Tag Archives: There are 72 Hours in a Day

Straight, No Chaser: Quick Workouts for the Couch Potato

August 24, 2017General Health and Wellness844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, exercise, health, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

Hey you! Yes, you: the ones about to enjoying the return of the NFL; the ones who have spent the last 3 months on the couch. Let’s turn your couch time into something (relatively) healthy. Now, if you’re reading this, you may be asking “How can anything about being a couch potato be healthy?” Actually it’s not, so if you’re committed to being a couch implant, good luck with that, and I’ll see you in the ER down the road. However, if you are simply spending time on the couch, and you may be interested in multitasking, this read’s for you.

I think I figured this out about 20 years ago. TV commercials are usually very annoying. In many instances, they are a waste of time and just beg you to do something else. Why not get in a workout? That’s right, in our ongoing effort to get you to move, we point your attention to the three minutes between the scenes of your favorite shows. Do something for your benefit (and I don’t mean go grab a beer and chips).

Here is a quick list of activities and exercises that you can do during commercial breaks. Mix and match these into a routine that suits your purposes. If it’s too much for you, consider turning off the TV and reading a book! Of course, be sure you’re healthy enough to engage in exercise before starting any regimen.

Push ups: Drop and do 10 push ups or 10 sit ups for every commercial. Once you’ve done it, break until the commercial starts. Or…
Jumping jacks: After your push ups, do jumping jacks until the start of the next commercial, then go back to the push ups.
Stairs: Rush up and down a flight of stairs.
Knee lifts: You don’t have stairs? Practice knee lifts during the commercials. Stand up and alternate bringing your right elbow down to meet your left knee and switch. Build up to doing this for the length of a commercial.

Windmills: Extend your arms to the side and make circular motions from your shoulders. See if you can build up to doing this for an entire commercial.
Punches: Place your arms in front of you and simulate using a punching bag.

Couch/armchair stands: Sit on the edge of the couch or chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. Fold your arms across your chest or leave them hanging at the side if you need to for balance. Stand while pressing into the floor with your feet, tensing your butt muscles as you rise. Keep your back straight and your abdominal muscles tight. Hold the position for a five count, then slowly lower yourself. Before you touch the couch, stand up again. Build your endurance with this; you should be able to go for a full commercial. These couch/armchair stands will help develop the buttocks and the front portion of your thighs.

Chair dips: Start by sitting on the edge of your couch or chair. Place your hands on either side of you. Move your feet and slide out so that your butt is off the couch, and bend your knees to a 90-degree angle. Bend your elbows so they are pointing behind you. Lower yourself as far as comfortable. Hold the position for a three to five count (build up to five), then slowly press up again. Repeat as you can; build up your stamina. Try to do these for an entire commercial. Armchair dips are great for the backs of your arms.

Leg-up Couch Crunches: Want a quick abdominal workout? While on your couch (or floor if the couch is too soft), lie on your back with your knees bent. Lift your feet up on one end, and keep your hands behind your head. Pressing your lower back into the couch, slowly lift your head, shoulders and upper back off the couch. Hold for a three to five count (build up to five), then slowly lower. Repeat, building up to the length of a commercial.

Don’t forget to work some stretching into your routine!

And if your team doesn’t win, don’t be angry. Just meditate the disappointment away…

I would be remiss if I didn’t point out how important it is for you to avoid to habitual consumption of empty calories that typically occurs during idle TV watching. Remember, your diet is actually about 75% of your issue. Stop poisoning yourself by what you eat!

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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Straight, No Chaser: The Health Risks of Urban vs. Rural Living

August 23, 2017General Health and Wellness, Public Health844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Public Health, Rural health, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Urban healthJeffrey Sterling, MD

What’s your flavor, city vs country living? Regardless as to wear you live your life, each decision comes with defined risks to your health, and yes, these effects go beyond the risks of different forms of trauma in each location. To extend the scenario globally, it is an amazing fact that for the first time in human history, it is estimated that more people worldwide live in urban areas than in rural ones. In today’s Straight, No Chaser, we evaluate a few health facts that speak to the relative value of city vs. country living.
It is important to understand that some considerations are more reflective of socioeconomic status than urban vs. rural dwelling. Notably, poverty is a cause of poor health and limits access to health prevention and medical care, regardless of the location of one’s home. There are strong correlations between lower income and higher death rates (mortality) across the board. Poverty, not urban living per se, increases the likelihood of encountering violence, increases the likelihood of experiencing violence and child abuse.

More specific to inner-city urban living, in 1997 the American College of Physicians identified specific health problems most commonly associated with US inner cities, labeling this disadvantage as an “urban health penalty.” They included the following:

Drug abuse
HIV infection
Teenage pregnancy
Violence

Simply put, addressing this set of issues requires addressing the root causes of poverty. It is also of note that access to care presents as significant problems in both urban and rural communities, but for different reasons. Rural communities are likely to have access considerations due to geographic and physician shortages, and urban communities are more likely to have barriers prevent accessing available resources.

There are defined differences in health and health risks, based on living in the city vs. a rural location. For example, those that live in cities:

Actually have less of a risk of becoming obese;
Are less likely to die of an accident;
Are more likely to be lactose tolerant.
Are more likely to develop asthma, have allergies and suffer from dry eyes;
Are more likely to have better TB resistance;
Have a much lower risk of suicide;
Have troubled circadian rhythms and disturbed sleep; and
Report a more pleasant and healthy old age.

Finally it is worth noting that inner city environments produce specific public health threats. These include the following:

Homelessness,
Increased availability of illicit drugs,
Increased spread of HIV infection and treatment-resistant tuberculosis
Presence of higher concentration of certain types of pollutants, such as carbon monoxide and molds.

At the end of the day, these risks may or may not result in health problems for you individually. It is important for you to be aware of the risks in order to limit your exposure. Be empowered, not crippled, by this information, and enjoy the rest of this wonderful time of the year, regardless of your environment.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Tips to Limit Your Risk of Contracting The Most Deadly Diseases

August 22, 2017General Health and Wellness, Health Prevention844-SMA-TALK, Asthma, Behind the Curtain, Cancer, Cardiovascular disease, Chronic bronchitis, Conditions and Diseases, Diabetes, emphysema, Heart attacks, MVA, MVC, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, Stroke, Strokes, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

It is interesting and, even more, curious to hear everyone obsess over how esoteric and rare conditions can potentially kill you. Word to the wise: Common things happen commonly. I’m going to make this a very simple post (with links to previous Straight, No Chaser posts covering the individual topics in greater detail). Let’s help you extend your life expectancy by offering very simple tips (three to five for each) to prevent and combat the five most common causes of death. This list is by no means comprehensive, but if you follow the achievable steps mentioned, you’ll be much better off than if you don’t.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), here are the five most common causes of death in the United States for the year ending 2010. (It takes awhile to compile data, but these are basically the leading causes year after year.) I’ve also included the number of annual deaths per condition.

Heart disease (e.g., heart attack): 597,689
Cancer (all cases): 574,743
Chronic lower respiratory diseases (e.g., asthma, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis): 138,080
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 129,476
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 120,859

Heart disease – Click here to learn early recognition of heart attacks.

Stop smoking and exposing yourself to second-hand smoke.
Exercise daily. Walk at least two miles each day. It’s a final common denomination of other problems and is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. You want your LDL (“bad cholesterol” levels) low and your HDL (“good cholesterol” levels) high. If your LDL and/or overall levels are high, it’s an immediate prompt to reduce your belly, change your diet and exercise more.
Limit your calories. Never supersize anything. Eat only until you’re full. Learn about healthy plate sizes.

Cancer – Cancer warrants a special comment to get screened! Early detection is the key to survival!

Don’t use tobacco in any form.
Eat more fruits and vegetables and less red meat.
Become physically active: strive for at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity at least five days a week.
Limit sun exposure and avoid tanning. (Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers.)
Limit alcohol intake to one to two drinks/day (women and men, respectively).

Chronic lower respiratory diseases

Stop smoking and exposing yourself to second-hand smoke.
Get your home tested for radon.
Follow workplace guidelines for workplace exposures to particles known to cause cancer.

Stroke – Learn early detection.

