How Bad is Oxycontin

How Bad is Oxycontin, Really?

Oxycontin is a brand name for oxycodone, an analgesic medicine. Developed in 1916 Germany, oxycodone is a semi-synthetic opioid drug that is derived from the poppy plant. Its development was intended to improve on codeine, heroin and morphine, the existing narcotics of the day.

Oxycodone works on the central nervous system to reduce pain. Doctors prescribe Oxycontin to relieve moderate or severe pain. Along with its intended effects, the drug may produce unwanted effects such as mental or physical dependence. The dose is normally reduced gradually before treatment is stopped completely.

Narcotic Properties of Oxycontin

Like all narcotic opioid drugs, Oxycontin is highly habit-forming. It may lead to physical or mental dependence after long or improper use, and it may also become dangerously addictive.

Dependence is unlikely to occur when the drug is used for its intended medical purpose. When used in other ways, however, Oxycontin may cause an extreme addiction that is hard to break. This may result when oxycodone is combined with other prescription drugs.

Many people are trapped in Oxycontin addiction, as evident by the opioid-related crimes, illnesses and deaths reported in the news. Even people who use the drug in legitimate ways may suffer from addiction. They may also experience opioid-induced hyperalgesia, a condition that occurs when pain killers actually cause pain.

Oxycontin dependence and addiction are hard to overcome, and stopping the drug suddenly may cause severe withdrawal symptoms. People who struggle with addiction problems usually require medical detox and professional treatment.

Dependence Withdrawal Symptoms

Oxycontin dependence occurs when the drug is sought for pain management, as prescribed by a doctor. People who become dependent on oxycodone are not using the drug to "get high."

Withdrawal symptoms occur when patients do not get their prescribed dose of Oxycontin on time. The symptoms are unpleasant, but they are usually not severe. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and sweating are physical symptoms associated with drug dependence. Anxiety, depression and brain fog are common psychological symptoms.

Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

Oxycontin addicts are preoccupied with finding the drug and may use illegal means to get it. They use it for the intoxicating "high" it produces, and the withdrawal symptoms are severe when they try to stop.

As with all narcotics, Oxycontin withdrawal occurs in six stages that last until detoxification is complete. The symptoms include cravings, anxiety, distraction, jitters, sweating, runny nose, hot flashes, stomach cramps, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing, increased heart rate and weight loss. Recovering addicts often experience sleep problems, depression and chronic pain. Psychological treatment can help them stay sober.

Guest Author: Casey Haslem is a professional writer and drug rehabilitation advocate. click here to view a infographic Oxycontin from Delray Recovery Center.

Choose The Right Cooking Oil

Choosing the Right Cooking Oils – Making the Healthy Decision

There is one item in the kitchen that plays a very important part in almost every dish we cook. This cooking ingredient is normally tasteless but is essential to various cooking techniques. There are various types of cooking oil and its properties vary accordingly. It is important to know the different types of cooking oils since this knowledge allows you to determine what’s best for your family’s health.

Not all oils are created equal and some cooking oils are healthier than others. Cooking oils may appear the same on the outside. However, upon closer inspection, you may notice that some are thicker than others. There are those which are solid in room temperature like palm and coconut oils. Some cooking oils contain high fat levels because these are derived from animals and considered less healthy compared to vegetable oils. Healthy oils include those derived from fish which are rich in Omega-3.
 

Types of Cooking Oils

 
To understand cooking oils better we must know understand its basic components. Oils are made of amino acids which gives the oil its slippery nature. Amino acids in oils form long chains and are classified into three kinds; polysaturated, monosaturated and saturated oils. This classification plays a big role in determining which type of cooking oil is healthier than others.

Most cooking oils come from animal fat. Animal fat, palm and coconut oils contain large amounts of saturated fats. This is very undesirable since they are increase the risk for cardio vascular disease. On the other hand, there are cooking oils that contain high amounts of monosaturated oils. Examples of this type are canola and olive oils. As for polysaturated oils, fish oils and vegetable oils contain a large quantity of it.

