Alcohol Use Linked to Cancer

At 10 Acre Ranch, we treat alcohol and substance use disorder 365-days a year. We see the havoc that substance use and abuse wreaks on people’s lives and do everything in our power to give clients the tools to work a program of lasting recovery. Our team of addiction professionals must consider the unique needs of each client to ensure successful outcomes. We know that while opioids remain in the limelight, alcohol use continues to affect more people negatively.

Alcohol misuse, such as binge drinking and long-term heavy consumption, often leads to use disorders. Mental health conditions of this type have no known cure, but we can treat use disorders, and individuals can maintain a program of recovery. Our mission is to show people who have already been touched by the disease that recovery is possible. However, we would be remiss if we failed to do our part in steering young people away from behaviors that lead to lifelong health problems or cause premature death.

Addiction is not the only byproduct of an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Research continues to reveal how alcohol can negatively impact one’s health, short of alcohol poisoning and fatal car crashes. In fact, alcohol use (even when consumed moderately) can cause a host of health problems that can easily result in premature death. Young people must be made aware of the scope and scale of dangers associated with even casual alcohol use.

2 glass of champagne

Alcohol Use Linked Cancer

The Journal of Clinical Oncology recently published a statement from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) warning that even light alcohol use can result in cancer, The New York Times reports. The group says that women are at an increased risk of breast cancer and heavy drinkers are more likely to develop mouth, throat, voice box, liver, and colorectal cancers. This is the first time the group of cancer doctors has cited the risks of cancer associated with drinking alcohol.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines moderate drinking as having one daily drink for women and two for men, according to the article. That may not seem like much, but such people are at twice the risk of developing certain types of cancer, compared to individuals who abstain.

“The more you drink, the higher the risk,” said Dr. Clifford A. Hudis, the chief executive of ASCO. “It’s a pretty linear dose-response.”

The findings above are essential for several reasons, especially when you consider that young people don’t associate much risk with drinking from time to time. Alcohol is legal; which means teenagers and young adults believe the substance to be relatively safe. The ASCO statement could have a hand in leading to policy change one day in the future.

Alcohol Use Disorder Recovery

It’s crucial that everyone who drinks or will drink one day know the risks associated with drinking. Alcohol is a caustic substance that results in more health problems than any other drug. If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use disorder, the sooner a person receives treatment, the better for all concerned. The more prolonged unchecked addiction, the higher the risks to one’s health. Please contact 10 Acre Ranch, today.

Benefits of Strength Training During Recovery

Full length of young beautiful woman in sportswear doing plank for strength training during recovery

It’s not news that exercise is great for your health and recovery – but if cardio is all you’re doing, you might want to add some pushups, sit-ups, planks and squats to your workout routine. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, strength training can add years to your life.

Researchers from the University of Sydney surveyed more than 8,300 adults to find the association between strength training (using both bodyweight and gym equipment) and death rates (from cancer, heart disease, etc.). They discovered a 23 percent reduced risk of all deaths and a 31 percent decrease in the risk of cancer-related deaths.

“The study shows exercise that promotes muscular strength may be just as important for health as aerobic activities like jogging or cycling,” said Emmanuel Stamatakis, lead author and associate professor at the university’s School of Public Health and the Charles Perkins Center, in a press release.

Adults ages 18 to 64 should aim for 150 minutes of aerobic activity and two days of strength training every week, according to the World Health Organization.

More Benefits of Strength Training
As if this study isn’t enough to convince you, adding strength training to your recovery activities can also help you to:

  • Improve sleep. Lifting weights has been study-proven to help you fall asleep faster and keep you asleep throughout the night.
  • Lift your mood. Strength training gives you an edge over stress and anger. People who strength trained three times a week for six weeks had less anger and better overall mood, according to researchers. This is partly because the more muscle you have, the lower your levels of stress hormones.
  • Increase your confidence. Meeting fitness goals and feeling fit and trim can improve your self-perception, giving you more confidence to meet the many challenges ahead in recovery.

Exercise to Support Your Sobriety
Imagine taking care of your physical, mental and spiritual health all before noon. That’s what you’ll experience at the ranch. We offer our male clients a variety of recovery activities that support lasting sobriety. To learn more about our men’s drug rehab or request recreation and activity information, call us today: 877-228-4679.

