We all worry about the men in our lives. That’s why it’s shocking to hear that men are twice as likely to be addicted to alcohol or other illicit substances as women are. Substance abuse in itself is scary, but it can also lead to other dangerous behaviors.

Simply saying that men are more likely to have a substance abuse problem than women isn’t really covering the whole issue. Men are significantly more likely to abuse alcohol, cigarettes, and marijuana. However, women are just as likely to become addicted to many hard drugs and are actually more likely than men to become addicted to prescription drugs like pain killers.

Part of the reason men may be more likely to abuse certain substances than women is because some substances actually have a different effect on men than they do on women. For instance, cocaine has been shown to have a greater effect on men than it does on women.

While scientists think this may cause a difference in whether men or women get addicted to certain things, they can’t really say for sure because the effect of drugs is hard to measure. While you can measure the physical effects, it is more difficult to determine exactly how different drugs make men and women feel.

Whatever the substance, there are alternative forms of therapy that have proven to be helpful in overcoming addiction. One such therapy is yoga. It can provide the kinetic focus needed to take your mind off your addiction.

Ana Forrest is a world renowned yoga teacher and creator of Forrest yoga. Her program for her own recovery includes Sun Salutations and the following steps—

1. Breathe in new energy
2. Start a love affair with healing
3. Create doable steps
4. Be consistent
5. Honor your small successes
6. Stay conscious
7. Stop the purging (punishing)
8. Set up an external measurement
9. Feel gratitude
10. Move through emotions to process them

Of course practicing yoga will not beat addiction alone, but make it part of your recovery team along with therapy, acupuncture, and whatever will work for you. If someone you know is abusing substance, or if you suspect they are, you should work on getting them into a treatment program. While no program is perfect, there are many men who have overcome substance abuse. Talk to a doctor or counselor about programs specifically for men that may be available to you.

Resources:
Recovery From Addition

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* Serves as a natural appetite suppressant
* Services as a joint lubricant
* Maintains the integrity of of skin and muscle
* Boosts the the body’s metabolism
* Regulate body temperature
* Keeps the digestive system in working order
* Transports nutrients throughout the body

So what happens to you when you don’t drink enough water? At 2 percent dehydration, we lose 20 percent mental capacity! The toxins that should be eliminated from your system get recirculated through your body. Chronic dehydration will cause your skin to be dry, toxins will cause breakouts, and overall your skin will appear unhealthy.

Severe dehydration can cause muscle spasms, exhaustion, excessive body temperature, heat stroke, and even death. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty to drink water. Early signs of dehydration are fatigue, loss of appetite, and loss of body weight. By the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

So how much water should you drink? Most sources recommend 8 glasses a day, but that’s not entirely correct. It really depends on several variables. Do you live at a high altitude or dry climate? Are you pregnant? Lactating? Male or female? How much do you exercise? How much do you weigh? Use this free water calculator to find out how much water you should be drinking.

Okay, we’ve established that water is essential to good health. The question now is where should we get our water. So what exactly is the difference between the various types of water? Tap water is usually river water, and although this type of water has a lot of contaminants and pollutants to start with, it is put through a variety of cleaning processes before it enters the home.

Well water comes straight from the ground, although it doesn’t go through the same cleaning process. The water is filtered naturally as it slowly trickles from the surface into underground reservoirs.

The biggest complaint about tap water is that it often arrives in our homes smelling strongly of chlorine. Just because it’s safe doesn’t mean it tastes very good. Nor does it mean the water is pure. Water from municipal sources often contains minerals that will give the water an unpleasant look, taste, or smell and may have undesired effects on your dishes, laundry and hair.

