Types of Drug Interactions

There are people with medical conditions who take more than one medicine at a time. Some people see more than one doctor for different reasons. Still, even with the substantiated proof on the efficacy of Western medicine, many still choose to take herbal supplements for health maintenance. It is to the patient’s advantage as well as the doctors to be aware of all the medicines and supplements that are being taken in order to avoid possible negative effects of drug interactions. Below are 3 classifications of drug interactions.

1. Drug-Drug Interactions ? is experienced when two or more medicines react with each other resulting in unwelcome side effects. Taking a sedative or sleeping pill together with anti- allergy drug or antihistamine can slow down one’s reactions making car driving or operating machineries too risky.

2. Drug-Food/Beverage Interactions ? occur when drugs react with foods or beverages. For example, mixing alcohol with some drugs may cause a feeling of fatigue or slow your reactions.

3. Drug-Condition Interactions ? may happen when an existing medical condition makes certain drugs potentially harmful. An example of this is when someone has high blood pressure, there could be an experience of adverse reaction if you take a nasal decongestant.

Effects of Drug Interactions

The effects of drug interactions may be as mild as making your drug less effective, or it can cause unexpected side effects such as allergies, palpitations or dizziness. It can also increase the action of a particular drug which can be detrimental to the health condition of the patient. As safety precaution, it is important that one should read the label of non-prescription or prescription drugs and should learn about drug interactions which may be critical to your health and can reduce the risk of potentially harmful interactions and its side effects.

Herbal Remedies

There is a growing number of alternative therapies such as herbal products and other supplements that are currently enjoying widespread acceptance in the United States. However, users seldom inform their physicians about it. People should be aware that these herbal products are not tested with the scientific rigor required of conventional drugs, and they are not subject to the approval process of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hence, herbal products are not supposed to be marketed for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. However, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 enables these products to include in the labels statements about their alleged effects on the human body such as alleviation of fatigue or how they can help in promoting the general well-being of a person such as mood enhancement. These declared effects of herbal products have been analyzed and are proven to resemble claims of clinical efficacy for various diseases and conditions.
Morever, unlike conventional drugs, herbal products are not being regulated for purity and potency. This is the reason why some of the adverse effects and drug interactions reported for herbal products are attributed to such impurities such as allergens, pollen and spores. In addition, the more potent the herbal product is, the greater the possibility of its adverse effects.

Over-The-Counter Drugs

Over-the-counter medicine labels usually contain about ingredients, uses, warnings and directions that is important to read and understand including vital information about possible drug interactions. In addition, drug labels may change as recent developments about the drug are discovered. That is why it is of great significance that labels are read every time you use a drug.

Safety Precautions

Consult with your health care professionals about the medicines and supplements you take. Every time your physician would give a new prescription, be sure to discuss all OTC and prescription drugs, dietary supplements, vitamins, botanicals, minerals and herbal supplements you take including the food that you eat. See to it that whenever you buy medicines from the pharmacy, the package insert for each prescription drug is included for it will provide you with more information about potential drug interactions.

One way to keep your body healthy and alive is to perform a dual action cleanse. This is to clean and purify the inside of your body. We all take care of the outside of our bodies to ensure a good appearance, however it is important to take care of our internal organs as well. This are what we use a dual action cleanse for and it is worth trying.

Waste in the body will come from eating the wrong things and using the wrong items. When people smoke or drink too much, this will eventually build up in their bodies. Stress can also add to the toxins in our bodies and we have to have a way to release these things from our bodies.

There are many ways to get a dual action cleanse. You can go to the doctor and have one performed with a tube and chemicals. Another way is to use vitamins everyday to cleanse your body from the inside out. These pills can be used for anyone that is in good health and has no major medical conditions.

Dual action cleanse is an all-natural and safe way to clean your colon. It will improve your health and make you feel more vibrant. This system will maximize a person bowl movements and assist them in cleansing the vital organs and lymphatic system as well. There are many products on the market now to do this work, and you should do your research on each one. You need to make sure that you are getting the best product for your body that will help you in the most efficient way.

Using this form of dual action cleanse will give you more energy. They will make you feel better about yourself and how you feel on a daily basis. You can get the energy back that you once had by getting rid of the bad toxins that can destroy your body. Everyone gets these toxins no matter how well he or she eat and how much they exercise. You may start to feel bloated and have less energy when you are full of bad toxins. When you are full of the bad, you may not be as productive in life as you want to be.

You will also loose some weight when you use the dual action cleanse system. You will loose the weight of the waste that is in your body. Getting rid of the bad is going to make your body feel better and a lot less bloated. You will also be supporting good colon health when you choose to do a dual action cleanse for your body.

When you are feeling better and your internal organs are cleansed by the dual action cleanse system, you will notice a change in the way that you can function on a regular basis. There is no better feeling for your body than to eliminate all of the waste that is built up in our bodies.

For more info visit: http://freefromtoxins.com/detoxMe

One way to keep your body healthy and alive is to perform a dual action cleanse. This is to clean and purify the inside of your body. We all take care of the outside of our bodies to ensure a good appearance, however it is important to take care of our internal organs as well. This are what we use a dual action cleanse for and it is worth trying.

Many people are not feeling good and the way that they should. They will spend a lot of money on going to the doctor and getting many prescriptions to make them feel better. After all the money is spent and there is still no reason for their lack of energy or bloated feeling, you may want to try the dual action cleanse. This is going to be the best way for anyone to rid themselves of the toxins and put a better feeling inside their body.

You cannot only cleanse your body and feel better; you will also start to loose weight. By getting rid of all the waste that is inside our body, we will see the pounds start to drop one by one and we will start to feel healthy and better about our bodies. Looking good and loosing weight is just a few of the benefits of the dual action cleanse.

Getting your colon and the rest of your vital organs in shape is the one way to ensure a healthier way of living. This is something that anyone can do and it is never to late to start. Once you try it, you will want to use the dual action cleanse every year to remain healthy and to have the energy and the power that you have always wanted to have for your life.

It is easy to start and you do not have to worry about going to the doctor and having a surgical procedure done. You can simply order the dual action cleanse tablets online and within a few days you will have what you need to start the best cleanse of your life. You will feel better almost immediately and you will want to share your secret with your friends and family as well.

For more info visit: http://freefromtoxins.com/detoxMe

There are two types of dependency ? physical and psychological. Physical dependency on a substance is defined by the appearance of characteristic withdrawal symptoms when the drug is suddenly discontinued. Opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, alcohol and nicotine are well known addictive drugs known for their ability to induce physical dependence. Cortisone, beta-blockers and most antidepressants are examples of similar such drugs, but they are not addictive. Some highly addictive drugs, such as cocaine, induce little physical dependence too. The main characteristic of an addictive drug is its ability to induce euphoria while causing harm.

The dependency of the mind leads to psychological withdrawal symptoms. Eating disorders are sometimes considered as psychological disorders and are sometimes treated as addictions. Withdrawal symptoms faced when the diet is altered suggests that food substances like chocolate, caffeine and sugar have the potential for addiction. Nicotine is considered to be the most addictive substance in the world.

Anxiolytics are used to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal in people with chemical dependency. In chronic opiate addiction, a surrogate drug such as methadone is offered. There are various models to treat dependency like the opponent-process model, the disease model, the genetic model, the cultural model, and the blended model. The term addiction is sometimes used loosely rather than as a medical classification. Endorphins are released as a result of pleasurable activity. This endorphin rush can become addictive. Opioids pose extreme risk of dependency because they are chemically similar to endorphins. Cocaine and amphetamines also pose risks associated with physical attenuation by increasing the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which acts indirectly to stimulate dopaminergic pathways in the brain.

Craving is the incredible desire an addict or alcoholic still feels for the substance. It takes often days, months or even years for recovery. It could be directly related to the long term changes in brain functioning. Relapse triggers can create powerful emotional and physical responses that can lead up to incredible urges to use drugs and alcohol again. It may result in the addict feeling angry, lonely, depressed or in self pity. Thus it becomes essential for individuals early into drugs to change their habit and different aspects of life.

When substance abuse is stop, there are several withdrawal symptoms that occur, ranging from mild to severe, depending on the individual and the substance. Withdrawal from a chemical may be done at home or in a hospital, but should always been done under medical supervision, as detoxification from a chemical is always dangerous. Many individual might want to take the drug just one last time in order to cease the pain of withdrawal. However, it is after detoxification is complete and problems in the persons life trigger cravings that there is a real risk for relapse. There are many programs for the newly clean drug addict that offer support and counseling in the process of long term recovery.

If you have a friend or family member who has a problem with addiction, you should talk to them, and ask them if they want help. It is important to specialize the process of recovery to the specific needs of you’re the individual. You should also be a positive role model for your loved one. Encourage activities that do not put the person in a situation where they would be around drugs or alcohol. You should always be supportive and caring, although you might be frustrated at times. After your loved one has become clean, remember they need all the love they can get so they don’t go looking for it in self-medication.

Please check this for more information on proper diet after recovery.

Allan’s symptoms sound familiar to many of you who have availed every possible treatment but with no improvement and you are feeling curious to know what a dual action cleanse is all about. Well then, let us come directly to the point.

