Ask Dr Doctor

As we age, there will be times when we have to take medicine for various reasons. Usually, this is no big deal. However, there is a growing problem among senior citizens and drug abuse. You are probably wondering how a senior would abuse a drug. First, I should clarify. We are talking about the problems when it comes to prescription drugs, not the other kind found on the streets. Statistics are projecting that there is a growing problem among senior citizens and abuse of their prescription drugs. Currently, it is projected that this abuse will triple and that seniors will be on more than 6 different types of medications throughout a year. It is important that we learn the signs of abuse and ways to stop it from occurring. This article will take a look at how you can identify the problem and even ways to stop it before it happens. By watching after your loved ones you can help make sure that they never experience this growing problem.

First, let us look at the ways in which you can identify the signs of drug abuse in your loved ones. As we age, we tend to lose our balance. However if you are noticing frequent falling or loss of balance this could be a sign. Along with frequent falling, another sign is memory loss. Things like misplacing items or forgetting where they are. Still these signs could be easy to miss if you are not around every day. There are things that seniors can do that could be a little more noticeable. If they are having trouble getting out of bed or taking care of their personal appearance then you should talk to them about their growing problems.

Now that you are able to identify the signs of abuse, there are other things that you can do to make sure the abuse does not happen in the first place. Be involved in senior’s doctor appointments and be made aware of any medications that they are on. Question the need for any medications that they are given and always make sure to inform the doctor of other medications they might be on. Also, do not assume that just because the doctor is saying that the medication is okay, that it is. There have been many cases in which a doctor will push a medication onto a patient because it is in their best interest to write as many prescriptions for that drug.

Obviously, drug abuse is not always going to happen, but it is important that you be aware of it and talk to the senior in your life about your concerns. Ask them if they need your help or maybe look into the different senior care options that are available for them. The most import thing is to be able to have an open dialogue about your concerns and theirs so that you and the senior in your life can reach a decision about their senior care that works for everyone. By being involved and asking questions you are one step closer to taking care of the loved one in your life.

The active ingredient in medical marijuana known as 9 tetrahydrocannabinol or THC is currently being investigated for its different uses in various clinical studies. One of the most recent effects of THC that is currently being studied is its ability to inhibit the growth of tumors and this discovery might have far reaching consequences on the research associated with the treatment of cancer. The findings of a research study conducted by Salazar et al. that have been published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation indicate that THC found in medical hash oil triggers the autophagy of tumor cells.

Autophagy refers to the process of cell degradation where the cells start destroying themselves. MMJ is known to inhibit tumor growth by activating a series of events within cancer cells that triggers their death in a programmed manner (also referred to as apoptosis). Medical cannabis has a number of useful cannabinoids and other components and their ability to produce certain physiological changes is also being investigated. Hash oil that is loaded with these useful and interesting cannabinoids like 9 THC and other may hold the answer for the treatment of cancer as suggested by researchers in Spain who published their findings in The British Journal of Cancer.

Their study was primarily geared toward treating prostate cancer and the results clearly showed that this set of molecules that are originally found in cannabis could be a potential solution. 9 THC does not kill the cancer cells ravenously and without any discrimination. In fact, the process of cell death is extremely targeted and highly specific as THC adopts a cell surface receptor binding mechanism that activates a cell signaling pathway, thereby triggering cell death. As these changes are brought about at the cellular level with various molecular players and factors coming into play, scientists were able to use knockout mice and siRNA to understand how the entire process works. Apart from being orderly and autophagy being one of the most important steps contributing to this process of programmed cell death, the beneficial biological effects of cannabinoids in coping with symptoms of other chronic ailments and diseases is also in progress.

Medical marijuana not only slows the spread and growth of cancer, but it also kills them and its use in the prevention and treatment of bowel cancer is well documented. Professor Chris Paraskeva in Bristol whose work is funded by Cancer Research UK is investigating the anti-cancer properties of cannabinoids for the treatment of this type of cancer. All the studies have been carried out using purified cannabinoid chemicals and not cannabis itself that contains a number of other chemicals. Additionally, there is no reliable evidence which suggests that smoking MMJ can treat cancer.

There are mainly two types of cannabinoid receptors; CB1 and CB2 that trigger the cascade of biological events within them. While the former type is mainly found in the nerve cells of the brain and is responsible for the mind altering effects of cannabis, the latter is found all over the body and it could be the prime suspect that triggers the biological effects of these cannabinoids on the other parts of the body apart from the brain. So, designing suitable drugs based on the active ingredients that are found in hash oil may be important for the treatment of cancer.

What is the definition of ‘rider’ in the context of medical insurance policies? Well, riders can be defined as ‘add-ons’ which can be used as an accompaniment to insurance policies in order to provide coverage in times of an additional set of risk events. Riders are a way in which one can customize the existing insurance policies without changing the standardized basic provisions.

There are many advantages of a medical insurance rider and one should be aware of them in order to avail the same. However, there is something that one should be mindful of when it comes to riders, meaning since these provide additional risk protection therefore the insurance policy holder is also required to pay additional risk premium.

