FREEDOM FROM ADDICTION IS POSSIBLE

This is a good time of the year to take a close look at our lives, and ask ourselves

how we really are. How is our health, our relationships? How are our children and

loved ones doing? Are we living our lives fully? Some people may have trepidation

about inwardly examining their lives, especially if there are problems such as addiction

that are running the show. We at Natural Cures™ are pleased to share with you

important information about the true nature of addiction, and some of the most

powerful pathways to healing it.

Once in a blue moon, information crosses your life that can blow it wide open. We

hope that whether you are personally faced with a dependency, or someone you know

is, you will find this information to be the very tool that touches you deeply, causes you

to say “this is it,” and impacts your own healing and/or somebody else’s.

We are so glad to bring Chris Prentiss’s work to our members this month. His

Passages Program is incredible, as is his book, The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure.

This book has the potential to save lives, so read the newsletter, buy the book and take

action. In the case of addiction, there is no time like the present. Study this newsletter

through and through, and if you allow it to affect your thoughts and beliefs, it may open

you to a whole new way of thinking about addiction, and ultimately provide you or

someone you know a real way out.

Chakra Earthsong, Editor in Chief, Natural Cures™

CHRIS PRENTISS TALKS WITH NATURAL CURES™

Chris, thanks for taking the time today to share your unique perspective on the subject

of alcoholism and addiction. Your book is so wonderful that we are honored to have the

opportunity to share it with the Natural Cures™ community.

Q. Can you tell us the single most important thing people need to realize when they

are ready to begin a healing path from addiction? Is it as simple as admitting the

problem? How do people really begin to heal?

A. That’s really two questions. The first answer is that everyone who has a drug or

alcohol problem knows it. They may not admit it, but they know it. They have secretly

tried to stop many times, but cannot. The answer to the second question about how to

begin is to realize that addiction and alcoholism are not diseases, as is commonly

believed, and they are not incurable. At Passages, every day we completely cure

dependency on drugs, alcohol and addictive behaviors such as sex addictions, gambling

and eating disorders.

Q. How can we, as friends or family members, make a difference in others’ lives and

become true support people for those we know who are suffering with either a substance

or behavioral addiction?

A. First, tell them that a complete cure is possible, probable and certain. The next step

is to read my book, The Alcoholism And Addiction Cure, and then give it to the person

who needs it along with your recommendation. It explains exactly what to do to cure all

forms of dependency on drugs, alcohol and addictive behavior.

Q. Can you tell our readers about the Passages program? Why is your program so very

successful, and how is your approach different from other such programs?

FREEDOM FROM ADDICTION IS POSSIBLE

Natural CuresTM Newsletter Volume 35

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What Is Addiction?

Addiction is generally defined as a compulsive,

physiological need for and use of a habit-forming

substance or behavior, despite harmful consequences.

Alcoholism, for instance, is not a moral failing. AA

(Alcoholics Anonymous) founders see it as a biological

illness, and consider alcoholism as well as other substance

addictions to be incurable diseases that must be managed

rather than healed. We at Natural Cures™ offer another

perspective that includes a shift of awareness to a whole

new continuum or paradigm, one that views addiction as

dependence on a substance or behavior that helps a person

cope with an underlying condition that can actually be

healed with the correct treatment opportunity. When the

underlying issues, fears, and problems are uncovered,

given the tools, the need to abuse can actually stop.

However, typically people addicted to substances cannot

stop using without physiological or psychological effects

that can make quitting close to impossible. Behavioral

addictions can be the same way, and in most cases people

need help in order to heal.

We want to address the issue of prescription drugs

because in our culture more and more people are addicted

to everything from pain killers to antidepressants, and each

year the number grows. It is estimated that abuse of

prescription drugs has doubled in a ten-year period, and is

twice that of illegal drugs. WOW! How can it be that most

of us worry about illegal street drugs, without realizing that

drug abuse is often happening right in front of our noses?

Doctors are writing billions of prescriptions a year;

websites ship addictive drugs without asking questions. It’s

easier to get prescription drugs in our society than ever

before. Some feel that this situation is created by

physicians who prescribe drugs to alleviate symptoms

rather than heal the underlying problem. This is referred to

as “doctor-induced addiction.” Both physiological and

A. One of the major differences in the Passages

program is that we believe in a cure; hardly anyone

else does. Everyone else believes in the “incurable

disease” theory, which is fatal to recovery. Many

drug treatment programs use threatening messages to

induce rehabilitation, including threats about the

dark consequences that lie ahead, not only for the

clients themselves, but their loved ones as well.

