What Is Alcoholism?

By Robert Vaux
eHow Contributing Writer

Many people think of alcoholism as drinking to excess. In truth, it differs significantly. Drinking to excess constitutes alcohol abuse. Alcoholism, on the other hand, is a chronic disease constituting a physical and psychological compulsion to drink. Alcoholics have no control over their drinking, and quitting becomes more than a matter of simple willpower. The good news is that patients can recover from alcoholism, provided they understand its effects on their lives and resolve to confront it directly.


Symptoms

1. The pattern of drinking can help define an alcoholic. Many drink alone or in secret, hiding evidence of their drinking or making up lies to disguise it. Once they start drinking, they cannot stop and they often drink to excess just to feel "normal." They often expect drinks at set points in the day and become irritable when they can't get one. Many of them experience blackouts and have no memory of things they've done and said. All of this has a devastating impact on their personal and professional lives, which, ironically, may cause them to turn to alcohol even more readily.


Addiction
2. An addiction to alcohol doesn't come overnight. The patient's body gradually builds up a tolerance as more and more is imbibed, requiring greater amounts in order to feel intoxicated. At the same time, alcohol creates physiological changes in the brain: raising levels of dopamine and similar biochemicals. Over time, that essentially addicts the body to the alcohol, causing the patient to drink more and more to avoid feeling awful.


Causes
3. Causes of alcoholism vary by individual, but are generally broken down into three or four basic categories. The Mayo Clinc and other reputable organizations believe that biological factors make some people more vulnerable to alcoholism. Other people turn to alcohol because of prolonged stress, through psychological factors relating to childhood traumas and the like, or through cultural factors such as collegiate atmospheres that are tolerant of excessive drinking. In many cases, a combination of these factors will be present in a single individual.


Treatment
4. The treatment of alcoholism can begin only when the patient admits the extent of the problem and resolves to get help. Treatment options vary, but generally begin with getting the alcohol out of the patient's system and mitigating the withdrawal symptoms safely. The patient can then be medically assessed and a treatment program can begin to break the cravings which may cause the patient to relapse. This can involve a stay in a rehab center, sessions with a therapist, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and even the use of medical deterrents such as Antabuse.



A Process
5. Alcoholism remains with the patient in some form or another for the rest of his life. Most recovering alcoholics stress that it is an ongoing process--taken one day at a time--and that the urge to relapse is always present. But the more one builds upon the little steps, the easier it becomes and the stronger the patient feels as a result.

Inspiration from Margaret Cho

I read this blog post some time ago but came across it again today. And it rocks. If you don’t like the word “fuck”, this isn’t for you. Everyone else, please read it. Now. In it, Margaret Cho unveiled the secret to her weight loss success. It boils down to (emphasis mine):

“I never eat leftovers. I never take anything home. I never eat anything that doesn’t taste heavenly. I never eat when I am not hungry. I never let myself get too hungry. I never deny myself a fucking thing because I have denied myself enough for 1000 lifetimes and there is no more denial for me in the way that I live. I deserve all the mozzarella sticks, all the fucking chocolate, all the fucking pizza, all the chicken a’la king, and I deserve to leave what I don’t finish on the plate.

So there you go. Big secret diet. Love. Love and the audacity to actually waste food.”

I’m working on it, Margaret!

The Big Fat Lie Project

Since starting on the Intuitive Eating (IE) path, I have struggled to find a balance between honoring my health and resisting the diet mentality. One of the first stages of IE is to make peace with food, which I did with gusto. However, the resulting weight gain (felt, not measured – I do not use a scale anymore) and frequent heartburn have not been welcome. I am resisting any pull to just go on another diet to “fix” things, though. I have to find another way to come to terms with my body, my eating habits, and my activity level.

I want to incorporate more whole foods into my diet. I want to keep active. I want to do these things so that I feel better, not to lose weight. I am clear in this intention. As a result, I’ve decided to join a study that is working to highlight the benefits of IE coupled with eating whole foods and doing resistance training. The goals of the study and much more information about it is available at The Big Fat Lie, our group blog for the project.

