Drugs, including alcohol, affect the parts of the brain that control pleasure, motivation, emotion, and memory, these changes can lead to the diseases of alcohol addiction and drug addiction. Using these drugs repeatedly over a period of time changes brain structure and function in fundamental and long-lasting ways and these changes can persist long after a person stops using the substances concerned. However, with treatment and prolonged abstinence, some of the brain changes caused by specific drugs may be reversible, which is one reason why effective addiction treatment is essential.

Symptoms of addiction include:

• Tolerance – a resistance to the effects of alcohol or other drugs that is developed over a period of time. Development of tolerance means that a user will inevitably find themselves having to drink more or take a higher dose of a drug to achieve the same feeling.
• Withdrawal – a painful or unpleasant physical response when the substance is withheld. An addict’s body will ‘crave’ the substance to which they have become addicted.
• Denial – many people with this illness will deny that they are addicted. Addicts often emphasise that they enjoy drinking or taking other drugs to deflect attention from their primary addiction.

Addiction inevitably grows more serious over time. Substance use disorders follow a recognised path. This progression can be measured by the amount, frequency and context of a person’s substance use. As a person’s illness deepens, they need more of the alcohol or other drugs. In addition, they may use more often and in situations they never imagined when they first began to drink or take drugs. The addiction becomes progressively harder to treat and the related health problems become increasingly severe. As the illness deepens it becomes even more vital that the addict seeks specialist help from one of the numerous drug rehab and alcohol rehab clinics.

Effective treatment at an addiction clinic will be tailored to the individual’s needs, but will commonly include drug detox and alcohol detox programmes as a first step in conjunction with all of the necessary counselling and medical support necessary to ensure that the person is given the best possible chance of recovery.

Recovering addicts can experience a lack of control and return to their substance use at some point in their recovery process. This faltering is very common among people with the most chronic disorders and is called relapse. To non-addicts people, relapse is one of the most difficult to understand aspects of addiction and the recovery process. However, it is just another part of a complex and destructive illness that affects so many people.

Is there a perfect stretch marks removal option that will work for everyone?  Not really.  But, there are a number of stretch mark creams that are utilized with varying levels of effectiveness.  More and more of these tend to lean toward the natural approach while others involve a more extreme approach, like laser surgery.  Eliminating stretch marks may be an involved procedure and require large amounts of time, depending on the removal procedure selected, with the price tag estimated at about $30 for a popular stretch mark creme to $1,000’s for plastic surgery or laser treatments.

Which cure works best for you will be determined by the age of your stretch marks, your type of skin, and budgetary constraints.  A general overview of some of the most popular stretch mark removal methods are detailed below:

Remember To Hydrate Yourself

Comsume just as much or more water as you drink coffee, tea, or soda. Stretchmarks may also be caused by some nutritional dificiencies. Drink significant amounts of water (at least 2 litres on a daily basis) – not soda or juices – because it aids your skin in staying supple. If you drink a lot of coffee or tea, drink 3 litres of water every day.

Take Skin Supportive Vitamins

Vitamin E is a critically key vitamin to take if you are pregnant to avoid stretch marks. In addition, a cream or lotion containing Vitamin D will assist in preventing stretch marks. However, because Vitamin E by itself will not work because of the large size of their molecule; the addition of lanolin, which has very small molecules, can be utilized to receive the ingredients beyond the top layer of skin and help with skin elasticity.  If you have existing stretch marks, Vitamin E is believed to improve them by fading their appearance.  

Stretch Mark Removers

Creams and lotions for stretch marks will not totally eliminate stretch marks, but will generally fade their appearance to the point where the affected skin blends with the surrounding healthy skin.  There are many stretch mark lotions and oils that have been made to sustain your skin taut and firm throughout pregnancy and actually help prevent stretch marks from developing.  The creams and lotions that penetrate the skin deeply will provide longer-lasting moisture that is essential to healthy skin. These lotions are best applied as night creams.

Surgical Options

Surgical procedures are generally the most expensive of the stretch mark remover methods, though repeated laser treatments can result in similar costs.  The facts indicate that surgical treatment is considered to be the most effective and conventional method in removing stretch marks. This approach generally involves the removal of areas of skin where the stretch marks have developed.  The 2nd type of surgical procedure that can aid in removing stretch marks is laser surgery. This method is essentially non-invasive and doesn’t leave skin damage such as scars or incisions.