While it may cost a bit more, there are filters and additives you can get for your water that will make it look and taste better. There are several types of filters:

* Carbon filters - consist of activated carbon or charcoal that remove chlorine, organic compounds, pesticides, benzne and radon
* Ion exchange filters - contain resins that attract heavy metals
* Reverse osmosis - aka hyper-filtration; passes water under high pressure through a membrane with microscopic pores that filter out single ions

Some experts say the treatment solutions are as dangerous as the contaminants. Sometimes, even when treated, the water may become polluted in the distribution system before reaching your home. There are several organizations involved in checking city water and making sure it’s safe for you and your family, but if you doubt the safety of your water, you can have it tested to ensure its quality and safety.

Just as safe water might smell or taste bad, conversely, unsafe water may smell, look, and taste perfectly fine. There are many dangerous chemicals found in well water that have no taste or smell, and do not change the look of the water. In fact, there are a few that will make your water look and taste cleaner or more pleasant. Unless you go through the process of having your water tested, there is no way to guarantee well water is safe or free of bacteria and other dangerous chemicals.

Some people decide to give up on the whole well versus tap water debate altogether and just drink bottled. There are different kinds of bottled water as well:

* Spring water - must come from underground
* Artesian water - similar to spring water, but probably deeper underground and comes to the surface without pumping
* Distilled water - boiled water recaptured as steam; no minerals, chemicals, or bacteria
* Purified water - can be simple tap water than has been distilled
* Vitamin-rich, oxygenated, and enriched water - novelty water; minute amounts of vitamins or minerals added
* Flavored water - water and flavor from natural or artificial sweeteners

While bottled water usually does taste better, it doesn’t have to go through the same purity tests that tap water does. Also, manufacturers may overstate claims. In fact, if your bottled water has gone through the same cleaning and testing process, it’s likely because it actually is just city water. On top of that, the bottles add unnecessary waste to local landfills.

If you’re facing the decision between well or tap water, taste and safety are not the only issue you’re considering in your decision. One of the biggest factors in making the switch is usually cost. Bringing in water from the local municipality requires changing the pipes in and around your house.

Keep in mind that there is a global water crisis. As demand for fresh water soars, politicians are making decisions about its use. Golf courses, farms, and cities all compete for this finite resource. Whatever water source you choose, stay abreast of the issues and make eco-conscious decisions.

Resources:

• Water Filters

• Water Testing

• A Drinker’s Guide to Pure Water

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Being overweight is another cause of hypertension. High salt intake increases this condition as well. It is important to find an appropriate diet regimen and exercise program to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. While there may be a connection between weight and hypertension, research reveals people who are at their ideal weight have less tendency to develop hypertension than those who are overweight. Indigestion puts more pressure on the heart, so it’s also important to eat a diet that doesn’t irritate the digestive system.

Type A personalities may be more prone to hypertension than others. Stress is evident in our lives every day; but the key is to not let it take over your life. While we all work hard and try to live comfortably, the pressure to succeed rapidly is taking its toll, physically, emotionally and mentally. It is also a contributing factor to hypertension. If you have a highly stressed job, or find that you cannot fill the demands placed upon you – find another job that is not so stressful. If this is not an option; use meditation to maintain an inner balance. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Your health is more important than the job.

Try not to drink alcohol in excessive amounts. Alcohol increases blood pressure and if you are taking medication; the two can cause severe side effects. Recently, however, an eminent heart surgeon suggested that a glass of red wine a day is preferred for a healthy heart. The debate continues, and while it does, it seems that wine instead of other alcoholic beverages may yield the best results.

Exercise and a good nutritional diet can work wonders, not only in reducing weight but cleansing your body of all of the toxins, as well as purifying your blood. Another alternative, of course, is herbs.

Hawthorne is an herb which will specifically relax the blood vessels and lower the blood pressure in your body. This herb is quite useful for people who are under a lot of stress, and it’s great for strengthening and regulating the heart too.

Cayenne is one of the best herbs to use for regulating blood pressure. Since it regulates, it’s useful for anyone with high or low blood pressure problems. Cayenne also helps tone the entire circulatory system too though. It feeds the cell structures of veins, arteries, and capillaries so they’ll begin to be more elastic again.

