What is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

By: Greg Frost

ADD is when the reticular activating system in your brain, which is a part of your body?s central nervous system, is dysfunctional. This area of the brain is responsible for coordinating the information from one region of the brain to another via norepinephrine, due to external information. When it is impaired, there is excessive stimulation causing the mind to be overworked and unable to cope, leading to a lack of focus and other symptoms.

There are many forms of ADD, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Behavior Disorder (ADBD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and Conduct Disorder (CD), to name a few. Of these, ADHD is the most well know form of ADD, and affects approximately 5% of all children in America, making it the most common neurological disease.

Many factors contribute to ADD, and the breakdown of the reticular activating system. Excessive sugar consumption reduces the brain?s sensitivity to norepinephrine, making it difficult for the brain to pass messages to different regions of the mind. Other factors include oxygen deprivation during birth, genetics, a dearth of nutrients in his diet, and substance abuse during pregnancy, among others. Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health show that up to 5% of the population has ADHD, and that up to 20% of pregnant mothers smoke during pregnancy, with 11% consuming alcohol.

Common indicators that an individual is suffering from ADD include learning disabilities, agitation, aggression, short attention spans and poor memory retention. The symptoms of ADD are also easily confused with other diseases or attributed to different factors, making it difficult to diagnose. For example, the main symptoms of ADD are forgetfulness, restlessness, depression, inability to focus and impulsive behavior. However, thyroid, depression, anxiety, or a stressful environment can also result in the same symptoms. Excessive sugar consumption can cause impulsive behavior and restlessness, and allergies can cause reactions that reduce the neurotransmitters in the brain causing the same symptoms.

There are many treatments available for those who suffer from ADD, and the most common one is the use of antidepressant drugs. However, these medications need up to 6 weeks to take effect, and have severe side effects such as increasing depression, agitation, and suicidal notions. There are also alternative treatments, such as herbs and nutrients used to balance the brain chemistry that has been impaired. These are encouraged as they do not have side effects, and are specially designed to provide the necessary acids, hormones and neural growth needed to assist the reticular activating system.

For those who are suffering from ADD, it is recommended to cut down on sugar intake as sugar consumption is linked to aggressive behavior. Individuals should also be tested for allergies, especially those triggered by food dyes. In line with this, soft drinks should be avoided.

Article Source:

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/health/article_7149.shtml

The thought of quitting smoking produces a paralyzing fear in some people. They know they want to quit, but the comforting effect of inhaling smoke along with the nicotine is not easily given up. Many people do want to quit smoking cigarettes for various reasons, although these reasons are not sufficient motivation to quit. Many who smoke will always find a reason to smoke if they want to. Listed below are five reasons to quit smoking.

The first reason to quit is that you may live longer and live healthier. This is absolutely true as the days string together and you have a successful recovery from using nicotine and/or other tobacco products. Although no one can forecast the future and truly know how long we will live, quitting smoking may give you the edge you need to live a longer and healthier life.

Your children wanting you to quit is seen as the second reason. Quitting tobacco products and smoking is actually one of the greatest things you could do for your family. You could be a role model to your children and your grandchildren; someone they would want to emulate. When an adult in the family does not smoke the children are much less apt to. If your children do not smoke as an adolescent or teenager they are much less apt to as an adult.

The third reason to quit smoking is that your breathing will become much easier and you will regain your lost energy. Both of these are true providing you follow a regime of psychological and behavioral changes throughout your quitting process.

The fourth reason is you will have a much greater chance of lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke, or cancer by quitting. This is all true, although you will never regain the pure body you had before you started smoking, stopping now significantly reduces these risks the longer you do not smoke.

The fifth and final reason to stop smoking is that the cost of cigarettes is becoming too expensive. This is very true and you can see it on a daily basis. One more cost of smoking relates to the medical costs associated with usage. Quitting may cut the medical costs significantly over time. Add the two together and there is quite a sum to pay if you continue smoking.

Do you really want to quit or are you ambivalent about it? Deciding that you want to quit smoking and making a commitment to stop will provide motivation to follow through. The five listed reasons are just a few known for quiting smoking. You can use any reason that means something to you to quit. The road can go uphill for only so long, then the process of quitting will become easier. Make your commitment to stop today—you will be happy you did.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/five-top-reasons-to-quit-smoking-580215.html

You know you really want to stop smoking. You are also aware that you have one excuse after another. You might think that you have too much going on at work to stop smoking right now. Or you might rationalize that you’ll keep looking for the perfect cure for you to stop smoking. Maybe you’ve tried to quit smoking several times, and you always failed. Whatever your excuse is, the fact remains that you are still smoking. You must quit this deadly habit. Do it for yourself. You deserve the health benefits of quitting. You deserve the financial gain from not spending money on cigarettes. You deserve to be able to go to a party and smell like cologne or perfume rather than an ashtray.

The health benefits of quitting smoking are plentiful. As a result of more and more evidence to support the benefits of quitting, people are beginning to change their lives. They are quitting in large numbers. Smoking tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars is a habit that many people are letting go. If you are a smoker, maybe you are considering quitting smoking. Did you also know that if you quit smoking, these health benefits of quitting for your body would begin to happen almost immediately?

• 20 minutes after you quit smoking your blood pressure and pulse return to normal.

• 8 hours after you stop smoking, the nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood are reduced by fifty percent. Oxygen levels in your body return to normal after you stop smoking.

• 24 hours after you quit smoking, your body rids itself of carbon monoxide. The lungs begin to clear out mucus and smoking debris after you quit smoking.

• 48 hours after you stop smoking, you will not have any nicotine in your body. Your sense of taste and smell will be much stronger after you stop smoking.

• 72 hours after you quit smoking, you will be able to breathe much easier. Your bronchial tubes will start to relax. Your energy level will increase after you have quit smoking for only 72 hours.

• 2 to 12 weeks after you stop smoking, the circulation in your body increases.

• 3 to 9 months after you quit smoking, any breathing problems, coughs, and wheezing will improve. Your lung capacity will be increased by 10% in 3 to 9 months after you stop smoking.

• 5 years after you stop smoking, your risk of a heart attack is going to be half the risk of a smoker’s.

• 10 years after you quit smoking, your risk of a heart attack will be the same as someone who never smoked. Your risk of lung cancer is going to be half of that of a smoker’s. The health benefits of quitting smoking are very important as you can see here.

When you stop smoking, you will change the course of your life. The health benefits of quitting smoking start immediately. However, it will take time for your body to heal all the way back to normal. The health benefits of quitting are immense. However, health is only one of the reasons to quit smoking. In fact, there are many other reasons to quit smoking such as the ability to taste food better, fewer sore throats and better looking skin and teeth.

Before you look at the challenges and think that you cannot meet them, ask yourself if you are really willing to choose lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease over a little crankiness or the blues. You are not going to choose cancer over a little stress, are you? The health benefits of quitting are going to last you a lifetime. The challenges will ease up within a few weeks.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/quit-smoking-are-you-sure-you-want-to-quit-smoking-204269.html

The first and foremost of the reasons to quit smoking is your health. If the smoker is fully aware of the health risks of smoking, he or she may say it

If you