Dual action cleanse refers to a two-part cleansing program that is specially formulated to facilitate maximum amount of elimination of body’s wastes. The uniqueness of the system lies in the fact that in its attempt to optimize the size of the eliminated waste, it does not cause loose stools or pain due to over contraction of colon. It works for a good bowel movements and thus keeps the entire body and other vital organs and lymphatic system free of toxins.

In addition to getting rid of the typical symptoms of colon dysfunctions like constipation and diarrhea, you get several other benefits by using dual action cleanse. First of all you will feel more energetic because of the elimination of toxins from your body. Then you will feel lighter, as a result of the elimination of wastes from your system. Another advantage of dual action cleanse is that you will stop feeling bloated. It cleanses your entire body and thus the health of the vital organs like kidney, liver and colon considerably improves.

The dual action cleanser formula comes with two types of supplements: one meant to act for purifying the whole body and the second is to cleanse the colon.

The first is composed of 33 powerful cleansing herbs including Hawthorne Berry, Licorice, Milk Thistle and so on. All these herbs work to improve the functioning of 29 specific body parts by supplying anti-oxidants and releasing free radicals and toxins trapped in the body and help your system to absorb maximum essential vitamins and minerals.

The colon clear formula comprises a blend of 22 fibers and herbs like Psyllium, Alfalfa, Pan D’Arco, Oat Bran, and Lactobacillus Acidophilus, that stimulates peristaltic action of colon resulting in 2-3 bowel movements per day and your digestive function also improves.

The natural herbal formula of dual action cleanse has changed the lives of thousands of men and women. Incorporate the system in your life as well and see the difference; you will get a body that is clean from inside and a renewed energy level to face the world in a more positive way.

For more information about cleansing, please refer to http://freefromtoxins.com/detoxMe

You can heal insomnia naturally without resorting to sleeping pills by developing these simple habits:

Basic Sleep Hygiene:

- Exercise at night.Insomnia is often caused by too much stress. Doing exercise at night makes blood to flow in our brain and body. This in turn makes us calm and stress free.

- Temperature reduction and optimisation. A slight lowering of body temperature which occurs at night plays a very important role in modulating the chemical signals which induce sleep. While trying to fall asleep in bed always take steps to achieve a comfortable temperature as being too hot or too cold can inhibit sleep. If you are bothered by cold feet in the night, or wake up in the night feeling cold, wear socks to bed. The average optimum temperature for quality sleep is 19 degrees, although this may vary from person to person.

- Read books not TV watches.Read books, magazines or anything that interests an insomniac instead of watching television. Television enhances attention, which makes a person awake. Reading on the other hand while in bed causes the eye to get tired and creates a sleepy feeling.

- Use organic cotton bedding. Permanent press bedding can give off low-grade chemical fumes while you sleep. Your body can deplete nutrients such as zinc and magnesium trying to detoxify these types of chemicals.

- Take a Warm Bath. It is a great way to relax your body. Do not overdo it, however. You merely want to relax your body, not exhaust it. Too long in hot water and your body is drained of vitality. Use bath salts, or throw in Epsom salts and baking soda-one cup of each. These will relax you and help remove toxins from your body. – Bright light therapy and nighttime light minimisation. When we wake up in the morning light hits our eyes and send a signal to the pineal gland in our brain, which is a major regulator of sleep in the body. This signal regulates our circadian rhythm (‘body clock’). This process can be utilised to improve sleep and is especially useful in individuals with abnormal circadian rhythms.

- Avoid napping. Napping can only make matters worse if you usually have problems falling asleep. If you do nap, keep it short. A brief 15-20-minute snooze about eight hours after you get up in the morning can actually be rejuvenating.

General diet:

- Avoid alcohol as a sleep help. Alcohol may initially help you fall asleep, but it also causes disturbances in sleep resulting in less restful sleep. An alcohol drink before bedtime may make it more likely that you will wake up during the night.

- Do not drink coffee. As much as possible, a person with insomnia should avoid drinking coffee, sodas, chocolate, cocoa, green tea, black tea or anything that has caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that triggers sleeplessness. It can make someone awake for as long as 20 hours. For some, even drinking a cup of coffee in the morning causes them sleeplessness at night.

- Drink Warm MilkA glass of warm milk 15 minutes before going to bed will soothe your nervous system. Milk contains calcium, which works directly on jagged nerves to make them (and you) relax.

- Drink Herb Tea If you do not like milk-or are avoiding dairy products-try a cup of hot camomile, catnip, and anise or fennel tea. All contain natural ingredients which will help you sleep. Most health food stores will also have special blends of herb tea designed to soothe you and help you get to sleep.

- The root solution for insomnia. There are root extracts that can engender a sleepy state. 300 to 600 mg of concentrated extract should be taken 30 minutes prior to going to bed. This root extract can be mixed with calming herbs like those that chamomile, passionflower and balm made from lemon.

- Do not smoke. Nicotine is a stimulant and can make it difficult to fall asleep andstay asleep. Many over-the-counter and prescription drugs disrupt sleep.

Relaxation techniques:

- Listen to Music. Play some soft, soothing music that will lull you to sleep. There are even cassettes and records designed for that very purpose. Some are especially composed music; others simply have sounds of waves rhythmically breaking, or the steady pattern of a heartbeat.

- Acupuncture. Acupuncture, which is a Chinese healing method, could help to heal insomnia. These needles put into the skin strike nerve transmitters that produce sleep-inducing hormones like serotonin.

- Make Sex – Alone or with Others Sexual activity directly before bed helps some people nod off easily.

- Get a Massage Have your spouse (or whoever) give you a massage just before going to sleep. If you can convince them to give you a full body massage, great. If not, even a short backrub and/or a face and scalp massage can be a big help. Have them make the massage strokes slow, gentle, yet firm, to work the tension out of your muscles and soothe you to sleep.

- Use Aromatherapy Aromatherapy involves the use of scents taken from certain medicinal plants to supposedly heal the body, mind and spirit. Many claim aromatherapy can be used to treat everything from stress to the common cold. Those who suffer from insomnia have difficulty falling asleep and have a hard time staying asleep once they’ve nodded off. This condition may be addressed with aromatherapy.

In the last few decades we have seen the most horrendous crimes committed by crazy people with a drug abuse problem who were too much under the influence to have control over their actions. Many innocent lives have been ruined or lost in school shootings, sexual assaults, and other random acts of violence done by these drug addicts. This is because drugs can strip away inhibition and affect other brain functions, leaving the person in its grip to burst in uncontrollable rages. People who habitually abuse drugs eventually suffer a decline, not only in physical and mental health but also in maintaining their relationships.

Occasionally, the drug addict will agree to go into a rehabilitation facility and undergo a type of group therapy and one on one counseling. But more often than not they will have a relapse after being released. largely because their issues were not adequately addressed during the course of therapy or because they lacked the resolve to remain sober.

There is a popular axiom concerning drug abuse that says we should blame the drugs and not the person. However, it is difficult to keep that kind of impartiality when the drug addict is a loved one. Contrary to popular belief, drug abuse is not just the problem of the person addicted to these substances. Family members are frequently the victims of the violence brought about by these drugs. Children have been abandoned, or worse, sold by parents who needed their next fix. Drug addicts are notorious for saying and doing anything just to be able to purchase drugs. They may turn in desperation to crime or prostitution to earn enough money to pay for the constant drug supply. In time, relatives and other loved ones eventually pull away and give up out of disillusionment.

Having a family member with a drug abuse problem is extremely difficult for all those who care for that person. But it is important to remember that they need your help and support to get through their addiction. Breaking off the relationship may only make them feel worse and sink further into their drug-fueled fantasy world. Group therapy or counseling is often recommended for the victims of drug abuse—the families and friends of the drug addict. This helps them help the addict by being better equipped to understand their motivations and knowing the best way to do an intervention.

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According to substance abuse experts Chris and Pax Prentiss, founders of Passages Malibu, a residential drug rehab, addiction is caused by underlying problems in a person’s life that they are unable to cope with. When someone is unable to cope with their circumstances they sometimes turn towards drugs and alcohol for relief. In essence it is not the drugs that are the problem it is rather the underlying problems that need to be addressed and healed in order to cure the addiction. When the underlying problems are no longer present the person will no longer need the drug.

People who don’t have the individual therapy it takes to become healed will most likely continue taking the drugs.

Tolerance. When you take a habit-forming substance regularly, your body eventually accommodates the substance. You don’t get the same feeling you originally got, or at least not the same strength of feeling. This does not mean that you are getting stronger and can handle the drug. Instead, your body is becoming dependent on the drug. Some people addicted to certain drugs may even die if they stop taking the drug suddenly.
Withdrawal symptoms. Different addictions have different withdrawal symptoms. The list of possible withdrawal symptoms is very long, stretching from watery eyes to delirium and even death, depending on the substance, the length of the addiction, and the user.

In short, if you’re not sure if you’re addicted your best bet may be to ask yourself these three questions:

- Do I get the same experience from the substance I got when I first started on it?
- When I stop taking the substance on a regular basis, do I feel worse, emotionally or physically?
- Is there anything in my life that is causing me pain that I might be self medicating?

