Avoid hard drugs in this season of valentine

Stop taking hard drugs in this season of valentine, youth are pron to take hard drugs in the season of valentine in order to feel high, don't indulging in hard drugs, stay clear of bad habits with your lover in this season of valentine 

Types of beverage to drink in Christmas season

There are different kinds of beverages to drink in this yuletide, but you have to be careful not to take the bad one because of health reasons the following are good for to take during the Christmas:One, tomatoes juice drink.Two, apple juice drink. Three, watermelon juice drink.Four, orange juice drink and lemon juice drink. Avoid soda drink, avoid intoxicated drink that can blure your thinking for example heavy hot drinks like white horse, gin and whiskey can cause you to be toxic. The best safe is to keep away from alcoholic drinks that can impair your thinking, Happy Noel and prosperous new year . 

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.

More from Business Insider:

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.

Ads

Get Free Recipes

www.recipehub.com

Find The Recipe You Need Plus Lots More! Free w/the RecipeHub App

Find Business Information

vconnect.com/Business-Information

Get Phone No, Address and More Information on VConnect.

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]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jorge_Olson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/625195

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.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kenneth_Chance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5907437

Preventing Drug Use - Help Your Kids Stay Clear of Club Drugs By Richard Hamon

Parents frequently wonder what they can do to keep their teenagers from trying club drugs and other harmful substances, such as alcohol and tobacco. Unfortunately, teenagers tend to experiment with substances that make them feel good or which help them gain access to certain social privileges. Common club drugs include Ecstacy, Rohypnol, GHB, Ketamine and Herbal Ecstacy.
They may use substances for thrill seeking purposes, to gain courage or as a means of escape. Rohypnol and GHB are known as "date rape drugs."
To reduce the amount of experimentation (or, in some cases prevent it) you should keep your relationship with your teenager strong. A healthy relationship is your first defense against problems because it will keep communication lines open.
Don't let anything come between the two of you.
In other words, keep your relationship in good shape. Stay close and build on your familial bond. Teenagers need healthy relationships with peers, but also their parents.
If your son or daughter is basically happy and enjoys your love and respect - and feels that you are doing your best as a parent - he or she will be more likely to listen to you and consider your advice.
A healthy relationship depends on good, honest and clear communication, where disagreements and concerns can be aired in a supportive environment. And you and your teen can talk about anything! And often do.
If you and your teen can talk about anything, you can talk about drugs. This will cause your teen to be less likely to use drugs, especially if he/she understands the dangers and risks involved.
Share Accurate And Detailed Information With Your Adolescent
Helping kids to fully appreciate those risks and dangers of drugs and other harmful substances is critical to their success. If they have accurate information, and clearly understand how drugs impact their minds and bodies medically, emotionally and spiritually, they can make good, informed decisions for themselves . . . with a little help from you.
When I talk with teenage clients about drugs I don't say, "You shouldn't do drugs!"
Instead, I ask them what they know about drugs. And I engage them in a constructive, no-lecture discussion about the facts.
An Interesting Case
Recently, a young client of mine said, "I don't mind smoking marijuana because it isn't addictive."
I praised him for having the wisdom to stay clear of addictive substances, but gently and firmly offered accurate information about the addictive qualities of marijuana. I gave him a fact sheet on the risks and dangers of using marijuana and discussed other, healthy and legal ways he could relax and enjoy himself.
When my young client realized the full impact smoking marijuana could potentially have on his body and brain, he decided he didn't want anything to do with it.
Teenagers have to be able to think for themselves, so I encourage that, while trying to ensure they have scientifically accurate and detailed information.
You can do the same thing. But you may have to educate yourself a little more on the latest information and be sure you understand the science of drugs and alcohol . . . and what we know about how substances interact with the other systems of our bodies.
Being a successful parent to a teen involves good, healthy relationships and great communication. Now you can help your teen to avoid some of the most dangerous problems associated with adolescence.

