Weight Loss  

The holiday season brings us a variety of new things, including a few extra pounds. We soon find that all those holiday dinners have had a "weighty" affect on our waistlines! Losing weight is one of our nation's top ten New Year's goals, but many times it's difficult to know where to begin. Fortunately, many are finding  weight loss success with the hCG Diet.

OVERCOMING DRUG ADDICTION

Do you know someone who is dealing with an opiate addiction (pain pill and heroin addiction)?  Maybe you yourself have a problem with the abuse of prescription pain medications? There is hope for you and your loved ones. Suboxone (buprenorphine with naloxone) is currently available for the maintenance treatment of opioid addiction. 

 
Suboxone has recently become the drug of choice instead of methadone in the treatment of opiate addiction. Suboxone use is less rigidly controlled than methadone because it has a lower potential for abuse and is less dangerous in an overdose.

Suboxone is a private, in-office alternative to treatment with methadone. In sharp contrast to methadone, Suboxone can be prescribed and taken on an outpatient basis, meaning you only have to see the doctor when a refill is due; there is no longer any need to stand in line daily at the Methadone clinic. Also, most methadone patients report that the methadone isn't much less addictive than the opiates from which they were detoxified with the methadone; often, patients find that their methadone doses escalate in much the same fashion as did their opiates.

Opioid dependence is a chronic relapsing medical condition that requires long-term treatment and patient support. In addition, many of these intravenous drug users share syringes and needles, a practice that can lead to the transmission of serious blood-borne infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

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 Fighting Gum Disease: How to Keep Your Teeth

More than 75 percent of Americans over 35 have some form of gum disease. In its earliest stage, your gums might swell and bleed easily. At its worst, you might lose your teeth. The bottom line? If you want to keep your teeth, you must take care of your gums.

The mouth is a busy place, with millions of bacteria constantly on the move. While some bacteria are harmless, others can attack the teeth and gums. Harmful bacteria are contained in a colorless sticky film called plaque, the cause of gum disease. If not removed, plaque builds up on the teeth and ultimately irritates the gums and causes bleeding. Left unchecked, bone and connective tissue are destroyed, and teeth often become loose and may have to be removed.

A recent poll of 1,000 people over 35 done by Harris Interactive Inc. found that 60 percent of adults surveyed knew little, if anything, about gum disease, the symptoms, available treatments, and - most importantly - the consequences. And 39 percent do not visit a dentist regularly. Yet, gum disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. Moreover, a Surgeon General's report issued in May 2000 labeled Americans' bad oral health a "silent epidemic" and called for a national effort to improve oral health among all Americans.

The good news is that in most people gum disease is preventable. Attention to everyday oral hygiene (brushing and flossing), coupled with professional cleanings twice a year, could be all that's needed to prevent gum disease - and actually reverse the early stage - and help you keep your teeth for a lifetime.

In addition, several products have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically to diagnose and treat gum disease, and even regenerate lost bone. These products may help improve the effectiveness of the professional care you receive.

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