A volunteer study group made up of male and female subjects were each given kudzu root or a placebo. This was a blind study so they were not told what they were given. The subjects who took the kudzu root drank an average of 1.8 beers in the course of 90 minutes. The subjects who took a placebo drank an average of 3.5 beers in the same time frame.

Although, the researchers were not quite sure how the kudzu root works, some believe that it actually delivers a greater amount of alcohol to your bloodstream in a shorter period of time, fooling the body into thinking that they have drank more then they actually have.

Some people actually lost there desire to consume alcohol, after they had taken the kudzu root. The key to this working is making sure you buy a high quality product. You also must make sure that you are taking the exact amount that was given during the study.

If you are interested in taking kudzu root or are recommending it to a family member or friend I have written a small web page that tells you the exact amount that was taken during the Harvard/McLean study. I also have included on this page a description of a little known herb that will curb your appetite naturally and actually does make losing those extra few pounds, easier.

Kimberly enjoys studying numerology,astrology,parapsychology and experimenting with herbal remedies. She has been a canine stylist for over 10 years. http://kudzuroot.blogspot.com

When it comes to be late in the night or very early in the morning, depending on where you’re looking at it from, the streets of the city are a strange world, for the homeless addict, even though he’s accustomed to living in a strange world. Things go on! Things that the average person doesn’t know about, take place in the darkness and loneliness of night people, wandering haphazardly in their addiction. The quietness is filled with subtle, sometimes abrupt breaks in its pattern of peace and quiet. A scuffle between a wandering addict and a sleeping drunk, over a space to hide and to get some rest without fear of the law discovering them, ends quickly for fear of one or both making a trip to the county jail. At first, the world of the night is frightening for the newly homeless. It always is a fearful place, to some degree, even after you’ve become accustomed to it for some time. There are rules on the street. There are domains without names and even some with names like on the Internet, but always they can be challenged. Nothing is set in stone in the world of the darkness. Nothing is absolute and nothing is absolutely predictable! Strange sounds as the feet slap the sidewalk, because there are no other sounds, can become a comfort or as they create an echo, become the sound of a stalker, following, lurking, becoming a terror as fear heads for a crescendo, and one realizes that they themselves are the source of the eerie, haunting sound. So many, many possibilities, so many fears, and so much inner reflection clash inside of the head when one is all but, all to aware, that they are all alone in the world. When the sound of a siren arises in the night it could be and ambulance or it could be a fire truck, but… What if it’s a cop car? Should I just act indifferent and try to look unsuspicious. Or… should I seek cover like someone in a war zone that wants to stay out of the fray? Do I look loaded? I don’t know! Living with fear becomes the common state on the street, at night, for the Addict.

I spent some time in this world of the lonely and lost, as I was one of those who had lost their way, and had no idea how to go about correcting the course! The loss of identity that comes with the confusion of a deeply drug-addicted mind, makes you a lost soul relating closely with no one and nothing, period. You are alone in the Universe, but ruler of your own distorted view of life. Usually feeling just a step or two away from freedom and success as an individual, you’re actually just slipping deeper and deeper into the darkness of the chemically altered brain. It’s distorted but it works for the addict in their twisted life; living in some kind of sick fantasy. There is always something to be afraid of, in the day and in the night; in the darkness and especially in the light!