Richard Hamon is a dynamic coach and therapist with 30 years of professional experience. Richard helps people to solve their relationship problems, enjoy truly extraordinary marriages and find exceptional success in all areas of their lives.
You'll find all kinds of articles on how to spice up your relationships and lead a happier life at Richard's website, Happy-Relationships.com. Find out about personal coaching programs to assist you in quickly reaching your loftiest goals. Discover eBooks, relaxation CDs and other informative products, such as a free relationship quiz to help you assess your relationship.
For more information on conducting state-of-the-art relationships, the latest research on true happiness, and Richard's products and services, please go to: http://happy-relationships.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Hamon

0 Comments | Leave a Comment

Did you find this article helpful? 0 0

Viewed 337 times

Word count: 565

Article Tools

EzinePublisher Report this article Cite this article

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/990385

Get paid why promoting your bussiness

apsene social bussines network

Club Drugs and Treatment For Addiction By Michael M Graham

The use of club drugs began in the 1980's at dance parties in Great Britain and spread to the United States with the rave scene in the 1990's. One famous outcome of this scene was "date rape" drugs. Most young (or young at heart) adults that are into the club scene are familiar with substances commonly referred to as "club drugs". These include drugs like MDMA, Rohypnol, GHB, and Ketamine which are generally attractive to club goers for their low cost and the intoxicating high that can intensify the clubbing experience. Street names for club drugs include XTC, X (MDMA), Special K, Vitamin K (Ketamine), soap (GHB), and roofies (Rohypnol).

Most of these drugs are central nervous system depressants, and a couple of them (GHB and Rohypnol) have become famous as date rape drugs or more recently in movies like The Hangover. GHB in combination with other drugs can cause nausea, breathing difficulties, and even comas (not to mention overdoses and death).

Ketamine (AKA "special K" or "vitamin K") was developed as an anesthetic for both human and animal use, however, about 90% of the Ketamine currently produced and sold legally in the United States is intended for veterinary use. It can be injected or snorted and can cause dream-like states and hallucinations. In higher doses, users can experience delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, depression, and potentially fatal respiratory issues.

Rohypnol is not approved in the United States for any legal purposes, but it began showing up in the 1990's for illicit uses. It is in the class of drugs known as benzodiazepines and when mixed with alcohol it can incapacitate victims and prevent them from resisting sexual assault (hence the term date-rape drug). Because it is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless liquid it can easily be mixed in someone's drink and produce a state of aterograde amnesia where the individual may not remember events (like a sexual assault) they experienced while under the effects of the drug.

MDMA, more commonly known as ecstasy, is a synthetic, psychoactive drug chemically similar to the stimulant methamphetamine and the hallucinogen mescaline. Other street names for MDMA include XTC and the "hug drug." Because MDMA can interfere with the body's ability to break it down, or metabolise it, potentially toxic levels of the drug can quickly be reached by repeated short interval usage. This can result in extremely elevated body temperature resulting in liver, kidney, and cardiovascular system failure (more commonly referred to as death).

While the euphoric effects of these chemicals is undeniable, the jury is still out on the proper treatment related to their usage. Unlike other substances of addiction, a person using club drugs is most often doing so in a social setting with many others using the same, or similar, drugs. Being part of that group gives the user a sense of belonging that they may not feel anywhere else in their life. Until the damaging effects of their drug usage reaches a point that outweighs the perceived social benefits, the person may not feel a need to give up their lifestyle.

http://www.pathwaysrecovery.com
http://www.soberrecovery.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_M_Graham

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4299218

Shingles Natural Treatment - Natural Alternatives to Prescription Drugs and the New Shingle Vaccine By Dr. Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

Virus Basics for Shingles Natural Treatment

All living organisms play host to viruses, even including bacteria. It is a certainty that you will be affected by multiple kinds of viruses throughout your lifetime. The most prevalent human viruses will show up as the common cold, flu, cold sores, chickenpox, and shingles. Less common, and more deadly, viruses are blamed for such diseases as ebola, AIDS, bird flu, SARS, and hepatitis.

Scientists are also suspicious of viruses that are associated with multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, neurological diseases, cancer, and many more. Finding the best natural shingles treatment for you depends on knowing about the basic interactions between you and your virus.

One of those interactions comes from your childhood chickenpox virus when it breaks out into a shingles later in life.

Main Factors That Influence Infections

Your body is one of the main determining factors for whether you will suffer from shingles or any other viral disease. You are exposed to viruses on a daily basis, and most of the time your immune system or other defense mechanisms help you resist infections. Otherwise, you would be sick all of the time.

Another main factor for infection is the type of virus and its response to your defenses. Shingles, for example, is caused by the chickenpox virus that has infected millions of people. Out of all of the people who have had chickenpox, only about 1-3 per thousand healthy individuals under 65 years old will get shingles. This number goes up to as high as 12 per thousand for those older than 65. Such survey data just mean that the vast majority of people who have been exposed to the virus do not develop symptoms, due to the combination of their bodies' defenses and to the response of the virus to them.

