Lasting Health Effects of Drug Addiction

A few moments of pleasure can easily turn into a lifetime of pain for unsuspecting drug addicts.Even after an addiction has been treated, the health effects of drug addiction can linger. Sadly, many drug users will inject, ingest or inhale a substance without giving any serious thought to the consequences. Outside of lost jobs and ruined relationships, drug addicts will also face setbacks when it comes to their health.

 

Weakened Immune System

Drugs that are inhaled will cause damage to the nose, throat and lungs. This will lead to increased risk of lung infections and upper respiratory tract infections. Methamphetamines contribute to decreased immune function by drying out the mucous membranes. Defective mucous membranes are not able to help the body in its removal of harmful bacteria. This will allow foreign bacteria to wreak havoc on the addict’s body. Even when a drug is used just a few times, the health effects of drug addiction are plentiful, and chilling.

 

Brain Dysfunction

A number of drugs contain chemicals that are structured similarly to those created by the brain. Using such drugs will send those chemicals to the brain and activate nerve cells under false pretenses. Other drugs trick the brain into releasing high amounts of neurotransmitters that stimulate the reward center of the brain. In order to compensate for this release, the brain begins producing less and less of these chemicals. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult for drug addicts to experience feelings of joy and pleasure.

 

Damage to the Cardiovascular System

Drugs like marijuana and cocaine will create an irregular heart rate and constrict the blood vessels. This will force the heart to work at an elevated intensity. If the heart is forced to work too hard for too long, then it will not be able to supply adequate amounts of oxygen to the rest of the body. This can result in chronic muscle fatigue, stroke and cardiac arrest.

 

Infertility

Long-term drug use can have an impact on a couple’s ability to conceive children naturally. Male addicts may experience low sperm count, poor sperm mobility and low amounts of seminal fluid. Female addicts may experience disruptions in their menstrual cycles and destruction of mature eggs in the ovaries.

 

Tooth Decay

Drugs like ecstasy and meth can cause dry mouth. Without enough saliva in the mouth, harmful bacteria will have free reign on tooth enamel. In other cases, tooth decay occurs in response to cravings brought on by drug use. For example, marijuana use produces cravings for junk food. The additional sugar will eat away at enamel.

 

Toxic Neuropathy

Putting drugs into the body will interfere with how the body communicates with itself. When nerves are unable to communicate, it is often the result of toxic neuropathy. This disorder produces tingling and numbness in various parts of the body.

 

Addicts who receive treatment may be able to regain some nerve functions. Treatment centers like the Action Recovery Group, for example, will be able to implement a safe 12-step recovery program that will help restore the mind and body of drug addicts.

 

Addicts are constantly chasing the euphoric feeling of their very first high. As they continue to search, they end up taking their bodies down in the process. Once they decide to get help, they can begin taking steps towards reversing some of those damages.

Categories: carcinogens, dangers of drugs, Drug, drug abuse, drug addiction, drug addicts, harmful bacteria, health effects, Health Risks, Infertility, mucous membranes, nbsp addicts

The Mum Shun: Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

When you find out you’re going to be a mother, you want to do what’s best for your baby’s wellness as soon as possible. You start taking care of your wellbeing by adding healthy foods to your diet, but do you know the nutrition nightmares to avoid? Here’s our list of foods you should steer clear of during pregnancy.

 

1. High-mercury seafood: Too much mercury could damage your baby’s developing nervous system, and you’ll find high levels of the toxin particularly in big and old fish. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pregnant women should avoid swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. You’re OK to eat up to 12 ounces (340 grams) of tuna a week.

 

2. Raw, under cooked or contaminated seafood: These kinds of seafood are likely to contain harmful bacteria or viruses, so avoid raw fish and shellfish, especially oysters and clams. You are fine to eat smoked seafood if it’s canned, shelf-stable or an ingredient in a cooked dish, but you should avoid refrigerated smoked seafood, such as lox.

 

3. Under-cooked meat, poultry and eggs: Pregnancy increases your risk of bacterial food poisoning, gives you more severe reactions than you might experience when not pregnant, and, in rare cases, food poisoning affects the baby, too. Cook all meats, poultry and eggs properly and avoid refrigerated pates, meat spreads and pre-stuffed raw poultry.

 

4. Unpasteurized foods: While low-fat dairy products – like skimmed milk, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese — can be a healthy part of your diet, foods containing unpasteurized milk could cause you to develop foodborne illnesses. Unless clearly labelled as otherwise, don’t eat brie, feta, camembert, blue cheese or Mexican-style cheeses, such as queso blanco, queso fresco and panela. You should also consider pasteurized eggs.

 

5. Unwashed fruits and vegetables: It’s vital that you eliminate any chance of harmful bacteria by thoroughly washing all your fruits and vegetables, as well as cutting away any bad or damaged bits. Raw sprouts — including alfalfa, clover, radish and mung bean — might also contain disease-causing bacteria so don’t eat them raw but be sure to cook the sprouts thoroughly.

 

6. Large quantities of vitamin A: Although this vitamin is essential for eye health, too much vitamin A can lead to your baby developing birth defects. If you’re pregnant and over the age of 19, it is the recommendation of The Institute of Medicine that you get 2,565 international units (IU) of vitamin A daily. This sounds like a lot, but bear in mind that cooked beef liver contains 27,185 IU in three ounces and cooked chicken liver has 12,325 IU per three ounce portion.

 

7. Excess caffeine: Not only does caffeine interfere with your baby’s heart rate, research suggests that it may actually increase your risk of miscarriage. While this is yet to be fully proven, doctors recommend pregnant women to consume no more than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day. To work that out in terms of your daily drink needs, in an eight-ounce cup of brewed coffee there are about 95 milligrams of caffeine, the same-sized brewed tea contains about 47 milligrams and a 12-ounce caffeinated cola soft drink contains roughly 29 milligrams.

 

8. Herbal tea: Data on the effects of specific herbs on developing babies is thin on the ground – even the types of herbal tea marketed specifically to pregnant women – so it’s best to avoid herbal tea unless your doctor tells you it’s OK.

 

9. Alcohol: While one drink probably won’t harm your baby, no level of alcohol has been proved safe during pregnancy so your best bet is to avoid alcohol entirely.

Categories: Alcohol, avoid, avoid refrigerated, Baby, caffeine, Food Poisoning, harmful bacteria, herbal tea, nbsp, Pregnant Women, smoked seafood