Then there is the depression in the gaps between getting your issue of that drug-of-choice. In these times, a small, feint, piece of reality sets off a succession of waves of hopelessness that envelops the very soul, and twists the mind deeper and deeper into despair until you can search out that place to get some sleep for the first time in days or maybe even weeks. Confusion is conquered by fatigue and fear until the body just gives up and goes nearly comatose! When you awaken almost in a daze some cognitive order has returned, but it is quickly attacked by depression and reality, and the hunt for the money, then the drug, and eventually relief begins again as the drug satisfies the craving! A distorted level of Freudian ego defense mechanisms, of the mind take over, and then you have to do it! The body and the mind are addicted to the drug and the heart and soul need to be numbed so the reality will go away. You don’t want to feel anything except the euphoria that the chemicals in your brain provide when that drug goes coursing into your blood and takes over the entire body, mind and soul! The run begins. You’re back out on that dark sidewalk and your drugged out mind plays tricks, and fears swell into paranoia, as you search for some place to be safe. Moments of clarity eat at your mind and descend into sadness. It’s all happening again, just like so many, many times before, and tears run down your cheeks as you quicken the pace trying so hard to find someplace to be. You need somewhere to cry… somewhere to lye down. And, sometimes maybe even, a place to die! You need something, but you can’t reach out and get a handle on exactly what it is. Everyone has had to let go of you, for you only bring your fear and sadness into their lives when you’re around them. You know this, but dash quickly away from those thoughts, playing little head games on yourself to block out the reality and pain. The street is what’s left. No ties to anything, has become your goal. “I’m not hurting anyone but myself, if I just stay away from everybody.” You tell this to yourself until you believe it! Your whole life is inside of your head! Other people are only there to use in your fantasy life! Darkness… if it could just be dark all of the time then you could hide more easily, more often. All you’re able to do is get from one minute to the next; sometimes and hour at a time, sometimes maybe even a day! If you make a score you can hide out in a sleazy motel for a few days or a week. That gets to be more and more rare as the addiction builds its way up, stronger and stronger, until you get arrested and the County Jail just possibly saves your life. Still, you know you’ll probably end up right back where you’ve been, because for the addict the drug has all of the control! Its world is the world of the night and the darkness! So, that is your World, too! Your drug is like a powerful entity of evil and so much more powerful than you! Years pass! Without help, jails, institutions and death are your future!

Getting help is hard, when you can’t feed yourself properly. With no place to stay you can’t bathe regularly. You can’t wash clothes regularly. Very often, all you have is the clothes on your back, and maybe a little backpack with a couple of things in it. Where do I start? In this state of being you’re very unlikely to get a job, because you have to be able to clean up, get to where the job is. Eat… Sleep… How will you be on time? So, you just let the day pass and figure where and what you’ll do on the street tonight. At least there, you don’t have to be ashamed that your clothes aren’t clean. No one really cares or can tell, in the dark, if you yourself are clean. Food comes when it comes. You don’t need much “fuel” to get through the night and you can always get some behind a restaurant or bakery, whatever! Until a life-changing event happens or someone reaches out to you, nothing changes. And, if nothing changes, nothing changes! This is a reality for many more people than our society would like to admit. We justify, rationalize, and lay off the blame to appease our consciences, very much like those lost souls do. In a society that has become able to justify providing such little care for our aging elders, or provide healthcare for the poor, what are the odds that we’ll ever step up to truly provide for the lost souls of the night, who very often fit into both categories!

David R Carroll, CADC is a certified substance abuse counselor, in California. He has served as a treatment program Director (started a new program). He developed the curriculum for that program that required approval from the California Department of Corrections Substance Abuse Services Coordinating Agency, and the California Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. He has also worked going into California prisons recruiting inmates for Aftercare treatment for addiction and alcoholism. Counselor Carroll is also WebMaster of the site, Addiction: Why Me? @ http://www.mydavecarroll.com The goal of the Site is to become self sufficient enough to support itself and to expand to “Live Chat” for confidential, help for addicts and their victims (family, friends, etc.).

A more accurate definition of alcoholism suggests a chronic disorder characterized by some loss of control over drinking. Drinking more frequently and at inappropriate times will point towards alcoholism. Alcoholism is a common term for two distinct disorders. They are alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.

The medical definition of alcoholism describes alcoholism as a disease caused by continuous consumption of alcohol. The quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption required to develop alcoholism will vary from person to person.