Your best strategies for fighting viral infections must be based on whatever you can do to help your own defenses and whatever you can do to address the behavior of the virus itself. Antiviral prescription drugs have side effects resulting from their suppression of the immune system, which undermines your defenses. The new shingles vaccine, Zostavax, is only approved for people over 60 years old, because clinical experiments focused only on this group. Even so, it is only effective for about half of the people who are injected with it.

Even though Zostavax has been approved in Europe as well as in the U.S., it is not widely used in such places as the U.K. even though it is licensed there. This caution is based on the long-term unknowns, the interactions with other drugs and vaccines (esp. the chickenpox vaccine) and worries about affects on those with already weakened immune systems.

Cautions About Zostavax

Follow-up studies are in progress. The long-term effectiveness and potential complications of Zostavax are unknown At this time it is not recommended for women who are pregnant, people with active untreated tuberculosis, or those with weakened immune systems. It is also not recommended for anyone who has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to gelatin or to the antibiotic neomycin, which are components of the vaccine formula.

Focus on Herpes Viruses

The chickenpox and shingles virus is known scientifically as Herpes zoster (or Varicella zoster), which means it shares many characteristics with all of the members of the herpes family of viruses. The same antiviral drugs are prescribed for shingles, cold sores, genital herpes, and Kaposi's sarcoma because they are all herpes viruses.

Herpes viruses target the same kinds of tissues (skin and nerve), although in different parts of the body. They also have the same basic appearance and genetic composition and respond to drugs and natural treatments the same way. This just means that a successful remedy against one type of herpes infection has a good chance of being successful against other types.

Natural Antivirals for Shingles Treatment

Scientific literature over the past century reveals thousands of plant natural products that have antiviral activity. This is to be expected, since plants have their own viruses to deal with. Nevertheless, plant viruses and human viruses have much in common, so hundreds of the antivirals that plants make in their own defense also inhibit human viruses.

Most of the research-level results are not practical at this time because the majority of antiviral plant compounds are not yet available in herbal formulas. However, a few herbs that show positive clinical results against shingles have been available for several years.

The classic herb against shingles is lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), which produces an oil that has anti-herpes activity for topical use as well as for internal use. It is an ingredient in several formulas, sometimes by itself and often with other oil-producing herbs. Recent research in cell cultures shows that lemon balm can overcome herpes infection in cells that have become resistant to prescription antiviral drugs.

The newest herb, and maybe the best one, against herpes is the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). It is also available in a lotion for topical application as well as in a capsule for internal use. The active ingredients in the creosote bush have general activity against several types of herpes infections as well as activity against HIV and several other types of viruses. This herb is definitely a rising star in the realm of antivirals from plants.

What About Shingles Pain?

The pain of a rash, which can sometimes last weeks or months after an outbreak has already subsided (i.e., "post-herpetic neuralgia"), responds very well to a paste of red pepper powder or to creams containing its main active ingredient, capsaicin. Capsaicin is well-known for blocking pain signals between nerves just under the skin. The only drawback to applying capsaicin-containing formulas is that it makes the burning sensation worse if the skin has been broken or is still has open blisters.

Medical researchers are finding out a lot about capsaicin vs. shingles pain. More than 70 research articles have appeared on this topic since 2002 in PubMed, the U.S. government's medical database.

Dr. Dennis Clark, Ph.D.

http://naturalshinglestreatment.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Dennis_Clark,_Ph.D.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1729562

Ebola Epidemic: Causes, Symptoms and Precautionary Measures By Troy A. Anderson

The Ebola virus disease (EVD) that has wreaked havoc across Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia is considered "a severe, often fatal illness in humans" by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

It weakens the immune system and causes bleeding inside and outside the body. In fact, it puts even health workers at risk if they are properly protected.

Previously known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, Ebola was first reported way back in 1976 in Nzara, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

What Causes Ebola

It is believed that the fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family living in tropical rainforests are the natural hosts of the EVD. This deadly virus is transmitted to people from wild animals as well as through other infected humans. It was passed on to humans by coming in close contact with the secretions, sweat, blood and other bodily fluids of EVD infected humans and various infected animals which include fruit bats, porcupines, chimpanzees, gorillas and monkeys found either sick or dead in and around tropical rainforests. Other ways to getting infected with Ebola is by touching contaminated needles.

It's also true that Ebola is less contagious than other diseases; it is transmitted by bodily fluids, not by air, water or mosquitoes. In other words, Ebola doesn't spread by just being in proximity with someone infected. It's not like the flu. As mentioned above, there has to be direct contact with the bodily fluids. In recent times, most of the cases reported have occurred in people who were nursing their infected family members and also those who prepared an EVD infected dead body for burial.

