Posts tagged with "treatment"

BRUCE WILLIS – APHASIA DIAGNOSIS

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Understanding Aphasia: Bruce Willis Diagnosis Puts Language Disorder in the Spotlight

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Sheds Light on Condition

The recent announcement by Bruce Willis’ family that the actor has been diagnosed with aphasia has brought attention to the language disorder, which is relatively common but not well known by the general public. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) encourages the public and media to seek out evidence-based information about this condition—and stresses that treatment is available from speech-language pathologists (SLPs).

Below is some information about the language disorder. More details are available on ASHA’s website.

What is Aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder that can occur when a person experiences changes in the brain from injury or disease. This is most often due to stroke; however, any type of brain damage can cause aphasia. Aphasia can make it hard for someone to understand, speak, read, or write. This depends on the parts of the brain that are affected. Aphasia is not associated with cognitive deficits. However, word-finding difficulty, a hallmark symptom of aphasia, may also be an early symptom of other neurological conditions such as primary progressive aphasia—which are accompanied by cognitive impairments.

How is Aphasia Diagnosed and Treated?

SLPs evaluate a person’s speech and language skills. In making a diagnosis, they will assess how well a person:

Understands words, questions, directions, and stories.
Says words and sentences. The SLP asks a person to name objects, describe pictures, and answer questions.

Reads and writes. The SLP will have a person write letters, words, and sentences—as well as read short stories and answer questions about them.

Aphasia can be treated in various ways, depending on the specific difficulties a person is having and what their goals are (e.g., getting back to work, taking care of family members, participating in specific life activities). SLPs work with people with aphasia one on one, as well as in groups to improve their communication skills. They may also help them find other ways to share ideas when they have trouble talking. This may include pointing, drawing, or using other gestures (called augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC). They also include family members who support their loved one’s communication.

How Can Loved Ones Help Someone With Aphasia?

Loved ones can help their family member or friend by connecting them with a certified SLP. A doctor can provide recommendations for local SLPs. A national database of these professionals is also available at www.asha.org/profind.

As you communicate with a person with aphasia in everyday life, use these tips:

•Get their attention before you start speaking.

•Keep eye contact as you speak. Watch their body language and gestures.

•Talk to them in a quiet place.

•Turn off the TV or radio.

•Keep your voice at a normal level. Don’t raise your voice unless the person asks.

•Keep the words you use simple but adult. Don’t “talk down” to the person.

•Use shorter sentences. Repeat keywords that you want them to understand.

•Slow down your speech.
Give them time to speak. Try not to finish sentences for them.

•Try using drawings, gestures, writing, and facial expressions.

•The person may understand those better than words sometimes.

•Ask them to draw, write, or point when they are having trouble talking.

•Ask “yes” and “no” questions to make it easier for them to respond. Let them make mistakes sometimes. They may not be able to say everything perfectly all the time.

•Let them try to do things for themselves. It may take a few tries. Help when they ask for it.

About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 223,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) identify, assess, and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders. www.asha.org

Water Infrastructure Funding Act

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The California Legislative Analysts Office has just produced a report to estimate the financial impact of the “Water Infrastructure Funding Act of 2022,” a proposed ballot initiative that aims to increase the annual supply of water to Californians by five million acre feet. The contents of this report are good news for every Californian. More water. Lower water bills.

The initiative calls for two percent of the state general fund to be set aside to develop new water supplies. Projects eligible for this funding would include the development or expansion of facilities for:

Groundwater cleanup and storage.
Stormwater capture, treatment, and storage.
Water recycling.
Surface reservoirs.
Desalination of seawater or brackish water.
Water conveyance, such as canals or pipes.

Also eligible for funding are water conservation programs to achieve up to 1 million acre-feet of the total objective of 5 million acre-feet of water.

Among the fiscal effects predicted by the Legislative Analyst include increased state spending on water supply projects, and potentially less funding available for other state activities. Notwithstanding the multi-billion budget surplus California’s legislature currently enjoys, this redirecting of spending for water projects is what the initiative proponents intend. The State of California has neglected its water infrastructure for decades. With climate change promising dryer winters and a reduced Sierra snowpack, this is the perfect moment for California to prioritize spending on a resilient water infrastructure.

