The general effects of Alcohol abuse today

June 3, 2015

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: The body responsiveness to Alcohol abuse

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today are evident on how users of alcohol live their lives. A life full of destruction

The life complications keep getting more and more frustrating because of several factors including alcohol abuse and drug addiction. These two health conditions directly affect the well-being of human life and cannot be over looked. Over the years people have been into the business of marry making while consuming alcohol and all other alcoholic beverages across the globe. It is through this marry making that today life is almost becoming unbearable for most families and especially those taking care on an alcoholic loved one. One may wonder how marry making and self-enjoyment of life while taking a few bottles of drinks could be a problem. If this is what is going on in your mind right now, then you are at the right place, because throughout this article, we are going to be discussing the general effects of alcohol abuse today in our lives. With the help of doctor Dalal Akoury MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, one of the leading pioneers in natural and holistic addiction treatment we will be well informed of the health effects of alcohol abuse and even drug addiction. You can therefore take this earliest opportunity to schedule for an appointment with her for more guidance and professional help.

Individual’s patients struggling with substance abuse may opt for the appointment with the experts for lasting solution, however the experience doctor Akoury has garnered over the past few decades can be very beneficial to other professional in the same discipline. And if you are wondering on how you can be part of this doctor Akoury is organizing an Educational, Functional and Integrative Addiction conference for medical experts including doctors, counselors, nurses and addiction therapists. The conference will be August 23-25 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This new frontier in Addiction Medicine will be conducted by the most influential group of leading visionaries specializing in the latest advances in natural and integrative addiction medicine, under the theme “The Future of Integrative Addiction”. You can get more information about this on www.integrativeaddiction2015.com or email sharon@integrativeaddiction2015.com. Just to give you a preview of those who will be attending this very important conference, we currently have confirmations from the who is who in the world of medicine including Dr. Mitch Ghen, DO, Ph.D, Sean Devlin, DO, HMD., Sahar Swidan, Pharma D. BCPS., Kenneth Proefrock, N.M.D., William Eidelman, M.D., and Gregory G. Smith, MD. That is just a preview you can get more information from the contacts given above and you are highly welcome to this one in a life time event. Back to the general effects of alcohol abuse today, the body is very much vulnerable to the toxic elements as we will soon find out from the explanations in this discussion.

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: Effects to the Skin, Muscle, and Bone Disorders

Several studies have associated severe alcoholism with osteoporosis which is the loss of bone density, muscular deterioration, skin sores, and itching. Whereas women are the most concern with the beauty of their skin complexion as compared to men, alcohol-dependent women seem to face a higher risk than men for damage to muscles, including muscles of the heart, from the toxic effects of alcohol.

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: Effects on Reproduction and Fetal Development

Sexual Function and Fertility – Alcoholism increases levels of the female hormone estrogen and reduces levels of the male hormone testosterone, factors that are closely associated with erectile dysfunction and enlarged breasts in men, and infertility in women. Such changes may also be responsible for the higher risks for absent periods and abnormal uterine bleeding in women with alcoholism.

Drinking During Pregnancy and Effects on the Infant – it is important to note that when nursing pregnancy even the so called moderate amounts of alcohol can have damaging effects on the developing fetus, including low birth weight and increased risk for miscarriage. High amounts can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, a condition that can cause mental and growth retardation. Although there is no specific amount of alcohol intake, the risk of developing the syndrome is increased depending on the time of alcohol exposure during pregnancy, a pattern of drinking (four or more drinks per occasion), and how often alcohol consumption occurs.

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: Effect on Weight and Diabetes

Moderate alcohol consumption may help protect the hearts of adults with type 2 diabetes. Heavy drinking, however, is associated with obesity, which is a risk factor for this form of diabetes. In addition, alcohol can cause hypoglycemia, a drop in blood sugar, which is especially dangerous for people with diabetes who are taking insulin. Intoxicated diabetics may not be able to recognize symptoms of hypoglycemia.

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: Effect on Central and Peripheral Nervous System and Mental Functioning

Drinking too much alcohol can cause immediate mild neurologic problems in anyone, including insomnia and headache. Long-term alcohol use can physically affect the brain. Depending on length and severity of alcohol abuse, neurologic damage may not be permanent, and abstinence nearly always leads to eventual recovery of normal mental function.

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies

People with alcoholism should be sure to take vitamin and mineral supplements. Even apparently well-nourished people with alcoholism may be deficient in important nutrients. Deficiencies in vitamin B pose particular health risks in people with alcoholism. Other vitamin and mineral deficiencies, however, can also cause widespread health problems.

