DRUG ADDICTION

In the course of our life, almost all of us use drugs of some sort or another. A drug can be defined  as a substance  used in the diagnosis, treatment or prevention of a disease or as a component of a medication. A drug can also be defined as  a substance that alters the chemistry of our body and consequently affects the natural balance of our mind and emotions. Drugs that can be prescribed  by a doctor include substances such as penicillin which are intended to cure infections, sleeping pills, tranquilizers and anti-depressants which are intended to help a person to relax.
Drug  addiction however can be  described as an overpowering desire  or need to continue taking a drug and to obtain it by any means.Drug addiction is a condition in which  the user has a tendency to increase the dose.In drug addiction, the user has a psychological and usually physical dependence on the effects of the drug.
Drug addiction is associated with '' abstinence syndrome'' with symptoms of acute distress when the drug is withdrawn, When a person is psychologically or physically addicted to a drug, he will experience ''withdrawal symptoms'' when he stops taking the drug. Withdrawal symptoms for drug addicts may include yawning,runny nose, tears, sweating, loss of appetite, trembling, goose flesh, abdominal cramps, insomania, restlessness, vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss.The drug  actually becomes a part of the cell structure of the body. The addict comes to depend on the drug in order to function normally. The other factor is psychological dependence which may be more difficult for a drug addict withdrawing from a drug.

WHY PEOPLE TAKE DRUGS
1. As an escape- drugs  help some people  forget that they are lonely, depressed, unhappy, unemployed or poor. Some people claim that they offer an alternative when reality has become too threatening.
2. Because of peer pressure- If your friends take drugs, it can be very difficult for you to resist.People are afraid to be different.
3. Some people want to be different- Some think drug taking makes them different from every one else. It can be a way of asserting independence from parents, perhaps a way of hitting back at them.
4. Because they want to, despite the dangers.
5. Because they are addicted- they are unable to stop taking the drug.
DANGERS OF TAKING DRUGS
1. Having an accident while under the influence of drugs.
2. Some drugs may depress or stop breathing.
3.Accidental overdose may lead to unconsciousness or even death.
4. They can bring on confusion or frightening hallucinations.
5. They can cause unbalanced emotions or more serious mental disorders.
6. A first time user can become violently sick.
7. A person that uses drugs regularly may become constipated and women may cease menstruating.
8. There may be serious mental and physical effects later.
9. If a drug user starts to inject his or herself, infections leading to sore, abscesses,jaundice, blood poisoning and even hiv may follow.
Although people may use drugs to try to escape from their problems, it is not really helpful. The best way to really solve problems rather than escape from them  is to confront them head on and if necessary get help.

BENEFITS OF AEROBIC EXERCISES TO HEALTH

Living a sedentary lifestyle that is devoid of any physical activity or one that is characterized  by irregular physical activity such as seating down either reading or watching television, working with a computer or just sitting down doing nothing leads to diabetes, hypertension. arthritis, obesity etc. Regular exercises keep the muscles  in tone,  gives strength to the heart and gives you  a  vibrant and disease free life, a state of wellness.
The recommended exercises for maintaining a healthy life is called aerobic exercises. Brisk walking for 30 minutes each day, 3 to 4  days a week, cycling, swimming and jogging are all forms of aerobic exercises. Below are some of he benefits of aerobic exercises to our health;
1.Reversal of acidity  ; exercises make the body to shake leading to movements within and  without the cells. This movement causes a faster circulation of blood, increases  flow of blood in the blood vessels and of water in and out of the cells which in turn ensures that the wastes from the cells get eliminated faster.These acidic wastes no longer accumulate in and around the cells and the tissues become alkaline.
2. Increases the rate of breathing and with the increased blood circulation,  more oxygen gets to the cells and carbondioxide is eliminated from the body faster.
3. Reduction of blood pressure; exercise helps to build up the muscles of the heart, making the heart to pump more blood with less effort and efficiently. Capillaries that  were shut down because of dehydration open up and with the formation of new capillaries as one  exercises, more nutrients and oxygen are supplied to the growing muscle bulk.
4. Helps stabilize blood sugar level in diabetics; as the muscles do more work, they will require more glucose for the production of more energy. As the demand for glucose rises, less glucose becomes available in the blood for insulin to move into the cells for storage.There is improved  sensitivity to insulin, working effectively to move glucose from the blood into the cells whenever the need arises.
5. Exercises increases sweating; There are millions of sweat glands in the skin and by sweating the body gets rid of certain toxic wastes. This  is one of the ways that the body is detoxified and rendered alkaline.
5. Increases lymphatic flow ; The lymphatic system is made up of very tiny vessels which run side by side with the small arteries  and veins. In these vessels is the lymphatic fluid that empties into the lymph  nodes regionally located to serve corresponding parts of the body. The lymphatic system unlike the circulatory system has no pump to drive its fluid. It therefore depends on the contraction and relaxation of the muscles to move the fluid along the lymphatic vessels.With exercise, there is increased contraction of   the muscles and this in turn ensures increased performance of the lymphatic system.