The Use of Alcohol and the Effects on Health and Blood Pressure

The use of alcohol and the effects on health and blood pressure has prompted many controlled studies on this subject. The consensus is that moderate alcohol consumption, which is a maximum of two drinks for males and one drink for females, has certain benefits.

The benefits include:

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Sensitivity to insulin, it prevents the formation of small blood clots. In addition, these blood clots can potentially block arteries in the heart, neck, and brain.

These small blood clots are the main cause of many heart attacks and strokes.

The Dark Side of Alcohol

It is unfortunately a fact that a lot of alcohol user does not limit them to the maximum mentioned above. If drinkers stick to the limit of two drinks for males and one for females, many cardiologists, liver specialists, mental health professionals and substance abuse counselors will be without a job.

Very few alcohol users and abusers stop at these limits. There are many moderate users of alcohol, however there are many millions of alcohol abusers.

It is also a known fact that the excessive use of alcohol has a devastating effect on the body if used and abused over a long period.

The most common are:

· Inflammation of the liver (alcoholic hepatitis)

· Scarring of the liver (cirrhosis),

· Can increase blood pressure

· Can cause damage of the heart muscle

It has also been linked with several cancers, of the:

· Mouth

· Pharynx

· Larynx

· Esophagus

· Breast

· Colon

· Rectum in men

· Liver cancer

· Colorectal cancer in women.

The risks are multiplied for drinkers who also smoke tobacco.

Abusers of alcohol cause devastating problems for their families, friends and communities.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and others:
2 million Americans meet standard criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism. Alcohol plays a role in one in three cases of violent crime. More than 16,000 people die each year in automobile accidents in which alcohol is involved. Alcohol abuse costs more than 5 billion dollars a year.

Even moderate drinking carries some risks. Alcohol can disrupt sleep. Its ability to cloud judgment is legendary. Alcohol interacts in potentially dangerous ways with a variety of medications, including acetaminophen, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, painkillers, and sedatives. It is also addictive, especially for people with a family history of alcoholism.

The Bottom Line: Balancing Risks and Benefits

Keeping the above in mind and alcohol's effects on the body, plus the complexity of the people who drink it, blanket recommendations about alcohol use cannot be safely issued.

Due to our individual histories, alcohol use and effects are different for each person. If we drink alcohol for "medicinal purposes," you need to consider all of the benefits and risks.

If you do not drink, why start, considering all the risk factors? The same benefits you can potentially get from the limited use of alcohol, you can get from physical exercise, the correct diet and incorporation of certain herbs for blood pressure.

I the case of males with no history of alcoholism who is at moderate to high risk for heart disease, a daily alcoholic drink could reduce that risk.

A maximum of two drinks might possibly be of benefit to you if you have low HDL that you find difficult to raise with the correct diet and exercise.

If you are a woman with no history of alcoholism who is at moderate to high risk for heart disease, the possible benefits of a daily drink must be balanced against the small increase in risk of breast cancer.

If you are not using alcohol and planning to start, consider all the risk factors and stick to the limits. There are many broken people because of alcohol abuse.

If you do not drink, why start, considering all the risk factors? The same benefits you can potentially get from the limited use of alcohol, you can get from physical exercise, the correct diet and incorporation of certain herbs for blood pressure.

The Use of Alcohol and the Effects on Health and Blood Pressure

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Hepatitis Treatment

In order to find the best hepatitis treatment it is important to mention that different viruses affect the liver in different ways. To understand how the virus is transmitted we have to mention first how the liver works. The liver is the largest organ in the body that weights about 3 pounds, and is the central area for many body functions. It is located in the upper right side of the abdomen under the cover of the ribs and is made up of many hexagonal structures called liver lobules.

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The liver produces the bile that breaks down fat in foods and receives blood from two sources: from the portal vein, which comes from the intestine loaded with nutrients for the liver to process; and one-third from the hepatic artery.

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The liver converts food into energy; stores nutrients, fat and vitamins; makes proteins for blood plasma; and detoxifies the body. It has the largest and most complex bloody supply of any organ in the body. It has an artery to supply it with oxygenated blood and hepatic veins to take blood back to the heart.

The liver is the organ that breaks down cholesterol into bile acid, secrets it in bile, and removes it from the body. It makes bile from water, electrolytes as sodium, potassium, chloride, proteins, organic salts, such as bilirubin and lipids. The bile helps absorb fat and vitamins that are dissolved in fat. If too much cholesterol is produced in the blood vessels the condition is called atherosclerosis. If it increases in the bile it may produce gallstones.

The bile is required for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins into the body, because these vitamins are relatively insoluble in water. Bile dissolves these vitamins so they may be properly absorbed.

The liver work as chemical factory, when the liver receives nutrients from the intestines, it metabolizes, stores, and send the nutrients to other organs. The liver metabolizes carbohydrates, proteins and fat for energy, assimilate and store vitamins, manufacture bile to aid in digestion and absorption of fats; and filter and destroy toxins.

The liver contains cells organized in hexagonal lobules and contains a large amount of glycogen, which is an energy storage chemical made from glucose. The liver converts much of the glucose to a storage molecule called Glycogen. This molecule can be converted again to glucose for release into the blood whenever is required. The liver in this process maintain a relatively constant concentration of glucose in the blood.

The liver at the same time is one of the major lymphoid organs of the immune system. Different types of immune cells are found in the liver: lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, dendritic cells and polymorphonuclear leucocytes. These immune cells protect against infections or toxins.

The liver cell also produces proteins, called enzymes and these include ALT (alanine aminotransferasa, AST (aspartate aminotransferasa), GGT (aspartate aminotransferasa, GGT (gamma-glutamyl transferasa) and alkaline phosphate. When the liver cells are injured, destroyed or die the enzymes escape into the blood that's circulating through the liver. When the cells are injured liver enzymes rise in the blood.

Albumin is another protein synthesized by the liver and is secreted to maintain the volume of blood in arteries and veins. When albumin levels decrease to extremely low levels, fluid may exit the blood vessels into the surrounding tissues. This cause swelling, know as edema.

Bilirubin: When the liver fails to eliminate bilirubin from the blood, the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow and the condition is called jaundice. Other symptoms include urine darkness, and the color of the bowel movement lightens.

The liver also manufactures many proteins that maintain normal blood clotting. When the liver is damaged these clotting factors are affected and plasma levels drops. If liver failure occurs it can produce hemorrhage requiring plasma and blood transfusions.

Hepatitis viruses are important human pathogens that affect millions of people worldwide. These viruses cause inflammation of the liver and there are different kinds of hepatitis viruses and they belong to different families and differ in their way of replication and transmission. The different types of viral hepatitis are transmitted in different ways: for example hepatitis A is transmitted through contaminated food or water, and hepatitis B and C by blood, intravenous drug use, or sexual intercourse. The Main ones that need our attention are hepatitis A, B and C.

In Hepatitis A patients can recover without any permanent damage, however in hepatitis B or C, the persons become chronic carriers producing scarring or cancer in the liver. Inflammation and damage to the liver results information of scar tissue called Fibrosis.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that causes inflammation, injury, and scarring of the liver called cirrhosis. Chronic infected patients are at risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer.

The hepatitis B is found in blood, semen and vaginal secretions. The virus has its own DNA and is structure is very complex. Ninety percent of adults infected with hepatitis B clear the infection and maintain lifelong immunity. Rarely, a patient may develop liver failure from severe acute hepatitis B. The remaining 5 to 10 percent don't clear the infection and they become carriers or developed chronic hepatitis and risk progression to cirrhosis or liver cancer.

There are two types of chronic infection for hepatitis B. The chronic carrier without the evidence of liver disease and the patient with chronic hepatitis B. The chronic carriers could be the ones infected from their infected mother during pregnancy and can develop liver cancer in the future, or the chronic carriers who acquired the infection in adult life and can carry the virus for more than 20 years. Today, there are about more that 350 million chronic carriers in the world and this includes about 1.25 million in the US. These carriers often remain asymptomatic for one or two decades before the onset of liver diseases.

The Chronic carrier of Hepatitis B is related to age at the time of infection. From mother to infant at the time of deliver leads to chronic infection in 75 to 85 percent of cases, however the transmission from mother to baby can be prevented by administering Immune Globulin and vaccination to the infant at the time of delivery. In these cases there is a great risk for liver cancer if the persons carry the infection for more than 20 to 30 years. Is important to stress that 95 % of persons who are infected with hepatitis B before the age of 5 becomes chronically infected because of their immature immune systems.

Hepatitis B spreads through blood inoculation such as transfusions of blood or blood products, intravenous drug use, hemodialysis, or accidental needle stick. It also spread by sexual contact, both heterosexual and homosexual, and can be easily be transmitted from mother to infant at delivery.

This condition has different stages and may divide in four phases: The first phase is infection when the virus attached to the liver cells and infects them. The second one is inflammation and the production of immune cells called lymphocytes. These Immune cells in their attempt to eliminate Hepatitis B virus release molecules that damage the liver. The Third phase is called Fibrosis and is developed as a consequence of chronic infection and inflammation. It's important to stress that the presence of fibrosis may indicate the presence of hepatitis B for several years. The last and four stage is cirrhosis and is produced when the functions of the liver are affected due to damage in the architecture and blood flow of the liver.

Chronic hepatitis causes cirrhosis, a condition in which the normal lobular structure of the liver is destroyed. In Cirrhosis the hardening of the liver is produce for the formation of scar tissue and the formation of nodules. This nodules affects the normal structure of the liver and prevent the normal flow of blood through the liver. Scarring and distortion of the hepatocytes and connective tissue that form each hexagonal lobule can prevent the flow of blood through the liver.