Folate Deficiencies – Alcohol interferes with the metabolism of folate, a very important B vitamin, called folic acid when used as a supplement. Folate deficiencies can cause severe anemia. Deficiencies during pregnancy can lead to birth defects in the infant.

Peripheral Neuropathy – Vitamin B12 deficiencies can also lead to peripheral neuropathy, a condition that causes pain, tingling, and other abnormal sensations in the arms and legs.

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: Drug Interactions

The effects of many medications are strengthened by alcohol, while others are inhibited. Of particular importance is alcohol’s reinforcing effect on anti-anxiety drugs, sedatives, antidepressants, and antipsychotic medications.

Alcohol also interacts with many drugs used by people with diabetes. It interferes with drugs that prevent seizures or blood clotting. It increases the risk for gastrointestinal bleeding in people taking aspirin or other non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen and naproxen. Chronic alcohol abusers have a particularly high risk for adverse side effects from consuming alcohol while taking certain antibiotics. These side effects include flushing, headache, nausea, and vomiting. In other words, taking almost any medication should preclude drinking alcohol. If you were not aware of the effects of alcohol before, now you know and it is time for you to make a difference in your society. If you know of anyone who is struggling with alcoholism, you can be the bridge of recovery to them by arranging with then to schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for help. But for the experts the Integrative Addiction conference for doctors, counselors, nurses and addiction therapists is a must attend for you and you can also consult with doctor Akoury for more information about Integrative Addiction Treatment on the following contact details:

Dalal Akoury M.D

AWAREmed

Tel: 843 213 1480

Email: dollyanis@hotmail.com

www.awaremednetwork.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILBEhjYkwKQ

The general effects of Alcohol abuse today: The body responsiveness to Alcohol abuse

Treating COPD with Adipose Derived Stem Cell Therapy

May 1, 2015

Adipose Derived Stem Cells Treatment for COPD and Respiratory Disease

COPD COPD is an acronym that stands for chronic obstructive lung diseases. COPD are conditions where the linings of the airways are thickened and inflamed. As a result of the inflammations and thickening of the linings of the airways the air become trapped in the lungs hence leading to shortness of breath, wheezing, weakness and severe fatigue. COPD causes coughing, increased production of mucus, and constriction of the chest. COPD is a serious respiratory disease that must be addressed failure to which the problem might escalate and eventually cause death. This disease is mostly caused by cigarette smoking but exposure to dangerous chemical especially in the industrial environment, dust, air pollutants, and chronic asthma can lead to the inflammation of the walls of the lungs and lead to their constriction. people who are suffering from asthma have higher chances of developing COPD since asthma is a chronic lung disease that cause inflammation and narrows the breathing airways leading to COPD. though this COPD is majorly caused by exposure to toxins that leads to inflammation of walls of the lungs, this disease is also hereditary with a major contributor being a rare genetic condition where people have low levels of the protein made in the liver known as alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT). This rare condition may make you more susceptible to lung irritants, causing COPD to progress more aggressively.

Most people may be suffering from COPD without even knowing as it is a progressive disease that takes time to develop but worsens over a time a reason to why people suffering from the disease are often late in realizing they are suffering from it. COPD patients often require supplemental oxygen and daily medications just to be able to breathe. However these medications may not be of much help as they never correct the damage on the lung tissues but only address the symptoms temporarily. Till now there is no conventional treatment that has been found to be effective in treating COPD.

Those suffering from COPD often exhibit two main characteristics namely; Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema. Chronic Bronchitis results in the thickening of the airways inner lining due to mucus formation, which leads to a decrease in lung capacity while emphysema results in destruction of the air sacs in the lungs, which leads to fewer air sacs and ultimately a reduction in gas exchange.

Why stem cell therapy?

Stem cells are very special, powerful cells found in both humans and also in other animals. Stem cells are the precursors of all cells in the human body. What makes stem cells special is that they are regenerative and malleable. They have the ability to replicate themselves and to repair and replace other tissues in the human body. Some tissues, like skin, need constant renewal, which could not take place without skin stem cells. Other stem cells repair damage to the body’s tissues, for example, rebuilding damaged or degenerating muscle tissue. The stem cells have unique abilities that other cells in the body like the nerve cells and muscle cells do not have. Some of the unique abilities of the stem cells are that they are unspecified and can form different types of cells that can be used in healing or replacing the cells that have defects in the body.