Alcoholism is also qualified by some other expressions. They include use, misuse, heavy use, abuse and dependence. Use is a term which simply refers to a person who drinks any alcoholic products. Misuse and heavy use do not have any standard definitions. Heavy use of alcohol will vary from person to person depending upon the age, alcohol brand and so on.

Alcohol abuse is one of the serious problems which lead to poor nutrition, memory loss, difficulty in walking and liver diseases. It will also generate mental stress, depression, fatigue, employment problems, family problems etc. Alcohol abuse may also involve the drinker in legal problems at some point in his life. The drinker will continue to drink at this stage irrespective of his health and family problems.

Addiction to alcohol will cause alcohol dependency. Alcohol dependence will cause social and work related problems. The drinker will experience periods of shaking, sweating and nausea when he tries to stop drinking when he reaches the stage of addiction. Alcohol dependence is usually indicated if the following symptoms are present:

1. Increases in level of tolerance to alcohol.
2. The drinker will take more alcohol to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
3. He will lose control over drinking.
4. He may spend more time in drinking and will recover from it only after long period of time.
5. He will lose interest in social and recreational activities.
6. He will continue to drink though he knows the adverse effects of drinking.

Alcoholism will lead most of the alcoholics to increase their consumption. Loss of control will happen in this stage. In fact loss of control is a clear symptom of alcoholism. As the drinker continues to drink, his body will build increased tolerance towards alcohol. Therefore the drinker will not get fully content by consuming the usual amount of alcohol. He will need more and more. Withdrawal symptoms like nausea, sweating and shaking will also appear.

Alcohol problems will vary from person to person. The severity of alcoholism will also vary from drinker to drinker. Some may experience life threatening problems. Liver dysfunction, brain disorders etc will also occur. Rightly said, alcoholism is a horrible disease. However it is possible to cure the disease. Alcoholics Anonymous have helped millions through their method of sharing their experiences amongst themselves as long as the member desires to stop drinking. Health Coaching is another method in which the alcoholic recognizes the effects of his behavior on his body, his family and his surroundings and obtains personalized help to take action and continue his sobriety.

And now I would like to offer you free access to Two Chapters of my Practical Approach to Alcoholism Book at: http://IWantToStopDrinking.com

Frederic Baker - Professional Health Coach

The most common dangers are:

Being in the presence of former associates who are drug users or alcohol abusers, or visiting places where drugs or alcohol is available

• Feeling angry, sad, lonely, anxious, afraid, or guilty
• Wanting to celebrate
• Boredom
• Pain, physical or emotional
• Listening to others tell stories about current addictions
• Dwelling on getting high
• Feeling cheated because you aren’t taking drugs or abusing alcohol any longer
• Using prescription drugs to get you high, even if they are being used as prescribed
• Complacency or believing that because you licked the problem, you no longer have to worry

When an individual decides to stop using drugs or alcohol, they have take the first step toward recovery. This is the beginning of a new way of life for that person. It is an important change in lifestyle and in their life.

People may expect because they have made such an important change in their life that all their problems will go away. However, their problems remain with them throughout the recovery process. Recovery is the process of building a new life. Like any major lifestyle change, it takes time to adjust and it normally involves mixed feelings. One moment the recovering patient may feel elated about their decision and then next, they may feel very sad to be leaving former friends and associates behind. These feelings of confusion can make the person wonder if their commitment was right for them, even though, they know in their heart that it was.

This is the point when the individual is most susceptible to a relapse. Drug relapse prevention planning can help. Thinking ahead and planning what to do if a relapse begins will help to ease the pressures that may lead back to old habits. Drug relapse planning is actually planning for success.

To avoid drug relapse:

• Handle day to day feelings and problems as they happen instead of letting things pile up and get out of hand and out of control
• Keep your life in balance by finding ways to relax
• Be kind to yourself if you start thinking about your former way of life. This is not a time to begin feeling guilty about things in the past or things you think about doing
• Surround yourself with a support group who know your goals and will be supportive if you start to slip a little bit
• Plan for high-risk situations. If you find yourself in a high-risk situation, have a plan ready to put into action to help you avoid falling into old habits

No one has complete control of their life or can handle everything exactly the way they would like to. There is a possibility that the user my take drugs again or the alcoholic may start drinking again.