Taste versus Health

The addition of cooking oils in our dishes is essential in bringing an added level of flavor to it. It ensures that all harmful toxins and bacteria are destroyed. Cooking oils become unhealthy when used excessively. Animal based cooking oils are popular because some consider them to be more flavorful compare to others. These are easier to produce making them a lot cheaper compared to healthy oils. The combination of a much richer taste and cheaper price makes saturated oils makes it hard for people to resist its temptation.

Frying food will not be the same without cooking oils. Cooking oils provides a medium for equally distributing heat and adding extra flavor. Without cooking oils, cooking will be uneven and results to food that is cooked on the outside and raw on the inside.

Smoke Points

Another thing to consider in choosing cooking oil is its smoke point. This is the temperature that causes the formation of smoke when heated. When choosing a cooking oil look for varieties with high smoke points. This prevents food from being burned easily.

Some examples of these oils are peanut oils but it does not have that much flavor. Extra virgin oils are also a good choice with a smoke point of 468 degrees. Whichever oil you choose, always avoid those with high trans- fat since those are found to cause an increase risk of corollary heart disease.

Guest Author: James Vanderhoek is a parent blogger who writes for Baby Baron. To read more about his personal experiences about parenting or one of his baby product reviews, please visit him at http://www.baby-baron.com/britax-e9lj91a-review/

Health Benefits of Caralluma

Caralluma is a plant that grows wild in many parts of India and Africa. It is a member of the succulent, or cactus family. It has been used traditionally in Ayurvedic medicine for hundreds of years. It is also known in India as a “famine food,” meaning the natives eat it when food is scarce due to its appetite suppressing qualities. Not only does it reduce appetite, but it is rich in beneficial nutrients. They also use it as a staple when hunting to enhance their endurance and reduce hunger. The Indians eat it in many different ways. They cook it like a vegetable, eat it raw, use it in chutney, or to pickle foods.

Recently people all over the world have discovered the health benefits of caralluma. It has been harvested and ground into powder and sold as a dietary supplement in the form of pills or powders. Not only is it touted for its appetite suppressing qualities and use in weight loss, but it has been shown to help lower blood sugar. Lowering blood sugar levels may play a role in managing diabetes.
There are active ingredients in caralluma that are thought to inhibit the enzyme, citrate lyase. This enzyme is responsible for turning food into fat. The inhibition of the enzyme results in the body using its fat reserves instead of storing fat. The active ingredients also work on the part of the brain that controls appetite so the body is tricked into thinking it is full. It can also help quench thirst which is good while dieting and exercising.

Another active ingredient is saponins which causes an increase in the body’s oxygen levels. Oxygen is crucial to weight loss and good health. When a person has adequate oxygen levels, the body works more effectively and can rid itself of harmful toxins. Caralluma is also being tested for its anti-inflammatory and pain relief properties.

There was a scientific study that showed when taken for 60 days, caralluma can decrease the waistline, suppress the appetite and decrease calorie and fat intake. Caralluma also works by helping lower the body’s fat set point, or the optimum amount of body fat the body needs. When the set point is lowered, the body requires less food to feel full. When less food is ingested, weight loss can occur.
Caralluma is safe, non-toxic and caffeine free. It has been used for hundreds of years without any harmful side effects. It is beneficial for those who are dieting, but always feel hungry and tired from eating fewer calories. Taking caralluma can also help provide energy which is another plus for those who are decreasing their calories and increasing their exercise in an effort to lose weight.

This has been a guest blog from Australia's new Caralluma site. If you want to know more about this healthy plant, give a visit.

Body Builder and Fitness Guru

Vince Del Monte: Body Builder and Fitness Guru

Who is Vince Del Monte? For those who are not aware, Vince Del Monte is a man who was once referred to as Skinny Vinny. While this was his nickname at some point in time because he was so thin growing up, he changed his habits and decided to become a bodybuilder. He has been able to build new muscle in his body without dealing with the fat and is definitely an expert when it comes to bodybuilding and fitness. For quite some time now, Vince Del Monte has been helping other men change their appearance so that they are no longer skinny or lanky. His workout plans and informative video lessons provide insight on the right ways to go about lifting weight and gaining muscle so that other men can become bodybuilders just like him. He is a knowledgeable individual who is hoping to share his creative and useful tips and techniques with the whole rest of the world.

