Everyone has their drug of choice.  It could be sugar, alcohol, drugs or any of the behavioral addictions. Ice use is rampant in our society and many ideas have been discussed except one - allergies! The thing that worries me is the number of allergic kids taking drugs. Getting these kids off drugs is next to impossible if the allergies are not treated at the same time.  I’ve treated mainly alcohol and sugar addiction with only a few Ice users and the usual case history is as follows. As children they had obvious symptoms of allergy but have never been diagnosed.  It’s only now that people are becoming aware of sugar and gluten and observing their own reaction to what they eat. They always feel sick, tired, unwell and often hyped up, though nothing showed up in tests. They spent their childhood being taken from doctor to doctor with no accurate diagnosis for their attention-seeking behavior. Diagnosis is often supported by low achievement at school and varying degrees of antisocial behavior. Children often go through life in a state of quiet desperation, often suffering from depression, which frequently manifests as anger, resentment and self-pity. A feeling of low self-esteem, disenchantment and inability to cope leads kids into mood-altering recreational drugs in an attempt to elevate their spirits and physical disposition. Drugs don’t prove to be the full answer but only gives them temporary respite for the time they are taking them.  Marijuana is usually the choice of the hyperactive young person, often described as “hyped up or overly sensitive” by their parents.  Alcohol is a depressant and exacerbates their depression but few teenagers are aware of this vicious cycle. A few years ago it was the norm to be offered a joint but these days, it’s the ice pipe that’s passed around. Where will this lead to? A generation of desperate, drug-fueled violent behavior against society in general. Alcohol dependent and drug dependent people carry a genetic predisposition to allergy handed down from the father, mother or a grandparent on either side of the family. I’ve often spoken to patients who vehemently deny there is any addiction in the family but they fail to look at how the addiction manifested in their own parents. An addiction is an addiction, whether it is sugar, alcohol, prescription drugs, drugs or a behavioral addiction; it’s still an addiction. Counseling patients with alcohol or drug issues includes looking at the correlation between brain chemistry and allergies to food. Gluten intolerance is often found in alcoholics and drug addicts. More information can be obtained by seeking help from your addiction counselor. I recommend amino acids to help balance brain chemistry and a good liver tonic to help repair liver damage. Specific amino acids are essential for the liver to breakdown toxins and drugs and also for efficient metabolism in the liver. Glutamine. This amino acid is required for phase two detoxification in the liver and is required in increased amounts by those who consume excessive alcohol. It is able to reduce the craving for alcohol. Glutamine supplementation is helpful for intestinal disorders such as peptic ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut is the term used to describe an inflamed condition of the lining of the bowel, which makes the bowel too permeable, so that toxins and incompletely digested food particles can be absorbed from the bowels directly into the liver. This increases the workload of the liver and may cause many health problems. Glutamine is essential for the white cells to fight viruses such as hepatitis B and C. Glutamine is converted in the body into glutamic acid, which, along with the amino acids cysteine and glycine, is converted into the powerful liver protector glutathione. Glutathione is essential for liver phase two conjugation reactions used during detoxification of drugs and toxic chemicals. Glutamine can be found in our Ultimate Gut Health Powder. Livatone is a natural liver tonic containing the liver herbs St Mary’s Thistle, Globe Artichoke and Dandelion, combined with the amino acid Taurine, and Lecithin. It also contains natural sources of Chlorophyll, Carotenoids and fiber. It is available in both capsule and powder form. The liver is the main fat burning organ in the body and regulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism. A healthy liver will take fat in the form of cholesterol and pump it via the bile into the intestines where it will be carried away in the bowel actions provided the diet is high in fiber. Tyrosine Mood Food - Tyrosine is a natural amino acid - one of the building blocks of protein.  It is required for the manufacture of the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) dopamine and noradrenaline.  These neurotransmitters are required for concentration, alertness, memory and a happy, stable mood. Magnesium – the great relaxer. Magnesium plays an essential role in maintaining and promoting efficient muscle function and nerve transmission. Magnesium is a vital mineral for hundreds of cellular enzymes involved in the body's energy production and metabolism. It is required by the nervous system to regulate the function of nerves and muscles. Magnesium may also assist in the reduction of stress, nervous tension, anxiety and sleeplessness.   The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.