Control your blood pressure. This is the most important risk factor in stroke prevention. High blood pressure increases your risk for a stroke four-fold.
Control your blood sugar levels. Diabetics have a 1.5 times higher risk of stroke.
Control your cholesterol.
Stop smoking. Smoking increases your risk for a stroke between 1.5-2.5 times above the risk of non-smokers.
Control your weight through diet and exercise, which is bundled in each of the first three considerations.

Accidents

Learn CPR.
Wear safety belts (shoulder and lap) every trip. Seat belts reduce auto crashes by approximately 50%.
Stop all distracted driving (drinking, cell phone use, eating, etc.).
If you’re going to swim, and even if you know how to swim, take a formal lesson that focuses on life-saving maneuvers.
Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home.

There is no fountain of youth. Your cure won’t be found in a bottle, a fad or any other quick fix. It really is about diet, exercise and risk management. The choices you make matter. Remember, although these tips were focused on prevention, early detection and treatment at the time of crisis give you the best chance to survive. Learn early detection of heart attacks and strokes, learn CPR, get screened for cancer and learn how to survive car crashes. It’s not that hard.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Introduction to Club Drugs – Date Rape and Other Adverse Effects

August 21, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, club drugs, date rape, Ecstacy, gamma hydroxybutyrate, GHB, ketamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, Molly, rohypnol, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

A little knowledge goes a long way, particularly when it comes to the habits of teens and young adults. Those who partake in the club scene, parties, concerts or other social settings may find themselves participating in or otherwise subject to psychoactive drugs collectively known as Club Drugs. This Straight, No Chaser provides simple, general questions about these drugs as a group.

What types of drugs are commonly included as Club Drugs?
Ecstacy (MDMA, aka Molly), GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), ketamine and rohypnol (roofies) are some of the more common drugs in this group.

How are these drugs abused?
These drugs have been used for several purposes, including getting high, enhancing the clubbing experience and date rape. GHB also has muscle-building effects that make it attractive for use by bodybuilders.

What’s dangerous about the use of club drugs?
Several qualities about these drugs are dangerous when consumed in a typically used manner.

Some of these drugs are colorless, odorless and tasteless, allowing them to be slipped into beverages (e.g. alcohol) without the person’s knowledge.
They are psychoactive, meaning they affect the brain – often in unpredictable ways, but often as a sedative. These sedative effects make the user unable to operate heavy machinery, leading to danger if driving. This effect also makes resistance to physical and sexual assault lowered. All of these lead to your engaging in activities that aren’t safe or in your best interest, some of which may place you at risk for HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
Many of these drugs have strong physical and mental addictive properties and can cause withdrawal symptoms. Continued use over time will introduce an entirely new set of health risks and problems into your life.

Are there dangers related to overdosing?
This is a special concern. Many don’t know that they’re taking the drugs and may consume additional substances, intended or not (e.g. alcohol) that interact with and enhance the effects of Club Drugs. These drugs can lead to seizures, high blood pressures, difficulty breathing, date rapes, comas, and death.
What Treatment Options Exist?
Relying on treatment is a dangerous proposition when it comes to Club Drugs.

Many patients won’t even know what happened to them.
There won’t be evidence that a drug was ingested.
They may or may not come to the emergency room (ER) from a club setting.
There are no detection tests for some of these drugs in the ER.
Symptoms can rapidly escalate from mild to life-threatening.
Emergency room personnel may be distracted from the presence of the drug by other considerations, such as treating the physical aspects of a rape or motor vehicle crash.
Even if identified, few options exist for many of these drugs beyond treatment to support vital functions.

Then what can I do?
Protect yourself. Here are some simple tips to reduce your risk.

Until you know the person you’re with, select less dangerous date settings. A loud and noisy club scene with a lot of attractive, intoxicated people is an ideal place for those looking to take advantage of someone. Select a location where you can be in full control of your mental and physical capacities.
Provide others with information or where you are, who you’re with and updates on your activities. This could come in handy if the need arises.
The tried and true recommendation regarding Club Drugs is to always be in control of your drink, from the time it’s delivered to the time you’re done. Going to the restroom or on the dance floor? Time it after you’re done with your drink or beverage. The idea of placing a napkin over your drink just isn’t a deterrent to someone who’s considering date rape.

Look for additional information on individual drugs with www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com, and you can always reach out and ask questions at 844-SMA-TALK. Enjoy the party, but be careful out there. You can be safe, smart and fun at the same time.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Toxin and Detoxification Series Summary

August 20, 2017Medical Treatment, Health Prevention844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Defecation, Detoxification, health, Intestine, Normal number, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Toxin, Weight lossJeffrey Sterling, MD

I want to thank you for all the positive responses to the series of posts on toxins and detoxification. You have shared many personal stories and asked many great questions. I guess I’ll continue to accept your being shy (especially on these topics) about asking personal questions publicly, but keep contacting me here. To that end, I’ll summarize by sharing some of your thoughts and making a few final comments.
You can’t escape toxins, but you can pretty easily reduce your exposure to them. For the things you can control, “everything in moderation” is a pretty good rule of thumb for most, except for cigarette smoke into your lungs. That just needs to stop.
Your body does a great job of detoxification through the lungs, kidneys, liver, intestines and skin. This process is retarded by age and the effects of toxins on these systems.
There are a lot of fad diets and questionable methods of detoxifying. Most have risks that should make you cautious. None are more effective than tuning your body to do its best work. Furthermore, these methods are invariably more effective in the short-term than the long-term.
Now, to some of your questions.
1. So are you saying bowel movements are good enough to detox the intestines?
Until and unless your bad habits catch up with you, yes. Consider the ways the large intestines (the colon) handle toxins.

If healthy, the colon sheds old cells about every three days, preventing a buildup of harmful material. It regenerates new healthy cells in their place. It’s lining includes mucus membranes that can keep toxic substances from reentering the blood and tissues.
You have “natural” bacteria that reside in the colon. They actually detoxify food wastes for you. (One of the potential issues of colon cleansing is the removal of these bacteria.)
The liver’s main function is to neutralize toxins.
Your bowel movements remove waste and toxins from you. Although the number of bowel movements vary between individuals, your body (if healthy) is able to regulate when you defecate based on your needs.
Increasing the number of bowel movements doesn’t improve weight loss. That’s because the body absorbs most calories before they reach the large intestine.

Nothing in a colonic or juice fast will match this level of effectiveness. Spend your efforts keeping your body healthy. Increase your fiber, water, fruit and vegetable intake. Lower or eliminate the intake of red meat, cigarettes and alcohol. There’s your detox program all day long.
2. So what’s the verdict on the detox diets and colon cleansing?
Consult with your physician. I’d imagine that using the diets as a starting point for lifestyle changes would be endorsed. I’d doubt that any fad diet would be endorsed.
3. You said tap water is no longer good? Should I exclusively drink bottled water?
Actually filtered water is even better.
4. Are you suggesting I stop wearing makeup?
You’re beautiful just the way you are.
5. Have you ever had a colonic?
Yes, and it made me feel dirty. (Was that serious, or a joke?)
6. I’d never do that.
Actually, you will. (Well, almost.) Many men over 50 will have a colonoscopy to evaluate for the possibility of colon cancer at some point. If and when you get that, you’ll get your colon cleanse solution one to two days before the procedure and maybe an enema in addition. At least you’ll be under the care of a physician, and you’ll get a sedative first!
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Natural Colon Cleansing (Colonics) as a Means of Detox

August 19, 2017General Health and Wellness, Medical Treatment, Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Colon, Colon cleansing, Detoxification, Food and Drug Administration, health, Intestine, Irrigation, Medical procedure, medicine, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, ToxinJeffrey Sterling, MD

C’mon. Be honest. You knew we’d end up here (no pun intended). Isn’t colonic cleansing one of those things that makes you wonder who the Greek guy was who first thought of this centuries ago? Perhaps even more interesting would be talking to the first guy who volunteered for this … I promise to (try to) do (most of) the rest of this post with a straight (no chaser) face.
What Is It? Colon cleansing is done primarily via two methods.

You can take supplements by mouth that will stimulate expulsion of the contents of your intestines.
You can have a tube inserted through your rectum to irrigate your intestines.

Why Do It? Allow me to set the table by explaining the premise for colonic cleansing. It’s actually a pretty simple and linear train of thought.

