Does your Body have the "Right Stuff"?

By Doug Szakacsy, Director of Health & Wellness

My previous entry detailed the merits of naturally derived Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Lifestyle choices such as regular strenuous exercise and good sleep elicit the hormone’s natural release and this reportedly provides anti-aging benefits such as lean bodies, bone and ligament integrity, tissue and skin elasticity, etc., and not to forget elevated mood. As if all the other benefits alone aren’t enough to elevate mood. These benefits are especially important for addicts in recovery as the negative effects of addiction include those that greatly accelerate aging.

Today’s entry focuses on the raw materials your body needs to accomplish these benefits that hormones trigger. Remember, hormones like HGH communicate the wishes of your unconscious brain (hypothalamus). It’s up to your body to then listen and respond to your brain via feedback cycles. For example, after a hard workout muscles tear down. Chemicals are subsequently released into the blood from the micro-tears in the muscle that tell your brain to release HGH (and testosterone depending on what muscles you work…subject of a future entry). That’s why it’s important to go beyond aerobic workouts at least 3 times per week.

Aerobic workouts are great for your heart but they don’t tear muscle. Since blood circulates the entire body to get to the micro-tears, the entire body (e.g., bones, skin, etc.) benefits from the hormone’s release. Don’t forget it was consciously imposed strenuous exercise by you that brought the whole unconscious cascade to life in the first place. Now let’s impose some additional, wise conscious decisions that give your body the ‘right stuff’ to take care of business.

As they work to repair muscle fibers and anything else encountered along the way, HGH and other chemical messengers sequester maintenance/growth factors and raw materials like proteins and other nutrients to take care of business. I think of our brain as the “CEO or top brass” and our hormones as “production managers” that disseminate the brain’s wishes to the “workers” (anabolic and catabolic factors).

Our “company’s” ultimate goal is to care for all the cells in our body employing proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients stored, ingested or absorbed by the body as raw materials. This process, in turn, produces chemical by-products that keep your brain in the (feedback) loop as to the progress of the repair, etc., and this by-product signal is partly responsible for the elevated mood and overall feeling of well-being. But if it doesn’t have the right stuff to work with (e.g., nutrients), it’s tough for your “company” to get the job done no matter how much hormone is around. If there is a shortage of needed materials from the outside then some of the workers (catabolic factors) will be instructed to destroy functional tissue and macromolecules in order to accomplish the most pressing goal at the time. This is not usually the best case scenario unless we’re talking about utilizing excess fats. You certainly don’t want to destroy neighboring muscle tissue in order to obtain the amino acids for building the muscle you just worked. It reverses work done on a previous workout. This can be avoided by ingesting lean protein like chicken breast, egg whites or if nothing else, a whey protein shake soon after strenuous exercise to give your “company” the materials it needs to be successful.

I’m sure you’ve seen some “companies” that look and produce much better than others. The good news is that it’s never too late to turn addiction related physiological stress around and have many productive, feel good years. It starts by staying convicted to abstaining from drugs and alcohol because there aren’t any usable raw materials here…only materials that expedite bankruptcy on all levels…biological, psychological, social and spiritual.
So what is some of the ‘right stuff’ for system maintenance?

I try to personally minimize red meat otherwise we eat pretty well-balanced thanks to Chef Hugo’s wonderful implementation of the Stone Eagle Retreat/Prometa nutrition guidelines. THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR GETTING YOUR VITAMINS AND MINERALS BY EATING WHOLE FOODS. This ensures absorption and prevents toxicity from over-supplementation. My next entry will discuss the vitamins and minerals found in different foods. Nevertheless, busy schedules or limited supplies can make it hard to get everything so just to make sure we’re not lacking anywhere my family supplements our diet with the following:

· Water provides conduit for all communication processes thus nothing works, looks or feels good without it. Bare minimum of 6 eight ounce glasses a day depending on your environment/lifestyle...I do 12 and I’ll tell you why on a future entry.

· L-tyrosine is the chemical precursor to dopamine for mood. To get the best out of any dopamine releasing stimulus life has to offer you need L-tyrosine around for your body to produce dopamine. I do a 500 mg pharmaceutical grade capsule/day. It is also used to synthesize metabolic thyroid hormones.

· Vitamin A/Retinol/Beta Carotene, Vitamin E, Omega 3 Oils are all great for your skin, hair and vessels. I eat a lot of colorful leafy greens. I never even leave a garnish uneaten so I don’t really need to supplement the first three but make sure you do if you’re not the salad/veggie or liver type. Many of the same people who spend so much on skin care products/treatments overlook the foods for skin that are so effective. If you’re one who needs or wants more from this category there is a great multi called Irwin Naturals Living Green Liquid-Gel Multi (for men or women). It has a whopping 7,500 IU of Vit A as retinol along with the omega 3 oils, Vit E, antioxidants like green tea, even the anti-aging nutrients all in one gel cap. It is one of the best ‘all in ones’ I’ve seen for those who rush out the door and don’t have time to pick out of ten different supplement bottles.

