There are many signs to watch for that may mean your loved one has a drug addiction. They include dishonesty, stealing, acting impaired when not drinking, pupils look like pinpoints, difficulty waking up, and regular household items in unusual places. For example, if your loved one is injecting heroin, they are likely bending spoons and using them to prepare their drugs for injection. You may find spoons in their bedroom, vehicle, or other personal items. If your loved one is snorting drugs, you may notice pieces of metal used to grind up the pills they are snorting.

While you may want to “save” your loved one, you can’t do that. When someone is struggling with an addiction, they must take action to save themselves. However, there are things you can do to help.

1. Only help when they ask.

You may want to take over the situation and force them into detox or treatment. However, if they are not ready and willing to treat their addiction, you won’t be helping them. Taking over means you are trying to control them, which will only lead to pain and frustration. If your loved one comes to you and asks for help getting into a drug rehab centre like the Canadian Centre for Addiction, then they may be honestly ready and don’t know what to do. You may also want to consider that sometimes going to a treatment centre that is far from home can help them separate from the things at home that are enabling their usage.

2. Don’t bail them out of trouble.

If your loved one gets in trouble at work or with the law, you have to resist the urge to bail them out of trouble. If they are not forced to face the consequences of their actions, they will continue acting the way they do. People suffering from addiction seek help when they see no other options, and they are genuinely sick and tired of the way they are living. If they get in legal trouble, you can use an online service like Go Look Up to find their criminal and arrest records. Getting the record will let you know what actually happened, so you know if your loved one is being honest about how they got in trouble.

3. Don’t make it easy for them to use.

Throwing your loved one out of your home or refusing to give them money when they say they are starving may seem like the most heartless thing you can do. After all, you don’t want them to be homeless or hungry, and you want to be there if they are sick or hurt. However, as long as you are providing the individual with everything they need to survive, they will not get uncomfortable enough to want to stop.

You may have heard the term “hitting bottom.” This term means the individual has reached a point where they cannot deal with their situation any longer, and they seek help out of desperation, not knowing what else to do. For many, this may mean losing their job, lack of transportation, no money, or no place to live. However, hitting the bottom may look different for different people.

When you prevent your loved one from hitting bottom because you think you are helping them, you are actually enabling their behavior. You are making it easier for them to keep using. When you stop helping and bailing them out, you will be faced with anger and hostility. It would be best if you were ready for that.

There are a variety of support group meetings for the loved ones of people with addictions that can help you navigate the uncomfortable and unpredictable situations you may encounter. Regardless of who the loved one is in your life or what substance they are abusing, there are support groups and resources that will help you maintain sanity and make healthy decisions.

Vegetarianism is not just a matter of economics. It is not about the cost of meat but the price to pay for that cost – human life. Advocates of plant-based diets say vegans have lower blood pressure, low levels of cholesterol, lower body mass index, and reduced risks of heart attack, diabetes, and cancer. On top of these, vegans believe that healthy food is the path to longevity.

Why do people choose vegan life?

• Traditional custom and beliefs
• Parental preferences for the juveniles
• Respect for religion
• Health issues
• Concern for animal rights
• Planet conservation

For your health

Going vegan provides an opportunity to learn more about nutrition and healthy cooking to modify your diet. A well-planned vegetarian diet follows healthy eating guidelines that contain all the nutrients needed by the body. Health-promoting options are whole grains, seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Those who have high uric acid should only take a moderate amount of seeds and nuts.

There are lots of nutrients we get from plant foods – fibres, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Fibres aid in digestion and bowel movement. You will know more about its advantages as you age.

For saving the human family

Plant-based living is also a sustainable way of feeding the human family. A plant-based diet only requires 1/3 of the land that needs to support a dairy and meat diet. With the rising global water and food shortages, plus the occurrences of drought due to climate change, and other socioeconomic issues, there is never a better time adapting to a more sustainable way of living.

To refrain from eating animals and its byproducts are not only the way people can decrease the strain on food and other resources. It is also the simplest way to voice out inefficient food systems disproportionately affecting the poor and the impoverished people throughout the world.

For the humane treatment of animals

People avoid meat to prevent exploitation of animals, and to some, this is their main reason for becoming vegans. Many people, especially well-known celebrities, are having compassion and emotional attachments with animals. Others advocate for animal rights and welfare.

Quit thinking that animals by nature are bound to die to sustain humans. Everyone fears death, even animals do.