Garlic another excellent herb to use for balancing and regulating your blood pressure levels. Garlic is a well-known antibotic, but it has other properties as well. Garlic is anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, and tonic. Using this her as a food or in a formula will support other system which may have minor weaknesses, freeing the body to put more energy into healing the bigger problem.

All of these herbs can help your body fight common illnesses and infections while also helping to keep your blood pressure at more safe, healthy levels. These qualities are more important for people with hypertension though, because they often tend to have other problems such as diabetes and arteriosclerosis.

Resources:

This Is Not Your Father’s Body
The Midlife Health Guide For Men

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The specific causes of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are currently unknown, with several factors being responsible in different people. ADHD is only dianosed by certain characteristic behavior patterns that are observed over time. Common behavior pattern categories in ADHD include inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

Herbal remedies are often prescribed by holistic practitioners to treat mental illness and hyperactivity along with including riboflavin, Magnesium, B-complex vitamins, and thiamine in the diet through foods or daily multivitamins. Some herbs such as 100% aloe vera juice, pumpkin seed extract, Ginkgo biloba, evening primrose oil (an omega-6 fatty acid),and mahonia grape can promote nutritional delivery to the brain and balance neurotransmitters.

These herbs may be beneficial in the treatment of ADD and ADHD. Two Indian herbs, GotuKola and Ashwaganda, have been shown to be effective for concentration and release of anxiety. Chamomile, passionflower, and skullcap have also shown great promise. Generally, these herbs have dosage recommendations on the supplement package, but in rare cases where doses are not given, doses of ½ teaspoon into a well diluted tincture, three times a day, and mixed with fruit or vegetable juice is usually appropriate.

Other recommended herbal and homeopathic remedies include Hyoscyamus, which is known to help alleviate over-excitability and restlessness. It also provides relief from frenetic outbursts and tic-type involuntary twitching. Another one is Verta Alb. This herb can help stabilize a person with ADHD. Arsen Iod is often used for the hyperactive-impulsive type child. A fourth remedy, Tuberculinum, is also touted as a treatment for the symptoms of ADHD.

The International Cod Liver Omega-3 Foundation recommends the use of a Cod Liver Oil based (CLO3) as one of the alternatives to traditional prescription medications such as Ritalin to treat mental illness and hyperactivity in children. Omega-3 (also referred to as n-3 or w-3) is the name of a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Oil-based fish and dietary supplements are the richest and most generally available sources of omega-3. Some of these sources include fish oil and cod liver oil. Krill, bread, and fruit juices are also effective.

The compounds referred to as omega-3s are Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA),
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA), and Docusahexaenoic Acid (DHA). Omega-3s found in plant and vegetable sources are not as effective as cod liver oil or other fish oils. The best and most effective source is only found in fish such as mackerel, salmon, fresh tuna, and fish oil, specifically cod liver oil.

Experts recommend a minimum daily intake of 450 mg of fish oil omega-3s in order to fortify joint, brain, and cardiovascular health, particularly in children with ADD or ADHD. A research study published in 2002 concluded that there is a significant benefit to using Omega-3 dietary supplements to treat ADD/ADHD.

Unfortunately, the prescribing of multiple medications to treat ADD/ADHD has created a “polypharmacy” culture in a drug obsessed society, where we first turn to drugs to mask the symptoms rather than changing nutrition, lifestyle or adding herbs to treat the cause. Your first and best single form of treatment should be with natural remedies. If these do not appear effective then talk to your doctor or psychiatrist to explore other options.

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The sea is a great source of nutrition and health. If all the crops in the world failed, people could live and make medicine just from the sea’s resources. Cultures that have sea-based diets tend to be very healthy and long lived such as the Inuit of the Bering Strait or the Japanese. Excluding sea herbs or sea vegetables from your diet leaves out a great source of nutrition, medicine, and detoxification.

Seaweed is the generic term given to thousands of types of marine plants that range from microscopic algae to Kelp which can be several hundred feet in size. There are many kinds of edible and nutritious seaweed.