Assemblyman Devon Mathis (R, Tulare), a supporter of the initiative who has gathered endorsements from a growing bipartisan list of state legislators, had this to say in response to the LAO report: “This is a first of its kind ballot initiative. We set the goal based on our state’s current and future water needs, set ongoing funding for a diverse set of eligible project categories, and placed a sunset for when the goal is reached.” Mathis added, “This is a vote for people to lower their water bills, and for cities and school districts to upgrade their water systems without breaking their local budgets.”

Mathis is correct. As the LAO report notes, “it could result in water customers paying lower water bills than they otherwise would in the absence of the measure.”

One of the proponents, Lisa Ohlund, the retired general manager of the East Orange County Water District, explained the long-term benefits of this initiative, saying “climate change projections have many water districts concerned about their ability to reliably deliver safe water in quantities that will protect people, trees and the economy. This initiative focuses tax dollars on this enormously important problem at a pivotal time. We must take action to prepare for the increasingly harsh storms that will dump large amounts of rain on California, and the extended dry periods where we must look to water recycling and desalination to help fill in the shortfalls. California lead the world in water in the last century; we need to do the same in this one.”

To learn more about the progress of this game changing initiative, visit their website HERE.

New Report Underlines Importance of Science and Tech Funding

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Investments in science and technology research are vital to the United States’ economic growth and global leadership, according to a new report from Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.

The Biden administration has made science and technology (S&T) a centerpiece of its early policy agenda with ambitious targets for federal investments in research and development (R&D). There are also growing concerns in Congress about the United States’ global leadership in S&T-focused industries, especially in relation to China.

“As the high technology sector (e.g., advanced computing and communications, social media platforms and other web-based services) becomes an increasingly large part of the overall U.S. economy, federal funding for early stage R&D, which has been at the root of much of the technological progress of this past century, is more important than ever,” wrote the Baker Institute’s Kenneth Evans, a scholar in science and technology policy, and Kirstin Matthews, a fellow in science and technology policy.

While President Biden’s first budget proposal aims to authorize historic increases to federal R&D agencies, the authors argue that significant challenges remain to ensure long-term, international competitiveness across scientific disciplines and advanced technologies.

According to their report, shifting priorities between administrations, changes to the ideology of Congress and broader economic conditions in the U.S. at large have resulted in inconsistent funding for R&D.

“Traditionally, federal funding for R&D receives bipartisan support in Congress, particularly for health and defense-related research activities,” the authors wrote. “However, since the mid-1990s, government spending on basic research has declined or stagnated as a share of the U.S. GDP, in part due to the intrinsic uncertainties about the ultimate impacts of basic research.”

Science and technology R&D is essential to creating new knowledge and tools, the authors argue, because it ensures the development of new products and technologies that can drive domestic and global economies. Economists estimate innovations stemming from S&T accounted for more than 60% of economic growth over the last century.

Yet scientists have placed relatively little value on evaluating and communicating the broader societal impacts of basic research to the public and especially to policymakers, the authors argue. The authors encourage researchers, especially academic scientists driven to action by anti-science rhetoric during the Trump administration, to continue to engage in public outreach during the Biden presidency.

“Universities should encourage and incentivize avenues for public engagement through increased support of existing programs or funding new activities for interested faculty, postdocs, graduate students and research staff,” they wrote.

“Building public support for R&D, strengthening trust in scientific institutions and expertise, and increasing scientists’ participation in decision-making related to S&T issues are critical to ensuring that scientific discoveries and innovation benefit the broader public and that increased investment in R&D serves the public interest,” they continued.

The report was a collaboration with two Rice undergraduate students and research interns in the science and technology policy program—Gabriella Hazan and Spoorthi Kamepalli.

Rice Team Creates New Treatment for Diabetes

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Rice University bioengineers are using 3D printing and smart biomaterials to create an insulin-producing implant for Type 1 diabetics.

The three-year project is a partnership between the laboratories of Omid Veiseh and Jordan Miller that’s supported by a grant from JDRF, the leading global funder of diabetes research. Veiseh and Miller will use insulin-producing beta cells made from human stem cells to create an implant that senses and regulates blood glucose levels by responding with the correct amount of insulin at a given time.

