Thursday, September 30, 2021
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
BLOG 339 METHADONE
BLOG 339 METHADONE
Methadone is a type of opioid that has been used to treat pain. Other names for this drug include “jungle juice”, “junk”, “meth”, or “dolls”. It was actually created by doctors during World War II. At that time, the drug was used to treat extreme cases of pain but now it used to help treat addictions, including addictions to painkillers or more commonly, heroin. It can be taken illegally or prescribed by a doctor. In either case, methadone comes in the form of powder, liquid, or a tablet.
This opioid has the ability to change the way the brain and the nervous system react to pain. Medicinally, post-surgery or injury, a doctor might prescribe it to treat pain. It also has the ability to block the high that comes from heroin, oxycodone, morphine, or codeine. For addicts, it can help treat addiction because it still can provide a similar feeling but does not have the withdrawals symptoms. This is called maintenance therapy. Therefore, methadone works a replacement to the more serious drug of choice. It is not a cure all for addiction but can be used as part of a treatment plan. It can take a year or more to actually effectively treat or fight off an addiction, but this depends on how each individuals body responds.
Methadone isn’t the miracle drug. There are side effects such as itchy skin, restlessness, nausea, heavy sweating, constipation, trouble breathing, chest pain, or even hallucinations. Long term use can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle. Just like other drugs, the body does build a tolerance. The body can adapt and need more and more to feel the effects. Methadone can be abused and become habit forming.
It is estimated that 1 million Americans are addicted to heroin, and about 120,000 of these people use methadone to assist their addiction. About 20% of methadone uses, remain on the drug for 10 or more years. When a person is trying to alleviate their heroin addiction, they in turn become addicted to methadone. The search for the high is still there. A person becomes dependent and avoid activities and situations that will cause distress or interrupt their access to methadone. Eventually a person will try to stop taking methadone completely, but as with other drugs, there are withdrawal symptoms. A person may become agitated, irritated, and have the chills, as the body tries to live without dependency. Professional treatment is available. Methadone is often thought as replacing one addiction with another, but when heroin is life threatening and leading to high risk situations, this drug becomes the lesser of two evils. The thinking of an addict might not change, and that is the dilemma that one becomes powerless to until proper help and sought after and worked through.
Monday, September 27, 2021
Friday, September 24, 2021
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
BLOG 338 DELI MEAT
A nice heart cold cut, lunch meat, whichever type of deli meat you favor, reading the labels of these pre-packed proteins is very important. There are so many types of deli meats from bologna to turkey breast, making a selection available for every taste bud. However, this “meat”, really isn’t just meat, rather, it’s a concoction of different by-products filled with chemicals. The fat and sodium in excess increase the health risks increase for developing Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, while chances of heart attack and stroke also rise.
Processed meats contain plenty of preservatives, hence their shelf life in your refrigerator. These particular preservatives are nitrates or nitrites. These are a potential carcinogen. All of the added flavors, smoking, salting, and curing the meat, have been linked to cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers processed meat, which is deli meat, to be a Group 1 carcinogen. Other additional ingredients include like butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Those don’t sound like they are meant to visit the digestive system. It seems like a couple slices of bread with lettuce and tomato with whichever meat, would be a healthy lunch choice. So easy to make must mean too good to be true. Some meat labels say they have no artificial sweeteners or are uncured, but the label needs to say nitrates or nitrites free. We are easily lured by the words “natural” or “organic”, but further investigation needs to be done. Eating ingredients that we are unable to pronounce should probably be avoided. Bologna is basically a mix of sausage, pork, chemicals, and preservatives. In other words, avoid.
This doesn’t mean that you have to completely cut deli meat out of the picture. However, looking for low sodium options is important. One slice of typical deli meat can contain over 200 mg of sodium, and most sandwiches are layered with meat. It is interesting that the World Health Organization has found that eating just 50 grams of deli meat or any processed meat daily increases the risk for colorectal cancer by 18%. Anything packed and preserved has been transformed from its original taste for us to have easy access to and for manufactures to prey on our pursuit of convenience. Choosing a deli counter versus a packaged is also a better option. A person can also roast their own meat and slice it themselves. The more far removed you know where something has come from, the more you should remove it from your diet. In the end, hold the mayo and cheese, and tell the person crafting your sandwich that you will pass on the nitrates too.
Monday, September 20, 2021
Sunday, September 19, 2021
Saturday, September 18, 2021
Friday, September 17, 2021
Thursday, September 16, 2021
BLOG 337 FOOD WASTED
BLOG 337 FOOD WASTED
Food thrown out, gone bad, or not eaten, has become a wasted resource in America. Some studies have put food waste at 30-40% which is almost 1/3 of our national food supply. Of course, the perishable food items, specifically fruit and vegetables, are the most commonly thrown out. It can be tempting to point the finger at restaurants or grocery stores, but the reality is that food waste is a household phenomenon. Food distribution can also be considered part of the problem.
Shockingly, Americans are throwing away nearly 6 billion pounds of food every month. The main reasons for this include:The problem is that hunger and food insecurity are a problem in America. Nearly 40% of food supply is being lost. There are nearly 50 million people who live in households that do not have adequate food supply. Our food supply costs nearly $165 billion and 25% of our fresh water supply is used for this production. That means that water supply is also wasted.
We might have been raised and told to finish everything on our plates. Yet today’s food culture displays the bigger the better, making portion distortion a leading cause of the obesity epidemic. It is important to learn how to shop, cook, and store food properly, even if it takes added time or extra dishes to clean. Get behind the movement of legislation that supports lowering food waste helps our society as well. Donating extra food is always highly recommended. Someone who is looking for their next meal at a shelter, on the street, or at the food bank, are in need. These facilities are primarily volunteer based, and every little effort will help. Check the shelves at home before grocery shopping to see what you truly need first. Buying in bulk is resourceful, but this may be more applicable to processed foods with a longer life that allow for more time to eat them. Food is our fuel and the body needs nutrients to function. Don’t waste such an important resource we are lucky to have.
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
Monday, September 13, 2021
Sunday, September 12, 2021
Saturday, September 11, 2021
Friday, September 10, 2021
Thursday, September 9, 2021
BLOG 336 BLOATING
BLOG 336 BLOATING
Oh that uncomfortable feeling in your stomach…. bloating is no fun for anyone. It’s almost as if the belly is swollen. And then the gas that comes with it. Well, bloating happens to us all so let’s learn about this issue and maybe ease our discomfort if we can. You might even pass for pregnant sometimes haha.
Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Tuesday, September 7, 2021
Monday, September 6, 2021
Sunday, September 5, 2021
Saturday, September 4, 2021
Friday, September 3, 2021
Thursday, September 2, 2021
Wednesday, September 1, 2021
BLOG 335 GMO's
BLOG 335 GMO's
The world has seen a dramatic change in the foods we eat over the last 20 years. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) have increased the yield of food production dramatically. Canola, cotton, corn, and soy have been forever changed. 10% of all farmland is for GMO crops and 70-80% of processed foods come from GMOs. But what does this mean for public health and our environment?? There are arguments to both sides…. of course.