You have toxins in your intestines from undigested food.
Over time, those toxins can get reabsorbed back into your blood and cause damage to your organs (as previously discussed here).
You’d like to get rid of the toxins by flushing and irrigating them out of your system.

Proponents of colonic cleansing claim potential benefits such as weight loss, improved immunity and mental outlook and reduction of the risk of colon cancer.
The Methods
Oral colon cleansing (through supplements, oral laxatives, or enzymes) and colonic irrigation (through inserting of a tube) are variations of the same theme. Oral cleansing stimulates massive contractions of your intestines with subsequent massive bowel movements. (Think of the effects of Draino – and please don’t try taking any Draino and say I told you to; it’s just an analogy.)
Colonic cleansing involves placement of a tube through the rectum into the colon and irrigating the colon with several gallons of the chosen solution (sometimes including herbs, enzymes, caffeine or probiotics) until the contents are clear, suggesting the stool has been removed (like a high power wash or enema – again please don’t do that at home…).
At the end of either process, all we can say for sure is that you will have a lot less stool in your intestines.
The Risks
I love the phrases “Natural doesn’t necessarily mean safe” and “Safe doesn’t necessarily mean effective.” They especially come to mind when I see the phrase “natural colon cleansing.” Colonic cleanses, even if effective, are risky. Keep in mind the following.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate these colonic procedures. Don’t ask me why, but that means that nothing about the procedure has been quality checked in the same way medicines and medical procedures have to be. To be fair, there is a massive case history of these procedures being done safely in the overwhelming number of cases.
If you decided to get a colonic, you may be receiving one from someone who’s not licensed, depending on the state or country. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but ask to see credentials before you allow someone to give you a colonic … and please speak with your primary care physician about options.
Consider the fact that this is a medical procedure. Even in the hands of the best therapists, things go wrong. If and when something happens, will the therapist be able to address the issue? Ask your therapist what will happen if you have an allergic reaction to any solutions being used.
Other risks include dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, infection, rupture of the intestines and depletion of probiotics. (You may recall that in my previous post that I discussed that the intestines have toxin-repellent mechanisms already in place. Probiotics are part of that internal process.)

You should not be undergoing colonics without your physician’s approval under any circumstance and not even then if you suffer from any of the following:

Any lower digestive tract tumor (cancer)
Any recent surgery, especially of the intestines
Specific digestive tract conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis or diverticulitis
Bad hemorrhoids (as opposed to the good ones)
Significant heart, lung or kidney disease (You will be receiving a medical procedure in a place not equipped to deal with emergencies should one occur, and no one can tell you that one won’t happen while you’re on the business end of a rectal tube.)

Does it work?
I can make the following comments with complete confidence and no equivocation.

There has been very little medical research on the benefit of colonic cleansing. Therefore, any global claims of benefit, include those listed above, are unjustified when placed against the standard by which the medical community judges these things. It is very unlikely that will ever change, as I don’t exactly foresee a sufficient number of research subjects lining up (or backing up) for a randomized, double-blinded study anytime soon … That’s not to say it doesn’t work, and there is a theoretical basis for why it would work. It’s just that sufficient medical evidence that it works hasn’t been put forth.
I know individuals (and not just the colonic hydrotherapists/hygienists who are obviously incentivized to promote the procedure) who swear they feel better getting this done. Of course, this could be attributable to a placebo effect. Alternatively, here’s something that proponents of colonics don’t seem to discuss that is quite reasonable. There are specific medical ailments related to the nervous system (which has several trigger points in the intestines) that are improved by relieving constipation; clearly colonics do that. Perhaps proponents don’t want to see the procedure reduced to a complex way to provide an enema.
I know there are natural methods of cleansing that are at least as effective as colonics. I’ve discussed these here.

So what does all this mean? Given the last bullet point above, the issue can be addressed with either of two analogies.

If you wash a car that already has rust on it, you aren’t really fixing anything.
If you repair a car that still functions as new, you aren’t really improving anything. I’m all for maintenance, but when you’re discussing the body, if you take care of it, it sustains itself rather well.

In my “toxin summary post” tomorrow, I will answer your questions on the entire toxin and detoxification series and add a few final thoughts.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: A Look at Detox Diets

August 18, 2017Medical Treatment, Toxicology/Drugs, Health Prevention844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Detoxification, Detoxification (alternative medicine), Diet, Disease, health, Master Cleanse, Shopping, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, Support Groups, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Toxin, Weight lossJeffrey Sterling, MD

Everyone who talks to me about detox is motivated and sincere about making an improvement in his or her health. Therefore, it’s important that they be shown respect and encouraged. However, some of these same individuals exhibit a level of desperation that is counterproductive and leaves them subject to fads and scams that are doomed to long-term failure. The first question I ask is “Are you trying to improve your health or weight?” These are often separate considerations. Of course, I’m hoping they answer, “Both.” Interestingly, that happens less often than you might think. Next, I’ll ask if they’re engaged in some basic, fundamental activity (click here), which is rarely the case. Once people discover the latest, greatest thing, they tend to lock in on it and just have to go for it. So be it.

So… today and tomorrow, I’m going to discuss two very common “quick-fix” approaches to detoxification. Let’s start with the “detox diet.” For the purposes of this discussion, all detox diets are variations of the same theme. I hope this doesn’t disappoint you or come off as dismissive, but the point of the matter is that from a medical standpoint, these actions are reducible to a set of physiologic actions that either produce biological effects or don’t. Giving a car a new coat of paint doesn’t make it an airplane. Similarly, taking a quick detox diet doesn’t make you healthy if you return to the same conditions that produced your pathology in the first place. Folks, it really should occur to you that given the rates of obesity and disease that exist, if these diets really worked, the pharmaceutical and medical communities would be all over them because of their potential for profit (and of course the potential for good…). Here’s what detox diets do and don’t accomplish.

The Premise: Going on a diet for a few weeks can clear your body of toxins, which will improve your health.
The Short Term Effects: Proponents of detox diets often claim or note the following during the diet:

Weight loss
More energy
Better mental focus

The Long Term Effects: Proponents of detox diets often make the following claims about the benefits of the diets:

Health promotion
Prevention of new diseases
Cure of chronic diseases

What’s Really Happening: Have you ever heard that correlation is not causation? If you engage in any activity involving backing away from fats, drinking more water, taking in less sugar and processed food, eliminating alcohol and caffeine, and taking in more fruits and vegetables, you’ll feel better! In fact, I’m all for it. Refer to this blog post where I give you details on how to naturally, healthily and sustainably do this.
Now, here’s the question. Is your detox diet just a two to four-week “challenge,” or is it the launching pad for a set of lifestyle changes? The problem is that people use these diets with their better principles, but they usually don’t sustain them. In fact, the diets themselves generally are not sustainable because they’re too restrictive. If you tried sustaining some of these diets, you’d end up hospitalized. You’re much better off applying fundamental principles that will slowly and steadily improve your health and also help you lose weight. By the way, those long-term claims have been roundly and routinely debunked by the medical community, which has every incentive to want to discover new ways to treat disease.
Precautions and Risks

Before starting any diet, you need to discuss what you’re trying to accomplish with your physician. I’d venture a bet that most would not approve one of these diets, especially if you suffer from any chronic illness, especially diabetes, mental illness, moderate to severe (and poorly controlled) high blood pressure or cardiac disease. They also won’t approve it if you’re pregnant or at the extremes of age.
Based on the components of these diets, you are introducing certain specific risks. These include vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration, electrolyte loss and imbalance and disruption of the function of your digestive system.

Let’s finish with two pointed questions and answers.
1. Should I go on a detox diet? I encourage almost any activity that motivates you to improve your health and has been shown to improve your health. If you want to naturally detox, apply these principals as the basis for a lifestyle change. As your body recovers, your natural detoxification system will take over and do just fine (assuming you are otherwise healthy).
2. I quick-flush my system with a diet every few months. Is this healthy? It depends on what you’re doing as a “quick-flush” and even more so, what you’re doing in-between. Focus on enhancing your natural detoxification system. I can’t say that a one-time or intermittent initiative to kick things off would be a terrible thing — if you stay with the program. In the best case scenario, it’s like going to get a dental cleaning every six months. You’ll still have decaying teeth and disease if that’s the only thing you’re doing. On the other hand, if you’re brushing and flossing every day, then the six-month check up is quick (and in this case, maybe superfluous). I’m much more concerned with you sustaining a healthy approach toward the desired goal.
Next up, and the last in this series on detoxification will be a look at colonics. Until then, bottoms up!
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
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Straight, No Chaser: Quick Tips to Detoxify Yourself Naturally

August 17, 2017Detoxification, General Health and Wellness, Health Prevention844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Blood pressure, Cranberry juice, Detoxification, health, Hypertension, Kidney, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, Texas, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Toxin, Urinary tract infection, Water supply network, Weight lossJeffrey Sterling, MD

Here are 3-4 Quick Tips for each of the organs involved in naturally detoxifying you; I’ve limited what I’m giving you to do in the effort to make this manageable for you. I don’t think you’ll find anything here beyond your ability to implement into your routine. If you incorporate the items listed below, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier life.
Quick tips to naturally detox your skin:

Diet: think fruits and vegetables, and cut back on refined sugar.
Sweat: You know I prefer you exercise, but if you’re healthy enough, the sauna works too. Or you can just move to Texas in the summer.
Exfoliation is a beautiful thing. There are dozens of ways to do it. Find one that works for you.
Hydrate and moisturize. You spend too much time in the sun and lose too much water from your skin not to replenish (You get a bonus tip because your skin is such an important detox organ.).

Quick tips to naturally detox your lungs:

Avoid inhaling cigarette and cigar smoke. Duh.
Exercise makes your respiratory machinery more effective and efficient. Go for it.
Learn to deep breathe. Take it in from your belly. Learn to breathe slowly and deeply. Yoga is a great complement to this.

Quick tips to naturally detox your kidneys:

It’s all about fluids. Remember that your body is over 60% water, and you have to stay hydrated and keep flushing. I’ve discussed this previously but remember to get in at least 64 ounces of fluids a day.
Learn about cranberries. Many of those urinary tract infections are successfully addressed by drinking cranberry juice.
Remember that diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of kidney disease. You want to detox your kidneys? Control your blood pressure and avoid/control diabetes.

Quick Tips to naturally detox your liver and intestines:

Increase your water intake. Water makes your entire body function better but also softens your stools, facilitating transport.
Increase your fiber intake. Fiber bulks your stools and makes it easier to expel.
Decrease your alcohol intake. As everyone knows, alcohol will sufficiently damage your kidneys to the point where your body will be unable to eliminate many toxins. Liver disease is a very unpleasant experience and way to die.

It bears repeating: if all of this sound fundamental, it’s because it is. You have the ability to help yourself if you consistently apply basic health and wellness principles. You can do this.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
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Straight, No Chaser: Our World is Filled with Toxins

August 16, 2017Toxicology/Drugs, Health Prevention844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Detoxification, Drinking water, Erin Brockovich, Government, health, High-fructose corn syrup, Kidney, Liver, Lung, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, ToxinJeffrey Sterling, MD

You can’t escape all toxins, but you can certainly minimize your exposure to them. A handy way to classify them involves reminding you of the organ systems that help us detoxify and how, over time, toxins fight and sometimes win the battle against our defenses. In the interest of space, I’m going to give you the names of several chemicals that you may want to know about and should be wary of using, without giving you details on their individual effects. If you have questions about any of them specifically, call me at 1-844-SMA-TALK.
Lungs
The toxins: We are fighting what we breathe and inhale. Air pollution includes levels of carbon monoxide and methane. Exhaust fumes, factory emissions, first and second-hand smoke all contain substances damaging to our lungs. Did someone mention cigarettes? Tobacco smoke has been fascinating to me. The idea that we would introduce smoke into the very area we use to deliver oxygen to our entire body is one of the most curious actions of humans. Look at this diagram of the toxins found in cigarettes.

The effects: The lungs are impressively effective at handling toxins up to a certain point and up to a certain age (approximately 35 years old). At that point what had been reversible airway damage begins to not only change the structure of lung tissue, but it results in lung tissue loss that does not get repaired. It’s as if when you run your hands through your hair, you discover that you’re pulling out large clumps of it. Of course, the problem is that this isn’t your hair, but the lung tissue that you need to breathe. The list of diseases contributed to, exacerbated by or caused by toxins is long, including COPD (emphysema, chronic bronchitis), asthma exacerbations, asbestos and lung cancer.
Skin:
The toxins: Do you trust your skin products – you know, mascara, styling gel, tanning oil, soaps and body washes, shampoos, hair sprays, shaving creams, cologne and lotions, just to name a few? Toxic chemicals you’re commonly absorbing through your skin include propylene glycol, parabens, glycerin, triethanolamine and sodium lauryl sulfate.
The effects: You thought acne and the occasional allergic reaction were bad? This group’s collective effects includes respiratory, immune system and skin toxicants and known throat carcinogens. I’d suggest you become more conscious of what you’re using and seek organic options when available.
Kidneys
The toxins: The water we drink seems to get worse with time. Does anyone remember when tap water was “just fine?” Now our drinking water is liable to contain ammonia, chlorine, bleach and other toxic substances. An entire movie (Erin Brockovich) was made over the issue of toxins in drinking water. You may recall that the kidneys bear the burden of the actual elimination of urine. They need to maintain excellent health to perform this function.
The effects: The consequences of the kidney’s inability to perform can be so dramatic that dialysis (which is basically manual, external filtering of your blood once the kidneys go into failure) becomes necessary. Prior to that, toxins “gumming up” the kidneys can be left free to create havoc in other parts of the body.
Gastrointestinal system (particularly your liver and intestines)
The toxins: The food you eat is toxic. To be clear, usually I’m asking you to eat healthily. Today, that’s still true, but it’s not the only issue. I’m pointing out that your food contains actual toxins, including food additives and dyes, pesticides on your non-organic fruits, aspartame, MSG, hormones, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, mercury, bisphenols, and alcohol. Did someone mention alcohol? Alcohol is directly toxic to the liver.
The effects: I’m just going to focus on the alcohol. Alcohol produces conditions known as fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Chronic, excessive alcohol use is the single most important cause of illness and death from liver disease in the U.S. Moderation or abstention is the order of the day, my friends. Liver transplants are very hard to come by.
The purpose of this is not to paralyze you into inactivity but to stimulate you into action. Between now and tomorrow, when you read the fourth post in this toxins series, I’d suggest you review this post about natural detoxification. Compare that to some of the other options I’ll be discussing later. I’d recommend an ounce of prevention.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
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Straight, No Chaser: Natural Methods of Detoxification

August 15, 2017Detoxification, General Health and Wellness, Health Prevention844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Body, Colon cleansing, Detoxification, Detoxification (alternative medicine), Diet, Disease, Government, health, Human gastrointestinal tract, Intestine, Kidney, Liver, Master Cleanse, Shopping, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, Support Groups, Texas, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Toxin, Weight lossJeffrey Sterling, MD

It seems that at least once a week I get asked to comment on colonics, detox diets, juice fasts, etc. It seems to me that these are all rather extreme places to start. How about we just talk about the threats that exist, how to avoid them, how to understand the natural detoxification process and how to optimize it?
On some level, our body is at constant war with our surroundings. We are finely tuned machines (until we’re not). We are well designed and equipped to filter the air we breathe and the food we eat, and to repel external poisons from penetrating our bodies. That’s a very good thing, because toxins are everywhere. We eat and drink them. We inhale, absorb and ingest them. Usually we do these things unwittingly, but for various reasons, a good number of us do these things intentionally. By definition, toxins have harmful effects on our bodies. Buildups of these substances can cause damage and eventually death.
In the first part of this five-part review of toxins and how they affect us, I want to point out how the body is equipped to combat and eliminate toxins – until and unless we poison it. In the second part, I’ll offer Quick Tips to enhance your ability to naturally detoxify. In the third part, I’ll discuss what and where the toxins are that we must combat. In the fourth and fifth parts, I’ll discuss some of the exotic (or should that be esoteric?) methods promoted to detoxify the body.
Let’s start not by talking about toxins, but by discussing how the body protects you. There are four areas in particular to review: the skin, the lungs, the kidneys and the gastrointestinal tract (particularly your liver and intestines).
Skin: The skin is actually the body’s largest organ, and it’s the largest organ of elimination. It is in constant contact with the environment and is our primary barrier against disease, keeping out microorganisms, dusts, pollens and other substances with no good intentions. The constant battle leaves your skin’s pores clogged, subject to infection, lacerations, and premature aging.
Lungs: The lungs are the vessels of life, bringing oxygen into the body to supply the needs of all your organs and systems. However, have you looked at the atmosphere lately? Smog’s everywhere, not to mention allergens and cigarette and cigar smoke. If the air you’re breathing is poisoning the lungs themselves, your ability to keep poisons out of you and exhale away carbon dioxide incrementally become diminished to disastrous effect.
Kidneys: Your kidneys are one of the two primary ways you visibly eliminate waste. Consider them the blood’s strainer. You really should learn to watch your urine. It tells a story about your health. If your urine is not clear to light yellow, something’s going on. If you come to me with cloudy, straw-colored, bloody, pink, or brown urine, those all tell me about different medical conditions you could be experiencing.
Your liver and intestines: Now we’re looking at your stools. Consider that if you were ideally healthy, you’d have a bowel movement with the same frequency with which you ate. At the other end of the spectrum (no pun intended), you could be constipated, or your bowels could be obstructed. You have bacteria that live in your intestines that also help naturally detoxify wastes, but that only works as intended if you continue to have stools. The more contact time your body’s intended waste has with your intestinal tract, the more of it that will be absorbed. Fortunately, the intestines have additional barriers in its membranes that fight against toxins reentering the body. Your liver serves a vital function in detoxifying many directly poisonous substances. It uses its natural chemicals to facilitate excretion of toxins by the kidneys.
Most everything you think you know about extrinsic supplemental ways to detoxify are poor substitutes for what a healthy body will achieve. If you focused on your health and fitness, you could rest assured that your body would protect you, and you could also save a ton of money avoiding all those fad diets and other ‘previously secret’ methods of detoxification.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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Straight, No Chaser: Hookahs and Health

August 14, 2017Respiratory/Lungs, Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, cigarette smoking, goza, hookah, hubble-bubble, narghile, shisha, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, TobaccoJeffrey Sterling, MD

I love the responses I get from you. Even the spam is entertaining. Most recently, when I posted this, the most common response was some variation of this theme: “What’s a hookah? Is it slang for what I think it is, and how would you smoke it?”

Actually, your demonstration that you aren’t familiar with hookahs is reflective of the ever-present gaps parents have regarding what their teens are doing. Hookahs (aka hubble-bubble, narghile, shisha and goza) are water pipes that are used to smoke flavored tobacco. It’s a long-standing phenomena, going back centuries in India and ancient Persia. I bet you didn’t know that’s what Jabba the Hut was doing in the original Star Wars!
It’s popularity is increasing among teens and young adults all around the world. In the US alone, 17% of boys and 15% of girls state they have used a hookah in the past year, according to surveys reviewed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Studies of college students show past-year usage ranging from 22% to 40%.
Let’s answer some common questions about hookahs.

Why is this necessary? Why would anyone do this?
There are many reasons for this, including the peer bonding and socialization aspects. This is facilitated by group sharing of the hookah, which is typically passed from person to person. Hookah tobacco comes in many different flavors, such as apple, cappuccino, cherry, chocolate, coconut, licorice, mint and watermelon. Once the decision has been made to participate in the activity, it really isn’t that hard to find a flavor to your liking.

Is hookah use safer than cigarette smoking?
No. Hookah smoking is not a safe alternative to cigarettes. It has several of the same health risks as cigarette smoking.
What are the adverse health effects from hookah smoking?

The charcoal used to heat the tobacco can raise health risks by producing high levels of carbon monoxide, metals and cancer-causing chemicals.
Even after it has passed through water, the smoke from a hookah has high levels of these toxic agents.
Hookah tobacco and smoke contain several toxic agents known to cause lung, bladder and oral cancers.
Tobacco juices from hookahs irritate the mouth and increase the risk of developing oral cancers.

Are there other concerns about using hookahs?

Hookah tobacco and smoke contain many toxic agents that can cause clogged arteries and heart disease.
Infections may be passed to other smokers by sharing a hookah.
Babies born to women who smoked water pipes every day while pregnant weigh less at birth (at least 3½ ounces less) than babies born to nonsmokers.
Babies born to hookah smokers are also at increased risk for respiratory diseases.

Here’s your bottom line. If you’re involved in hookah smoking, you’re smoking, and should consider yourself to have a similar risk profile as a cigarette or cigar smoker.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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Straight, No Chaser: Bath Salts – Seen Any Zombies Lately?

August 13, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, bath salts, Behind the Curtain, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

You can have an idea how bad a drug is when it has more street names than is remotely necessary. Today’s Straight, No Chaser is about bath salts, which are another group of those drugs that you probably don’t know anything about unless you are a user. Let’s get this out of the way up front: we’re not having a conversation about things you place in your tub.

Bath salts are concentrated versions of synthetic stimulants and include many different chemical preparations. You know how a baby will seemingly place anything in his/her mouth as she or he tests the world? I wonder if that’s how bad it’s gotten with those who are taking bath salts, as it seems that some who take these are willing to get high on just about anything they can get their hands on. Bath Salts have all types of alternate names, including Bliss, Blue Silk, Cloud Nine, Drone, Energy-1, Ivory Wave, Lunar Wave, Meow Meow, Ocean Burst, Pure Ivory, Purple Wave, Red Dove, Snow Leopard, Stardust, Vanilla Sky, White Dove, White Knight and White Lightning.

The problem with Bath Salts is the composition; they are not made from a single drug or chemical. In fact, the user may not know what mixture they are using. The myriad of names is an attempt to produce some type of “quality control,” lest the effects can be widespread and unpredictable. Overall the effects are meant to be similar to a central nervous system stimulant (similar to methamphetamine, leading to the drug previously being known as “legal cocaine”), but side effects can also produce hallucinations, paranoia and other effects that make the user appear as a zombie. These drugs have a high potential for overdose.

Depending on the form, Bath Salts can be taken as a tablet or capsule, smoked, snorted or placed into a solution and injected into veins. Certain types are marketed as “smokable incense or potpourri.”

Once taken, the speed of onset is 15 minutes, while the length of the high from these drugs is 4-6 hours. Any side effects experienced are not pleasant. They can include the following:

Agitation and paranoia
Altered mental status and confusion
Chest pain
Combative and violent behavior
Delusions
Hallucinations
Increased blood pressure (hypertension) and heart rate
Nausea and vomiting
Panic attacks
Suicidal thoughts
Seizures

The side effects they cause may be permanent, and long-term effects are largely unknown.

Bath Salt usage seems to be most popular with people who are between 20 and 29 years old, and the craze of “zombieing” is a real concern for all the reasons mentioned. If you discover someone has been using Bath Salts, call your local poison center at 1-800-222-1222, unless the patient is seizing, has collapsed or has stopped breathing, or is agitated beyond your control In these instances dial 911 immediately.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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Straight, No Chaser: Steroid Abuse

August 12, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, Anabolic steroid, Behind the Curtain, cycling, dopamine, stacking, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

In the conversation about drugs of abuse, anabolic steroids hold a unique position. They work very differently from other drugs of abuse, and they do not have the same acute effects on the brain. These are not drugs of pleasure but are drugs of function. Much has been said and is known about steroids, and most of your questions about them involve the consequences of abuse. The use and abuse of anabolic steroids are the topics of this Straight, No Chaser post.

What are anabolic steroids?
Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic compounds taken to approximate the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. Once you understand that anabolic refers to muscle-building and androgenic refers to increased male sexual characteristics, you can infer a lot about why people take steroids and what effects they have.

Why are steroids normally taken?
There are conditions of male hormonal deficiency, such as delayed puberty, that benefit from AAS. Similarly, diseases that cause loss of lean muscle mass can be treated with AAS. Such conditions include AIDS and cancer.

What does this have to do with asthma?
Nothing. The steroids you may take to treat asthma are a completely different class of steroids with different effects. It is more appropriate to describe the drugs we’re discussing here as anabolic steroids or AAS.

How do steroids work for weightlifters?
Several types of athletes in many different sports understand that the testosterone-like effects of steroids enhance physical performance and can improve one’s physical appearance – to a limit. These abusers are taking doses sometimes between 10 and 100 times the doses used to treat medical conditions.

How are anabolic steroids taken?

AAS are usually either taken orally or injected into the muscles. Additional preparations exist that allow them to be applied to the skin as a cream or gel.

What are “cycling” and “stacking”?
Ignoring the irony of professional cyclists being associated with illegal AAS use, if you’ve ever heard and understand the terms, you’ll know more about how steroids are taken.

An intermittently pattern of usage helps avoid side effects and gives the body a chance to recover. Continuous use of steroids can cause the body to stop producing its own testosterone. It can also decrease the body’s responsiveness to the drugs, a phenomenon known as tolerance. Cycling in an on again, off-again pattern for weeks or months at a time helps the body avoid these consequences of use.
Stacking refers to the use of various steroids and other pharmacological supplements to maximize effectiveness. This can work in between or in conjunction with cycling.

How Do Anabolic Steroids Affect the Brain?
The most important difference between AAS and other drugs of abuse is that AAS do not produce a “high” (i.e., it doesn’t increase the neurologically active chemical dopamine that is responsible for that feeling). Ironically, long-term use negatively affects some of the same pathways as other drugs. This results in the cranky moods, aggression (e.g. “roid rage”), and other psychiatric problems seen in some AAS abusers, without their having received the benefit of “getting high” along the way. Other symptoms in steroid abusers may include paranoid jealousy, extreme irritability, delusions, and impaired judgment stemming from feelings of invincibility.

Are steroids addictive?
Yes. This fact has been demonstrated in animals as well as humans. In addition to addictive pursuit of the drug, destruction of one’s social structure to obtain the drug is often seen. Further evidence of addiction is shown in the withdrawal symptoms experienced. These can include mood swings, cravings, reduced sex drive, insomnia, restlessness, fatigue and loss of appetite. The mood swings are particularly concerning because they can involve depression and lead to suicide.

What are the other health effects of anabolic steroids?
Anabolic steroid abuse is a serious condition and involves more than acne, fluid retention (resulting in weight gain), balding and shrunken testicles. There are serious and irreversible health issues that result from steroid abuse including the following:

Cardiovascular problems – abnormal enlargement of the heart, high blood pressure, and increased blood cholesterol leading to an increased risk of stroke and heart attack, even in young people.
Kidney damage and/or failure
Liver damage
It’s important to note an increased risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and/or hepatitis associated with steroid use and improper use of needles.

Anabolic steroid also is notable for certain gender and age-specific effects:

Adolescents may experience stunted growth due to premature maturation of the skeleton. Combined with accelerated puberty changes, kids can run the risk of not reaching expected height if steroid use precedes their adolescent growth spurt.
Men may experience shrinkage of the testicles (testicular atrophy), reduced sperm count or infertility, baldness, development of breasts (gynecomastia) and an increased risk for prostate cancer.
Women may experience growth of facial hair (hirsutism), male-pattern baldness, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris and a deepened voice.

The decision to start taking anabolic steroids is a serious one, fraught with danger and complications. There are many other safe and effective ways to achieve your physical and performance objectives. Think twice.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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Straight, No Chaser: Sedative (Sleeping and Anxiety Pill) Abuse

August 11, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, anxiolytics, barbiturates, Behind the Curtain, benzodiazepines, sleeping pills, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

Recent Straight, No Chaser posts have focused on the scope of the danger of medicines and other drugs/chemicals you keep around your home. These substances are because of the inclination of kids to get into these medicines. Although that occurs with a higher frequency with some drugs, anything in your home is subject to being abused or misused.

As an example, most homes have some medications (prescription, herbal or otherwise) that are used as sleep aids. Here are some frequently asked questions on prescription sedative medications used to facilitate sleep (sleeping pills) and reduce anxiety (anxiolytics).

How do sedatives work?
The short answer is they work by depressing the function of the central nervous system (CNS). If you stopped right there and thought about just that one fact, it’s relatively easy to see how dangerous these drugs can be if misused or abused.

What types of medicines are we describing?
Examples of CNS depressants include benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax and barbiturates such as Nembutal.

What are the acute effects of these medications?
They predictably produce drowsiness and relaxation. The CNS depression can lead to a loss of function during an overdose.

Are there long-term effects associated with sedatives?
The effects about which you should be most concerned are the development of tolerance (diminished effectiveness at the same dose occurring over time), physical dependence (a physiologic need for the substance by the body) and addiction.

What happens when sedatives are taken with alcohol?
The combined effects of these drugs results in a slowed heart rate and slowed respiratory rate, which is an enhancement of the CNS depressant effect. Either of these effects can be fatal.

You mentioned addiction. Does that mean there are withdrawal symptoms if I try to stop?
If you are addicted to sedatives, controlled detoxification is recommended. Abrupt stoppage of barbiturate usage can be life-threatening. Other serious symptoms that are seen when trying to stop sedative use include seizures.
So how is sedative addiction treated?
Gradual tapering under medical supervision is recommended to avoid the various consequences of abrupt stoppage. Medications as well as behavioral therapies are important parts of treating addiction.

Aren’t there newer sleep medications on the markets? How are they different?
Yes, there are new products on the market that aren’t in the benzodiazepine class, meaning they don’t have the same side effect, abuse or addiction profile as earlier medications. Unfortunately the story to be told with these newer medications is ER visits associated with inappropriate use is on the rise. As is too often the case, any drug or substance will be tested by those inclined to see what effects the drug may produce when ingested or injected in ways not recommended.
Be sure to learn non-medication dependent means of relaxation and getting to sleep. These medications can cause a lot of harm in the wrong hands, including yours.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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Straight, No Chaser: Prescription Drug Abuse

August 10, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, Adderall, ADHD, Behind the Curtain, Concerta, detromethorphan, oxycontin, prescription drug abuse, Ritalin, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Valium, vicodin, XanaxJeffrey Sterling, MD

Many times over the years, I’ve had to explain to patients such as chronic sufferers from migraines, low back pain and other conditions that even if they weren’t “drug-seeking,” they still could be addicted to various medications. In the conversation about the drugs that are most frequently abused, once you get past marijuana and alcohol, you’re talking about prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Think about it, if you can get a physician to prescribe pain or other medications with mind-altering properties (known as psychoactive medications), it’s a relatively simple way to get a “clean” supply of “high-quality” drugs.
Now if you paid attention to that last sentence, you’ll note the quotes, and perhaps you picked up on the irony. Prescription and OTC drugs are meant to be safer than illicit drugs. However, that’s only true when they are taken exactly as prescribed for the reasons prescribed. When misused or abused, prescription and OTC drugs can be addictive and put abusers at risk for adverse health effects, including overdose and death. In many cases these risks are pronounced when taken at the same time as other drugs or alcohol.
The classes of prescription drugs most commonly abused are the following:

Opioid pain relievers, such as Vicodin or Oxycontin
Stimulants for treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), such as Adderall, Concerta, or Ritalin
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants for relieving anxiety, such as Valium or Xanax
OTC drugs are cough and cold remedies containing dextromethorphan

What these medications have in common is the mind-altering properties that can be produced when taken other than prescribed (i.e. by a different person and/or in a different dose than prescribed). These can produce effects that some would describe as pleasurable, all the while causing other damage to your body.

What I’d like to accomplish next is to advice you how your children or others with access to your medicine cabinet may be abusing drugs.
Taking a medication prescribed for somebody else. We all have heard time and again to never take medicine prescribed for someone else’s use. Unaware of the dangers of sharing medications in general or pain medications specifically, people often unknowingly participate in this form of abuse by sharing their unused pain relievers with friends and family members. In fact, most teenagers who abuse prescription drugs receive them for free by a friend or relative.
Taking a drug in a higher quantity or in another manner than prescribed. Most prescription drugs are dispensed orally in tablets, but abusers sometimes crush the tablets and snort or inject the powder. This hastens the entry of the drug into the bloodstream and the brain and amplifies its effects. This is dangerous and produces unintended effects, including death.
Taking a drug for another purpose than prescribed. All of the drug types mentioned can produce pleasurable effects at certain quantities, so taking them for the purpose of getting high is one of the main reasons people abuse them. Unfortunately they can also produce deadly effects at certain qualities. A common example is the use of ADHD drugs (e.g. Adderall) to improve students’ academic performance. Although these drugs may boost alertness, there is little evidence they improve cognitive functioning for those without ADHD. There is evidence they produce adverse effects under certain circumstances.