Veiseh, an assistant professor of bioengineering, has spent more than a decade developing biomaterials that protect implanted cell therapies from the immune system. Miller, an associate professor of bioengineering, has spent more than 15 years researching techniques to 3D print tissues with vasculature, or networks of blood vessels.

“If we really want to recapitulate what the pancreas normally does, we need vasculature,” Veiseh said. “And that’s the purpose of this grant with JDRF. The pancreas naturally has all these blood vessels, and cells are organized in particular ways in the pancreas. Jordan and I want to print in the same orientation that exists in nature.”

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that causes the pancreas to stop producing insulin, the hormone that controls blood-sugar levels. About 1.6 million Americans live with Type 1 diabetes, and more than 100 cases are diagnosed each day. Type 1 diabetes can be managed with insulin injections. But balancing insulin intake with eating, exercise and other activities is difficult. Studies estimate that fewer than one-third of Type 1 diabetics in the U.S. consistently achieve target blood glucose levels.

Veiseh and Miller’s goal is to show their implants can properly regulate blood glucose levels of diabetic mice for at least six months. To do that, they’ll need to give their engineered beta cells the ability to respond to rapid changes in blood sugar levels.

“We must get implanted cells in close proximity to the bloodstream so beta cells can sense and respond quickly to changes in blood glucose,” Miller said. “We’re using a combination of pre-vascularization through advanced 3D bioprinting and host-mediated vascular remodeling to give each implant several shots at host integration.”

The insulin-producing cells will be protected with a hydrogel formulation developed by Veiseh, who is also a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Scholar. The hydrogel material, which has proven effective for encapsulating cell treatments in bead-sized spheres, has pores small enough to keep the cells inside from being attacked by the immune system but large enough to allow passage of nutrients and life-giving insulin.

“Blood vessels can go inside of them,” Veiseh said of the hydrogel compartments. “At the same time, we have our coating, our small molecules that prevent the body from rejecting the gel. So it should harmonize really well with the body.”

If the implant is too slow to respond to high or low blood sugar levels, the delay can produce a roller coaster-like effect, where insulin levels repeatedly rise and fall to dangerous levels.

“Addressing that delay is a huge problem in this field,” Veiseh said. “When you give the mouse, and ultimately a human, a glucose challenge that mimics eating a meal, how long does it take that information to reach our cells, and how quickly does the insulin come out?”

By incorporating blood vessels in their implant, he and Miller hope to allow their beta-cell tissues to behave in a way that more closely mimics the natural behavior of the pancreas.

How to Treat Keratosis Pilaris at Home

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Tips from board-certified dermatologists to help clear tiny, rough-feeling bumps on the arms and thighs

The start of summer means more tank tops and shorts, and for some people, a pesky new skin condition they may not have noticed before. Keratosis pilaris causes tiny, rough feeling bumps to appear on the skin, most often on the upper arms and thighs. According to dermatologists from the American Academy of Dermatology, this common and harmless skin condition affects people of all ages and races and occurs when dead skin cells clog the pores.

“Some people say the bumps look like goosebumps, chicken skin or strawberry skin, while others mistake the bumps for acne,” says board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, MD, FAAD. “While treatment isn’t necessary for keratosis pilaris, if the itch, dryness or appearance is bothersome, there are things you can do at home to help.”

To ease the symptoms and help you see clearer skin, Dr. Gohara recommends the following tips:

Keep baths and showers short. Spending too much time in the water can dry your skin and cause keratosis pilaris to flare. Limit baths and showers to five to 10 minutes and use lukewarm water.

Use a mild, fragrance-free cleanser. This will help avoid irritation when washing your skin.

Gently exfoliate skin with keratosis pilaris once a week. You can exfoliate using a skin care product called a keratolytic — a type of chemical exfoliator. Look for one that contains one of the following ingredients: alpha hydroxy acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, a retinoid, salicylic acid, or urea. Take care to use the exfoliator exactly as described in the directions, as applying too much or using it more often than indicated can cause raw, irritated skin. In addition, avoid scrubbing your skin, which can make keratosis pilaris worse.