In COPD the stem cells can work by causing regeneration of the affected cells of the lung tissues. The stem cells are delivered to diseased tissues or organs, where they will ultimately restore tissue and organ function. The stem cells can be harvested from the adipose tissues where they are available in high amounts and be used on the affected lung linings. When these stem cells are harvested from the adipose tissues of the same patient, it is referred to as autologous stem cell transplant and it is safer than when the cells are harvested from outside the patient’s body. With regeneration the aims of the treatment will be to awaken cells that are not functional or have malfunctions in the lung tissues. Stem cell therapy has been used successfully for other diseases and its applicability is not limited to COPD and with it there is hope for affordable healthcare solutions that heal the body wholly without life threatening side effects.

Treating COPD with Adipose Derived Stem Cell Therapy

COPD It has been observed that adipose-derived stem cells exhibit immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties that doctors hope will help repair the airways and improve the elasticity of the patient’s lungs. When injected into the body, the mesenchymal stem cells first congregate in the lungs for several days, gathering cell signal information from the rest of the body and learning where disease and disability are located. When the lungs themselves are damaged, stem cells remain in the lungs, providing an enhanced opportunity to stimulate the repair of damaged lung tissue.

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 Treatment for COPD and Respiratory Disease

Benefits of Oxytocin

May 1, 2015

The Benefit of Oxytocin the Cuddle Hormone in Anxiety

Oxytocin is a popular hormone. This it owes to its pleasurable feelings and good effects that it has physiologically or physically on both men and women. The effects of oxytocin on behavior and feelings of humans originate from the brain. The oxytocin hormone is produced by the hypothalamus after which it is transferred into the pituitary glands from where it is released into the bloodstream. The oxytocin hormone has its receptors in all the body parts. According to the American Psychological Association, levels of the oxytocin hormone tend to be higher during both stressful and socially bonding experiences,

“It’s like a hormone of attachment, you might say,” said Carol Rinkleib Ellison, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Loomis, California and former assistant clinical psychiatry professor at the University of California, San Francisco. “It creates feelings of calm and closeness.”

However, this hormone has more to offer than previously known in the past it was only associated with breastfeeding and childbirth but now researchers are waking up to the realization that this hormone has far more benefits than was known in the past. Even today there is a lot of research being done to unearth the benefits of oxytocin hormone. “We’re just learning more about it now,” Ellison confirms.

In the past oxytocin was once thought to be a hormone only associated with women where it was charged with the responsibility of setting up uterine contractions during labor and squeezing the uterus empty after birth. But now there is enough evidence that this hormone has effects on both men and women. Most of oxytocin is often released during orgasm in both sexes. This hormone is what enables the mother to love her new born child and also helps her in upbringing this child in love and care for all years to follow after the birth of the child.

Oxytocin and Anxiety

Oxytocin, the love hormone has since got linked to treatment of anxiety disorders. I suppose you know the conventional approaches to treatment of anxiety disorders; it involves use of antidepressants like Prozac and tranquilizers such as valium, medications that do not really work to achieve healing but rather aims at momentary relief from these disorders. But here seems to be an array of hope for those suffering from anxiety disorders. According to a research that was done by a former NARSAD grantee and members of an international research team, there is progress in understanding a new potential medical treatment for anxiety, which affects approximately 40 million American adults and many other people in different parts of the world.

This team of researchers looked at the anxiety-reducing effects of oxytocin. Oxytocin is a neurotransmitter also known as the “love hormone” or ‘the cuddle hormone’ for its ability to reduce stress and promote pro-social behaviors such as trust, empathy, and openness to social risk. The cuddle hormone has now been shown to make the amygdala less reactive to pictures of threatening or fearful faces. Past researches had identified the amygdala as a crucial brain area for emotional processing.

Oxytocin has influence on amygdala

The report of this research was published in the Neuropsychopharmacology on August 6th. The researchers expanded on previous work that had been able to show that oxytocin had remarkable influence on the amygdala. The research team was led by Stephanie M. Gorka, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois. Pradeep Nathan, Ph.D., of Cambridge University (formally Monash University), recipient of a 2007 NARSAD Independent Investigator grant was also part of this study. The team examined how oxytocin affects connections between the amygdala and other parts of the brain in people with anxiety disorder.

They observed that as study participants viewed fearful faces, brain scans with functional MRI showed that the amygdala communicated significantly less with other parts of the brain in those with generalized social anxiety, compared to those not diagnosed with anxiety disorder. The less connected the amygdala was to other brain regions, the higher the anxious participants’ baseline stress levels were. Importantly, oxytocin reversed those trends by increasing amygdala connectivity in anxiety patients, while decreasing amygdala connectivity in everyone else.

