Healing Addictions, Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia with Nervine Herbs

November 17, 2014

Healing Addictions, Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia with Nervine Herbs

Some of the ills that have hurt society for a long time are addiction, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Today these ills have crippled our society and endangered people’s lives and to be honest these are diseases that many are struggling with even now but have proved to be a hard nut to crack. Even the standard pharmaceutical drugs have not been very successful in dealing with all these ills. Despite the gap that exists many people are still stuck in the use of standard medications that do not offer much relief in the end of it all. I have written a lot about addiction and so most of my readers are well aware of what it entails but the rest of these ills on our topic today need a definition so we may begin on right foot.

Definition of terms

Depression- This is a mood disorder that causes endless feelings of sadness and loss of interest in any kind of activity. This disorder affects how you relate to everything around you and in the end of it all you will fail to attend to your normal duties as it causes emotional and physical problems, it will control your thoughts and your behavior. It’s accompanied by a feeling of worthlessness and this explains why most people who commit suicide do so because of depression. Contrary to what people think depression is more than just a feeling of ‘lows’ that you can easily escape from. It requires long term treatment to be fought effectively.

Anxiety- this is an emotional disorder that is characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. People who suffer anxiety do have intrusive thoughts, nagging thoughts that may lead them to avoid accomplishing other things because of worry. They will also show physical symptoms that may include but not limited to rapid heartbeat, trembling and even sweating. Just like depression it needs to be attended to medically failure to which it may culminate into other more severe health problems.

Insomnia- this is a sleeping disorder that is characterized by difficulty in falling asleep and maintaining a sound sleep long enough to refresh a person’s mind. The body and mind needs a rest from all activities and sleep is the perfect avenue for that to be achieved without which may lead to variety of health problems. Chronic insomnia needs medical intervention to be cured.

These three disorders closely related to addiction since most people in their bid to self-medicate turn to drugs of abuse that eventually they become addicted to. An addict will also suffer from these disorders, depression, anxiety and insomnia are either a cause or an effect of addiction and it is continuous cycle that needs healing to be broken.

What are Nervine herbs?

Nervine herbs are herbs for the nervous system. The nervous system is composed of all nerve tissues in the body. The nerve tissues are responsible for receipt and transmission of stimuli to nerves centers to initiate specific responses. The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the brain and the spinal cord serves a great role coordination of all the nerve impulses unfortunately use of certain drugs of addiction may interfere with the way the nervous system works hence maim the receipt and transmission of nerve signals to initiate desired responses.

The nervine herbs can be divided into three categories: nervine relaxants, nervine stimulants, and nervine tonics. Each of these categories serves a crucial purpose as they facilitate whole person healing and not just treating the symptoms. The nervine tonics serve to strengthen and feed the nervous system. In case of any debility it corrects and restores the normal functioning of the nervous system. The nervine relaxants work as the natural nerve tranquilizers and be used instead of the orthodox tranquilizers while the nervine stimulants work as direct stimulants to the nervous system and they unlike the common stimulants are free from any side effects and offer longer lasting effects. They can be very effective in managing stress, depression and fatigue.

Nervine herbs effective in treating addiction, insomnia, anxiety and depression

Nervine The nervine herbs have been used for a long time in healing of addiction, insomnia, anxiety and depression traditionally and are safe and effective. Despite their effectiveness there is little scientific literature about the nervine herbs and hence of scientific research ought to be done to verify how effective they really are. Few researches have been done but in most of them the findings were very positive. In one research that was done by the French the effectiveness of the nervine herbs in healing conditions that affect the nervous system was applauded. In the French study where 264 patients suffering from either of the above disorders participated 50% showed positive results on the Hamilton anxiety scale. The reduction shown on the HAM-A scale showed how these herbs are effective. The study used a nervine herb known as hawthorn scientifically known as crataegus oxyacantha.

The problem that most people suffering from these disorders face with the standard pharmaceutical products is that none of the pharmaceutical products focus on repairing and restoring the functions of the damaged nervous system. When the nervous system has become dependent on drugs of addiction to be able to send signals and initiate responses any treatment that fails to rectify this will fail in healing the person. The nervine herbs therefore work as a whole person healing approach that uproots the disorder from its roots. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is committed to availing integrative care to all addicts and victims of nervous system debility disorders call on her at Myrtle beach, South Carolina for help.