When the liver becomes scarred, it creates resistance to this blood flow and the blood may return into the spleen. When this happens, the spleen becomes bigger and holds blood elements, removing them from circulation and lowering blood counts. As the liver becomes increasingly injured, scar tissue developed, making it difficult for blood from the portal vein and hepatic artery to circulate through the liver. The blood tends to back up into other abdominal vessels and spleen. As blood backs up in the spleen, the spleen enlarges and the cells become immobilize and are destroyed, resulting in a decrease in platelets, red cells, and white cells.

Discover a natural product that can restore liver structure and function by promoting tissue regeneration of the liver and repairing the liver damages caused by viruses.

Hepatitis Treatment

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A New Cure on the Horizon for Hepatitis Symptoms

Hepatitis C is a serious disease. Of all those in America who complain of hepatitis symptoms of this particular variety, 12,000 die each year. And that's a a low figure considering what it's going to be like in the future. They are different ineffective drugs for hepatitis C. Whatever there exist, are difficult to take and aren't that effective. All of that is about to change now.

Scientists here think that the new cure will be revolutionary, for the way in which it will help 4 million Americans who suffer from hepatitis symptoms of the C variety right now. It's the hottest scene in pharmaceuticals right now, and there are dozens of companies rushing to cash in. And it's no wonder either - hepatitis C is so serious a disease, it is the biggest cause of liver cancer in the world.

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There is more than one drug from the pharmaceutical majors planned for hepatitis C. One of these drugs, called Telaprevir, is so effective, it can cure hepatitis C 50% better than existing mainstays like alpha interferon and ribavirin ever could by themselves. And it does that in half the time too. People are so confident about this drug that they are getting off whatever drugs they are on right now and waiting until the new drug hits the market.

Hepatitis symptoms don't really show up in those infected with the C variety of the disease. Not for years, not in most people. Still, when you look at the kind of market these drugs are aimed at, you wonder what the pharmaceutical companies are really up to. Most people with hepatitis C are ones who get it from unclean needles in drug use. These are people with no insurance and no means. One wonders where these drug companies expect to cash in on their big discovery.

If the drug companies are to make any kind of a killing on their investment, they're going to have to find new people with hepatitis symptoms; and will have to find them among the rich - people who have insurance. They are developing rapid blood tests that can put out results in just a few minutes. Pretty soon, a mere saliva swab can get the test done. There is a problem here though. Maybe one in 20 people who complain of hepatitis symptoms actually ends up getting anything serious. And the rest might never develop anything at all. This could be a case of having the pharmaceutical companies creating a market where none exists.

A New Cure on the Horizon for Hepatitis Symptoms

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Your Wife's Signs of Alcoholism and Alcoholic Symptoms

There are critical warning signs of alcoholism and alcoholic symptoms to look for if you have concerns about your wife's drinking. Perhaps she is often drunk and she drinks too much each time. You are right to be concerned as you may be living with an alcoholic. Continued alcoholic abuse increases the risk of damaging her well-being, risking an accident, poor job performance and legal problems. It can lead to destroying your marriage and her life.

alcoholic whipped cream

Alcoholic intervention is highly recommended if your wife, within one-year period, exhibits any three of the alcoholic symptoms and signs of alcoholism that I am about to discuss.

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Her excessive drinking is an example of the signs of alcoholism to look for. She intakes vast quantities over a prolonged periods of time. She is likely to need alcohol abuse help if she often drinks until dawn or even worse, until she passes out.

Your wife projects one of the classic alcoholic symptoms if she is unable to control the amount of alcohol she consumes. She has tried to reduce or control her drinking but her efforts are unsuccessful. For example, when she says she will stop drinking for a week or a month, but finds an excuse to take the first drink. Other, signs of alcoholism include when she cannot stop at just one drink and, despite her prior intentions, she keeps drinking.

Is there an increase in the time she spends on alcohol related activities? One of the distinct signs of alcoholism is her spending more and more time on obtaining, using or recovering from the effects of alcohol.

She may be in need of alcoholic help if her interest in activities she used to love has decreased significantly. Another one of the numerous alcoholic symptoms is when her drinking impacts on the other areas of her life. One of the signs of alcoholism example is her arriving late, or failing to attend, important occupational, social or recreational events because of alcohol related reasons.

Alcoholic symptoms include relentless drinking. Despite your wife knowing that her alcoholic consumption is causing or exacerbating her physical or psychological problems, she continues her alcoholic abuse. For example, she continues drinking even when she has been charged with drink driving.

Typical for someone needing help for alcoholism, she grows a higher tolerance for alcohol as her body adapts to the increased alcohol level. This shows up as a need to drink more alcohol than before just to feel 'relaxed' or to get that buzzed feeling.

Clear signs of alcoholism can be evident in the withdrawals when she stops drinking after heavy alcohol consumption. Does she suffer alcoholic symptoms such as sweating, anxiety, nausea or the shakes? Perhaps you have seen her trembling in the mornings.

These alcoholic symptoms and signs of alcoholism are seriously damaging everyone's life affected by them. If your wife displays at least three of these signs of alcoholism, you are most likely living with an alcoholic already. An alcoholic intervention is crucial necessity now. To save your marriage and to live a happy, normal life again, you need to find useful alcohol abuse information. Learn how to deal with an alcoholic, what to do and what NOT to do, so you can provide effective alcoholic help and she can begin her alcoholism recovery sooner rather than later.

Your Wife's Signs of Alcoholism and Alcoholic Symptoms

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Detox - A Cure For Hepatitis C?

There is this principle that the health experts and nutritionists believed. They say people that are in good shape really do not need to undergo detoxification processes as long as they retain and consume a well-balanced diet.

Physicians state that an exposed factory worker has a higher content of Hg or mercury in sweat as compared to the mercury content in urine. Profuse perspiration can create serious health risks for unhealthy persons, pregnant mothers or persons with vascular diseases. But some therapeutic care may create dry sauna advantageous to many people suffering from cardiovascular diseases. So, here is an easy-to-follow procedure for a healthy thirst-quencher green tea that is best for hot summer days. This green tea tastes great and you will never know how good and healthy it is for you!

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Blood and Lymphatic - Energizes and fortify the blood and lymph fluids.
Cardiovascular - Significantly improves circulation in the body.
Liver and Gallbladder - Revitalizes the liver.
Lungs - Dissolves and expels mucus accumulation in the lungs.
Kidneys and Bladder - Cleans the kidneys and bladder by removing excessive uric acid deposited.
Colon Conditioner - Aids in bowel movement stimulation.
Carbon - It excretes all the harmful deposits that our bodies unwisely taken in.

Drinking alcohol and prohibited drugs are addicting. Studies show that when you tried out alcohol and prohibited drugs at an earlier age, you have more tendencies to develop into an addict in the years to come.

What is hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C is a contagious disease that is passed in the blood and affects the liver. According to statistics, an estimated 240,000 people in Canada are contaminated with the disease and they do not even know that they have it. Canadians which carries hepatitis C is ever increasing and also in other parts of the world. The common route of transmission of this disease is through needle sharing and other drug paraphernalia. About 5,000 young Canadians acquired this disease every year.

Drug addiction and alcoholism when treated will be able to experience very serious withdrawal indications like convulsion and seizures. So, to keep away from possible seizures and convulsion, drug and alcohol addicts need to be managed by medical experts when undergoing detoxification.

There is this theory with regards to detoxification and is widely known among Asian countries. This is like washing oily dishes without dishwashing soap or hot water to use. Of course, the dishes still have grease as expected because of the absence of a cleanser. That is also the same as when toxic chemicals and other food additives entered inside the body, it needs a very "tough cleanser" to scour the body clean from inside out. This theory that is related to detoxification has been acknowledged and has been put into practice for about 3,000 years by the Chinese society and other Asian countries such as in Indian Ayurvedic medicine.

It is also an imperative to realize that detoxification do not work alone. It involves cautious monitoring and understanding of the various materials that will facilitate the body build up strength and fight against disease-causing substances.

Experience as if it is done, by deliberately maintaining yourself to be what you long to be. Be an observer and witness the blissful ending of what you wish for by intentionally stating and enjoying what you wish for. The result will get you through the distance of time that it takes for the result to unfold. What is the normal time interval for the situation you desire to be but not the restless habituated reply of an immediate enjoyment of the past?

Even though the hepatitis C virus has been here long enough, it was only discovered in 1989. Hepatitis C is a disease of the liver. It is characterized by the swelling of the liver which is frequently develops to liver cirrhosis (wounds that are present in the liver making it hard to work regularly. Approximately 5,000 people were contaminated with the disease every year, about 70% of them having no indication. Some instances, it takes 20 to 30 years for their symptoms to show up. As a result, unintentionally they were contaminating other people. That is why it is very significant to know if you are in danger and how to take precautionary measures so that you will not infect others. If you feel you have the disease, go to your doctor and ask for help to treat this. Visit Health Canada's Web site at healthcanada.ca/hepc. And get in touch with a health care expert for further information.

This is where anyone can experience a total and sudden termination of all prohibited drugs or any addictive substances on which one has been dependent upon. When undergoing alcohol and drug rehabilitation, withdrawal symptoms were encountered regularly. This very unlikable side effects such as hallucinations, paranoia, sleep disturbance, vomiting, hot and cold flashes, and other painful and alarming effects were frequently be seen.

Heard the news lately? They have been talking about the incredible curing possessions of the curry spice called turmeric. It has been recognized to fight against both Alzheimer's and cancer as well because of the free-radical content and because of being an antioxidant. It is safe to substitute the old fillings with a new one at all time to be assured that heavy metals were not included.

Detoxification (cleansing) is a term that has become popular only in the area of holistic western medicine or alternative medicine stating that detox drugs for your body and live a healthier lifestyle.

One of the best detoxifying means is vegetables. For this reason, it is best to make a meal program that has vegetable content of not less than 50 percent.

