HEALTH CARE-FITNESS

Addictions: No One is Invulnerable

2007-06-22T03:48:00.000-07:00

It's every parent's nightmare: their teenager becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol. Abuse of and addiction to alcohol and drugs can destroy your child's life, alienate them from the community, or result in criminal activity. In a tragic number of cases, drug and alcohol abuse ends with teenage death or suicide.
A frank, open discussion about drugs and alcohol with your teen is one of the best prevention programs. If you did experiment with alcohol or drugs in your teen years, you may want to consider being up-front about it. Don't wax reminiscent about your teen experiences: Your teen will quickly pick up on if you fondly recall the first time you got drunk. Instead, make it clear you made a mistake if you used drugs or alcohol as a teen.
Addictions are generally associated with drugs and alcohol, but people can be addicted to many different substances and activities. While the physical and mental risks of abusing drugs and alcohol are evident, addictions to sex or gambling can ruin lives.
Gambling addictions cost North Americans millions of dollars every year, as addicts bankrupt themselves searching for the excitement high of betting. Like any other addicts, gambling addicts may be tempted into criminal behavior to get their next "fix." Theft, credit card fraud, and embezzlement are all associated with gambling addictions.
Women are often driven into drug, alcohol, or gambling abuse by depression, loneliness, past emotional or physical trauma, or low self-esteem. Women who develop an addiction to gambling are often termed "escape gamblers." They turn to gambling as a means of avoidance, and seek out the altered state that a winning high can provide. These women are also two to three times more likely to begin abusing substances, and may abuse gambling and/or drugs and alcohol interchangeably.
A sex addiction occurs when sex, or an aspect of sex, becomes an obsession. Sex addicts may engage in extramarital affairs, hire prostitutes, or lead secret sexual "cyber-lives." People close to the sex addict usually have no idea of his sex addiction and obsession.
Treatments to Aid Recovery from Alcohol Addiction
With the pressures of modern life, people often need to find an outlet to relieve daily stresses. While some turn to healthy outlets such as exercise, others find relief in less healthy outlets, one of which is alcohol.
Although alcohol is a part of social life and moderate consumption is fully acceptable, drinking too much can have seriously debilitating effects on one's mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.
If you or someone you love suffers from alcoholism, there are several options available, depending of the degree of addition and the personality of the individual. Some options include:
12-step self help groups
motivational enhancement therapy
couples therapy
brief intervention
combined treatment of alcohol and cigarette addiction
pharmacotherapy
rehab centers.
Twelve-Step Self-Help Groups: Alcoholics Anonymous
Of all of the types of these groups around, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is probably the most nationally recognized: AA has more than 100,000 groups meeting in 150 different countries? Their total membership is about two million alcoholics.
In fact, this type of treatment for alcoholism is by far the most widely used, as it works well for people of all ages and from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. These self-help groups are usually held at churches, coffee shops or community centers throughout the week at a variety of times.
In meetings, participants aren't required to speak or tell their stories, unless they are comfortable doing so. Instead, they are required to respectfully listen to other people's stories and experiences. Most of the time, new members are paired up with members that have been part of the program for longer periods of time. These "sponsors" provide guidance and support for the new AA members during their recovery process to sobriety.
The main benefit of this type of treatment for alcoholism is that AA participants develop coping skills, as well as a supportive social network to replace former drinking friends, with people who have shared similar experiences with alcohol. Consequently, alcoholics without families or non-drinking friends can find a supportive social community through this twelve-step program.
If you are considering joining or recommending AA, keep in mind that the program is spiritually based. In meetings, members talk about finding their "higher power" and finding inspiration from it to stay sober. As a result, some develop a personal sense of spirituality.
Participation in a 12-step alcohol addiction recovery program can be done in conjunction with other inpatient or outpatient treatments for alcoholism. Despite the fact that few studies prove the effectiveness of the AA 12-step method, there is documented evidence about the success of AA when combined with psychosocial therapy.
Studies indicate that participants in twelve-step programs who simultaneously receive psychosocial therapy are more likely to stay sober and employed than alcoholics seeking treatment for alcoholism through a twelve-step program alone.
Motivational Enhancement Therapy
During motivational enhancement therapy (MET), therapists work one-on-one with alcoholics to motivate them to overcome alcohol addiction. During MET, therapists develop addiction treatment plans for alcoholics while encouraging them to play an active role in recovery. For alcoholics who are reluctant to seek treatment for alcoholism or are nervous about participating in 12-step self-help group to overcome their alcohol addiction, MET can be quite effective.
Couples Therapy
When the non-alcoholic husband or wife of an alcoholic participates in the alcohol addiction treatment, the alcoholic is more likely to fully participate in and recover from the treatment. This is most likely due to the support that couples therapy generates within those closest to the alcoholic. Not only does it help the alcoholic understand his or her disease and its triggers, but it also helps the non-alcoholic spouse comprehend the addiction and learn how to cope with and counteract it. Couples therapy combined with motivational enhancement therapy produces better recovery results that MET alone.
Brief Intervention
Many alcoholics are counseled by their primary care physicians or nursing staff during regular visits to the doctor. This kind of alcohol addiction treatment is known as brief intervention because it is short and specific. During brief intervention, medical professionals give alcoholics information about the negative effects of alcohol addiction and provide basic advice on how to stay sober or drink moderately.
Brief intervention works best with those who have not yet become alcoholics but are in danger of developing an alcohol addiction. Several studies have shown that brief intervention among freshman college students resulted in a significant decrease in alcoholism and alcohol-related problems in that group.
Combined Treatment of Alcohol and Cigarette Addiction
Some researchers believe that treating alcohol addiction and cigarette addiction simultaneously is essential. Nicotine, the main chemical in cigarette smoke, and alcohol interact in the brain, making an alcoholic or smoker even more vulnerable to full-blown addiction.When nicotine and alcohol interact in the brain, each drug may make a person more vulnerable to dependence on the other drug. Consequently, some researchers postulate that treating both addictions simultaneously might be an effective, even essential, way to help reduce dependence on both.
However, a recent study by Hurt and colleagues showed that treatment for nicotine dependence didn't promote abstinence from alcohol or other drugs. The jury is still out whether simultaneous treatment is more or less effective in treating alcoholism.
Pharmacotherapy
Depending on the severity of the alcohol addiction, some alcoholics may be prescribed a medication to help block the brain’s reactions to alcohol, which may cause alcoholism. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration have approved a variety of drugs for the treatment of alcoholism, including naltrexone, acamprosate and others.
Before starting an alcoholism medication routine, be sure to consult your doctor. While side effects for acamprosate are generally mild, those for naltrexone can be serious, potentially resulting in liver failure. Like other alcohol addiction treatments, medications are most effective when used in conjunction with therapy.
Rehab Centers
Most rehab centers offer both inpatient and outpatient alcohol addiction treatment options, depending on an individuals needs. They are especially effective for people who are suffering from severe alcohol addiction and in need of 24-hour guidance, supervision and care.
The Betty Ford Center is one of the most famous rehab centers in the United States. After suffering from her own chemical addiction, former First Lady Betty Ford co-founded the Center Rancho Mirage, CA with her friend, Ambassador Leonard Firestone, in 1982.
The Betty Ford Center is a non-profit addiction treatment center that offers treatments for alcohol addiction tailored to the needs of individual alcoholics. The Center is dedicated to supporting the needs of women and has gender-specific programs for women and men recovering from alcoholism.

