Key Ways to Recover Addiction - Addiction Recovery/ Rehabilitation Center Chicago

Addiction can seem like such an impossible obstacle to overcome. The road to sobriety is not easy, but with the right support you can turn your life around. Trying and failing is a part of recovery and no matter how many times you may try and fail, do not give up. You will endure setbacks, , but in the face of all that struggle, it’s important to maintain a positive mentality. The benefits that you stand to gain by persevering and staying true to your course will be worth it. By recognizing that there is a need for change, you are already on the right track.

To fully overcome your addiction, observing the following basic principles is paramount.

1. Resolve to make a change

For many people struggling with addiction, deciding to quit is the hardest task. This is the initial step towards being drug and alcoholfree. Not only does it involve abstinence, but it also requires adjusting your daily activities. It’s important to know why you are quitting to avoid backsliding. Consider the important things in your life and analyze how your continued use affects them. It would also help to make a personal list outlining the negative impacts addiction has on you. Ask yourself why you drink or use drugs and start addressing those issues immediately after you quit.

2. Do not go it alone

After resolving to quit, reach out to friends and family and inform them of your decision. Incorporating your close friends and family in your recovery process will help minimize the risk of relapsing. Joining a support group is advisable, as it will allow you to interact and share with people going through the same situation. You can also reach out to friends or form new circles by joining a church or volunteering in local community organizations.

3. Master your cravings

You will need to understand that cravings are a part of the recovery process. This signifies that your body is readjusting and should you persevere, the cravings will slowly diminish. To keep cravings at bay, it’s advisable you engage in distracting activities. Understand that giving in to these cravings will only serve to drive you back to drug or alcohol dependency. Sustained abstinence is the best way to break the circuit. Avoid triggers such as old drinking buddies and bars.

4. Opt for treatment

This should be the last option, since it can only serve to augment your decision to quit. However, in some cases, it is the most important step towards rehabilitation. Consult a professional to help you settle for a treatment that will be able to address your specific problems. A good treatment will not only address your addiction, but should also provide insights for all the affected areas of your life. These insights can range from overall body health to career and relationships. The level of your addiction will form the baseline in determining the kind of treatment you require. The available treatment options are varied and range from medical detox to professional counseling.

Read More: http://chicagolandmedical.com/services/addiction-recovery/

They key to overcoming addiction and fully recovering is to keep on trying. Do not give in and let drugs lower your quality of your life. 

Culture Gap Can Make Diabetes Diet Harder

A recent article posted on NDTV says that "Patients with diabetes must work hard every day to count the carbs they consume, to avoid dangerous spikes or dips in blood sugar."

Learning how to do it can be close to impossible, though, when language and cultural barriers make it difficult for doctors to understand what patients typically eat, a case report in Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology suggests.

"Carbohydrate counting is critical for accurate management of diabetes," said co-author Dr. Sumana Narasimhan, a pediatric endocrinologist at Cleveland Clinic Children's in Ohio.

"If we don't fix this problem, families of children with diabetes from non-western cultures may continue to guess the carbohydrate count of their ethnic foods, resulting in inaccurate insulin dosing and poorly controlled diabetes," Narasimhan added by email. "The risk of diabetes complications is higher when diabetes is not managed properly."

The case report involved a child recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition usually diagnosed in children or young adults. With this condition, the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone needed to allow blood sugar, or glucose, to enter cells and produce energy.

People with type 1 diabetes typically have to test their own blood sugar levels throughout the day and inject insulin to manage them. Getting the insulin dose right requires patients to count carbs correctly.

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In this case, the child's mother asked doctors how to count carbs for the traditional Middle Eastern foods she prepared at home.

Doctors found some pamphlets and online resources for following a diabetes diet that were translated into Arabic. But the information was still mostly based on a typical Western or European diet, not on traditional foods like tabbouleh, hareeseh and chicken shawarma that are more common in a typical Middle Eastern diet.

While doctors did eventually find some resources in Arabic based on nutrients common in Middle Eastern diets, it was still difficult to calculate the carbohydrates in an entire meal.

While this is just one case, the patient's experience suggests a need for culturally appropriate food lists and nutrition information in multiple languages, Narasimhan and co-author Dr. Hamza Nasir of Dow University of Health Sciences in Karachi, Pakistan, conclude.

Because type 1 diabetes so often affects kids, the burden of managing their disease falls to parents, often the mothers who prepare their meals, Nasir said by email.

"When this mother asked us about carb content in traditional Arab foods, we were a bit puzzled as the usual patient information pamphlets do not carry this information," Nasir said.

What this mother experienced speaks to a larger problem people from other cultures may encounter when they seek treatment in the U.S., said Dr. Brigid Gregg, a researcher at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

"I do think there is a broader problem understanding the nutrient content of certain home cooked ethnic foods as well as home cooked foods in general," Gregg, who wasn't involved in the case report, said by email.

"This makes accurate carbohydrate counting difficult and may have the unfortunate effect of encouraging the use of prepackaged foods for better dosing accuracy," Gregg added. "Families generally feel more peace of mind when they know the exact carbohydrate count of the foods they are giving their family member with diabetes, and there is a great deal of certainty with food that comes with a label."

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/health/culture-gap-can-make-diabetes-diet-harder-1443612

Three exercises that can relieve your back pain

Back pain is one of the most common types of muscle pain. It affects millions of people each year. It is often caused by heavy lifting, musculoskeletal disorders and a sedentary lifestyle (spending most of your time seated and inactive). If you are experiencing back pain, you can depend on exercise to give you relief.

Exercise is a great way to strengthen your muscles. Before beginning any exercise, there a few

things you should know.