Moisturize your skin. Apply a thick, oil-free moisturizing cream or ointment immediately after bathing — when your skin is still damp — or whenever your skin feels dry. Look for one that contains urea or lactic acid. You can also use a humidifier to prevent dry skin. However, make sure to clean and disinfect your humidifier weekly to prevent the growth of harmful mold and bacteria.

Avoid shaving or waxing skin with keratosis pilaris. This can cause more bumps to appear. However, if you must shave the area, use a single-blade razor instead of a multi-blade razor.

“For many people, keratosis pilaris goes away with time,” says Dr. Gohara. “However, clearing tends to happen gradually over many years. If the bumps still bother you after trying these tips, make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist for a treatment plan that addresses your concerns.”

These tips are demonstrated in “How to Treat Keratosis Pilaris at Home,” a video posted to the AAD website and YouTube channel. This video is part of the AAD’s “Video of the Month” series, which offers tips people can use to properly care for their skin, hair and nails.

To find a board-certified dermatologist in your area, visit the American Academy of Dermatology’s website here.

New Bacteria to Help Detect Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

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In an important step toward the clinical application of synthetic biology, Rice University researchers have engineered a bacterium with the necessary capabilities for diagnosing inflammatory bowel diseases.

The engineered strain of the gut bacteria E. coli senses pH and glows when it encounters acidosis, an acidic condition that often occurs during flare ups of inflammatory bowel diseases like colitis, ileitis and Crohn’s disease.

Researchers at the University of Colorado (CU) School of Medicine used the Rice-created organism in a mouse model of Crohn’s disease to show acidosis activates a signature set of genes. The corresponding genetic signature in humans has previously been observed during active inflammation in Crohn’s disease patients. The results are available online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Study co-author Jeffrey Tabor, an associate professor of bioengineering in Rice’s Brown School of Engineering, whose lab engineered the pH-sensing bacterium, said it could be reprogrammed to make colors that show up in the toilet instead of the fluorescent tags used in the CU School of Medicine experiments.

“We think it could be added to food and programmed to turn toilet water blue to warn patients when a flare up is just beginning,” said Tabor.

Bacteria have evolved countless specific and sensitive genetic circuits to sense their surroundings. Tabor and colleagues developed a biohacking toolkit that allows them to mix and match the inputs and outputs of these bacterial sensors. The pH-sensing circuit was discovered by Rice Ph.D. student Kathryn Brink in a 2019 demonstration of the plug-and-play toolkit.

PNAS study co-authors Sean Colgan, the director of the CU School of Medicine’s Mucosal Inflammation Program, and Ian Cartwright, a postdoctoral fellow in Colgan’s lab, read about the pH sensor and contacted Tabor to see if it could be adapted for use in a mouse model of Crohn’s disease.

“It turns out that measuring pH within the intestine through noninvasive ways is quite difficult,” said Colgan, the Levine-Kern Professor of Medicine and Immunology in the CU School of Medicine.

So Brink spent a few weeks splicing the necessary sensor circuits into an organism and sent it to Colgan’s lab.

“Normally, the pH in your intestines is around seven, which is neutral, but you get a lot of inflammation in Crohn’s disease, and pH goes to something like three, which is very acidic,” Tabor said.

Colgan and colleagues have studied the genes that are turned on and off under such conditions and “needed a tool to measure pH in the intestine to show that the things they were observing in in vitro experiments were also really happening in a live animal,” Tabor said.

“Colonizing this bacterial strain was the perfect biological tool to monitor acidosis during active inflammation,” Colgan said. “Correlating intestinal gene expression with the bacterial pH sensing bacteria proved to be a useful and valuable set of biomarkers for active inflammation in the intestine.”

Tabor said he believes the pH-sensing bacterium could potentially be advanced for human clinical trials in several years.

Tabor’s work was supported by the Welch Foundation and the National Science Foundation.

Eating Disorders × Covid-19

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Eating Disorders and Covid-19

More than 30 million people in the U.S. suffer from eating disorders.

COVID-19 can be a nightmare for thembecause of the following triggers:

Empty grocery shelves
Feelings of uncertainty and loss of control
Social media messages about avoiding the “Quarantine 15” pound weight gain are especially harmful to those with existing eating disorders.

