Health

Dieter’s Tea: Dangers over Benefits

The market today is condensed with teas of all purposes – teas that wake you up, teas that help you sleep, teas that make you think better, teas that don’t make you think and just relax, teas that help with digestion…the list is endless. But the most popular tea is the dieter’s tea – a blend of substances vaguely explained, but promising to help shed inches off one’s waist and thighs.

The truth is, a lot of herbal teas have more dangers than they have benefits. Dieter’s teas contain buckthorn, senna, aloe, among others – these are popular laxative substances from plants. Consuming them excessively will cause diarrhea and loss of water in the body through vomiting, sweating, constipation and other reactions. Marketers of these products claim that reactions such as diarrhea and excessive sweating and urinating are good signs that the herbal dieter’s tea is working, and that one should keep using them to see definite results.

The FDA keeps track of reports of adverse reactions to these teas, such as the deaths of four women who were reported to have been taking these teas. While the FDA cannot fully prohibit the usage of dieter’s teas, they have recommended that consumers check the package very carefully and read the ingredients list before attempting to take these teas. Any product containing stimulant laxatives such as aloe and senna should be avoided. And, if consumed, one should watch out of adverse reactions such as prolonged diarrhea, stomach cramps, rebound constipation, vomiting, and any other abnormal events in the body.

Also, juice drinks and even diet pills can contain these, so it’s worth getting educated about slimming products thoroughly before consuming any.

Refocusing on Treatment

Returning to drug treatment for a brief stay can help a person who has relapsed or feeling close to a relapse to refocus their lives and get back on track with their sobriety.

Recovering from drug and alcohol addiction is a lifelong task. A person isn’t “cured” of their addictions after a stay in rehab. Relapses are common among people struggling with addiction problems and one of the challenges facing addiction specialists is how to make sure that people who have a relapse are able to manage their problems and get the help they need before it spirals out of control into a full-scale return to abuse.

One of the biggest problems counselors in an addiction program face in dealing with patients who have relapsed is getting them to overcome the feelings of shame and guilt that they have after turning to drugs and alcohol again. Patients can feel like failures after relapsing and can begin to see it as a “sign” that they will never be free from their addictions.

Getting away from the pressures and temptations which might have led a person to relapse in the first place and back to the safety of an addiction treatment center is a critical element in getting a patient back on the road to recovery. This is why leading rehab center Cirque Lodge offers guesting privileges to former patients who are struggling with their sobriety.

Guesting privileges allow people who are facing challenges maintaining their sobriety to get help and reinforcement without having to check into a rehab program for an extended stay. In the case of Cirque Lodge, returning patients can stay up to 96 hours and use their time as a chance to reflect on their journey and refocus on their sobriety.

The guesting privilege is not just for people who have already relapsed; it’s also an effective tool for people who are feeling pressures and temptations and want to get refocused before they relapse. Some alumni even take advantage of the guesting privileges to celebrate their anniversary of graduating from the program or to catch up with staff members.

To learn more about Cirque Lodge’s guesting privileges and the drug addiction treatment provided by the center, please visit http://www.cirquelodge.com.

Do you need an immune system booster?

How do the different diseases affect our body? Well they first affect our immune system which in turn produces germs and bacteria which finally leads to the disease. The importance of an immune system booster should be understood and properly implemented in to our daily lives in order to prevent the inception, development or progress of diseases in our bodies. What does an immune system booster mean exactly? The term is almost self explanatory. It means any compound or substance that holds the ability to enhance the working of the natural immune response of the human body.

There are a huge variety of natural immune system boosters. The ones that we are most familiar with are the broad range of vitamins and essential minerals that we try to consume through our daily diet. In addition to these common immune system boosters there is a certain compound called DIM which is abundantly found in vegetables belonging to the cruciferous family. These compounds not only boost the immune system naturally but also help in strengthening the immune system against the onset and development of the much dreaded disease called Cancer.

DIM or Diindolylmethane proves to be helpful in preventing breast, uterine, colon and prostate cancer in humans. It has also been suggested that this compound can be used as a supplement to effectively prevent cancer. DIM has also been linked to the cure of the thwarting hypertrophy of the prostatic gland.

The Power of Diindolylmethane

Recently, there has been a lot of hype about a fairly unknown, natural compound called Diindolylmethane (DIM). What is this compound and just how beneficial is it to our health? And more importantly, why does a group of leading scientists at the University of California at Berkeley believe they have stumbled upon a remarkable discovery?