Generally, riders are mostly added to medical insurance policies and these play an important role because they have a significant tilt towards risks related to the health of individuals. Because riders are generally bundled in with a base medical policy, therefore there are no customer acquisition charges or additional administrative charges associated with these, thus leading to a low cost.

Did you know that riders can be added to Medigap supplemental insurance policies as well? Medigap supplemental insurance policies are insurance policies which are provided as a supplement with Medicare plans because of the lack of coverage in certain areas as far as the latter is concerned. Therefore the role of supplement insurance with Medicare is to provide coverage in areas which aren’t normally covered under Medicare. Unfortunately, a majority of people do not realize that Medicare alone cannot cover all of their medical expenses and that they need to take the help of Medigap insurance policy for the purpose of defraying the costs. Additionally, they can also attach riders to their medical insurance in order to increase their existing coverage.

You may have heard of someone that wakes up early in the morning with extreme pain behind one of their eyes. The individual then tries to perform their normal daily activities, but can’t because of the pain and difficulty focusing. The person feels hungry but doesn’t feel like eating breakfast. The person avoids the kitchen all together because the smell of food makes them nauseous. The individual seeks solitude and tries to avoid any kind of sounds. This is a common daily occurrence for a person with a migraine headache.

Migraines may be minor for some people but extremely debilitating for others. Migraines can prevent one from working or performing their normal daily tasks at home. They often cause one to feel restless or have extreme anxiety. They can disrupt one’s sleep and cause fatigue. They can cause one to lose their appetite.

Some people with migraine headaches may have a warning sign come on before the headache. This is called an aura. The aura often begins approximately 30 minutes before the headache comes on. Those experiencing an aura often describe it as spots, wavy lines or flashing lights.

The typical time frame for migraine headaches ranges from four to 72 hours if untreated. The frequency and time frame is different from person to person. The symptom of a migraine is often described as throbbing and is usually located on one side of the head. Some migraine sufferers may experience the headache on both sides. The pain is usually worsened by physical activity. Nausea and vomiting may also occur with the headache. Migraine sufferers are often sensitive to light, noise and smell.

Prodromes are also common with migraine headaches. These usually occur one or two days before the headache comes on. These are subtle symptoms that can signal a migraine will be coming. These subtle symptoms might include constipation, diarrhea, food cravings, depression or neck pain. Postdromes may also occur after a migraine is over. This is considered the final phase and the typical symptom is exhaustion or feeling euphoric.

If you are experiencing migraines, it is a good idea to record the frequency of attacks and characteristics of the attack. If the headaches persist, it is a good idea to seek professional help. The traditional method for dealing with migraines is medication. Because of the harmful side effects of medication, many people are seeking out other natural safe alternatives to help. Many find chiropractic as a safe, effective treatment method that has lasting results.

Migraine Headaches are more an energetic issue than a strictly physical one and undoing energetic blockages and balancing the body’s energy system through the use of EFT is the number one natural treatment for migraine headaches.

EFT – Emotional Freedom Techniques (also known as meridian tapping) is a simple modality for balancing the body’s energy system and releasing blocked energy dissolving negative emotions, memories and past traumas or future worries and fears.

Meridian Tapping is practised by using the fingers to tap on the various acupressure points on the body, while at the same time focusing on a phrase that describes the issue and also putting attention on the issue.

Miraculous recoveries can be achieved when the reason behind the headache has been discovered and it is different for everyone because it is often a disempowering belief, a traumatic memory, or even some sort of fear of worry, which cause the energetic imbalance. So it is always important to tune into the root cause rather than just the presenting symptoms.

Another effective natural treatment for Migraine headaches can be found with the diet. Many foods and drinks that we consume cause inflammation, and inflammation of the tissues and sinuses can cause headaches. Certain foods are also mucus forming and when our sinuses are full of mucus and inflamed at the same time, this is a sure recipe for a migraine headache.

A predominantly raw plant based diet also known as a Raw Vegan Diet is the number one anti-inflammatory and anti-mucus diet that one can eat. I have never met anyone who’s migraine headaches persisted that ate a 100% raw vegan diet.

At the very least, the foods that you want to seriously reduce or remove are meat, dairy, bread and diet drinks, which contain Aspartame.

The foods that you want to eat more of are fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. By doing this not only will you be free of migraine headaches, your health, vitality and energy will also radically improve and you will look and feel younger.

Find and living your life purpose is also a little understood natural treatment for migraine headaches. To understand this, you must realise that all dis-ease in the body or mind for that matter is communication or feedback. When we don’t listen or act on this feedback then it will get worse or louder until we take action to rectify the problem. Ask yourself the question “Am I doing what I love in life?” “Am I fulfilling my highest aspirations?” If the answer is no, then ask “What would I really love to do with my life?”

Find out what your values are and what is really important to you and start living it daily. When we start to align our life with our true values and align our personality with our soul and our souls purpose then disease can vanish from our body. So you can naturally treat migraine headaches through some soul searches and asking the right questions.