From the findings of this study, it can be seen that oxytocin can have specific effects in people with anxiety through its influence on the amygdala. More broadly, the fact that oxytocin had opposite effects in the two participant groups indicates that the neurotransmitter’s success in reducing stress and promoting social behavior depends on individual brain characteristics, which differ between those with anxiety and those without the disorder. Thus, while oxytocin continues to show promise as a potential treatment for anxiety, it may not promote positive social behaviors in everyone but still it is a choice worth trying.

However, the findings of this research are preliminary and therefore to better assess how presumed changes in the brain influence actual experiences of anxiety, there is need for further research preferably on a larger scope to test oxytocin on more people with and without anxiety disorders.

Lastly, anxiety disorders are present, they have become a part of our lives but they really do not benefit us; they hurt us. You therefore must seek treatment whenever you fall victim. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help. Visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The Benefit of Oxytocin the Cuddle Hormone in Anxiety

Treatment of Multiple sclerosis With Stem cell

May 1, 2015

Stem cell treatment for Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the Central Nervous System that is characterized by demyelination and inflammation. In a nutshell, MS is often described as an inflammatory demyelinating condition. Myelin is a layer of fatty that covers the nerves maintaining their health and flexibility. It is demyelination that causes spasms that are common with MS patients. MS occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks the cells that surround and protect neurons. As people lose myelin surrounding their nerves they start feeling weak or having trouble walking. Over time the disease progresses and people may end up with more severe symptoms included paralysis. About 400,000 people are living with MS in the U.S and the figures may continue to grow if better treatments are not availed in good time to help treat the disease.

To help those debilitated by this disease researchers have been pursuing more effective methods of treating this disease. One of the areas that have attracted attention of many researchers is the possibility of stem cells treating the disease. the fact that researchers have been speculating that stem cells can be effective in treatment of multiple sclerosis does surprise me and so it shouldn’t surprise you too as these “shape shifters” have the rare ability of forming every tissue that is vital in the body and so can be used to replace any defective or malfunctioned tissues in the body. The use of stem cell therapy has been successful in the past in treating other diseases and hence has been viewed as a viable approach in treatment of MS and is being studied for its efficacy in improving the complications in patients with MS, through the use of stem cells. The stem cell therapy may help patients who don’t respond to typical drug treatment, want to reduce their reliance on medication or are looking to try stem cell therapy before starting drug treatment that they are afraid may lead to other complications like dependence.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are special cells that are unprogrammed cells in the human body and are able to change shape and form other tissues. they can replicate several times giving rise to differentiated cells and this continues as the daughter cells have equal chances as the parent cells to replicate into even more complex tissues. Due to their ability to shift shape and form different types of cells, the stem cells have been targeted by doctors for treatment of various diseases. Today the stem cells biology is the center of a new science called regenerative medicine. These stem cells can be harvested in the bone marrow and in the adipose tissues and they can form neurons, bone, muscle, cartilage and other specialized types of cells. They have the potential to treat many diseases, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and some many more.

Can stem cells work in multiple sclerosis patients?

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks and then subsequently damages the ‘myelin sheath’ protecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. This damage causes messages to and from the brain to be slowed, distorted or stopped altogether. This is what leads to the symptoms of multiple Sclerosis. It is the damage to the myelin sheath that is believed to cause relapses or other known as MS attacks. The symptoms of MS attacks can last for between 24 hours to several months. After sometime the nerve fibers become damaged and are destroyed completely and this escalates the symptoms of the multiple sclerosis and this leads to debilitation.

The stem cell therapy aids in treatment of multiple sclerosis by targeting the myelin sheath by introducing adult mesenchymal stem cells past the blood brain barrier so they may differentiate into and repair the myelin sheath nerve cells. This process is called remyelination. Further, being that Multiple Sclerosis is an auto-immune condition, adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells have the ability to repair the immune system inhibiting its ability of attacking itself. This process is referred to as immunomodulation. Through remyelination and immunomodulation, there is hope to work toward improving the quality of lives of patients dealing with Multiple Sclerosis.

Stem cell therapy helps rebuild myelin sheath and boost recovery

Multiple sclerosis According to a research done at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield and Kings College Hospital, London, participants who were part of the research had their immune systems effectively ‘rebooted’ after stem cell therapy. The stem cell treatment is said to be the first to reverse the symptoms of MS, which has no cure, and affects around 100,000 people in Britain. Stem cells are so effective because they can become any cell in the body based on their environment.

“Since we started treating patients three years ago, some of the results we have seen have been miraculous,” Professor Basil Sharrack, a consultant neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, told The Sunday Times.

“This is not a word I would use lightly, but we have seen profound neurological improvements.” the professor concluded.

