Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation

June 16, 2014

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Drug Addiction

Malnourishment is a serious factor in addiction and proper nutrition is necessary for rehabilitation. Vitamins are very essential.

The debate on addiction is endless and experts are beginning to believe that nearly everything can be addictive depending on how you use the element before you. And that is why careful attention needs to be taken in the prevention and treatment to bring the problem of addiction to manageable levels. In an effort to do this we will be discussing the use of vitamin therapy in rehabilitating the drug addicts. Generally food is a very key component in ensuring the proper functionality of the body. We all need food to give us the energy we need to function. The absence of food is disaster in the waiting and so good nutritious food is very instrumental in rehabilitating drug addicts.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Malnourishment and Drug Abuse

It is important that we define the word malnutrition for us to have a better understanding of what we are talking about. It is a serious condition that occurs when a person’s diet does not contain the right amount of food nutrients and it is a common side effect among alcoholics and substance abusers. Malnourishment occurs majorly among drug abusers due to the decreased food ingestion and in some cases impaired metabolism and absorption processes. Besides this it is also lead to vitamin and mineral deficiencies which can cause many serious health problems. Drugs like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamine are known to cause loss of appetite because of this drug abusers may stay up for days at a time on a binge and suffer dehydration and electrolyte imbalances as a result.

Malnourishment leads to a breakdown of basic bodily function and vitamin deficiencies. Vitamins are essential to maintaining growth and normal metabolism because they regulate many physiological processes. Fatigue, digestive problems, menstruation issues, tooth decay, aches and pains are often experienced by people who are malnourished. Additionally, people who suffer from malnutrition are vulnerable to infection. The nutrients from food are essential to the functioning of the effectiveness of the immune system. Without a properly functioning immune system one is easily susceptible to disease.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Vitamin Deficiencies and Drug Abuse

Alcohol consumers or those who take drugs are usually faced with vitamin deficiencies and in some cases are malnourished. These deficiencies usually occur as result of poor nutrition and a lack of good health. Long term, and in some case, irreversible health problems can occur when someone has a deficiency in an essential vitamin or mineral.
Thiamine deficiency is a very serious disorder that occurs as a consequence of poor nutrition and a lack of thiamine, or vitamin B1.

Individuals who suffer from chronic alcoholism are at risk of suffering from a very serious health condition known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, or Wet Brain Syndrome. Vitamin B1 is essential for brain function and the nervous system, flow of electrolytes in and out of cells, digestion and carbohydrate metabolism. Thiamine is found in many foods such as:

Beef
Wheat
Milk
Oranges
Seeds and cereals

Majority of people today get the sufficiency of food nutrients they need from the good and adequate food they consume. Since we get these nutrients from food drug abusers may not get this benefit because they tend to neglect their diet and health, with this they are at risk of causing a deficiency in thiamine.

Liver disease is another consequence of poor health and inadequate consumption of essential vitamins. The luck of vitamin A and E in the body is as a result of poor nutrition and this can cause great damage to the functions of the body. The metabolism of vitamin A is affected by alcohol consumption which may end up in the damage to the liver.

Alcohol also affects the amount or quantity of calcium in the body and if this goes for a long time may lead to osteoporosis and other bodily health conditions. Calcium is an important nutrient for many body functions including among other uses:

Vascular contraction and vasodilation
Muscle function
Nerve transmission
Intracellular signaling
Hormonal secretion along with bone strength

Research has established that chronic alcoholism interferes with vitamin D metabolism and this can result in inadequate absorption of dietary calcium and loss in bone mass and density.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Vitamin Therapy in Drug Abuse Treatment

Vitamin therapy is the use of high doses of vitamins to treat diseases and conditions. This alternative approach to health care has been found to provide impressive results in some cases for many different diseases, including alcoholism and substance abuse. Evidence has shown that vitamin therapy can aid in reducing withdrawal symptoms, increase the treatment retention rates and improve mental health. This may be because of the chronic deficiencies that some people have as a result of their long term drug or alcohol use and because of the healing properties that specific vitamins, such as vitamin C, have been found to induce.