Detox - A Cure For Hepatitis C?

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Alcoholic Losers Or Victims of Innocence?

The explanation that follows is not meant in any way to mock or jab the real alcoholic. Although the language used is blunt, it is written with words which best portray the common characteristics of an everyday drunk. Because alcoholism is often referred to as the disease of denial, active alcoholics would find it difficult to find words to explain or even acknowledge their illness. Hopefully, this accurate assessment will help some problem drinkers identify the severity of their malady.

alcoholic drinks

So powerful is its grip on the victim, the alcoholic mind manages to convince drunks the world over that they need the 'high' in order to function! Furthermore, a typical drunk has such a warped psyche that they believe there is nothing in their life today that sustained sobriety can possibly make better. More often than not, the one with the drinking problem not only turns his or her life upside-down, but they have a tendency to drag anyone who's close to them into their pitiable turmoil too.

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The world of a chronic alcoholic is one of rampant self. Most display self centred, self seeking egotistical behaviour more often than not! Many say that these folks are nothing more than the alcoholic losers of the twenty first century! Weak willed souls who have given up on life and who live only for the bottle. Others with more compassion would say they are simply lost victims of innocence. Ill-fated individuals who have fallen prey to a fatal disease.

Whatever other people's views are on the alcoholic, the problem today is so great that just about everyone on the planet knows someone, or knows of someone, who has major issues with drink. It's simply one of mankind's modern day curses. Alcoholics are riddled with inferiority, even though they themselves may not know it. Most have a negative image of themselves, which probably explains why they're always on the defensive and at wars with the world. Nothing is ever their fault! Everything would be just fine if only the world would leave them alone and agree with everything they say!

Alcoholic Losers Love to Gossip!

Alcoholic types love to gossip too. So long as they are focusing on the faults of others, they don't have to work on their own shortcomings. It's a common trait of drunks to ignore their own misgivings by zooming in on the seeming inadequacies of anyone but themselves. Often referred to as egomaniacs with inferiority complexes, the stereotypical alcoholic is self-centred to the extreme and become impossible to be around, let alone live with. In the mind of a true alcoholic, nothing is ever their fault!

Alcoholic Losers Love to Resent!

According to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), one of the biggest problems their members face is that of resentment. It is said that resentments destroy more alcoholics than any other cause. The reason they resent so much is, once again, to focus on the defects of others so that they don't have to look at their own faults. Their mind is often twisted to such an extent that they find it impossible to separate the false from the real. A life filled with resentment and loathing can never be productive and fruitful.

There is a solution!

After reading the above, you might think that the everyday alcoholic is destined to a life of unequalled misery and an early grave. Some reading this might also think that the term 'loser' is a little harsh, but is it? Loosely translated, loser simply means a person with a record of failing. If trashing your god given life and making the lives of those around you a misery isn't classed as failing, then pray tell what is? The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. Many alcoholics can and do recover from their once seemingly helpless condition of body and mind, but only when they throw in the towel and admit to their problem with booze.

Above are just some of the common character defects of a typical drunk, but there are many more. Alcoholics are not necessarily born as awful people. They didn't ask to be this way, but once in the grip of king alcohol, they get caught in a downward spiral and over time emerge with distorted minds. About 1 in 10 people are said to be alcoholic or borderline alcoholic, but many started out just like everyone else, as moderate, temperate, social drinkers. For some reason, some of us end up in the grip of what is recognised as a progressive illness. A condition which only gets worse over time if left untreated!

The alcoholic who is able to put aside that false pride and reach out for help when life becomes totally unmanageable, is indeed the lucky one. Talk to many 'recovering' alcoholics, and most are brimming with gratitude. They have managed to untangle their minds and gone on to live a life beyond their wildest dreams. Those who are able to stop and stay stopped have transformed their attitude and outlook on life from one of darkness and discord, to one of light and relative harmony.

Alcoholic Losers Or Victims of Innocence?

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Hepatitis Cure - How to Treat Your Liver Naturally

Many doctors will tell you that there is no permanent hepatitis cure. Apart from conventional drugs which just cover up the symptoms, the medical community has very little to offer. The good news is that a new natural approach to treating this dreadful illness is showing promising results without the side effects of dangerous drugs.

A natural hepatitis cure brings your internal environment back into balance by eliminating toxins from your body, boosting your immune system, quelling inflammation and repairing damaged cells.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Diet is at the forefront of treating hepatitis. You need to eat a diet rich in raw vegetables and fruits. Drink "green juices" rich in chlorophyll like those made from broccoli, parsley, cabbage and celery. The addition of some carrot or beetroot juice will sweeten the juice and boost its healing powers.

Avoid alcohol, sugar, highly processed foods and excess fats, especially trans fatty acids like those found in margarine and processed foods. Avoid drugs that have not been prescribed by your doctor.

Herbs like dandelion, golden seal and milk thistle, to name just a few, act to rebuild and repair the liver. There are many more powerful herbs that specifically target liver viruses. Nutrients like the B complex and the antioxidants normalise liver function and protect it from further damage. They are an essential part of a permanent hepatitis cure.

You need to find an exercise routine that you enjoy. Regular exercise is one of the corner stones of a hepatitis cure as it stimulates blood flow to the liver, providing healing nutrients and carrying away fats and toxins.

Stress management like relaxation and adequate sleep is part of a hepatitis cure. Stress is often the trigger for viral infections like hepatitis to take hold. You also need a good night's sleep in order for your body to produce enough growth hormone - your body's repair hormone.

If you or a loved one are suffering from the nausea, fatigue, fever, liver pain, headache or muscle aches often seen in this nasty disease, then a natural hepatitis cure may be the answer you are looking for. It can give you the peace of mind and freedom to permanently eliminate liver problems from your life and re-claim the full life you deserve.

Hepatitis Cure - How to Treat Your Liver Naturally

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Rehab Psychology - How to Help an Alcoholic Get Into Rehab

Very often when an alcoholic has reached their lowest point, their so-called bottom, they will only then be ready to enter a drug rehab facility. Why is this? Why must an alcoholic be humbled before they are willing to ask for help. It is not because they do not want it. In fact, the alcoholic or drug addict generally will do anything to change the path that they are on. The reason the alcoholic does not ask for help sooner is because he or she believes that they can do it themselves.

alcoholics anonymous

This is not entirely a bad thing. After all we live in a culture were self-reliance is considered a much desired attribute. And alcoholics, as a group, tend to have a healthy sense of pride. The fact of the matter entering rehab can be considered a person's greatest failure. It is them admitting that they can not succeed at life without help.

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Or at least that is how it often is seen. Because the alcoholic, in addition to having a healthy ego also carries with them a strong feeling of shame. It is an embarrassment that they have messed up their life. They feel it and it wears on them. But, the fact of the matter, is the alcoholic has not failed. As anyone with any experience can attest, the alcoholic who has found sobriety sits on an entirely different perch than the individual who has yet to admit their drinking problem. An alcoholic with some sobriety or clean time under their belt views their condition as a disease that they were powerless to control. And they see their so-called bottom as an inevitability that allowed them to reach a healthier place in life. It was, indeed, a necessary evil.

So, the key to convincing an alcoholic to get help is to let them fail. If a person (usually a family member or girlfriend/boyfriend) is propping them up, what we call enabling) then it can take the addict that much longer to reach the place where they realize they can not achieve sobriety on their own. They must ask for help, and usually as a result of this, they find themselves in a drug and alcohol treatment center or rehab. In rehab the alcoholic learns of the disease of alcoholism and comes to regard themselves as person who can be redeemed.. No matter how far down they have fallen, they will see new ways in which they can find meaning in their life.

So, returning to enabling, the question becomes, how can the addict realize that he or she can not overcome alcoholism alone when they have not been allowed to fail. It becomes critical for the family and the friends of the alcoholic to stop covering up, stop providing money, and stop taking actions to abet the using behavior. Usually, what happens when an alcoholic is cut off they quickly enter a downward spiral and within a short time, are finally willing to accept outside help. Now, you will need to explain to your loved one that you will support them in going into treatment. This is important because it is possible that they can become so overwhelmed if they see no way out that they will consider doing something to harm themselves. But once you've made the rehab option available you need to get out of the way and allow them to fail to a certain degree.

This may seem harsh, but the key to getting your loved one to go to rehab is to let them see that so long as alcohol and drugs remain a part of their lives, they will not be successful. They will not achieve a sense of fulfillment and will not get the help that they need. In the end, if you allow them to realize what they need on their own, then the results will be far greater for the alcoholic or addict and his or her family as well.

Rehab Psychology - How to Help an Alcoholic Get Into Rehab

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Natural Hepatitis Treatments - 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Liver Health

Natural hepatitis treatment is showing promising results in relieving debilitating liver symptoms like nausea, vomiting, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain, jaundice, headache and aching joints and muscles.

Your liver is the largest internal organ in your body and one of the most hard-working. Its roles include filtering the blood, removing toxins, releasing bile to help digest fats, breaking down hormones and producing immune factors.

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When hit by hepatitis, the liver becomes inflamed. The major cause of this disease is a viral infection like Type A, B and C Hepatitis, the Epstein Barr virus (that causes mononucleosis), CMV and yellow fever. Alcohol and drugs are implicated in some cases.

The aim of natural hepatitis treatment is to reduce or stop the viruses from multiplying and destroying your liver. If alcohol or drugs are involved, then these will be need to be eliminated in order to give the liver a chance to heal.

Natural hepatitis treatment consists of 3 easy steps:

1) Anti-viral remedies

Powerful anti-viral remedies are at the forefront of effective hepatitis treatment. Scientific studies are revealing nutrients and herbs that specifically work against liver viruses and help the liver to heal. Milk thistle, dandelion and artichoke are examples of liver herbs that can repair and rebuild the liver.

Certain vegetables and fruits, like broccoli, cabbage, carrot and beetroot offer anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting benefits. Juicing these fruits and vegetables can accelerate the healing process by flushing out toxins that are over burdening the liver. The foods and remedies recommended for natural hepatitis treatment are affordable and easily available from health food shops and grocers.

2) Body cleansing

A clean internal cell environment, free of toxins, acids and microbes, is essential to keep chronic illnesses like hepatitis at bay. When your cells are full of toxins, your immune system shuts down and leaves you exposed to viruses, bacteria and fungal infections. To get off the cycle of chronic infection, hepatitis treatment must cleanse the body and regenerate your cells so that microbes cannot get a hold.

A breakthrough diet that changes your body's internal environment to one of vibrant health is the fastest, most effective way to cleanse your body. This diet is based around an abundance of healing vegetables, fruits, quality protein, essential fats, whole grains and pure water.

3) Stress Management and Relaxation

It is a fact that stress and worry can lower immune health and leave you exposed to infections. Relaxation techniques that calm your mind, ease tension and give you a good night's sleep, can release the effects of stress on your body.

A regular exercise program that makes working out easy and enjoyable will accelerate your results. Walking, swimming, cycling, playing competitive sport or dancing are all good choices. As well as helping your stress, exercise helps boost circulation to the liver to flush out excess fats.

The benefits of a natural approach to hepatitis treatment is that you can eliminate your infection permanently without dangerous drugs and unwanted side effects. You also get the freedom of living a life without constant doctors appointments, surgery and hospital visits. If you or a loved one are suffering from this dreadful illness, then natural hepatitis treatment may be the answer you have been looking for.

Natural Hepatitis Treatments - 3 Ways to Reclaim Your Liver Health

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Hepatitis - Low Cost Drugs in Pakistan

Hepatitis is fatal disease of liver and in Pakistan there are millions of hepatitis patients. The hepatitis drugs are very expensive and ordinary poor Pakistani can not afford them and died as result. A large batch of interferon injection produced indigenously by researchers in Pakistan for the poor patients of hepatitis will expire in December 2010 due to indifference attitude of authorities. Research work was done at the Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMP) and Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC) in 2008 where interferon was replicated to reduce the cost of hepatitis.

Hepatitis C is the number one killer disease in Pakistan and infected predominantly, if not exclusively the poor and middle-class people. The group cloned interferon injection to make it available in the local market at the price far lower than that of imported vials of the injection.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Import bill of interferon was Rs 1.1 billion in 2005, Rs 1.4 billion in 2006 and Rs. 3 billion in 2009. Despite the massive spending only five per cent of hepatitis patients got properly diagnosed and treated while 90% died. Recently all the brands are beyond the reach of poor people.

The proposal for indigenous production of interferon has been pending with the federal ministry of health and the Pakistan medical research council (PMRC). If delay persists, 100000 interferon injections produced a couple of years ago will expire next month, resulting in the wastage of research effort and material resources.

Hepatitis C patient had to take three injections per week and the treatment continued for 6 to 18 months, depending on the intensity of the virus. On an average, the diagnosis and follow-up cost more than Rs 50000 per patient, with total cost of treatment often amounting to Rs 150,000. a dose of local interferon cost Rs 70 whereas the price of the imported medicine was Rs 6000 to 9000.

A researcher said that if and when this research, which led to the indigenous production of 18 imported pharmaceutical proteins, was allowed to reach the poor patient, Pakistan would benefit greatly in the shape of foreign exchange savings and minimising the suffering of millions.

Lahore High Court on 12 November 2010 issued notice after petition filed that health ministry be directed not to create hurdles in the production of locally produced hepatitis medicine. Justice sought a written reply form secretaries of health and science and technology and executive director of the Pakistan Medical Research Council.

This is really depressing situation because in Pakistan there are more than 12 million patients of Hepatitis and government is not doing enough for those people. Now, when researches successfully made a low cost medicine for poor, indifferent attitude of government machinery not allowing them to use.

Hepatitis - Low Cost Drugs in Pakistan

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Alcohol and Cancer Relation

Alcohol intake is found to be a factor that increases the risk of a number of cancers. Any one or all of these risk factors, when combined together can be life-threatening for the affected person. These can be diagnosed as a result of excessive consumption of alcohol, especially for a prolonged period, as the studies reveal. The organs that may get cancer are:

Mouth, throat, Pharynx and larynx Breast Liver Colon and rectum(Colorectal) Stomach Ovary Lung Esophagus

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Brief description is given here about a few of them.

Mouth, pharynx and larynx

The U.S National Cancer Institute has warned that alcohol drinking leads to mouth, esophageal, pharynx, larynx and liver cancer in women as well as men. Women can develop this serious disorder if they consume one drink (12 ounces for beer, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, 5 ounces for wine) per day. For men it is two servings daily. Some of the important facts every one must be well aware of are that:

The risk for esophageal tumor is doubled in alcohol drunks in the first two years. However after a long duration of abstinence from drinking, there is a considerable reduction in the risk for getting lumps.
Every additional drink consumed daily by an individual, increases the occurrence of oral cavity and pharynx tumor by 1 per thousand (1/1000). While the incidence of esophagus and larynx cancer is 0.7 per thousand (0.7/1000)

Breast

This is now evident that breast tumors have a strong link with an excessive and alcohol intake on regular basis. The women who are habitual of taking alcohol daily have 8% higher risk of getting cancer of the breast. Every additional drink per day the incidences of this disease goes to 11 per thousand (11/1000). Regrettably, about 6% of this disorder occurred in UK annually can be prevented with a reduced drinking level (about 1 unit per week).

Liver

As you know, alcohol causes cirrhosis of the liver that in turn leads to the development of a tumor inside this vital organ. Drinking heavily forms scar in the liver that is a symptom of cirrhosis. About 5% of people with the scars get cancer and hepatic cells are badly damaged by drugs especially alcohol. Taking five or more drinks every day increases the chances of this disease to a considerable extent, according to several researches conducted by National Cancer Institute (NCI). Chances go up to 0.7 per 1000 with every additional drink taken on daily basis. In U.S the statistics for liver cancer causes are:

61% by HCC 13% by HCV( hepatitis C virus) 18 % by excessively high alcohol intake

It is the single most cause of this serious disease in Brescia, a province in northern Italy.

Colorectal

The evidence can be given from the following health organizations that have included alcohol in the list or risk factors for the cancer of colon and rectum. These are:

American cancer society Cancer Research National Cancer Institute National institute of health American society of Clinical oncology Colorectal cancer coalition and Memorial Sloan-Kettering cancer center

Stomach

There is a significant increase in the number of stomach cancer patients who got it because of heavy drinking for a longer time. The danger is high especially who are chain smokers too besides being drunks. According to a study, tobacco smoking can cause gastric cancer and alcohol consumption may promote the already worse condition.

Ovary

There can be an increase in the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer to a small extent, among women consuming 40 grams or more every day. But the studies are ongoing to fully understand the mechanism and the link between the two.

Alcohol and Cancer Relation

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Alcohol Abuse and Related Illnesses

Even though statistics vary from nation to nation, alcohol related illnesses are still a major cause of mortality. How does alcohol abuse kill people? The following result from long-term alcohol addiction:

Nervous System

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

It is estimated that three to four out of every ten men have experienced alcohol blackout when they were teenagers or in their twenties. This comes as a result of too much drinking which results in memory loss regarding spacio-temporal orientation. A popular effect of alcohol is sleep disturbance resulting in reduced overall sleep quality. Numbness as well as tingling may be felt in the arms and legs. Korsakoff's and Wernicke's syndrome may be experienced together or separately. The culprit for both are low thiamine levels. (a type of vitamin B complex) present in alcohol. Korsakoff's syndrome affects the memory severely and prevents new learning from taking place while Wernicke's syndrome results to very poor balance, difficulty in walking and disordered eye movements.

Gastrointestinal system

Loosening of the muscular ring is also one of alcohol related illnesses. It prevents the re-entrance of the contents of the stomach to the esophagus. Stomach acids flows into the esophagus and causes bleeding and pain. Stomach inflammation may also be the culprit for decreased appetite and pain and bleeding. Severe, uncontrollable bleeding comes as a result of bloated dilated blood vessels within the esophagus also known as esophageal varices. Hemorrhaging as well as bursting may develop from this as a response to liver disease. Diarrhea is one of the common symptoms due to the effect of alcohol on the pancreas. Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas are also alcohol related illnesses. A malnourished state is likewise created by alcohol which prevents the absorption of nutrients. As the liver is where metabolism of alcohol takes place, it is also affected by constant levels of alcohol. The liver is enlarged and fatty liver results. Fibrous scar tissue also known as cirrhosis impede the normal structure and function of the liver. The organ may also be inflamed (hepatitis).

Blood

Changes in blood cell types are also considered as alcohol related illnesses. Red blood cells are inflamed or abnormally enlarged. White blood cell reduction results in a weakened immune system as these are the cells that fight infections. Alcoholics Increased risk of having cancer is blamed on this factor. Platelets as well as blood clotting factors increase which in turn results to increased risk of bleeding.

Heart

Fluctuating blood pressure is also an alcohol related illness. Increased alcohol intake causes increased blood pressure even if small amounts cause a drop in blood pressure. High levels of fat in the bloodstream is also a coronary risk factor. Higher risk of stroke is also blamed on heavy drinking as a blood clot goes to the circulatory system from the heart to the brain and blocks a blood vessel there. You can also expect blood clot risk in heart chambers, weakened heart muscles and enlargement of the heart.

Reproductive System

Alcohol related illnesses likewise find link to the reproductive system. Alcohol decreases the size of the testicle as well as ovary and interferes with egg and sperm production which then causes reduced fertility in both species. A mother who is alcoholic also puts her child at great risk of developing fetal alcohol syndrome. You can expect the child to have facial defect, lower IQ as well as behavioral problems.