The stem cell therapy as used in treating MS involves harvesting the stem cells and stored after which aggressive medicine that are often used in treatment of cancer patients to completely destroy the immune system. After the immune system has been completely damaged then the doctors are infused into the patient’s body where they start to grow new red and white blood cells within just two weeks and hence help rebuild the myelin sheath. A month after treatment the patients’ immune system is fully rebuilt and hence boosts recovery.

Stem cell treatment for Multiple sclerosis

Can Cosmetic Products Cause Cancer?

April 1, 2015

Cosmetic Products that Cause Breast Cancer

Cosmetic products are made from various ingredients that are majorly given chemicals. These cosmetic products are largely used by women for the purpose of beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance. Some of the cosmetic products that are widely used by women include moisturizers, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail polishes, eye and facial makeup, shampoos, permanent waves, hair colors, toothpastes, and deodorants. These cosmetic are part of our lives. not only women use cosmetic products, men too have their choice and preferences when it comes to the use of these cosmetic products after all we all have skins to take care of so if you find a man using some moisturizing lotion on his skin, it should not be a surprise to you.

Most if not all of the cosmetics have to be tested by various bodies to ensure that they are safe to be used on human beings. One of the bodies that test these cosmetics for safety before approving them is the food and Drug Act (FDA). however FDA may not be able to test all the cosmetic products that are produced locally in different countries and every country has its own body that does this, however these bodies may not be able to effectively give us reliable when it comes to which cosmetic products are safe and which ones are not, they are mostly manipulate by the governments who may at times become part of business that deal in these cosmetics hence making it difficult to get safety information from these bodies; this is true, we live in a man eat man society where brains are obsessed by pursuit of supernormal profits even if it costs lives. The truth however is bitter, some of the chemicals that are used in these cosmetics as ingredients are very toxic and can cause various cancers. Establishing this link has however been difficult due to the fact that most cosmetics are made from a cocktail of chemicals and not necessarily one chemical, another reason why it hasn’t been easy to be certain that cosmetics may cause cancer is that many products and ingredients have not been tested thoroughly. Even when ingredients in cosmetics have been tested, the results may not always be simple as always illustrated in the tests as the way chemical reacts in labs isn’t the same ways they will when absorbed. Though some ingredients are known to be dangerous in high concentrations, the amounts that are used in making of these cosmetics may be lower than the dangerous limits, hence may not reflect on what is found in studies. Also the way the ingredient is used in a cosmetic may be different from how it was used in the tests. Most tests have also failed to show which chemicals are absorbed in the body and how this happens therefore it hasn’t been easy to establish the link between cosmetics and breast cancer. However there are some ingredients that have been used in cosmetics that for a long time have been speculated as capable of causing breast cancer among other cancers. These chemicals include the following;

Parabens

The most common forms of parabens includes; methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben, and butylparaben. Parabens are chemicals commonly used as preservatives in many cosmetic products, including makeup, moisturizers, and hair care products, and shaving creams or gels. Parabens are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics; however most of the known brands of antiperspirants and deodorants don’t contain parabens. Cosmetics that contain parabens may pose health threat as they penetrate the body and once in they mimic the activities of estrogen in the body. The parabens have the potential of turning on the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. Parabens have been found in breast tissues of breast cancer patients and though this may not mean much, if the fact that it mimics estrogen hormone speaks volumes. We have always known that any chemical that causes disruption in the endocrine functions has a potential of causing cancer. However there is still lots of research that is needed to help us know the level of concentrations of estrogen is dangerous and can potentially cause breast cancer.

Phthalates

Cosmetic Products These are commonly used to hold color and reduce brittleness in nail polish and hair spray. Apart from their use in nail polish, phthalates are also commonly used as a component of many personal care and cleaning product fragrances. Just like the parabens the Phthalates are a hormone disruptor. Unlike parabens however they don’t tend to mimic the functions of estrogen but they cause hormonal imbalance especially those that interact with estrogen such as testosterone. For these reasons any phthalates compound has attracted speculation as a potential cause of breast cancer. If you may decide to stay away from these two ingredients of cosmetics, check on ingredients of cosmetics on stores just to be at safer grounds.

Generally, there might be other chemicals that are endocrine disruptors; these are considered dangerous as they can mimic the functions of estrogens which are known to cause breast cancer. There is however controversy on whether exposure to small amounts of chemicals that mimic estrogen can cause breast cancer. As an individual it is better safe than sorry, so do as much as you can to evade these endocrine disruptors as their effects are obvious. At AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing the best integrative approaches to treatment of cancer. Visit as at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) will be of help.

Cosmetic Products that Cause Breast Cancer

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