Signs and symptoms

At first, Ebola may feel like normal flu or any illness. But symptoms begin to appear few days after getting infected. These symptoms include fever, joints and muscle pain, acute weakness, stomach pain, lack of appetite, sore throat and headache.

As the situation aggravates and the Ebola infection worsens; the patient begins to experience diarrhea, vomiting, impaired liver function, rashes and worse of all internal and external bleeding.

Some patients may also experience red eyes, chest pain, hiccups, trouble in breathing and swallowing.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Several tests are conducted to diagnose Ebola such as serum neutralization test, antigen detection test, electron microscopy and so on. There is no vaccine available to cure Ebola virus. Infected patients generally experience dehydration often. They require intensive care and need to be given oral rehydration solutions (ORS) containing electrolytes that helps treat dehydration in EVD patients.

Hope of Vaccine

There is no proven vaccine to cure Ebola. But many doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine have been developed at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Canada. The WHO has approved using the untested vaccine, calling it ethical to use it at such times.

As Dr. Marie-PauleKieny, an assistant director-general at WHO said in a press conference, "If there are drugs that can save lives... shouldn't we use them to save lives?" But she added, "(It is) very important to not give false hope to anybody that Ebola can be treated now. This is absolutely not the case."

Preventive Measures

Prevention is always better than cure. During the break out of epidemics, it becomes all the more necessary to take preventive measures seriously. The WHO has urged for strong measures to be taken to curb the outbreak, else the virus can spread from Africa to other regions as well.

Restricting the movement of Ebola infected animals from farms to other areas may help curb the spread of the virus.

Avoid getting in close contact with EVD infected patients. Take good care of patients or any infected member of family but make sure you use gloves and other protective equipment so that you end up getting infected with Ebola. Wash your hands after visiting patients in hospital.

Taking precautions with air purifiers

Ebola is a warning sign of the delicate state of Africa's health and sanitation systems that have seen slow development due to chronic poverty, illiteracy, neglect, ignorance about health measures afflicting the region. As result, the fragile health system is unable to cope up adequately with epidemic outbreaks. The hospitals and health workers are under-equipped and under-staffed to handle such emergencies.

Though the Ebola virus is not airborne or does not spread through water either, the outbreak of the epidemic does reiterate the need to keep our environment safe and healthy and to take adequate precautionary measures.

Airborne pathogens or allergens often cause inflammation in the nose, throat, sinuses and the lungs. These airborne pollutants could be viruses, bacteria, pollen, dust mites, smoke, and molds that affect health and weaken immune system.Many common infections can spread by airborne transmission at least in some cases including Anthrax (inhalational), Chickenpox, Influenza, Measles, Smallpox and Tuberculosis.Personal air purifiers emit healthy negative ions that help remove airborne pollutants away from your personal space providing you with cleaner and healthier air.

Air purifiers act as a preventive guard against airborne pathogens. Whether you are going to the supermarket or traveling; use travel air purifier to keep yourself safe from any virus or pollutants.

Troy recognizes the importance of creating a healthier zone of clean air whether at home, traveling, in hospitals or in poor air quality environments. He writes about the preventative measures one can take by using personal air purifiers and home cleaning appliances to breathe cleaner, healthier air free of airborne pollutants everywhere you go.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Troy_A_Anderson

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8695686

Club Drug Rehab Becomes Priceless - A Composite Life Story By Robin Mackey

Going out to a club for the first time and getting high, dancing to great music and finding a place that has so many beautiful girls that want to dance and talk with me. Fantastic.
Finding out who the regulars are, which girls are new to it, who sells the best stuff, who sells the junk, and realizing that my dreams can come true! Fun/exciting!
Life is good, even if my GPA went from a 3.3 to a 1.6. I feel more confident and am much more experienced then I was six months ago.

Finally finished school, working at a job and I have my own place to live. I finally have the freedom to do whatever I want to do. It is true that some of the people at the clubs are total jerks, they will rip you off in a heartbeat and some are just creepy roofie predators. All they want to do is find naive girls, drug them, put them in their car, and take them to who knows where to do who knows what. Others sell you junk and others well I just always seem to owe them. Hey, what can you do they're connected to the club, gangs, cartels, mob you know what I mean. What can I do about it? I do not want to end up dead. Besides many people there really like me, even the rip-offs and predators.

