CARE Module 11

Learning Objective:
At the end of this module, the students should be able to
know the importance of one’s health.
Content:
1. Why do we have to study health?
2. Principles underlying health
3. Essential facts which man should know
(Fuentes, et. al 1999)
4. Carriers of contagious disease
5. Fitness and healthy living
6. Nutrition
7. Common deficiency diseases
8. Basic elements in food
9. Balanced diet food
10. Common communicable disease
 Introduction:
We often hear that health is wealth and this is
very true, No matter how much we study and work hard to earn a big income,
without good health, everything is futile.
How do we define health? Health is the complete fitness of the body, soundness of the
mind and wholesomeness of the emotion, which make possible the highest quality
of effective living and of service.

Why do we have to study health?

 The following are the reasons why we have to study health:
 Medical health records show that current health practices are poor
 People’s attitude towards health does not lead to hygienic living
 People lack basic information regarding health matters
 Habits affect health and the school can develop health habits
 Principles underlying health:
 Heredity, environment and mode of living determine one’s health
 The students’ health is a joint responsibility of the home, the school as well as the
community
 Teaching health in the school is principally in the hands of the Health teacher
 Health education is included in the curriculum starting from kindergarten up to
college
 The health specialist of the school should have a better understanding, sympathy,
cooperation and support in order to have an effective health education
 Better accomplishment of the medical and dental and nursing services of the
school lies in the health instruction and the development of health, attitude and
habits
 The promotion of the teacher’s health is important to the health education program
as well as to the quality and cost of education
 What constitutes a valuable element in the health education of the student is the
professional skill and initiative of the teacher
 It is very essential to develop the health practices of the student starting from
kindergarten until he becomes old enough to understand the scientific reasons
which these practices rest.
 Essential Facts which man should know (Fuentes, et. al 1999):

 Heart Disease. One of the leading causes of death among men is heart disease. This disease is brought by lack of
concern for diet as well as a stressful lifestyle.
 Hospital. Men visit doctors when they can no longer bear the pain. So, if their disease os already severe, the
tendency is to stay longer in the hospital.
 Violence. Men’s tendency is to become aggressive than women. This aggressiveness is brought about by the male
hormone, testosterone. What happens is they end up in jail or in a mental hospital.
 Addiction. Men are prone to addiction. According to Fuentes, et. al (1999), it is estimated that over two-thirds of
alcoholics are men. The reason for this is the “macho” image in which men seldom share their emotional disturbance
with others. Because of these emotional outbursts, they tend to take drugs or alcohol.
 Accidents. Men are exposed to hazardous jobs especially engineers, pilots, marines, fishermen, etc. So, they are also
prone to accidents.
 Sexually transmitted disease. STD is a disease among men if they do not practice safe sex, or restrain from sexual
activities with some low moral women, especially the prostitutes.
 Suicide. More men tend to commit suicide than women. Because of the “macho” image, they always keep their
problems to themselves. So they are more likely to commit suicide, as they don’t have any outlet to share their
emotions.
 Impotence. This is brought about by psychological aspects. Other contributors to impotence are: smoking, alcohol,
blood pressure medicines and diabetes.
 Cancer. According to Fuentes, et. al (1999), men are twice as likely to die from cancer than women are. The male
specific cancers are: testicular, prostate, while non-gender specific caners are lung and colon cancers.
 Stress. Several factors can cause stress among men such as financial problems, poor health, heavy workload, the
death of a loved one, work environment and marriage strife.
 Carriers of contagious disease:

There are three agent-carriers of disease germs

according to Meñez (1970) and these are:

 Man. Man spreads a contagious disease directly or indirectly.

