Addictions

The Bible warns, "Be not drunk with wine…" (Ephesians 5:18) "Woe unto them that…follow strong drink…" (Isaiah 5:11) God told Moses that when some one takes the "vow of a Nazarite to separate himself unto the Lord", he shall separate himself from wine and strong drink" (Num. 6:2,3). "It is good neither to ... drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak" (Romans 14:21).

The Sacred teachings sent from the Creator to the Native American peoples warn of alcohol, they called it the "mind changer", and ask the people to pledge never to touch it (Articles of Kariwiio).

The Baha’i Scriptures said "It is forbidden for an intelligent person to drink that which deprives him of his intelligence... The drinking of wine is the cause of chronic diseases, weakens the nerves, and consumes the mind". (ADJ p27) And the Baha’i Scriptures also forbade other intoxicating drugs because of the damage they do to our health and particularly to the brain. "Experience hath shown how greatly the renouncing of smoking, of intoxicating drink, and of opium, conduces to health and vigor, to the expansion and keenness of the mind and to bodily strength." (Abdul-Baha, SWA, p156) Baha'u'llah said in His Book of Laws: "Beware of using any substance that induceth sluggishness and torpor in the human temple and inflicteth harm upon the body".

Understanding & Overcoming Addictions
by Laurie Lynch, ND.

There have been extensive volumes of scientific documents published on the harmful effects of alcohol, even in small quantities, on the brain, the liver, the kidneys, the immune system, the behavior, the length of life, etc. "It has been well established that persons who smoke or drink have a higher incidence of cancer. A chemical, acetaldehyde, found in cigarette smoke and made in the liver from alcohol, is known to be a carcinogen and a free radical producer. It also destroys cysteine, an antioxidant." (Nutrition Almanac, p132)

The first step in overcoming any problem or illness is a thorough understanding of the problem and its causes.

WHAT IS ADDICTION?
Addiction can be defined as any physical or psychological dependence which negatively impacts a person's life." (Alternative Medicine p. 485) An addiction to a substance is a chronic, strong, irresistible craving for that particular substance, where one taste can trigger the uncontrollable desire for that substance, and withdrawal from the substance can cause harmful effects.. "Addictions may be mental or emotional. We may suspect addictions when there are repeated foods or substances we feel our body has to have at all times." (Tenney, p 76)

According to James Braly, M.D., Medical Director of Immano Labs, Inc. Florida, "fundamentally all addictions are biochemically the same...addictive substances become a necessary ingredient of body chemistry, so that withdrawal occurs when the substance is withheld. Addiction means that the body has made an unhealthy adaptation that must slowly be reversed...Until then nerve impulses are confused and biochemically scrambled". .

Use of an addictive substance such as alcohol, drugs, sugar, tobacco, or caffeine, creates "a nutritional problem,.. that robs the body of its store of B vitamins and minerals...and can impair liver function. And the liver is the main organ of metabolism" (A, p96.). The degree and affects of addictions vary with individuals. An example of the strength some addictions can hold over the addict is shown by a study done with monkeys. Sidney Cohen explained, "monkeys will self administer cocaine by ..." pressing down a lever" for it until they die... In one study, primates bar-pressed 12,800 times in order to get a single dose of cocaine. They will work for cocaine in preference to food even though they are starving. They will continue to bar press even though a receptive female is in their cage. They will prefer an electric shock in order to obtain a large dose of cocaine despite the fact that they could have received a lesser dose with out a shock" (Ghadirian,. p 24).

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES?
The most common addictive substances include sugar, caffeine, salt, animal fats, nicotine, alcohol, medicinal and narcotic drugs, as well as anything you feel you need to consume every day..

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE ADDICTED?
"You may not think you are addicted- few people do. If, however, under normal circumstances, you cannot control when you start or stop an activity, consider your self addicted" (Saifer, p. 97). "If you've tried doing without the substance before and found it impossible, then you are addicted" (Saifer, p100).

Test yourself for possible addictions by giving up, one at a time, the things you feel you would not like to give up, and then watch for symptoms. Symptoms may occur immediately or take up to a week to manifest. A list of common withdrawal symptoms appears on p. 102 of DETOX, by Phyllis Saifer, M.D.,M.Ph.

WHAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO USE ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCES?

THE SEARCH FOR PLEASURE
Although alcohol and certain drugs can stimulate the pleasure mechanism in the brain to cause pleasure, repeated use of artificial stimulants actually begin to dull this mechanism, then more and more of the substance is required to produce the same amount of pleasure, until the mechanism is worn out and the person becomes sensually deprived. Then the normal activities that usually bring pleasure, such as creativity, social interactions, sports, and accomplishments produced by effort also cease to produce pleasure. And the pleasure so much sought after is replaced by depression, pain, and apathy. So knowing this, pleasure is not a logical reason to drink or use addictive substances.
ESCAPE
SOCIAL PRESSURES
TO ALLEVIATE PAIN
"One reason that alcoholics drink- and keep on drinking- is to stave of f those awful shakes, sweats, nightmares and hallucinations that result from withdrawal." (FMM, p29). So addictions actually cause more pain!
TO RELIEVE STRESS
Alcohol, tobacco, sugar and caffeine damage the pancreas and the adrenal gland (the stress gland), thus cause greater stress in the long run.
FREEDOM FROM FEAR & INHIBITIONS
Hypnosis works better at eliminating fear and inhibitions with out the harmful side effects.
REBELLION, FREEDOM FROM PARENTAL RESTRICTIONS
You loose your freedom of choice and lifestyle when the addiction takes control.
APATHY, BOREDOM
When addiction sets in, apathy and boredom increase.

WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF ADDICTI0NS?
The root cause underlying all the rationalizations is physical. "Long perceived as a problem of weak will power, substance abuse is now considered by most researchers in the field to be a 'disease, similar in development to diabetes' (Alternative Medicine p. 485).

METABOLIC/BIOCHEMICAL IMBALANCE - "The alcoholic has a metabolic problem akin to sugar addiction. He suffers from a real craving for alcohol that is the result of a biochemical imbalance" (Dr. Atkins, p 95). Biochemical imbalances such as a deficiency or excess of specific neurotransmitters that act as mood enhancers or pain killers, stimulants or relaxants may cause cravings for the artificial stimulus of addictive substances, according to Dr. Chaitow, N.D., D.O.

"Janice Keller Phelps, M.D., author of THE HIDDEN ADDICTION AND HOW TO GET FREE FROM IT, asserts that addiction stems from individual biochemistry and unique genetic makeup. She believes there is a difference in addictive bodies from birth an that an addictive body may be evident in childhood by the presence of colic, hyperactivity, loss of sleep, irritability, crying, and learning disabilities. ..'Long before a child can get involved in drugs and alcohol, he's often gotten very addicted to sugar' " (AM p.486).

"Kathleen DesMaisons, M.Ed., President of Radiant Recovery in Burlingame, Ca., believes that many addicted people have an actual biochemical flaw in the way they process sugar and carbohydrates. This flaw in metabolism causes an addict to respond to sugar as if it were alcohol and to white flour products as if they were sugar" (AM, p486).
HYPOGLYCEMIA is a major factor in alcoholism and other addictions. Hypoglycemia is a blood sugar disorder that occurs when a malfunctioning pancreas over produces insulin, thus depleting the glucose from the brain. "The most commonly used substances capable of shooting your blood sugar level up are sugar itself, alcohol, caffeine (found in coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate) and tobacco. People with hypoglycemia have a tendency to get hooked on one or more of these substances, which they use to bolster their falling blood sugar. Although such remedies can yield temporary relief, they set up a vicious cycle that perpetuates and in the long run worsens the condition" (AM p.486). "Sugar is the underlying basis for all addictions" (Tenney, p76).
HEREDITY can be a factor that influences the tendency toward addictions. According to Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., "A genetic predisposing condition is usually present that is triggered by familial, environmental, societal, and dietary factors" (Alternative Medicine p. 485).
FOOD ALLERGIES or brain sensitivities can also cause cravings for addictive substances. As the addictive substance gradually builds up in the brain, sensitivity begins to develop, and as the substance begins to be depleted from the brain, a strong craving develops for the substance causing the sensitivity, and "they may even experience symptoms of withdrawal whenever they do not ingest it. And the symptoms of withdrawal can be worse than the symptoms caused by the intake of the addictive substance itself" (FMM, p28).

