The Surgeon General’s Report on Addiction

On NPR’s Morning Edition Nov 17^th some highlights from Steve Inskeep’s interview with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy are shared on the prevalence of substance abuse in the United States and what we can do to curb the addiction epidemic.

In 1964, the U.S. surgeon general released a report on the health impacts of smoking, and it shaped the public and government’s attitudes toward tobacco for years to come. On Thursday, another surgeon general’s report was issued, this time tackling a much broader issue: addiction and the misuse and abuse of chemical substances. The focus isn’t just one drug, but all of them.

Though little in the report is new, it puts impressive numbers to the problem, and some surprising context: More people use prescription opioids than use tobacco. There are more people with substance abuse disorders than people with cancer. One in five Americans binge drink. And substance abuse disorders cost the U.S. more than $420 billion a year.

Dr. Vivek Murthy, who is closing in on his second year as surgeon general, told NPR’s Steve Inskeep Thursday on Morning Edition that he hopes putting all the data together will help Americans understand that these problems share a common solution. And it starts with kids. Their conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Read More

Professional Coaches who specialize in addiction recovery can prevent abuse and enhance recovery. We can be part of the solution by empowering our clients to face the challenges of finding and keeping their sobriety and discovering their unique strengths that will help them create the life they truly desire.

If you are interested in learning more about our Certification Programs in Professional Recovery Coaching visit us here: http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw

Relieve Anxiety Through Meditation

When it comes to using meditation to manage anxiety, multiple studies have reached the same conclusion. Mindfulness can help you to stop worrying.

About 4 million Americans experience Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and many more have occasional bouts of fretfulness due to pressures at work or home. While you can’t remove the stress from daily life, there are steps you can take to feel more at ease. Try these natural remedies.

Anxiety-Relief Benefits of Meditation 

Researchers have been studying how meditation affects a wide variety of health issues. The American Medical Association has reported that meditation appears to be most effective in addressing anxiety, depression, and pain management. 

1. Focus on now. Most anxiety tends to be centered on rehashing the past or anticipating the future. Meditation encourages you to engage fully with the present moment. Your attention switches from useless regrets and fears to constructive endeavors.
2. Connect with your body. Chronic anxiety takes a toll on your physical health through inflammation and other symptoms. Scanning your body reminds you to lower your shoulders and unfurrow your brow.
3. Change your brain. Meditation alters your brain so your contentment will grow. Stress hormones decrease and serotonin levels rise. Gray matter enlarges, while the amygdala, which processes fear, shrinks.

How to Meditate to Reduce Anxiety 

Meditation can be adapted to suit your individual needs. Take classes or sit at home for free on your own schedule. 

1. Start off gradually. The benefits of meditation can often be seen within a week or two, and even 10 minutes a day pays off. Set aside a brief time each day for contemplation.
2. Clarify your purpose. You may want to use meditation as part of your spiritual practice or take a completely secular approach. Meditation is not necessarily religious. You can develop greater peace of mind with your own set of beliefs.
3. Separate facts from feelings. Introspection helps you to distinguish between actual events and your inner thoughts and emotions. As you train yourself to think objectively, you can achieve greater control over your reactions.
4. Develop insights. Examining your mind also helps you to understand yourself and others. You may discover the root causes of your anxieties and how best to deal with them. Maybe you’ll want to replace negative expectations with a sense of curiosity. Perhaps you’ll pay more attention to the kindness you receive from others instead of conflicts.
5. See your doctor. While meditation is powerful, your physician may recommend treatments including cognitive therapy and medication if your anxiety persists. You can still practice meditation and other self-care to aid your recovery. Let your doctor know what you’re doing on your own.
   

Other Natural Anxiety Aids

 Meditation is even more productive when you combine it with other healthy lifestyle choices. Take a look at your daily habits. 