For the conservation of the environment

Veganism is the most sustainable option to look after our planet. From recycling our household garbage to cycling to work, we are all aware of the benefits of living a greener life. One of the most contributing ways we can do to lower the carbon footprint is to avoid consuming meat and dairy products.

Why are animal products harmful to Mother Earth? The production of meat, dairy, and other animal products pose hazards to the environment – from crops, greens, and water that we feed the animals, to transporting and other production processes before they reach our table.

The enormous amount of grain feeds that they need in the meat production is a contributing factor to deforestation, loss of habitat, and extinction of species. Whereas to sustain the vegan diet, people only consume half of these. Therefore, switching to veganism based healthy food is one of the most effective ways of reducing the negative impact on the environment.

Protecting the liver is of utmost importance because it is responsible for supporting many key body functions. When the organ deteriorates it can cause liver failure, which is a life-threatening condition. Consequently, your body will not be able to carry out its regular functions like food digestion, toxin-elimination, and nutrient absorption.

If the liver fails to help you in digesting and utilizing nutrients, your condition can become fatal. So, the liver is an organ that needs regular maintenance and proper care; without this, all other functionalities could get affected. It is also responsible for producing bile that can help in breaking down the fat in foods; it stores glucose, which is your body’s source of energy. Making sure that the liver is functioning optimally and that you do not suffer from liver diseases is possible when you follow a healthy lifestyle and good eating habits.

Do’s & Don’ts To Keep Your Liver Healthy

Do’s:

1. Maintaining optimal body weight is the first step to keeping your liver healthy. When you are overweight, fat may accumulate in this organ, causing a fatty liver, putting you at risk of developing NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases.
2. You can keep your liver healthy by eating right; this means eating more of fiber-rich foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, rice and cereals, whole-grain bread. “Good” fats of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated varieties that can be obtained from nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and fish are also good for the liver.
3. Exercising regularly benefits liver health by helping your body burn the triglycerides and reducing liver fat.
4. When you use needles or opt for tattooing or body-piercing, you need to make sure that the needles used are absolutely sterile. Contaminated needles will put you at great risk of diseases like Hepatitis C. If you fear that you have been a victim of an unsafe injection practice, you must get an immediate follow-up done. If you have been in contact with another person’s blood directly, you must get medical care.
5. You must remember to maintain good hygiene practices at all times, like washing your hands always after using the washroom, and before eating or preparing food.
6. You should practice safe sex as sex with multiple partners or unprotected sex can heighten the risks of getting Hepatitis B. It may help to get yourself vaccinated against these diseases.

Dont’s:

1. You need to avoid eating meals with high-calorie content, refined carbs, and saturated fats; you should also stay away from undercooked and raw shellfish.
2. You need to stay away from toxins as these will harm your liver cells. So, you must avoid direct contact with toxins like pesticides, aerosol products, additives, and chemicals.
3. It is best to avoid smoking or binge-drinking as this will invariably trigger many kinds of health issues.
4. Avoid using illicit drugs like cocaine, marijuana, heroin, inhalants, and prescription-type psychotherapeutics as these can damage the liver.
5. You should never share any item of personal hygiene like a toothbrush or razor as these items can be carriers of contaminated blood or body fluids.
6. You must avoid taking incorrect doses of medications. If you have the wrong drugs, or over-medicate yourself, you run the risk of damaging your liver.

7 Crucial Tips For Prevention of Liver Damage or Liver Failure

Liver damage is a condition that cannot be ignored as this may threaten your life. The liver fails over time and there may be many reasons responsible for this condition. These are some things that you can do to prevent liver damage:

1. Eating significant amounts of dark-green, leafy veggies in your daily meals can help you maintain a strong liver. Reducing sugar intake goes a long way in keeping your liver healthy.
2. You should make it a point to work out regularly to burn the extra fat and maintain optimal weight. It is pointless to opt for fad diets and other unhealthy weight-loss methods that end up harming the liver.
3. Getting vaccines for preventing Hepatitis A and B is a good way to prevent liver damage.
4. You need to stop taking a lot of alcohol as this will damage the liver cells, causing swelling and leading to cirrhosis. You must seek the right liver disease treatment to treat a liver disorder; if your body does not respond to this, you may need to seek a liver transplant.
5. You need to be wary of certain drugs that can have side-effects and some others that can damage the liver when you take them a lot. Some drugs cause colossal damage when combined with alcohol intake.
6. You can prevent getting infected with liver diseases when you practice good personal hygiene habits and refrain from sharing items of personal use with others.
7. Some dietary supplements and herbs are known to harm the liver, like kava ephedra, cascara, and comfrey.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that around half a million men opt for a vasectomy every year in the United States. Vasectomies are the most reliable form of male contraception available and although many men are hesitant to go through the surgery, they realize it is a permanent solution to family planning. So if you’re considering a vasectomy your next question might be, where can I go for a vasectomy near me?