He is a carrier even if he has not been sick with the disease, but
carries the germs with him.
 Water. Drinking water is another carrier of a disease. We also
get the disease by using the glass and utensils of a sick person.
 Food. Food is also a carrier of disease, so let us avoid eating
dirty food. Leftover food should always be covered so that flies,
rats and cockroaches will not step on them. In order to avoid
getting disease from infected food, you should not buy from the
outside vendors, because you are not sure how they prepare,
cook and serve the food.
Fitness and Healthy Living
Fitness relates to physical activity – perhaps a rigorous daily exercise
regimen. Others may think of fitness simply as being free from disease and
other health problems. Yet the true definition of fitness is far broader and more
personal. It refers to your own optimal health and overall well-being. Fitness
is your good health.
Being fit relates to every aspect of your health – physical, emotional, and
mental. All the three are interconnected. Nutrition and physical activity are
fundamental to each one.
 When you are fit, you have:
 Stamina and are optimistic in dealing with everyday
emotional ups and downs as well as the different
mental challenges that are often encountered
 Reduced risk for may health problems, including
serious diseases
 An attitude of looking and feeling the best
 Physical strength and endurance to handle yourself in
case of an emergency
 A better future to become an asset to your country
 Chance for a better quality of life and ready to face
challenges
 Nutrition

Nutrition is the science that studies nutrients determining

what they are, in what quantities they are found in
different foods, how they are utilized by the body, and
in what quantities they are needed by the body.
Its is also defined by Fuentes, et. al (1999), as how the
food nourishes your body. Being well nourished depends
on getting enough of the nutrients your body needs, but
not too much of the nutrients and energy your body
needs.
There are two classes of nutrients. The Macronutrients
are relatively in large quantities and make up the bulk
of all diets (supply energy). The Micronutrients are
needed in smaller quantities which serve as calorie
sources, but play essential role in the body chemistry.
 Common deficiency diseases:

The common deficiency diseases among children in the Philippines are

brought by inadequate nutrients in the body. As the children grow up, it has
been noted that the quantity of balanced food they eat goes down.

Hereunder are the common deficiency diseases:

 Kwashiorkor – calorie deficiency
 Vitamin A deficiency
 Vitamin B deficiency
 Vitamin C deficiency
 Basic elements in food:

Food is a substance out together by nature into plant or

animal life. There are two general groups of food:

 Those that give energy for life, growth and repair (energy-
growth giving foods)
 Under this group are the carbohydrates and protein.
 Those that are needed by the body to help do its work
(regulating foods)
 Under this group are minerals, calcium and vitamins.
 Water is not food, but plays a very essential part in
changing substances for digestion, in helping waste
elimination and in regulating our temperature.
 Balanced diet food:

 Eat a variety of foods with different nutrients good for your body.
 Balance the foods you eat so that you can attain good health; eat grain products
which are energy giving foods, vegetables and fruits which supply other
nutrients needed by your body.
 Choose a diet rich in grain products, vegetables and fruits because these are
excellent sources of many nutrients like vitamins, minerals, complex
carbohydrates as well as fiber and other healthful food substances.
 Choose a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Fat is essential for health. It
supplies energy, contains essential fatty acids and carries vitamins into your
blood stream, but too much of it can also cause an ailment.
 Choose a diet moderate in sugars because it can cause diabetes.
 Choose a diet moderate in salts, especially those who are suffering from high
blood pressure. Sodium is a nutrient and a natural part of many foods. It helps
the body maintain fluid balance and regulate blood pressure but a person with
high blood pressure is sodium-sensitive.
 Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation. Drinking higher amount is linked to
many health problems.
 Common communicable diseases:

A disease is the abnormal state or functioning of all or part of the organism. It is also an
alteration of the dynamic interaction between an individual and his environment. On the other hand,
a communicable disease is a disease that can be transferred from the source to another person.
Some signs of disease are abnormal changes in temperature, pulse rate and respiratory rate.
Symptoms are pain and restlessness, though these may not be the same for all persons.