Healing Addictions, Depression, Anxiety and Insomnia with Nervine Herbs

Addiction and metabolic Disorders

November 16, 2014

Addiction and metabolic Disorders

Remedies-For-Thyroid Most of the time when a person becomes addicted to a drug he will begin to feel sick, generally an addict is never in good health and that is why most of them may have certain strange behaviors such as irritability and even slurred speech. The reason for this is that when a person takes drugs that are rewarding in nature he will be compelled to increase the doses day by day so as to get the euphoric feeling they seek in drugs. Even the drugs that are used in pain management like the opiates have specified dosages beyond the patient will not only get addicted to the drug but will suffer other diseases that come with overdose of such drugs. Drugs of abuse majorly affect the neurotransmitter and this will be extended to the central nervous system (CNS) which is composed of the brain and the spinal cord. The brain is the engine that drives all the activities in the body of every human being but these drugs will interfere with chemical balances in the brain making it unable to perform normally. In some instance even the neurotransmitters that work to transmit signals so as to provoke certain necessary responses may get debilitated hence everything will be messed up.

Researchers have shown that substance addiction may be linked to metabolic disorders. Individuals with substance addictions may very likely be suffering from an assortment of one or more metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemia, hypoadrenia, hypothyroidism, Vitamin B deficiency, mineral deficiencies, liver malfunction, and depression.

Serious maladaptive patterns, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypoglycemia, and candida albicans, have always been common among drug addicts and alcoholics.

Addiction and hypothyroidism

It has been established that hypothyroidism and addiction are linked. Addiction to drugs of abuse affects hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and body hormonal system. Morphine particularly increases hormones such as adrenalin, noradrenaline, corticosterone and glucagon and can reduce the activity of hypothalamic-pituitary axis, however in relation to alterations of T3, T4 and especially TSH levels following morphine consumption, different and sometimes controversial results have been reported. In some research study reports it has been reported decrease of TSH level but no alterations in T3 and T4 levels during morphine consumption. In other researches there has been reported decrease of TSH, T3 and T4 levels following short-term consumption of morphine. One particular study that was done in Pakistan has it that opium consumption leads to total T3 increase and total T4 decrease. Several studies that have been done on this topic make us certain to say the link between these two exist.

Addiction and hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the blood sugar level becomes low. This condition is mostly caused by insulin resistance and is termed a pre-diabetes condition. However it may take twenty years and above for a pre diabetes to be full blown diabetes. Drug addiction has been linked to hypoglycemia .Alcohol consumption and addiction goes hand in hand with hypoglycemia. And scientists opine that it is this condition that is often responsible for many of the debilitating symptoms that recovering alcoholics, and other addicts experience, like anxiety, depression, shaking and nervousness, crankiness, irritability, mental confusion, uncontrollable hunger, weakness, impaired concentration, mood swings, fatigue and more. Hypoglycemia can even trigger relapse in a recovering addict since as the blood sugar level floors so do the neurotransmitters and this will cause even more craving for a substance of abuse that maybe rewarding. Addiction basically is caused by imbalances in the neurotransmitters and therefore if there is to be a recovery then the neurotransmitters must be restored.

Alcohol is sugar, the most refined form of sugar when you are addicted to alcohol you will be eating more refined sugar that will increase the blood sugar level to abnormal highs, this will trigger production of more insulin to restore the normal blood sugar level, when this happens the insulin will work on the high sugar content reducing its level plus the level of neurotransmitters and this causes hypoglycemia.

Addiction and liver malfunctions

The liver is a vital organ in the body since it is the sieve through which all that gets in the body is filtered. It is charged with the responsibility of detoxification. The liver removes chemicals from the blood turning them into harmless chemicals and then either secretes them with the bile for elimination in the stool, or secretes them back into the blood where they then are removed by the kidneys and eliminated in the urine. Drug addiction will result in a burdened liver since drugs of abuse are highly toxic especially they have to be taken in higher doses for the feelings of euphoria to be reached.

Hypothyroidism

The drugs have chemicals that may be dangerous to the liver itself causing harm to the crucial organ. Drugs may induce liver hepatitis a disease characterized by swelling of the liver. Long-term consumption of alcohol also causes liver cirrhosis.