Seaweed has the unique ability to remove radioactivity from the body. At both Nagasaki and Chernobyl, seaweed (Kelp) was used extensively to remove radiation from people and the environment. Seaweed contains a natural salt–sodium alginate–that binds with toxins such as radiation, mercury, or pharmaceuticals, and transforms them so the body can eliminate them as harmless salts in the urine.

Nori is well known because of its use in sushi. Nori is a red sea plant with a sweet, meaty taste when dried. It contains almost 50 percent more digestible protein than any other sea plant. Nori’s high fiber content makes it a perfect sushi wrapper. Nori is also rich in all the carotenes, calcium, iodine, iron, and phosphorus.

Arame is one of the ocean’s richest sources of iodine. Herbalists use Arame to help reduce breast and uterine fibroids, and through its fat soluble vitamins and phytohormones, to normalize menopausal symptoms. Arame promotes soft, wrinkle free skin, enhances glossy hair and prevents hair loss.

Sea Palm, or American Arame, grows only on the Pacific Coast of North America. It has a sweet salty taste that goes especially well with vegetables and rice.

Kelp contains vitamins A, B, E, D and K, is an excellent source of vitamin C, and rich in minerals and proteins. A brown marine plant, Kelp contains sodium alginate (algin), an element that helps remove radioactive particles and heavy metals from the body.

Kelp aids digestion, works as a blood purifier, relieves arthritis stiffness, and promotes adrenal, pituitary and thyroid health. It’s natural iodine can normalize thyroid-related disorders like overweight and lymph system congestions. It is a demulcent that helps eliminate herpes outbreaks.

Kombu (a brown Kelp) has a long tradition in Japanese cuisine. It is a decongestant for excess mucous, and helps lower blood pressure. Kombu has abundant iodine, carotenes, vitamins B, C, D, and E, minerals like calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, silica, iron, zinc, and the skin healing nutrient germanium. Kombu is a meaty high protein seaweed. It is higher in natural mineral salts than most other seaweeds. A strip of Kombu added to a pot of beans will reduce gas.

Hijiki is a mineral rich, high fiber, high protein seaweed that contains vitamin A, carotenes, and calcium. Hijiki has the most calcium of any sea green.

Wakame (a brown Kelp) is high in protein, calcium seaweed, as well as carotenes, iron and vitamin C. Widely used in Asia for hair growth and skin tone.

Dulse, a red seaweed, is rich in iron, protein, and vitamin A. It is a balanced nutrient, with 300 times more iodine and 50 times more iron than wheat. Tests on Dulse show activity against the herpes virus. It has a purifying effect on the body, yet its doesn’t induce thirst.

Irish moss is full of electrolyte minerals, calcium, Magnesium, sodium, and Potassium. Its mucilaginous compounds help detoxify, boost metabolism, and strengthen hair, skin, and nails. Its traditional use is for low sex drive.

Sea greens are tasty. Crush, chop, snip, or crumble any mix of dry sea greens you like into soups and sauces, pizzas, casseroles, rice, and salads. Roast them into anything you cook. If you add sea vegetables, no other salt is necessary. Sun dried, they are convenient to buy and store in a moisture proof container–keep them indefinitely.

Medicine Soup
* Fill up a pot with as much water as you want soup
* Soak your preferred seaweed(s) in the pot
* After they are soft, cut them up to bite size
* Add Garlic, Shitake mushrooms, vegetables (carrots, onions, red onions, celery)
* Cook until carrots are as you like
* Take the pot off the stove and add fresh herbs to your taste (marjoram, cilantro, basil, etc.)
* Add nettle leaves
* Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. This allows the herbs to infuse instead of cook.
* Enjoy!

Note: Because seaweed is high in iodine, people with hyperthyroid (overactive thyroid glands) should not digest it. Also, if you are undergoing radiation therapy, you’ll want to wait two months after treatment before adding seaweed to your diet.

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