Finally you should be concerned that prescription opioid abuse has been shown to be a first step to heroin use. Pain medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin have effects similar to heroin. In three recent studies, nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin. In fact, some individuals reported taking up heroin because it is cheaper and easier to obtain than prescription opioids.
In other words, pay attention to what’s happening with medications in your home and possession.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Inhalants – Effects and Actions to Take

August 9, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, Inhalants, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Treatment Referral HelplineJeffrey Sterling, MD

Straight, No Chaser previously reviewed various forms of inhalants used to get intoxicated. Many kids think inhalants are a harmless, cheap, and quick way to “get high.” Because many inhalants can be found around the house, you and your family may not even think they are harmful. But the chemicals in the inhalant vapors can change the way the brain works and cause additional bodily harm. In some cases, the harmful effects of inhalants can be irreversible. This post discusses the various effects these entities have on the human body.

Initial Effects
The initial effects of inhalants mainly involve the brain, and that’s a big part of why they’re used. Inhalants rapidly pass from the lungs into the bloodstream, and effects on the brain are produced within minutes. It’s easy to consider inhalant use in someone who appears to be intoxicated with alcohol but doesn’t have the smell or any evidence of alcohol around. Clinical effects include slurred speech, euphoria, dizziness and lack of coordination.
As promptly as the effects occur, they dissipate. The intoxication typically only lasts a few minutes. This explains the habit of intoxicant users to take several back-to-back doses. This action produces a loss of both inhibition and control. Long term use can cause muscle spasms and tremors or even permanent difficulty with basic actions like walking, bending, and talking, due to damage by these chemicals on structures that promote communication to and from the brain. The net effect is a syndrome with an appearance similar to that caused by multiple sclerosis.
An additional effect of intoxicants is a diminished flow of oxygen to the brain. The symptoms produced by this are dependent on the area of the brain affected and can range from memory loss to reduced problem-solving skills to disruptions of movement.

Effects of Long-Term Use
You should also know that continual abuse of inhalants can cause serious damage to the heart and liver, and it can produce muscle weakness and nerve malfunction. Certain inhalants can also render the bone marrow unable to produce blood cells, which can appear your immune system and having sufficient blood to carry oxygen and nutrients around the body. Frequent long-term use of certain inhalants can cause a permanent change or malfunction of peripheral nerves, called polyneuropathy.
Addictive Tendencies
Some people, particularly those who abuse inhalants a lot and for a long time, report a strong need to continue using inhalants. Compulsive use and a mild withdrawal syndrome can occur.

How Can I Tell if Someone Is Abusing Inhalants?
Sometimes you can’t tell. Other times you might see small signs that tell you a person is abusing inhalants, including the following:

chemical odors on their breath or clothing
paint or other stains on their face, hands, or clothing
nausea or loss of appetite
weight loss
muscle weakness
disorientation
inattentiveness, uncoordinated movement, irritability, and depression

What Should I Do if I Know Someone Is Abusing Inhalants?

You first step is to secure your home. Given that so many items can be used to produce inhalant intoxication, you should revisit the household items you leave easily accessible. Review this Straight, No Chaser post for a list of commonly used inhalants.
In the midst of an acute intoxication, seek medical attention immediately. Intoxicants have multiple chemicals in them, and although symptoms may not be predictable, intoxications are predictably dangerous under certain conditions. In real-time, there’s not much to be gain by your intervening at home. Get help.
When someone has a drug problem, it’s not always easy to know what to do. If someone you know is abusing inhalants, encourage him or her to talk to a parent, school guidance counselor, or other trusted adult. There are also anonymous resources, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) and the Treatment Referral Helpline (1-800-662-HELP). These resources offer a wide range of relevant services beyond what is implied in the name.

Straight, No Chaser: When Your Kids Huff and Puff – Learn about Inhalants

August 8, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, amyl nitrite, Behind the Curtain, butyl nitrite, huffing, hydrocarbons, Inhalants, laughing gas, Nitrites, Nitrous oxide, poppers, rush, snappers, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, whippetsJeffrey Sterling, MD

Over the course of several posts, we’ve described how difficult it is for you to keep abreast of the activities of teens. In this and a subsequent Straight, No Chaser post, we will review what are often among the first drugs abused by adolescents. You should be especially concerned that inhalants are abused more by younger adolescents than older ones.
What is an inhalant?
Inhalants are chemicals that people inhale on purpose to get “high.” These vapors produce mind-altering effects that users believe are pleasurable. Although they may seem harmless, they can be quite dangerous.

Are there slang names I should recognize?
Common street slang for inhalants include the following:

“Bold” – nitrites
“Laughing gas” – nitrous oxide
“Poppers” – amyl nitrite and butyl nitrite
“Rush” – nitrites
“Snappers” – amyl nitrite
“Whippets” – fluorinated hydrocarbons (named because they are found in whipped cream dispensers)

What age groups are most likely to use inhalants?
National survey data suggest that inhalant abuse is most common among 7^th-9^th graders. Nearly 66 percent of 8th graders don’t think trying inhalants once or twice is risky, and 41 percent don’t consider the regular use of inhalants to be harmful. Clearly, parents need to be educated and start discussing inhalant use with their children.

How do users get inhalants?
The danger here is inhalants are very common in the home. Access explains why these are used by the very young. Here are some examples of inhalants:

Cleaning fluids
Gasoline
Glue
Markers
Paints

How Are Inhalants Used?
Inhalant abuse occurs through breathing in chemical vapors through their nose or mouth. Here are some examples and terms with which you should be familiar.

Bagging: sniffing or inhaling fumes from substances sprayed or placed into a plastic or paper bag
Huffing: inhaling from a rag soaked within an inhalant and stuffed in the mouth
Inhaling: breathing in fumes from balloons filled with nitrous oxide
Sniffing or snorting: additional forms of taking in fumes from containers
Spraying: taking aerosols directly into the nose or mouth

Where is the danger in inhalant use?
The intoxication of huffing and other inhalant use only last a few minutes. It is common for abusers to cycle rounds of inhaling for hours to sustain the high. This introduces a potentially large enough amount of chemical into the bloodstream to produce devastating damage, particular in developing children.
The next post on inhalant use will discuss specific effects and actions to take in the face of inhalant abuse. I will end this post by providing a more comprehensive list of household inhalers you should move to secure.

Here are various categories of inhalants.

Aerosols are sprays that contain propellants and solvents.

Spray paint, hair spray, deodorant spray, vegetable oil sprays, and fabric protector spray

Gases may be in household or commercial products or used as medical anesthetics (“numbing medicine”).

Butane lighters, propane tanks, whipped cream dispensers, and refrigerant gases
Anesthesia, including ether, chloroform, halothane, and nitrous oxide

Nitrites are a class of inhalant used primarily as sexual enhancers.

Organic nitrites include amyl, butyl, and cyclohexyl nitrites and other related compounds. You will recognize products likely to contain nitrites as “video head cleaners,” “room odorizers,” “leather cleaners,” or “liquid aromas.”

Volatile Solvents are liquids that vaporize at room temperature.

Industrial and household products, such as paint thinner, nail polish remover, degreaser, dry-cleaning fluid, gasoline, and contact cement
Art or office supplies, such as correction fluid, felt-tip marker fluid, and electronic contact cleaner

Straight, No Chaser: Facts About Drug Misuse and Overdose

August 7, 2017Toxicology/Drugs844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, drug abuse, drug overdose, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

Would you be surprised to know that drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury deaths in the United States? That’s right, more people die from overdoses than car crashes among those 25 to 64 years of age. More persons died from drug overdoses in the United States in 2014 than during any previous year on record. We are now at a point in which the percent of persons 12 years of age and over with any illicit drug use in the past month is 10.1% (2015 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)). From 2000 to 2014 nearly half a million persons in the United States have died from drug overdoses. In 2014, there were approximately one and a half times more drug overdose deaths in the United States than deaths from motor vehicle crashes. According to the CDC, every day in the U.S. over 100 people die as a result of a drug overdose, and nearly 7,000 individuals are treated in emergency departments for drug abuse/misuse. Since 2000, the rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased 137%, including a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (opioid pain relievers and heroin). This is the first in a series of Straight, No Chaser posts on the consequences of overdoses from misuse and abuse of drugs.