Chronic depletion of vitamins and minerals should be considered in any health treatment for substance abuse. For alcoholics and drug addicts, nutrients commonly used in vitamin treatment include niacin; B complex vitamins especially B1, B5 and B6; antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E; calcium and magnesium. Each of these vitamins has been found to facilitate a large number of metabolic processes and their deficiencies can be associated with mental disturbances and chronic health problems.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Adverse Reactions to Vitamins

Experts through various studies have established that adverse effects from vitamin and mineral supplements are incredibly rare and levels of supplementing vitamins required to evoke a reaction are far higher than would be considered practical. Safety studies indicate that adverse effects from short-term use of high dose vitamins used during withdrawal or rehabilitation are negligible. With the exception of synthetic vitamin A, it is most likely that adverse events associated with high doses of a single vitamin are actually caused by resulting nutrient imbalances.

Finally we have been discussing vitamin therapy for rehabilitation drug addicts and it is clear that food nutrition plays an enormous role and so this must be encouraged by all means. While doing this it is also necessary that we seek the services of experts who have been in this discipline for in death understanding. Dr. Dalal Akoury who is the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is an expert of over two decades and has been offering her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. With experts like doctor Akoury you will not only recover nutritionally but also physically you will regain yourself completely and live a life full of hope, satisfaction and free from any form of addiction.

Vitamin Therapy for Rehabilitation-Drug Addiction

Exploring the causes of Drug Addiction

May 9, 2014

Exploring the causes of Drug Addiction-The Nutrition way

Looking at the contrast of drug addiction and nutrition, the solution is readily available if only you can choose to feed healthily

It is almost becoming common knowledge that alcohols among other substances are the commonly abused drugs globally. What may not be common in the public knowledge is the possible roots and genesis of drug taking and drug addiction. In our last article I introduced the causes siting poor diet and the brains consequent magnetic and chemical imbalance as some of the primary root causes of drug taking and drug addiction. In this article I want to progress on that so that we can have a clear understanding of this disturbing condition. Of the two primaries we will look at the deficiency of nutrients as we progressed on.

Exploring the causes of Drug Addiction-Serotonin
Diet is the key to the synthesis of the neurotransmitter serotonin which has repeatedly been linked to drug taking. The dietary precursor for serotonin is the amino acid tryptophan which is low in a high-protein diet and high in a high-carbohydrate diet. The effects of drug taking may either increase or decrease levels of serotonin in the brain depending on the subject/patient taking the drug. Individuals responds differently with some people alcohol increases their serotonin levels, possibly by decreasing levels of other competing amino acids in the blood as they reach the blood-brain barrier, causing them to relax. While other people may find alcohol and sugar decreases serotonin in the brain causing depression or aggression. They may find that sugars affect them badly and have a condition called oreactive hypo glycaemia. Many criminals, as well as those with chronic depression have been found with this condition.

Exploring the causes of Drug Addiction-Poor Diet and Deficiency of serotonin
Poor carbohydrates (sugar) with high-protein diets (meat) are possible elements of abnormal low serotonin levels. The increase in meat and sugar and other refined carbohydrates consumption like junk food over the last two decades may have resulted in generally low brain serotonin levels which may explain the recent epidemic of childhood depression in the our society today. Serotonin deficiency has also been linked by researchers to various states of mental illness, drug-taking and violent crime.

Tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin (5HT), is believed to be a controlling factor in the CNS, affecting the person’s moods, aggression, pain, anxiety, sleep, memory, eating behavior, addictive behavior, temperature, endocrine and motor regulation. Abnormalities of 5HT include: Parkinson’s disease, MS, sleep disorders Huntington’s, schizophrenia, mania, depression, hyper sexuality, bulimia, and many more.

Deficiency of tryptophan and tyrosine, the precursors of serotonergic and catecholamine systems have been found in eight adolescents with impulsive behavior. Thirteen studies of serotonin in aggressive cases have been reported.

All show the concentration of 5-HIAA as cerebrospinal fluid are inversely related to aggression, irritability, hostility and criminal activity.

Some parents of maladjusted boys have been alcoholic and had nervous or somatic disorders. Many children with hyperactive syndrome have alcoholic parents and become aggressive in childhood or adulthood. The evidence suggests a reduced activity of brain serotonin may be involved. Alcohol may create mental irritability and hyperactivity and aggression in offspring, possibly due to its effect on the brains neurotransmitter, serotonin.

Drug-taking, especially alcohol, by parents and their children at an early age may cause genetic damage to the brain, a possible precursor to psychopathy and violent crime. Studies of prisoners find that they are often drug abusers and have generally eaten a poor diet high in meat, sugar and commercialized foods with deficiencies of thiamin, zinc and foliate which are essential to brain function. The work of Schoenthaler and Schauss and America on diet and crime has revealed how better diet and vitamin supplements have improved mood and reduced violent behavior in criminal populations.

