VOLUME III / MAR 2014
Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle.
NOTE FROM DR. B.
Our best wishes were with Dr. Barthwell this past month as she was called into a four week intensive Spinal Rehabilitation Program.
After three surgeries, multiple hospitalizations and emergency room visits, she took the necessary steps to confront her pain and has experienced pain-free days for the first time in years.
Follow her full story of recovery here.
VOLUME III / MAR 2014
Two Dreams is a wellness program led by Andrea G. Barthwell, MD, FASAM that provides individualized care for those who dream of recovering a healthy lifestyle.
NOTE FROM DR. B.
Our best wishes were with Dr. Barthwell this past month as she was called into a four week intensive Spinal Rehabilitation Program.
After three surgeries, multiple hospitalizations and emergency room visits, she took the necessary steps to confront her pain and has experienced pain-free days for the first time in years.
Follow her full story of recovery here.
STEP OF THE MONTH
Step 3: Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood God.
Plenty of people have difficulty turning their will and lives over to the care of God, but after completing step two, step three is much easier to process. First, there is no right or wrong way to view God. Second, while it may be frightening to turn your will and life over to an entity outside of yourself, it’s much more comforting to let God handle the things that you are not in control of. It is best to let such things go, instead of endlessly worrying at them.
In my eyes, the idea is to make positive choices that are best for you. There is no reason to keep reliving the past. You need to forgive yourself, learn from your mistakes and take care not to make the same mistake twice. It is never too late to turn your life around—there are always means to better your life in both large and small ways. You have to trust that if you work your hardest to become a better person, God as you understand him will take care of you.
Trusting in God will put your mind at ease and lower stress—stress that may be well on its way to consuming your life. If you know that something or someone is unalterable, putting all your effort in trying effect a change is an unnecessary struggle that will only cause heartache. The more positive things you do with the parts of your life that you do control, the better things will turn out for you in the parts you do not. God works in mysterious ways and I personally believe in Karma, so it’s always best to do the right thing.
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
As OxyContin Abuse Drops, Heroin Use Increases, Study Finds
Studies have shown a decrease in written prescriptions for opiate painkillers. According to this study OxyContin abuse rates have dropped as well but not without a 66% increase of heroin abuse among the studied population. The results have been compared to as a balloon when you push down on one area the other area will create a bulge.
Brain Injury Increases Chance of Addiction
A Study shows the chance of developing an addiction is significantly increased after a mild traumatic brain injury. Casserly Whitehead from the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio took a study of 5065 active duty air men and found they were prone to an increased risk in alcohol dependence up to 189 days after a traumatic brain injury. The study also shows that after a traumatic brain injury the person is likely at an increased risk for nondependent abuse of drugs or alcohol, and nicotine dependence within the first 30 days.
COMMUNITY
Dragb, the addiction encyclopedia website is almost ready for launch. The website will provide information on drugs and their effects on the mind and body. Stay tuned for our official upcoming announcement of the launching of Dragb.
THE 3P’S
March is a season of change. Although cool temperatures may not have completely left us, the grass is becoming greener, trees are beginning to bud, and the temperatures are rising—all sure signs that spring is just around the corner.
Mental Peace
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
Life is full of uncertainties and challenges, but serenity is critical to our peace of mind. Serenity has been defined as, “the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled; a disposition free from stress or emotion or the absence of mental stress or anxiety.” By allowing a state of serenity to be a dominant force within our mind, we place ourselves in an ideal position to be able to respond to challenging situations with acceptance, courage and wisdom. The only way to be able to achieve this state of mind is by understanding that there will always be things in life that will be out of our control and things we cannot change. We cannot stress about why we cannot control or change the situation; it is more important to understand that we simply cannot and we must have the will to change within ourselves.
The first line of the prayer is asking us to know when to let things go, and to let them go with peace. Peace comes from acceptance. What we resist will persist, so we have to make a decision that the only thing worth changing is our own attitudes and reactions. The third line of the prayer states, “And wisdom to know the difference.” We need to turn our will over to a greater being who may give us the correct judgment to know when to accept a situation or when to challenge it. When we can feel good about our decisions in life and the way we choose to deal with stressful situations, we can begin to acquire the peace of mind we truly desire.
Our state of minds are inextricably connected to our physical well-being. As such, when we can free ourselves of depression, anxiety, anger, aggression, aggravation, fear, etc., we are more capable of maintaining our physical health which will lead to holistic healthy lifestyles.
Physical Well Being
“Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day”
March is National Nutrition Month, a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. This is a perfect time to make better decisions about your food choices and eating habits and to begin incorporating small changes into your everyday life, such as reducing your fat intake and eating more green vegetables and leaner protein. The goal of National Nutrition Month is to encourage you to make small dietary changes which, over time, can play a significant role in improving your health.
Each year, National Nutrition Month has a different theme with the ultimate goal being the improvement of eating habits. March 2013’s theme is “Eat Right, Your Way, Every Day” and seeks to acknowledge that nutrition cannot be achieved through a one-size-fits-all approach. People come from all different walks of life and it is important that everyone has individualized nutritional goal to fit their needs.
Tomato Crostini: Try this healthy “guilt-free” appetizer that is great tasting, low in cholesterol and low saturated fat.
Personal Productivity
It is important to take care of your body by having a regular exercise routine. Just as there is no one approach to nutrition that is right for everyone, it is important that you set your own pace according to your own level of fitness and comfort level. For example, you can start by walking, jogging, or doing both within the same workout. We have found a great “Get Fit in 3 Days a Week” cardio workout to burn major calories.
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