Alcohol Abuse and Related Illnesses

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Recipe For Ginger Beer - A Wonderful Non Alcoholic Beverage

Ginger beer has a completely different recipe than regular beer, it's completely non alcoholic and easy to make, the confusion that people have probably lays in the term beer, it's just a common mistake. Ginger beer may be mixed with beer (usually a British ale of some sort) to make one type of shandy. Anyone can make this recipe and everyone can drink it, even children.

alcoholics anonymous 4th edition

The process involved of making home made ginger beer is quite simple and quick, it is a lot of fun to make even with your (grand)children. Really anyone can make this refreshing recipe. There are a lot of recipes you can find online but the one we will give you is especially popular. It is the recipe we use in our family for a very long time and we all love it. It is simple to make and a lot of fun. So try making it, you will be proud when you taste it.

ALCOHOLIC

What do you need for your own Home Made Ginger Beer

Ingredients and Tools:

When you plan to make your own ginger beer you need the proper tools and ingredients. For our recipe you will need eight pint (plastic) bottles or four quart (plastic) bottles, and bowls where you can make the mixture in.

Basic Recipe

For this most basic home made ginger beer recipe, the required ingredients are as follows:

- 2 oz. fresh ginger

- 1 tsp. cream of tartar

- 2 lemons

- 1 lb. sugar

- 1 oz. yeast.

- 1 gallon boiling water

You can do without the cream of tartar, some of my family members make it with and others without it and both ways taste excellent. You need sugar in this recipe and you really should not replace it with an artificial sweetener because it makes the taste dry in the mouth. Ginger already has a bit of a dry after taste and a sweetener instead of sugar just makes it more dry.

The preparation is easy, You need to wash the lemons and slice them in thick rings, after that the ginger root should be roughly crushed. Mix the ginger, lemon, sugar and cream of tartar in a large bowl.

Pour the boiling water over the top, stir the mixture and let it cool to lukewarm temperature. After that you need to stir in the yeast. You'll need to leave it for 24-48 hours to let the yeast go to work. Once the plastic bottle is very hard, and can't be squeezed, the beer is done. At that time you need to skim off the yeast and the mixture strained. After that your beer can be bottled. Place the bottle in the fridge overnight. This halts the yeast and stops the bottle exploding. Once it is chilled, pour it into a glass and enjoy. When you just follow this simple ginger beer recipe you can't go wrong.

Exploding bottles

Because of the yeast, ginger beer can be a very aggressive fermenter, it produces high pressure very rapidly. So it is better not to bottle ginger beer in glass bottles. You also should not leave the finished ginger beer in a closed up warm place, because this can result in generating enough pressure to explode the lid of.

This is just one, although very popular, recipe for ginger beer. On the internet or at your favorite brewing supply store you can find many more.

Have fun in making this delicious recipe, and enjoy making it together with your children or grandchildren. Together you can make little changes to make it your personal Ginger Beer recipe.

Recipe For Ginger Beer - A Wonderful Non Alcoholic Beverage

ALCOHOLIC

Stop Drinking Now - Medication For Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

Treatment for alcohol dependency typically includes education and family/friends support to stop drinking, medications to reduce potential withdrawal symptoms and stop alcohol cravings, and finally professional counseling to work through relationship issues. Recently introduced to the marketplace is a drug which can help alcoholics quit. It includes a brand name chemical named ReVia [formerly called Trexan], Vivitrolnaltrexone. Vivitrol is taken monthly as an injection into the muscles. Naltrexone is also available in tablet form.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist that interferes with the part of the brain involved in producing the pleasure you get from drinking alcohol or other drugs. Basically, Naltrexone is used to reduce the pleasurable effects received from alcohol. This drug can be used alone or it can be combined with other medicines to treat alcohol dependence.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Naltrexone works best to help you stop drinking if you also get counseling.1 Most studies show that naltrexone significantly reduces your chance for relapse after you have stopped drinking. But it might not be effective in treating men with severe, ongoing alcohol dependence. Some side effects of Naltrexone include nausea, dizziness, and fatigue. It can also cause headaches and make you feel anxious, sleepy, or nervous.

You might develop liver damage if you have existing liver disease (such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver failure) and take too much naltrexone. If you are addicted to narcotics taking this medicine will cause withdrawal symptoms. To effectively prevent relapse you might need to take naltrexone for several months. Vivitrol, a once-a-month injection of this medicine, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat drinking problems. This form of naltrexone can be useful for people who have a hard time deciding whether or not to take the medicine each day.

Stop Drinking Now - Medication For Alcohol Abuse and Dependence

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Bad Effects of Alcohol

We all know that too much alcohol consumption is very harmful in our body. It can lead to various diseases and even death. So what are the specific effects of alcohol consumption? Below are my short list for not taking alcohol moderately.

• It impairs your behavior and emotions. Your judgment becomes uncontrollable and constitute to loss of memory.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

• Alcohol is a depressant. It is an alternative for relieving pain and to induce sleep because is slows down the central nervous system.

• It can damage your liver and may cause hepatitis and cancer.

• It can effect sexual performance. Too much alcohol can result to impotence and infertility. Some develops breast cancer or breast enlargement.

• Menstrual irregularities and early menopause are the common cause for women who drink immoderately.

• It can cause throat cancer.

• May cause peptic ulcer due to the irritation of the stomach lining.

• Can cause severe headache and dizziness.

• Contribute of having diarrhea

• Can cause colon cancer

• Affects the bones by limiting the body's absorption of calcium making it weaker and brittle.

• Increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Most heart problems are linked to excessive alcohol consumption including hypertension.

• You have lower resistance to infection.

If you analyze the list above, all major organs are affected from alcohol abuse. It is better to drink alcohol moderately and occasionally. Prevent yourself from serious health problems caused by drinking alcohols.

Drinking alcohol can give us relaxation and enjoyment. But we still have to reconsider our health and avoid having diseases caused by this vices. Alcohol must be responsibly taken in moderation and with control. Remember to love yourself by living healthy.

Bad Effects of Alcohol

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

The Sobering Truth About Life As an Alcoholic

The Sobering Truth: What You Don't Know Can Kill You, written by Jeff Herten, M.D., is, indeed, a sobering book - but also an interesting one - about the author's fight for his life through the devastating effects of alcohol addiction. Herten was a highly functional alcoholic during a time period of over 30 years. He drank heavily, yet was perfectly able to get up, go to work and lead a productive and successful lifestyle.

alcoholics anonymous big book

Dr. Herten brings acute awareness to the fact that alcohol is the largest and most harmful social ill in the United States today. Alcohol can affect you emotionally and physically, whether you're personally abusing it or know or love someone who's addicted. It can destroy lives - as it almost destroyed Dr. Herten's life.

ALCOHOLIC

When you read some of the side effects of alcohol consumption, you'll be horrified - and immediately sobered. As Dr. Herten explains in great detail, overuse of alcohol can bring on deadly cancers of the colon, liver, breast and esophagus, rot the bones, corrode the stomach lining, suppress your immune system and erode your memory.

Besides the debilitating physical aspects of alcoholism, there can also be mental problems that arise in your own life or in a loved one who is affected by the disease. The Sobering Truth is a blunt and straightforward account of Dr. Herten's personal battle with alcohol and includes many case studies that will open your eyes to the "sobering" truth about alcohol abuse.

The Sobering Truth explores what happens when an alcoholic first realizes that he or she is in serious trouble, how alcohol changes your personality, eventually makes you drunk and what happens when your body and mind begin to die from acute alcohol poisoning and chronic alcohol poisoning.

Alcoholism can ruin the lives of both old and young. Teenagers are especially vulnerable to the constant brainwashing in the media that drinking alcohol can be sophisticated and make you feel "grown up." One wasted moment can change a teen's life forever, and they need to be made aware of the sobering fact that drinking can bring untold destruction into their lives.

Dr. Herten is extremely qualified to write about this troubling addiction. Not only was he a highly functioning alcoholic -- he also has the medical expertise to explore and report on the physical, psychological and social effects of alcoholism. Whether you have a problem with alcoholism or not, you'll be amazed and shocked at how it can affect - and ruin lives.

The Sobering Truth: What You Don't Know Can Kill You, by Dr. Jeff Herten, may just be the wakeup call you or a loved one needs to turn a life around and return to a path that's ultimately more freeing than the prison you find yourself in when you're addicted to alcohol.

The Sobering Truth About Life As an Alcoholic

ALCOHOLIC

The 3 Main Ways You Can Get Viral Hepatitis

A lot has been written about hepatitis over the past few years. It is a virus which is easily spread and which has developed a bad name because of some of the ways in which it is spread and thus infects people; as well as causing serious damage to one's health.

hepatitis

Hepatitis is an infection of the liver which begins by causing inflammation and, as it progresses on its destructive course, causes damage to, and destruction of, the cells of the liver. There are three specific and distinct viral diseases of the liver, thus they are all categorized as 'hepatitis' from the Greek word hepar meaning liver; and itis, which means inflammation. They are thus categorized as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
The manner in which the 3 forms of hepatitis infect humans differs from one form of the disease to another, as explained below.

HEPATITIS

• In the case of Hepatitis A, the virus is found in the excrement of an infected person, and it is transmitted from the infected person to others by way of them drinking water or eating food which has been contaminated by the infected person, who most probably did not wash his or her hands properly.

• Hepatitis B is the disease with the worst reputation, because it can be transmitted by drug addicts using dirty needles or by anyone having unprotected sex (although it is not classed as a sexually transmitted disease or STD). Even though this is the case, the majority of people who are infected with Hepatitis B contracted the disease from much more mundane sources. The most common way of becoming infected with Hepatitis B is as a baby at birth, when the infected mother passes the virus on to her baby. Other major sources of infection come from blood transfusions which are not specifically screened for Hepatitis B, or coming into direct contact with the blood of an infected person; medical, dental or tattooing equipment which is not properly sterilized; and even the sharing of personal items like toothbrushes, where traces of blood from bleeding gums may adhere.