Virkunnen has proven that low blood sugar and alcohol are linked to violent crime. It is likely that dietary mechanisms are instrumental in creating these low levels of blood sugar in violent criminals. The well-known brain abnormalities (i.e., abnormal CNS and limbic system responses) of psychopaths may be the result of magnetic deficiencies that have genetic and dietary causes. The prevalence of fast food, which is high in sugar and fat, can, in certain cases, be the precursor to drugs such as heroin.

Exploring the causes of Drug Addiction-Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency
There are two kinds of foods which are believed to be causing vitamin and mineral deficiency and abnormal serotonin levels. They are sugar and meat. Research has found considerable evidence linking high sugar intake to abnormal blood glucose levels and alcoholism, and this is because sugar intake can cause nutrient deficiency like thiamin, zinc, vitamin C, folate, Vitamin E. etc. Meat also lacks vitamins such as thiamin and folate which are essential for brain function. The consumption of meat can create a deficiency of tryptophanth precursor of serotonin because it contains many other competing amino acids.

According to the American Dietetic Association’s Guidelines for Nutritional Care of Alcoholics during Rehabilitation, alcoholics are deficient in Vitamins B1, B2, B6, folic acid, and zinc. Experts have found evidence that, the heavy drinker has a nutritional deficiency. This is because when one is under the influence of alcohol the intestines are thrown into reverse, preventing the digestive system from absorbing the vitamins minerals and trace elements it requires. It is also important to note that niacin (vitamin B3) has been found to help the alcoholic resist the craving for alcohol, combined with vitamin C, vitamin B6 and occasionally vitamin E, so that a recovery is made feasible.

When administering nutrition as treatment for alcoholic and heroin users at The Chrysalis Outpatient program for alcoholics and heroin for over a period of time, 90% of patients were found to be hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and almost all cases shown improvement when vitamin C are used. Children in the program were found to suffer from food allergies or allergies to chemicals in cleaning agents, perfumes and sprays. Most were hypoglycemic that is about 16 out of 20 children.

So far it is becoming clear that food nutrients are very instrumental in curbing the problem of drug taking and addiction. Nevertheless foods high in both sugar and fat create a sense of euphoria and pleasure which conditions the child for the drug experience. Children raised on poor diets high in sugar, caffeine and animal products and lacking in plant foods will be at risk of developing a drug dependency. Children on high caffeine and sugar intake through chocolates and cola drinks have higher levels of hyperactivity and anxiety.

It is therefore very important that parents need to consider the effect of poor diet on their children. The very things that children enjoy (sweets, chocolates and ice cream) may in fact, predispose them to nutritional inadequacy and loss of appetite for vegetables and fruits. Many of us parents have seen this process in action but we give into the child’s demand for junk food because it is easier to buy than raw natural foods which we have to prepare or cook ourselves. I strongly believe that you will agree with me that as parents we need to change our actions and start doing the right thing to our children and to ourselves. Finally we are in the business of making people comfortable and healthy despite the challenges of addiction that is why at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of its founder Doctor Akoury we focus on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. Visiting us is all you need and you will be on the right path to full recovery.

Exploring the causes of Drug Addiction-The Nutrition way

Dysbiosis Addiction Go Hand in Hand

November 7, 2013

Dr. Dalal Akoury

IS DYSBIOSIS and ADDICTION CAUSE OR RESULT ?

Dysbiosis and Addiction, they go hand in hand. Dysbiosis is also referred to as dysbacteriosis in the medical fields. It is referred to as the state of imbalance of intestinal micro flora that is bacteria and other many microorganisms. Dysbiosis is a situation that can lead to excessive bacterial fermentation in the gut of the humans. In many of the cases, it has also been associated with autointoxication more especially from the endotoxins which are produced by the undesirable bacterial effects that occurs within the body. The derived meaning of Dysbiosis is represents “dys” which means difficult and “biosis” which represents a way of living.

Call Dr, Akoury at 843-213-14-80 if you think that your addiction is a result of DYSBIOSIS. The presence of bacteria in the body plays a vital role in the body through a very unique relationship that consists of the various different types of bacterial flora that inhabit mainly the gastro intestinal tracts. The GI has about 300 to 500 different types of microorganisms in the body. Micro flora is also present in the skin, and many of the exposed surfaces such as the mucous membrane, vagina, mouth, nose, ears, eyes, and many more other places in the body.