1. Eat whole foods. A diet full of processed foods and sugar aggravates anxiety and depression. Get most of your calories from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins.
2. Limit alcohol and caffeine. Too much coffee may give you the jitters, and self-medicating with alcohol usually backfires. See if cutting back makes a difference.
3. Exercise more. Physical activity melts away anxiety and stress. That’s especially true for vigorous aerobic workouts like running or rowing.
4. Rest and relax. Fight anxiety with a good night’s sleep and occasional breaks during the day. Go to bed on a consistent schedule.

If anxiety is interfering with your life, help is available. Achieve greater peace of mind through meditation, and see your doctor if you need additional support.

Women’s Empowerment Event

Friday Dec 2nd in St. Louis, MO 4-8pm.

Dr. Jean LaCour along with other special guests will be speaking at this Free Women’s Empowerment Event.

RSVP here: http://ift.tt/2gi4iUH

Health Benefits of a Daily Walk

It’s not necessary to train like an Olympic athlete to be healthy. In fact, too much exercise is actually less healthy. The maximum health benefits from exercise can be reached with a modest routine. Doing more may make you feel fitter, but you won’t be healthier. You also increase the likelihood of injury.

Walking is a natural activity that almost anyone can do. There are numerous health benefits to be gained from regular, brisk walking. Your overall health, brain, waistline, and mental health are all enhanced by walking.

Walk your way to good health:

1. Control blood glucose levels. A 15-minute walk after a meal has been shown to lower blood sugar in those with glucose control issues. The risk of type-2 diabetes is lowered by 60% in those that walk daily.
2. Enhance brain health. Walking has been shown to boost grades, memory, and creativity. Who knew you could get smarter, slimmer, and healthier from the simple act of taking a walk?
3. Walking is a great opportunity to think and make decisions. A brisk walk takes you out of your home or office. A change in scenery can clear your mind and provide the mental space necessary to make a wise decision.
4. Strengthen your heart. Even a modest pace is enough to keep your heart in good shape. Walking has been shown to lower levels of bad cholesterol while raising good cholesterol. Walking is also good for your blood pressure. Walking reduces your risk of heart attacks and stroke. Thirty minutes a day is all it takes.
5. Control weight. A walk won’t undo the ravages of a triple bacon cheeseburger, but it does burn a few calories. More importantly, walking helps to keep your metabolism in burning. Excess calories are dealt with more effectively.
6. Walking is cheap and easy. Aside from a pair of shoes you don’t need anything to go for a walk. There’s no complex skill to learn or expensive equipment to purchase. Walking is an option for nearly anyone, regardless of age or current fitness level. It’s easy on your joints and carries a minimal risk of injury.
7. Lift your mood. If you’re feeling a little blue, a short walk can give a needed boost to your morale. Those that walk regularly report having a better mood than those that don’t.
8. Reduce stress. Take a walk the next time you’re feeling stressed. Walking reduces stress in two ways. It can take your mind off your challenges. It also metabolizes the biochemical and neurotransmitters that create the physiological feelings and symptoms of stress.
9. Increase your lifespan. The number of years you can expect to gain from 2.5 hours of walking each week is at least 3-4. Not bad for results from an activity that most people find enjoyable.

Imagine how much you could strengthen your body and improve your health if you walk for 30 minutes at least four times each week. Let go of your belief that you need to sweat and strain at the gym to be healthy. Exercise can be more comfortable than that.

Add a daily walk to your routine. After dinner is an ideal time. Take the entire family out for a stroll each evening. You’ll all benefit and enjoy the time spent together. If you regularly avoid exercise, a simple walking routine can be an effective way to get the exercise you need without the headache of driving to a gym.

Our Coaching Programs are Changing!

Our Premier Online Recovery Coach Training Programs will soon be changing … so here is your last opportunity in 2016 to earn valuable credentials in the current online only format and enjoy a Special Discount:

• For existing coaches we are offering our Certified Professional Recovery Coach (CPRC) 80 hour credential program with a $300 tuition discount.

Click here: http://www.recoverycoachtraining.com/program-overview-cprc-2/

• For those who desire to become a coach with a specialty in recovery, we are offering our CPRC-Dual 100 hour credential program with a $600 tuition discount.