If you can answer yes to any of those questions, you are probably addicted.

So, you’re addicted. Now what?

Abstention and the Risk of Relapse

According to Chris and Pax Prentiss, one of the biggest misconceptions about addictions is that they’re a disease. Through years of research they have figured out that addiction is definitely caused by underlying problems in a person’s life that they are self-medicating. The addiction will usually continue if the underlying problems are still present. In order to get sober and stay sober it is of utmost importance that the underlying problems be treated.

Every day, addicts everywhere decide to stop. That is, they abstain. But unfortunately, most of those people will relapse. Why is relapse so common? The Prentisses have a few insights:

Habit. Without realizing, you worked your addiction into the everyday rituals of life.

Dependence. The physical and emotional withdrawal symptoms can be brutal. In some cases of addiction, simply abstaining from a substance suddenly, without medical supervision, may cause the individual serious harm, even death. Yet many addicts who abstain are able to get past the withdrawal symptoms–and still end up relapsing. Why?

Underlying causes. Addictions usually have an underlying cause. There was a reason you took the substance in the first place. Once you are done fighting withdrawal symptoms, you will be back fighting whatever problem led you to addiction in the first place. Finding the underlying cause of your addiction will be the most important step in ending it forever.

Ultimately, then, the hardest part of overcoming an addiction may not be stopping, but not starting again. To do that, you need to find and resolve the underlying problems in your life.

Residential Rehab: Do You Need It?

According to the Prentisses, some people can get over an addiction without a residential drug treatment center. But given the challenges of overcoming an addiction, the support of a residential rehab program is invaluable. Have you tried to end your addiction without residential rehab? It might be what makes the difference this time.

Why Do So Many People Fail after Residential Rehab?

You’ve heard of all the people who went to residential rehab and then relapsed–even went and relapsed several times. According to Chris and Pax Prentiss, there are some common causes of residential rehab failure, causes you can avoid.

- Quality of the program. If your rehab program wasn’t great to begin with, you won’t be in good stead to avoid relapse. Before signing up, find out the success rates of past participants.

- Group rather than individualized therapy. Post-rehab relapse is so common largely because most rehabs don’t have offer any individual counseling. When someone sits in group meetings all day they don’t get the therapy they need in order to get better. When they check out of a rehab like that they usually still have the underlying problems that they checked in with.

- Lack of aftercare services. When you leave residential rehab, the whole web of support that kept you out of addiction suddenly falls away. Only choose a residential rehab that provides aftercare support to make the transition easier.

- Need to change everything. Without realizing it, you wove your addiction into the fabric of your life. You need to pluck the threads of addiction out of your life, or reweave the fabric completely. If you can’t transform your everyday life, you will likely relapse.

Regardless of the difficulties present in the rehab process, the experience can absolutely be a success unlike any other. Please consider the rehab option if you think you or your loved one may be in need. There is always someone there to help.

In layman’s terms, when one person shows signs of being a drug addict, there’s usually some sort of mental health condition riding the coattails, though not everyone who’s crazy is a junkie, and not every drug addict is insane. The psychological problems tend to vary from patient to patient, though things like social anxiety disorder are common in teenage addicts, along with depression, performance anxiety, and a few behavioral disorders. Schizophrenia, bipolar and unipolar depression, and other personality disorders are also commonly observed to tag along with addictions, though not always with narcotics and other illegal drugs. Nicotine and alcohol addicts also tend to have a host of mental health problems riding in their wake as well.

Some recent studies are showing that damage to certain regions of the brain may be responsible for making people more likely to develop addictions, with the amygdala taking center stage in the study’s findings. This does not take away anything from the natural addictive abilities of substances such as alcohol, opioids, and nicotine, but it does serve to explain why some people appear more likely to become addicts than others on a psychological level. The studies also discovered that addictions for people with damaged amygdala are not only more prone to addiction, they are also less likely to discern from one substance to another in their abuse. Findings showed that it didn’t seem to matter what the substance was or what the effects it had on the mind and body were, so long as they had the potential to be habit-forming and the subjects were exposed to it regularly.

Obviously, since mental health problems such as social anxiety disorder and dissociative identity disorder can make someone more likely to become an addict, there are things that need consideration. A number of drug addicts can and do claim that external factors forced them into their substance abuse, with several of these reasons being highly similar to things that trigger mental illness. With psychological conditions now leading to substance abuse, is there now reason to believe that those who are genetically predisposed towards mental illness are, logically, also more likely to become addicts?