| Addiction Therapies
 How can Holistic Health help with Addiction, ADD, ADHD and Depression?
Supplements to replenish the loss
Here at Heather's I have devised a program tailored to each individual. It is based on a questionnaire, which is divided into four special sections which will help determine if there is a deficiency. Each section represents a deficiency to dopamine, serotonin, GABA and/or endorphins. An individual could be deficient in one, two, three or even all four areas. Everyone has a different biological blueprint, and it is interesting that perhaps you did not choose your addiction, but that it chose you. What I mean is that if you smoke cigarettes, drink coffee and/or use cocaine your body is telling you that you like to be stimulated, since all three fall into the same category as stimulants. This could mean that you are deficient in dopamine and you use these stimulants to boost it. So once we zero in on your deficiencies, you will then be set up on your own personal supplement program to boost your deficiency(s).
What is the Scientific Basis of this Program?
This approach is based on scientific research done by Charles Gant, M.D., PhD, who has treated more than 7,500 patients in the last twenty-five years. "The proof is in the results" as 80 percent of his patients who followed through with this program have remained alcohol and drug free two years after completing their treatment. There are thousands of books on this subject, which can provide you will additional information and studies. To receive a bibliography of sites used by the author, please call our office to request a copy. More information can be found in his most recent book "End Your Addiction Now".
Why Amino Acids?
Amino acids can accelerate healing while providing the raw materials for brain chemicals that treat depression, addiction, ADD and ADHD. Amino acids work naturally by providing the body with what it needs to do its job, but without the ever-present risk of side effects from medications (which work by preventing the body from doing its jobs). To maintain and improve our deficiencies we need quantities and combinations that food can't provide. Because these amino acids are provided in their separate "free" forms, digestion is not needed. Absorption may take place at a faster rate than when intact proteins are consumed. Our supplements contain only the highest quality, pharmaceutical grade amino acids in their naturally occurring L-form. Each tablet is free of yeast, corn, wheat, Soya, sugar and other sweeteners, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
How long does it take to work?
Your cravings will be reduced within 24 to 72 hours, although many see results in the first few hours. The nutritional supplements will raise the levels of those nutrients in your body and quickly enable your brain to resume producing neurotransmitters more normally. Your craving can be significantly reduced or even eliminated very quickly, usually in one to three days.
Why hasn't my doctor or counselor told me about using nutrients to help with my chemical dependencies?
Charles Gants states that while he was in medical school his experience included only one hour of training on the subject of nutrition. Unless your doctor has done extensive independent studies on nutrition you may want to ask yourself if you feel that he is qualified to comment on the nutritional basis of addictions. Many medical doctors prescribe prescription drugs to help with depressions and reduce cravings for chemical dependents. Why would anyone prescribe another addicting drug to someone who is already chemically dependent? Substances including nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, caffeine, heroin, Valium and Prozac, all addicting drugs, function by short-circuiting brain chemistry. Their chemical structures substitute for the neurotransmitters the brain is unable to produce. It does make a person feel better and can even change their behaviors by fooling the brain into thinking it is producing enough. These drugs are mind-altering toxins that actually deplete the levels of nutrients in your body, which cause you to crave more of them to compensate for decreased nutrient levels.
Can I overdose or become addicted to these nutrients?
It is virtually impossible to overdose on these nutrients in the quantities recommended. Since they are nutrients, our bodies have developed natural ways to get rid of excessive amounts through elimination. By taking this recommended dosage, your body will start to build up a reserve that it can use when needed. Of course we continue to use up this reserve more quickly when we are under physical or emotional stress and when we are not getting the proper nutrients from our food sources.
Do I have to take these supplements forever?
Lisa Torbert will meet with you and suggest a program for you to follow. The first week will be monitored to insure you are getting the proper dosage for your deficiencies. Over time you will be able to reduce the amounts of nutritional supplements and still realize the benefits of healthy brain chemistry. Depending on your diet, toxin exposure, stress levels and genetics you may have to remain on a lower dosage. You will become your own body monitor and will know when to increase or decrease the amount to create that perfect brain chemistry balance.
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