Addiction Solution Source

Peter R. Martin, professor of psychiatry and pharmacology and director of the Vanderbilt Addiction Center at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, was a corresponding author for a recent research report that found Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) participants are heavy users of coffee and cigarettes.

“Most individuals (88.5%) consumed coffee and approximately 33 percent drank more than four cups per day. The most common self-reported reasons were because of coffee’s stimulatory effects: feeling better, better concentration, greater alertness.

More than half of the respondents (56.9%) smoked cigarettes; of those, 78.7 percent smoked at least half a pack per day, and more than 60 percent were considered highly or very highly dependent. The most common self-reported reasons were because of smoking’s reduction of “negative affect,” which refers to depression, anxiety and irritability. “Many of these negative affective states are described by patients as contributors or triggers to relapse after periods of sobriety,” said Martin.

Even though it does not seem to appear in the report, I am sure that most of those coffee drinkers are dumping large amounts of sugar (or sugar substitutes which are just as bad) into their coffee.

Why?

Because most alcoholics are hypoglycemic and have a difficult time processing sugar – they can’t get enough! They also may be addicted to caffeine.

Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D., is an internationally recognized physician, author, medical researcher and pioneer in orthomolecular medicine.

In 1960 he met Bill Wilson, co-founder of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and talked about using Niacin (Vitamin B-3) to help alcoholics. Bill W. was very interested in using it and he tested it with positive results.

Bill W. was a supporter of using Niacin but unbelievably his ideas were originally rejected by the AA International Headquarters because he was not a medical doctor!  View the video (9 1/2 minutes) to hear the story.

An interesting side note is that Vitamin B-3 is also good for balancing your cholesterol levels.

Alcohol addiction is basically a sugar addiction. Hypoglycemia ( low blood sugar) is a factor for about 95 percent of alcoholics, and it may well be a major cause of alcoholism.

Alcohol is the ultimate refined carbohydrate, capable of elevating blood sugar levels even faster than white sugar. Consuming alcohol gives a temporary rise in blood sugar so the drinker feels relaxed and energized. When blood sugar drops, the person wants more. It is highly recommended that you take a lab test for hypoglycemia to help analyze your condition.

Brigitte Mars, author of Addiction-Free Naturally, states that when you quit drinking, it’s essential that you feed your body a cleansing, healthy diet that supplies the nutrients it needs to recover from alcohol abuse. It is important to keep the body’s blood sugar level stable by eating small, frequent meals. Avoid sugar, sweets, sweetened fruit juices, caffeine, and refined carbohydrates such as breads and pasta. Eat plenty of vegetables and whole grains and drink plenty of water.

When you have a craving for alcohol, try any of the following foods: