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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Not your father's definition of alcoholism: June 1

Alcoholism is a chronic, progressive, primary and fatal disease of physiological chemical dependence. Recognized as a disease by the AMA since the 1950s, it has a genetic basis and there is no cure.  It CAN be brought into remission by abstinence.  And alcoholics do recover to live chemical-free as contributing members of the community.
www.alcohologist.com

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Friday, May 30, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 31

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Thursday, May 29, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 30

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 29

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 28

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Monday, May 26, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 27

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

From bullets to bottles: Many service vets face new battles when home

Memorial Day gives a grateful nation pause to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, but many troops survive their service only to face fierce fighting with substance abuse. Not every soldier has an alcohol use disorder, such as the disease of alcoholism. The number of current and former troops who do, however, is a percentage nearly two times greater than found in the general population.
Beer and liquor are the crutches for an alarming and growing number of servicemen and servicewomen who fought abroad – from Vietnam to Bosnia to Afghanistan. Many of those who have seen active duty turn to alcohol to try to deaden the images of what they’ve endured. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often is an unwelcome side effect of active duty. And the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) notes that PTSD and alcohol misuse are common partners.
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) reports that of nearly 30 million veterans in the United States, 56 percent of male veterans and 41 percent of females have problems with alcohol and 23 percent of males and 14 percent of females binge drink.
Additionally, according to the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, one in eight troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006 to 2008 were referred for counseling for alcohol problems after their post-deployment health assessments. The number of soldiers enrolled in treatment after being diagnosed with alcohol use disorders has increased 56 percent since 2003.
Alcohol use disorders are divided between alcohol abuse and the disease of alcoholism. See the related examiner.com story, Know the difference between alcoholism and alcohol abuse, for the distinction.
“This pairing of PTSD and alcohol can be big trouble for the trauma survivor and his or her family,” according to the VA. “People with PTSD are more likely than others with the same sort of background to have drinking problems. By the same token, people with drinking problems often have PTSD. Those with PTSD have more problems with alcohol both before and after getting PTSD. Having PTSD increases the risk that you will develop a drinking problem.”
The government department adds that alcohol problems are more common for survivors who have ongoing health problems or pain. “Sixty to eighty percent of Vietnam Veterans seeking PTSD treatment have alcohol use problems.”
To gain a fuller understanding of alcohol use disorders among younger veterans and active-duty personnel, the Millennium Cohort Study is following a representative sample of U.S. military from 2001 to 2022. It is the largest prospective study in military history. Findings from this study suggest that Reserve and National Guard personnel and younger service members who deploy with reported combat exposures are at an increased risk for the onset of heavy weekly drinking, binge drinking and other alcohol-related problems. War veterans with PTSD and alcohol problems tend to be binge drinkers.
All service branches, the VA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are trying to address the alcohol crisis for more than just the health costs and social damage: The VA notes, vets over age 65 with PTSD are at a higher risk of suicide when they turn to alcohol.
In one project, researchers are using smart phones and wearable wireless sensors to record real-time responses to stress among veterans suffering from addictions and trauma. The VA offers a brief, anonymous and confidential tool on their website to help veterans who may have concerns about their drinking. The Drinker’s Check-Up is another easy-to-use website developed for veterans under a grant from the NIAAA.
The referral process and accessibility of treatment options for veterans with alcohol use disorders are only slightly better than the resources available to the general public today, however, the military was playing catch-up with their budgeting for such resources for the past decade. They are taking education, treatment and prevention seriously, today, as we welcome home more of our nation’s warriors from the Afghanistan war, but the resources are available to all veterans.
-- from examiner.com (see full article)
www.alcohologist.com

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Sunday, May 25, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 26

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Saturday, May 24, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 25

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Friday, May 23, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 24

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Thursday, May 22, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 23

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 22

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

New video trailer for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 21

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Monday, May 19, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 20

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Sunday, May 18, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 19

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Saturday, May 17, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 18

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Friday, May 16, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 17

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Thursday, May 15, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 16

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 15

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Support group meeting, Men for Sobriety, based on four decades of Women for Sobriety (WFS)

The full article appears in The JournalTimes (Racine, Wis.)
Positive thinking...

Being sober doesn’t mean being miserable. That’s the basic premise of a new, free support group offered in Burlington at the Agape Recovery Center, 201 N. Pine St., Burlington.

Called Men For Sobriety, these Wednesday evening sessions are not a 12-step assessment or court program, and are not intended to replace any recovery resource or counseling. Men for Sobriety is just talk, for sober men who want to stay sober, according to Scott Stevens, one of the group’s co-moderators.
“Our focus is on the positive,” said Stevens, a 47-year-old journalist and former mutual fund industry executive who has been in recovery since 2007 (www.alcohologist.com).

The program’s basic point is that the past is gone forever and, rather than going back and reliving its dark days, it is time to move on and focus on the future, Stevens said.

“Men for Sobriety is a way of life — a new life and starting over,” he said.