The following are the different communicable diseases:

 Sore eyes
 Chronic bronchitis
 El tor or cholera
 Common cold
 Chicken pox
 Whooping cough
 Measles
 Pneumonia
 Tuberculosis
 Dengue fever
 Typhoid fever
 Mumps
Self-Test: (Integrating Activity)

 Discuss briefly the importance of studying

health
 DRUG EDUCATION

Learning Objective:
At the end of this module, the students should be able to
know how to prevent drug abuse
 Content:
1. What is a drug?
2. When are drugs harmful?
3. Are products other than drugs ever abused?
4. What is drug abuse?
5. Why do people turn to drugs?
6. What drugs are commonly used?
7. How can you tell when someone is abusing
drugs?
8. What are the ill-effects of drug abuse?
9. What can a person do to prevent drug abuse?
10. What are the general facts about Ecstasy,
Marijuana, Inhalant abuse, Opiates and
Cocaine?
Introduction

A drug is a chemical substance that brings about physical,

emotional or behavioral change in a person taking it. Any drug can
be harmful when taken in excess. Some drugs can also be harmful
if taken in dangerous combinations or by hypersensitive (allergic)
persons in ordinary or even small amounts. Substance like glue,
paint thinners, gasoline and other volatile (breathable) solvents
contain a variety of dangerous chemicals. They should be sold and
used with caution.
What is Drug abuse?

 Drug abuse is the use of any chemical substance, licit

or illicit, which results in an individual’s physical,
mental or social impairment.
 It may refer to any of the following practices:
 Using, without benefit or prescription, useful drugs
which have the capacity to alter the mood or behavior.
 Using drugs and substances for a purpose different
from the one for which the drug has been prescribed.
 Using drugs and substances having no legitimate
medical application for purposes other than research.
Why do people turn to drugs?

 These are the reasons ranging from the

following:
 “Medicines” can solve problems
 Widespread access to various drugs
 Peer pressure
 The notion that drugs give enjoyment to users
and in the context that it is used as an alcohol
substitute
 What drugs are commonly used?

Drugs that are commonly abused depending on their

pharmacological effects may be classified into:

 Stimulants – drugs which increase alertness and physical disposition.

 Examples are amphetamine, cocaine, caffeine and nicotine
 Hallucinogens (also called as psychedelics) – drugs which affect sensation, thinking, self-
awareness and emotion. Changes in time and space perception, delusions (false beliefs) and
hallucinations may be mild or overwhelming, depending on dose and quality of the drug.
 Examples are LSD, Mescaline and Marijuana
  
 Sedatives – drugs which may reduce anxiety and excitement.
 Examples are barbiturates, non-barbiturates, tranquilizers and alcohol
 Narcotics – drugs that relieve pain and often induce sleep.
 Examples are opium and its derivatives (morphine, codeine and heroin)
 How can you tell when one is abusing drugs?

A person who is abusing drugs has a lot of changes

in behavior, appearance and mood. The changes may be
pleasant or unpleasant. Thus he is:

 Irritable, discourteous, defiant and aggressive

 Untrustworthy and lacks self-confidence
 Unhealthy and unconcerned with good grooming
 Has a low frustration tolerance
 Lacks interest in his studies/work
 Blames everybody for his problems
 Prefers his barkada where he feels accepted
 What are the ill-effects of drug abuse?

Drug abuse leads to medical and health problems. The physical

complications depend to an extent on the specific drug, its source and
the way it is used. Among the physical and mental complications are:

 Malnutrition. The lives of drug dependents revolve around drug abuse.

They miss their regular meals because they lose their appetite.
 Panic Reaction. The loss of thought processes can cause panic reactions or
feelings on invulnerability. Both of these states can lead to injury and death.
The prolonged harmful reactions include anxiety and depressive sates, or
breaks with reality, which may last from a few days to months.
 Physical Damage. In addition to those disease, which accompany the use of
unsterile syringes and contaminated drugs these may cause certain medical
problems. Kidney failure, hepatitis, drastic weight loss and vitamin
deficiencies are some of the adverse physical complications.
 The life of drug abusers is a dreadful one. To support the habit, they resort to
committing crimes like stealing, prostitution and gambling, wherein they
hamper their emotional maturation.
 What can a person do to prevent drug abuse?