What Type of Information Does Vince Del Monte Offer?

Vince Del Monte actually offers an abundance of different information that can be considered quite useful for anyone who is looking to build muscle and is simply tired of being super skinny. He not only talks about how to gain muscle, he provides insight on some of the top muscle-building mistakes that men tend to make when looking to build muscle. Along with the insight, he provides a workout and meal plan that will help men gain around 10 pounds in as little as one month. Those pounds will be purely muscle and not fat. Those who are not particularly good as just following directions will have the opportunity to watch Vince Del Monte’s exercise lessons to get a better idea of how they can exercise to build muscle, especially because he shows some of the correct lifting techniques that should be followed. Simply following these instructional videos can prove to have excellent results for those who want to get into shape and build muscle instead of just being skinny and scrawny.

Vince Del Monte believes in helping men achieve the body they have always wanted without ever having to use steroids or purchase a number of different expensive supplements. Steroids are considered quite dangerous to use and also have negative side effects that can take a major toll on the body, which is what Del Monte does not like about them. As for the expensive supplements, these supplements are not necessary and typically cost a fortune. Del Monte is all about helping people save money while still being able to build their body. Those who follow Del Monte’s instructional videos and advice will not even need a membership for the gym anymore because they will be able to stay fit just by watching and following the different techniques. Tons of men have been able to see results after following the advice of Vince Del Monte because his techniques actually work and are worth giving a try.

Guest Author: This has been a guest post on behalf of Australia's new Vince Del Monte website. Check it out if you want in on the program.

The Weight-Loss Capabilities of Xenadrine

Xenadrine is a popular weight-loss supplement that helps with users weight-loss goals by speeding up their metabolism and reducing fat in the body. It works similarly to the weight-loss supplement ephedra, without the negative side-effects. It contains more natural ingredients than the FDA banned ephedra, which makes it safe to use for any type of weight-loss goals. The ingredients it contains are now more similar to those found in other types of weight-loss supplements.
 

Xenadrine helps users loose weight by:

• Decreasing appetite
• Reducing food cravings
• Speeding up metabolism
• Increasing energy
• Helping to maintain blood sugar levels

By decreasing both the users appetite as well as the food-cravings they experience, Xenadrine enables the user to intake less calories, which is a key element in any weight-loss plan.

Xenadrine is considered a thermogenic supplement. This means that it increases the body's heat production. By increasing the heat production in the body, it can enable the body to burn more calories during both times of activity as well as times of rest. In both the weigh-loss and fitness industry, the thermogenic supplements are among the most popular for those who wish to get into, or stay in shape. The thermogenic elements in Xenadrine can help the user control fat and is why it has he ability to produce such extreme weight-loss.
 

However, while Xenadrine alone may help the user lose a few unwanted pounds, it will not cause large amounts of weight-loss. In order to experience greater weight-loss the user must incorporate other factors into their weight-loss plan. These factors include things such as:

• A regular fitness regimen, which includes cardiovascular as well as strength training
• A diet low in both fat and calories 

Additionally, it is essential that if a person uses the Xenadrine supplement, they must consume plenty of water every 24 hours. Due to the increase in the body's heat production, more water is lost through sweat glands, which can lead to dehydration if enough water is not consumed.

Important Considerations When Using Xenadrine
 

The Xenadrine supplement for weight-loss contains caffeine, which is credited for that jolt of energy and awareness you feel after consumption. However, just like other food items with caffeine, Xenadrine can cause an increase in heart rate. Also, when more than the recommended dosage of Xenadrine is taken, the user can experience visible shaking as well as extreme anxiety, which will raise the pulse and blood-pressure of the user. If it is taken by the given dosage, these side-effects will decrease or not appear at all, dependent on the users tolerance level to the supplement. Anyone who has health issues related to their heart should always consult a physician prior to using anything that could cause these symptoms.

This has been a guest post from Australia's online Xenadrine outlet.

What Is In Alcohol that makes you gain weight?

