15 Calcium Sources That Don't Require a Cow By Shereen Lehman, MS Nutrition Expert

Calcium is essential for healthy bones, but it does so much more. Calcium is required for normal muscle and nerve function and your blood to clot properly. A calcium deficiency is bad news because it can lead to osteoporosis or osteopenia. 

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults get from 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium every day based on age. 

Milk and other dairy products are well known for their calcium content -- that's why they make up one whole food group -- the United States Department of Agriculture says adults should get three cups of dairy products in their diet every day.But not everyone can consume dairy products or just choose not to eat or drink dairy products. Does avoiding dairy put you at risk for not getting enough calcium? Maybe, but not if you indulge in non-dairy foods that are naturally high in calcium or fortified with this vital nutrient. Flip through the slideshow to see 15 of  my favorite calcium-rich, cow-free foods.

Sources:

Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. "Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements." Accessed March 2, 2015.

#How does heroin effect the brain ? By Aol.Com

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, close to half of young people surveyed in three recent studies who have injected heroin said they had abused prescription painkillers before they started using heroin.

How does heroin effect the brain?

When someone injects, snorts, or smokes heroin, the brain converts it into morphine. Morphine binds to molecules on cells located throughout the brain and body called opioid receptors, which affect how we perceive pain and rewards.

This explains the surging sense of euphoria that many people feel when they inject the drug straight into the bloodstream. After the initial "rush," the skin gets flushed and warm, the arms and legs start to feel heavy, and thinking slows.

Because we also have opioid receptors in our brain stem — the body's main control center that is in charge of automatic processes such as blood pressure and breathing — overdosing on heroin can slow and even stop breathing, leading to brain damage or coma.

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An Overview of Salmonella Disease It's not just in eggs anymore By Ingrid Koo, Ph.D. Infectious Diseases Expert

1. Typhoid Fever: Typhoid fever is caused by Salmonella typhi. Also spread through ingestion of contaminated food or drink, this species is much less common, especially in industrialized countries, but is associated with more severe systemic illness. Although diarrhea can be a symptom of typhoid fever, it is absent in many cases. Transmission is often due to exposure to chronic carriers, including the infamous "Typhoid Mary".

What foods have been associated with Salmonella gastroenteritis outbreaks?

Salmonella outbreaks have occurred frequently with animal products, such as unpasteurized milk, dairy, eggs, poultry, and beef. However, since Salmonella is shed in animal feces, even vegetables and fruits are prone to contamination.

In addition, some household pets, especially reptiles (turtles, lizards, and snakes) and some birds, may carry the bacteria and spread the disease.

What are the symptoms of Salmonella foodborne (non-typhoid) infection?

Symptoms appear within approximately 8 to 72 hours after ingesting the contaminated food and may last 2 to 7 day

They include:

• Diarrhea (usually non-bloody)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Headache
• Fever

How can I avoid getting Salmonella gastroenteritis?

• Avoid raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, or meat.
• Drink only pasteurized milk and dairy products.
• Thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables, including those with inedible rinds or skins.
• Practice good food preparation and dining habits.
• Wash hands after handling animals and their feces.

I think I have Salmonella food poisoning. What should I do?

In most cases, Salmonella foodborne infections are self-limited and resolve within one week without the need for antibiotics. However, if you suspect you a Salmonella infection, contact your healthcare provider. Some individuals, particularly the young, the old, and the immunocompromised (having weakened immune systems), are more prone to severe disease. If you are part of the at-risk population, your doctor will likely ask for a stool sample to test for the presence of Salmonella and any other microbes that cause similar symptoms.

What treatments are available?

Infected individuals should drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration. For patients at higher risk of severe infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

Is there a vaccine?

Currently no vaccine is available for Salmonella enteritidis, the species responsible for most food-borne illnesses. There is, however, a vaccine for Salmonella typhi, the cause oftyphoid fever, a more severe but less common disease in the United States. Individuals traveling to developing countries should contact their healthcare provider at least one week prior to travel to inquire about whether or not the vaccine is recommended.

Sources:

Salmonella spp.. USFDA Bad Bug Book. Center for Food Safety and Nutrition.

An Overview of Salmonella Disease It's not just in eggs anymore By Ingrid Koo, Ph.D. Infectious Diseases Expert

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella are infectious bacteria associated with foodborne and gastrointestinal illnesses. The two main diseases caused by these bacteria are:

1. Salmonellosis: Caused bySalmonella enteritidis orSalmonella typhimurium(actually a subtype of S. enteritidis), salmonellosis is a diarrheal disease, known more generically as gastroenteritis. Since it is is associated with animals (rather than through contact with infected people), it is usually a foodborne disease, spread through consumption of contaminated foods, especially eggs and poultry. It has also been reported in several large, nationwide outbreaks. A fair number of cases of transmission have also been attributed to exposure to pets infected with the microbe.

