The Danger of Alcohol Dependence

Excessive drinking may lead to alcoholism, which has led to auto accidents, divorces, loss of employment, and health deterioration, among other disasters in life.

Alcohol dependence may start with being a social drinker, who drinks a little too much. Then comes the use of alcohol for “self-medication” to overcome loneliness and stress, among other emotional and psychological problems in life.

Development of alcohol dependence often comes in different phases: from a heavy social drinker, you begin to develop alcohol tolerance; you begin to have little or no control over your drinking, often accompanied by both mental and physical complications.

Are you an alcoholic, or just an avid social drinker?

Behavioral signs of alcohol dependence include personality changes, such as irritability, uncontrolled rage, and selfishness. Unfortunately, you may not be aware of your own behavioral problems.

Physical symptoms may include nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, tingling and trembling sensations, irregular pulse, confusion and memory loss.

All alcoholics undergo an episode of denial. This is the most difficult period. Only when you admit to your having a drinking problem then you may begin the journey to recovery. The road to sobriety is often bumpy, full of unexpected twists and turns that may derail you from achieving your goal to abstinence. Alcoholics require detoxification to overcome withdrawal symptoms (after quitting), such as medical treatments to deal with withdrawal symptoms and cravings, psychological treatments to deal with behavioral and emotional problems (often in a group setting) and social treatments to deal with problems at work and at home.

Remaining sober is difficult, but not impossible. With the right guidance, you can do it, and you must do it! Alcohol dependence is dangerous.

Stephen Lau
Copyright © by Stephen Lau

Alcohol and the Elderly

When people retire, they have more time for social occasions, and hence more opportunities for drinking. Drinking at any age may lead to alcohol addiction. According to studies, alcohol may have greater health benefits for older men, as well as in reducing the risk of heart disease. However, too much alcohol may also lead to alcohol addiction. As a matter of fact, alcohol addiction has become an increasing concern among the elderly, who are susceptible to loneliness and depression, which are often grounds for drinking. One can easily develop alcohol tolerance if one drinks often enough.

According to studies, too much alcohol may have many adverse effects on health, especially in the elderly population:

(1) Too much alcohol stresses the liver, leading to the development of a fatty liver with mild symptoms of abnormalities. Having a fatty liver may be the first stage in the progression to cirrhosis, which is the final, as well as the incurable, stage of ALD (Alcoholic Liver Disease). ALD is fatal and affects the body’s metabolism, and thus creating many other health problems.

(2) Alcohol addiction may also lead to alcoholic hepatitis, another condition that can be mild but life threatening. One of the common symptoms is the development of jaundice, characterized by yellowish eyes and skin.

(3) Alcohol easily interacts with drugs and alters their effectiveness. This may cause potential problems to seniors who are taking many prescription drugs.

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Free Program: Practical and empowering self-help guide to freedom from addiction! Alcoholism and drug addiction is not a disease but a choice!

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

Whoever Wins the Election Will Not Change the Bigger Picture

Today is Election Day. The campaigns of the two candidates have been focusing on the economy of the United States. Whoever wins tonight will be saddled with the responsibility of reviving the economy of the country. Both candidates have reiterated that he is the better person to create jobs and to improve the economy of the United States.

Recently, signs of recovery of the world economy seem to be surfacing, and investors in the stock market are once again looking forward to another bull market. Such optimism has been engenered by the majority of polls; governments worldwide are commited to an unprecedented program of policies to restore growth and to reform the international financial system. The financial system is showing signs of repair. Growth is now underway. Seemingly, everyone has painted a rosy picture of the economic recovery.


Undoubtedly, governments worldwide are pulling out all the stops to stimulate economic growth and recovery. But try as they may, no recovery is going to happen anytime soon. There are several reasons why the economic recovery will not be sustainable:

1. The future ofUS dollar is not promising. A while ago, Cheng Siwei of China bluntly told the press that if the United States kept printing money to buy bonds, it would lead to inflation, and sooner or later the US dollar would fall hard, if not collapse. It was a clear warning from the Chinese government that it would not watch the demise of the US dollar without taking some drastic measures, one of which is the issue of bonds of its own in yuan currency. This is China's most recent move to challenge the US dollar. This move to protect its dollar asset does not bode well for long-term economic recovery. In other words, the Chinese government will sell its $2 trillion dollar asset as soon as an opportunity arises.