The treatment of stretch marks and scarring with lasers is claimed to stimulate collagen production below the skin as the dermal skin layer absorbs the laser light, which in theory fills out the skin and helping to return pigment to the scarred area. But, there is still controversy within the health care field regarding using lasers in  the treatment of scars and stretch marks.  Even now, many doctors and plastic surgeons feel that lasers can’t successfully treat stretch marks.

In conclusion, the stretch mark remover alternatives listed above are all proven to work to different degrees, depending on the person’s skin type, age of the stretch marks, and available budget.  The least costly of the stretch mark removers are the creams and lotions, which fade existing stretch marks and give them the opportunity to blend in with the surrounding skin.  This technique is one of the most pain-free treatments and should be considered first — you may just be very pleased with the results while saving your hard-earned money!

Second hand smoke

Second Hand Smoke and Cancer

The U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has classified second hand smoke as a Group A carcinogen.
Cancers linked to passive smoking include:

• Lung cancer – 3000 non-smokers die every year from lung cancer caused by ETS
• Nasal sinus cavity cancer
• Cervical Cancer
• Breast cancer
• Bladder cancer

Some chemical compounds found in smoke only become carcinogenic after they’ve come into contact with certain enzymes found in many of the tissues of the human body.
The Risks of Second Hand Smoke to a Child

• Low birth weight for gestational age
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)- children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy have an increased risk of SIDS.
• The EPA estimates that passive smoking is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 of these infections in children under 18 months annually
• Asthma – According to the EPA, between 200,000 and 1,000,000 kids with asthma have their condition worsened by second hand smoke every year. Also, passive smoking may also be responsible for thousands of new cases of asthma every year
• Chronic respiratory symptoms such as cough and wheezing may be attributed to second hand smoke.
• Children who breathe in second hand smoke are more likely to suffer from dental cavities, eye and nose irritation, and irritability
• Middle ear infections – exposure to ETS causes build-up of fluid in the middle ear, resulting in 700,000 to 1.6 million physician office visits yearly

How Second Hand Smoke Can Affect the Heart

Heart disease mortality – an estimated 35,000 to 62,000 deaths are caused from heart disease in people who are not current smokers, but who are exposed to ETS

• Acute and chronic coronary heart disease
• Passive smoking has been linked to the narrowing of the carotid arteries, which carry blood to the brain
• Exposure to second hand smoke hastens hardening of the arteries, a condition known as arthrosclerosis
• Continual exposure to ETS has been shown to nearly double the chance of heart attack

Second Hand Smoke – Worse Than We Thought
Second hand smoke is serious business, and should be a concern for anyone who breathes it in. Non-smokers inhaling second hand smoke share some of the health risks smokers face. But smokers do face the worst of it – the risks of smoking are compounded by breathing the smoke in for a second time.

Don’t underestimate the dangers of ETS. While second hand smoke may not kill as many people as smoking does, it is toxic and claims thousands of lives every year around the world.

To help quit smoking, visit www.quitsmokingcigaretteguide.com for more information.

Geopathic stress is natural radiation from the Earth that comes to the surface, but is altered along the way by electromagnetic fields caused by underground water, collections of certain minerals or fault lines. This radiation can be responsible for conditions ranging from infertility, cancer, migraines, joint pain, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and insomnia. The World Health Organisation also recognises Sick Building Syndrome is a result of geopathic stress.

Practitioners are available that can rid buildings of this radiation, or alter the building or its contents in such a way that the radiation is longer an issue. One such method is ‘dowsing’. In dowsing, a dowser uses tools and intuition to seek something (for example a water source, in ‘water dowsing’) – in this instance, the unconscious mind seeks the radiation that is infiltrating a building or room. Once the streams of radiation are found, methods are used to rid the radiation or move it, or alter the room or building so that the geopathic stress is no longer an issue. For example, if someone is suffering from insomnia, a dowser locates any geopathic stress and may find that the bed is lying on a geopathic stress line. By simply moving the bed, the sufferer will find they not only sleep better, but they have increased energy levels and become headache free. Another method that can be used in healing sick buildings utilises channelled energy to eliminate the negative energy (this can also be used on a person). This is known as ‘vortex healing’.

