Alcohol is usually associated with many events. A lot of people go out drinking some beer watching the football game, or having some wine on a romantic dinner, or partying with friends in clubs and pubs. Some people like alcohol for the taste, some people because it gets them tipsy and feel better, and some both. Having a beer once in a while, or a glass of wine, is really not that bad for our health. The problem is when we abuse it, especially on the long term. Specialists say that our body does not need any alcohol in order to live and perform it’s bodily functions. Some types of alcohol such as beer or wine, have shown to have positive effects on our health, but when consumed too much, obviously it will become more of a problem, and the positive effects won’t really matter anymore, when compared to the bad ones.
Short term and long term effects of alcohol on our body
Long term effects of alcohol are numerous. Doctors always try to warn people not to abuse it, and try to give people a better awareness of the negative effects that can occur. Some of these effects are:
- irreversible brain damage
- increased risk of heart disease and stroke
- high blood pressure
- problems with our liver such as cirrhosis
- malnutrition(because it affects your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food)
- weight gain – because when drinking alcohol, it slows our metabolism, therefore calories bill be burned much slower, causing the leftovers to be deposited as fat
- ulcer
- sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction for men
- infertility for women
- fatigue
- cancers, such as liver liver, throat or mouth cancer
- change of behaviour
- weaker bones
Alcohol can also have negative effects on the short terms, such as:
- alcohol poisoning (when consumed too much)
- loss of consciousness
- difficulty in breathing
- stomach aches
- anemia
- your hearing and vision can be impaired
- digestive system problems and vomiting
So at this point it’s safe to say that alcohol can have very negative effects on our body’s health, so it’s best that it’s always consumed with moderation, and avoid to consume it too regularly even in small quantities.
If you think you have a drinking problem and want to act against it before it’s too late, you should definitely consult a certified specialist, that will help you giving up on alcohol.
How can alcohol influence our nutrition?
A lot of you here will think of weight gain, and that’s for sure one of the most popular problems when it comes to alcohol effects. Perhaps some of you surely know someone who has a “beer belly”, but why is that so common to men and not women? That happens because studies have shown that men are more prone to weight gain than women when it comes to alcohol consumption. But alcohol can have lots of other influences on our diet. For example, since beer made out of grains, water and other spices, is like a liquid bread with alcohol, and of course it has calories too! Moreover, usually these calories are called “empty calories”, because they don’t have much nutritional value, or at all. Weight gain starts to happen when alcohol is consumed regularly, because the liver has the ability to transform it all in energy very easily, and your body will stop using the carbs and fats found in your body to obtain energy, and will use the energy obtained from alcohol. The problem is, alcohol can provide us with a fast and big amount of energy, but it’s not at all like an “energy drink”, because that energy resulted from alcohol will converted into body heat. Now you know why people drink small sips of strong alcohol in very cold areas of the world – it keeps them warm!
Alcohol also gives us a much bigger appetite for foods, especially for fatty, salty and sugary ones, and even more when consumed on an empty stomach, which is highly recommended not to do, because you will get drunk very quick. Researchers have shown that people who drink regularly, especially heavy drinkers, have a tendency of eating all the time, not because they feel hungry, but because it becomes like an addiction of food, just as cigarettes.
Another effect on our nutrition caused by alcohol is that it will imbalance our absorption of macronutrients and micronutrients. For example, proteins – proteins are essential in maintaining a proper cellular structure. Excessive alcohol drinking will affect this ability badly, and moreover, will also affect your body’s ability to process amino acids, and your liver’s ability to produce proteins. Alcohol also affects negatively our body’s ability to gather and process vitamins and minerals from our foods, which can lead to mineral and vitamin deficiency. These deficiencies will lead to many health issues, such as weak immune system and a weak ability to counter attack against viruses, bacteria, infections; improper bodily functions, weak bones, anemia, inability to heal wounds or form blood clots to stop bleeding, and the list can unfortunately go on.
Conclusion
Don’t get us wrong! There’s nothing wrong with going out with your friends and have some beer! Alcohol for example is an important factor in many parties, and that’s why people love it, and we all know why – it makes us feel better, forget about stress and problems, relax. Still, it’s our duty to keep a sharp eye on alcohol consumption, know when enough is enough, and never push the boundaries. Just keep it moderate, and avoid regular (especially daily) consumption of alcohol, because it can easily become a bad habit such as smoking, and can be very hard to get rid of it. If you want to lose weight, dropping alcohol is not necessarily a must, but consider consulting with a certified nutritionist on this matter, because they can guide you the best.