Gaining weight is an issue that lots of people struggle with almost all their lives.

The challenge may be on account of poor lifestyle including over-eating, insufficient movement and exercise, due to pregnancy and comfort eating because of stress. Other reasons could be it is hereditary or genetics if not from diseases like kidney, heart or lung diseases may create an excuse of this weight issue.

Exercise and a proper diet plan will help to lose the weight naturally. Most of the times the need to consult a nutritionist is also necessary to aide your weight loss plan. But most importantly it is through a consistent exercise wherein you will be able to see real results.

In the same way it's possible to add on pounds on account of too much food consumption, it is similar as well that of alcohol.

Alcohol is a kind of drink which intoxicates you when taken. The fermentation most likely comes from beer and wine. In any case for whiskey, gin and vodka wherein this came from distillation. These type of drinks contains calories which is the reason of gaining weight especially if it is not used for energy. A part of the alcohol you have taken turns into fat resulting to bulges that you see in your body.

Due to the addictive tendency of these alcohol based drinks, it is hard to go away from having more than one drink on a sitting. People end up drinking more than one drink which means a lot of these calories gets piled up in the body. The challenge becomes worse if the influence to drink is done weekly. There will be a balance of food and alcohol only if you get to eat lesser food. But this is going to ruin you since food is important that taking alcohol in your body. Due to insufficient healthy nutrients that gets into the body, your body starts to waste away giving you less energy you need on your daily routine.

Excessive drinking of alcohol stops your muscles to develop and heal. These only mean that its capability to develop muscles is stopped which instead leads to storing fat. Alcohol will even cause you to be sluggish and your body is also unable to sustain the activities you do to help you burn calories. Getting some exercise is no longer an easy task to embark on after having to have consumed a lot of alcohol. However, just like the rest of the people we must always practice moderation. This means that alcohol may also be consumed however in moderation to avoid fat gain or another uncomfortable side effect.

In order for you to take control of your body weight again you must learn how to plan your diet and do daily exercise to shed of the weight gained from drinking too much. At the end how to lose weight fast can only be achieved with a consistent and willing self.

Guest Author: Faustino Torniado is an SEO specialist working online for more than 3 years. His quest into finding the most appropriate type of solutions to different concerns about work and personal interest has allowed him to help others through his writing. He regularly blogs on various topics that interest him, and his articles can be found in major informational sites.

Eat Stop Eat

"Eat Stop Eat" is a diet regimen created by Brad Pilon, a former executive in one of the world's largest supplement companies. When he left the company to get an advanced degree, he put what he learned about nutrition, muscle growth, and what the body needs into a book he titled "Eat Stop Eat."

The basic premise of the book and the diet is that people will lose weight by returning to the eating patterns of our ancestors. Before food was easily and regularly available, humans would eat large amounts of food and then have to fast until more food was found. During the fasting periods, humans survived because their bodies fed off their stored fat.

Pilon's diet approach holds that the human body is still programmed to burn fat off most easily during intermittent fasting. His theory is supported by scientific research that's found fasting for limited amounts of time doesn't slow down one's metabolism and in fact, does lead to fat loss.

The other clear benefit to intermittent fasting is that one will naturally eat fewer calories. Much of dieting success comes from eating fewer calories and fasting helps one achieve that without counting calories. Restricting one's caloric intake is also related to the fat burning since the body will burn stored fat if it has no new calories to burn. In addition, an increasing number of scientific studies are showing that caloric restriction may be related to longevity.

Basic Approach

The Eat Stop Eat style of intermittent fasting suggests that dieters fast for a 24 hour period once or twice a week. It's not suggested one fast two days in a row. Pilon suggests starting a fast at 6pm in the evening and then not eating again until 6pm the next day. Using this time frame, the dieter will never have to go an entire day without food. 

He doesn't recommend a specific eating plan since one of the advantages touted of the Eat Stop Eat approach is that one needn't change what one eats, just do the intermittent fasting. However, Pilon does make some general eating recommendations. First, one shouldn't gorge at the end of a fast or the benefits resulting from caloric restriction will be lost. Second, he does state that the traditional healthy eating advice is still worthwhile. This means eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. He's also an advocate of cooking with spices and herbs to keep the metabolism strong.