Physical Health and Acupuncture Treatment

2007-05-30T08:49:00.001-07:00

While some people are more concerned about how their health is related to their appearance, maintaining healthy organs is a huge part of staying healthy. Depending on age and lifestyle, people will have different physical concerns. For example, while an elderly woman will be more concerned about her bone mass due to osteoporosis, a smoker will be more concerned about his lungs.

However, maintaining lung health goes beyond not smoking. Occasionally, congenital disorders can affect lung functioning, causing asthma or chronic bronchitis. Read on to learn more about maintaining healthy lungs.

Often used for both wellness and pain management, acupuncture is currently used to treat a wide array of medical conditions, including:

· Anxiety
· asthma
· carpal tunnel syndrome
· depression
· fibromyalgia
· headaches
· lower back pain
· menstrual cramps
· nausea
· osteoarthritis
· Urinary disorders.

The theory behind acupuncture is that it opens up blocked "Qi" points, or meridian points. When these meridian points are blocked, the flow of healthy Qi throughout the body is interrupted, creating pain, stress and imbalance.
When you receive acupuncture, your practitioner will determine the points at which your meridian points are blocked by asking you about your physical symptoms, as an M.D. would. He or she will then talk to you about your recent emotional and mental states, a more unconventional series of questions. After this triage of your case, the practitioner will insert the necessary number of needles in the points of blocked Qi all over your body. Depending on your needs, she or he may also slightly move the needles to further stimulate the flow of Qi.

Once all of the needles have been put in place, the practitioner will let you lie and rest for about ten minutes. After the resting period, the practitioner will remove the needles, ending the session.

While those new to acupuncture tend to fear it because it uses needles, these needles are extremely thin: They usually are small enough to fit inside of the hypodermic needles that doctors use to administer vaccines or other shots. As a result, acupuncture is a painless procedure.