Addiction and mineral deficiency

Addiction to drugs also causes depletion of crucial minerals in the body. Some of the crucial minerals that are depleted by long-term use of drugs and alcohol include magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is mostly caused by long-term use of alcohol. Alcohol causes wastage of magnesium through urination. Other ways through which alcohol contributes to magnesium deficiency include malnutrition, gastrointestinal losses, phosphate deficiency, acidosis and/or alkalosis, vitamin D deficiency and free fatty acidemia associated with alcohol withdrawal.

Finally, Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we are committed to availing help to addicts by availing some of the most integrative approaches to healing an addict. We advocate for natural healing to all kinds of addiction. Call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Addiction and metabolic Disorders

Testosterone Replacement Therapy as Part of Addiction Recovery

November 15, 2014

Testosterone Replacement Therapy as Part of Addiction Recovery

Testosterone replacement therapy involves supplementation of testosterone inform of injections, pellets, patches or gel in order to treat conditions in which the testes do not produce enough testosterone. It is also available in IV forms. Just like the estrogen replacement therapy in women, this ought to be done by an expert as the dosage is important for better results and to mitigate on the side effects. This therefore cannot be done without the help of an expert. This therapy has been found to be effective in fighting hypogonadism. It is also good in improves energy levels, perfect body mass, sex functions and muscle strength among other benefits.

Testosterone replacement therapy has been used for a long time in treatment of men with erectile problems. Hypogonadism is a problem that most men go through and seek treatment from every day. The use of testosterone replacement therapy in hypogonadism is not news, however there is little known about the connection of testosterone replacement therapy and addiction recovery. To any layman there seems to be no connection between these two phenomena. Maybe it is better to know what roles the testosterone hormone plays in the bodies of human beings.

Roles of testosterone hormone

Contrary to what many people think, testosterone plays many roles in our bodies and not only sex roles. Many people think that deficiency in testosterone hormone can only affect your sexual life but the reality is that this hormone very many roles beyond ensuring a healthy sex life. Apart from production of sperms, the testosterone hormone is also crucial in production of red blood cells. This hormone also helps in distribution of fats in the body parts, increasing muscle mass, improving bone mineral density and even regulation of moods in a person. A person with low testosterone levels is often very moody, this explains why men with hypogonadal testosterone levels are mostly in bad moods. It is also this hormone that gives men the physique of man- masculinity.

Several studies have also found out that high levels of testosterone in a person reduce their risks of developing depression. Many researchers have proved that many men who suffer from depression are of low testosterone levels and therefore testosterone replacement therapy may help them to fight depression. After testosterone replacement therapy most depression patients break free from the bonds of depression. Depression is a major problem that men deal with today.

Today, in the United States alone, the number of men who have fallen victims to depression have doubled the number of women suffering from the same. This is because of the many roles that this hormone plays in men. Scientists have proved that maintaining an optimum level of testosterone hormone is an effective way of fighting depression. In a study that was published in 2005 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, a team of researchers from the US Department of Veterans Affairs examined the connection between low testosterone levels and future depression risks in more than 700 men who were at least 50 years old. The report concluded that men aged below 50 years with low testosterone level were more likely to become depressed than men within the same age but have optimum level of testosterone hormone.

This is not the only study that established the connection between testosterone and depression. Another study that was published in 2003 in the American Journal of Psychiatry also examined the connection between these two phenomena. The research done by Harvard University worked with 56 men who had developed major depression but had failed to respond to antidepressant treatments. The researchers found that 40 percent of the men had low testosterone levels. It is therefore safe to conclude that testosterone replacement therapy can help fight depression.

Depression and Addiction Recovery

Depression seems to be the major link between testosterone replacement therapy and addiction recovery. Addicts have to fight depression even during addiction recovery. Depression should not be mistaken for a mere feeling of being down. Depression takes longer and even drains a person’s energy, in fact it because of depression that addicts are trapped in their use of substances. They take drugs to help them escape depression but use of these drugs will also result in depression as a side effect and so it is a continuous cycle. Depression may cause addiction or exacerbate it. There are also cases where there may be a dual diagnosis of addiction and depression in a patient. Each of these conditions can be cause and result as to some addiction comes first while to others depression is the original disease. It is therefore necessary to fight depression during addiction recovery as it may force the addict to use the drug in a bid to escape the symptoms of depression. Due to poor management of depression addicts have committed suicide as a result of depression. Therefore using testosterone replacement therapy which is known to not only fight addiction but also improving cognitive functions of the brain can help a great deal in fighting addiction.