· Good Multi (men’s formula) Vitamin especially if prostate issues run in your family. I like the ‘s-family’ for this. Aside from yearly exams for men over 45 and a low fat diet, selenium, saw palmetto, soy and some sunshine for guaranteed Vit D absorption is key. Any Solaray or KAL brand vitamin is good if you don’t need the greens available in the Irwin Naturals Men’s.

· Alpha lipoic acid, Goji berries and/or Mangosteen (Xango for xanthones) for anti oxidation/free radical elimination thus less cell death, more longevity and disease prevention. In short these are your anti-aging champions. Try one or more and rotate them. I do 100 mg Alpha Lipoic consistently and play with the other two.

· Co enzyme Q for energy. It helps make ATP! I always recommend a thyroid and anemia panel for those lacking energy and get this straight first. There is a superb product called Ultraceps with Co Q distributed by an Alaskan Company, GetHealthyAgainStore.com. All of their products are highest quality pharmaceutical grade. I take 3 caps with food throughout the day.

· Calcium booster supplement for women. Coral calcium was hyped up pretty good…and you pay for it too…not to mention what harvesting it does to the reefs. More doctors recommend Caltrate 600 with vitamin D for confident absorbency.

· Chamomile tea if you’re having trouble winding down at night.

· L-carnitine is good if you’re not eating a lot of red meat because this is its primary source. Ironically it helps lower cholesterol. It is great for metabolizing fat and sustaining energy when training. I take a couple 500 mg caps prior to working out.

· Omega 3, 6 and 9 oils are key in raising good cholesterol (HDL) and lowering bad (LDL). Eating breakfast and a least four other moderate meals a day is essential for lowering cholesterol in general. I take 2 KAL 3,6,9 omega complex gels every morning. It contains Flax Seed too for keeping regular.

The content of this newsletter is the opinion of Stone Eagle Retreat’s Health and Wellness Director, Doug Szakacsy, M.S. Ed unless noted otherwise. Information is intended as general health and wellness advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your primary care provider. Any decisions you make with regard to your daily choices and medical treatments should be made with the help of a qualified health care provider.

Rx Drugs Blamed for Rising Overdose Deaths

Unintentional poisoning deaths rose from 12,186 in 1999 to 20,950 in 2004, and the increase is largely being attributed to overdoses on prescription drugs, the Los Angeles Times reported Jan. 26.

Ninety-five percent of unintentional poisoning deaths are drug overdoses; in recent years, prescription-drug overdoses have overtaken cocaine and heroin overdoses as the leading cause of poisoning deaths, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. In fact, a recent spike in prescription-drug overdoses is the cause of the first increase in the nation's injury death rate in 25 years, according to CDC injury-prevention expert Len Paulozzi.

Most overdose deaths are due to opioid painkillers like oxycodone, fentanyl, and methadone. But other prescription drugs also can cause fatal overdoses, such as sleeping pills, antidepressants, and tranquilizers. Overdoses from the latter group of drugs increased 84 percent between 1999 and 2004, the CDC said.

Overall, sales of prescription drugs have increased almost 500 percent since 1990.

The Saga Continues in Fight for Equal Insurance Treatment for Addicts

House Passes Bill, but Congress Needs Meeting of the Minds

The two houses of Congress will now need to meet and reach a compromise on parity if the legislation is to move swiftly toward a vote in a legislative calendar shortened by the presidential election season.

"The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 is the right solution to ending insurance discrimination facing people with alcohol and drug problems and their families," said Merlyn Karst, chair of the Faces & Voices of Recovery Board of Directors. "We urge the Congress to come together and hammer out the differences between the strong bill that the House passed today and the Senate-passed version of the parity legislation, S. 558."

Pat Taylor, executive director of Faces and Voices of Recovery, said that while there are "significant differences" between the two bills, "we think they can be worked out." Unlike the Senate bill, for example, the House legislation requires that out-of-plan addiction and mental-health treatment be covered by insurers if plans do so for other illnesses, and that insurers include coverage of all illnesses listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the "bible" of the mental-health field. That's the same standard used in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.

"I think we may have some Senate Democrats who had supported the Senate bill now come out in support of the House bill," said Dave Wellstone, son of the late senator from Minnesota and a parity advocate for the group Wellstone Action. Wellstone predicted that Congress would reach a compromise on parity that "looks a little more like the House bill" than the current Senate legislation. "There are better patient protections in the House bill and the costs are the same, so there's no need, in my mind, to pass a weaker bill just because that's what insurers want," he said.