Consequences do not stop addicts or alcoholics. Only by

healing the four causes of drug addiction can one be

truly healed: chemical imbalance; unreconciled past

events; current overwhelming conditions; and things we

believe that are not true. Finding the hidden causes of

drug addiction and healing them will lead to an

immediate and permanent cure. At Passages, our success

rate speaks for itself.

Q. What is the best way for those with limited resources

to get onto a healing path?

A. The best way is to read my book and follow the

simple 3-step program in it. Thousands are finding their

way to a complete cure. Some people stop their addiction

just by reading the book; they don’t even follow the

program in it.

Q. Is it feasible to set up one’s own healing program

based on the information you offer in your book?

A. Absolutely. The steps are clearly written and anyone

can do it from where they live.

Q. What needs to change in our culture in order for

people to heal?

A. We must get rid of the mistaken idea that alcoholism

and drug addiction are incurable diseases, and we must

know that there is an absolute cure for dependency on

drugs, alcohol and addictive behavior.

Q. Why is addiction such a massive problem?

A. It’s a massive problem because it is not being

addressed in the right way. The major program in the

world today is the 12-step program, in use in nearly every

rehab in the world, which teaches that alcoholism and

addiction are incurable diseases. It labels people as

“forever broken.”

Q. Thank you so much for allowing our members to be

exposed to this type of leading-edge information. We want

people to heal from all that ails them, especially addictions.

Do you have anything else you want to share with us

before we close today?

A. To the people reading this, you are not an

alcoholic or addict, you do not have an incurable

disease, you have simply become dependent on drugs,

alcohol or addictive behavior to cope with one of the

four causes listed above. Find out which ones are causing

you to be dependent and heal them. You will find

the same freedom that tens of thousands of others

are finding by reading my book. I wish you great

good fortune. Remember, I believe in a cure, and I

believe in you!

By Chris Prentiss and Chakra Earthsong

CHRIS PRENTISS TALKS WITH NATURAL CURES™ (Continued)

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION

The Only Unbiased Newsletter of Natural Health Information in the World

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PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION (Continued)

psychological diagnostic procedures used by doctors

depend on a system of what is considered “normal,”

against which an individual is compared to determine

whether treatment is required. But, of course, each

individual has his/her own “norm,” which does not

necessarily fit the standard. The result is that conventional

treatment is a process of trial and error, which does not

always work in the patient’s favor. Pharmaceutical

companies market and promote this practice because it

is to their financial advantage to do so. Sadly, in the case

of prescription drugs, use and abuse is de rigueur in this

day and age.

In the case of addiction to prescription drugs, initially

there is a core need, followed by a continued and everincreasing

craving for the substance, because when the

body gets a drug (such as dopamine and endorphins)

from an outside source, the brain stops naturally

producing that substance. There are psychological

effects from the drugs which become associated with

feeling “normal.” The user becomes dependent on the

outside source while at the same time developing a

tolerance to them, which requires taking more and more

of the drugs to attain the same feelings they experienced

when they first started using them. However, this is

rarely achieved. Instead, the body is pushed beyond its

range of peak functionality, and its balance is damaged.

The body will attempt to avoid symptoms of withdrawal,

and the dependency is enforced. This turns into a vicious

cycle, otherwise known as addiction.

Approximately 9 million Americans used prescription

drugs for non-medical purposes in 1999, according to the

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Let’s take a

closer look at our nation’s prescription drug culture. The

Top 20 Most Abused Drugs are:

Cocaine, marijuana, heroin, Alprazolam (Xanax),

Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lorcet, Lortab), Oxycodone

(OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, Tylox), Amphetamines

(Dexedrine), Methamphetamine (Desoxyn, speed),

Clonazepam (Klonopin, Rivotril), Methadone Diazepam

(Valium), Lorazepam (Ativan), Carisoprodol (Soma),

Trazodone (Desyrel), Paroxetine (Paxil), Zolpidem

(Ambien), PCP Sertraline (Zoloft), and non-specific

barbiturates (Central Nervous System depressants).

