I was grabbing the metro the other day. And as it so often happens, everyone makes their way in one big mass and stops right in front of the metro doors, not really allowing people to get out, before they push their own way in. One of the truly most mind-boggling behaviors. And I swear, it must be the same people who never pick up their dog shit either, so the streets now look more like a public restroom for the four-legged than anything fit for humans.
Read MoreI am a big fan of Roman chamomile. Not just chamomile tea, but the actual essential oil Roman chamomile. The essential oil is much more powerful than the tea of it. It has a soothing effect on the body and mind and is scientifically shown to target apigenin that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain which makes for a calming sensation without any side-effects. This makes it especially valuable for those dealing with irritation, impatience and feeling disagreeable aka moody.
Read More"I am afraid of my own desire. That I am insatiable," she said. "There is a part of me that is always hungry. And I feel I must keep it hidden, so that it does not unleash all of a sudden". This quote is taken from a client suffering from Anorexia. I think quite a few of us can relate to being scared of showing our needs.
Read MoreWe tend to shape our future by constantly looking in rear mirror. This, essentially means that our past keeps running on repeat - just in different shapes and forms. When we are battling any type of addiction, we will want to understand a couple things in order to prevent dabbling between different self-destructive patterns.
Read MoreA 2017 study revealed a correlation between the popularity of social media and the rise of non-medical prescription drug use. The plethora of online social media sites are incredibly prominent and influential platforms that can be as much a nuisance as they are an asset.
Read MoreWith addiction there is always this inability to let go of our own past issues, traumas, personal hang-ups, lack of self-confidence and things that no longer serve us. In other words: addiction is the attachment to our current place of pain. The pain of change stems from our fear of losing something - our attachment to stuff, perceptions and excuses. How do we let go of stuff?
Read MoreBinge Eating Disorder is one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed eating disorders. Yes, you can have Binge Eating Disorder without being fat. And yes, you can struggle with a weight problem without having Binge Eating Disorder or any eating disorder for that matter. It is expected to occur in approx. 30% of obese individuals, but some people do indeed have Binge Eating Disorder without being technically obese. Food addiction is the main driver in Binge Eating Disorder. Animal studies have shown that rats can become addicted to natural food substances like sugar. Hoebel et al. maintained rats on a schedule of 12-hour food restriction followed by 12-hour access to a 25% glucose or 10% sucrose solution and rodent chow.
Read MoreAshwagandha has been shown to positively affect the neural receptors responsible for receiving GABA, an important neurotransmitter in reducing anxiety and worry.
Read MoreAyurveda is the Eastern philosophy of holistic health that deals with body constitutions and what we should eat to thrive according to our body constitution and what imbalances we might be experiencing at the moment. When it comes to addiction, we are dealing with two core issues: too much fire aka pitta and too much vata aka air element. When these elements get out of balance, we need more grounding aka the earth element.
Read More“The number of deaths from overdoses of illicit opioids rose sharply again in 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday. “The epidemic of deaths involving opioids continues to worsen,” said CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said. “Prescription opioid misuse and use of heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl are intertwined and deeply troubling problems.”
Read MoreIn the Noonday Demon Andrew Soloman writes, " Depression is a response to past loss, anxiety is a response to future loss". However, the two states often feel similar. This is because anxiety and depression share a single set of genes. This set of genes lies close to the genes involved in alcoholism and certain eating disorders.
Read MoreHumans is the only specie that will engage in activities to actively self-destruct in attempt to be more lovable. The gap between who we are and who we want to be, is what motivates most of us to grow. Some of us choose methods that change us by killing us - physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Read More"We live in a generation of emotionally weak people. Everything has to be watered down because it's offensive, including the truth." I have been pondering this quote since I saw it posted on social media. Have we become too political correct?
Read MoreHealth care didn't take up the majority of the debates during the election. Let's be frank here - it was a sandbox - mainly due to an extreme unbiased media coverage. However, how Trump stands on 6 health care issues will be of utmost importance for many of us. Interestingly enough, Trump has voiced concern that he wants to deal with bettering treatment for those struggling with addiction - the lost voices in society. A number of issues have garnered media attention, including the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), rising prescription drug costs, and the opioid epidemic.
Read MoreWhen we are addicted to something, our true self tends to get hidden away. Only to be seen in glimpses here and there, when the cravings are not controlling us. And usually, when we are addicted to something, most of our waking time is spent on figuring out when to get our next fix, recovering from the crash after the high has worn off or dealing with the insatiable cravings. There is little space to just be. Be okay with who we are. This is super stressful. And what do we do, when we are stressed out? We reach for our addiction of choice. And on and on it goes.
Read MoreRecovery from any kind of addiction is a long winded road. It is not straight, nor does it even always go in the right direction - there are many u-turns and steps back along the way.
Read MoreHow many times do you find yourself in the same situation, just differences faces and different spaces? If your answer is more than 3 times, you might want to consider what the shared feature of each situation is.
Read MoreWhen are we ready for change? When the time is right. And the time is always right. Time is the only thing in life we cannot get more of. Nevertheless we tend to wait for that right time, as if only then magic can happen. I don't know many people who truly ever change. I do know many people, who say they are waiting for the perfect time. When the time is right, then they will do it. Whatever that may be.
Read Moreto just keep walking. Seems pretty solid advice. Yet I wonder how many of us disregard this oh-so-simple advice and instead freeze in the moment, like a deer in headlights. We stay stuck in the pain, we might find ourselves in at times for far too long. So that a moment in pain becomes an eternity. Crippling us.
Read MoreIt is impossible to change and keep lasting change going, if you do not have a clear vision in your head of, who you want to be and what you want you daily life to look like on there other side of breaking addiction. Without vision the people perish, so it says even in The Bible. Whenever someone is stuck and feel stagnant, like they can't move, yet they may say they want to, they often don't have a clear vision on where they are heading. How are you going to get there, if you don't even know where you are going?
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