 Maintain god physical and mental health

 Use drug properly
 Understand your own self
 Develop your potentials
 Learn to relate effectively to whom you can communicate
your problems freely
 Learn to cope with your problems and other stresses without
the use of drugs
 Seek professional help if you feel you cannot cope with your
problems
 Develop strong moral and spiritual foundations
 What are the general facts about Ecstasy,
Marijuana, Inhalant abuse, Opiates and Cocaine?
Ecstasy is a synthetic amphetamine – related substance. IT GAINED POPULARITY AS A
RECREATIONAL DRUG, FIRST IN THE United States and then later in Europe and now is increasingly
known in other parts of the world. It has the following street names: X, Rave, Love Drug, Flying Saucer,
LBD or Libido, Jagged Little Pill, Artist Drug, Hug Drug, MDA, MDEA, XTC, E, Eckie, and Love Doves
Its scientific name is 3, 4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). A user generally takes the drug
through oral ingestion, but some resort to snorting for its faster effect, but this is usually painful and
irritating to the nostrils. Its dosage varies whole tablet-1 “hit” lasts for about 3 to 5 hours. A typical dose is
between 75 mg and 150 mg; one half-tablet – half a bit.
The physiological effects are muscle tension, involuntary teeth clenching, nausea, appetite loss, blurre
vision, rapid eye movement, hallucinations, irritability, faintness, chills, sweating, sleeping problems,
increase in heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure, liver & heart damage, and brain hemorrhage.
MDMA is particularly dangerous when taken with alcohol, or by those suffering from heart ailments,
diabetes, asthma and psychosis.
The psychological effects are classified into two categories.
 Marijuana, often called grass, pot, or weed, is a crude drug made from Cannabis
sativa, a plant that contains a mind-altering (psychoactive) ingredient called
tetrahydrocannabinol THC. A marijuana “joint” or cigarette is made from the dried leaves,
tops and flowers of the plant. Its strength depends on the type of plant, the weather, the soil
and the time of harvest of the plant. Hashish or hash – is made from the extracted resin of the
plant. It is usually stronger than crude marijuana and can be both be smoked and eaten.
Marijuana slows down the user’s mental and psychomotor activities. Users don’t remember
what they have learned when they are high. The effects of marijuana can also impair thinking,
reading comprehension and verbal and mathematical skills. Marijuana creates other health
problems related to the reproductive system, the heart and the lungs. It has been found that
Marijuana use may lead to cancer. The long term regular use of this may lead to
psychological dependence. Once started, it may take more of the drug for the user to get the
same effect.
The immediate effects are: faster heartbeat and pulse rate, bloodshot eyes, dry mouth
and throat, altered sense of time/disorientation, forgetfulness or inability to think, impaired
reflexes, coordination and concentration, “acute panic anxiety reaction” – extreme fearing of
losing control. The long term effects are chest pain, irregular menstrual cycle, temporary loss
of fertility for both sexes, premature babies or low birth weights, cancer, and marijuana “burn
out” (dull, slow moving, inattentive, and unaware of surroundings).
The reasons why people use marijuana are: peer pressure, curiosity, boredom,
frustration (due to personal/family/school and work problems), poor self-image, weak
personality (unable to cope with stress, conflicts, etc.), desire to escape from reality, an lack
of parental guidance.
Inhalant abuse is the deliberate inhalation of volatile chemical substances that contain
psychoactive (mind/mood altering) vapors to produce a state of intoxication. It is
dangerous because it will cause permanent damage to the brain or may result in “sudden
sniffing death”. Abusers under the influence of inhalants are prone to accident. Abusers
can also become violent. Inhalant abuse produces psychological dependence. Once the
habit is formed, the dose has to be increased gradually to produce the same effect.
The immediate effects of this are: confusion or disorientation, distorted perception of time
and distance, aggressive behavior or violence, illusions, nausea, vomiting and
hallucination. The delayed effects are: loss of memory, inability to think, muscle cramps
and weakness, numbness in limbs, abdominal pains, and damage to the central nervous
system, kidneys & liver.
 
