Category: Sober living

Have you ever felt bloated, gassy, or like your stomach is in knots after a big meal? Indigestion plagues many of us from time to time, often because our fast-paced modern lives leave little room for rest and relaxation after eating. While Tums and other antacids may offer temporary relief, they don’t address the underlying causes of poor digestion. As a long-time health nut, I was curious if natural remedies could provide a gentler, more comprehensive solution. That’s when I came across kudzu root — an herb with a long history of traditional use in Asia to support digestion. What I found about this often-overlooked superfood may surprise you.

Therefore, it is important to use caution when planting kudzu and to properly manage its growth. It can also interact with some medications, including blood pressure medications, sedatives, and diabetes medications. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ This could lead to adverse reactions that could be harmful or even life-threatening in some cases. Therefore, it is essential to speak to your doctor before using it if you are on any medication.

It helps with metabolic syndrome symptoms

In Thailand, the women use Pueraria Mirifica or Thai kudzu to relieve the symptoms of menopause. In Thailand where I live, it is used as an ingredient in cooking or found as a supplementary ingredient for improving symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes. One study published in 2013 looked at the effects of a standardized kudzu extract on 17 men diagnosed with alcohol dependency or alcohol abuse. They were separated into two groups and either treated with kudzu root or a placebo for the duration of the four-week trial. No side effects have been reported in clinical studies when kudzu is taken by mouth.

Kudzu root has also shown to help regulate glucose, AKA sugar, in the blood, Beckerman says. “It’s a vine,” says Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, registered dietitian and in-house nutrition expert at Betches Media. “The root, flower, and leaf are used to make medicine.” Kudzu has been a staple in Chinese medicine, for like, forever—we’re talking at least 600 AD. And it was introduced to the United States in 1876 when it was used to control soil erosion. By affecting estrogen in the body, kudzu may decrease the effectiveness of some drugs. Regardless, if you’re on any medication, make sure to check with your doctor.

Does Kudzu Root Really Work? Here’s What We Know

The subjects were people taking the extract and those taking a placebo. What’s more, the kudzu plant leaves, vine tips, and purple flower blossoms are also edible. You can eat the root as you would other root vegetables, like potatoes or rutabagas. Kudzu roots can be dried and ground into a powder, which some people use as breading for fried foods or as a thickener for soups and sauces. In its raw form, kudzu root resembles other root tubers, such as potatoes or yams.

There is also good evidence that drinking clear spirits reduces the severity of hangovers. Dr. Neil McGregor has warned that the active components of Kudzu have been linked to cancer. And they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. These very promising results led to research involving humans. Giving a Kudzu root extract twice daily failed to reduce craving and sobriety scores.

Kudzu Root Side Effects

Kudzu root is the edible part of a trailing vine native to several Asian countries. People have used it for many years in traditional Chinese medicine, and it resembles other root tubers, like yams. The plant is a trailing vine that often grows over other plants and trees. Therefore, you must take it for at least 2-4 weeks to notice most of the benefits. But again, cycling the herb and not taking it at least twice a week is necessary to prevent tolerance in the long term.

• In addition, you can also purchase it in the form of food-grade starch powder.
• Bored children traveling rural highways insist their parents wake them when they near the green kudzu monsters stalking the roadside.
• Of 71 patients 29 showed improvement, 20 showed some improvement, while 22 patients showed little or no improvement.
• The kudzu root may interact with certain medications or pose other health risks for certain people.

The roots of the plant are particularly rich in isoflavones which are known to have health-promoting properties. Kudzu is also rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Typical symptoms of an allergic reaction include hives or rashes, itching, and swelling. There are also instances where allergic reactions have led to breathing difficulties, including shortness of breath, wheezing, and signs of anaphylaxis.

Historical Uses of Kudzu

Also, it should be used with caution by people with heart diseases and not without consulting a professional health care worker first. Kudzu may increase the effects of kudzu extract for alcoholism some heart medications and should not be used concurrently with such drugs. Kudzu is often used as a remedy for heart and circulatory problems and high blood pressure.