The presence of the microorganisms can be benign making them beneficial or pathogenic when they are responsible for the different illnesses such as the inflammatory bowel diseases and in some cases fatigue. The beneficial micro flora carries out helpful roles as assisting in the digestion and protection of the body from the penetration of the pathogenic microbes. Competition among the microbes as well is present for both the space and the limited resources within the GI.

The population of the microbes in the gut can be disrupted by several things such as use of antibiotics, or alcohol or drugs and other substances. The consumption of glucose and dextrose rich food is greatly enhanced their

English: Pathogenomics: Genome Analysis of Pathogenic Microbes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

leading to their overgrowth of some and disturbance of some of the minute populations.

Dysbiosis Addiction and Alcohol

Alcohol has been established to be one of the most important factors in the cause of liver cirrhosis in many of the industrialized nations in the world. This is associated with many other conditions such as fatty liver also referred to as the steatosis that may progress to alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and later the more advanced cirrhosis. This has a direct impact in the loss of the loss of the liver function and in some cases result in the variceal hemorrhage. Hypotension has also been cited as result of alcoholism, in advanced cases, the live may also develop advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

The most devastating defect during dysbiosis is succumbing to the bacterial infections. This is caused by the translocation which occurs from the passage of the viable bacteria or the products from the small intestines through the epithelial mucosa to the mesenteric lymph nodes, systemic circulation and extra intestinal organs. This is the main pathogenic pathways for the incidence of infections. The hepatocellular infection is also increased with bacterial translocation more especially with the cirrhotic patients and has been cited in the development of the alcoholic liver injury and fibrosis.

Bacterial translocation in many of the cases as well causes severe infection in cirrhotic patients also causes liver injury and fibrosis. Endotoxemia is also very highly common among the patients that are suffering from alcoholic cirrhosis. It is also common in patients that have mild forms of alcohol hepatitis.

Many of the studies in dysbiosis has established that lactic acid have an inhibitory effect on the putrefactive bacteria, the consumption of yoghurt has been stated to be one of the solution to this conditions of autoxidation’s and in the improvement of the composition of the intestinal micro flora in the body.

Theories that address the internal toxemia have also been postulated and have been transformed to the theories of intestinal Dysbiosis that explain the alterations of the populations of the bacteria in the gut. This has also been understood as the factors that influence the qualitative and quantitative changes in the intestinal flora. The changes to a great extent have altered the metabolism of the bacteria; in some cases leading to the overgrowth of the bacteria in the intestine through the release of toxic products leading to the development of chronic and degenerative diseases.

There is much evidence that has been established to prove that disturbances of the concentrations of bacteria plays a role in the myriad of the diseases conditions in the GIT disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. This has also been associated with the systemic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankolysing spondylitis.

Dysbiosis Addiction, the relationship of Addiction to dysbiosis is very clearly established and leads to severe conditions:

The conditions that lead to Dysbiosis are thus very essential in understanding of the detrimental changes that occurs with micro flora.

The micro flora represents an ecosystem that is very complex. In some of the situations compromises the host health when the micro flora is compromised and drastically altered. The GIT micro flora stimulates the Immune system, synthesizes the Vitamins such as the vitamin B complex and K. It also improves the function and motility of the GIT, promotes digestion processes, absorption of the nutrients, inhibition of the pathogens, metabolism of the drugs and plant compounds, and in the production of the short chain fatty acids and many more poly amine compound in the body.

Dysbiosis addiction cause and relationship.

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Alteration of the GIT includes the use of the antibiotics, psychological and physical stress, radiations, altered GIT peristalsis and dietary changes on the body. Alcohol addiction has been established to be a key cause on some of the pathogenic processes associated with Dysbiosis. Alcohol is a main factor in the intestine that lead to the changes in the homeostasis of the intestinal microbial leading to the gastric acid secretion in both the small and large bowel motility

The epithelial cells serve as the main interface between the micro flora and the host individuals. The main function of the epithelial cells includes the secretion of the antimicrobial effector molecules which is part of the mucosal innate immune system. Reg3g is a c-type lectin that has been found to have a key bactericidal activity that is expressed only in the intestinal epithelial cells and paneth cells. The highest levels have been established to be the potent cause of the bactericidal activity. Another type of compound, reg3b has also been mentioned to be responsible for the intestinal homeostasis. The role of excessive alcohol intake addiction has been said to play a significant role in the suppression of the genes and protein expression of the reg3g and reg3b. This adversely contributes to the qualitative and quantitative changes in the enteric flora after alcoholic feeding.

