Although alcohol affects virtually every cell in the body’s system, the liver takes the most punishment. It is the liver that processes and attempts to render harmless toxic substances, such as alcohol and drugs, which find their way into our bloodstream.

Excesses of alcohol - as little as three drinks per day - and even over the counter drugs taken orally, can overtax the liver’s purifying machinery, eventually causing it to malfunction.

If you drink every day (especially so if you normally have three or more drinks) it is imperative that you have your liver checked and, if necessary, take immediate action.

A fatty liver is almost universal among those who drink alcohol excessively. An alcohol dependent person may not notice any liver damage symptoms and continue to drink to excess.

With abstinence and a healthier lifestyle coupled with supplements like Tyrosine, Magnesium, Ultimate Gut Health, Gaba and LivaTone Plus, the liver almost always returns to normal.  Good nutrition and additional supplements can help speed the return of normal liver function. However, total abstinence requires addressing out-of-control emotions with an addiction counsellor using dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a 12 Step Program, active meditation and exercise.

In DBT there is a strong emphasis on mindfulness and acceptance. When we are mindful, we live in the present and are aware of our own thoughts and feelings as they occur. To live one day at a time takes the pressure off past and pending problems once you know how to emotionally detach from people, places, things and situations.

When we are pre-occupied with our own neediness, we can be physically present to others, but mentally absent. Being mindful means having intention in your actions. With intention you purposefully choose your behavior (not to drink) with the bigger picture in mind.

Learning how to be mindful of one’s thinking, emotions and behavior, complements a healthy life without the need to use alcohol to escape reality.  DBT enables us to understand our feelings and untangle complicated emotions- it ends cycles of depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

Active meditation is another tool that assists the sub-conscious mind to change limited beliefs and change thought patterns that produce negative emotions.

The 12 step program is a systematic way of looking at alcohol dependency and taking the right steps to actually beating this disease. By accepting and then resolving the problems that it caused, it is possible to finally recover and return to life without that substance.  It is a method which has proven ability for helping people to beat their addictions and to get a real and meaningful life again without the crutch that they may have relied on for many years. Used in conjunction with DBT and active meditation, the 12 Step Program provides another resource in recovering from alcohol abuse.