How Addiction Affects the Brain and Body, and

Vice Versa

Drugs have three basic effects on the body:

• Stimulation: feeling “high” or energized

• Depression: feeling calm or sleepy

• Sense distortion

All of these drugs simulate unnaturally-induced states

which the body recognizes and attempts to stabilize in

order to reach homeostasis. Add to this the complication of

taking multiple medications, which remain in the body for

different lengths of time and interact with each other in

different ways. No wonder the body is confused,

dependent, and in a weakened state due to both

dependency and toxicity. While getting relief, we’re also

getting literally sicker.

Conversely, conditions of the body such as anemia,

hypoglycemia and underactive thyroid can fuel addiction,

in which case dependency is the symptom, not the

problem. Sometimes, even when a person is not using an

addictive substance but the underlying cause has not been

treated, symptoms of addiction still manifest such as anger,

depression, or insomnia, or the dependency is transferred

to obsession with work, or an eating disorder.

Withdrawal

Usually, when a person stops taking a prescription drug

for a few weeks, the underlying symptoms surface and can

be addressed. However, the dependent person usually goes

into “withdrawal” if the drugs are withdrawn abruptly

because the body has grown to expect the drugs. In the case

of a stimulant such as amphetamine, the symptoms often

include grogginess or sleeping for long periods. With

narcotics or alcohol, the calming effects of the chemicals

disappear, resulting in irritability, inability to sleep, and

possibly seizures. The brain tells the body that it needs the

missing substance, creating cravings; consequently, giving

up the drug is very difficult.

The addicted person is unable to stop using the drug

even though it has destructive consequences. After

prolonged use of an addictive substance, the brain virtually

becomes “re-wired.” Thus, addicts are not just weakwilled;

their brains react to drugs differently, and they

simply cannot stop without help.

Common Symptoms of Addiction

• Relief from anxiety

• Changes in mood, from a sense of well-being

to belligerence

• False feelings of self-confidence

• Increased sensitivity to sights and sounds,

including hallucinations

• Altered activity levels such as long periods of

sleep or frenzied activity

• Unpleasant or painful symptoms when substance

is withdrawn

Risks forAddiction

Statistically, the risk for addiction is greatest among

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PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION (Continued)

women, the elderly, and adolescents. Women are two to

three times more likely to be prescribed drugs such as

sedatives, and about two times more likely to become

addicted. Seniors take more drugs than the rest of the

population, increasing their odds of becoming addicted.

Recent national studies show that the sharpest increase of

users of prescription drugs for non-medical purposes

occurs in the 12 to 17 and 18 to 25 age groups. The

following are also considered risk factors for addiction:

• Medical condition that requires pain medication

• Family history of addiction

• Excess alcohol consumption

• Fatigue or overwork

• Poverty

• Depression, dependency, poor self-concept,

obesity

Treatment

Traditional methods of treatment include detoxification,

or “detox,” which is conducted under medical supervision

during the withdrawal phase. This type of detoxification is

different than the type we refer to when using colon

therapy, or doing a colon, liver or kidney cleanse.

Withdrawal symptoms may range from mild irritability to

severe depression, seizures, and in the most extreme cases,

even death. Other common withdrawal symptoms include

anxiety, panic, depression, incoherent thoughts, muscle

cramps, vomiting, and nausea. Detoxification can be

accomplished via inpatient, outpatient, day patient, and

follow-up modes.

Rapid Detox Treatment for Opiate Addiction, which

helps rid the patient of cravings and withdrawal symptoms

within a matter of hours instead of days, is appropriate

in some cases. This is accomplished while the patient is

under general anesthesia. Opiates include such prescription

drugs as Demerol, OxyContin, Vicodin, Percodan,

Dilaudid, and Darvocet.

In conjunction with an alternative health care

professional such as an integrative medical doctor who can

run tests to determine the cause of the malady, natural

treatment methods may include:

• Acupuncture for balance and vitality

• Sessions with a psychotherapist

• Yoga and other physical training

• Meditation

• Dietary changes

• Support group

In order to realize the happiness and balance that most of

us seek, we encourage people to embrace rather than repel

their core feelings, by facing the truth. Use of prescription

drugs veils the real nature of our lives, our health, and our

relationships. It shuts down the body’s natural alarm

system and can adversely affect not only our physical and

mental health, but also our ability to lead an honest and

rich life. Continue reading to learn about our highest

recommendations on a treatment program. No matter what

path to healing you choose, do consider finding a

substance abuse program where you can heal yourself,

regain control of your life, and begin to love yourself and

your life again.