Opiates, sometimes called narcotics, are a group of drugs that are used to relieve pain, but
have a high potential for abuse. Some opiates come from a resin taken from the seedpod
of the Asian poppy.
Opium – dark brown chunks or powder that are usually smoked or eaten.
Morphine – white or brownish powder that is usually dissolved in water and then injected.
Heroin – diluted or “cut” with other substances such as sugar or quinine.
Codeine
Synthesized or manufactured opiates – come in capsules, tablets, syrups, solutions and
suppositories.
Morphine, meperidine, paregoric (which contains opium), and cough syrups (that contain
codeine) are the most common opiates with legal medicine uses that are abused.
The dangers of opiates abuse are: opiates may cause dependence and tolerance. An
opiate-dependent person makes finding and using the drug his main focus in life. Over
time, opiate users may develop infections of the heart lining and valves, skin abscesses
and congested lungs. The opiate-dependent women suffer from health problems like
anemia and may give birth to babies with defects or who are dead.
The immediate effects are: restlessness, nausea and vomiting, “on the nod” effect (going
back and forth from feeling alert to drowsy), for very large dose – person cannot be
awakened anymore, smaller pupils, cold, moist and bluish skin, slowed down breathing
and death.
The delayed effects are: uneasiness, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, chills, sweating,
nausea, runny nose and eyes.
The symptoms begin 4-6 hours after lat dose of the drug, are stronger 24-27 hours after
and subside with 7-10 days. Sometimes, symptoms such as sleeplessness and drug
craving can last for months.
The treatments for opiate addicts are: detoxification in a hospital or as outpatient,
rehabilitation in therapeutic communities, outpatient drug-free programs, methadone-
maintenance using methadone (a substitute for heroin, on a daily basis to help people
lead productive lives while in treatment).
Cocaine is a drug extracted from the leaves of coca, a South American shrub, which has the same
effect as amphetamines – a central nervous system stimulant.

Cocaine is available in the following forms:

Cocaine Hydrochloride – is the most available form. It is a fine white crystal-like powder that is
medically known as a local anesthetic. Users sniff or snort it into the nose.
“Street” Cocaine Hydrochloride or “rocks” – these are the larger pieces of cocaine hydrochloride.
Freebase – is the purified substance of “rocks”. It is usually injected or smoked.
Coca Paste – is the crude product smoked in South America. It is more dangerous because it has
contaminants such as kerosene.
Cocaine is dangerous because in some people, even low doses of cocaine, it may
Create psychological problems. An overdose may cause delirium, convulsions, respiratory failures or
death. Regular intake of high doses of cocaine may cause paranoia or may lead to “cocaine
psychosis” (hallucinations of touch, sight, taste or smell).
Injecting cocaine with unsterile equipment can cause hepatitis or other infections. Preparation of
freebase exposes the user to death and serious injuries from fire or explosion that can occur.
Repeated use of cocaine leads to addiction. Users can get to the point of centering their lives on
seeking and using the drug. Sometimes, they may continue to use it to avoid depression and fatigue
they would feel if they stopped using the drug.
The immediate effects are: dilated pupils, increase in blood pressure/heart rate/breathing rate/body
temperature, a sense of well-being, feels energetic/alert, less hungry and slurred speech.
The delayed effects are: psychosis, restlessness, irritability/anxiety, sleeplessness, stuffy or runny
nose/ulcerated mucous membrane of nose, confusion, and slurred speech.
Self-Test: (Integrating Activity)

 What you can do as a NSTP student to prevent

drug abuse