A naturally occurring compound found in food plants of the Brassica genus, (Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower) Diindolylmethane (DIM) is formed within the stomach after these vegetables have been chewed and swallowed. According to the scientists, DIM has been clinically proven to improve overall health by enhancing the immune system, cleansing the body of hazardous chemicals and supporting various organ systems including breast, prostate, cardiovascular, vision, skin and colon health.

As a natural immune booster, clinical studies revealed that DIM increases the sensitivity of cells in the body to the Interferon-Gamma protein while increasing the body’s Interferon-Gamma production. In simple terms, this means that DIM helps boost the body’s ability to protect itself against bacterial and viral infections.

As a response to this amazing discovery, the scientists patented a new dietary supplement called ActivaMune. The supplement includes DIM as well as other nutrients including Sulforaphane, Selenium, Lycopene, Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Calcium and Vitamins C, D3 and E.

Art Therapy for Drug Addiction

Experiential treatment programs like art therapy help people recovering from addiction come to terms with deeply hidden emotions which can keep them from achieving sobriety.

Patients in drug rehabs need to do more than deal with their addiction. In many case, people turn to drugs or alcohol because of underlying mental health issues or traumas from their past. People who lack the skills to deal with stress and trauma in a healthy manner can turn to illicit substances to provide them with a release and help them to forget their problems.

Addiction center professionals have come to understand that patients often have deep-rooted issues that lead them to addictive behaviors. Without addressing these issues it can be impossible for truly effective treatment to occur. However, many addicts pack their emotional pain deep inside and have trouble expressing their real feelings.

This is one reason why art therapy has become a popular form of treatment in drug rehab centers across the country. Art therapy is based on the belief that working on creative projects can help patients to unlock their emotions and get in touch with their true inner feelings. Art therapists believe that the creative process is a powerful tool to help patients struggling with addiction achieve deeper insight about their emotional issues and reach resolution for long-standing emotional conflicts.

Art therapy first became recognized as a viable form of therapeutic treatment for emotional issues in the 1940s, even though the creative process has been recognized as something with strong healing powers for centuries. Counselors and therapists in drug and alcohol rehabs quickly began to realize that the act of creating art such as paintings, sculptures and collages can help patients to tap into their subconscious feelings and explore them through the artwork that is created.

The process of art therapy is used in drug addiction programs throughout the country. It works in conjunction with more traditional addiction treatments like talk therapy to help patients uncover their hidden emotions and deal with them in healthy and productive settings. Art therapy is one of many tools which are utilized by modern addiction program staff members to help patients find the inner peace and tranquility needed to successfully commit to a new and sober life.

Drug addiction is lethal!

Almost everyone in today’s world knows that drug addiction is lethal yet there are some who despite knowing this find themselves depending on their next ‘fix’ to get them through the day. However, if one must define the addiction to drugs, it is when the patient has lost all ability to cease using the drugs while definitely being in need of addiction treatment.

When you watch the compulsive behavior of certain addicts (especially in rehab centers) you will get a clearer picture that only further supports the aforementioned definition. While the process of de-addiction takes some time, the path to freedom is definitely not an easy one!

But once a person manages to get to the point where he is able to say no to drugs while acknowledging that it is bad for him and he can do without it, the healing process truly begins. In any effective drug rehab program, the support of family members and friends are vital as their help will be continuously needed when the patient reaches the stage of aftercare, which sends him back into the environment where he got the addiction in the first place.

Again, this solely depends on the desire of the patient and whether or not, he or she wishes to get rid of the habit. Whichever way you look at it, drug addiction is well and truly lethal.

Cirque Lodge, located in Sundance Utah, provides the best treatment to patients who are addicted to both drugs and alcohol.

DIM – A cure for cancer and other diseases?

With DIM under research for its anticancer and immune modulating properties, the fact that health and your diet have an important connection that just cannot be ignored. According to experts, this compound is the only molecule in the biomedical field that makes an impact of diseases related to our immune system and cancer.

Also known as Diindolylmethane, this compound is commonly found in all the plants which belong to the family of Brassica plants, such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale, and is found to have important anti-carcinogen properties that will help one avoid getting cancer as well as other diseases related to the immune system.

Not only can find a source for this compound in vegetables but also in supplements that years of research has gone into, to find a cancer prevention diet, keeping in mind the chances that one has when dealing with breast, prostate, lung, colon, cervical cancer and even infectious diseases such as Hepatitis, AIDS, HPV, SARS, Pandemic Flu and Influenza.

Currently, this compound (in the form of supplements) is being tested for its effect on the aforementioned diseases, and one hopes that this will provide the answer to finding the long-overdue cure for cancer as well as other potentially fatal diseases.

With positive results so far, one can only hope for the best!

