Addiction

Kratom has both saved and ruined lives. Clearer labeling could help. After weaning off Suboxone, Nicole Sanchez was opioid free for 11 years—that is, until she walked into a Sunoco gas station [...]

The science behind “Crazy Cat Ladies”   Are you a cat or dog person? This question is more than just a conversational icebreaker. Your answer may determine whether you’re more or less likely to [...]

Pain remedies your surgeon might not know about. After undergoing surgery or surviving an accident, it’s routine to receive a prescription for opioids (narcotics) – a class of drugs that includes [...]

As more research emerges on cannabis and psychedelic substances like psilocybin, it’s becoming nearly impossible to ignore their medical merits. And as we look back on the history of these [...]

A psychedelic plant used to heal addictions.   In this video by Psychedelic Spotlight, I answer common questions about the psychedelic medicine ibogaine, like: Does ibogaine work for [...]

Smart choices for a happy brain In last week’s post I explored the ways in which inflammation can cause depression. The science shows that we cannot blame genetics alone for depression, and [...]

Move over serotonin, inflammation is the new target of depression treatment   Is inflammation a bad thing? Not necessarily: Inflammation helps the cells of the immune system fight infections [...]

What vitamin B3 has to do with addiction   Taking a vitamin B3 (niacin) supplement may help treat alcohol use disorder and ease the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol use disorder (AUD, [...]

The versatile vitamin’s mechanisms of action   This article serves as Part 3 in my series on vitamin C, pain, and opioid use disorder. Check out Part 1 to learn about the vitamin’s use in [...]

What we know about ascorbate for withdrawal and cravings Part 2 in my three-part series on vitamin C, pain, and opioid use disorder.   I first heard that vitamin C could help with opioid use [...]

Why you should never, ever take Tylenol after drinking. Acetaminophen (also known as Paracetamol, and sold under the brand name Tylenol in North America) is a contentious drug, and one that I [...]

Our immune systems consist of two parts: the innate (or general) immune system and the adaptive (or acquired) immune system. In this video, I explain the basics of these immune systems, [...]

Sew a button back onto an old shirt, donate a box of old clothes you never wear, trim your fingernails, tune the guitar. These are the little things we can do to start waking ourselves up, to [...]

In this webinar recording, Dr. Erica Zelfand covers a broad range of topics including what psilocybin is, how it works, and who might potentially benefit from having access to psilocybin therapy. [...]

Although the ideal way to use ketamine in the treatment of depression and mood disorders likely entails receiving the treatment in a safe and comfortable setting, in an unrushed atmosphere, with [...]

Unlike conventional pharmaceuticals, psychedelic medicines offer both brain chemistry-altering science and mystical experiences. The nuances and proposed mechanisms of these synergistic [...]

MTHF-Huh? MTHFR stands for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, a gene that codes for an enzyme of the same name. However, if the MTHFR gene is mutated, the enzyme produced is imperfectly [...]

In this video, I discuss some of the challenges to forgiving others that have hurt us and explore creative ways to heal our hearts anyway. I draw on personal experiences from my own life, my [...]

Electronic cigarettes (“E-cigs”) are gaining popularity. But could they do more harm than good? Electronic cigarettes (also referred to as “e-cigs”) offer smokers a less smoky, less stinky [...]