Half of Americans Have Diabetes or Prediabetes By Laura Dolson Low Carb Diets Expert

No one should be surprised at the news, but sometimes a certain number has an impact. It seems that at this point, roughly half of adults in the United States have either diabetes or prediabetes. The number continues to rise in all the different groups studied: race, age, and gender. 12-14% of us have diabetes, and about 38% have prediabetes. Those are enormous numbers.  If true, it means that most of us have glucose metabolisms that are seriously out of whack.

The research, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on September 8, 2015, also showed some good news: a greater percentage of diabetes is now being diagnosed (although about a third of people with the disorder still don't know they have it - almost half in Asian-Americans and Hispanics), and the rate of increase is leveling off.

Still, there are signs that the real numbers actually could be higher. The definition used in the study for diabetes and prediabetes was that one of three tests fell in the range of the disorder: Hemoglobin A1C, fasting plasma glucose, or a 2-hour glucose tolerance test. However, many of the participants only received one or two of these tests, which will miss some cases: for example, there are those with impaired fasting glucose who pass their glucose tolerance test, and vice versa. Also, we always need to keep in mind that people with values near the cutoff for prediabetes, for example a fasting blood glucose of 98 or a HA1C of 5.4%, although "in the normal range", are truly on the diabetes spectrum, with at least some damage in the pancreas.

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It also does not count people with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance who don't fit the criteria for prediabetes or diabetes, even though they are almost certainly part of the same constellation of problems.

Why Lump Prediabetes in With Diabetes?

Prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes are taken together in this study because they are the same disorder. The cells in the pancreas that produce insulin are damaged, and amount of glucose in the blood begins to rise. Prediabetics are at risk for most of the problems affecting diabetics, although at lower percentages. For example, most diabetics end up getting some sort of nerve damage, such as damage in the eye called diabetic retinopathy (this is the cause of blindness in diabetics). However several studies showed that somewhere around 8% - 13% of prediabetics have signs of retinopathy. Prediabetics are also at a greater risk of heart disease (although, again, not as high a risk as diabetics).

What Should We Do?

Diabetes is a disorder of glucose metabolism. One would think that the first order of business would be to lower the amount of glucose we are taking in. Where is glucose? In carbohydrate-rich foods. Starches such as those in grains, potatoes, and other starchy foods are long strings of glucose. Sugars such as table sugar, honey, etc. are usually about half glucose (although the other half is fructose, which has problems of its own). In terms of effects on blood glucose, the worst foods are simple sugars (such as those in candies, sugar-sweetened beverages, and other sweetened foods) and refined carbohydrates  (such as those in most baked goods and packaged breakfast cereals).

We don't tell people with diarrhea due to lactose intolerance that the answer is to take anti-diarrheal medication. We tell them to stop consuming products with lactose. We are now at a point where most adults in the US (and a growing number of children) have some level of glucose intolerance. So why are we telling them to keep eating large amounts of glucose? More than one article about this study (Web MD, I'm looking at you) recommend a low-fat diet to prevent diabetes. A low-fat diet is a high-glucose diet!! Why would it be a good idea to consume more glucose to prevent diabetes? It makes no sense at all.

Obviously there are other things we can do besides diet to prevent diabetes. Chief among these is regular exercise, which improves insulin sensitivity. Also, people should be aware of their blood glucose numbers, particularly if they are at high risk for diabetes (for example, being overweight). If you are prediabetic or diabetic, find out how different foods affect your blood sugar, and use this knowledge to help tailor your diet. This site can help you find the amount of carbohydrate that is good for you, and to help you eat that way.

How Much Carbohydrate Should You Eat?

Reduce Carbs Gradually, or All At Once?

How to Cut Carbs

Vitamin Water, Fuze, Monster And Jones Soda - Start Your New Age Beverage By Jorge Olson

