Substance Abuse

Healthcare in America has gotten a lot of press recently, and most people wonder if the attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act should be getting so much attention. While replacing federal Medicaid funding with block grants is one proposal that may help millions of Americans, many people aren’t sure which would have the best long-term consequences.

Block grants show potential for long-ranging effects including cuts to entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price have supported the conversion of federally funded Medicaid into a block grant for each state. Although this proposed solution could save up to an estimated $10 trillion over the course of 10 years, the cost may also include a loss of services to the elderly, pregnant women, children, and people struggling with poverty.

Taking a Look at Medicaid

The health insurance program known as Medicaid is jointly funded at both the state and federal level. It covers the cost of healthcare for low-income Americans however, it does include factors of eligibility including citizenship, income and disability. While states are not required to participate in the Medicaid program, every single one has done so since 1982.

So many segments of the American population have benefited from Medicaid services. Here are just 5 highlights of the healthcare program:

• According to the AARP, about 65% of nursing home residents are supported by Medicaid.
• According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, as of 2015 an estimated 39% of children in America have healthcare through the Medicaid program.
• According to MedPac, over 10 million people with disabilities have access to healthcare and home care services through Medicaid.
• A report by the National Bureau of Economic Research noted that Medicaid benefits were associated with improvements in children’s education. The report indicated that children who had Medicaid benefits were also more likely to complete high school, as well as college. This also improved their long-term earning capacity and overall health.
• Medicaid has been associated with home care service workers. Through Medicaid, home caregivers are able to continue to work and support their families.

Medicaid doesn’t just affect people who meet all of the eligibility requirements. In fact, the Medicaid program is known to benefit American society as a whole as it promotes the overall health and wellbeing of millions of people while also contributing to the earning potential of Americans, supporting their communities.   

Are There Any Changes to Federal Funding?

Currently, Medicaid is structured as an entitlement, which means that every person who qualifies in the U.S. is entitled to healthcare benefits. The program was then increased to include more people under the eligibility requirements of the Affordable Care Act. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation this broader eligibility requirement now includes almost 75 million Americans!

Currently, both state and federal funds are combined to cover the total cost of the Medicaid program. However, if the block grants continue and cap the amount of federal money Medicate allows each state, this could give individual states the power to limit, reduce or eliminate health benefits for people completely. And while Republicans will argue in favor of the block grants, claiming it could offer states more choices and promote innovation, states have already shown flexibility in how the services are covered. This includes how the providers are paid, how the services are delivered, and the eligibility structure. The “improvements” in state flexibility allows for each state to decide for themselves just how they will make up for federal funding shortfalls. Which services will be cut? Which payments will be denied? And which taxes will be increased? Which programs will be cut? These are all very important questions posed at the state level for citizens.

Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. made it clear that she is opposed to block grants and its associated entitlement programs. Senator Warren said, “If people need healthcare, we need to find the most effective and economical ways to do it, but we make sure we’re able to deliver healthcare. We don’t say you’ve met some arbitrary cap for the state of Massachusetts and now you’re done,” as reported in the Politico.

What’s the Right Decision?

Cutting $1 trillion from federal Medicaid spending could result in some very high costs from American society which may negatively impact the lives of people in our communities including those lacking even the most basic healthcare. This could include children without pediatric care, seniors that don’t have a caregiver, and people with disabilities. The loss of healthcare for people like this in our communities could cause a loss of independent living for some. So, what will the decision be? Eliminating collaborative federal funding may only cause the implementation of block grants, putting even more citizens at risk of losing their quality of life. But today, the necessary programs and benefits may be threatened. It is an important decision, that we will all wait to see resolved, albeit anxiously.

Have you ever thought about what is inside your belly? Probably not, but what if you knew that taking good care of your gut could also have a BIG impact on your overall health, and your mood? Well, it’s true! You see, there are an estimated 100 trillion+ microscopic bacteria living inside of your GI tract right now. Scientists are calling this vast ecosystem of teeny-tiny bacteria the “microbiome,” and within it there are many different strains of gut bugs. Some of them are considered to be “good” bacteria known as probiotics including that of lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus). However, not all gut bugs are created equal, and some of the strains inside your microbiome can become pathogenic (harmful) if left to grow into large colonies. These include strains like Escherichia coli (E. coli) – a common pathogenic strain of bacteria in vegetables, and meat.1