Cancer Prevention Diet

While there is no secret recipe that has been proven to prevent cancer, most doctors can agree that eating a variety of healthy, whole foods can help reduce your risk for the disease. Along with eating an abundance of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, you can also consider taking a natural dietary supplement such as ActivaMune.

Developed by a group of leading scientists at the University of California at Berkeley, ActivaMune is an immune system booster which, among other major health benefits, boasts anticancer properties. These anticancer properties are attributed in part to one of ActivaMune’s main ingredients, a phytonutrient called Diindolylmethane or DIM.

According to clinical trials, DIM helps the body protect itself against cancer as well as bacterial and viral infections. With regular consumption of ActivaMune, the body is able to better respond and defend itself against uncontrolled cellular reproduction. DIM has also been shown to stimulate the production of white blood cells, Interlukin-6 (IL-6) (which manages our body’s antibacterial response), and Interlukin-12 (IL-12) (which encourages the growth and function of T-Cells which help to battle pathogens.) So while you may not find a magical cancer prevention diet, you can eat a healthy diet and take cancer prevention supplements.

Common Drugs Used by Teens in Rehab

Despite the increase in the abuse of illicit substances like prescription drugs, research shows that marijuana and alcohol are the two substances most commonly abused by teens in drug rehab.

There is no one drug or other substance that teens are particularly susceptible to try or become addicted to, according to a recent report from the government’s Office of Applied Studies. However, there are certain drugs and other substances that are far more likely to be abused by teens. Researchers with the OAS reviewed information from national surveys on drug abuse and drug rehabs to attempt to learn more about the particularly dangers to teens when it comes to substance abuse and which drugs and other illicit substances are most common for teens who end up in drug and alcohol addiction centers.

In 2008, 141,683 patients from ages 12 to 17 were admitted into substance abuse treatment centers in the United States - that worked out to 372 adolescents entering a drug or alcohol rehab program every day. Reviewing the types of substances used by adolescents who checked into rehab on an average day gives a clear indication of the types of drugs and other substances that are currently being abused by youths today.

The most common drug used by teens checking into drug treatment is little surprise - marijuana. According to information from the 2008 Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) supplied by treatment facilities that receive public funding, on an average day 263 youths entered an addiction program and “presented” with having recently smoked pot. That represents more than 70 percent of all adolescents checking into a treatment center and certainly helps to support the notion that marijuana abuse by teens can often serve as a “gateway” drug to other, “hard” drugs.

Alcohol abuse was also a common problem among people ages 12 to 17 checking into a rehab program. In an average day in 2008, 76 youths were entered into a rehab center with a history of recent alcohol abuse — more than 20 percent of the total youth rehab population. That’s more than the numbers for all other illicit substances combined, including stimulants, heroin or other opiates and cocaine.

So while it’s important to be mindful of the rise in abuse of prescription drugs and other illicit substances, the fact that marijuana and alcohol are the two most abused substances by teens in drug treatment shows that parents must be aware of everything that their children are doing.

Chronic Pain Pill Addiction

One of the most common forms of chemical addiction that Americans are dealing with is prescription drug abuse. How many celebrities have we read about entering rehab or even succumbing to a lethal overdose? However, not everyone abuses these substances in an attempt to get high. Much like many of the people who end up in alcohol rehab, addicts to prescription drugs started taking these medications with no intent to abuse them.

One group in which prescription drug abuse is all too common is those patients who suffer from chronic pain conditions. This includes orthopedic patients, the elderly, and those dealing with chronic conditions like back pain or arthritis. Unfortunately, even a rehab program to deal with dependency can’t always address the larger issue at hand — the chronic pain that these individuals must deal with on a daily basis.

While some conditions can be improved upon with physical therapy or surgery, painkillers often offer dramatic, fast relief of the symptoms that these people are dealing with. That might seem like enough of a fix that they will ignore other possible methods of treatment that could serve to provide a more permanent alleviation of the pain.

As anyone who has spent time around an addiction center can tell you, the effect of many substances, including medications, will decrease over time as the individual develops a tolerance for that substance. While pain medication can certainly provide a satisfying level of relief in the short term, the long term usage of these medication can result in painful and damaging consequences, particularly in the case of those people who forego doctors’ orders and self-medicate with excessive amounts of the painkillers. This is usually a good sign that the patient is in need of addiction treatment.

The medications generally used for chronic pain conditions are Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID). While many people take ibuprofen or acetaminophen regularly and don’t have problems with drug addiction, the situation is dramatically different for those facing constant suffering. Consequences like stomach ulcers or cancer can seem like distant risks in the face of easily available relief.

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