James Braly, M.D. explained "We become addicted to foods as a way of adapting to allergic reactions to them, and we tend to crave foods we're allergic to because we need them to keep withdrawal symptoms at bay" (AM p486). According to DR. Chaitow, "by constantly exposing themselves to addictive substances, addicts prevent themselves from experiencing the more violent displays of allergic symptoms -the substance 'masks' the allergy...Any food or drink which is commonly consumed or craved, may, in fact, be an allergic substance for an individual if withdrawal from it makes one feel unwell... An addict's withdrawal symptoms are almost identical to the symptoms which occur when an allergic substance is removed from the diet" (AM486).
LIVER DAMMAGE is another link in this viscous cycle. Addictive substances can damage the liver, while a malfunctioning liver can be a contributing cause of addictions.
FUNGAL INFECTIONS are another cause of cravings that lead to addictions. An over proliferation of fungus in the body produces a damaging poison, acetaldehyde, and robs the brain of needed glucose just as alcohol consumption does, and can be a cause of strong cravings. Fungal infections can be caused by certain drugs such as antibiotics, anesthesia, birth control medication, some arthritis medications, as well as sugar, alcohol, and other addictive substances. Fungal infections and hypoglycemia both are a cause of addictions and can be caused by addictive substances, so a vicious cycle is set in motion. And both diseases are major epidemics in this continent due to our modern diets and drugs.
MALNUTRITION is a major contributing cause as well as a direct result of use of addictive substances. A typical breakfast of coffee and doughnuts adds calories but depletes the body of many needed vitamins and minerals, and actually amounts to negative nutrition. Alcohol is also high in calories and can satisfy the desire for food, but it too depletes the body of necessary nutrients.

An example of how poor nutrition can lead to alcoholism was shown by a study done in London with a group of rats. The rats were fed a diet of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits and were offered a choice of water or bear to drink. The rats invariably chose the water. But when their diet was changed to our typical diet of sugar, white flour, caffeine, and prepared foods, the rats chose to drink the beer. Several preliminary studies suggest that alcohol craving is associated with poor nutrition. Relatively healthy people placed on a diet particularly high in raw foods began to spontaneously avoid alcohol (and tobacco), while chronic alcoholics placed on a nutritious diet along with a multivitamin supplement did far better at follow-up in abstaining from alcohol than did controls. Studies with rats have had similar results: In one study, a 'junk food' diet, especially when coffee was included, led to increased alcohol consumption. Other studies have found that the animals increased their alcohol consumption when they were made deficient in the vitamin B complex or zinc.

Hypoglycemia may stimulate alcohol consumption, while alcohol consumption can induce hypoglycemia.

Animal Experimental Study (C): One group of rats which was fed a typical teenage "junk food" diet continuously increased its alcohol consumption during the study, while another group which received a well-balanced control diet maintained a low level of alcohol intake. When supplemented with either caffeine or coffee, both groups significantly increased their alcohol intake. Results suggest that "metabolic controls to drinking exist which are sensitive to dietary factors" (Register ).

Experimental Study (C): 32 hypertensives ingested an average of 62% of their calories as uncooked food for a mean of 6.7 months. 80% of those who smoked or drank alcohol abstained spontaneously (Douglass)

HOW CAN ADDICTIONS BE PREVENTED AND OVERCOME?