A healthy, balanced gut that includes a range of beneficial strains is essential to good overall health. Able to positively influence your digestive function, immunity, and even the communication between your gut, and your brain, scientists are calling the microbiome your “second brain.” In one study on the gut-brain axis, it was revealed that balanced gut microbiota is needed to lower your risk of health problems including metabolic disorders such as obesity, and diabetes. Surprisingly, in the past few years scientists have also found that a healthy, balanced gut also has a powerful influence over your good mood. In one study neuroscientists showed the importance of microbiota for reducing anxiety, and even depression.2

How to Boost Your Gut Health

Since your gut is such a vital component of your overall health it is very important that you take great care of it. After all, it may just keep you in a good mood! You may have already heard about probiotics as they are found in many common foods that you probably have eaten your entire life. Also known as “live active cultures,” probiotics are one of the most well-known ways to boost overall gut health. That’s because inside probiotic foods there are “good,” strains of microbacteria ready to help balance your gut.

Clinical studies have shown that consuming more probiotic foods may help to lessen behavioral problems, signs of distress as well as anxiety levels. A balanced diet that includes plenty of probiotic foods may also reduce chronic inflammation – a major factor for a variety of health problems.3,4

Here are the best probiotic foods for balanced gut health to start eating, today!

• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Pickles
• Miso
• Tempeh
• Natto
• Yogurt
• Dark chocolate

What Are Prebiotics?

Prebiotics are the foods that the “good” bugs inside your gut love to eat. While they are not alive, prebiotics are the types of nutrients needed to grow the “live active cultures,” of probiotics that you can consume into large beneficial colonies.  

By feeding probiotic microbiota the foods they love (prebiotics), you can encourage a healthy, balanced microbiome.

Here is a list of the best prebiotic foods:

• Onion
• Leek
• Radish
• Carrot
• Coconut flour
• Flax, and chia seeds
• Bananas
• Garlic
• Chicory root
• Dandelion greens
• Jerusalem artichoke
• Jicama
• Asparagus
• Yams

Talk to Your Doctor

Taking control of your gut health is one of the most effective ways to regain overall balance in your body. By boosting your gut health, you may notice improvements in your digestion, immunity, and even your good mood! So, talk to your doctor today about your gut health. They may be able to suggest a few dietary changes to improve the balance of your microbiome, or even a probiotic supplement regimen. So, don’t wait! Talk to your doctor today about the power of probiotics to help take back your gut health, and your good mood.

References:

1. Luke K Ursell, Jessica L Metcalf. Defining the Human Microbiome. Nutr Rev. 2012 Aug; 70(Suppl 1): S38–S44.
2. Alper Evrensel, Mehmet Emin Ceylan. The Gut-Brain Axis: The Missing Link in Depression. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2015 Dec; 13(3): 239–244.
3. Tillisch K, Labus J. Consumption of fermented milk product with probiotic modulates brain activity. Gastroenterology. 2013.
4. Messaoudi M, Lalonde R. Assessment of psychotropic-like properties of a probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175) in rats and human subjects. Br J Nutr. 2011.

Addiction therapies are not just limited to 12-step rehabilitation programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). There are many other alternatives to traditional treatment plans for people in recovery. However, if you are already working on a 12-step, or non 12-step rehabilitation treatment program you may also want to try some holistic alternative addiction therapies.

How Art Therapy Works for People in Recovery

Addiction treatment programs often follow a 12-step model. This type of treatment plan is well-known to be highly effective for people with a substance abuse disorder (SUD) but there are other alternative addiction therapies that can also help. One of the most effective holistic therapies for people in recovery is known as art therapy. In this type of therapy, art plays a key role in the person’s addiction treatment. Using arts like drawing, painting, collaging, graphic journals, coloring, and scrapbooking, art therapy can occur under the supervision of one trained therapist, or in a group setting to help the person in recovery find ways to express themselves.

In doing this, the recovery process may become easier as it could relieve the need to hide from, or mask emotions – a common catalyst for substance abuse. Further, art therapy sessions both in conjunction with a 12-step rehab or alone may help to provide a new sober hobby for the person in recovery that they are able to enjoy even after they leave inpatient rehab.

Researchers have confirmed that art therapy is an effective way to supply an outlet for communication during addiction treatment. Able to help motivate patients to change by moving them from a reflective state into a mental state of action, art therapy is highly recommended for SUD patients.1

A Popular Art Therapy Technique

One of the most enjoyed forms of art therapy is known as mandala drawing. This type of sacred artwork has been used for thousands of years and the circular forms in the art, known as mandalas actually translate in the ancient language of Sanskrit to mean, “sacred circle.” The well-known philosopher Carl Jung is credited with introducing mandala drawing to Western therapies. Jung noted that mandala images are associated with the movement towards a new self-knowledge and so they may be helpful in the recovery process from addiction.