The only down side is now that I pay my own bills, it is sometimes hard to have enough cash for the clubs. Some nights I can sell a little and turn a profit to get me through. The most fearful sight I ever saw was the blue lights in my rear view mirror. It is amazing how just that one thing (DUI Driving under the influence) affected my life. I lost my license; it added 1 1/2 to 2 hours to commute to work using mass transit. Now I have to depend on my friends and taxis to get to and from the clubs.

In addition, it is so much harder to get a girl to come home with you when you do not have your own car. It can be a little embarrassing explaining to the cab driver that it is all right, I am just taking her home to sleep it off. All I am really thinking about is that any minute she just might tell the cab driver she does not even know who I am and that she does not live at this address. Or maybe she will say to the cab driver "What am I doing here? Please help me!" I guess I just highlighted what I have become, an abuser of both drugs and women. Now that I look back on it, the club drug lifestyle has lead to a long chain of embarrassing, self centered, stupid and mean acts.

Public urination, hey, it is not as if I have a prostate problem or overactive bladder, I was completely oblivious, not a clue where and what I was doing.
Vomiting on the dance floor, public toilets, alley, out the car window (messy and smelly), learning my lesson and opening the car door to vomit. It is not that I can remember all of my hurling episodes; it is simply that people have told me days and months later about them (what a rep).
Getting into a fight because I sold some bad stuff.
Having relapses of guilt because I might have been the one to sell my friend some ketamine the night he was killed driving home.

Having a girl tell me that I gave her an STD (sexually transmitted disease) which sent me off to the doctor quickly. Then getting the results back that I did not have any STDs. However thinking for those few days that I did have an STD made me realize that the club drug lifestyle, next to prostitution, is probably the surest way to catch an STD.
Almost losing my job because I kept over sleeping, coming to work late, and calling in sick due to the lack of sleep the previous night.

Almost going to jail for possession with intent to sell.
Then there was the constant problem of collecting money from people that owed and getting money to pay those I owed.
Even with this litany of demeaning and dangerous behavior, all I could think about was getting high and getting women.

As time went on two things started to happen more frequently. 1) I would get tired and bored with it all and 2) I saw the odds of my life turning very tragic mounting against me. The high was not the same and the women I was with never amounted to anything due to what I had become.
I figured so far I have been very lucky because by now I have not gone to prison, been killed in an accident or murdered by dealers, lost my job or caught STDs. Since it was not the first time I had come to this conclusion I decided to do it the right way. Therefore, I went to a drug rehabilitation center. There they had the people I could relate to who had the answers and the resources to change my lifestyle so I would not fall back into the vicious club drug lifestyle cycle again.

At first, it was the fear of going back to my old ways that keep me on the straight and narrow but once I started feeling comfortable with my new life, I started to become interested in new things and new people. With help and some resources, I could have a very satisfying and happy life. But that is not what made the club drug rehabilitation priceless. That came later on. When I met the love of my life and learned when two people give to each other selflessly the desire for each other grows and grows incredibly strong. I have had children who have been thoughtful of others, made the right decisions, worked very hard, and become successful. While there are other things that fill my life, it is my family that has made me see that the club drug rehab was priceless.

Transitions Recovery at http://www.drug-rehabcenter.com 

How To Prevent Alcohol And Drug Addiction By David Richards

Drug addiction is a serious disorder. If not treated, it can lead to crises like loss of employment, living quarters and important relationships. And as if this weren't enough, this kind of addiction can cause illness and even death. Drug addiction is multi-layered and has a variety of causes as well as contributing factors. With the knowledge we have today, Simplistic anti-drug campaigns, such as the "Just Say No" program back in the 1980's, and even more complex programs like "War on Drugs" is not very effective. The reason for this is that these campaigns do not address the root causes of drug addiction but battles the symptoms not the causes of drug addiction.

When most people consider a drug addiction problem, their minds go automatically to old movies or TV-series. A junkie trembling on a street corner, selling her own body for her next fix, or a tragic, pale old man lying in a gutter with a needle in his arm, or even a college girl snorting a line of crystal meth in a frat house bathroom during a wild party. These images are powerful indeed, but drug addiction generally creeps up in a slow but determined pace. Months or years are passing, during which time the addicted person is still able to function in a job, maintain a place to live as well as keeping relationships going. A drug or alcohol addiction problem generally passes slowly through several phases. Just because someone you know has not lost everything he or she owns to drugs does not have to mean that he or she does not have a drug addiction problem.