Ø Is Acupuncture Effective?
The World Health Organization has recognized the effectiveness of acupuncture for a number of medical conditions. While many Eastern cultures use acupuncture as a primary form of treatment, U.S health officials think that more studies about the benefits of acupuncture should be conducted. However, these officials, as well as those who practice medicine, do agree that acupuncture can be effective when coupled with traditional treatments.

Ø What Is Cosmetic Acupuncture?
Cosmetic acupuncture is a non-invasive alternative to conventional cosmetic surgery. Using acupuncture to prevent the signs of aging is not a new idea. In fact, during the Sun dynasty, the Chinese empress and the royal concubines used cosmetic acupuncture to maintain their youthful appearance. Today, some celebrities, including Cher and Madonna, have opted for cosmetic acupuncture. It can be effective in:

· activating collagen production
· delivering youthful radiance
· eliminating fine lines and reducing deep wrinkles
· improving the balance of hormones that affect your skin
· increasing moisture and elasticity of skin
· increasing muscle tone
· removing the traditional signs of aging
· smoothing away under-eye bags and lifting droopy eyelids
· taking as many as five to fifteen years off your face
· tightening pores
· treating sun damage of the underlying skin that causes signs of aging.
Cosmetic acupuncture follows the philosophy that inner health will result in outer beauty. By releasing points of bottled up Qi, cosmetic acupuncture promotes the skin's production of hormones and new cell generation that contribute to younger-looking skin. It is considered to be an effective alternative to cosmetic surgery. Most clients that try it are very satisfied after just a few acupuncture treatments. If you are considering cosmetic acupuncture treatment, consult a licensed acupuncturist.

Ø Acupuncture as a Treatment for Depression
Acupuncture is becoming a popular portion of a comprehensive treatment for depression that also includes prescription medications. Several recent studies indicate that acupuncture addresses many of the underlying physical aspects of depression. Depression is marked by a deficiency of the serotonin hormone. Because acupuncture is known to stimulate hormone production, it serves as a natural way to fight low serotonin levels.

Over time, many people have found that having regular acupuncture treatments can help them steadily decrease their depression medications. However, keep in mind that you should talk to your doctor before you change your dosage. The person's primary physician should supervise any acupuncture treatments and work with the acupuncturist to get the best possible results for the patient.

Ø The Side Effects of Acupuncture
Acupuncture's side effects are relatively minor. Because acupuncture uses needles, there are some risks associated with it. The minor side effects of acupuncture include:

· bruising
· dizziness by those who have an aversion to needles
· Infection (However, infection is extremely rare due to most countries' health requirements for disposable acupuncture needles.)
· Minor bleeding.
While there are some serious side effects that can occur from acupuncture, these tend to be rare, as most acupuncturists are well trained in their field. Some of the more serious complications include stroke, brain damage, kidney damage or nerve injuries.
Overall, acupuncture is a safe treatment option that has proven effective for a number of medical conditions throughout the centuries.
Ø Health Benefits of Acupuncture
Acupuncture, a form of ancient Chinese medicine, is needle therapy that involves inserting extremely slim needles into specific points on a person's body in order to relieve physical, emotional and mental sources of pain.

Allergies

2007-05-28T23:58:00.000-07:00

Getting the Facts on Allergies

These days, it seems like everyone has at least one allergy. Sometimes, even people who were previously allergy-free will develop allergies, suddenly going into sneezing fits when the family cat enters the room or breaking out in hives after eating shellfish. What causes allergies, and how can people make themselves aware of their allergies before their health takes a beating?

Ø Diagnosing Allergies
The best way to determine if a person is allergic to something is for them to take a battery of allergy tests. During these tests, a doctor will usually perform a series of skin prick tests. During the tests, the doctor will place a small amount of an allergen extract on a patient's skin and will then prick the area with a small needle. If a red bump appears on the patient's skin, he or she is allergic to the substance. Skin prick tests can help diagnose asthma, hay fever, allergic rhinitis, eczema, oral allergy problems and food- or drug-related allergies.

Ø Allergy Symptoms
Allergies occur when a person's immune system becomes very sensitive to materials that he or she might have tolerated at one time. Once exposed to allergens, an allergic person can have a variety of allergy symptoms, including:

· Itching
· Rashes
· Sneezing
· throat closure.
An allergic person can also experience symptoms that one might not typically associate with allergies, such as:

· abdominal pain
· difficulty talking
· loss of consciousness
· vomiting.

Ø Common Allergies
We have all heard about common allergies, ranging from latex allergies to detergent allergies to deodorant allergies to food allergies. Indoor allergens, such as mold and animal dander, can also wreak havoc.