I am excited to get started on this two year project. I hope that my participation will help support me on my road to a healthy relationship with food and my body. I’m also thrilled to be a part of something that will bring IE and its benefits to light. I hope that this study will show the world a long term, sustainable alternative to dieting.

How to Build Your Own Fat Loss Program

It's confusing to follow all of the experts out there when it comes to fat loss. Let the Fit Rebel show you the key elements in building a program that best suites your needs.

Instructions
Step 1

Look to cut back on calories you probably won't miss. Most of these calories come from liquids such as sodas and alcohol. Other sources for these calories are snack foods like chips and cookies. They key is to find the foods that don't contribute much to your body so you won't feel hungry cutting back on them.


Step 2
Start looking for ways to burn as many calories as possible. The fat on your body is just like fuel in your gas tank, you can alter what's coming in (your diet) as much as you want, but the bottom line is that you have fuel you want to burn. So think outside your workout. Drive as little as possible and sit as little as possible. It's much more effective and easier to burn more calories through the day rather than in just a workout at the end of the day.

Step 3
Ramp up that energy! Your energy is your metabolism. If you energy is up then so is your metabolism. Some common things that boost your energy is to 1) Get a good nights sleep. 2) Eat meals that have a good balance between fat protein and carbohydrates and 3) Keep your body moving.


Step 4
Enlist in a simple strength program. The experts are in debate over just how and why a strength program might aid weight loss, however it's a good bet that a simple program done 3-4 times a week will help bring about muscle tone, prevent injury and last I checked strong is better than week any day.

Tips & Warnings
• It's important to realize that you don't need any special program or formula to burn off fat. Your body is always burning fat and calories! The key is to simply burn off more than you currently are while cutting back on the intake that is keeping the fat stores on your body replenished.

• Be sure to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

• Don't make things more complex than they need to be. The most simple actions (going for an evening walk, cutting back on junk foods or taking the stairs at work) are often the most effective.

• Fat loss is not a fast process. Be sure that whatever steps you take are ones you are comfortable with for a long time. Anything you do that you couldn't keep doing a month or two from now is probably not going to work in the long term no matter how great the short term results are.

By Matt Schifferle
eHow Community Member

About Mastectomy

This is important information for women all over the world.

Definition: A mastectomy is a surgical procedure in which most or all of the breast tissue is removed, in order to treat breast cancer. There are several different degrees of mastectomy:

• a simple, or total mastectomy is the removal of all of the breast tissue, but none of the underlying muscle nor the lymph nodes are removed
• a modified radical mastectomy is the removal of all of the breast tissue, as well as the lymph nodes on the same side of the body as the breast
• a radical mastectomy, also called a Halsted mastectomy is the removal of all of the breast tissue, the underlying muscle, as well as the lymph nodes on the same side of the body as the breast (this is rarely done now)

• a skin-sparing mastectomy is one in which the breast tissue is removed, but the breast skin is kept, so that in the case of immediate breast reconstruction (plastic surgery) no skin grafts will be needed, to cover the breast implant.

Pronunciation: mas-TEK-tu-mee.
Also Known As: breast removal surgery.
Common Misspellings: masectomy, massectumy.

Examples: A mastectomy is used to treat any breast cancer that has spread, or invaded, breast tissues beyond the original tumor site. It is important that the surgeon be experienced in breast surgery, and that the surgical margins of the tissue that is removed are clear of cancer cells. A well-done mastectomy helps to prevent breast cancer recurrence.

A Return to Whole Foods (the concept, not the store!)

While catching up at Cheap Healthy Good, one of my favorite food sites, I came across a link to this post about Nourishing Traditions, a cookbook that focuses on getting back to cooking in well, more traditional time honored ways. I was pulled in right away.

Since starting on my path to Intuitive Eating (IE), I’ve been happily making peace with food. As a result, I’ve indulged in much more food of the processed persuasion, just because I *can*. Most of that has been the Trader Joe’s type of processed but not all of it. I definitely don’t like focusing on so much convenience food. There has to be a balance. I realize that it was necessary stage of my healing to swing the other way first, though, so I’m not judging my food choices or anything. I just am finding myself looking forward to cooking more whole foods and putting more effort into my cooking and general food prep.