To be clear, when we’re discussing drugs, we’re not just describing the “bad” or illegal (illicit) ones you might pick up on the street. Be reminded that any drug, including those prescribed or obtained over-the-counter has the potential to cause harm. Furthermore, you should appreciate that it doesn’t take an excessive amount of a drug (i.e., an overdose) to cause harm. Simply using a drug in a manner other than directed or prescribed (i.e., misuse or abuse) can produce dangerous consequences. Thus, nearly 9 out of 10 poisoning deaths are caused by drugs. You simply must be careful about taking the correct drug in the correct dose at the correct time. Very often, children and the elderly fall victim to seemingly simple errors, including the act of taking just one pill inappropriately.

The scope of drug misuse, abuse and overdose continues to expand. Consider the following data from the CDC:

Drug overdose death rates have been rising steadily in the last 25 years. There has been an increase of over 118% from 1999 to 2011 alone.
The rate of drug overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids nearly doubled between 2013 and 2014.
During 2014, 47,055 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States.
In 2011, 33,071 (80%) of the 41,340 drug overdose deaths in the United States were unintentional, 5,298 (12.8%) were of suicidal intent, 80 (0.2%) were homicides, and 2,891 (7%) were of undetermined intent.
In 2011, drug misuse and abuse caused about 2.5 million emergency department (ED) visits. Of these, more than 1.4 million ED visits were related to prescribed and over-the-counter drugs (i.e., pharmaceuticals).
In 2004 and 2005, approximately 71,000 children (18 or younger) were seen in EDs each year because of unintentional medication overdose, not including self-harm, abuse and recreational drug use.
Among children under age 6, pharmaceuticals account for about 40% of all exposures reported to poison centers. There are many drugs that can be disastrous to a young child if only one dose is taken.

I’d like to reiterate that a drug is any chemically active substance and not just illegal entities. The simplest of over-the-counter preparations as well as the most complicated mind-altering substances all can provide devastating adverse drug effects.

In 2014, 61% (28,647) of drug overdose deaths involved some type of opioid, including heroin. This is an increase from 55% in 2011.
Of the 22,810 deaths relating to pharmaceutical overdose in 2011, 16,917 (74%) involved opioid analgesics (also called opioid pain relievers or prescription painkillers), and 6,872 (30%) involved benzodiazepines. (Some deaths include more than one type of drug.)
In 2011, about 1.4 million ED visits involved the non-medical use of pharmaceuticals. Among those ED visits, 501,207 visits were related to anti-anxiety and insomnia medications, and 420,040 visits were related to opioid analgesics.
Benzodiazepines are frequently found among people treated in EDs for misusing or abusing drugs. People who died of drug overdoses often had a combination of benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics in their bodies.

You may be wondering about demographic tendencies among those who die from drug use; the facts may actually surprise you given that they don’t fit commonly presented narratives. Consider the following facts from those who died from drug overdose in 2011:

The highest death rate was among people 45-49 years of age.
The lowest death rates were among children less than 15 years old (they simply do not abuse or misuse drugs as frequently as older people).
Men were 60% more likely than women to die.
Whites had the highest death rate, followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives and then African-Americans.

Additional Straight, No Chaser posts will review the effects of individual drugs, including over-the-counter, prescribed and illicit substances.

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2017 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Keloids

August 6, 2017Skin/Dermatology844-SMA-TALK, Behind the Curtain, keloids, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a DayJeffrey Sterling, MD

Have you ever seen a keloid? Do you suffer from keloids? Do you know someone with them and wonder what’s occurring? Here are some answers.
Some people, more commonly African-Americans, Asians, Latinos and those with a family history of keloids, suffer from abnormal skin growths. These growths typically occur during one’s skin healing after an injury. Keloids are simply overgrowth of scar tissue.

The problem is keloids can be quite scary and scary-appearing. In severe instances, keloids can not only occur after an injury but also after any insult to the skin. This can include severe injuries such as burns, lacerations, surgical scars or trauma, but it can also result from simple insults such as acne, chickenpox, scratches or puncture wounds (such as seen with medication administration, vaccines or ear-piercing).

Keloids can be quite scary in their appearance. At first glance, they are often confused with cancerous skin growth. They take on multiple appearances and colors, and they are often tender and easily irritated. They are not easy to disguise. In fact, sun exposure may cause ongoing tanning to the area, making the deformity even more pronounced. Therefore, it’s important to cover keloids and use sunblock over the involved area when exposed to the sun for the first six months after development of one (or up to 18 months in children).
There’s an unfortunate “Catch-22” with keloids. Once formed, they often don’t need to be treated unless you want to reduce the size or have other cosmetic concerns. Many of the variety of treatment options used to treat keloids can actually cause a larger one to form, particular if it involves cutting or other irritation to the skin. However, in many cases, treatment is quite successful.

Here are some of the various treatments available for keloids. Discuss these options with your physician or Sterling Medical Advice expert consultant if you are considering having modifications to existing keloids.

Cryotherapy (freezing the area)
Injection of steroids
Laser therapy
Radiation therapy
Silicone gel or patches
Surgical reduction or removal

Straight, No Chaser: Contact Dermatitis, Diaper Rash, Poison Ivy and the Like

August 5, 2017Skin/Dermatology, Health Prevention844-SMA-TALK, Allergic contact dermatitis, Allergy, Atopic dermatitis, Behind the Curtain, Citrus, Contact dermatitis, Dermatitis, health, Irritation, Latex, Rash, Sterling Medical Advice, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com, Straight No Chaser, There are 72 Hours in a Day, Urushiol-induced contact dermatitisJeffrey Sterling, MD

Let’s pick up where we left off. In our discussion of eczema and psoriasis, we described the common theme of underlying inflammation manifesting in rashes of different appearances. The theme continues today, with the difference being overlying inflammation. Contact dermatitis (dermatitis = skin inflammation) results from some external entity becoming a nuisance to your skin and generating a response in the form of a rash. You know this in many different forms (shown in the pictures below) – think about those old nickel coated watches, piercings gone bad (piercings also cause actual infections, which is a different consideration), clothing (below is a picture of contact dermatitis caused by flip-flop slippers), poison ivy and diaper rash. I bet the lead picture, which seems like a brand of a butterfly necklace pendant, as well as the following pictures look familiar to many of you.

These rashes are examples of allergic contact dermatitis. Your immune system is generating a response because it believes it is under attack by whatever has touched you. The way the body defends itself leads to release of various chemicals (most notably histamines) that cause the rash. The reason I picked the illustration of the diaper rash is to remind you that the rash actually is in the distribution of the diaper (not just under it), meaning that it may be the diaper that’s the culprit. In other words, don’t just zone in on feces and urine as the problem. Allergic contact dermatitis can occur from – well, anything you’re allergic to, but it’s commonly associated with latex, fruit peels (especially citrus), lotions, perfumes and other topical substances applied to the skin.
When we discussed eczema earlier, we were describing irritant contact dermatitis, which occurs because something damages the skin (remember eczema is called “the itch that rashes”). Imagine that you’ve sensitized and damaged your eczematous skin by scratching away at it and then place something irritating on it. That’s what this is. The longer the new irritant stays on the already damaged skin, the worse the inflammation is, and the more violent the rash appears.
So let’s get to the bottom line: the name of the game is avoidance (as in poison ivy, latex or other known irritants), prompt recognition and removal of irritants, and symptomatic treatment. If you come in contact with a substance that burns or rashes immediately, remove the object or get away from it, and then wash the affected area with mild soap and moderate water. Consider oral histamines (e.g. benadryl) and a mild OTC hydrocortisone ointment. If the rash isn’t better within a few days, or if you ever feel short of breath or as if your throat is closing, contact your physician or the local emergency room immediately for evaluation. Unless you have an underlying condition like eczema or psoriasis, contact dermatitis should resolve within 2-4 weeks with this approach to management.
So in closing, remember: it’s not just the more you itch, the more you scratch. It’s also the more you scratch, the more you itch. Break the cycle.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
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