THE ENVIRONMENT AND OUR HEALTH. - Nr Abdullahi Musa

Our health can be affected by the environment we're living either through degradation or changes within the environment.

The environment comprises hydrosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere and anthroposphere which are vital for living; effect to the aforementioned can also affect our health.

Environment can be demoralized by destructing some of the essential part of it example trees. However, environment can affect us through deforestation, air pollution, water pollution, pathogenic microorganisms and climate changes.

The oxygen we inhale is from plants which can be gotten through photosynthesis as such we donate carbondioxide to the plants and we receive oxygen (air) from them to maintain body's physiologic functions.

Now, the effect of cutting down trees without replacement is calamitous and can negatively affect our health when the oxygen we are receiving from plants didn't meet up with the body's demand, because when the body is not getting adequate oxygen almost all the system in the body collapse. Shortage in oxygen supply to the brain for 5 seconds can result in to necrosis (death) of the cells of the brain, when it reaches 5 minutes it can lead to irreversible brain damage or death.

In terms of pollution be it air or water pollution can affect our health too, when we inhale oxygen that is mixed with harmful substances can affect our health resulting to respiratory ailments, cancers and skin problems etcetera. However, when refuse and or sewage are disposed in to our water sources can affect our health. Meanwhile, afforestation and minimal deforestation can restore our environment back to a peaceful phase for better living.

Sokoto state is among the hottest cities, but this have been drastically resulted due to minimal tree plantation, climate changes and deforestation. I believe through tree plantation the integrity of the environment can be regained and minimized the burden.

One of the things our environment comprises is biosphere this refers to living organisms out of which microbes are among. There are non pathogenic microbes that play significant role in to our body example normal flora while other microbes are vital to the soil mainly for the higher breed of corps.

Notwithstanding, excess sunlight and exposure to it can effect our health which can damage skin, eyes and also causes cancer although, sunlight can improve our health in the other aspect as it's good for vitamin D synthesis responsible for healthy bone and teeth, similarly, sunlight help in boosting chemical in the body example serotonin that can help in controlling mood and make individual calm and focus. Sunlight can also reduces blood pressure as it reduces the viscosity of the blood for easy flow within the tubes (blood vessels). However, too much exposure to sun can affect our skin color there by stimulating the action of melanin a pigment responsible for skin and hair colorations by excessive stimulation of melanocyte stimulating hormone.

With the view of the foregoing, i appeal to everyone of us to protect the integrity of our environment there by reducing cutting down of trees, emphasize on afforestation, minimizing pollution and proper refuse and sewage disposal inorder to repair the environment's ozone layer.

Finally, the picture attached is so greeny by the grasses and plants, indeed apart from other benefits of plants they also beautify the environment. This picture was snapped last year during raining season but if i should visit this area again it became dried beyond expectation.

                                       Nr. Abdullahi Musa