Alcohol is the second most widely used substance in the US, behind only tobacco. As tobacco affects many parts of the body, so does alcohol.
Your liver is one of the largest filters in your body and can only handle so much alcohol. It does not just affect your liver, though, it moves throughout the rest of your body. There are immediate and long term risks to its' use.
Alcohol and alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, which is a psychoactive and toxic substance with dependence-producing properties. Though it has been used in many cultures for centuries, we are learning more about the negative effects on our bodies.
Depending on the article one reads, it is linked to between 58-200 diseases. injuries or other health conditions. Alcohol is an established carcinogen and increases the risk of breast, liver, head and neck esophageal and colorectal cancers, let alone heart disease and cardiovascular issues.
Secondly, it can bring significant harm to others, not just to the person who is consuming the alcohol. The risks are numerous, beginning in your own home. Are you able to hold your temper if you drink in excess? Do you frighten people in the safety of THEIR home with alcohol? Do you drink and drive? The cost of a DUI is now overwhelming at approximately $10,000 to $15,000. Do you fall, could you drown, or have you burned yourself? Is your family afraid of you or what might happen to them? Are you missing work? Have you lost your job due to excessive alcohol and missed work.
I would be neglectful if I didn't mention the risk of alcohol consumption when pregnant. The baby is at risk for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders which can permanently affect their lives. Pre-term deliveries are also a consequence of drinking while pregnant which have their own set of complications.
One factor that I don't believe is spoken of the way it should be is the malnutrition that occurs with excessive alcohol consumption. Of the patients that I have witnessed that were drinkers, the nutrition is neglected. There are many reasons for this, especially for women. They know the calories in alcohol and skip a meal because of that. Other reasons include that they may not care about a meal when they have overly consumed.
This Saturday, April 12, we will conclude this series, but I hope I have given you food for thought.
Other sources for information include www.niaaa.nih.gov, www.cdc.gov