these drugs. We are also aware that many are willing to kick out from their lives the substances they are abusing, but because of the addictiveness of those substances, they are unable. That is why we the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury we want to bring to you hopes of recovery.

Even though we are living at a time when there are a lot of people indulging into drug use, we are equally privileged that as opposed to a century ago when there were very limited treatment options for people struggling with addiction, we now have so many treatment options that can sometimes be confused or even lost for choice. And besides that there has been a growing number of evidence based treatments for addiction recovery and there are also countless alternative treatments. Amidst all these options that can be confusing, there is some good news about these new developments and that is at least now with the growing number of options, it can only mean that there is almost certainly going to be something to suit everyone. And that is what we want to ride on in this discussion.

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction: Alternative treatment options defined

Alternative treatments fall under the category of alternative medicine, and this means that it lacks or has limited experimental or clinical evidence. The boundary between alternative treatments and conventional medicine is not always clear cut because it is possible for alternative treatments to become considered conventional medicine once there is enough evidence to support it. An example of this would be Aspirin which is based on a traditional herbal cure made from the bark of the willow tree. These alternative treatments can also be referred to as complimentary medicine.

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction: Medical treatments for addiction recovery

It is regrettable that up until the twentieth century addiction was viewed as a common problem to do with moral failing instead of a medical problem. However in the last few decades there has been a shift in position, and this has led to the creation of addiction medicine. This absorption of addiction into medicine has increased since MRI imaging has established that addiction can lead to physical changes in the brain. Now instead of viewing this behavior as a moral choice it is more common for physicians to see it as a chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry. Addiction medicine is still in its infancy but it aims to provide treatments that are evidence based and proven to work. With these discoveries, it is possible these days that addiction can be treated from scientifically approved medications and that introduces as to the discussion of evidence based addiction treatments as follows.

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction: Evidence based addiction treatments

Doctor Dalal Akoury and her team of experts are categorical that evidence based treatments are those that are backed by reliable and quality research. In other words, these are medication which have been scientifically researched on tested and confirmed to be sound for a given treatment. In our context such treatments may include the following include:

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for addiction has been extensively studied, and its efficacy is well supported. This uses a psycho-therapeutic approach to the problem.
  • There is good evidence that the 12 Step approach does work for many people. The research also indicates that it is not an approach that works for everyone.
  • The Community Enforcement Approach is gaining support within the literature. This involves supporting the individual in the community, and it is often combined with a voucher scheme.
  • There is reliable evidence to support motivational enhancement therapy as a means to help the individual gain the motivation to quit.
  • A number of pharmaceutical agents have been discovered that are of benefit to those looking to escape addiction. These drugs can make the withdrawal period easier or eliminate cravings.
Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction: Standard treatments and alternative treatments

Professionally doctor Akoury affirms that there is no need for people to choose between standard treatments and alternative treatments. She emphasized that these other approaches are referred to as complementary medicine because the idea is that they should be used alongside evidence based therapies. We must not allow ourselves to lose focus on the ultimate goal of eliminating all manner of addiction from our societies. In that spirit of staying focused, I want to conclude this discussion that increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction is a worthy course and must be embraced by all means. That is why in her own wisdom and great concern to the suffering of many people Dr. Akoury made a decision to create a medical center (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Remember that doctor Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. Ours is not just about increasing your hopes but ensuring that your addiction problem is professionally addressed and to hand you back your life for comfort and enjoyment going forward.

Increasing hopes for those willing to escape addiction: Alternative addiction recovery options

 

Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

Natural Remedies for Insomnia Caused By Addiction

March 18, 2015

Use of Chamomile, HOPS, Passion Flower, Valerian Roots, Californian Poppy for Insomnia Caused By Addiction

According to National Sleep Foundation, insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, even when a person has the chance to do so. People with insomnia can feel dissatisfied with their sleep and usually experience the symptoms of poor sleep that may deter them from enjoying healthy lifestyles. This disease can affect people of all ages but adults are the major victims.