If there is a slip, it is better to think of it as a learning experience rather than to fall back into addiction by continuing to use drugs or alcohol. View the set-back as an opportunity to finally, succeed.

Once an individual enters a treatment program, their chances for a complete recovery is very high. The Farley Center and Williamsburg Place provides affordable, individualized care in a relaxing residential atmosphere. Respected nationally by the healthcare community, twenty five percent of patients are referred by noted physicians. Unlike most centers, The Farley Center and Williamsburg Places offers full time, on-site physicians whose patient roster is small, allowing for effective, one-on-one care and commitment to healing body and spirit. For more than 15 years they have assisted thousands of good people who simply wish to get well.

Karen Vertigan Pope writes for Ciniva Systems, an award winning Virginia web design company. Ciniva specializes in web design and SEO. Ms. Vertigan Pope is an SEO Specialist with Ciniva. Ciniva Systems is in charge of SEO for
the Farley Center and Williamsburg Place.

Does your mind keep wondering about your earlier failed attempts? Does the thought of quitting addiction make you fragile? You may also think that you are never going to succeed in stopping. But, wait don’t give up, it is the very difficulty faced by all other addicts.

Though substance addiction is very powerful, still every year thousands of people quit their addiction fruitfully. But how are they able to do something which you always thought was unattainable? While there is no magic formula to make the process of quitting easier, there is definite thing which you can take to drive out the assurance you need to lash out this pattern.

The main thing is, you have to change your mind, if you want to change your life. Addiction is first of all about your psychology. You have to change your approach towards your habit to get rid of it. Until you don’t begin to feel fine about quitting, you will get nowhere.

Quitting addiction requires a lot of efforts and will surely test your will power. You have to be positive and keep focused. Making yourself aware about the benefits of quitting addiction will surely help.

Negative thought about quitting addiction survive in every addict’s subconscious mind. You have to work on your mental condition to make a concrete commitment toward quitting. You should make it a habit to take note of your every mind and thought, feelings and comments that you make about your addiction and addiction cessation plan.

Take note of the physical consequences like tight stomach, headache, tight chest, etc. Think about the experience because of your habit. Just think about the happiness of life that you have to stay away from due of your bad habit. Of course, there are next steps you need to realize your plan to free yourself from addiction. However, it is your mind and determination which primarily will help you lead an addict-free life. So, make your mind and build it up.

Get cool tips and insights in Ozi’s blog, http://khozim.blogspot.com

Smoking is also a major cause of gum disease: In a recent study almost a third of the more than two million cases of gum disease among Australians was caused by smoking, according to research by University of Adelaide researchers in the Australian Research Centre for Population Oral Health (ARCPOH). Smoking is associated with decreased gray matter density in brain regions previously associated with incipient AD. These are just some of the problems smokers face.My question is why would you not stop right now?

To stop smoking cold turkey takes a lot of willpower, but you can do it. There is major and immediate health benefits for men and women.It decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.When you quit the damaging effects of tobacco on how you look, including premature wrinkling of your skin begin to reverse. Many people try many times before succeeding. It is a lot like losing weight; it takes a strong commitment over a long time.Quitting still offers huge health benefits, researchers have stressed, as the risk to former smokers is much lower than for current smokers. For soon to be mothers quitting will increase the amount of oxygen your baby will get, increase the chance your baby’s lungs will work well, have fewer asthma and wheezing problems, and improve your baby’s chances of being born healthy, instead of too early.. Quitting smoking makes parents healthier and better role models for their children. Smoking is also associated with decreased gray matter density in brain regions , that in itself should be an incentive to quit.