• In the case of Hepatitis C, the way the virus spreads from human to human is almost identical to that of Hepatitis B, but the major difference is that a lot of past infections occurred from transplanted organs and blood donations which had not been specifically screened for this virus.

It should be borne in mind that many misconceptions about all 3 forms of hepatitis still abound. In order to attempt to straighten out the facts pertaining to both Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, it must be clearly understood that it is impossible to become infected with these viruses simply by being in close physical contact with an infected person, such as by hugging, kissing or even simply by shaking hands. An infected person who sneezes or coughs near to you cannot infect you with these viruses. One cannot become infected with these two viruses by way of food or water; and one cannot transmit it by breastfeeding one's baby either.

The 3 Main Ways You Can Get Viral Hepatitis

HEPATITIS

It Can Take Up To 20 Years Before Hepatitis C Symptoms Appear

It can take years before hepatitis c symptoms manifest themselves and, many times, they do not appear at all. All three variants of hepatitis, i. E. A, B, and C, cause serious inflammation of the liver. The infection often occurs as a result of certain medications, poisonous toxins in the liver, or drinking large amounts of alcohol. The HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) is responsible for the C type.

If inflammation persists, the disease becomes chronic, which means that it will become a long-term health condition. If this occurs, the patient will likely be vulnerable to serious liver disease that will frequently be fatal. Of most hepatitis cases, 75 percent of infections are caused by the C virus. In the case of liver failure, the patient's only hope is a liver transplant.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Like all cases of hepatitis, the C virus is contagious. It is transmitted through blood and the most common mode is via contaminated syringes used by drug addicts. Even somebody who used a syringe for recreational drugs only once is at risk of developing hepatitis C.

Less common causes of transmission are from mother to infant during childbirth, sexual intercourse with an infected partner, or having multiple sex partners. You can contract the disease when you share eating utensils, nail clippers, razors, and also other personal items with an infected person. On the other hand, you will not get hepatitis when you live with an infected person, touch them, or be near them.

The alarming fact in regards to this disease is that 80 percent of individuals with it don't even know they are infected. This is due to the fact that it normally shows no symptoms and, when it does, they might only appear between 10 and 20 years after being infected. Even then, the symptoms might be erratic, vague, and mild. Often, by this time, the liver is already seriously damaged.

Occasionally, symptoms are shown within the early phase of infection. They normally happen 5-12 weeks after exposure to the virus. They can very best be described as typical flu symptoms. Typical ones consist of vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, pain under the right side of the rib cage, fatigue, pale stools, dark colored urine, and jaundice.

Cirrhosis of the liver can typically occur with chronic cases of HCV. This is a condition that generally affects alcoholics. If cirrhosis develops, further damage occurs simply because tough fibrous tissue replaces the liver's healthy tissues. Over time, this will cause complete liver failure and loss of all the organ's functions. Symptoms of cirrhosis include confusion, hallucinations, vomiting blood, fluid retention, weight loss, persistent jaundice, itchy skin, swelling of the limbs and belly, and sleep disturbances.

As mentioned earlier, hepatitis c symptoms don't always present themselves early, if at all, as a result this disease might be known as a silent killer. Anybody who has it can manage it with some necessary lifestyle changes. A healthy diet is important, as is regular exercise, and medical support. Additionally, alcohol need to be avoided completely. Further liver damage may be prevented if this regime is adhered to. It is also advisable to be vaccinated against the B and A viruses.

It Can Take Up To 20 Years Before Hepatitis C Symptoms Appear

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

How to Win Your Hepatitis Disability Case

Contrary to what many people suffering from Hepatitis believe, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is very familiar with the disease. In fact, SSA considers Hepatitis to be such a potentially serious medical condition that federal law provides that if their hepatitis is advanced, a person can be found disabled based on laboratory test results alone!

Use this article as the cornerstone to developing and winning your social security disability claim.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

Step 1 Having a Liver Transplant is not a prerequisite to Winning your Disability Claim

While your hepatitis or liver disease must be at a relatively advanced stage, you can win your disability case even if you have not had a liver transplant.

Step 2 Find a compassionate, supportive Gastroenterologist

This may not come as a surprise for you to learn that gastroenterologists are often not overly compassionate with regard to their patients who have hepatitis. In my practice, I talk weekly with doctors of all medical specialties regarding their patients disability claims. Without trying to stereotype, I must confess that I have talked with many gastroenterologists who appeared to lack bedside manner and patient empathy. This is important, because if your gastroenterologist is not compassionate, he or she will likely also be reluctant to support your disability case.

A supportive gastroenterologist is important for two reasons. First, they are the doctors SSA views as the specialists trained to diagnose and treat hepatitis. Second, SSA gives the most weight to the disability opinions are rendered by a claimant's treating physician. Furthermore, SSA gives even more weight to the disability opinions rendered by a specialist such as a gastroenterologist.

Step 3 You must Undergo the Battery of Tests to Confirm the Hepatitis diagnosis and to Determine the Severity of the Disease

One key to winning your Hepatitis case is good laboratory testing. However, laboratory testing alone is not enough to win your case; once the testing is done, the issue will then be how advanced it the disease is.

The information SSA uses to approve a claim based solely on laboratory testing is contained at Listing 5.05 (Specifically 5.05(F)) of the Administration's criteria for Digestive disorders.

F. Confirmation of chronic liver disease by liver biopsy and one of the following:

1. Ascites not attributable to other causes, recurrent or persisting for at least 3 months, demonstrated by abdominal paracentesis or associated with persistent hypoalbuminemia of 3.0 gm per deciliter (100 ml.) or less; or

2. Serum bilirubin of 2.5 mg. per deciliter (100 mg.) or greater on repeated examinations for at least 3 months; or

3. Hepatic cell necrosis or inflammation, persisting for at least 3 months, documented by repeated abnormalities of prothrombin time and enzymes indicative of hepatic dysfunction.

In my experience, many people win their disability case based on meeting the criteria in #3. The reason is that necrosis or inflammation can be confirmed by liver biopsy, and prothrombin time and liver enzyme abnormalities can be measured by a simple blood panel.

In my opinion, in order to have any chance of winning your hepatitis disability case, you should have a relatively recent liver biopsy performed and have blood work dating back for at least 6 months prior to the date you allege you became disabled.

One benefit many hepatitis claimants have is they usually have undergone all the required medical testing prior to or during the time their disability claim with SSA is pending. Thus, if your Hepatitis is at an advanced and serious stage, winning your claim may be as simple as obtaining (or having SSA obtain) your relevant medical records and submitting them to SSA for review to see if it meets the criteria.

Step 4 If your Hepatitis is not advanced enough to meet the SSA Criteria, you can still win your Disability Claim (i.e. Don't Quit!)

It is important to understand that if your Hepatitis does not meet the criteria set forth above, you can still win your disability case. How? By proving that you are unable to work full-time in an unskilled sedentary (sit down) job.

Alternatively, if you have other medical and/or psychological disorders in addition to Hepatitis, SSA will consider the combined effects of your symptoms and limitations from all your medical diagnoses. It is common for many Hepatitis patients to also have a depressive or anxiety disorder. It is possible for the combination of the Hepatitis and psychological problems to equal in severity the criteria listed above. If SSA deems this to be the case, your claim would likely be approved.

It is also possible for you to be unable to work due to severe side effects from taking medications to treat the Hepatitis. Many people are unable to work during the time and for a significant time thereafter they have received interferon treatment. The side effect of overwhelming fatigue from medication can also help you to equal in severity the criteria listed above.

Step 5 Be Free from any Alcohol or Illegal Substance Abuse

As of 1996, a person cannot be approved for disability benefits based on alcoholism and/or substance abuse. In fact, your claim will be denied by SSA if alcoholism or substance abuse is a material factor in your inability to work. You can be sure SSA will likely scrutinize your disability claim because Hepatitis can be contracted through alcoholism or substance abuse. If either of these conditions is a part of your past, to have your best shot at winning, you should be prepared to show that it is not a material factor in your inability to work.

Remember, one key to winning your disability case is to never quit and keep fighting for the benefits you deserve!

How to Win Your Hepatitis Disability Case

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

So Who Exactly is an "Addict" or "Alcoholic" Anyway?

It's a common question many people have. Am I really an addict? (... or How do I know if someone I care about is addicted?) What's the difference between an alcoholic and drug addict? Is there a difference between a cocaine ... heroin ... or even a marijuana addict?

alcoholics anonymous 4th edition

A lot of people today drink alcohol and a fair number use drugs. (Does that make them all alcoholics or drug addicts?) Of course not!

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So how do you know for sure? ...

The difference between someone who is addicted and someone who simply uses or abuses a particular substance is the "compulsion to use" (whatever the substance may be)

And what do I mean by "compulsion to use"? ...

Simply that most people who for example drink, know when to stop or have the power to say, "enough is enough." (not always, but most of the time)

Whereas the alcoholic or drug addict can't say no or simply walk away like most people can. As an addict or alcoholic - once you start it becomes almost impossible to stop - to control your using because the compulsion to use or drink is just too strong.

When you become addicted you almost lose the power to choose. That might sound flimsy or wish-washy, but it's not and I'll tell you why in the next part of this course ...

The other big question ... is what's the difference between being an alcoholic or drug addict, whatever your drug of choice may be?

If you look at it carefully ... not a lot actually. Yes your drug (or drink) of choice may be different ... create a different form of high (or feeling), but the end result is still pretty much the same, i.e. "addiction," which leads to "destruction" - or call it what you will - (mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally) ... and which can ultimately lead to the heaviest price that anyone can pay ... death.

