Clinical Research and Use of Diindolylmethane (DIM)
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a plant indole found in Brassica vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and brussels sprouts. DIM has been shown to improve the immune system and support breast, prostate and cardiovascular health. This powerful ingredient is currently undergoing clinical trials for various causes. Here are just some of the current clinical trials and use of DIM, according to a group of leading scientists at the University of California at Berkeley and the makers of the dietary supplement ActivaMune.
Natural Cancer Treatment: Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute as a natural therapeutic for multiple forms of cancer, DIM is also being used as a treatment and cancer prevention diet for Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP) tumors, which are caused by the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). It is also being studied as an adjuvant to Taxol to help reduce cancer resistance to this vital drug while enhancing its effectiveness for cancer patients.
Immune System Booster: As an immune system booster, DIM is also being studied as a possible therapeutic solution for all viral and bacterial infections including HIV, Hepatitis and antibiotic resistance bacteria.
Anti-inflammatory Properties: DIM is currently being studied as a therapeutic and preventive supplement for chronic inflammation diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and arthritis.
Medicinal Treatments of Alcohol Addiction
Three main drugs are prescribed to help recovering alcoholics in their treatment. Learn more about naltrexone, acamprosate and disulfiram.
In the past, people who were struggling with alcohol addiction had only one means of help offered to them — quitting cold turkey. It’s little wonder that the success rate for treating alcoholism was so low until recently. Modern science has taught us that alcoholism is more than just a mental weakness on the part of the patient — it’s a chronic disease which causes severe changes to a person’s brain along with the rest of their body.
Recent developments have also changed how alcoholism is treated in alcohol and drug rehab clinics across the country. Along with a more holistic approach — including treatment of mental disorders and other underlying causes that caused people to drink in the first place — modern treatments for alcoholism can also include the use of select prescription drugs. While one pill can’t “cure” an alcoholic, several drugs have shown positive results in helping people who are committed to treatment change their lives.
Here is a look at three of the most common drugs used during the treatment process at alcohol rehabilitation clinics in the United States:
Naltrexone: This is the most common prescription drug treatment for alcoholism in the United States. It is effective because it blocks the opioid receptors that cause alcoholics to receive pleasure from drinking. Over time, naltrexone trains the brains of recovering alcoholics to no longer crave alcohol because they are not getting the needed positive sensations after drinking. It is very effective as a drug that provides a gateway to sobriety after patients finish treatment at alcohol rehab centers by reducing the likelihood of a heavy relapse.
Acamprosate: Frequently prescribed during alcohol rehab for people who are attempting to quit after having developed severe alcohol problems, acamprosate helps to heal damage caused by years of excessive drinking. Long-term alcoholism can do significant damage to the brain, causing severe withdrawal symptoms like insomnia, anxiety and paranoia that can linger for years. Acamprosate helps to reduce these feelings by essentially “patching” the problem areas inside a person’s brain and attempting to rewire it to work properly again.
Disulfiram: Unlike the other two drugs mentioned above that are frequently used in an alcohol addiction center, disulfiram uses negative reinforcement to attempt to dissuade alcoholics from drinking. After a person takes disulfiram, even the slightest amount of alcohol will make them extremely nauseous. This is a highly effective treatment for people who are committed to their sobriety.
What happens in addiction treatment?
Do you struggle with either alcohol or drugs? Are you able to control how much you take? Do you have a insatiable craving for the drug? If your answer to both these questions are ‘yes’, then it is time for you to find an addiction center to begin the process of de-addiction.
Now there are several programs that are available and cater to addicts that are not only hooked to drugs but also to alcohol and prescription drugs as well. To those who do not understand the concept of addiction, it will not be easy for them to be supportive during the addiction treatment process as well.
And so, here are a few pointers to explain what goes on during this process:
1. Firstly, as soon as the patient is admitted at the facility, they are still not sure whether they can kick the habit or not. This is where family and friends and their support is crucial.
2. A one-size-fits-all plan does not work for these individuals, as each of them have an underlying reason for their addiction, and it is through therapy that one can understand its root cause. And rarely, are the causes the same.
3. Once a period of thirty days or more (the duration depends on the severity of the case) has finished, it is then decided whether the patient has progressed, and can begin to function normally through the aftercare program back in the real world.
Cirque Lodge is one such drug and alcohol rehab center located in Sundance, Utah that caters to the needs of patients using the latest and accredited methods of treatment available.