But lets talk about the very first thing you need to quit smoking: desire. Without the desire to quit you wouldn’t even be reading this, so its safe to assume you have some level of desire to quit smoking. You should know going in that quitting may be a lengthy, or even life-long, process. But look at the benefits 1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s. 5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting. 10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s. 15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s.

Finally, for those who think this issue is inconsequential, I would point out that smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US.

I have put together some of the best quit smoking resources available on this website.If you really want to quit everything you need is right here.! So whether or not you quit smoking is now entirely up to you. GOOD LUCK !

David Cormier currently publishes a blog http://www.squidoo.com/quitsmokingnow101 On it there are hundreds of quit smoking resources available.He holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a degree in Fitness & Nutrition from Penn Foster University.Check out his stop smoking resource center at http://www.squidoo.com/quitsmokingnow101

Caffeine is generally bad for your circulation and your heart; it also keeps you awake when you would otherwise be sleeping. Whilst fending off the urge to sleep can occasionally help your work or study it is not a long term solution. In today’s quick fire society, though, it is certainly treated line one.

Try going without coffee for a day. Is it an easy thing to do? Do you notice any change in yourself? It’s probably easy to blame your new-found short temper on the circumstances of the day. Do you feel okay? If you feel a little off then it is easy enough to put that down to some seafood you ate last night, or a cold that you may be catching. It may also be the symptoms of your withdrawal from coffee and caffeine.

Asking yourself: ‘Am I addicted to coffee’ is the first step in being able to deal with what can be a major for your health, for your sanity, and as a consequence for your family.

For more information and resources on coffee addiction and net/content/beating-coffee-addiction”>beating coffee addiction go to http://www.coffeeaddiction.net

It sounds a bit similar to your relationship with alcohol doesn’t it? Relationships can go bad and even though they no longer good for us, still we cling and are unable to let go. The end of a relationship brings pain and the cycle of loss, anger,sadness and mourning commences. However once we’ve been through this cycle things start to get better and we move on until we find a new relationship and the former has become one of life’s lessons which we have learned by.

It’s not going to be easy to stop drinking,but if you can do this you’ll become a better and stronger person and you’ll gain respect from your family, colleagues and peers. When you quit, the world will become your oyster and you will have done wonders for your self-esteem. Just think about all the things that you’ll be capable of, quitting will make you more motivated, you will become a person who takes action and gets things done, it sounds exciting doesn’t it?

Think carefully before joining Alcoholics Anonymous, I mean if this was a relationship with a person would you really want a large group of people knowing all your deepest secrets and your vulnerabilities? It may feel liberating to off load all this personal baggage, but Alcoholics Anonymous is a club and if you join them you have to abide by their rules, there is no room for flexibility. the relapse rate in alcoholics anonymous is considerably high and it is extremely likely that you will return to your addiction.

Alcoholism forces you to put the important things in life in second place, your relationships with alcohol is more important than your family, your children, your job, your wife or husband and your hobbies. You really need to get things in perspective because otherwise the only relationship that you will have in your life will be the one with alcohol because you will lose everything else.

The worst part of your affair with alcohol is your constant preoccupation with it. You think about alcohol when you wake in the morning and throughout the rest of the day. Maybe you don’t start drinking first thing in the morning but it’s in your thoughts with all the time. You may long for the day to end, just so you can have a couple of drinks to unwind, you may even believe that you have your alcoholism in control, but it’s more likely the other way round, alcohol is the one in control and to believe otherwise is to deceive yourself.

I want you to be completely honest with yourself, grab a pen and paper and write down all the things that you love about alcohol. Then write down all of the bad experiences you’ve had as a result of your drinking, all the time you made a fool of yourself, all the people you hurt as a result of your drinking etc

Once you have completed your list, look at it again and make a new list of all the reasons why you should continue to drink and all the reasons why you shouldn’t. If you have been honest, the new list you have should serve to encourage you to stop drinking, if this is not the case then you are not ready to stop yet. Give it a try doing so may give you the motivation to stop drinking for once and for all.