A recent study conducted by the International Journal for Eating Disorders found that symptoms worsened across the board for people with anorexia, bulimia and binge-eating disorders nationwide since the lockdowns in March. Among respondents, 62% of people with anorexia have experienced more severe restriction and food fear during the pandemic, while 30% of those with bulimia and binge-eating disorder reported experiencing more binge-eating episodes, and a greater urge to binge.

Some of the facts about eating disorders are sobering:

9% of the US population will suffer from an eating disorder in their lifetime
Almost 1% of us suffer from anorexia nervosa
Between 2-3% of us have bulimia nervosa
Binge eating disorder (BED) is experienced by between 2-3% of us
10% of those with eating disorders lose their lives as a result
Eating disorders are second only to opioid overdose as the deadliest mental illnesses
About 26% of people with eating disorders attempt suicide

Eating Recovery Center is the nation’s largest eating disorder treatment center (with offices around the country, & virtual treatment options). Eating Recovery Center provides comprehensive treatment for anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and other unspecified eating disorders.

Mental Illness × Addiction Crisis

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With Pandemic Worsening the Mental Illness and Addiction Crisis, Biden Administration to Provide Nearly $2.5 Billion to States, Territories for Treatment, Prevention Aid

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Funding to Support Comprehensive Community Prevention, Treatment, Recovery and Health Services

The Biden Administration will provide nearly $2.5 billion in funding to states and territories to address the nation’s mental illness and addiction crisis, which has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will direct $1.65 billion in Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant funding and $825 million in Community Mental Health Services Block Grant funding to states and territories. The Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program allows states and territories to provide comprehensive community mental health services and address needs and gaps in existing treatment services for those with severe mental health conditions. The Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant program allows states and territories to plan, implement and evaluate activities to prevent and treat substance use disorder. This funding will also allow recipients to maximize efficiency in existing treatment and recovery infrastructure, promote support for providers and address unique local needs to deliver substance use disorder prevention.

“We know multiple stressors during the pandemic – isolation, sickness, grief, job loss, food instability, and loss of routines – have devastated many Americans and presented unprecedented challenges for behavioral health providers across the nation,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use Tom Coderre. “During this time of increased urgency, we want to assure them that funding is in place to help states and territories provide pathways to prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery services, especially for underserved populations.”

Recently, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data confirming a rise in fatal overdoses during the pandemic. This year’s increases in calls to helplines across the country indicate growing anxiety, depression, and trauma in Americans. The COVID-19 pandemic and the corresponding economic crisis have been especially devastating for Black and Latino communities, which are experiencing a disproportionate number of COVID-19 infections and deaths as well as higher-than-average unemployment rates.

“SAMHSA resources connect Americans to evidence-based treatment and services every day,” said Coderre. “Focusing on both mental and substance use disorders – challenges that pre-date the COVID-19 pandemic but that have worsened over the past year – will be a crucial part of SAMHSA’s approach to helping the nation move forward.”

In addition to the $2.5 billion awarded today, SAMHSA has awarded $686 million in Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) Expansion Grants; Emergency Grants to Address Mental and Substance Use Disorders During COVID-19 (Emergency Response COVID-19), and supplements to the fiscal year 2020 Emergency Response COVID-19 grant recipients.

Funding allocation tables can be viewed here:

FY 2021 Community Mental Health Block Grant Program COVID-19 Supplemental Awards

FY 2021 Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program COVID-19 Supplemental Awards

People searching for treatment for mental or substance use disorders can find treatment by visiting SAMHSA’s website or by calling SAMHSA’s National Helpline,
1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Effectively Treating Persistent Post-COVID-19 Symptoms – Including Fatigue and Fibromyalgia

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Finding yourself with insomnia despite being exhausted? Have cognitive dysfunction (which has been termed “brain fog”)? Widespread achiness?

These are symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia (CFS/FMS), which can be caused by dozens of infections. Unfortunately, research suggests that COVID-19 is triggering persistent symptoms and debilitation in a large percentage of cases. People with these disabling aftereffects are being called “long haulers.”

In most cases, symptoms of COVID-19 should be gone after three weeks, or six weeks in severe cases. If you continue to feel poorly beyond two months, the COVID-19 virus may have tripped a circuit breaker in the brain called the hypothalamus—which controls sleep, hormones, and numerous other systems.