By Samaya Jones and Chakra Earthsong

ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS CAN RUN YOUR LIFE

Are you, or someone you know, dealing with issues of

substance or behavior dependency? When we talk about

addiction, we are not only referring to alcohol and other

ingestibles, but also about behavioral patterns. All of

these are multi-dimensional compulsivities involving a

person’s body and brain chemistry, their relationships

and environment, as well as their behaviors and choices.

Addictive behaviors are indicators of a disconnection

from mental, spiritual, cultural and emotional health.

At first blush, you might think this does not concern

you. But, before we go on, we ask you to take an indepth

look at yourself and your lifestyle choices.

Addiction is a complicated subject, and addictions can

express themselves in many ways and forms, from

excessive food cravings, binging and purging, and

emotional eating, to excessive use of electronic screens

such as television, Internet and video games. Gambling,

over-exercising and overindulgence in sex are addictive

behaviors that are more common than you might realize.

There are also emotional addictions such as rage, worry,

fear, anxiety, stress, drama, sabotage, and selfrejection/

self-importance, all of which we call process

addictions. If you think of behavioral addictions as ways

to express core feelings that are being avoided, you will

be on the right track.

Some of the most dangerous behavioral offenders are

elusive. For instance, work addiction is especially

deceptive because it can be difficult to draw the line and

to know the difference between good, hard work and the

compulsive web overworking can spin. When people are

caught in work or stress addictions, they may eventually

sacrifice their bodies, health, families and friendships.

Excessive work or stress can so easily mask the core

feelings that we lose perspective.

The Only Unbiased Newsletter of Natural Health Information in the World

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ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS CAN RUN YOUR LIFE (Continued)

Facing addiction requires healing our core issues of

abandonment, toxic shame, which is a feeling or sense

that there is something basically wrong with us,

isolation, and separation from ourselves, God and

others. Once treatment is sought, be aware that many

people are released from treatment programs at the peak

of detoxification when a maximum amount of the

addictive substance is circulating in their bloodstream

and flooding their cells. This is one reason why so many

treatment programs result in low success rates, with

people returning over and over again. It is also why a

holistic, many-pronged approach is critical.

By sustaining a behavioral addiction, we give up our

chance at having an authentic life in order to avoid

experiencing our own pain. Everything you read in this

newsletter can apply to both ingestible and behavioral

addiction, so ask yourself if you are running an

addiction that is keeping you from living the life you

were given.

By Chakra Earthsong, and Diamond and River Jameson

The Jamesons are the founding directors of the Total

Integration Institute. For over 30 years they have been

guiding others through events and workshops on healing

at the core. To order their Freedom from Addiction and

Compulsion CD, or to learn more about their work, go

to TotalIntegrationInstitute.com, or call 520.615.9811.

AROUND THE WATER COOLER

This month’s issue of the Natural Cures™ newsletter

caused our staff to be more self-reflective than usual, as

we considered our chocolate and coffee cravings. Some

admitted to not really understanding that feelings such

as sadness and anger could be regarded as addictive

behaviors if used over and over to avoid deeper feelings.

We discussed how we joke about being addicted to

something like exercise, which is thought to be a

good thing, yet could be used as an avoidance tool. No

pun intended to say that this conversation had a sobering

effect. You have our support in making the very best

choices you can, and if you find yourself in a rut with

a type of pattern that is not serving you, to take steps

toward change.

COLON CLEANSING CAN HELP WITH ADDICTION

If you have a substance or behavioral dependency,

yet are not caught too deeply in the addictive cycle,

there is a reasonable chance that cleansing and

detoxifying using colon cleansing products, whole,

organic fruits and vegetables, freshly made vegetable

juices, and herbal teas, just might elicit a breakthrough.

We are referring to a type of cleansing that is quite

different from the detoxification process experienced at

a “detox” center, which is focused on deep cellular

clearing of substances such as drugs and alcohol, and is

designed for withdrawal. This type of detoxification is

best accomplished in an environment designed for this

type of process.

People overusing recreational or pharmaceutical

drugs, or consuming too much alcohol, caffeine or

sugar, may want to break the addictive cycle. Colon

cleansing and liver flushing, accompanied by colon

therapy, can sometimes do the trick. These modalities

help release old toxins, and support a new set of

healthier options.