One of the most insidious drug addiction is prescription drug addiction, followed closely by alcohol addiction. Let's face it; we are a nation of pill poppers and alcohol beverage drinkers. Since we were children we learned that if something hurts, we should take a pill to make the pain disappear. We also see that children are being prescribed drugs such as Ritalin in increasing amounts, as parents and doctors smudge the line between active, healthy kids and kids with a true Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). All the time we are bombarded with advertising for pain relievers, sleep medication and a lot of other remedies; prescribed and over the counter. Seen from this point of view, prescription drug addiction is not hard to understand. We hardly question the doctor thoroughly about the risk of dependency on any medication, since using medicine for almost any problem is so widely accepted. It's so easy to take the drug without question and before we know it, we may have developed a prescription drug addiction.

Alcohol addiction is almost as easy to develop for much the same reason. We live in a culture of drinking. We often go out for cocktails after work or drinking beer with friends during a sports event slowly gives way to having one, two, three, even six or eight beers every night. It feels normal to continually re-visit the bar during a night at a pub. Next thing we identify is a full-blown alcohol drug addiction.

How harsh (or maybe great) it may sound, you are the only person that can prevent alcohol or drug addiction, due to the choices or decisions you make. Although addiction is classified as a disease, it may well be one of the few diseases that people choose to get. Each drug or alcohol addicted person started their life as an addict by making a choice. You are free to make the same choice or you can choose to not allow drug addiction to be your disease. It's your choice and whether you like it or not, it is the price you have to pay for being a human with a free will.addiction a seat in your life. It's up to you.

David Richards is a publisher of facts about alcoholism. You can go to alcoholism treatments for more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Richards

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/757465

Dangerous Club Drugs - Why You Need to Protect Your Teenagers From Their Dangers By Richard Hamon

Club drugs are a group of popular drugs often found at parties and dances. One of the most common and dangerous club drugs is Ecstacy (MDMA). It is both an hallucinogen and a stimulant.

An hallucinogen can cause a variety of hallucinations, and affect thinking and sensory perception. A stimulant speeds up the central nervous system.

Other club drugs include Herbal Ecstacy, Ketamine, Rohypnol and GHB.

Dangerous?

Rohypnol and GHB (date rape drugs), and a few other drugs, are sometimes slipped into an unsuspecting person's drink, which makes the person drowsy or sleepy and mentally confused. The person becomes an easy target for kidnapping, sexual violence or robbery.

Club drugs are indeed dangerous -- far more dangerous than some may realize. They can cause death, or trigger a series of harmful health conditions, from seizure and heart attack to coma.

Your children can get into serious legal trouble by using these drugs, and they may become dependent upon them.

So never let your kids labor under the popular misconception that they are safe.

Reasons Kids Use Club Drugs

Kids may use drugs to gain social status and approval, release tension and have fun, avoid responsibilities and find the courage to face their problems.

Some may use these to commit a crime, putting a "date rape" drug in someone's drink, for example.

Safety

Adolescents often make the mistake of believing club drugs are not dangerous. They may think of them as innocent party drugs. And since they are widely used by their friends and people they trust, they appear to be quite safe.

Adolescents are still growing and developing, and they often do not make sound decisions when it comes to drugs and other potential hazards in their lives. And they believe myths about the safety of these and other drugs.

It's hard to know the effect of a drug on a person, since each may respond to a drug's chemical properties in a somewhat different way. Plus, your teenager cannot know what other ingredients are mixed in with ones they are taking. And there is no way of knowing how much of the club drug is present in the mixture.

Therefore, the effects of these drugs are unpredictable.

Tips

1. Take club drugs seriously

2. Talk to your teenager about the dangers of these drugs

3. If you need more accurate information, take time to learn more about these dangerous drugs before talking to your teen about them.

4. Use specific and accurate language when discussing these drugs with your kids so they realize you know what you are talking about. Otherwise, they may dismiss your ideas as mistaken and old hat.

Richard Hamon is a dynamic coach and therapist with 30 years of professional experience. Richard helps people to solve their relationship problems, enjoy truly extraordinary marriages and find exceptional success in all areas of their lives.

You'll find all kinds of articles on how to spice up your relationships and lead a happier life at Richard's website, Happy-Relationships.com. Find out about personal coaching programs to assist you in quickly reaching your loftiest goals. Discover eBooks, relaxation CDs and other informative products, such as a free relationship quiz to help you assess your relationship.

For more information on conducting state-of-the-art relationships, the latest research on true happiness, and Richard's products and services, please go to: http://happy-relationships.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Hamon

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/954911