With post-viral CFS/FMS you generally feel like a train wreck. I know I did when I came down with post-viral CFS/FMS as a medical student after contracting a “killer flu” back in 1975. Because Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia were still mystery conditions at the time, I had to learn how to recover on my own. Since then, I have published numerous books, textbook chapters, and studies on how to effectively treat these illnesses. I have also successfully treated thousands of people and helped them get their lives back.

The good news is that it is very treatable!

The key is optimizing energy production and addressing a number of other metabolic issues triggered by the infection. This can be achieved effectively using what we call the SHINE Protocol, which addresses Sleep, Hormones, Infections, Nutritional support, and Exercise as able. Our published placebo-controlled study, showed that with SHINE 91% of people improved with an average 90% improvement in quality of life. A large percentage of people in that study had post-viral fatigue. Four other studies I have published also show that a few other approaches can be very helpful for recovery. For example:

1. A unique serum protein extract called Recovery Factors. We have just submitted a recently completed study showing that 60% of people with fibromyalgia (including post-viral) improve with an average 69% increase in overall quality of life, while also showing a significant rise in protective antibodies.

2. An earlier study I published showed an average 61% improvement in energy after three weeks of using a five-carbon sugar called Ribose. The form used in my research, along with five other herbs that are powerfully effective at increasing energy and stamina, can be found in the Smart Energy System (on Amazon). This combination routinely as much as doubles energy after three weeks of use.

Addressing persistent immune, lung, and heart dysfunction is also important. This can be done very effectively using a mix of natural and prescription treatments. For example, very Low Dose Naltrexone (3 – 4.5 mg) can help rebalance immunity. Anti-inflammatory support can also be helpful. For this, I recommend unique forms of curcumin called CuraMed and Curamin. In three studies, after six weeks these were found to be more effective than Celexicob for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Zinc (20 to 40 mg a day) is also critical for immune function.

Cardiac involvement is seen in 78 percent of COVID-19 cases. For persistent heart dysfunction, SHINE Ribose combined with coenzyme Q10, magnesium, and high-dose B vitamins can markedly improve cardiac function. Meanwhile, antioxidant support is also important.

For those who had neurologic symptoms, micro-bleeds in the brain may have occurred. Recovery can be improved with a mix of antioxidants, and the Low Dose Naltrexone mentioned above.

These represent the “tip of the treatment iceberg,” so there is much that can be done. But it requires a comprehensive assessment of each individual case, which usually takes at least three hours of the physician’s time.

Unfortunately, because CFS/FMS is a complex condition there’s a significant learning curve for most physicians to be properly trained in addressing persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms. It is best to seek out a specialist who specializes in treating fibromyalgia, as they may be much more familiar with the phenomenon and effective treatments.

What is going on in post-COVID-19 CFS and Fibromyalgia, and how to effectively treat the associated array of complex issues is discussed in depth in the upcoming fourth edition of my book From Fatigued to Fantastic (September 1, 2020, Penguin – the green cover is the new edition). In the interim, a large body of helpful information can be found online.

Persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms can be treated very effectively, but requires a large degree of experience on the part of the physician. Fortunately, much of what is needed to help you recover can be accomplished on your own.

Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., is one of the most frequently quoted pain and Fibromyalgia medical authorities in the world. He is the author of the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!, Pain Free, 1,2,3!, the Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction, Real Cause Real Cure, The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution, Diabetes Is Optional and the popular free Smart Phone app Cures A-Z. He is the lead author of 5 studies on effective treatment for Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Dr. Teitelbaum appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and FoxNewsHealth. Learn more at www.Vitality101.com and www.EndFatigue.com.

Six Ways to Cut Down on Alcohol

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by Tara Yombor, LMHC and clinical director at Pathway to Hope, a Delphi Behavioral Health Group facility.

Social (moderate) drinking, binge drinking, alcoholism, tolerance, and dependence. This is the typical pattern of progression for drinking that leads someone to think of him or herself as needing to cut down on alcohol. Some might think they are prone to alcoholism. Within that progression, the time for someone to cut down on drinking is based on the individual’s idea of what is causing dysfunction and unmanageability in their life.

Why is it so easy for someone to become addicted to alcohol, and what does it mean to have
an alcohol use disorder?