Another healing method is the ‘Alexander Technique‘. This is used to treat people, usually suffering from physical pain and/or stress caused by poor posture. By gaining awareness of how we stand, walk, sit and move in general, we can prevent issues that may arise as a result of poor habits, such as slouching. With this technique, the patient is taught to ‘treat themselves’ by monitoring their posture with a view to curing and preventing problems caused by it. It has been said that after learning how to use this method, patients not only find their pains have decreased (or disappeared), their overall posture is improved and they find more energy and suppleness. This then extrapolates to all areas of their lives.

These healing properties – the Alexander Technique, dowsing and vortex healing – can all work together to help heal sick minds, bodies and buildings. In the fast-paced world we live in today, we need all the help we can get!

Aquarius healthcare are specialists in providing support for those seeking private mental health treatment. They work alongside work alongside a number of excellent clinics that are offer programmes covering depression treatment, stress treatment, bipolar treatment and schizophrenia treatment.

Whilst primary mental health care is often provided by your GP, consultant or local healthcare practitioner, it has been shown that intensive in-patient support in a specialist clinic is by far the most effective treatment model. Only through continuous observation and therapy can the deep-rooted cause of most mental disorders be discovered and resolved. Someone suffering from depression, stress, or other low-level mental health problem will benefit greatly from being away from home and work; typical environments where these problems initially develop.

The team at Aquarius Healthcare has a thorough understanding of the problems associated with mental disorders as well as the most suitable clinics available for you to choose from. They offer full assessments with an appropriate psychiatrist who will recommend the best way forward for you or your loved one. The staff are discreet and understanding and will guide you through the whole process.

Steps2Rehab aim to provide the best private alcohol rehab and drug rehab treatment options available, whatever the individual’s circumstances. They offer free, impartial advice that gets the right help for each person and sets them on the road to a full and healthy recovery.

In-patient alcohol rehabilitation and drug rehabilitation are generally accepted to be the most effective ways to overcome drug addictions and alcohol dependency. A residential alcohol and drug rehab can offer everything needed to get lives back on track, including detox, therapy, life skills, accommodation, catering and complementary therapies. Different rehabilitation clinics offer a variety of treatment programmes that are individually tailored to ensure patients get the best possible treatment for their personal circumstances.

Detoxification (or detox) is primarily the first step towards recovery. As part of a continuing therapy, the alcohol detox and drugs detox process works effectively to remove the substance painlessly from the system in a medically monitored environment. However, undertaken in an unsupervised environment, an alcohol detox and drug detox can also be very dangerous.

Alcohol detox and drug detox alone is unlikely to result in long-term recovery. This is because important psychological work must be completed to help the individual understand their drug addiction or alcohol abuse issues and develop strategies to avoid future relapse. Whilst detox is vital for many individuals, it is not always a necessary step in order to maintain a long-term recovery. In-patient rehab is the crucial element in the overall drug treatment and alcohol treatment process. Steps2Rehab can help by offering free advice and facts about a variety of drug rehab and alcohol rehab clinics both in the UK and overseas, ensuring that the most appropriate route to recovery is chosen.

Pole performance is one of the only forms of exercise which uses every muscle group during a work-out. When done properly it increases strength, flexibility, muscle tone and overall fitness whilst the dance aspect improves self confidence and poise.

The Alturnative Studio in Lincoln run pole dancing lessons for fitness and fun as well as group parties at their studio in Lincoln City Centre. We cater for all age groups.

Aren’t Pole Classes only for 18 year old female dancers?!

The weekly pole classes are attended by a wide variety of students. The age range in our current classes is from 16 to 56 with the average student being in their mid to late 20’s. They come from all walks of life including professionals, students, mothers and new mothers, they all want to work out in a supportive environment which aims to raise their confidence as well as increase their fitness. Anyone is welcome to join in the courses, big or small, old or young it makes no difference and as I’ve learnt from experience in the industry, attraction and sexiness are not based on looks alone.

The classes run in the Lincoln studio on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings with a maximum of 10 students per class. The studio is also available for private lessons and private hire at other times as well as party bookings on weekends.

Our Lincoln Pole Dancing Classes are held in the new The Alturnative Studio which is located within The Terrace just behind the Theatre Royal Lincoln. The new studio is gradually being improved but allows us access 24/7