Scientists need to do more research on the effects of kudzu root in humans to investigate these effects in the liver. While scientists need to do more research on the health effects of kudzu, some studies suggest that kudzu root may have other health benefits worth considering. Some health companies sell the kudzu root species Pueraria mirifica as a supplement for menopausal and postmenopausal women. It’s important to note that these studies used kudzu extract, which may have contained other parts of the kudzu plant besides the root. Thus, scientists need to do more research in this area on the effects of kudzu root specifically. Kudzu root is easily available in online stores and natural food supplement stores.

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Let’s explore a few health benefits of this root that may contribute to weight loss. These antioxidant compounds give kudzu root a wide range of medicinal uses. Among the most common uses of the herb are to treat inflammation and high blood pressure, alcoholism, cold and flu symptoms and menopause symptoms. It is important to note that kudzu root may interact with certain medications, including those used to treat diabetes and high blood pressure. If you are taking any prescription medications, be sure to consult with your doctor before adding kudzu root to your supplement regimen. Additionally, kudzu root should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, as its effects on fetal development and lactation are not yet fully understood.

• Kudzu root, leaf, and flowers have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries.
• It has been used as a medicinal herb for a variety of ailments such as alcoholism, angina, cancer, headache, a migraine and high blood pressure.
• Furthermore, the men who took kudzu had fewer heavy drinking days per week and had significantly more consecutive days with no alcohol consumption (2).
• Kudzu root is linked to a wide range of potential health benefits from easing menopausal symptoms to treating alcohol dependence.

Living in a three-quarter house is one of the last steps a person in recovery can take before transitioning back to regular life. One of the biggest risk factors for relapse is exposure to high-risk situations. Sober living homes, a broad term that includes halfway houses and three-quarter houses, protect people in early stages of recovery.

Rules differ from sober living facility to facility, but there are some rules that are common to most sober environments. Residents of sober living homes agree to all the rules when they move in, and violations of the rules have consequences. Depending on the violation, residents may have to pay a fine, make amends to another resident, or write an essay about what they did. In some cases, residents may be asked to leave the home because of violations of rules. Sober living homes may or may not be accredited or licensed through a state, local, or national agency.

New Jersey Sober Living Homes

During the stay at transitional housing, residents can address issues that lead to homelessness through education, house meetings, counseling, therapies, and life skill training offered by the facility. It offers residents a certain level of freedom, but Forms Oxford House that freedom is not absolute. It is a “halfway” house, after all, and certain rules must be followed. They typically differ from halfway home to halfway home, but there are some common rules that apply no matter which transitional home you are in.

In addition, most sober homes try to ensure that residents can afford to live there so people who desire to stay sober are able to have a safe environment in which to do so. You can expect direct supervision during your time at one of these houses. For example, you’ll be required to submit to random drug tests from time to time. Know that if you fail a drug test, you must leave the home, often forfeiting a deposit. There is no predetermined time limit a person can stay in a sober living home.

Female Sober Living

Recovery options, including sober living homes, often apply this recommendation, creating an emotionally safe environment for male residents in all-male homes. In general, men abuse intoxicating substances more often than women, especially alcohol and illicit drugs like heroin or cocaine. This means that, typically, more men than women enter treatment, although men are often more resistant to seeking treatment for substance abuse than women. While women tend to escalate substance abuse faster and struggle with co-occurring mental illness more often than their male counterparts, men tend to abuse substances chronically and for longer periods of time.

Sober living homes often have certain similarities, including the ability to come and go as you choose. There are rules that residents are expected to follow during their time at a sober living home, one of the most important being that they are sober and commit to remaining sober while there. Additionally, sober living house rules may include a curfew, helping around the house, and attending group meetings. The goal is to provide you with a support system in a drug and alcohol-free environment. New Jersey sober living homes are properly structured private residences providing their residents with privacy and comfort.

Daily Life in New Jersey Sober Living Homes

Violence and theft are not allowed or tolerated, and in keeping with the general purpose of a halfway house / sober living facility, drugs and alcohol are strictly prohibited. Assigned house chores will have to be completed and a curfew will be imposed. A sober living home is a structured, transitional living facility for recovering addicts or alcoholics who are reintegrating into society. Also known as a halfway house, sober living facility, or transitional home, it is not meant to be a permanent accommodation.