So as a heroin addict that process might happen fairly quickly, whereas for the alcoholic it may happen far more gradually over a number of years, yet the consequences (no matter what the substance), of addiction will be very similar.

That's why it's a good idea to start thinking in terms of "addict" rather than "alcoholic," "drug addict," "junkie" or whatever you've been thinking of or using to describe such a person up to now. (Addicts like to think of themselves as "special and different" and that their problems are unique - but in actual fact they are no different to any other "addict"). I know I've been there ...

Why do you think most major rehab facilities treat alcoholism, drug addiction and even things like gambling and sex addiction pretty much the same way?

Addicts even refer to alcohol as a drug because they know that even though for most people it can be enjoyed in moderation - for them it can't - and that's why it's viewed in the same light (even though it may legal and regarded as socially acceptable.)

So Who Exactly is an "Addict" or "Alcoholic" Anyway?

ALCOHOLIC

Perspective on the Progression of Hepatitis C

Many people who have been diagnosed with Hepatitis C are able to live very healthy lives without experiencing any symptoms. However, it is important to recognize the fact that even though one may feel healthy, Hepatitis C is a progressive condition. This means that liver damage develops slowly over time. Experts believe that although one may not be showing immediate symptoms, such as high enzyme levels, the virus is still advancing, just at a slower rate for some people.

Medical experts believe that liver damage occurs in four to five stages: inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. As the body tries to fight against infection, the liver becomes inflamed, thus beginning the initial phase of this disease. Fibrosis is the process of the inflamed liver tissue becoming scarred. Eventually, the scarred liver tissue can no longer repair itself; it is at this point that cirrhosis occurs. The first three stages of liver disease can occur rapidly or at a very slow pace. If you take appropriate measures, like supplementing your diet with a high quality liver support supplement such as milk thistle, you can actively slow the progression of liver damage.

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Cirrhosis occurs when there is more scarred liver tissue than healthy tissue; this stage is generally considered an irreversible condition. Once cirrhosis is present, there is an increased risk of developing liver cancer. Following liver cancer, when the liver is no longer functioning, the final stage in the progression of HCV is liver failure.

The medical community hasn't yet been able to find a way to stop the progression of liver disease. Although, clinical studies have shown that making healthy lifestyle choices, for example abstaining from alcohol, to support your liver can help to slow this progression. Also, nutritional supplements, such as Maximum Milk Thistle, have been shown in clinical studies to protect liver cells from damage, help regenerate liver cells and have been proven to slow the progression of fibrosis.

Learn more about Hepatitis C, as well as the three main factors that accelerate the progression of the virus.

Perspective on the Progression of Hepatitis C

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

How Can I Help an Alcoholic?

Putting up with what we perceive as weakness in the one we love or have a relationship to can be frustrating. We can help an alcoholic by not allowing his addiction to make us feel not loved enough for him to quit drinking. The first step in helping an alcoholic is to find him the kind of therapeutic help to understand why he is using alcohol to self medicate. If the alcoholic is using alcohol as a kind of medication, his treatment should be to consider alcoholism as a secondary diagnosis and his psychological problem whether depression or other primary diagnosis as the main focus of treatment of how to help them stop drinking.

alcoholics anonymous

Treating the alcoholics depression with anti depressants can work, and those living with the alcoholic can help by making sure that he doe not mix the two drugs. Another way that we can help an alcoholic is to change his mental health provider. If the alcoholic is targeted as an alcoholic, he will be taken off anti depressants, even if they work, by his counselor. The alcoholic will then be faced with his depression, no medication and his diagnosis of being an alcoholic. He will relapse. We can help an alcoholic by changing his mental health counselor and giving his new counselor just his symptoms to make a diagnosis.

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It might sound confusing, but once a person is designated as an alcoholic, his treatment options become limited as far as how to help an alcoholic concerning group therapies and counselors who perceive in him a weakness to alcohol that is both biological and emotional. The alcoholic as a person who is too weak to stop drinking is not just a stereotype for late night comedy shows. Helping an alcoholic is much like finding the missing link in his behavioral patterns that can explain why he is drinking and to find a substitute to the alcohol until he can handle the cause of his needing to blur his hold on his reality.

Like many other mental disorders that can be helped with the elimination of the drug substance, alcoholics can be helped by a change in environment and friends. Talk therapy helps if the therapist is willing to drop her pre conditioned mind set that the alcoholic is depressed because of the need for alcohol working on his brain and can think about the situations he is relating that led him to begin to drink to mitigate the pain of depression caused by a situation or organic depression. If alcohol can be seen as a cure and not a cause for depression, one can help an alcoholic by finding a therapist who is willing to give the alcoholic a diagnosis that can allow his underlying mental health problem to be treated.

Good luck

How Can I Help an Alcoholic?

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Addictions Hurt More Than Just the Addict - How to Recover From Living With an Alcoholic

If you live with or have lived with an alcoholic, you can recover from it. Addiction can hurt you more than you think. Remember, you can't fix a person. Your partner, spouse, parent, or friend must admit they have an addiction. Most alcoholics are in denial. They can't recognize and see they have a problem. However, you can take control of your life and heal from alcoholism. If you had a parent (or both) that was an alcoholic, it wasn't your fault. They had issues that had nothing to do with you. Chances are they had issues within their childhood that weren't resolved which led them to drink. Whatever you do, get help. Join groups, journal, and get counseling because you can recover from living with an alcoholic.

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Addictions Hurt More Than Just the Addict - How to Recover From Living With an Alcoholic

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Get counseling. You could benefit from counseling. Work with a counselor who'll help you to move forward with your recovery. If you keep lamenting about the alcoholic and how he/she affected you, it will keep you stuck. You want to understand your part. Why did you stay as long as you did with your alcoholic partner/spouse? How did your alcoholic parent affect your childhood? How do you internalize the affects of alcoholism? Children who grow up with an alcoholic parent(s) will benefit from counseling. They need to know it's not their fault; they didn't do anything wrong.

Join Al-Anon or some other support group. It may help you to join a group that addresses living with an alcoholic. You may benefit from knowing that you're not the only one who's lived with an alcoholic. The key is not to become stuck within your story. You're more than a person who's lived with an alcoholic. It's an experience that you can learn and move forward from them.

Forgive yourself. If you stayed with an alcoholic, forgive yourself and forgive the alcoholic. You may have stayed with an alcoholic partner/spouse because you felt guilty for leaving. Perhaps you had children and didn't want to break up the family, didn't have anywhere to go, or weren't strong enough to leave the relationship. Forgive yourself and the alcoholic who was in your life. You did the best you could as they did. If you grew up with an alcoholic parent, forgive yourself if you had 'negative' feelings. It was only natural. Forgive yourself if you blamed yourself for your parent's disease. Forgiveness can set you free!

Are you living with an alcoholic?

Living with an alcoholic can be challenging. Even though you love an alcoholic, it may be in your best interest to leave the relationship. What are you getting out of the relationship? What is it that makes you stay? How is it serving you? How healthy is it for you? Why do you think it's healthy? Ask yourself these and other questions to assess your reason why you're staying. You may have a fear that you won't find someone else or that you're abandoning the person. Do what's best for you. You may be doing more harm than good by staying in the relationship. Don't be an enabler. Get help and get out!

You can recover from living an alcoholic

You can recover from living with an alcoholic. Forgiveness is the key. Forgive yourself and the alcoholic. You're not condoning the action or saying, "What you did to me was okay," you're simply releasing yourself from the situation. If you grew up with an alcoholic parent, forgive them. They did the best they could at the time. Remember, it wasn't your fault. Chances are alcoholism runs in the family. If it does, you have a 90% chance of becoming an alcoholic. Of course, this doesn't have to happen. You can choose not to become an alcoholic. What will it be!

Addictions Hurt More Than Just the Addict - How to Recover From Living With an Alcoholic

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Christian Help For An Alcoholic

Religion plays a huge role in a recovering alcoholic's treatment. In fact the whole history of alcoholics anonymous was based off of Christianity and the belief of God. If you were to read the Big Book, which is the manual to AA, you will see that one of its traditions is to turn and trust that God will get you through each day.

alcoholics anonymous big book covers

Many Christians believe that God will be able to deliver you completely out of the clutches of alcohol by cleansing and justifying you. Even though the bible states that alcohol abuse is the failing of the flesh, many believe that the Holy Spirit can help you produce the self control you need to beat it as long as you have the faith.

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You also have to take your recovery one step at a time. It has been said that once you are an alcoholic, you are always an alcoholic. You can never go back to drinking without losing control to it. Many Christians and other religions believe you need to have God's help to deliver you from the urge to drink at all. In order to do this, ask for his help when it comes to you deciding not to have a drink right now. You have to take each day as it comes and focus only on the now and not on the future.

God and spirituality is the basis behind the recovery program for Alcoholics Anonymous. Through out the twelve steps of the program there is a constant theme of turning to God and making amends with him and your life throughout your recovery. The first and probably hardest step of the program is to admit that you were powerless over alcohol and that your life had become unmanageable. Once you get through that step, the of the steps might still be difficult but nothing like that first one.

It's been said that many recovering alcoholics go on to become Born Again Christians after they work the twelve steps of the program. This might be because the 12 steps is very close to the beliefs that people of Christianity faith have. A Born Again Christian is when you essentially hit rock bottom in your life and then you rediscover Jesus. It is also thought of as a total spiritual rebirth. Many recovering alcoholics, including yourself might feel that you could never have reached the point you are at without Gods help. You come to accept that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are one in the same and that your life is in their hands.

Not everyone in the world is accepting of Born Again Christians and you might be one of them. However almost everyone in AA's recovery program has admit to having a stronger belief in God and what ever religion they may follow. You have to follow your heart and believe in what you feel most comfortable believing in.