- Wear comfortable clothes.
- Don’t force the body to do more than it is able to do. Exercise should not be painful.
- Slowly ease into the exercises. Don’t start suddenly. Sudden movements can actually tear the muscle.
- Practice on a flat, clean surface and one large enough to accommodate movement.
- Hold your stretch or pose to allow your muscles and joints to become loose.

Here are three forms of exercise that can help you if you have back pain:

Stretching

Studies have shown that stretching helps to reduce symptoms of back pain as well as prevent further injury.

Many back pain patients suffer from tension in the back and stiffness in the morning. Doing some stretches in the morning can help reduce back pain, decrease discomfort and bring back flexibility.
You can start with a simple stretch by lying down on your belly, keeping your legs slightly bent at the knees. Your hips and knees should touch the ground. Lift your elbows above the ground so that your hands will float. While staying in this position, pull your shoulders up and lift your chest off the ground. Keep this position for 20 to 30 seconds then slowly go back to the starting position. Remember to keep your breathing relaxed and not to push yourself too hard.

Yoga

Yoga is a great exercise that mixes stretching and balance at the same time.
There are plenty of yoga poses for back pain, but one of the easiest poses for beginners is called the child pose. To start, you sit in a kneeling position and lower your bottom to your heels. Stretch the rest of your body forward and bend down. When you are comfortable, rest your arms on the floor alongside you and rest your head on the mat. This position will stretch your arms to your shoulders, your spine to your buttocks.

Pilates

Pilates improves strength, flexibility and the suppleness of the muscles. Pilates exercises enhance muscle endurance and that contributes to decreasing back pain. You can try out this simple exercise. Lie down on your back and rest your arms alongside your body. Keep your knees slightly bent and your legs hip-width apart. Remember to flatten your spine to the mat and keep your stomach flat. Then you can lift your hips up and tuck them toward your rib cage. You can feel your back pushing on the mat. Hold this position for 5 seconds and then release.
Exercises can only help if you do them regularly and follow through. Do not give up half way and do not overwork your back. If you want to know which exercise is suitable for you, you should consult with your doctor. (kes)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2016/08/11/three-exercises-that-can-relieve-your-back-pain.html

Relive your back pain with Physiotherapy: http://chicagolandmedical.com/services/physical-therapy/

Diet Doc's Medical Weight Loss Program Adds a Much-Needed Weight Loss Component to the Gluten-Free Diet

The demand for gluten-free products has exploded recently making the Google search term, "gluten-free diet" one of the most popular searches over the past decade. Gluten is a protein which is found in certain grains such as, wheat, rye and barley. It has been used in a variety of pastas, breads, cereals and other processed foods to ensure that they maintain their shape. According to Celiac.org, gluten acts as a trigger for those who are prone to having the autoimmune disorder, celiac disease, though it is primarily hereditary. Celiac disease may lead to a host of other inflammatory, gluten-related conditions which may stem from gluten sensitivity or wheat allergies.

Those who partake in gluten free dieting tend to do so more to prevent gastrointestinal, inflammatory weight loss. The health claims for gluten-free eating are numerous and are known to combat such common symptoms as: migraines, chronic fatigue, bloating, gas and diarrhea. Gluten-free dieting has also been shown to prevent diseases such as diabetes, MS and chronic dermatitis. However, when it comes to weight loss, Diet Doc -- a medical weight loss program, along with the majority of clinical researchers finds that no published experimental evidence exists which links gluten-free dieting to any actual weight loss benefits. In fact, those participating in a gluten-free diet may be more likely to gain weight due to the enhanced absorption of nutrients associated with the healing of intestinal lining while following a gluten-free diet.

diseases than for pure

Fortunately, Diet Doc offers gluten-free diet plans which are customized to ensure that each patient's nutritional needs and weight loss goals are met. This is accomplished through the use of weight loss supplements, nutrient-rich meals and powerful fat burners which result in increased success with gluten-free dieting due to the elimination of frustrating side effects such as, hunger pangs and food cravings which can result from sudden changes in diet.

New Diet Doc patients can call or easily and effortlessly visit https://www.dietdoc.com to complete an initial comprehensive, yet simple, health questionnaire and schedule an immediate personal, no-cost consultation. Diet Doc Physicians all received specialized training in nutritional science and fast weight loss. Diet Doc reviews each patient's health history to create a personalized diet plan geared for fast weight loss, or that addresses life-long issues causing weight loss to slow down or stop. Nutritionists work personally with each patient and use their own algorithm to craft meal and snack plans that are compatible with each patient's age, gender, activity level, food preferences, nutritional needs and medical conditions. They combine these state of the art diet plans with pure, prescription diet products that enable their patients to resist the temptation to reach for sugary snacks, eliminate fatigue and curb the appetite. Over 97% of Diet Doc patients report incredible weight loss results with the majority losing 20 or more pounds per month.

At Diet Doc, all patients gain unlimited access to the best minds in the business. Their staff of doctors, nurses, nutritionists and coaches are available 6 days per week to answer questions, offer suggestions, address concerns and lend their professional guidance and support. Because of this, more and more people are turning to Diet Doc for their weight management needs. Diet plans are tailored to be specific to the needs of those of any age, gender, shape or size and for those who are struggling to lose that final 10-20 pounds to those who must lose 100 pounds or more. Call today to request a private, confidential, no-cost online consultation.

Source: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/diet-docs-medical-weight-loss-program-adds-much-needed-weight-loss-component-gluten-2146484.htm

Weight loss program in Chicago: http://chicagolandmedical.com/services/medical-weight-loss/