Locating a Clinic for a Vasectomy Near Me

There are several private clinics throughout the country where you can have elective vasectomy surgery, and in fact these private facilities often use the most advanced techniques for these surgeries which are safer, faster and less painful that the usual vasectomy surgery done with a scalpel. They don’t require an incisions or sutures which results in minimal scarring, reduced recovery time and less chance of infection at the surgical site.

What is the Vasectomy Procedure?

A vasectomy achieves male sterilization by diverting the vas deferens, the tubes sending sperm from the testicles, preventing sperm from reaching the penis.

What Does the No Scalpel Vasectomy Procedure Involve?

The no scalpel vasectomy uses a surgical dissecting clamp rather than a scalpel. The clamp creates a tiny opening in the scrotum and then dissects and repositions the ducts.

With no scalpel surgery you can expect a much shorter recovery time and much less pain. You should be able to resume normal activities within 48 hours of the surgery, although it is advisable to avoid any strenuous activity for a few days post procedure. There will be some pain once the anesthetic wears off but these can be alleviate with an ice pack to the surgical site and pain killers.

Are Vasectomies Always Successful?

The large majority of vasectomies by either scalpel or no scalpel methods are successful, only a small number are unsuccessful but can be redone. Therefore it is important to use an additional method of birth control until screening indicates that no sperm is present in the semen sample.

What is the Cost of No Scalpel Surgery at a Private Clinic?

The cost of no scalpel vasectomy surgery at a private clinic will cost between $500 and $1,000 depending on the clinic. Many actually accept insurance plans for this procedure if the insurance company is willing to pay for such an elective procedure.

So if you are considering a vasectomy as a means to birth control and you’re confident that this is a procedure you’re willing to go through despite it being permanent, then why not consider looking up a local private clinic who can carry out the procedure for you. Ask them if they are able to carry out a no scalpel vasectomy procedure for you. A no scalpel vasectomy procedure is less painful, has a shorter recovery time and reduces chance of infection when compared to standard vasectomy surgery carried out with a scalpel. A vasectomy carried out this way will be less of a disturbance to your busy life and less painful too!

For many people, getting the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables isn’t easy. Between busy schedules and convenience foods, it can often be hard to find the time or resources to eat as many fruits and veggies as we all know we should. But with the new year coming up, eating healthier foods is going to be on many people’s list of resolutions. So to help make this goal something you can actually accomplish, here are three easy ways to get more fruits and vegetables in your diet.

Cut Your Fresh Veggies As Soon As You Bring Them Home

If you tend to buy vegetables that just wind up going bad before you have the chance to eat them, one thing you might want to try is cutting them up into easily consumable pieces as soon as you bring them home.

According to Heart.org, if you keep your vegetables cut up into sticks or other smaller pieces, you’ll be much more likely to grab them when you want a snack rather than choosing something else that might seem more convenient. So while it might take you a few extra minutes to prepare these veggies all at one time, this could increase the chances of you actually eating them after you’ve bought them.

Try Something New

When it comes to choosing foods, many people find themselves getting stuck in a rut and essentially just eating the same foods over and over again. But if you’ve gotten into this habit and haven’t allowed enough fruits and vegetables to make their way in, it might be time for you to try something new.

Lisa Freedman, a contributor to TheKitchn.com, shares that if you get produce that you’ve never tried before, you might be surprised at how much you like a particular fruit or vegetable and want to incorporate it more into your daily meals. So if you see a new type of apple that you’ve never tried or a vegetable that you’ve shied away from in the past, consider giving it the chance to surprise you.

Bring In Some Additions

If you’re someone that just doesn’t like how many fruits or vegetables taste on their own, it’s perfectly fine to bring in some additional flavors in order to ease yourself into eating foods you haven’t liked in the past or aren’t as familiar with.

According to Harvard Medical School, some additions you might want to try include various dips, sauces, spreads, and more. By using a piece of fruit or vegetable as a vehicle for something else that you like, you might be more likely to look past its taste and eat a greater portion of it.

If you need to get more fruits and vegetables in your diet, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you find easy ways to do just this.