Alcoholism and Type 2 Diabetes

Young couple drinking in bar with alcoholism problem

It’s National Diabetes Month, held each November to raise awareness about diabetes and its impact on millions of Americans. In honor of this month, and in an effort to help those of you in the recovery community lead healthier lives, we’re taking a closer look at the link between alcoholism and type 2 diabetes. Here are a few facts you should know:

Chronic drinking can put you at risk of type 2 diabetes. Here’s why:

  • It decreases insulin sensitivity: Alcohol abuse can lower the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which can up your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
  • It increases body weight: And this can increase your risk of obesity, which in turn ups your risk of diabetes. What’s more, individuals who abuse alcohol drink often lack exercise and proper nutrition and smoke cigarettes – three lifestyle habits linked to type 2 diabetes.
  • It triggers pancreatitis: Too much alcohol may cause chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can impair its ability to secrete insulin and potentially lead to diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The Signs of Type 2 Diabetes
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can vary from person to person and include:

  • Increased thirst
  • Increased hunger (especially after eating)
  • Dry mouth
  • Nausea and occasionally vomiting
  • Frequent urination
  • Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
  • Blurred vision
  • Numbness or tingling of the hands or feet
  • Frequent infections of the skin or urinary tract

Healthy Living at 10 Acre Ranch
For individuals who have abused their body with alcohol, exercise and proper nutrition is often a distant thought. At 10 Acre Ranch, we teach clients healthy habits and encourage them to carry them into post-rehab. To learn more, call today: 877-228-4679

Addiction Treatment After Overdose

man lying in bed hospitalized because of drug overdose

It’s difficult for some people to grasp the driving forces of addiction. Upon hearing of someone’s overdose, one might think that an event like that would wake someone up to reality. Ideally, an overdose would be a catalyst for seeking help, assistance in the form of addiction treatment. There are instances when an overdose is the straw that breaks the camel’s back, prompting someone to seek treatment. Sadly, some individuals experience several overdoses before coming to terms with their situation. The realization: Seek recovery or perish from the disease.

In the wake of the opioid addiction epidemic, overdose is on most people’s mind. One doesn’t need to have a history of addiction to understand the gravity of the situation. Efforts to make the lifesaving overdose reversal drug naloxone more available have spared thousands of lives. However, a cure for overdose is not an antidote for addiction.

man lying in bed hospitalized because of drug overdose

When overdose victims are not encouraged and steered toward treatment, history is bound to repeat itself. A new study makes that reality abundantly clear, nearly 10% of revived patients dying within one year of the overdose. Half of them died within one month of being treated with naloxone, Morningstar reports. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). The findings highlight the need for treatment after an overdose revival.

Addiction Treatment Is A Must

Some 140 Americans perish from overdose each day in the United States. Even more people are revived, and such individuals are at the pinnacle of despair. In such a state, one is more likely to see the value of recovery. The problem is that many OD survivors are not connected with addiction treatment professionals at the time. When faced with experiencing days of withdrawal sickness or using again, the latter is almost always the choice.

“Patients who survive opioid overdoses are by no means ‘out of the woods,’” says lead study author Dr. Scott Weiner. “These patients continue to be at high-risk for overdose and should be connected with additional resources such as counseling, treatment and buprenorphine.”

While addiction treatment services exist all around the country, in certain areas accessing help isn’t easy. If people can’t find a bed at a facility or have to wait, they are apt to return to using. More treatment centers are needed in rural America, where high rates of overdose per capita are occurring. The researchers shared a survey at the ACEP meeting, the findings of which were troubling:

“Virtually every emergency physician has seen firsthand the tragedy of opioid addiction,” said Paul Kivela, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. “The consequences of this epidemic are playing out in the nation’s emergency departments. Almost all the emergency physicians responding to an ACEP poll (87 percent) reported that the number of patients seeking opioids has increased or remained the same. More than half (57 percent) said that detox and rehabilitation facilities were rare or never accessible.”

Breaking the Cycle of Addiction

Without help, the odds of overcoming opioid use disorder on one’s own are slim to none. Addiction treatment works and services should be available to people at the time of an overdose. If you or a loved one experienced an overdose recently, please contact 10 Acre Ranch immediately. We can help break the cycle of addiction and show you how a life in recovery is possible. Picking up the phone or contacting us online is the first step.

Addiction Treatment Funding Cuts

woman taking post-surgery pain medication

In the wake of an opioid addiction epidemic more Americans than ever see the value of use disorder treatment. It doesn’t matter where you come from, the color of your skin, or your socio-economic standing — survival is contingent upon getting help. When people can’t access addiction treatment they remain in a vicious cycle; substance use disorder has the power to cut one’s life short. This is why we need to make sure our los angeles addiction treatment centres are properly funded!

When taking addiction into consideration, it’s easy to think that the problems in the U.S. are unique. It’s an opioid addiction epidemic, after all, not a pandemic. However, alcohol and substance use disorder is a severe problem in other parts of the western world. Many countries face obstacles similar to our own regarding getting people the help they need.

