The vast majority of us like using at least one substance that has the same impact as a stimulant and that, over time, can develop into addictive tendencies. These goods include exercise stimulant drinks (they come in cans and look like cola), fizzy aerated drinks, cigarettes, betel nut, betel leaf, strong coffee, strong tea, ma huang (an ephedrine-like substance popular in China), and alcohol. Exercise stimulant drinks come in cans.
Before I go on to explain why we shouldn’t use these things, I’d first like to address the subject of why we do use them in the first place.
There is not a single person on the planet who is unaware of the fact that items such as these, when ingested in excessive amounts, can do grave harm to our health. Despite this, we have a hard time saying no to them. People (and many other animals) have always indulged in meals that produce a type of emotional high, and this simple human weakness has been around for a very long time. The urge to eat foods that give a stimulant high has been around for a very long time. In clinical parlance, this is referred to as a quick heartbeat, a little bit of perspiration, dilatation or constriction of the pupils of the eye, a warm flush on the face, and a sensation of increased sensitivity, attention, and perception.
These feelings of being “high” pass after a few hours, and we are left with a sense of lethargy and depression as a result. This results in a desire to consume that meal once more in order to re-create the sensation of being high. And so we find ourselves in the same hopeless situation over and over again.
The following is an outline of the physiology of addictions:
When you eat a meal that is addictive, it stimulates the hormone-like compounds that are present at the end of your nerves. This causes an avalanche of other stimulatory substances, which causes you to feel euphoric. As the compounds near the nerves are depleted, you enter the low phase, which causes you to seek that meal again. This cycle continues until the substances are replenished. This rhythm of neural stimulation followed by nerve depletion, like a yo-yo, eventually develops to a habit of addiction.
Consuming meals high in addictive substances is one of the most hazardous eating behaviours that has existed for a very long time; nonetheless, despite a revolution in health consciousness, this habit shows no indications of disappearing any time soon.
The following is a list of some of the negative impacts that certain addictive meals have.
The lining of the stomach and the digestive tract might erode, the liver can get damaged, and nutritional deficiencies can occur.
Tobacco use can cause cancer of the buccal mucosa, which can result in gum and tongue erosion.
The use of betel nut can result in staining of the teeth, erosion of the lining of the mouth, and cancer of the upper respiratory tract and mouth. People who already have a weak heart are more likely to develop cardiac issues as a result of this condition.
It is deleterious for the heart since it includes ephedrine.
Caffeine is typically found in high concentrations in carbonated beverages.
Caffeine and xanthine are two substances that may be found in coffee and tea. It is only in really high concentrations that they become dangerous; limit your daily consumption to no more than five cups.
Mixed drug reactions: People who use medications for the heart, hypertension, and asthma need to be very careful about the interactions of the medications with stimulant meals. Combining these two types of substances can have disastrous consequences.
How to get rid of addictive foods: All doctors, after many years of practise, are aware of how challenging it may be to help patients overcome their addictions to certain foods. As a result, the only thing I can suggest is a reasonable middle ground. If you are unable to kick the habit completely, then you should at least try to do it in moderation.