Energy Drinks, Vitamin Waters, Infused Waters, all New Age Beverages, are the focus of attention for consumers, entrepreneurs and even investors.
I'm seeing many new companies and new products every single day; and those are the ones that call me. Imagine all the ones all over the world.
Vitamin Water sold for a few Billion dollars, 4.1 to be precise. Now everyone is jumping into the industry.1 Billion Dollars, individuals, investors and companies want to go into the "New Age Beverages".
So what exactly are New Age Beverages? Well, this is a new category within the Beverage Industry that covers the new style of beverages. This new "category" is growing and changing. Some time ago you only found Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar and maybe Vitaminwater as part of New Age Beverage. Now it has gone global, and crazy.
Now the category has evolved and you can include enhanced water, tea's, diet drinks, iced coffee and really, any new drink. Every beverage company want's to be associated with the "New Age" category because not just because it's sexier but because the category is growing quicker and investors are looking at it up close.
You have to realize that Vitamin Water is not the first company to get big cash for their brand. There are beverage companies being funded every day, and more being bought and sold from large companies. Many companies that you now think as the market leaders started not long ago as start-ups.
Some of the companies that you see on the news are Fuze, which sold to Coca Cola, Sobe, that sold to Pepsi Cola or Fiji Water that sold as well.
Other companies like Reeds Beverage, Who's Your Daddy, Jones Soda and Hensen with Monster Energy Drink access funding through the public markets. These and many others are public companies traded in the New York Stock Exchange, the NASDAQ or the OTC (Over the Counter).
My company gets hundreds of call from business people and investment companies looking to either start or invest in these beverages. At the moment I have at least 100 people contacting me every month wanting to know about the industry, Energy Drinks, how to get distribution, how to export, how to bottle drinks or to go over business plans or other information. The industry is growing and the category is growing even faster.
Why are these drinks growing at 50% per year or more? Why do we see so many waters, energy drinks, hydrating products, etc. on the market today? The answer is easy. Consumers are demanding more and more drinks. They want drinks for every occasion or part of the day. They want organic drinks, sugary drinks, healthy drinks and every type of drink to fit their personality, and style.
Entrepreneurs and Investors are going into New Age Beverages because the demand is there and the profits are very high, very high. This is one of the characteristics that are shared -they all have high profit margins. How high are the margins? Well, you can make up to $24 Gross Profit per case. Yes, this is for one case. Imagine selling just one truckload of beverages or around 1,600 cases with this profit. Now imagine selling a truck a week!
++Some advice before you start your venture:++
-Don't just focus on the drink, focus on the whole package (I get a lot of phone calls and emails telling me they have a better tasting drink than Rockstar, Red Bull and Monster Energy Drink).
-No Promotion before Distribution. Don't fall into the Energy Drink Promotion Trap. Remember, you have to concentrate on your Distributor and Retail Packages. Sell first, then push product off the shelves.
-Learn your Financials. Figure out how much it takes to start and sell your new drink before you go and produce 5,000 cases.

Jorge Olson is a Beverage Consultant & Entrepreneur and New Age Beverage Expert helping Energy Drinks and beverage companies with research, planning, sales, and marketing. To find out about the industry or Beverage Consultant subscribe to Jorge's newsletter at Energy Drink Sales [http://www.EnergyDrinkSales.com]

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What Level of Care Is Right for Your Recovery From Alcoholism and Drug Addiction? By Kenneth Chance