In this type of art therapy, the therapist may ask the participant to consider how mandalas are a representation of everything in the cosmos. And as such, drawing mandalas may help to reveal your own “wholeness” in the universe. If you want to try mandala drawing at home as a form of art therapy, you can take 30-40 minutes to find some pre-made mandala designs online to color, or pick up a book of mandalas at an art store. Then, you may also want to take the mandala book to the next 12-step group meeting you attend to talk about it.

3 Other Alternative Addiction Therapies to Try

If you have already taken on the path to recovery, you may have completed a 12-step rehab program, or other type of rehab. However, you still must take sobriety one day at a time. In order to get the most out of any rehab program, you may also want to try these 3 clinically proven alternative addiction therapies for people in recovery:

1. Group Support. For most people, entering the “real world,” after completing a 12-step rehab program can be difficult. However, if you are a recovering addict it is very important to make new sober friends and take on hobbies that are not like the ones you used to have when you were drinking, or using drugs. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy! Studies have shown that group support is one of the most effective ways to achieve long-term sobriety.2
2. Acupuncture. This is a holistic treatment commonly used by people as an alternative addiction therapy during recovery. Used for centuries to relieve all types of ailments in traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is a calming treatment in which teeny-tiny needles are inserted into key points in the body known as acupoints. This may help to melt away the extra stress and tension associated with recovery. Getting sober is never easy, but it can feel less painful when you try acupuncture!

Studies have confirmed that the ancient holistic therapy of acupuncture is an effective way to promote sobriety even in those with serious SUD’s like that of an addiction to morphine, and other opioids.3

3. Aromatherapy. This is an ancient therapy that uses plant “essences,” as a way of healing the body from common ailments. Using the olfactory nerve in the nose, aromatherapy can be performed by a professional aromatherapist, or at home by using essential oils – oils that contain the volatile healing compounds of medicinal plants, also known as plant essences.

One of the best essential oils for stress relief is known as lavender oil. Derived from the slightly sweet and Earthy lavender flower, this oil is also known to help improve sleep quality. Try adding just a few drops of this fragrant oil to olive oil and use it for massage by rubbing it into tired shoulders, or aching feet to stimulate the aromatherapy process.

Studies have shown that lavender oil is not only relaxing but it may also help to boost your good mood, calm the nervous system and even offer sedative effects to soothe anxious tension.4

Continuing With Art Therapy After Rehab

Art therapy is an ideal addition to traditional 12-step rehab programs. However, it can also be used at-home in conjunction with any addiction therapy program. So, talk to your healthcare provider, or 12-step program sponsor about adding art therapy to your addiction treatment plan. And also, try these 3 holistic alternative therapies for people in recovery!

References:

1. Lydia Aletraris, PhD, Maria Paino, PhD. The Use of Art and Music Therapy in Substance Abuse Treatment Programs. J Addict Nurs. 2014 Oct; 25(4): 190–196.
2. Kathlene Tracy, Samantha P Wallace. Benefits of peer support groups in the treatment of addiction. Subst Abuse 3. Rehabil. 2016; 7: 143–154.

Jaung-Geng Lin, Yuan-Yu Chan. Acupuncture for the Treatment of Opiate Addiction. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012; 2012: 739045.

4. Peir Hossein Koulivand, Maryam Khaleghi Ghadiri. Lavender and the Nervous System. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013; 2013: 681304.

Mindfulness meditation may sound like something that you need smelly incense for. But there is nothing further from the truth! Mindfulness is an ancient technique used for centuries in the meditation practice of yoga as breathing awareness, or Pranayama. However, today you can find that a mindful meditation can take place anywhere you want it to! You can do a meditation in your car while you wait for your child at school, or even at your desk at work. It’s that easy.

If you want to, you can do mindfulness meditations in a group setting and then after the exercise talk about your experience. Or, alternatively you may want to keep a meditation journal to help you keep track of your mindfulness practice during recovery. Because addiction is usually the result of a desire to numb negative emotions, becoming more mindful of yourself during recovery is a BIG plus! And it may even help to reduce your risk of relapse.

“Research in the burgeoning fields of Interpersonal Neurobiology, Attachment and Sensorimotor Therapy theorizes that various types of trauma can rupture neurological development in ways that make it difficult for individuals to regulate their emotional state,” says Dr. Rod Amiri of Malibu Hills Treatment Center, a non 12-step recovery center. “When people are unable to soothe themselves, they often turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to medicate intense feelings of terror, anxiety, rage, loneliness or alienation.”