Halfway houses offer dorm-like living arrangements, often congested and lacking privacy. At Sunrise Sober Living, we believe in the power of supporting men in their recovery journey from addiction, and we’ve developed programs that help build a foundation for a sober life. We provide a structured, supportive environment where residents can focus on their recovery and develop the necessary skills to maintain sobriety. There are thousands of legitimate sober homes nationwide with correct licensing.

We also invite comments which provide more details on sober living homes in New Jersey. We try to reply to each legitimate question in a prompt and personal manner. There are no exceptions to breaking these rules and, if you’re caught in the act of breaking https://accountingcoaching.online/why-do-i-bruise-so-easily/ one, you will be kicked out of the sober living home. The purpose of these rules is to help you start to live independently. Consider a sober living home a time to get yourself disciplined for when you leave the home…and start living 100% on your own.

• They have to adhere to minimum standards and provide certain resources.
• Sober living facilities (recovery homes) are transitional housing resources for those who have completed residential addiction treatment programs but still need ongoing care.
• A sober house is a place where no drugs or substances of any kind are tolerated and all residents are expected to live in a communal area and pull their own weight.
• However, positive social support is essential because it aids in the transition from addiction to sobriety.
• However, the advantages of successfully completing sober living far outweigh the difficulties.

Sober living homes typically do not limit the length of stay and may not require previous attendance in a formal addiction treatment program. Halfway houses, on the other hand, typically have a time limit and require residents to either be attending a treatment program or have recently completed one. Most residents in a halfway house enter the program through a court order, from a correctional facility, or as part of a plea bargain.

These unanticipated obstacles to wellbeing have the capacity to derail an otherwise smooth sailing recovery. I am very happy and grateful to be two years sober, but I wish I’d known then, what I know now. So here’s a deep dive into the many reasons people struggle on their unique paths to sobriety as well as insights on how to overcome the fears and challenges they’ll likely meet along the way. Please remember that you have already achieved great things in your life for you and those surrounding you. By choosing to be sober, you have given so much, changed so many aspects of your life.

One of the first steps toward treatment, sobriety, and recovery is recognizing that you have a problem and seeking help.4 However, fear of being sober may hold some people back from taking this first important step. So understanding and addressing these fears is paramount. According to Merriam-Webster, being sober simply means abstaining from alcohol and drugs.

Sucks Being Sober

However, when it has happened, I have to speak up to point out that I didn’t drink and I’m not subsidizing their drinking. If you’re like me, this can feel entirely terrifying. I have always hated the feeling that I’m putting people out or being difficult.

Combine the calories in alcohol with the aforementioned junk food cravings and you’ve got a recipe for weight gain. When you’re sober, you’ll probably find that you stop gaining weight (and maybe even lose a few pounds) without really trying. Much of our social behaviors involve the use of substances in one form or another. being sober sucks Even if you’re not an addict, living a sober lifestyle can seem like a difficult feat. Everyone faces difficult situations, ranging from getting a rough night’s sleep to dealing with a death in the family or an unexpected divorce. Choose to recognize that the choices you make directly impact your experience.

Being sober sucks.

Knowing that you will have more time on your hands (the time you would have spent drinking!), gives you the upper hand. Make plans, even if they are alone, plan your time out and find things instead of drinking. You have made life-changing differences during your journey of sobriety, and it takes time to adapt. There are people all over the world going through recovery, and at some point, most will have these ‘sober sucks’ moments. Before you realise it, you have that feeling of being back to square one, wondering what you ever saw in drinking, yet here you are back to drinking. When we are going through recovery, the question of if being sober sucks is quite a common thought, and it is quite a dangerous thought.

• William Berry is a psychotherapist and teaches at Florida International University.
• Detox occurs when the body goes through the process of eliminating substances from itself.
• While sobriety is well worth the effort required to achieve it, choosing sobriety is a significant endeavor that requires courage, difficult conversations, and significant life changes.
• I share my experience because I do not want others to be blindsided like I was.

I would have classified myself as someone who loved to be around people and go out with them at night. Thinking back to before I was sober, I usually had to drink to be around people. When I stopped drinking, not only did my recovery dictate https://ecosoberhouse.com/ that I needed lots of time to myself, lots of self-care, and lots of nights in, I discovered that I was, in fact, someone who relishes in alone time. I recharge when I’m by myself, and I deplete when I’m with others—especially big groups.

Unhealthy alcohol use includes any alcohol use that puts your health or safety at risk or causes other alcohol-related problems. It also includes binge drinking — a pattern of drinking where a male has five or more drinks within two hours or a female has at least four drinks within two hours. Every person has their own reasons for drinking or wanting to reduce their alcohol consumption. Depending on how much you have been drinking, your body may experience physical and psychological changes as you reduce your intake, known as withdrawal.

• However, when the liver becomes overwhelmed, it loses efficiency in processing nutrients for the body, with the skin being the first to reveal signs of stress.
• Alcohol use can factor into mental health symptoms that closely resemble those of other mental health conditions.
• Enzymes in the liver that are partially responsible for turning the alcohol to acetaldehyde are also involved in metabolizing acetaminophen.
• Experts recommend avoiding excessive amounts of alcohol if you have diabetes or hypoglycemia.

There’s no one right way to go about quitting drinking; it’s all about figuring out what works for you and your lifestyle, starting with a plan. Here are a few things you should consider and actionable steps you can take. Use these tried-and-true tips to quit or reduce your alcohol intake. One supposed remedy that definitely does not help is taking acetaminophen before bed.

Fast facts about alcohol

Knoxville, TN – ReVIDA® Recovery recently released a blog that explored the dangerous effects of mixing fentanyl and alcohol. Their program consists of flexible outpatient therapy as well as medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Women, consequences of alcohol unfortunately, do not have the same metabolism as men and cannot process alcohol as quickly. Due to having more fat constitutionally, women tend to store alcohol in their bodies, particularly in their biological 40s and beyond.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of 80-proof alcohol constitute one drink. In people assigned female https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/teenage-alcoholism-dangers-of-underage-drinking/ at birth, consuming more than four drinks in one sitting is considered binge drinking. However, there may be legal, financial, or relational consequences for drinking heavily.

Effects of Alcohol on Your Body

This is especially important if you are trying to get pregnant, or you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as there is no safe level of alcohol use that has been identified. Generally, binge drinking means drinking heavily over a short period of time with the intention and result of getting immediately and severely intoxicated (drunk). The WHO reports that in 2016, 5.3 per cent of all deaths globally were caused by alcohol consumption. Worldwide, more men die as a result of alcohol consumption than women. Pacing yourself (aiming to drink one drink or less every hour), and drinking water between alcoholic drinks may reduce the severity of a hangover. You’ve probably heard of, or perhaps experienced, a ‘hangover’ – a set of unpleasant symptoms that usually follows excessive alcohol intake.

• By adhering to the Dietary Guidelines, you can reduce the risk of harm to yourself or others.
• It’s found in a wide range of alcoholic beverages including beer, wine, and spirits like vodka, whiskey, rum, and gin.
• Alcohol poisoning can cause a person to fall into a coma and could lead to their death.
• If consumption stops suddenly, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms.
• Some effects are immediate and last only a while; others accumulate over time and may significantly affect your physical and mental health and quality of life.

When a heavy drinker abruptly stops drinking, the neurotransmitters in the brain begin to malfunction. Alcohol has a sedating effect which the brain chemically adjusts to by producing balance chemicals such as serotonin and norepinephrine in a much larger quantity than usual. When the individual decides to abruptly stop taking alcohol, the brain continues to produce these hormones in excess, causing overstimulation and an overdrive.

Her grandfather John Barrymore struggled with alcohol abuse from the age of 14. Water utilities must now extract five individual PFAS, also known as GenX chemicals, from water being distributed for drinking purposes — they are PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS and HFPO-DA. The EPA is also restricting any combination of four PFAS to reduce PFAS to the lowest levels possible.