Additional research has been able to show that lowest levels of the Reg3b and reg3g in the proximal small intestines have been associated with the increase in the overgrowth of the bacteria. The restoration of the reg3g is also associated with the declining overgrowth and amelioration of the alcoholic steatohepatitis. This is an indication that there is a link between the alcohol and Dysbiosis.

There is a possibility of the presence of metagenomic, transcriptomics and metabolomics factors in alcoholic livers disease following Dysbiosis. The understanding of the key metabolomics and the transcriptomics will be important in the explanation of the key substrates and mediators of the signaling molecules that will provide a better understanding of the microbe to microbe relationship and the microbe and host relationship. This will possibly be able to provide an idea of the possible manipulation of the specific targeted microorganisms and metabolomics with the help of the dietary supplements, use of the antibiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics.

Dysbiosis Addiction are very closely inter related

Alcohol addiction is therefore greatly associated with the intestinal bacterial overgrowth and enteric and dysbiosis. This is achieved by the dysregulation following the ingestion of the chronic alcohol intake that contributes to the changes in the microbiome and alcoholic steatohepatitis.

It must be noted that the chronic alcoholism is associated with the increase in the concentration of the fats in the body due to the elevation of the levels of HDL and LDL in the body. Putrefaction dysbiosis of created in the body with the diet that is high in fat content and that has a high animal flesh with low content of fat in the diet. This has been associated as the other cause of the Dysbiosis leading to increased concentration of the bacteroides and a decrease in the concentration of the bifidobacteria species more especially in the stool.

Alcohol fermentation also occurs in the GIT as a result of the carbohydrate intolerance that has been induced by overgrowth of the bacteria in the stomach, small intestines and beginning of the large intestines. The changes in the bacterial growth is associates with the decrease in the concentration of hydrochloric acid a condition referred to as hypochlorhydria that induced by long term use of alcohol, it is also associated with the decreased motility of the GIT. The immune deficiency and malnutrition due to the impaired absorption of nutrients in the body as a result of cholestasis and pancreatitis induced in chronic alcoholics. Overgrowth of the bacteria is the only symptom that is a factor in the development of carbohydrate intolerance. This is a defect that is indistinguishable from the intestinal candidiasis as a result of the overgrowth of candida. There are now clear evidence of Dysbiosis such as the development of the anxiety which is a result of the poor intestinal micro flora and that greatly lead to anxiety. It has been proven that low dose of Salmonella toxins induces anxiety in humans.

Another consequence of Dysbiosis is the development of hypoglycemia which is a result of the low blood sugar levels. This leads to the release of adrenaline that brings blood sugar back to rise. In most victims that are susceptible, this can lead to panic attack. The alcohol intake can also lead to the low levels or imbalance in the production of the hormones in the body. The unstable hormone production leads to Dysbiosis. In most cases, addiction causes the thyroid and progesterone hormone to be low while the estrogen hormones to be very high in concentration in the systemic circulation leading to the increase in the release of the epinephrine hormone. The elevation of the epinephrine promotes the development of anxiety. Also, the low thyroid and progesterone levels contribute to the hypoglycemia.

It can therefore be concluded that both causes of addiction are responsible for the changes in the quantities and quality of the micro flora in the body and hence responsible for some of the effects discussed in this study. It is also evident that alcohol addiction through various mechanisms influence dysbiosis through the impairment of the activity of the epithelial cells, and other effects that lead to the development of gastritis, pancreatitis and the reduction in the concentration of the hydrochloric acids. In addition, the addiction to alcohol is associated with the hormonal addiction and hence the effects associated with the Dysbiosis. The results of the Dysbiosis leads to either a high concentration or low number of micro flora which lead to the production of endotoxins in the body that lead to the pathogenesis of other micro flora, while they are also beneficial to the other microorganisms. This is also represented through the symbiotic relationship between the microorganisms and the hosts. In conclusion, both the cause and the results of addiction have an effect to Dysbiosis.

Call Dr, Akoury at 843-213-14-80 if you think that your addiction is a result of DYSBIOSIS.

IS DYSBIOSIS ADDICTION CAUSE OR RESULT ?

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