Here at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center we encourage addicts to go for addiction recovery in rehabs we have qualified doctors who will see to it that every addict is helped to break the bond of addiction and enjoy life of freedom. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is committed to availing help to every patient. Call on her at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for help.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy as Part of Addiction Recovery

The Temptations of the Holidays with a Healthy Lifestyle

November 10, 2014

The Temptations of the Holidays with a Healthy Lifestyle

Many people are obese today not because they were born that way, but because they have forgotten about some of the healthy practices necessary for every individual.

Eating too much during the holidays is a problem that does not only face the adults or a particular age bracket or group of people. Rather, this is a problem that is faced by the youth, grownups and children in equal ratio.

No one is safe when it comes to the holiday err. It is easy to understand why and how this happens. Holidays involve coming together as families. This is the time when you want to offer your little family the time of their lives. You want them to eat to their fill, whatever they want.

So as the daddy you make sure you shop plenty of stuff and keep a large stock of food at home. You know what happens with the kids and the youngsters at home?

They are home all the time. Watching television dominates their daily programs. No schools, no homework to burden their thoughts at this season. So, bored as they may get, they will need some sort of entertainment.

What do you consider entertainment? Well, I do not expect you to actually answer. Just put yourself inside the head of a bored kid. They go for whatever provides the most ‘high’. Just the kind of ‘high’ you get from taking your favorite hard drink.

The latest movies would do, but food will be the preference. Children eat what there is in the house. And since they need something entertaining in the eating so they will go for the sweetest stuff in your holiday shopping.

What is the sweetest stuff you would opt for as a kid? With no knowledge about the downsides of the sweetness?

holidays

The snacks, no doubt. Sweet cakes, bacon, sweetest bread around, a lot of it. The biscuits are such a nice little pastime, if you are not aware. They can cause a nice little distraction as you crush and enjoy the crunchy sound and the effect that creates in the mood. Good times.

Popcorns. Not bad for sweeping away some intruding boredom. Popping them would do for the kids at these moments.

With all that oil in popcorns. With all that sugar in biscuits. With all that fat in fried foods. Imagine the health dangers the kids are exposed to. Imagine how long it would take them to accumulate sugar or fat in their bodies.

The tempting adult holiday lifestyle

These temptations are not just for the children. Most grownups make some of the most serious mistakes you can ever imagine of during the holidays. It is true a lot of tempting stuff unfold at such seasons.

These are the times you want to go around partying with friends. You will be offered some of the select dishes around. If not careful you will easily be tempted to eat everything. If not everything then anything you are offered.

Chances are that you may come across something that simply does not work for your system. You may be allergic to it or you may not respond to it favorably. The body is going to treat such meals as foreign and may react negatively. Your health may be affected.

In these occasions you may as well lose count of the meals you take. With some drink in the mix, you may just pick and eat-pick and eat. Before you know it you have taken too much for your digestion. So, what follows? Bloating stomach, aches…I do not want to mention nausea and possible diarrhea.

Temptations. Temptations may be more for a healthy lifestyle during times for the holidays. These are the times when overdrinking is common. You drink out with friends or with some family members.

The possibility of developing an addiction is on the looming. You do not want to appear as a nerd among your peers so you just keep taking more of what the binge can offer. No one notices that you are actually trying out a totally new thing so it is actually a win for you.

But it may be a severe loss for your health. You face a growing habit of drinking more and more of the substance. It could even be some smoking habit you develop because of hanging out with friends. And learning from those friends.

holidays

Way out?

You do not have to be a victim of the holidays. You have a variety of mechanisms that can help you get through the holiday seasons unscathed. Want to take some?

Plan ahead. Always have a prior set of things you wish to do and how. For the case of those with kids, always make arrangements to limit their access to unhealthy foodstuffs or programs. Put in place everything that is going to help you achieve this as you approach the holidays so you do not get bumped up with the situations.

As you eat, remember to exercise regularly. Make exercises part of your regular routine so that the effect of possibly unhealthy meals can be neutralized.

Learn to say no! You must be aware of what works and what does not work for you. That way you will know what your limits are exactly. When you get there, end it. This is a question of self-awareness. You don’t want to forget this.