First of all, alcohol does not have an adverse social stigma, which makes the dependence for it more likely, and the consumption of it more acceptable. Alcohol is typically used to celebrate happy events and sooth the sad events in life. Think about a celebration. What do most people imagine? Alcohol, champagne, and a “toast to the New Year!”

During times of mourning or stress, alcohol can be used to ease the emotional pain of a loss or as a stress reliever. Social (or moderate) drinking is seen as a normal and perfectly harmless way of socializing, relaxing, or a form of celebration.

A binge drinker is defined as a man who drinks more than four to six drinks in a two-hour period, and a woman who drinks more than four to five drinks in a two-hour period. Someone with alcohol use disorder is typically a person with a long-term addiction to alcohol. This person is typically unable to control how much they consume or when to stop drinking and spends a lot of time thinking about the next drink.

It can be easy for someone to transition from a social drinker to a binge drinker to having an
alcohol use disorder. A binge drinker is someone who has more than the above allotted
acceptable drinks in a short amount of time.

Someone who is a binge drinker or struggling with heavy alcohol use may find that people close to them begin to notice negative patterns of behavior during times of drinking. Friends and family may start to become worried about the person’s drinking patterns and negative outcomes that have begun to arise from their drinking. A person who begins to engage in
binge drinking may find themselves calling out of work the day after drinking due to a hangover; they may miss important deadlines, get into arguments with their loved ones, or lose track of daily responsibilities.

Tolerance for alcohol means that a person needs more and more alcohol to feel the desired effect than they previously would not have needed. Someone who has a pattern of binge drinking may find themselves drinking even more alcohol in a short time to feel drunk.

Once tolerance increases, the possibility of dependence increases. Dependence can be defined as relying on alcohol to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Essentially, a person is controlled by their need to ingest alcohol to feel “normal.”

During any of these stages of alcohol use, someone may feel the need to seek treatment. how to deal with withdrawal symptoms varies for each person based on how dysfunctional or unmanageable their life has become due to their drinking.

Here are six things you (or anyone) can do to cut down on alcohol. Most of these mean a change in behavior.

1. Acknowledge the problem – in order to stop the behavior, you must first acknowledge what the negative behavior is and make a conscious effort to commit to changing that behavior. Also, put the goal in writing and make a list of reasons why you want to cut back on drinking. For example, if the behavior is drinking too much during celebrations, you have to determine what “too much” means to you and, next, set a goal to decrease the amount you are drinking during celebrations.

2. Set a realistic goal for drinking alcohol – if you struggle with binge drinking, set a realistic, and achievable goal. The next time you’re out during a social event, make it a goal to cut back to three to four drinks in two hours instead of five to six. Or perhaps instead of going to a happy hour on Friday or Saturday night, pick one night to go out and stay in the other night. Cutting back by making realistic and achievable goals will keep you on track and make you feel better about the fact that you are keeping your goals.

3. Write it down – make sure to keep a journal of the times you drink, how much you drink, and any negative outcomes related to the times you drink (for example, drinking and falling down or making an inappropriate comment to a friend). By keeping a journal, you will hopefully be able to see patterns of behavior. You can also share this journal with someone you trust and ask them to look out for any patterns you may have missed.

4. Don’t keep alcohol in your house – it is easier to come home after a long day of work and pour a glass of wine rather than going out to the bar on a Wednesday when you may have other obligations at home such as taking care of a child. When you don’t have alcohol in the house, it eliminates the desire or temptation to drink.

5. Stay busy – by having non-alcohol related activities to engage in, you are more likely to say no to drinking, as you’ll want to be present for the activity. Do things that keep you active, such as riding a bike, hiking, going for a walk as the endorphins from engaging in exercise may eliminate the desire for alcohol.

6. Ask for support/Talk to someone – tell people you trust about your goals and ask them to help keep you accountable during times when you may be struggling or find yourself surrounded by temptation. Also, there are therapists who specialize in alcohol/substance use who you can talk to that can assist you with your goals and process through any underlying emotions that may be related to drinking.

Remember that the above tips may not work for everyone. Some people may be into the stage of alcohol tolerance and dependence. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol dependence, reach out for help from a professional or call a treatment center in your area. Alcoholism and dependence look different for everyone.