HEALTH

Helping drug addicts kick the habit
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, March 5
“I feel free as a bird that soars in the sky, now that I am free of drug addiction, while earlier I felt like a pig wallowing in filth,” said a former drug addict who was freed of his addiction to smack in a de-addiction camp at Aaskiran.

His views were echoed by seven other drug addicts, who kicked the habit after a stay of three weeks. Aaskiran is an NGO whose main mission is to make the society drug-free.

It was the 54th batch of drug addicts cured at Aaskiran with the help of doctors, counsellors and spiritual healing. Aaskiran provides free lodging and medicines, and the addicts have to pay for their meals only.

Principal Ravel Singh, director of the centre, said: “ We arrange a ceremonial send-off of the addicts after the boys are free of drug addiction. We present them siropas in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib and the sangat so that they would feel protected and get renewed strength to stay away from drugs.”

Ms Kuldeep Kaur, a retired Principal, acts as a counsellor and the drug addicts are grateful to her. Dr Mayorwant Sigh looks after the medical needs of patients as the drug addicts suffer physically during withdrawal symptoms.

The addicts said they took to drugs because they faced family problems or due to the reason that drug addiction was common in their families. The Director of the Directorate of Social Health Services of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle( Aaskiran is one of its wings), Dr Charankamal, said Askiran received addicts regularly as old patients referred it to their friends. 

Get over hangover

A hangover begins when your blood-alcohol concentration starts to fall. A type of withdrawal, it is usually a combination of headache, dehydration, fatigue, slight gastric upset and irritation. Almost all these symptoms will disappear if the person who wakes up with a hangover drinks several glasses of water, takes an aspirin and goes to bed. The problems is complicated because the person wants to go to work or fulfil other responsibilities.

The headache in a hangover is of the vascular type, related to hypertension headache. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels in the brain as well as in other parts of the body. As the alcohol is gradually burned up, these stretched vessels return to their normal bore. These tend to put the nerves that severe these a little on the stretch and this creates the sensation of pain.

Dehydration is the second factor to be considered. Alcohol is an excellent diuretic; it stimulates the kidneys. A person who has been drinking heavily usually loses more liquids than he takes, changing his internal water balance and becoming dehydrated.

Muscular fatigue, fatigue and loss of sleep are usually the third factor. Alcoholic indulgence is usually begun when a person is already physically tired and is often continued for a long period, which shortens the time available for sleep, rest and recuperation. This fatigue produces tension and headache from unrelieved pull on muscles at the back of the neck.

Stomach upset and irritation may arise from several circumstances. Alcohol in small quantities is an aperient, stimulating appetite. Early in the evening, the person may have been stimulated to eat an excessively large meal, which is being slowly and poorly digested; or he may have omitted eating and have a hunger headache.

Alcohol is one the few substances absorbed directly from the stomach into the bloodstream. When this occurs in plenty, the secretion of gastric juice is altered.

Taking one teaspoon of honey before drinking may help prevent a hangover. Honey contains fructose, a type of sugar that helps your body process alcohol more quickly. Choose your liquor wisely. White wines and clear liquors are safer than red wines and coloured liquors, which are loaded with headache-causing congener. Choose draught beer over canned or bottled beer.

Taking blend foods, such as milk toast, help overcome the gastric factor in hangover. The best way to relive fatigue is rest. To avoid dehydration, drink water freely — 10 glasses in the course of two to four hours. Fruit juice and tomato juice have no special virtue, except that they taste better. Every peg of alcohol needs to be replaced by not less than 800 ml of water. Eat cheese and seasonal fruit. Fructose speeds the metabolism of alcohol. A little fat slows down its absorption.

Dr Anil Dheer

Khalsa College pips PAU
Tribune Reporters

Ludhiana, March 5
In an exciting finish Khalsa College pipped Punjab Agricultural University by four runs in the first TCY Inter-College Cricket Tournament being organised at the S.D. Government College for Boys ground here today.

Batting first, Khalsa College, despite a fine half- century by opener Navdeep (52) were all out for 104 runs in 16.4 overs. Only Gagan and Navjot Singh could reach the double-figure mark, contributing 11 and 13 runs, respectively.

Defending a modest total, Khalsa College bowlers did a commendable job by restricting Punjab Agricultural University batsmen to 100 runs with five balls to spare.

Brief scores: Khalsa College 104 all out in 16.4 overs (Navdeep 52, Harpreet 5, Gagan 11, Navjot Singh 13, Ravi 1 for 7, Sahil 1 for 14 and Jaspal 1 for 17).

Punjab Agricultural University 100 all out in 19.1 overs- (A Sathi 37, Baljeet 12, Satiner 14, Ravipal 10, Balbir 4 for 6 and Vikramjeet 3 for 24).

BCM College athletics meet

The fifth annual athletic meet of the BCM College of Education, Ludhiana, was celebrated with great enthusiasm.The meet started with a march past by students of the four houses —Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupitert. Mercury House was declared the best in the parade.

Dr S.K. Nanda, Director, declared the meet open.

The results of various events are as follows:

100M (Boys): Parampal Singh 1, Sarbjeet Singh 2 and Karamjeet Singh 3.

100M (Girls): Gurjeet 1, Mandeep 2 and Geetanjali 3.

3-leg race (Boys): Karamjeet and Kuldeep 1, Parampal and Sarbjeet 2, Harmeet and Mandeep 3.

3-leg race (girls): Lovneet and Lovleen 1, Ektra and Gurjeet 2, Sarbjeet and Kirandeep 3.

Chatti Race (girls): Sukhbeer 1, Kiranjeet 2.

Long jump (boys): Harmeet 1, Karamjeet 2 and Sarbjeet 3.

Long jump (girls): Vandana 1, Mandeep 2 and Hardeep 3.

Lemon race (girls): Monisha 1, Sarbjeet Kaur 2 and Deepika 3.

Slow cycling (boys): Sumeet 1, Mandeep 2 and Somraj 3.

Shotput (boys): Karamjit 1, Tejinder 2 and Sarabjit 3.

Shotput (girls): Pooja and Pinky 1, Navjot 2 and Hardeep 3.

200M (boys): Aashish 1, Mandeep 2 and Parampal 3.

200M (girls): Gurjeet 1, Mandeep 2 and Geetanjali 3.

Sack race (boys): Karamjeet 1, Sarbjeet 2 and Daljeet 3.

Sack race (girls): Jagdeep 1, Sarabjeet 2 and Mandeep 3.

4x100 relay race (boys): Karamjit, Sarabjit, Harmander and Parampal (Venus House) 1, Aashish, Pardeep, Neeraj and Tejinder (Mercury house) 2, Sumit, Mandeep Preet, Kanwar and Harmeet (Jupiter house) 3.

Boxer alleges discrimination

Khanna: A boxer of A.S. College, Khanna, has alleged discrimination and partiality in the selection procedure of boxers at the All-India Inter-University Competition. Hans Raj, who competed in the under bantem weight category (51 to 54 kg), a student of BA III said he was being neglected and his place in the camp was being given to Sohan Singh, whom he had defeated in the semifinal match in the competition.

Hans Raj, a gold medalist in boxing said Sohan Singh had been selected although he was not named for the camp at the time of selection.

He appealed to the sports authorities and the Sports Minister, Punjab to look into the matter.