Outdoor allergies, especially pollen allergies, are also very common. People who have pollen allergies experience a variety of symptoms, most notably a lack of energy and/or itchy, watery eyes. Thankfully, people who have pollen allergies typically experience symptoms only during certain seasons.

Ø Detergent and Deodorant Allergies
Some people are highly sensitive to some of the ingredients found in certain laundry and dishwashing detergents. Often, they are allergic to the dyes and perfumes found in these products. When exposed to these chemicals, people who suffer from detergent allergies typically break out in itchy, red rashes.

Deodorants can also cause allergic reactions on a person's skin. Two allergens associated with deodorant allergies are cobalt chloride and neomycin sulfate. A person who suffers from deodorant allergies may experience bumpy, irritated skin.

Ø Latex Allergies
Latex allergies occur when a person is allergic to sap from rubber trees. People who have latex allergies should avoid any products that contain latex, such as latex gloves and latex condoms. Many medical supplies, such as IVs and bandages, also contain latex, so people with latex allergies should notify medical practitioners of their condition. Swim goggles, shoe soles and toys can also be made of latex and can cause allergic reactions in people with latex allergies.

Here's a list of some common latex allergy symptoms:

· cough
· difficulty breathing
· hives
· itchy, watery eyes
· stuffy nose.
· Some more serious latex allergy symptoms include:
· blue skin
· confusion
· diarrhea
· rapid or weak pulse
· slurred speech
· wheezing.
Ø Traditional Treatments for Allergies
Once an allergen has been identified, doctors have several traditional options to treat a patient's allergies. These traditional allergy treatments include steroids, antihistamines or anti-inflammatory medicines. These medicines can be taken orally, rubbed on the body or inhaled.

Ø Natural Allergy Remedies
While there are many traditional cures for allergies, many people are currently seeking out natural allergy remedies. Here's a list of some herbs that you can use to treat your allergies:

· elderberry
· fenugreek
· marshmallow
· thyme.
Vitamins are another option for people who are looking for natural allergy remedies. The best choices to try include vitamin A, B-complex vitamins and vitamin C. Some people also rely on aromatherapy to help alleviate allergies. Some scents to try include lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint.

Ø Tips for Preventing Allergies
Coming into contact with even the tiniest amount of an allergen can cause significant health problems in people with allergies. The best way to control your allergies is to avoid contact with allergens and to talk to your doctor about your treatment options.

Improve Your Health

2007-05-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

Health Information: Learn How to Improve Your Health

Regardless of race or socio-economic status, staying healthy is a major concern for nearly everyone. In fact, people's desire to be healthy has generated a vast, booming health industry that includes everything from hospitals and insurance companies to prescription drug companies and the diet industry.

With all of these sources, it's not hard to run across conflicting information. While one source may tell you that a new diet supplement is highly effective, another may say that it is ineffective. Even still another may say that it’s detrimental to your health. Who should you believe?

Clearly, questions surrounding prescription drugs, dietary supplements and health regimens are becoming evermore pressing with the surge of new varieties on the market. Being healthy can only result as long as all parts of the equation are fulfilled. Not only do people need to exercise regularly, but they also should eat healthy foods, take the proper supplements and take care of their mental wellbeing. Learn the facts so that you can effectively improve your health.

Ø Addictions
Addictions With the stress and pressure of everyday life, everyone needs some kind of outlet through which they can release their negative energy and built up tension. However, while some choose healthy releases, such as exercising or taking up a new hobby, others turn find relief in addiction to alcohol, drugs, gambling and or sex, to name a few.

Addiction is a serious problem that affects hundreds of thousands of Americans. If you know someone who suffers from addiction or are an addict yourself, finding the right type of help is key to overcoming addiction. Read on to learn more about ways to fight addiction.

Ø Stress Management
Stress Management Stress comes from all areas of life, including families, money, work, bills and relationships. While there are some forms of stress that you can eliminate from your life, others are inevitable and unavoidable.

As a result, learning how to cope and manage these sources of stress is important to helping you maintain your overall wellbeing. Coping strategies are highly individual, depending on what your source of stress is. Read on to learn more about methods and techniques that can help you effectively manage stress in your life.

Ø Diet
Another aspect of maintaining good health is having a balanced diet. Yet, with all of the fast food and sweet temptations out there, eating meals with the proper nutrition can be challenging. Similarly, the number of diet options available for those trying to lose weight can be overwhelming. South Beach, Atkins, the grapefruit diet, diet pills and many more all want your business.

Like exercise, the right diet for you depends on your body, your age and your personal situation. Before jumping into a crazy diet routine, read on to learn more about how to choose the right diet for you.