On NaturalCures.com™ we offer in-depth

instructions for colon cleansing, and in past issues

of the Natural Cures™ Newsletter, we published

our Colon Cleanse, as well as The Natural Cures™

Quick and Easy Cleanse. We encourage you to try one

of these cleanses to help break the vicious cycle. A

well-priced, easy-to-use cleansing product is the

Almighty Cleanse®. Find ordering information on

NaturalCures.com™.

By the Natural Cures™ Staff

MOVEMENT & EXERCISE ARE IMPORTANT TO HEALING

Unless you are abusing exercise as an addictive

behavior, which is not a healthy choice, engaging

in exercise can be a hugely important part of any

healing process. Research shows that those who

consistently exercise are happier, healthier, and more

motivated in their lives to make intelligent and

reflective decisions.

When in the middle of a healing process, the most

attractive forms of exercise are often those that open

one to deeper spiritual awareness. The more

contemplative types of movement such as Tai Chi, Qi

Gong, and various types of yoga, as well as jumping on

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MOVEMENT & EXERCISE ARE IMPORTANT TO HEALING (Continued)

a mini-trampoline or rebounding, free dance, and NIA

(Neuromuscular Integrative Action), can be incredibly

supportive and healing. A good sweat from a healthy

workout is especially important for a body going

through major healing. Our favorite form of

cardiovascular exercise continues to be burst training.

The Xiser is the preferred tool, by which in just six

minutes a day you can boost your energy and

metabolism, and really get your blood flowing.

Whether you walk, hike, bike, jump, stretch, dance,

burst or sprint, take a step towards your healing process

today with movement. The most important aspect of

exercising is to do it!

By the Natural Cures™ Staff

HEALING ADDICTION HOLISTICALLY

What do dependency on alcohol or other substances,

behaviors such as binge eating, shopping ‘til you drop,

and verbally abusing your loved ones, all have in

common? They’re all addictions - defenses or coping

mechanisms used to avoid experiencing pain.

The Alcohol and Addiction Cure by Chris Prentiss is a

new book which redefines addiction as an underlying

physiological or psychological problem, the symptoms of

which are alleviated by dependence on a substance or

behavior. This book is a wake-up call for many who

struggle with dependencies. It’s more than a how-to

program. It acknowledges the role of energy, listening at

the cellular level, and wisdom in the role of healing.

Prentiss does not consider addiction to be a disease, but

rather an out-of-balance body, which can drive a need to

medicate unpleasant feelings.

Healing is considered a process of transformation, a

literal change from one state of being to another. When an

underlying problem is addressed and treated, the nature of

a person becomes fundamentally different, and a

metamorphosis occurs.

To re-establish balance, or homeostasis, as it is called in

the medical world, a personalized program is needed with

a carefully selected support team to treat the body, mind,

emotions, and spirit to stimulate self-healing potential. In

addition to a medical doctor, who can run laboratory tests

to diagnose physiological problems, the therapies may

include:

• chemical dependency counseling

• a psychologist to discuss abuse and get in

touch with feelings

• family therapy to work through addiction

behavior-related family issues

• group therapy for peer support

• a holistically oriented nutritionist to address

underlying deficiencies

• an exercise program

• chiropractic care and other bodywork

• acupuncture to promote the body’s vitality

and balance

• homeopathy

• qigong, yoga, or other activity to

harmonize the body and spirit

• visualization and meditation

• hypnosis to help create a positive self-image

and change unwanted patterns

• EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, or

tapping, to release negative feelings

and beliefs

In homeopathy, the underlying illness is treated with a

small dose of a substance which would cause that illness,

the theory being that the body will fight off the foreign

substance and in the process, quell the illness.

Physical training and exercise is proving to be more

and more important in every aspect of health. It not only

tones and strengthens the physical body, it also flushes

toxins, gets blood (which carries nutrients) circulating,

and stimulates production of endorphins and other

substances which support feelings of well-being. A few

sessions with a personal trainer can help identify areas

that need work, and the best ways to address them, which

can range from walking your dog every morning to burst

training - short, intense exertions of energy that increase

the heart and breath rate. Go to burstforhealth.com or call

800.756.9073 for more information on burst training.

Qigong or chi kung is an aspect of Traditional Chinese

Medicine involving the coordination of breathing patterns

with physical postures and motions of the body. It is

mostly taught for health maintenance, but is also used as

a therapeutic intervention. It is very toning and balancing

for the whole being. Eastern Medicine therapies,

including herbs, acupuncture, acupressure and

reflexology, have proven to be very beneficial to people

recovering from addiction imbalances.