Weight Training is a Must

Pilon does emphasize that some sort of resistance training is necessary to do on the Eat Stop Eat diet. The weight bearing exercises will keep one's muscles in use so the body won't feed on them. If the resistance training isn't done, the body will feed off its muscle before the fat. Pilon recommends resistance training at least two to three times a week.

Challenges of the Eat Stop Eat Diet

As noted above, the benefits of this diet approach are lost if one overeats when not fasting. For some people, fasting for 24 hours may be challenging as well. Although this is generally a mental obstacle, not a physical one.

Guest Author: This has been a guest post from Australia's Eat Stop Eat website.

Simple Paleo Rules

Get Started With The Paleo Diet

The paleo diet is more than a diet, it’s a lifestyle. Under its strong, caveman like wing you’ll learn what to eat to ensure optimum energy, effective and seemingly effortless fat loss as well as easy, efficient muscle gain.

Additionally, because of the large amount of clean and usable nutrients you will be exposing your body to, you will feel great and sleep much better. All of these benefits can be had for some easy to action changes to your diet. The trick is to maintain the changes until they become the norm.

What changes do you need to make on the paleo diet?

Firstly, you will need to cut out all grains. That means that you should no longer eat any bread, corn or rice based foods. Next, you need to remove legumes from your diet. Legumes include peanuts, beans and foods like chickpeas. Dairy should be held at arms length, being viewed as an every so often food. Milk contains some serious allergy and inflammation promoting proteins.

For the most part the above is all you should aim at removing. Your basic macronutrients on the paleo diet are protein, fat and carbohydrates, just like any other diet. The difference here though is that the quantities and quality of each food group changes.

Restructuring your diet

Fats should be reframed as being a healthy, necessary and desirable food. Now don’t get me wrong, certain fats should be avoided, but you are more than likely not eating nearly enough fat. Good fats are those obtained from animals, foods like avacado and nuts, and boasts massive health benefits. Fats are required by the body for a multitude of bodily functions. Some of these functions are directly related to the maintenance of brain health, fuel supply to muscles and cell function.

Protein is your friend, and go to food group. It should be included in at least 40% of your daily eating, and should make up an equal amount (40%) of your calorie intake. Protein is required for many body functions, including muscle maintenance and muscle building. Good sources of protein can be found in meats, nuts and eggs. If you get hungry, a handful of nuts will keep you going for quite a while, and because they contain good, healthy fats, you will feel full and satisfied.

Carbohydrates should be viewed as a required rather than a desired food group. Carbohydrates play havoc with your insulin levels, and insulin controls fat storage. Keep carbohydrate intake low (around 50grams per day), and you will see natural, healthy and effective fat utilisation in your body in no time. This natural state of fat burning is called ketosis, and it is the process through which your body swaps using carbohydrates with fat for its basic energy source.

This is the way your body should operate. Carbohydrates aren’t, or rather weren’t eaten by our ancestors simply because they weren’t that readily available. Even simple bread is an incredibly processed food, incorporating a multitude of intestine challenging ingredients.

Conclusion and take aways

So we’ve broken down some simple attributes of the paleo diet, and by doing so have hopefully opened your mind to a “new” way of eating, where the priority is not the taste buds, but the body. Now that’s not saying the paleo diet or any primal diet foods are untasty or bland. Far from it in fact. Some of the most delicious meals I’ve had are one hundred percent paleo, and after having eaten for quite a while according to paleo diet I find that I only want to eat paleo meals now.

If you are interested in trying the paleo diet to lose weight, have more energy and feel better, why not head on over to paleomunch.com, a blog about applying paleo principles to your life.

Guest Author: Andrew Childs is a paleo diet fanatic who aims to optimise his nutrient intake, build a better body and live a healthy lifestyle, all while getting back to his caveman roots. paleomunch.com is a blog for those interested in alternate, effective lifestyle choices related to the paleo diet. Give paleomunch a try and if you like what you read, why not subscribe!