Effects Of Alcohol - Seven Things You Need To Bear In Mind

Most of us like an alcoholic drink now and then. You may enjoy wine with a lovely meal or a drink when you go out with friends. Alcohol is simply an enjoyable and harmless part of your normal life.

The only problem is - as we grow older - alcohol affects us more. So, if you're serious about slowing down the aging process, it's important to understand just what effect alcohol is having on your body. Here's a quick list of seven things you might want to bear in mind next time you pop that cork:

1. Alcohol causes liver damage

Most of us already know that this is one of the worst aspects of excessive drinking and can ultimately in extreme cases cause liver failure and death. Bear in mind that to your liver alcohol is a poison - the more you take in the harder it works to eliminate it.

2. Drinking alcohol makes you more likely to develop osteoporosis

This is one effect of alcohol not many people are aware of and it matters quite a lot - especially to women. Osteoporosis is one of the most aging conditions you can have and is most likely to affect women. Alcohol interferes with the absorption of calcium in your body and the more alcohol you drink now the more chance there is of developing brittle bones later in life.

3. Alcohol ages your skin

Not to be taken lightly this one. You may be prepared to cope with the health risks of alcohol but what about the aging effects of alcohol on your skin. Alcohol dilates the small blood vessels under the skin resulting in a flushed red-faced look and broken veins. And what's more, because alcohol is dehydrating, your skin will also be more prone to premature wrinkling.

4. Alcohol will pile on the pounds.

Your favorite tipple is really just empty calories adding no food value to your daily diet. To get rid of the extra calories from one drink you need to walk a mile - consider that over your next glass of wine. Even worse - because alcohol has no nutritional value in itself drinking is likely to stimulate your appetite meaning you eat more than you need.

5. Alcohol affects your brain

In the short term that means all the symptoms of intoxication - how bad it gets depends on how much you drink and other factors like your size, how tired you are, when you drink and whether you eat as well. Getting mildly drunk may be a subject of fun and even enjoyable but long term we're talking about the destruction of brain cells, memory loss and dementia - not so amusing.

6. Alcohol affects women more than men

The less you weigh the more likely you are to become drunk because heavier people have more blood and water in the body to dilute the alcohol. Also as alcohol is stored in fat and women tend to have more fat than men - it takes us much longer to eliminate the alcohol from our bodies.

7. The effects of alcohol worsen with age

From the age of 40 onwards we tend to store more fat so the time the body takes to process and eliminate alcohol increases. So if you feel that you can't drink as much as you used to without feeling the effects - you're right.

If that all sounds like bad news on the alcohol front - consider the experience of the French. French people eat a diet that contains one of the highest levels of fat in the world and despite this they have a 42% less heart disease than Americans.

They owe their increased resistance to heart disease largely due to wine consumption - although it is probably true that the healthier French diet has something to do with it.

Scientists have linked the protective effects of wine to an organic compound known as 'resveratrol' that's found in red wine. Californian red is among the wines with the highest concentration of resveratrol in the world.

It all comes down to moderation - drink the right kind of alcohol and eat a good healthy diet full of antioxidants and you'll be fine. Drink wisely and the effects of alcohol on the body can be positive. Uncontrolled drinking on the other hand will interfere with your health and your looks!

Rate Article

Related Videos
Play Video How to Treat Alcoholism	Play Video How to Recover from Alcoholism	Play Video New Help For Alcoholics	Play Video What Is Alcoholism?	Play Video Dangers Of Alcoholism And Driving Intoxicated

Listed below are more articles related to the above article from the "Alcoholism" article category.

People interested in the above article "Effects Of Alcohol - Seven Things You Need To Bear In Mind" are also interested in the related articles listed below:

 

Health Issues of Drinking Alcohol

Alcohol is an important component of many element of several societies for many years. Many believe that alcoholic drinks have flourished gatherings, parties, and other social celebrations. A number of individuals believe that alcoholic drinks should be served in social gatherings to give enthusiasm to certain events. Alcohol is produced when vegetables, fruits, or grains are fermented. Fermentation is a process which uses yeast or bacteria to change sugars in these items into alcohol. This substance is also used as cleaners and antiseptics.

Tips on How to Choose an Alcohol Rehab Center

Choosing the right alcohol rehab center is an important step and choosing wisely and well can actually help sustain the decision for recovery and make the recovery itself more successful. Make the decision based on the cost factor, the location of the facility, the philosophy of care offered, after care duration and nature of post rehab program, etc.

Alcohol Rehab Facilities: Inpatient or Outpatient?

It is not just a matter of where you lay your head to rest at night that makes outpatient alcohol rehab different from alcohol rehab center that offers inpatient facilities. With an inpatient facility one is required to commit to the program more totally; it offers a 24 x 7 residential facility that isolates an individual from the outside world. With an outpatient facility, one can actually carry on with their regular life in terms of work, school, family, etc.; it is part time so to speak.

Alcohol and Its Effects On Your Organs

The action of alcohol on the stomach is extremely dangerous that it becomes unable to produce the natural digestive fluid in sufficient quantity and also fails to absorb the food which it may imperfectly digest. A condition marked by the sense of nausea emptiness, prostration and distention will always be faced by an alcoholic.

The Stages Of Alcoholism

Could you recognize the stages of alcoholism in yourself, your friends, or your family members? If you are concerned that someone you know has an alcohol problem, then just knowing the four alcoholism stages could enable you to help that person quit drinking, and may even help you save their life.

Common Signs Of Alcoholism

Someone you love may be an alcoholic, and you don’t even know it. But knowing the symptoms of alcoholism, and the warnings signs people with alcoholism exhibit, will go a long way towards helping you get them the help they need.

Dangers of Alcohol - Save Your Life

Alcohol has many side effects including altering your perceptions, dulling your senses, hindering coordination, and blocking memory functions. If you continue to use alcohol heavily, you could experience stomach ailments, sexual impotence, heart and central nervous system damage, loss of appetite, and blackouts.