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You Know It Is Time To Quit Smoking When…

By dragon on Feb 14, 2008 in Health | comments(0)

My mom is a smoker and has been for years. Despite all of us begging her to quit, despite her chronic asthma, she carries on with her two-pack a day habit. So for my mother, and for any of you other smokers out there, I’ve compiled a list.
 
Here they are, in no particular order, the top five signs that it’s time for my mom (and you) to give up that nasty habit:
 
1)       Instead of getting a really cool Mother’s Day gift (because she loves to cook) like Smartware Bakeware or the Miracle Blade set of new knives, she gets an Ionic Pro Air Purifier. Because her house STINKS!
2)       Because her senses of taste and smell are shot, her cooking isn’t even as good as it once was.
3)       Her grandchildren hold their breath when it’s time to kiss her. She has become the dreaded Smelly Grandma.
4)       Last Christmas, she practically got frostbite on her fingers because she kept sneaking out in the freezing weather to light up.
5)       She complains that food has gotten “too expensive”, but won’t bat an eye to plunk down over 50 bucks a week on smokes.
 
And, of course, there’s the whole cancer and emphysema stuff too.
 
So, to you Mom, and the rest of you smokers… it’s time to be a bunch of quitters!
 

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CPAP To The Rescue – And I Didn’t Even Know I Needed To Be Saved!

By dragon on Jan 23, 2008 in Health | comments(0)

I used to think my sleep apnea was just an annoying problem. I snored like a bear in my sleep. I slept horribly. I always felt groggy the next day. I had headaches or a sore throat. All irritating side effects… but all manageable.
 
Then I read something recently that changed my mind completely. Sleep apnea can be deadly. It can cause some serious problems like stroke, heart attacks, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. And that’s when I finally decided to do something about it.
 
After visiting a doctor (who confirmed the diagnosis), I just purchased a sleep apnea machine. CPAP machines (as they are also called) are basically air pumps with hoses that attach to a mask. Every night before bed now, I have to strap on my CPAP mask and allow the lull of the machine to put me to sleep. It’s still too early to know how it’s going to work out for me.
 
My hope is that I’ll get used to my machine soon (it’s already starting to happen) and not only sleep more soundly, but also live longer.
 
 

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12 Step Drug Rehab Approaches

By dragon on Jan 13, 2008 in Health | comments(0)

 Approximately 95 per cent of drug rehab centers in North America are based on the 12-step approach. The 12-steps are a holistic approach to dealing with drug addiction as well as alcoholism. They treat the mind, body and spirit in order to triumph over the addiction. In 12-step programs, it is widely believed that in order to overcome an addiction one must admit to powerlessness over the addiction and turn their will over to the care of God as they understand Him. This allows people of all faiths, backgrounds, and belief systems to draw what they want from the 12-steps since it does not provide a specific description of God. Therefore, Christians, Muslims, Jews and countless other faiths have all benefited from an intervention that ultimately led to a successful twelve step drug rehab center.

 
The 12-step approach teaches that addiction is an incurable disease much like cancer and it can only be arrested but never cured. Practicing the 12-step program for years after stopping using as a way of maintaining adherence to their sobriety is common in 12-step circles. 
 

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