We Restore Hope -

The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge. ~Daniel J Boorstin

Only three years ago she faced the possibility of losing her arms – now, former heroin addict Rachel Keogh is celebrating the launch of her first book.

Keogh once had arms so severely damaged from injecting heroin that doctors thought they might have to amputate them to save her life. The image of her arms, blackened from infection, brought her into the public eye in Ireland and beyond.

Keogh has now been clean for two and a half years and has written about her experiences in “Dying To Survive.”

She says she wants to change people’s views away from the stereotypical heroin addict. “It doesn’t matter where you’re coming from…nobody is immune to addiction.”

It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference. ~Tom Brokaw

According to new research, the more you smoke, the more you are likely to drink. Researchers have discovered the mutually destructive connection between smoking and alcohol. The researchers found that young people who smoke cigarettes are more prone to having their brains “primed” for alcohol addiction and drug addiction.

The researchers say the tendency is most noticeable in adolescents. Richard A. Grucza, an epidemiologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and one of the study’s authors asks whether the association may be explained by the fact that smokers are heavier drinkers, or that smokers are more sensitive to the effects of alcohol.

That’s the thing about faith. If you don’t have it, you can’t understand it. And if you do, no explanation is necessary.”

The histamine-3 receptor is important in terms of alcohol related behavior and a drug affecting that receptor may have qualities that alter alcohol-related behavior. In addition to dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that are important to the functioning of the brain also include histamine, which is better known for the regulation of allergies and stomach functioning. The histamine system of the brain is important in the regulation of the sleep cycle.

The effects of alcohol that cause liveliness and pleasure changed noticeably when a histamine-3 receptor blocker was used. The results suggest that in addition to alcohol use, histamine also contributes to the stimulating and pleasing effect of alcohol in the brain.