Research has shown that conventional treatment methods had "less than a 15 to 20% rate of continued abstinence" (AM487). As in any disease the first step is to eliminate the root causes of the disease, and then repair the damage. So we need to eliminate from the diet all addictive substances. Therefore the following more successful alternative approaches deserve serious consideration:

Avoid substances containing sugar, white flour, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, inorganic chemicals and other addictive substances.
Regenerate weak glands and organs with the right nutritional supplements; a Wellness Consultation with Laurie Lynch, ND can show what needs to be regenerated and the specific supplements needed.
Proper food combining, good nutrition and digestion are important since indigestion can produce alcohol in our bodies and contribute to addictions.
A Wellness Consultation with Laurie lynch, N.D. can give a good idea of the underlying causes for each individual, and information on the specific (non-fattening) foods and herbs that can remedy these causes.
Regulate blood sugar levels. The secret to breaking addictions is to keep that blood sugar regulated by eating small amounts of healthy food every 2 or 3 hours. A breakfast of whole grains makes the whole day go better. Whole grains help the body produce the type of sugar it needs when it needs it over a several hour period, which can prevent the cravings for addictive substances, increase energy, and improve moods. One of my favorite recipes to help regulate blood sugar levels is fast and easy to make, and easily portable.

THERMOS COOKED OR RAW SOAKED WHOLE GRAINS

To whole grain (spelt, or kamut, or amaranth, or raw buckwheat, or quinoa, or whole oat groats), add twice as much boiling water in thermos and let stand over night, or add cold water and soak for 24 hours, to retain more of the nutrients. Add raw nuts or seeds (that have been soaked in water 24 hours); sweeten to taste with raw honey and cinnamon. Raw honey (in moderation) does not damage the pancreas or negatively influence blood sugar levels as sugar does; it is almost a perfect food.

Dr. Laurie's Overcoming Additions Program includes: (1). A list of the underlying physical causes that pertain to the individual, along with the specific foods, herbs, and nutritional supplements that eliminate these causes, help the individual break the addiction, and nourish the body back to health. All suggested remedies have been used safely and effectively throughout the ages, with no harmful effects. (2). 30 pages of healing food recipes. And, if desired, (3). Hypnotherapy, instruction in self-hypnosis, relaxation, and stress reduction techniques to help remedy the psychological and circumstantial causes of addiction.

Laurie Lynch is a Naturopathic Doctor, Master Herbalist, Wellness Consultant, Nutrition expert, and a Certified Hypnotherapist. For more information and help in implementing the best program for you, call her at the Living Well Health & Education Center, 3342 Legion Rd., Hope Mills, NC- (910) 426-5159

There are a few greedy, selfish people that have taken a substance that once was used on special occasions with out harm to the body or mind, such as tobacco for example, and chemically altered and developed that substance into something very addictive and damaging to both body and mind. Why? So they can get rich from the pain and suffering of others!

When we use alcohol, sugar, caffeine, and other addictive substances, our brain chemistry is altered, the glucose is depleted from the brain, upsetting the function of endorphins, enzymes, neurotransmitters, etc., and we are no longer in control of our thoughts, our behavior, or our physical bodies. We are being controlled by our addictions, we are being controlled by the greedy people who are getting rich off our poverty and suffering. Are we going to continue to allow this injustice to be perpetrated on us, on our children, and on our children's children? Wouldn't it be better to abstain completely from these addictive substances and help put those greedy people out of business?

References:
1. Louise Tenney, M.H., 1991, NUTRITIONAL GUIDE, Woodland Books .
2. The Burton Goldburg group, !994, Alternative Medicine, The definitive Guide, Future Medicine publishing, Inc, Washington
3. A.M. Ghadirian,1985, In Search of Nirvana, George Ronald, Oxford
4. Robert C. Atkins, M.D. Dr. Atkins' Nutrition Breakthrough
5. Register UD et al, 1972, Influence of nutrients on intake of alcohol, J Am Diet Assoc 61(2):159-62.
6. Douglass J et al. Effects of a raw food diet on hypertension and obesity. South Med J 78(7):841, 1985). http://www.healthy.net/library/books/werbach/part1/alcohol.htm
7. DETOX, by Phyllis Saifer, M.D.,M.Ph.

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