The Bush administration, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and some health insurers are among the opponents of the House legislation, although Bush has not threatened to veto the measure. The trade group America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) has supported the Senate bill, sponsored by Sens. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Pete Dominici (R-N.M.) but not the House bill.

"Health insurance plans support the bipartisan mental-health parity legislation (S. 558) that passed the Senate by unanimous consent because it is a balanced approach that would preserve access to health plans' medical management and quality improvement programs," said Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of AHIP. "Unfortunately, the House legislation would turn back the clock on advances in the quality of care and impose excessive costs on patients and employers. Though well-intentioned, this legislation would undermine the progress that has been achieved in improving behavioral-health benefits through coordinated-care strategies."

Impact of Early Trauma on Residential Treatment Outcomes for Women

A growing body of research is demonstrating that exposure to early childhood physical and sexual abuse is associated with adult outcomes including revictimization, substance use disorders, and numerous mental and physical health problems. A recent study examined the impact of early childhood abuse, including effects on 12-month treatment outcomes, in a population of 146 homeless women with children undergoing residential substance abuse treatment.

The study was a secondary analysis of data from the SAMHSA Homelessness Prevention Project and used the statistical technique of propensity scores to control for differences between women who had experienced early abuse and those who had not. Results of the study were as follows:

• 69% reported some form of childhood abuse, and most reported exposure to multiple forms of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional);


• 89% reported being abused at some point in their lives;


• women with early childhood abuse reported greater severity of dysfunctional psychological symptoms and functioning as well as poorer treatment outcomes in the areas of substance use, mental health, and recent trauma;


• no differences were found in either time (number of days) in treatment or treatment completion between abused and nonabused women. The differential response to treatment appeared due instead to a history of early childhood trauma.

Comments by Norma Finkelstein, PhD, LICSW:The study findings reinforce the importance of improving both the identification and assessment of childhood abuse and trauma as well as developing treatment interventions for women that address trauma and co-occurring disorders. Counselors would benefit from increased training in the provision of trauma-informed, integrated treatment models of care.

Reference: Sacks JY, McKendrick K, Banks S. The impact of early trauma and abuse on residential substance abuse treatment outcomes for women. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2008;34(1):90-100.

Taken From: Join Together Newsletter

Specialized Treatment for Older Addicts Growing

More addiction programs in the U.S. are opening special treatment centers to accommodate growing numbers of addicts over age 50, the New York Times reported March 6. The Hanley Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., which only accepts patients aged 55 and older, is the nation's best known program for older addicts. "We have different health issues, different emotional issues, different grief issues," said Patrick Gallagher, 66, a Hanley Center patient. "We need more peace and quiet and a different pace."

In addition to special inpatient and outpatient treatment programs for older addicts, some programs that treat addicts of all ages are adding counselors trained in elder issues. Screening of older Americans for drug problems also has increased. Experts are bracing for a wave of Baby Boomers who are dealing with addiction issues as they depart middle age. For example, federal data shows that about 10 percent of those entering treatment in 2005 were over age 50, up from 8 percent in 2001, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is predicting that there will be 4.4 million older people in the U.S. with drug problems by 2020, up from 1.7 million in 2001.

Such numbers are "likely to swamp the system," said SAMHSA research coordinator Deborah Trunzo. Hanley officials note that older addicts can't all be lumped into a single group, either: addicts in their early 50s are the fastest-growing cohort entering treatment, but often have little in common with more elderly patients. Both tend to struggle primarily with alcohol addiction and prescription-drug abuse, but addiction to other drugs like cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine is more common among the "young old," experts said.

Discrimination to End against Addicts...

Parity Bill Passed by U.S. House of Representatives March 6, 2008

In a major victory for addiction treatment and recovery advocates, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would mandate that insurers cover addiction and mental illness on par with other illnesses."We've waited 12 long years for this historic day," said Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), co-chair of the Congressional Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus with Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.). "I am grateful that the House has taken this important step to end the discrimination against people who need treatment for mental illness and chemical addiction."

"The House voted 268 to 148 in favor of H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. "Illness of the brain must be treated like illness anywhere else in the body," said Pelosi, who called the Wellstone Act "a comprehensive bill to help end discrimination against those who seek treatment for mental illness.

"The Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act of 2007 is the right solution to ending insurance discrimination facing people with alcohol and drug problems and their families," said Merlyn Karst, chair of the Faces & Voices of Recovery Board of Directors.

Unlike the Senate bill, for example, the House legislation requires that out-of-plan addiction and mental-health treatment be covered by insurers if plans do so for other illnesses, and that insurers include coverage of all illnesses listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the "bible" of the mental-health field. That's the same standard used in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.

As printed in the Join Together Newsletter, News FeatureBy Bob Curley