5 Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation in Recovery

During recovery, practicing mindfulness meditation may help to encourage long-term sobriety. Here are just 5 benefits of mindfulness:

1. Less Anxiety. Practicing any type of mindfulness can help to reduce anxiety. If you find that during recovery you feel more anxious – you’re not alone! Many people can experience higher levels of stress and anxiety while in a 12-step rehab program, or even just working through the recovery process on their own. However, mindfulness has been shown in clinical trials to help reduce stress levels, and anxiety – even in people diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).1
2. Bias Reduction. During recovery, many changes can occur in the life of someone suffering with an addiction including the task of making new friends. For people with any type of racial bias, mindfulness may help to make the process of making new friendships easier. One 2015 Central Michigan University study by Professor Adam Lueke revealed that mindfulness can positively affect people’s lives in a number of ways. In the study, participants who performed mindfulness meditation were able to increase their awareness and reduce both age, and racial bias.2

According to Professor Leuke, “This result was not because the mindful group were able to see the automatic bias and override it, but rather because the automatic bias simply didn’t appear as much as it did for the control group.”

3. Fewer Distractions. Scientists know that over time a substance abuse problem can change the way your brain works. With continued use studies have shown that addiction can reshape the communication pathways between neurons (synaptic plasticity) which may influence negative behavior, or provoke relapse.3  

However, mindfulness meditation techniques have been shown to help boost brain function and cognition. Researchers suggest this could be due to the ability of mindfulness to improve to regular brain wave alpha rhythm, thought to “turn down the volume” on distractions in life that can cause you to lose your self-awareness.

In a Harvard study, researchers reported that “brain cells use particular frequencies, or waves, to regulate the flow of information in much the same way that radio stations broadcast at specific frequencies. One frequency, the alpha rhythm, is particularly active in the cells that process touch, sight and sound in the brain’s outermost layer, called the cortex, where it helps to suppress irrelevant or distracting sensations and regulate the flow of sensory information between brain regions.”

4. Self Acceptance. Many addicts can say that at some point they used drugs or alcohol to hide from their own self-acceptance issues. And while body dissatisfaction is common for both men and women, using drugs or alcohol to mask the pain is never the answer. In one study, on self compassion and body dissatisfaction, mindful meditation participants “experienced significantly greater reduction in body dissatisfaction, body shame and contingent self-worth based on appearance, as well as greater gains in self-compassion and body appreciation.”
5. Better Mood. According to the American Psychological Association, mindfulness-based cognitive therapies (MBCT) including mindfulness exercises including yoga, body awareness and daily homework, such as eating or doing household chores with full attention to what one is doing, moment by moment are associated with a better mood. In one study, when compared to a control group, participants in the mindfulness meditation group were shown to show have fewer symptoms of depression. “MBCT helps them to recognize that’s happening, engage with it in a different way and respond to it with equanimity and compassion,” says study author Dr. Willem Kuyken.

Making Time for Mindfulness During Recovery

Addiction recovery is a process that takes time and a commitment to taking every day during sobriety one step at a time. However, it can be difficult to make time to practice mindfulness. With our fast-paced lifestyles as Americans you may feel like you don’t want to stop what you are doing in order to meditate. But, just remember these 5 benefits of mindfulness during recovery and make the time! You only need 5 minutes a day to gain these and many more benefits of mindfulness.

How-To Perform Mindfulness

Here is a quick mindfulness meditation you can do anywhere you like!  

• Sit in a comfortable position with your hands open on your lap.
• Then, take a deep breath to fill your entire soft belly with air. Inhale for 5 seconds through your nostrils (1-2-3-4-5), and then exhale for 5 seconds through your mouth until all of the breath is gone, and your belly is flat again.
• You will repeat this for 5 minutes. So, you may want to add a mantra to the meditation, which can be anything you want. For example, on each exhale, simply repeat this recovery mantra in your mind, “One day at a time.”

NOTE: A kitchen timer may help to know how long you’ve been meditating.

References:

1. Hoge EA, Bui E. Randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation for generalized anxiety disorder: effects on anxiety and stress reactivity. J Clin Psychiatry. 2013 Aug;74(8):786-92.
2. Adam Lueke, Bryan Gibson. Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Implicit Age and Race Bias. The Role of Reduced Automaticity of Responding. November 24, 2014.
3. Thomas J. Gould, Ph.D. Addiction and Cognition. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2010 Dec; 5(2): 4–14.