I’ll actually be participating in an upcoming study that will examine how an IE lifestyle focused on mostly whole foods coupled with moderate strength training affects overall health. It will be a two year commitment and I’m super excited to participate. But that hasn’t started yet – I’ll post more about that when it begins next month and throughout the study.

My head is already starting to get back to craving “real” food that I prepare myself, though, so there’s no reason to wait. I’m coming at this from a place of excitement, not one of trying to “eat healthy”. I will not completely abandon all play foods, not by a long shot. I plan to continue incorporating them into my daily intake, focusing on making my own versions as well as treating myself to the occasional processed items from time to time. It’s not all or nothing. I’m focusing on ADDING more whole foods, not in trying to deny myself anything. I think that psychological distinction is key for me.

In any case, I came across the Nourishing Traditions book just when I was ready to embrace it. I hopped right over to Amazon and downloaded it to my Kindle. I’ve only just begun reading it (yes, I’m actually reading a cookbook!) and have discovered that it’s much more than just a book of recipes. It catalogues all the different ways we have been mislead when it comes to “nutrition” in the media. So many studies have been twisted to say what the researchers wanted them to say. Others were just ignored because they didn’t prove what they wanted them to. I’ve come across some of this before but it never ceases to amaze me. The author advocates a return to not only eating more whole foods but to draw on more traditional ways of food preparation as a way to combat some of the damage we’ve done to ourselves with all this fake food.

I will be working my way through the fantastic info in the book as well as trying out some recipes. I will periodically post about how they turn out and what I’m learning in the process. And lest you think that I’ve completely abandoned my focus on personal finance, I will be noting any savings that come from buying and cooking my own food on a more consistent basis.

Please chime in with any advice or experience you may have to share about cooking and eating whole foods. I’m not completely new to the concept (I’ve always loved to cook) but am coming at it from a whole new perspective. I welcome all input!

Newsflash: I Love My Life (no caveats)

For years I’ve thought that if I could just change this one thing about me (my weight) all would be well. In an otherwise charmed existence, this was my one cross to bear. Other people had “real” problems, what did I have to complain about? Just devote my energy to getting this one thing under control and I would be golden. After reading this amazing post at Shapely Prose, I came to the conclusion that this was a spectacular waste of time.

What exactly was I waiting for? What was magically going to change when I lost weight? Would I find a husband? (no, got that…) Would I get more friends and be super popular? (I have plenty, thank you…) Would I be adored by the masses on the street? (I actually HATE that, you know, to be noticed and accosted by strangers…) Was I going to travel and have tons of fun? (hmmm… already had that experience…)

So what was it? I guess my Fantasy of Being Thin just involved feeling GOOD about myself and within my own skin. It was about feeling powerful and healthy and confident. It meant looking good in clothes (and without them!) and just reveling in being me. I’ve come to the conclusion that all of those things have to do with my state of MIND, not the state of my body. It seems so basic that I could literally laugh at all the angst I’ve put myself through.

Over the past 6 months or so since I’ve added some strength training to the yoga I already adored doing, I’ve noticed a change not only in my body but how I feel about it. Although I haven’t lost any weight and have probably gained some (I no longer weigh myself), I’ve noticed subtle changes in my body composition. It’s nothing drastic or probably even noticeable to others. But *I* notice and feel different: stronger, more toned, less wobbly.

I’ve found myself getting a kick out of buying clothes again, something I haven’t been able to do for years. Between the financial concerns and the feeling that anything I bought would be temporary (because I’d be losing weight, of course), I didn’t invest too much in it. What a joy it is to find something that makes me feel good right now, as I am now. I got the best bathing suite ever and I can’t wait to sport it on vacation. Who knew that I was capable of feeling that way about a swim suite!

I AM powerful, healthy, and confident. I am that way RIGHT NOW. And none of those qualities come from my ability to semi-starve my body into submission. So instead of devoting my energy to getting this one (weight) thing under control, I have boundless energy to devote to living this wonderful, amazing life I am blessed to enjoy.