Christian Help For An Alcoholic

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How to Deal With an Alcoholic

There are hundreds of guidelines I could share on how to deal with someone suffering from alcoholism. An alcoholic in our lives can present situations that we are unfamiliar with. How we handle ourselves in the midst of interacting with a problem drinker is the key to enjoying or not enjoying our life.

alcoholics anonymous big book covers

Let me set the foundation with you first, then I'll give you some solid things to use in this dysfunctional relationship you are involved in.

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If you think about it, nothing that you have done up until this point has caused the alcoholic to quit drinking. To take it a step further, nothing that you have tried has caused them to stop acting the way they do. In many instances we beg, argue, demand and try to control everything that they are doing, and nothing works. Am I right or not?

Now, think for a moment of how frustrated, angry, sad and depressed that you may have become as a result of trying to deal with an alcoholic. Do you think that if you had reacted to their behavior differently that you would not be experiencing so many negative emotions? Of course you wouldn't.

With these things in mind, does it stand to reason that if their behaviors have not changed and ours have for the worse that we should learn how to deal with the situation differently? I mean if they refuse to make changes, then that only leaves us holding the power to change our own lives.

So the first step in understanding how to deal with an alcoholic is admitting that you need to change the way you react or respond to everything they are doing. For instance, if they are the type of alcoholic who loves to argue and fight, it takes two people to do this. When we make the decision to NOT participate, then "we" reduce the chances of experiencing negative emotions.

The same principle applies to obsessing over what the problem drinker is doing all of the time. They are going to do what they do no matter what. When "we" start changing our focus and get it off of what they are or are not doing and begin to do things that we enjoy, we will then experience less frustration in our lives. This is called "letting go."

As we begin to realize that we cannot control their behaviors, it becomes easier to let go of many of the things they are doing. As we let go of the things we cannot change and start changing things we can, then we begin to experience more peace and serenity in our lives.

I hope you were not expecting me to tell you how to get the alcoholic to stop drinking. I cannot offer any advice along those lines other than quit enabling. The sooner they suffer the consequences of their choices the quicker they will hit bottom and ask for help.

In review, understand that nothing you have tried has made them quit. Accept that you are the one who needs to start changing the way you interact with them because they are not going to change. Start changing your focus and getting it off of everything they are doing and begin to enjoy your own life again.

Now those are the foundational principles of how to deal with an alcoholic. Like I said earlier, there are hundreds of tips I can share with you. These few that you have received today will be challenging to start with. Just remember to do the best that you can and learn all that you can about how to deal with an alcoholic. The more methods you learn and practice on a daily basis the better "your" life will become.

How to Deal With an Alcoholic

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Liver Cancer Prevention

Surprisingly enough, many liver cancers can be prevented. There isn't a liver cancer vaccine yet, but there IS a hepatitis B vaccine that was approved for use in the United States in the early 1980s. The hepatitis B vaccine protects both children and adults from the hepatitis B virus. Chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus is one of the leading causes of liver cancer worldwide.

It is recommended that all children be given the hepatitis B vaccine and that all adults who are at risk, like health care workers and those who engage in risky behavior, get the vaccine as well.

ALCOHOLIC HEPATITIS

The other leading cause of liver cancer is chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus. So far, there is not a vaccine to protect against hepatitis C infection. The best prevention against hepatitis C as well as hepatitis B (for those who have not been vaccinated) is understanding how the viruses are spread and how to avoid contamination.

Both hepatitis B and hepatitis C are spread through shared use of a contaminated needle (drug use), through unprotected sex, and through childbirth. There was a time when a blood transfusion carried a major risk of contracting hepatitis B or hepatitis C, but better screening has reduced that risk to only one per two million transfusions today.

If you are at high risk for contracting hepatitis B or hepatitis C, you should be tested for these infections often. There are drugs that your doctor can give you to treat these infections. There are no drugs that cure these infections, however, and it is unclear whether treatment actually lessens the chances of cancer developing.

Alcohol abuse is the number one cause of cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis can lead to liver cancer. This cancer prevention technique is quite simple - don't abuse alcohol and if you are abusing alcohol, stop.

Liver Cancer Prevention

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Natural Treatments for Hepatitis C

What I've noticed over the years is that I get a run of cases with the same disease in a short period of time. Last month I saw lots of clients with Multiple Sclerosis (or the misdiagnosis of same.) We learned about the low-fat Swank diet and all the drugs used to treat this particular disease process.

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This month I had a run of Hepatitis C clients. They each had contracted the disease differently, but none-the-less, their lives have been permanently shifted from this terrible disease which is seemingly not curable. The common thread that assisted these clients was that each person had to make some lifestyle changes (a permanent lifestyle choice that was healthier than they were living.) Stressing the optimal amounts of raw fruits/vegetables is always a staple in my programs--especially the dark green ones in hepatitis cases, but we also centered on the liver.

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So let's review hepatitis C and natural treatments for it.

Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver (Hepato is the root word for liver and anything ending in "itis" means inflammation.) Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the many viruses that can cause inflammation of the liver. Other causes are irritation to the liver from alcohol, bacterial infections, drugs, and cancer. At least 75% of people infected with hepatitis C develop chronic hepatitis C which can be progressive and fatal. Once you have it, you will need to find ways to keep it under control. This disease never completely goes away. However, my clients have had very good luck with alternative medicine treatments for hepatitis C, but they work at it and stick with a good program.

About 4 million people in the United States have antibodies to HCV, meaning they have been infected with the virus at some point. Half of these people don't even know they have it. All forms of viral hepatitis are contagious.

The most common way hepatitis C is passed is through direct contact with blood. Drug users often have this disease because they re-use and share needles. Needles, and before 1992 prior to the blood test which became available to test for the virus, transfusions, organ transplants, and hemodialysis have all been vehicles for transferring the virus, but I have known people to warn others not to even drink out of the same cup as they are drinking out of, so it could also be passed through saliva.

Childbirth, sexual intercourse and accidental needle sticks (most common in nurses and the human medical field) are also less common causes of transmission. Sharing toiletry items is another way of passing the virus (e.g. razors and nail clippers.)

Symptoms and Signs of Hepatitis: Eighty percent of people infected with Hepatitis C do not have symptoms. Symptoms may also be mild and come and go over the lifetime of the patient. Less frequently, the patient will come down with an acute case of hepatitis with full-blown symptoms.

Symptoms typically occur 5-12 weeks after being exposed to the virus and may last for weeks to months and include: liver pain (on the right side just under the rib cage area), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, dark colored urine, gray or clay colored stools, irritability, confusion, and headaches (due to dehydration from chronic diarrhea.) Chronic hepatitis often leads to cirrhosis of the liver. Cirrhosis is where healthy liver tissue is taken over by scar tissue. When this happens, the liver loses its ability to detoxify the blood.

Additional symptoms at this time include fluid retention (especially below the rib cage in the belly area), jaundice (also called icterus which is a yellowing of the skin seen most obviously in the whites of the eyes), chronic fatigue, sleep disturbance, itchy skin, weight loss (wasting disease), vomiting now with blood in it (so it could look like coffee grounds) and finally hepatic encephalopathy characterized by hallucinations.

When the liver is sick, we see diseases like high cholesterol, high triglycerides, hemorrhoids, cancer, allergies, varicose veins and lots of anger and resentments.

I don't know which comes first in these types of cases; anger causing the liver-based diseases or liver-based diseases resulting in anger. The good thing is that we have LOTS of options on how to overcome these challenges and it doesn't really matter where you start as long as you start and keep at it.

My favorite treatments for hepatitis include:

1. Raw fruits/veggies (especially dark green foods, bitter vegetables, red fruits, and beets.)

2. Barfy Green Stuff (or some other green food--it really doesn't matter too much what you choose.

3. Drink plenty of filtered, chorine and fluoride free water to stay hydrated.

4. Exercise, but don't overdo it. Walking is wonderful--especially on a consistent schedule.

5. Homeopathics specifically to bind and excrete the Hepatitis virus (I use Professional Health Formulations Hepatitis Nosode Drops.)

6. Emotional release work (to help dislodge the Emotional Cysts in the liver.)

7. Herbs to support the liver as needed including but not limited to: Milk Thistle (Also Called Silymarin), Burdock Root, Safflower, Licorice, Green Tea, Dandelion, Artichoke, Cordyceps Mushroom, Turmeric, and Peppers. Note: It's important to take what your body needs but not more than it needs. The body has to process everything put into it. If there is extra, the liver has to work to get it out of the system.

8. Evaluation of current lifestyle habits and suggestions to decrease toxification.

9. Rebuilding of the cells with a Glandular/protomorphogen (I love Livaplex by Standard Process Labs(TM))

10. Abstinence from all alcohol products and any kind of drug that is processed through the liver (Tylenol, NSAIDS, some pain killers, and lots of other drugs are processed through the liver--ask your pharmacist and doctor about anything you put into your mouth!)

11. Work on relieving all anger and resentment issues in your life and dove-tail in forgiveness work. Anger and resentments are stored in the liver.

12. Managing liver-associated diseases: allergies, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, glaucoma and cancer.

13. Eliminating metaphors from your vocabulary having to do with anger, hatred, resentment, and being galled and stubborn.

Self-forgiveness seems to be one common obstacle to overcome in these particular cases. It is most important to understand that there was a reason why they contracted the disease, it taught them valuable lessons, but now it's time to come to a resolution and move onto a healthier way of being.

Life is a journey. The challenges we have are a Gift from God. What we do with those challenges are our gift to Him. If we focus on the similarities instead of how we feel ostracized and alienated, we find that all in all, we want the same things...to be loved, understood and valued. I believe that this is what life is all about.

Natural Treatments for Hepatitis C

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