Addiction is deadly. Treating such conditions usually comes at a steep price; a bill that in many cases falls on the Federal and state governments to foot. Logically: Investing money into addiction treatment service saves lives. The data overwhelmingly supports the above conclusion; something that the United Kingdom had to learn the hard way.

Cutting Addiction Treatment Funding

In recent history, countries in the western world have been forced to address opioid use disorder. Again, the U.S. may have the most severe problem with such drugs, but others have been affected as well. While it’s hard to compare our staggering overdose deaths rates to other countries, any number of deaths is not right, and precautions should be taken to mitigate.

The U.K. has witnessed a trend from which we can all learn something — funding addiction treatment is a must. Wherever funding for addiction treatment gets cut, more people die from an overdose in England, The Guardian reports. Areas with heightened mortality rates directly correlate with treatment spending reductions.

In 2016, there were 3,744 overdose deaths compared with 2,640 a decade ago. That may not seem like much when compared to the 64,000 overdose deaths in America U.S. last year. Those were 3,744 mothers and fathers, and they were somebody’s children. Directing the necessary funds toward addiction treatment might have prevented some of those deaths.

“Funding cuts are reducing the ability of drug treatment services to reduce the risk of death among people using heroin,” said Alex Stevens, criminal justice professor at the University of Kent. “The government is fully aware that drug-related deaths are highest in the places with the highest levels of deprivation and that they are cutting budgets the deepest in areas with deepest deprivation.”

Treatment Is Worth the Investment

When it comes to addressing addiction, treatment is the most effective way to prevent future overdose events. Life in recovery is possible, but without help, it is challenging to break the cycle of addiction. The United Kingdom is not alone, here at home public addiction treatment services require much more significant investment than currently exists.

If you or a loved one is in need of addiction treatment, please contact 10 Acre Ranch. Our affordable program is for men who are ready to take specific steps for a better life. We can help make your recovery a reality.

Recovery: Newcomers Learn About Fun

photo of young people during an addiction treatment

When people contemplate the decision to seek addiction treatment and recovery, there are several false perceptions. Individuals have ideas in their mind about what they think recovery is, and perhaps more importantly—what it is not. Misconceptions keep people from beneficial pursuits; unfamiliarity is often a roadblock to recovery.

If much of a person’s life has been about substance use, it’s hard to imagine having a good time without drugs or alcohol. Thinking that fun is contingent upon substance use means that without drugs or alcohol there will be no enjoyment, logically. However, that is a faulty line of reasoning for the simple fact that fun can be experienced clean and sober. You only need to ask people working a program to find out that they’re not sticks-in-the-mud.

Walking into a meeting for the first time is usually an eye-opening experience. Newcomers witness the unexpected, people smiling without chemical encouragement. In the rooms, laughter is heard before, during, and after the meeting. People are happy to see one another, and plans are made to extend the socialization outside of the meeting hall. If you are new to the program, quickly you’ll come to understand that fun in recovery is more than possible. Fun in recovery is a requirement!

Enjoying the Fruits of Your Labor In Recovery

Working a program of recovery is hard work; one must engage in significant reflection, processing, and spiritual maintenance. While working the Steps with a sponsor one has to confront aspects of one’s life that is troubling. Recovery lifts the curtain on your life revealing “your” part in the misfortunes that your disease brought you. An enormous effort to be sure, emotionally draining to the point of some newcomers leaving before the miracle happens. To put it another way, people were not ready, to be honest with themselves and others. Hopefully, such individuals find their way back to the rooms, sooner rather than later.

Newcomers who are willing to do whatever it takes to recover will learn the joy that comes with self-discovery. The process takes time, but it will be worth it, and that will become clear in short order. Along the way, you will develop lasting friendships with people who will be there when the going gets tough. Such people will be there during the rough times and, equally valuable, during the good times. When we get our house in order, we can enjoy ourselves; both inside the rooms and out. On page 132 of “The Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous, it states:

“But we aren’t a glum lot. If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence, they wouldn’t want it. We absolutely insist on enjoying life… We think cheerfulness and laughter make for usefulness. Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience out of the past. But why shouldn’t we laugh? We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others.”

The Promise of Recovery

Every day, people around the world committed to working a program find ways to enjoy themselves in recovery. Many of those people would probably tell you that they couldn’t ever imagine having sober-fun before recovery.

Life in the Program is not without difficulty, but it’s a balanced life. Rough weather always passes, and the sunshine always returns; because we manage our problems spiritually not chemically, today. If you are ready to experience the joys that accompany a program of recovery, please contact 10 Acre Ranch. We place great emphasis on showing you that fun in recovery is possible.