QUICK  FIX

LASTING  EFFECTS

For normal social drinkers (two drinks a day or less), alcohol induces relaxation and mild elation; for heavy drinkers it can produce anxiety, depression and disturbed sleep patterns.

For normal social drinkers, gradual tolerance diminishes feelings of relaxation and elation; continued use by heavy drinkers can lead to heart disease, liver disease, brain dysfunction, cancer and permanently disordered sleep.

The sugar content of chocolate produces a temporary rise in blood sugar, resulting in feelings of energy followed by an insulin “backlash” that causes lassitude, irritability and fatigue (also contain caffeine – see coffee).

Sugar content may contribute to cavities, cause weight gain and help induce diabetes in susceptible people.

The caffeine in coffee improves alertness and reaction time, and may enhance concentration and dexterity; more than three cups a day can stimulate the secretion of stomach acid and cause digestive upset; late-night consumption can delay or disrupt sleep.

Gradual tolerance develop, which diminishes stimulating effects; more than three cups a day may lead to irregular heartbeat, headache, muscle tension, irritability and insomnia.

In moderate amounts as a substitute for coffee or caffeine-containing teas, herbal teas can be pleasant and can soothe digestion (unless you have an allergy to a particular herb).

Many herbs are powerful drugs that can cause unpredictable reactions and should not be consumed without medical advice; sassafras tea, for example, has been banned by the U.S. government as a cancer-causing agent.

A traditional remedy for insomnia, warm milk contains the amino acid L-tryptophan, which the body uses to produce sleep-regulating chemicals; few researchers now believe, however, that taking extra L-tryptophan in any form can help induce sleep.

It has no lasting stress-related effects.

Sleeping pills reduce a feeling of relaxation and act on the brain to induce a sleep whose patterns closely resemble to those of natural sleep.

These can disturb the pattern of in the same manner as tranquillizers but less severely; they can cause lethargy and impaired performance during waking periods.

Stress-vitamins – vitamin C and the B vitamins – may be necessary during physical stress (during pregnancy, after surgery or after certain drug therapies, etc), but they are useless for short-term mental or psychological stress.

When the body responds to physical stress by suppressing the appetite, the healthy, balanced diet – or, in extreme cases, a vitamin-mineral supplement – can prevent harmful nutrient depletion, replacing only vitamin C and the B vitamins will do not good.

The nicotine in tobacco stimulates the production of adrenaline and other hormones, increase alertness, relieving anxiety and producing a feeling of energy; tobacco smoke can stain teeth and cause breathlessness and dizziness.

Prolonged use of tobacco impairs circulation and respiration and disturbs sleep patterns; it also increase the risk of a variety of cancers, as well as the risk of cardiac disease.

Tranquillizers relieve anxiety, produce a feeling of relaxation and can help induce sleep, they also slow respiration and nervous system functions, and are extremely dangerous in large doses or  in combination with alcohol and other drugs.

When taken for more than three days, they can cause lethargy during waking periods, aggravate insomnia, disease periods of deep sleep and even cause nightmares; protracted use can lead to drug dependence, fatigue and feelings of depression.