Rob Maggs is a Software Developer and Web Designer based on the Isle Of Anglesey in the United Kingdom. A reformed alcoholic dedicated to self improvement and personal development. His current projects include Hypnosis toolkit and How to stop drinking (Assistance for alcoholics).

The benefits of quitting are many and varied. If you contact your physician or someone at just about any southern Chicago hospital you will probably get the help you need to quit smoking. There are many different ways to quit from cold turkey and just quitting, which not everyone can do, to using nicotine gum or other sources of nicotine. One of the benefits of quitting is living longer. No matter how long you have smoked, you can add life by quitting today. The quality of life is improved and if you have had more than your share of illness you may see that also improve. There are no guarantees but the statistics show you are likely to be healthier. Just talk to an ex-smoker and listen to what they say.

If you talk to an expert at one of the hospitals in the Chicago area you may find the same information that the Surgeon General has reported for the risks of smoking and what may be the benefits of quitting. These include living longer, decreasing the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack and the need for a cardiac rehab program, stroke, and chronic lung disease. Women who quit before pregnancy or during the first three to four months of pregnancy reduce the risk of having a low birth-weight baby.

These are just the major things to improve. A few of the minor things include better smelling breath, no yellowing of your fingers, your cloths, car and home will not smell of smoke, and yellowing f your teeth. According to the Surgeon General report in 1990 just twelve hours after quitting the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal, two weeks to three months after quitting your circulation improves and your lung function increases, one to nine months after quitting coughing and shortness of breath decreases, the cilia regain normal function in your lungs which increases the lungs ability to clean themselves. If you can quit and not smoke for fifteen years your chances of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker. It does pay to quit now.

If you want to quit smoking contact your doctor, find a southern Chicago hospital with a smoking cessation program or any one of the many hospitals in the Chicago area with a smoking cessation program. Do it now to avoid having to potentially have to visit one of these hospitals for a cardiac rehab program later in life due to continuing to smoke.

Drug Addiction

Some of the most destructive types of compulsive cravings are those cravings that are induced by drugs and other substances. Some of the most common types of drugs abused by people nowadays include

• stimulants

• depressants

• hallucinogens

• designer drugs and others

Stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamines and methamphetamines are commonly used in most parts of the world.

Since people who are into stimulants often find it difficult to sleep or rest, many of these people also dabble on depressants. Some of the most commonly used depressant drugs are:

• barbiturates

• Phenobarbital

• amobarbital

• and secobarbital

In recent years, the designer drug called ecstasy found its way into the American society. Hundreds of Americans are reportedly hooked on this designer drug.

Drugs can have several devastating effects on the person abusing them. The worst part about drug addiction is that drugs can alter the way of thinking of the person. Many people who abuse drugs often suffer severe side effects and some of these side effects can be quite severe. Furthermore, getting off drugs is never easy. Drug addiction is something that is so difficult to shake off that most people who abuse drugs often need to be rehabilitated. Often times, the rehabilitation process can be long and painful. Without the support of the family, a person may not really recover from the effects of drug addiction at all.

Gambling Addiction

Like drug addiction, gambling can destroy a life. According to experts, pathological gamblers find it difficult to control themselves and despite several warnings, these people always head to the gambling houses or gamble online. In most cases, a pathological gamblers losses include not only their money but the people they love as well. Like drug addiction, it is often very difficult for pathological gamblers to give up their habits.

Without therapy and strong support from family members and friends, a gambling addict can face a very bleak and lonely future. In fact, many pathological gamblers become very depressed after losing all of their money and they become suicidal. Cases of suicide due to gambling debts and losses have been reported in many areas all over the world.

Derek Carroll is the author at “Memory Improvement, Chinese Medicine and More…”. There he discusses many ‘Topics That May Just Be A Little Bit New To You’, including this one about the nature and effects of addiction His site can be found at http://www.stretchyourmind.info