The Impact of Alcohol on Health and Wellness

The word “tonight” can be powerful when turning down a beer. Maybe tonight you are the designated driver, have to wake up early tomorrow, or are taking cold medicine – keep them guessing. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. After dinner is over (usually quite late) and everyone is settling in for some more chatting or a game or whatever, I would announce ‘Night everyone I’m off to bed! ’ and would head to our room to read a book by torch light (so not to wake the kids). No-one gave me shit for leaving, others sometimes peel away too.

The first step in getting sober is getting help and treatment. Alcohol rehabilitation centers offer the support people need to stop their use and battle their addiction successfully. When people think about reasons people drink, boredom isn’t usually at the top of the list. And yet, this is a significant reason why alcoholics will reach for the bottle. Getting clean means awkward silences, and evenings alone cannot be filled with drinking. The purpose of planning what to do if one starts to have signs of relapse is to build awareness of triggers that may cause revert to former behaviors.

Surround Yourself With Supportive People

You’ll help out your friends by relieving them of planning duties, and you can ensure the destination is somewhere you feel comfortable. Making new friends is the most difficult part for people who want to quit drinking and lead a sober social life. If you’re lucky, you’ll have other things in common with your old drinking buddies besides getting drunk. Even if your friends support your sobriety, things will be different because a major part of your social life is different. He has a particular interest in psychopharmacology, nutritional psychiatry, and alternative treatment options involving particular vitamins, dietary supplements, and administering auricular acupuncture.

I got out of debt, started a company that provides digital recovery, launched a podcast, and am in the middle of writing a book. For others, being the only sober person in the room can be awkward, and being responsible for getting other people home may be too much pressure. “I make sure that I have my own transportation – either my own car or a taxicab phone number.” Seek support and connect with like-minded individuals who share your interest in alcohol-free socializing. Look for local groups or online communities that promote sober social activities or host alcohol-free events.

To Drink or Not to Drink Around Sober Friends

The best way forward for your recovery from alcohol or substance use is to incorporate a wide variety of strategies that will help foster success. Remember to care for yourself, seek supportive relationships, and consider seeking help from https://ecosoberhouse.com/ a therapist. If these emotions become excessive, they can hold you back from recovery. If you are trying to maintain a sober lifestyle, those feelings can become toxic and contribute to relapse if you don’t deal with them properly.

In American culture, drinking alcohol is extremely prevalent and is often integrated into regular aspects of life such as celebrations, business deals, relaxing, socializing, or de-stressing. It can be easy to fall into the “everyone else is doing it! Furthermore, we’ll explore identifying triggers and avoiding temptation, understanding why it’s crucial for maintaining sobriety. Additionally, we’ll look at enjoying life beyond alcohol consumption by exploring fun activities that don’t involve alcohol and advantages of ordering non-alcoholic drinks over water. Among recovering individuals themselves, in order to reduce risks, some choose only to attend sober parties or events. In some instances, family and friends may choose to hold their parties without alcohol, or at least downplay the central role that drinking might take.

How to Find Sober Friends

They reached out to me a few weeks ago to offer me some of their products to try. As you spend more time building an amazing life for yourself and less time in bars, the better you get at saying no to a drink. If you’ve been led to believe one thing your entire life, chances are you’re going to keep being sober around drinkers believing that thing is true. You probably won’t think anything is wrong until you learn to take an objective view of your beliefs. Nevertheless, it was clear that I enjoyed environments where I got mental stimulation or felt connected with other people—and preferably, some combination of the two.

• Turning down a cigarette, an invitation to a Super Bowl party, or another problem activity can help you avoid high-risk situations.
• It can be easy to fall into the “everyone else is doing it!
• As you spend more time building an amazing life for yourself and less time in bars, the better you get at saying no to a drink.
• I don’t want to pathologise any of this or suggest that darkness lingers behind every good time.
• Apparently, drinking is like sitting on the TV remote’s volume up button, except drunk people are the TV and I can’t find the remote.
• One of the most devastating facts about alcoholism is its relapse rate.