Based on Women For Sobriety
Burlington’s MFS group is the only one of its kind currently operating in the U.S., according to Stevens. MFS groups have been meeting in Canada and other countries for more than 16 years, he said. And both they and the Burlington group are based on an international program called Women for Sobriety.

Founded in 1975 by Jean Kirkpatrick, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s doctoral program, WFS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women overcome alcoholism and other addictions. Its self-help groups can be found across the country and focus on a 13-statement “New Life” program of positivity that encourages emotional and spiritual growth (see accompanying box for WFS info).

Like WFS, the men’s program follows 13 statements of “New Life.” “But we don’t sit around and read and memorize things,” said Stevens. “We talk about what’s happening today.”

People in recovery face a lot of stress as they deal with living in a society that seems to focus on alcohol, he said. Both alcoholics and non-alcoholics drink to relieve stress, but doing so is not a good option for alcoholics, he said. “So, let’s talk about that stress, and the shame, guilt and stigma of alcoholism.”

‘Dirty word’
Such feelings are familiar to Stevens, a Burlington resident who has authored a couple books about alcoholism (www.alcohologist.com). His work as a volunteer with the MFS program is part of his own recovery from the disease of alcoholism — a disease that is often still viewed as a “lifestyle choice” made by bad people or a “dirty word” that people are afraid to admit they have, he said.

“That type of thinking still persists,” Stevens said. “But I was the guy sitting behind you in church and playing next to you on the golf course. I’m the guy with the nice house and nice kids who has a genetic problem — once I have one drink, all bets are off and I’m just not able to say no to that second drink.”  (Read more in The JournalTimes)

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 14

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Monday, May 12, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 13

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

In the time it takes to read this article, 15 people will die an alcohol-related death

In the two and a half minutes it takes to read this story, fifteen people will die an alcohol-related death. A death toll surpassing violence, TB and AIDS combined hangs on what many view as a benign substance found in nearly every grocery store and ballpark. Alcohol, the world's third-leading cause of preventable injury and death, claims 3.3 million lives a year according to a May 12 report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Including intoxicated driving, alcohol-induced violence and a causal relationship with more than 60 diseases and disorders, alcohol causes one in 20 deaths globally every year, says the WHO. "This actually translates into one death every 10 seconds," says Shekhar Saxena, who comment on the WHO's 2014 Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health. Intoxicated motorists are responsible for one in seven of those deaths.
Alcohol caused the deaths of 7.6 percent of men and 4 percent of women who died in 2012, the year of the study data.

More people in countries where alcohol consumption has traditionally been low, like China and India, are also increasingly taking up the habit as their wealth increases, according to the WHO report. "More needs to be done to protect populations from the negative health consequences of alcohol consumption," Oleg Chestnov of the WHO's Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health unit said in a statement.

The popular misconception is that alcohol causes only the disease of alcoholism, according to alcoholism recovery book Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud. However, drinking is linked to more than 200 health conditions, including liver cirrhosis and some cancers. "Many of the diseases don't appear until years after the person stops drinking. The damage is done early and cumulatively.”

A separate 2013 oncology report (see related article) went so far as to say, “When it comes to cancer, no amount of alcohol is safe.” Alcohol abuse also makes people more prone to contracting or worsening infectious diseases like tuberculosis, HIV and pneumonia, the WHO found.

Most deaths attributed to alcohol, around a third, are caused by associated diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. This despite observational claims that a moderate amount of red wine has cardiovascular health benefits. Researcher call those claims, “wishful thinking,” and say they don't hold up in evidence-based studies (see related examiner.com article).

The world's wealthiest nations – in Europe and the Americas – are boozier than people in poorer countries, but rising wealth in emerging economies is also driving up alcohol consumption. Eastern Europe and Russia are home to the world's biggest drinkers. Russian men who drink consumed an average of 32 liters (8.5 gallons) of pure alcohol a year, according to 2010 statistics, followed by other Western countries including Europe, Canada, the United States, Australia and South Africa.

On average, every person above the age of 15 worldwide drinks 6.2 liters (about a gallon and a half) of pure alcohol in a year, according to the report. Counting only those who drink though, that rises to 17 liters (4.5 gal.) of pure alcohol each year. Nearly half the world's adult population is entirely abstinent.
-- from examiner.com (See full article)
www.alcohologist.com

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Sunday, May 11, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 12

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Saturday, May 10, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 11