Click here: http://www.recoverycoachtraining.com/program-overview-dual-2/

Going forward our CPRC Certificate will require the ICF Approved LIVE Interactive Skills Group training.

If you or anyone you know has considered either of our CPRC programs – now is the time to purchase them at a special discount in their current Self-Paced Online format.

The CPRC and CPRC Dual Training Programs will only be offered through November 30th before we make our updated programs available in December 2016.

We look forward to hearing from you and look forward to serving you in greater ways in the days to come. http://www.recoverycoachtraining.com

 

Dr Jean LaCour Ph.D., CPP, CPC NET Institute CEO

New Course Offering!

New Course Available from IAPRC  “Family Issues in Recovery: Releasing the Authentic Self”. Learn how family of origin issues can keep us stuck in addictive patterns. Assist your clients in breaking free from negative subconscious messages that shape their self image.

• 20 CEUs available (Continuing Education Units)
• Optional ICF (International Coach Federation) LIVE Group CCE hours (Continuing Coach Education) available
• New, easy to use online format
• All materials available as downloads

Introductory price of $749

Recovery Coach Training Family Course

For more information visit

http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw

Opportunity is Knocking

Now is the Time! Our CPRC Certification Programs are changing! Going forward our CPRC Certificate will require the ICF Approved LIVE group training components. So, if you or anyone you know has considered our 80 Hour CPRC or 100 Hour CPRC Dual programs – now is the time to purchase them at a special discount in their current format. The CPRC and CPRC Dual Training Programs will only be offered through November 30^th before we make our updated programs available in December 2016.

Act Now to secure our final offer discounts on:

Certified Professional Recovery Coach Program $300 Tuition Discount Click here:

CPRC Certificate Program

Add a Certified Professional Coach Certification to your CPRC with a $600 Tuition Discount click here:

CPRC Dual Certificate Program

This is the last time these programs will be offered.

Going forward from December 2016 a CPRC Certificate will require

the LIVE ICF Approved Course Hours included in the new program.

We at NET Institute/IAPRC so appreciate our students current and new and look forward to serving you in greater ways in the days to come. http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw

 

Marijuana Legalization: Wasted Youth?

Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) has released a report on findings related to four years of marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington states. From what this report shows, legalization has not delivered on its promises of windfall tax revenues or a decrease in crime. However, there is plenty of evidence that it has had significant negative impacts on public health and safety.

SAM, comprised of scientists and researchers, works to bridge the gap between the public’s understanding of marijuana and what science tells us about the drug. At the local, state, tribal, and federal levels, SAM seeks to align marijuana policy and attitudes about the drug with 21st-century science, which continues to show how marijuana use harms the mind and body.

Lessons Learned After 4 Years of Marijuana Legalization, Oct 2016.

In the wake of multimillion-dollar political campaigns funded with out-of-state money, Colorado and Washington voted to legalize marijuana in November 2012. Though it would take more than a year to set up retail stores, personal use (CO, WA) and home cultivation (in CO, which includes giving away of up to six plants) were almost immediately legalized after the vote.

Public marijuana use, though illegal, remains a common way to observe the law. Also, a brand-new marijuana industry selling candies, cookies, waxes, sodas, and other marijuana items has exploded—and with it a powerful lobby to fight any sensible regulation.

Though it is still early—the full effects on mental health and educational outcomes, for example, will take many more years to fully develop—these “experiments” in legalization and commercialization are not succeeding by any measure.

Colorado now leads the country in past-month marijuana use by youth, with Washington not much further behind. Other states that have since legalized marijuana occupy 4th place (District of Columbia) and 5th place (Oregon). States with lax “medical marijuana” laws occupy 2nd and 3rd place (Vermont and Rhode Island, respectively). Read more

Professional Recovery Coaches can provide preventative help before treatment is necessary, or help individuals after treatment to learn to implement the skills necessary to stay clean and avoid relapse episodes.

If you are interested in learning more about our Certification Programs in Professional Recovery Coaching visit us here: http://ift.tt/1AwZyYw