Finding Rehab for Family MembersWritten by David Westbrook
Having worked on an alcohol and drug treatment referral line over several years, and having answered thousands of calls over those years, I know that family members are frequently first ones to realize that an addict or alcoholic is in need of help. Every family member who realizes this and seeks treatment for a loved one wants treatment to work. Research has shown that there are several key considerations that need to be taken into account for treatment to work most effectively. •Supervised withdrawal is only first step and by itself will do little to solve problem Withdrawing from drugs and alcohol can be dangerous. In fact about 1 in 10 alcoholics who attempt to withdrawal off alcohol without medical supervision actually end up dying. Therefore a medically supervised detox center is frequently a necessary first step in treatment. However, some people confuse this short 3 to 7 day period with treatment, which it is not. If you are looking for treatment for someone make sure that you don’t stop once you’ve found them a place to detox. The best situation is for person to go directly from detox to rehab. •What works for one family members treatment may not work for another’s Because there is a genetic component to addiction family members who are helping a loved one in to treatment have often experienced treatment themselves. One common mistake is to assume that what worked for you or person’s uncle will work for them. This simply is not true. The ultimate success of each individual entering treatment depends on finding right treatment setting and methods for individual, and everyone’s needs are different. •Find treatment centers that deal with more than just addiction Drug addiction is a multidimensional problem, and treatment needs to address all of an individual’s needs. Good treatment must address individual's drug use, but it should also attend to any associated medical, psychological, social, vocational, or legal problems. •Don’t settle for any program that doesn’t include therapy Many alcoholics and addicts mistakenly believe that if they could just stop using for a week or two they could stop using forever. In reality, counseling (individual and/or group) is a critical part of every effective addiction treatment episode. In therapy, addicts, build skills to resist drug use, replace drug-using activities with constructive and rewarding nondrug-using activities, examine their motivations for using drugs and improve problem-solving abilities. Additionally, therapy helps individuals to rebuild and re-learn family and social living patterns. •Drug testing during treatment is important Don’t be fooled that just because you get a loved one into treatment means that they are suddenly safe from drugs. Drugs are brought into treatment centers all time putting those seeking recovery at risk of relapse. This means that every individual in treatment should be monitored for drug treatment on an ongoing basis. In this manner treatment, plans may be modified to increase chance of ultimate success.
| | Common Health Disorders and their Dietary SolutionsWritten by Weight-Control-Services.com
Depending upon individual health concerns and issues, food choices can affect body and mental health. To focus on improving and strengthening your overall health and well being, here are common health concerns for both genders listed in alphabetical order and foods that would work best in individual perfect dietary planning. For more details, check with your own healthcare providers and refer to, “Doctor, What Should I Eat?” by Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D. (Warner Books, Inc., 1995). ACNE – To help fight acne problems, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and cereals. Lay low on sweets (especially chocolate), fried foods, fats, carbonated beverages, nuts / peanut butter and dairy products. AGING – Watch intake of foods high in caloric content. Focus on complex carbohydrates, calcium to fight off osteoporosis and minimize fat and protein consumption. Men on average over age 50 only need around 63 grams of protein a day; women need 50 grams. Calorie-wise, men need to decrease overall daily calorie totals by about 600; women 300 calories per day. AIRSICKNESS – Put nutmeg under your tongue. ALLERGIES – Drink infusion of wild thyme, take garlic capsules or chew peeled garlic cloves, or drink mineral salt teas like sage tea or nettle tea. And for seasonal allergies, lay low on breads (especially white), rice and pasta. ANXIETY – The old standby cup of warm milk and honey sooths jagged nerves. Mix in a little cinnamon and/or nutmeg. Chamomile and Valerian teas are helpful, too. ARTHRITIS – Garlic capsules and peeled garlic can help here. So can fish oil capsules and fish each day in your dietary planning. And drinking a glass of water a few times each day with a small amounts of apple cider vinegar and honey added are beneficial. Lemonade without sugar helps with rheumatic arthritis. Other aids: wild thyme, celery seed and honeysuckle teas and primrose leaves added to salads. ASTHMA – Some foods to help are hot chili peppers, fresh garlic, onions, chili, water with Tabasco sauce, coffee (regular, not decaffeinated). Seafoods that are helpful include crab, clams, shellfish, oysters, mussels, salmon, sardines, mackerel and haddock. Grandmas chicken soup works wonders, too. Carbohydrates and fruits need to especially be included in diet. And frozen yogurt, graham crackers and fruit juices are good snacks. BAD BREATH – Brushing teeth with baking soda and water can help eliminate bad breath. Chewing parsley, mint leaves or dill seeds after eating helps, too. CANCER – Lay low on fats. Eat plenty of yellow and green vegetables and fruits (for vitamin C and beta carotene); spinach, winter squash, peaches, cantaloupe, apricots, broccoli, tomatoes, yams, carrots, cabbage, brussels sprouts. Choose low-fat dairy products, leaner meats, plenty of water and high-fiber foods like whole-grain flours and breads. Include macaroni, chickpeas, popcorn, baked potato, pita bread, brown rice. For specific cancers and food choices to target for them, refer to, “Doctor What Should I eat?” by Isadore Rosenfeld, MD. (Warner Books, Inc., 1995). CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME – Foods with vitamin B6 can help; oatmeal, sunflower seeds, liver, wheat germ, bananas, rice bran, meat, fish, chicken, avocados. And eat foods with vitamin B12; fish, liver, eggs, cheese, muscle meats and shellfish. CATARACTS – Eat plenty of vitamin C; fruits and fruit juices, leafy green vegetables. Also add small amounts of vitamin A foods; milk, eggs, liver; and beta-carotenes; orange, yellow and red fruits and vegetables. CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME – Add some extra protein; skinless chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, fresh vegetables and fruits and low-fat dairy products. Eat complex carbs like potatoes, pasta and whole grains. Natural fish sources are also good choices; tuna, salmon, whitefish, mackerel, herring, anchovies, bluefish.
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