2. The key indicators of real economic growth are negative. Unemployment, for example, is still rising. Economists would argue that the job number will always lag behind economic growth. How could the economy be growing if fewer people are earning money? If this is a "jobless recovery," the recovery will not be sustainable over the long haul.

3. The US economy is based on consumer spending. Consumer spending is disappointing; many consumers are over their heads in debt, and they need to pay off their debt before they can spend again.

4. Currently, most stocks are still trading at nearly 20 times earnings with yield as low as 3 percent. In other words, the bear market is far from over. If stock prices don't go up, they will go down. Without a booming stock market, where will be the booming economy?


5. Despite all the stimulus plans, credit is contracting, not expanding as the government would like to see. Consumers are not borrowing, because they do not have the means, and banks are not lending, because of the high risk involved. Credit crunching means more savings and fewer sales, and fewer sales would mean fewer jobs. It is a vicious cycle created by debt and decades of reckless spending.
6. The last straw that breaks the camel's back will probably be inflation. The government is not going to balance the budget, and debt will continue to escalate. If the government cuts spending, there will be fewer jobs; if the government continues to spend, there will be more debt. There is no easy solution to the debt crisis. Most probably it will continue to print more money in the short term for more bailouts and bankruptcies. The inevitable result is inflation. To curb inflation, the Federal Reserve will have to walk a tightrope with a tightening monetary policy: if it tightens too fast and too much, it will abort the economic recovery, but if it loosens too much and too long, it will let inflation run wild. It is a no-win situation for the Federal Reserve. Inflation will come sooner or later; it is just a matter of time. When it does, the cconomy will collapse.

Whichever way you look at the economic scenario, it is not promising for any recovery anytime soon. The root of the problem is that everybody wants a quick fix to avoid a depression at any cost. Maybe a deep depression is what we need for the ultimate economic recovery, which has everything to do with debt.

Whoever wins the election tonight will not be able to change the bigger picture -- the current economic scenario. Creating more jobs may be only a flash in the pan, but it will not create the fire to change the debt-ridden economy.

Dissolve Your Debt: Use a secret government protocol to reclaim your financial health.

Also, visit my web page: Smart Credit Smart Money to get your resources for surviving in these tough economic times.

Stephen Lau

Is Dementia Avoidable?

Dementia is losing your mind, that is, your mind slipping away. Dementia is not part of growing old: only about 7-8 percent of older people experience severe intellectual impairment and memory loss.

However, dementia does occur in certain individuals, especially as they continue to grow old. So, what are the causes of dementia?

(1) Genetic factor may play a pivotal part in the development of dementia. If you do have a family history of dementia, then you should take extra care of your brain.

(2) Dysfunctional thyroid may cause dementia. Fortunately, this type of dementia is treatable and reversible.

(3) Stroke may cause dementia. In fact, vascular dementia is the 2nd most common type of dementia. Hardening of the arteries may result in poor circulation, depriving the brain of oxygen and nutrients, leading to brain damage. Eat a healthy diet is the way to go; what is good for the heart is also good for the brain.

(4) Depression, especially among the elderly, may lead to memory loss, confusion, and impaired mental function and coordination. However, scientists cannot determine whether depression causes dementia, or it is the result of dementia, because their symptoms may be quite similar.

(5) Other factors that may affect brain health include: excess alcohol consumption; brain damage due to injury or dehydration; sensory deprivation (the cause of sundowning, which is acute confusion occurring late in the day or at night); drug abuse, especially those anesthetic agents, narcotic analgesics, and benzodiazepines.

The good news is that numerous conditions associated with dementia or memory loss are treatable, if the conditions causing the delirium are adequately addressed, such as deficiency of vitamin B12, depression, and autoimmune diseases. However, when these conditions remain untreated for more than six months to a year, clinical studies have shown that the prognosis for recovery may become slim, as the damage to the brain may have become permanent.

Therefore, it is important to maintain brain health at all times. After all, the brain is one of the most important body organs, since it controls what you think as well as what you do. For more information on brain health, visit my blog: Increase Mind Power.

The human brain is made up trillions of brain cells. Only 10 percent of these brains cells have been utilized over one's lifetime, and there is still a great deal that one can tap into. Yes, you can even train your brain to become smarter at any age.