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

A Mother's Day review of a new documentary on recovering moms

My recent appearance at the REEL Recovery Film Festival in San Francisco coincided with the world premier of the documentary "On Life's Terms: Mothers in Recovery."  I met filmmaker Sheila Ganz afterward, and have nothing but the greatest admiration for the work she has done.  This is a gripping one-hour that's a MUST SEE film on women facing tough odds with an eye on reuniting their families after facing their addictions.
Sheila follows five new moms facing legal challenges and the removal of their children in a criminal justice system too often known for heavy-handedness and mistreatment, rather than compassion and treatment.  The film follows the mothers through gut-wrenching stories, tears, reluctant acceptance, then growth into their "aha" moments... through the years following their program commitment and reuniting with their children.  There's also the draw of old relationships and the pull of old ways of thinking and resentments, even months and years after the moms get clean and sober.  Those moments I believe were intentionally left in the final cut to prove that all of us are recovering, not cured.  I covered my eyes, telling the screen, "DON'T DO IT."
And all this is VERY well done. 
I admit to not having a whole lot of experience with moms and recovery.  This opened my eyes.  I am glad there are resources but never realized until the film just how scarce they are.  There are only 150 mom-oriented programs in the whole country?? When the outcomes are so potentially powerful??
I have strong feelings about women risking the unborn and believe they MUST be accountable.  This film showed they can be without incarceration. Corrections and a punitive justice system do more harm than their (mis)treatment programs claim.  This film shows the positives of diverting young families away from the hostility of a lockup,  It works for the community as well as the offender and MOST IMPORTANTLY the kids.  
We all have a stake in the outcomes for mother and child.  This brilliantly executed documentary shows how it works when restorative justice trumps punitive justice ... and left me inspired to learn more and DO MORE.
You can visit www.onlifesterms.org and follow the film and a remarkable filmmaker on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/onlifestermsfilm.
www.alcohologist.com
Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international author from the UK, among his works is the Alzheimer's book "Time to Let Go."  

Friday, May 9, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 10

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Thursday, May 8, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 9

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 8

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 7

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Monday, May 5, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 6

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Cinco duh Mayo: Tequila myths, drunk driving facts

A staple of the Cinco de Mayo celebration of Mexican heritage and pride is tequila. The humorists note the agave beverage's side effects as a desire to fight in order to show off your new-found super-human strength, unexplained urges to pole dance, increased risk of your clothes falling off and discovery of a new apartment (because you don't wake up in yours). The drinking humor aside, here are five not-so-funny tequila facts.


1. Darker alcoholic beverages (e.g. red wine, brandy, whiskey and tequila) may contain chemicals called congeners -- kind of like impurities. Congeners give a liquor most of its taste or odor, and contribute to or worsen hangovers. These substances include small amounts of chemical by-products of fermentation, such as acetone. Look on a bottle of nail polish remover for another use for acetone. (Here are cinco myths I've posted about hangovers.)

2. Urban legend spins a research study into health benefits of drinking tequila. Science does not back up any health benefit.  In 2007, Mexican researchers found the agave plant – the key ingredient in tequila – has a high level of inulin, which is credited with helping digestion, reducing cholesterol and retaining more calcium in the body. (Inulin is not to be confused with insulin.) Guillermo Toriz, a researcher at the University of Guadalajara, notes, "Inulin is very good to the digestive system because it helps you to grow good bacteria." That is the good news for the agave PLANT. Toriz says all of the health benefits found in the plant that produces it are lost when it's fermented to make alcohol.  It's one of those "wishful thinking" attributes drinkers try to pin on alcohol use I mentioned April 12.

3. An open clinical trial was carried out in 2004 on eight healthy non-obese, young male volunteers who were given tequila, one shot daily. The tequila-specific study found a significant increase in their glucose concentration. This can lead to prediabetes: When a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be type 2 diabetes It is a potentially dangerous health condition leading to type 2 diabetes.

4. A single margarita can carry half of the daily calorie requirement (see related article). Tequila consists of more calories than vodka, rum and whiskey. That's before the margarita mix. One mix claiming “all natural flavors” listed it's main ingredients as high-fructose corn syrup, citric acid, sugar, corn starch, etc., totaling 30 grams of sugars and 33 grams of carbs per 4 ounces. . . and who has seen a small margarita on Cinco de Mayo?

5. Cinco de Mayo has become one of the biggest drinking holidays in the United States, and one of the deadliest. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2011 — the latest year for which statistics were available — 35 percent of crash fatalities that occurred on May 5 were alcohol-related.


These health and safety risk are above and beyond the troubles of alcohol abuse and the disease of alcoholism.  With the holiday, any holiday, drinkers can and do find a way to drink.  Many are able to drink responsibly, which doesn't necessary mean "risk free."
www.alcohologist.com

Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Sunday, May 4, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 5

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Saturday, May 3, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble, May 4

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Friday, May 2, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble: May 3

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

Thursday, May 1, 2014

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble: May 2

MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress signal used to call in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.  

MAYDAY! Sign that sobriety could be in trouble: May 1


MAYDAY MAYDAY!
It's the international distress radio call used to signal in reinforcements or rescue. This month... signs your sobriety may be giving you to warn of potential lapse or relapse.


Scroll down for the replay of the April 13 Sound Health Options show feature with Scott Stevens. Lucy Pireel's "All That's Written" included a feature on Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud called "When alcohol doesn't work for you anymore."  Details on the third literary award for Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud can be found on www.alcohologist.com, plus an interview with Scott Stevens on Health Media Now and one at Christoph Fisher Books.  Mr. Fisher is an acclaimed international historical fiction novelist from the UK.