Visualization is where the healing journey starts,

serving as a compass toward recovery. It is the art and

practice of creating. Meditation brings in wisdom and

experience beyond the rational mind. It is the art and

practice of listening and observing. The most basic

meditation technique is to sit in a comfortable position,

The Only Unbiased Newsletter of Natural Health Information in the World

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FILM REVIEW: Things We Lost In The Fire

HEALING ADDICTION HOLISTICALLY (Continued)

close the eyes, and simply observe the breath - in and out.

Even five minutes every morning is centering. Usually the

experience becomes so pleasant that the time is naturally

extended. Mini-meditation breaks can be done throughout

the day to help let go of stress and negativity, focus one’s

energy, and open fresh eyes to the world around.

Chiropractic care is based on the precept that the spine

houses the Central Nervous System, which affects nearly

every function of the body. If the spine is out of

alignment, it may cause pain, as well as impinge on

nerves, causing many illnesses throughout the body. A

good chiropractic adjustment can literally “get one’s head

on straight.”

There are various types of bodywork that can help

dislodge old, stuck injuries, whether physical or

emotional. We store trauma in our beings, which can lead

to a lifetime of discomfort. Releasing old wounds is one

way to remove sources of pain that are often masked by

addictive means. Bodywork modalities include deep

tissue, cranial-sacral, Rolfing, Reiki, Feldenkrais, and

many more.

High quality nutrition is an essential element of all

healing programs. Nourishing our bodies in a world that

is rife with pollution and processed, chemically-laden

foods is a challenge in itself. If you are dealing with an

addiction, you may be dealing with a nutritional

deficiency and with toxicity. Loading the body with

super nutrition is a must. Doing cleanses, drinking ample

water to flush the systems, and dry brushing the skin (the

main eliminative organ) are all methods of purifying the

body and helping it heal. For more information on these

protocols, go to NaturalCures.com™.

Whatever methods are chosen, it is important that you

form a healing team of quality professionals, and that

these people believe in your ability to heal. Regular

communication between team members is necessary in

order to work with the underlying causes, as well as the

symptoms that are being treated. A residency program is

also highly recommended, where everything from

therapy through nutrition is available. An integrative

medical approach combined with personal vision is a

winning combination for healing. For more information

on the Passages Program, the residential healing program

designed by Chris Prentiss, go to passgesmalibu.com or

call 888.777.8535.

By Samaya Jones

Holding on through the withdrawal from narcotics

addiction is unspeakably intense. Holding on through

Susanne Bier’s amazing new film, Things We Lost In The

Fire, may feel equally wrenching, but if you stick with it,

it is so worth it, like getting “clean.” Based on a very real

and unhurried-paced script by Allan Loeb, “Things We

Lost…” examines the depth of love, loss and addiction

just as it examines every pore and expression of the

principals’ faces, making for a slow and substantive

elegy to life, death and the pull of forces in between.

We see the beautiful Seattle family, a multi-racial

couple of deep lovers (David Duchovny and Halle

Berry as Audrey in her most profound performance

since Monster’s Ball) and their two exquisite children.

We feel, more than see, the shattering of their

foundation when the police car pulls up to their house

to deliver the news that Duchovny’s character has

been shot dead when, on a run to town for ice-cream,

he heroically tried to intervene in a couple’s violent

domestic squabble. And, we see the astonishing

transition as the new male figure that enters into

and ultimately heals this family, is none other than the

late husband’s heroin-besotted best friend from

childhood, Jerry (played awesomely by Benicio Del

Torro), the friend who has been so unable to heal

himself, the friend who Audrey hated and feared

because her husband kept supporting him with regular

handouts and visits to his crack-house flat, in the

dodgiest area of town. By turns, across the movie’s arc,

she alternately despises him, blames him, casts him out

and then brings him all the way into the fractured

family, at one point even into her bed, in a totally

unexpected way.

Halle Berry’s drawing of her character takes immense

courage, and she hits all the right notes as she drags you

through the nightmare of an irreconcilable event that

blows her wholeness to bits. But the true wonder here is

Benicio Del Torro’s deft characterization of addiction.

From a rank addict to someone trying hard to clean up,

back into the jaws of his need and again to “clean,” Del

Torro is simply magnificent.

