Health

Birth Control Pill

Oral contraception, which is taking a tablet, is a common way women guard against unwanted pregnancy. It has proved to be a very effective method of birth control. The birth control tablet is made of the hormones oestrogen and progestogen. These prevent the egg from being released each month/ changing the lining of the womb so that a fertilized is unable to attach itself to the lining and grow/ by preventing sperm reaching the egg.

The 28 day Pill has 21 hormone pills and 7 sugar pills in a 28 day packet. This means that a pill is taken every day. The 21 day Pill has 21 hormone pills in the packet, and no pills to be taken for 7 days before starting the next packet. The pills need to be taken close to the same time every day. Pills are commenced within 5 days of starting a period, to get reliable protection. There are different ways in which different birth control pills work. It is best to consult with a qualified person before choosing a pill.

In case you skip taking pills for a couple of days or have vomiting or diarrhea or you have to take other medication, it is better to have a backup contraception method.

How safe and effective are contraception pills? If taken correctly the pills are 99% effective. Bleeding during periods becomes regular, shorter, lighter and less painful. The pill is even said to lower the risks of some cancers.
Taking the pill is safe. But women who have had a blood clot, stroke, heart attack, liver disease, breast cancer or high blood pressure should not use the pill. Some of the side effects are spotting during periods, some weight gain, nausea, and a little soreness in the breasts. Some women might suffer more headaches than usual; have mood swings and an increased vaginal discharge.

But before taking the pill consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Alcohol

This may come as a surprise: alcohol is the most abused of drugs. Most young people begin drinking out of curiosity. Or they may be pressured into doing it. People drink to experiment, for social reasons, or to drown their grief, or because they cannot do without liquor.

When people drink, the liquor first goes to the stomach and to the small intestines. From there it gets into the blood stream. It then passes through the liver which removes the alcohol. It then reaches the brain which send signals to the body to slow down. With excessive alcohol the brain becomes foggy and the body uncoordinated.
Alcohol problems take many forms. And these problems don’t affect just the individual. They impinge on the family in varying degrees. Alcohol could lead to arguments and fights. It could affect study and work. It is a costly habit and could eventually lead to monetary problems. Finally it could affect the individual’s health.
Some individuals involve in binge drinking. That is they will not drink regularly but when they do they will consume large quantities in a day or this drinking could continue for a couple of days or even weeks. Binge drinking is dangerous. There have been cases of individuals becoming unconscious and never recovering.
Short term problems arising out of binge drinking are headaches, nausea, and dizziness, missing studies and work and temporary lack of coordination. The long term consequences of binge drinking are liver damage, stomach ulcers, cancers, heart damage, high blood pressure, and brain damage and so on. Drinking during pregnancy could damage the brain of the unborn child and stunt its growth.

Although some studies say that drinking small quantities of liquor reduce the risks of heart attack, alleviates circulation problems, and helps to avoid gall stones. However considering that this could lead to habitual drinking, it is best to avoid liquor on a regular basis.

Some people find it difficult to avoid drinking in social situations. In such cases take a few precautions. Drink a glass of water or soft drink before you begin to consume alcohol, eat while you drink, avoid salty food as this makes you drink more, limit yourself to drinks with low alcoholic content, and limit yourself to just a couple of drinks. Learn to say no when you have reached your limit. And never drive after drinking.

Individuals who are compulsive drinkers should seek help. There are programmes like Alcoholics Anonymous. There are drugs that help reduce the drinking urge. In any case these individuals should seek the help of a qualified medical professional. Friends and family should be understanding and give the necessary support.

Cannabis

Cannabis is referred to by several names: weed, dope, pot, marijuana and so on. By whatever name it is called its use has attendant health risks.

Cannabis refers to a plant. Commonly it is the hemp plant that is used as a drug. Different parts of the plant are used. The dried flowers and leaves of the plant are referred to as marijuana. Hashish refers to the compressed resin from the plant. Hash oil is the oil extracted from the plant.

The most common form of cannabis use is smoking it. It is usually mixed with tobacco and smoked like a cigarette. It is sometimes also smoked in a pipe. Whatever the method, smoking cannabis has an immediate effect. Sometimes cannabis is mixed with other ingredients and eaten. When eaten the effect is felt only later.
The chief ingredient in cannabis that gives people a high is THC or delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol. Cannabis also has other chemical ingredients. And these too may affect the brain.

Cannabis can act in many ways. It can affect an individual’s mood, thinking, concentration, sense of time and memory. Users describe these effects as pleasant, and sometimes as not pleasant. The other common effects reported are anxiety, panic, depression, dryness in the mouth, hunger, temporary loss of memory, mood swings, and loss of sense of time and so on.

People use cannabis for several reasons: to relax, socialize, relieve boredom, cope with stress, peer pressure, cope with pain, for the sake of experimentation, and to fight insomnia and so on.

Cannabis use has its attendant problems. It can cause lack of coordination which can affect a person’s driving and cause accidents. If used with alcohol the results are worse. It can cause psychotic experiences. Individuals who are predisposed to psychotic illness can bring on the disease even earlier by cannabis use. The lesser side effects are headache and hangover.

Regular effects of smoking cannabis are respiratory problems, chronic bronchitis, cancers of the lung, mouth and throat. Cannabis smoking is among other things addictive. Pregnant women who use cannabis risk having a lower-than-average weight premature baby. They may also be putting the unborn child to birth defects.
In some parts of the world cannabis is used for medical treatment. It is recommended to reduce nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy. It is also recommended to help patients cope with pain.
Cannabis dependency is worrisome. It is best that individuals who are habitual users seek medical help. Reducing its use temporarily, invariably leads to higher use later. It is best to kick the habit for good.