This is a great article from the U.S National Institutes of Health and it describes the most commonly abused medications and how they can affect you. I have seen patients who have become dependent and I am always reminded by the patients I observed & the stories I heard while preceptoring with a rheumatologist during my training days.
You can access this article here.
Yours in health,
Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"
Showing posts with label Addiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Addiction. Show all posts
Proof: Yes, you can be addicted to Sweets
In my practice, I've had a number of patients tell me that they like sweets like chocolate, candies & sugary drinks like pop and even juice. Some don't like the thought of taking a break off of these products. Sometimes, I feel that it's really necessary and I will voice my opinions despite the protest of the patient. Why are some people so reluctant to give up their daily dose of sugar?
Well, I've just found some interesting research just published by the CBC.
A Synopsis
Princeton University researchers found that rats exhibit cravings, withdrawal symptoms and relapse when deprived of sugary drinks that the rats had become addicted to and drank frequently. The researchers even showed that the rats became more withdrawn and anxious after taking away their sugar.
Previous research had demonstrated that rats ate more and had disturbed sleeping patterns when they were consuming large quantities of sugar.
Ingesting large quantities of sugar increases the dopamine levels in the rats' brains, which increases the amount of pleasure one feels.
The researchers showed that rats denied sugar for prolonged periods after learning to binge worked harder to get it when it was reintroduced to them. This is interesting as I do not know how long the rats were denied their sugar. In my practice, I've found that patients who cut out their "addictions" (ie. sugar, caffeine, etc) experience cravings and some withdrawal symptoms for the first week or two, but then find that they do not crave them as much. It might be because I'm also supporting them with a diet plan that provides all the nutrients that the body needs. I'm a firm believer that if you feed and give your body what it needs, your food addictions are reduced dramatically, provided you're also sleeping properly & managing your stress levels.
Yours in health,
Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"
Well, I've just found some interesting research just published by the CBC.
A Synopsis
Princeton University researchers found that rats exhibit cravings, withdrawal symptoms and relapse when deprived of sugary drinks that the rats had become addicted to and drank frequently. The researchers even showed that the rats became more withdrawn and anxious after taking away their sugar.
Previous research had demonstrated that rats ate more and had disturbed sleeping patterns when they were consuming large quantities of sugar.
Ingesting large quantities of sugar increases the dopamine levels in the rats' brains, which increases the amount of pleasure one feels.
The researchers showed that rats denied sugar for prolonged periods after learning to binge worked harder to get it when it was reintroduced to them. This is interesting as I do not know how long the rats were denied their sugar. In my practice, I've found that patients who cut out their "addictions" (ie. sugar, caffeine, etc) experience cravings and some withdrawal symptoms for the first week or two, but then find that they do not crave them as much. It might be because I'm also supporting them with a diet plan that provides all the nutrients that the body needs. I'm a firm believer that if you feed and give your body what it needs, your food addictions are reduced dramatically, provided you're also sleeping properly & managing your stress levels.
Yours in health,
Ian Koo, ND
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need"
Cigarette addiction: One might be enough to hook you
Today's issue in the Journal of Neuroscience shows us why some people are more easily hooked on cigarettes versus others. Granted, this research was performed on mice, but I believe it's not a far stretch to extrapolate some of this to humans.
Dr. Laviolette, a professor at the University of Western Ontario explains that in "the early phase of tobacco exposure, many individuals find nicotine highly unpleasant and aversive, whereas others may become rapidly dependent on nicotine and find it highly rewarding,"
People are unique and this research sheds light as to why some people can become addicted so easily to nicotine due to a genetic vulnerability. I'm sure that this applies to other substances as well and it also implies that medicines & treatment plans given to patients should be tailored to fit the uniqueness of the individual. A cookie cutter approach will not work with everyone.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Ian Koo, ND
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need."
Dr. Laviolette, a professor at the University of Western Ontario explains that in "the early phase of tobacco exposure, many individuals find nicotine highly unpleasant and aversive, whereas others may become rapidly dependent on nicotine and find it highly rewarding,"
People are unique and this research sheds light as to why some people can become addicted so easily to nicotine due to a genetic vulnerability. I'm sure that this applies to other substances as well and it also implies that medicines & treatment plans given to patients should be tailored to fit the uniqueness of the individual. A cookie cutter approach will not work with everyone.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Ian Koo, ND
Naturopathic Essentials Health Centre
"The care you want, the health you need."
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