Over the course of so many drug-laced films there

have been many depictions of the addict’s yearning,

insatiable and self-destructive. It is easy to overplay the

role, and you often come away wondering if the actor

ever actually experienced the throes of true narcotics

Natural CuresTM Newsletter Volume 35

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FILM REVIEW: Things We Lost In The Fire (Continued)

BOOK REVIEW: Never Smoke Again

By Grant Cooper, M.D.

addiction in real life, whether the portrayal is truly how

withdrawal and craving look and feel. But Del Torro’s

addict is subtle, self-aware, and wise about his addictive

fall and subsequent path. When a deeply depressed

Audrey asks Jerry what heroin feels like, he replies,

“Have you ever heard the saying ‘Touched by God’? You

chase it. It’s everything the first time, and then you chase

that initial feeling. You never get it back. Oh, sure, you

get high, but you never get back to that first allencompassing

feeling.” He is acutely aware of the

paradox of being so wise and clear about his magnetism

to the drug, yet ultimately incapable of resisting it, and he

never overreaches. When you finish seeing him go

through his agonizing week-long cleanse and decision to

accept help for his future, you know he now has a bigger

reason than himself to stay clean, in the love of this

family that has allowed him in, and you know you’ve

seen what drug addiction truly looks like.

Many films of this nature go through the motions,

striking all the most obvious emotional chords that would

come from deep loss and deep dependency. What makes

this film work and feel so beautiful, is the way it

examines the many other nuances and emotional states

not usually brought to light, a very full and rich palette of

life in all its horror, immensity, and resolution. Go see

Things We Lost In The Fire. Whether you want to know

more about love, dissolution, or addiction, this gorgeous

and heart-rending film will teach you as much about

those things as a movie possibly can.

By Kai Earthsong

Once upon a time in America, smoking was considered

a cool and sophisticated thing to do. Hollywood would

show screen stars like Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis

lighting up in countless smoke-filled movie scenes. Meanwhile,

cigarette companies would pump out catchy

commercial jingles that equated cigarettes with social

success and maximum style, class, and comfort. The result

is that Americans were taught to think there was

no danger in smoking. Of course, subsequent scientific

evidence has correctly exposed cigarettes as a terribly

addictive and life-threatening poison. And what of

Humphrey Bogart? He died from lung cancer at age 57, as

did other famous “smoking” Hollywood actors like Steve

McQueen, Yul Brenner, and Robert Mitchum, among

others. Even Wayne McClaren, one of the world-famous

“Marlboro Men” featured in print and TVads in the 1970s,

died of lung cancer at age 51. Coincidence? No.

It isn’t easy to stop smoking. Yet according to the

American Lung Association, well over 45 million

Americans have already quit. They found the method

that worked for them and stuck to it. Often it wasn’t the

first method they tried. In fact, most smokers attempt to

quit several times before they are successful, before they

find the technique that works for them. Written by Grant

Cooper, M.D., Never Smoke Again (Square One, $12.95)

can help you find the method that’s right for you so that

you quit this useless habit permanently.

Never Smoke Again begins by taking a long, hard look

at cigarettes, at why you smoke them, and at how they

keep you coming back for more, even when you want

desperately to toss them away. It then presents ten

chapters, each of which focuses on one of the following

top techniques for quitting smoking: cold turkey;

tapering off; nicotine patch; nicotine gum; nicotine

lozenges; nicotine nasal spray; nicotine inhaler; Zyban;

Chantix; and hypnosis.

For each stop-smoking method, you’ll discover what

the method is, how it works, how you can best use it,

what its risks and drawbacks are, and how effective it is

compared with other available techniques. Special Pros

and Cons sections highlight the important features of

each method, making it easier to pick the tool or tools

that are most suited to your needs. A Resources list

guides you to organizations that can provide further

information and support, rounding out your arsenal of

anti-smoking weapons.

At the center of the book is Dr. Cooper’s strong

organization of the material and sensitive and supportive

tone. Dr. Cooper first became interested in smoking

cessation when his uncle struggled to kick the habit, and

finally achieved his goal of living tobacco-free.

If you are a smoker and have read this far, then you

know that you have within you the strength and resolve

needed to kick the smoking habit forever. Never Smoke

Again will show you how to access that power, team it

up with a proven quitting technique, and begin a new,

healthy, cigarette-free life. Compliments of Square One

Publishers, SquareOnePublishers.com.