Total Recall: Keep your mind razor sharp well into old age. Re-grow your dead brain cells, and rejuvenate your failing health from inside out. It has everything you need to deal with dementia and aging.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau

How To Save Your Skin

Why do people want cosmetic surgeries or even the less-invasive procedures, such as Botox™?

• The most obvious reason why people resort to an appearance makeover is that they want to look better, and therefore feel better about themselves. In our society, self-image plays a pivotal role, and self-image is based on your appearance, your status, and your monetary worth. Unfortunately, they are not the core values in life.

• Another reason why people would go under the knife to get the appearance they crave is the association of youth with productiveness. Many people go for a Botox™ treatment before a job interview for that simple reason to enhance their work ethics. Unfortunately, work ethics have little to do with looks..

• Psychologically, having a cosmetic surgery is tantamount to getting a new lease on life. An individual seems to be getting a "second spring." Unfortunately, the physical appearance does not change the physiological aspects of the individual.

• Finally, some individuals may use cosmetic surgeries to solve their personal problems. A case in point is the movie "Ash Wednesday" starring Elizabeth Taylor and Henry Fonda. The movie was about an aging woman who underwent plastic surgery in the vain hope of winning back her husband. Unfortunately, a more youthful appearance will not solve marital or relationship problems.

Despite the advancement in science and technology, cosmetic surgeries still carry a certain amount of risk. Don't look for a quick-fix to your life's problems!

If you think you really need a facelift, consider Botox®.

Botox® is a fairly ideal procedure to save your face, given that the level of botulimum toxin in Botox® is extremely low and there is hardly any buildup in the body to pose any significant health hazard.

Here are some of the pluses and minuses of Botox™.

• The pluses are many: it is minimally invasive--which is much better compared with other types of plastic surgery; it is an almost “instant” fix, and you will see the results almost right away; it is relatively less expensive, compared with other similar procedures; it is more "natural", except around the mouth--that explains why Botox™ is generally not applied around the smile folds, otherwise it would give your smile an "unnatural" look.

• The main drawback of Botox™ is that it is not a permanent solution to save your face, and each procedure lasts but a few months. Another valid concern, in spite of the FDA approval,is that Botox™ is still a drug and you are injecting chemical into your body continually. Although the drug manufacturer guarantees its safety by saying that the toxic chemical is in a very small amount and is almost immediately eliminated from the body, the simple fact that Botox™ is a billion-dollar drug may call the veracity of its research studies into question.

If you wish to save your face, Botox™ seems an ideal first choice. Of course, the choice is all yours; after all, it is your face.

However, Botox® is not the only way to save your skin.

When you are around 40, your collagen level declines, leading to slower cellular rejuvenation and loosening of your skin fiber. This is how wrinkles and crow's feet lines are formed.

To iron out the lines around the eyes and the creases between the eyebrows, collagen injection may do the magic. Collagen is a protein substance in the dermis layer of your skin, and collagen is responsible for the elasticity and youthfulness of your skin.

The collagen used by dermatologists comes from cows.

Are collagen injections save?

Well, the bovine collagen is supposed to have come from cows, which have been isolated and therefore are free from any infection.

With collagen injection, the lines become less distinct, much smoother; but they are not completely obliterated.

Unfortunately, bovine collagen injection is not for everyone, especially if you are allergic to cows.

Fat injection is another cosmetic procedure to save your face. This is an option to iron out lines and creases on your face using fat from your own body. Fat injection is especially ideal for smile folds - an area where Botox® does not do a good job.

Fat injection from the fat in your own body is in fact a living graft in a different part of your body. Fat injection is saver, and much cheaper than other procedures to save your face.

Try anti-aging skin recipes to save your face with ... facial recipes ... facial mask recipes ... facial scrub recipes ... facial toner recipes ... facial steam recipes ... anti-aging facial wraps. They are all simple but natural ways to enhance your skin and keep you looking forever young.

Aging has also to do with the mind, which controls your life choices. Living a life of wisdom to maintain a stress-free life is as important as applying skin lotion to maintain a youthful look. For more information on wisdom in living, read my book: The Book of Life and Living.

Stephen Lau

Copyright© by Stephen Lau