The Continuum of Care in Recovery
When you are ready to make the call for help in getting clean and sober; whom do you call? Where do you turn for help? When should you call?
The road to recovery begins with your decision to seek help. From that point forward there are different levels of care for you. Which one is appropriate varies from person to person. Factors such as: how much and how often and how long have you been drinking and/or drugging, your age, your gender, any special needs such as handicap access, dietary considerations and mental condition all figure into the "where-do-I-go" equation. Here is a brief description of the various levels of care to help you research your options. (NOTE: The alcoholic/drug addict is referred to as the "client" in this article.)
Intervention- Maybe your first step should be to call an interventionist, a professional whose role is to help you get the right level of care. An interventionist may start with a telephone assessment to determine whether an on-site intervention is necessary. In addition to working directly with the client, the interventionist helps the family make decisions and cope with the stress of an intervention.
Most interventionists are trained and highly skilled professionals whose primary interest is in getting the client clean and sober. Where the client is eventually placed is paramount; however, this is only the beginning for most interventionists. Long-term recovery requires a plan beyond the initial treatment program. Studies prove that the longer one spends in treatment, the longer one remains clean and sober. So the interventionist will most likely stay with the client through the entire process, as well as provide after care monitoring.
Detox Center - Many clients require a detox prior to entering into a treatment program. There are two levels of detox care: acute (hospital setting) and subacute (non-hospital) which are available at some residential treatment centers. Acute detox centers may be freestanding or part of a hospital. While both have 24-hour supervision, an acute detox facility is equipped to handle most medical emergencies resulting from detox. There are different types of detox: Medical, holistic, drug specific and alcohol specific.
Medical detox centers use drug therapy to help the client safely detox from alcohol and/or drug use. A medical doctor who specializes in addictionology is always on duty, as are a clinical psychologist, nurses and substance abuse case managers. This level of care is appropriate for those whose drinking and drug use is daily with high amounts consumed and for long periods of time. For those individuals, self-detox is dangerous and could be lethal.
A holistic detox uses natural aides to help the body detox. These include: B-12 injections, amino acid, mineral and vitamin therapy, either orally or by injection. Other alternative treatments include: acupuncture, massage, energy healing (like Reiki). Meals usually consist of healthy detox friendly food and beverages.
Drug specific detox uses a pharmacological approach to specific drug addictions. Opiate addicts may receive Subutex or Suboxone that serve as opiate replacements for the withdrawal process. Heroin addicts face a painful detox so effective therapy often includes Suboxone or Riva, Depade or Vivitrol (Naltrexone) with Catepres (Clonidine) for hypertension/high blood pressure.
Alcohol detox often results in serious side effects. Seizures, delirium tremens (DT's) and heart attack result in many cases and if these are not medically treated, death may result. Clients may receive sedatives, like diazepam or carbamazepine, to reduce DT's. Catepres may be used to help control blood pressure. Clients with co-occurring disorders like depression, bi-polar disorder require medications that address those symptoms.
In-patient Residential Treatment Centers
This is what most people think of when the term "treatment" is used. At this level of care the client receives intense clinical services such as group therapy and individual therapy several times a week. Focused substance abuse education and introduction into a Twelve-Step based program like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are included. In addition to behavioral health professionals, a medical doctor is on staff as well as a registered nurse to help with meds administration. Meals are commonly prepared by a chef and served in a common dining area. On-site recreation is available and may include equine therapy, art therapy, dance therapy, yoga and more. Toward completion of a residential program, the client and counselor consider the next step of treatment. If an interventionist made the initial referral, he or she is often involved in placement after residential care.
Options for placement include: extended care, sober living, halfway house and transitional living programs. Some clients may opt out of treatment following completion of a residential program. However, professional referrals are made for a reason - they decrease the relapse rate and increase the probability for long-term sobriety.
Extended Care Programs
This level of care is often provided in an outpatient clinic in conjunction with sober living facilities that offer high levels of supervision and structure. Extended care is usually a three to six month program that includes: Intensive Outpatient Therapy (IOP), individual therapy, group therapy, Relapse Prevention, substance abuse education, recreation therapy and intense Twelve-Step work. Since extended care programs are three to six months in length, the client has an opportunity to examine his or her life in-depth and make cognitive, emotive, behavioral, spiritual and social changes conducive to a life of sobriety. Some programs offer alumni groups that help the client stay connected to his or her support network. Following extended care, the counselor and/or interventionist may refer the client to a sober living facility as the next step.
Sober Living
Most sober living programs offer a modest level of services and programs for the client. They generally have an on site house manager; however, a few sober living facilities have staff on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Always ask if staff is on-duty (awake) 24/7. The emphasis at this level is learning to live in a structured family like setting free of alcohol and drugs. Life skills management may be offered, as the client must learn to become independent in order to achieve long-term sobriety. Most sober living programs require the client to be employed or attend school as well as attend a minimum number of Twelve-Step meetings, have a sponsor and work through the steps in detail with that sponsor.
Halfway House
Halfway houses and sober living houses are synonymous in some states, while quite different in others. Generally speaking, a halfway house has house rules, a house manager who lives on site, requires clients to be employed and attend Twelve Step meetings. Clients have more freedom and often are free to come and go at will. Few, if any, halfway houses have 24/7 staff supervision. (Again, someone is awake and on-duty 24 hours a day, every day.) Since some states do not regulate or license halfway houses, they may not have liability insurance. Remember to ask whether the house is a private residence, an apartment complex or some other structure. Also ask to see the rules, the insurance certificate and you may even want to call family members of current or former clients.
Summary
In order to achieve long-term sobriety one must consider the full continuum of care, which includes a bio/psycho/social model. I see many men in my program who relapse after completing a residential program, an extended care program, a sober living program or a halfway house program. Most of the time these men did not follow a continuum of care path and went home after the initial treatment program, or, went into a halfway house from a primary residential treatment program. Without the entire continuum of care, the alcoholic/drug addict is at high risk of relapse. It is worth repeating: studies confirm that the longer one receives care, the longer one stays sober.

Dr. Kenneth Chance, D.Div. is the CEO/President of The Montana Society, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit organization that operates The Montana Lodge in Prescott, Arizona. The Montana Lodge offers Extended Care and Sober Living programs for men who suffer from alcoholism and/or drug addiction, who also have a co-occurring disorder. For further information, please visit: http://www.montanalodgerecovery.com, or call toll-free: 1-888-654-3500.

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