And, if you suspect that you are not fully self-aware, if you feel that there are areas you still are unsure about, then there is help. You are the type of persons why AwareMed exists. We at AwareMed are here to help you get all the relevant knowledge regarding how to sail safely through your delicate holiday festivities. Just get in touch with us.

The Temptations of the Holidays with a Healthy Lifestyle

Amino Acids Therapy Used For Addiction Treatment

October 27, 2014

Intravenous Amino Acids Detoxification as Used in Addiction Therapy

Amino AcidS

Amino acids play a very important role in the body. The amino acids are the building blocks of proteins while proteins are essentials in building and repairing all body tissues. Therefore, the amino acids can be effectively used in detoxifying the brain and the neurotransmitters that are often affected by alcohol and other substance abuse. Addiction can be treated with the amino acids detox therapy.

The use of amino acid for detox was first thought of by an American doctor. His thought was to investigate on how the amino acids could be used in maintaining or achieving neurotransmitter balance in the brain in those who had suffered or were still suffering from mental disorders. One of the major effects of alcohol and substance abuse is that they cause an imbalance on neurotransmitters. This imbalance can be rectified by intravenous amino acid therapy.

Alcohol and drugs of addiction when used for a time will alter the balance between the neurotransmitters this is because the balance of the neurotransmitters in the brain is very delicate. Neurotransmitters are those chemicals that carry electrical impulses throughout the brain, and the central nervous system. When this delicate balance of neurotransmitters in the brain is altered, the brain functions that depend on impulses from these neurotransmitters will be altered. At some point there will be dependence on substances that cause the imbalance for brain to continue functioning. It is therefore not very logical to begin fighting addiction in a patient without detoxing the brain in order to achieve this balance between the neurotransmitters in the brain.

The role of amino acids in the brain is vital and that is why it is believed by many doctors that an imbalance in amino acids is a leading contributor to substance abuse and eventual addiction. In most cases the imbalance in amino acids is as a result of use of drugs of abuse and /or alcohol. In such cases, greater volumes of alcohol or drugs gradually result in a greater imbalance in neurotransmitters. To achieve the euphoric effects an addict will need to use more of the drugs and this leads to increase in dosages of the drugs that addict takes and this is known as tolerance.

Intravenous Amino Acids Is Safe

In most instances, an addict will suffer some side effects during detoxification. This is because of the imbalance in neurotransmitters. Even as the detoxification process continues the addict will have to deal with intense cravings for the substance of abuse. By using intravenous amino acid during detoxification the side effects are mitigated plus the cravings also stops since the intravenous amino acids will feed the brain what it seeks from the drug. In some cases during detoxification the cravings will increase even after the detoxification process is completed. When Amino Acids are used in the process, all will be safe since it will fight the craving for the drugs by restoring the imbalance in the neurotransmitters more efficiently. This occurs because of the side effects of drug and alcohol use. Unlike the use of other pharmaceutical drugs that are used in fighting addiction, intravenous amino acids do not cause withdrawal symptoms to addicts who are were using it.

Amino acids in therapy can help a recovering addict since the neurotransmitters of the addict will be supplied with amino acids intravenously therefore restoring the balance in the brain. During this process the intravenous amino acids may be accompanied by essential minerals and vitamins that will be of help to the addict. The use of amino acids in detoxification for addiction is not a new phenomenon as it has been used in the United States and the United Kingdom. It was used in helping opiate and alcohol addicts, in 80 percent of the cases it was used successfully.

DETOX WITH AMINO ACIDS

Any addict who tries to stop using a drug will automatically suffer the withdrawal symptoms. When withdrawal begins, the intravenous solution which is composed of amino acids and other important minerals & vitamins is sent through the veins and directly to the brain. Feeding the brain directly stimulates it to rebalance itself. As withdrawal occurs the amino acids are building blocks and when they are mixed in right proportions with the minerals and vitamins the body will be vitalized to naturally fight addictive substances and balance itself.

Drug Addiction is should be treated personally for the patient that is suffering, that is why we at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center are committed to availing help to addicts and offering them a place to call home. It does not matter what kind of addiction you are wrestling with right now, just call on Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) today and begin your journey to victory against addiction.

Intravenous Amino Acids Detoxification As Used In Addiction Therapy

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