This foundation further stresses that, sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing. But still there are millions of people who do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep. NSF conducted survey between 1999-2004 that revealed that at least 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. Most of those with these problems go undiagnosed and untreated. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month – with 20 percent reporting problem sleepiness a few days a week or more. Furthermore, 69 percent of children experience one or more sleep problems a few nights or more during a week.

insomnia

However insomnia can also be caused by addiction. And so far it is one of the serious symptoms of addiction. Drugs of abuse for example alcohol has been shown to interfere with normal sleep patterns since they disrupt particular neurotransmitters in the brain which control or regulate sleep. When these neurotransmitters are disrupted, disturbances can result. Small amounts of alcohol can cause early sedation or sleepiness, and is often used as a sedative. However, the use of alcohol as an effective sedative can be extremely misleading because the side effects that can result are usually even more harmful and detrimental to the natural sleep cycle. For instance, due to the natural elimination of alcohol from the body, arousal and sleep fragmentation can occur and the second half of the sleep period can be drastically interrupted. This is due to the fact that, although alcohol will cause sedation, it will also decrease rapid eye movement sleep in the first half of the night resulting in the rebound of rapid eye movement sleep later in the night.  Here are some of the natural ways through which addiction induced insomnia can be treated.

Passion flower

Passion flower is a good remedy for sleep disorders that had been previously got approved in the U.S as an over the counter sedative and sleep aid. However by this time its safety and effectiveness had not been approved and it was consequentially taken off market. This product can be used alone or in combination with other herbs to help cure insomnia that is induced by drug addiction. Some researchers opined that when passion flower tea is taken an hour before going to bed it may help to improve the quality of sleep. However there is still need for evidence to show it does all these effectively.

California poppy- also known as Eschscholzia californica, California poppy is a good remedy for sleep disorders. It works as a sedative and is known to promote sleep. Currently it can be found in different herbal remedies sold in the U.S for cure of insomnia, as relaxants and therapies for anxiety. Owing to its mild sedative and analgesic properties, it can be given safely to children. Clinical and laboratory work on California poppy has clearly demonstrated the plant’s sedative and anti-anxiety properties.  It has also been shown to improve both sleep latency and quality. You can use it solely or in combination with other herbs to help cure insomnia.

Hops – scientifically its known as Humulus lupulus

insomniaThe use of Hops dates back to early 1900s when Eclectic physicians used it as a sedative specifically for insomnia due to worry or nerve. This herb that is used as a major flavoring component of beer has been used for a long time to cure insomnia, nervousness, and restlessness. Hops pillows are sometimes used for mild insomnia. Having been used successfully in the past, trying it won’t hurt you.

Chamomile:  is scientifically known as Anthemis nobilis. This herb has been used as sedative for a long time and can be safely used with children as well as adults. In South America, Europe and Mexico chamomile tea is a common beverage that is honored for its effectiveness in curing such conditions as irritability, restlessness and insomnia both in children and adults. What’s more? Its oil can also be used in bathing waters to help soothe nerves. Its oil can also be used for massage. Chamomile is still one of the sought after sedatives with proven effectiveness.

 

Valerian: is scientifically known as Valeriana officinalis.  This is a common herb in the U.S where it is used widely for cure of insomnia restlessness and nervousness. This herb can reduce the time people take before falling asleep and is known to shorten sleep latency. When used it reduces chances of a person waking up in the night. As a herbal sedative, valerian has many benefits yet no known side effects that synthetic sedatives are loathed for. It can be used in combination with Hops, California poppy and chamomile among others.

These herbs are an excellent way to help you fight insomnia naturally. We at AWAREmed health and wellness center are dedicated to finding the best natural solutions to health problems. You can visit us at Myrtle Beach South Carolina where you will be attended to by Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) who has vast experience in integrative medicine for lifestyle diseases.

Use of Chamomile, HOPS, Passion Flower, Valerian Roots, Californian Poppy for Insomnia Caused By Addiction

 

Related articles
Facebooktwitterpinterestlinkedin

  • Recent Posts

  • Blog Categories