Put the Bottle Down - Alcohol and its affects on the human body

Personally, I don't drink. I've never had alcohol in my entire 19 year life, and I don't really plan on that changing anytime soon. I was recently asked "how that actually helps me be healthy." After wrapping my head around the fact that somebody could actually think that alcohol was healthy, I decided to get all my thoughts down on paper and share them with you guys, so that hopefully somebody will benefit. 

Have you ever wondered why very few people like the taste of alcohol the first time they try it? This is because the human body was not designed to consume alcohol. Carol Simontacchi's book, The Crazy Makers, states that Americans consume more than 37 gallons of alcoholic beverages PER PERSON each year in the United States. This means averages out to roughly one and a half cups per day. 

Alcohol has a very simple chemical structure and thus is absorbed very rapidly into the stomach and small intestine (this is also why it is often used as a carrier agent for medical drugs). When alcohol is metabolized in the liver, it dramatically stifles the liver's ability to produce energy. This means not only will you get a toxic, overloaded liver, but you will also be more prone to feeling rundown and low on energy. Also, because of the rate of absorption into the stomach and small intestine, alcohol has a roller-coaster affect blood sugar balance. This leads to a state of hypoglycemia, especially when one consumes alcohol on an empty stomach. 

Go into almost any restaurant in the world. If you are of age, the first thing they will offer is alcohol. Why? Hypoglycemia leads to a rapid blood sugar crash, which makes you hungrier when you order! In a society that consumes 37 gallons of alcohol per year, is it any wonder why we are rampant with health and weight problems? 

On top of this, when consumed around mealtime, alcohol is a blocking agent for the proper absorption of several vitamins and minerals. This means that even though you may be eating a very nutritious meal, the presence of alcohol significantly decreases the value of the meal. Finally, when alcohol is consumed without fat and protien to slow absorption, damage can be done to the wall of the small intestine. This is why alcohol consumption is a leading cause of leaky gut syndrome. 

Now, I know that almost no one reading this is about to give up drinking, and I'm not telling you to. There's no reason not to have fun and enjoy life, and if a night of drinking is what it takes to enjoy life, then go right ahead and do it. Just consider doing some "damage control" and taking these precautions:

1.) Avoid drinks containing sugar like coolers - these are complete crap and are full of chemicals that glow in the dark and that probably no one in the world can pronounce. 

2.) Watch what you are mixing your drinks with. A night of drinking becomes a lot more detrimental to your health once you mix a liter of Coke into all your drinks. 

3.) Consume drinks made from organic sources when available. 

4.) Try to avoid beer, as it is highly estrogenic. Stick to regular vodka, and mix it with something like water and lemon or water and lime. Red wine is also a better option than beer. However, don't be fooled into thinking it is healthy. Any health benefit from red wine is a result of the grapes that were used to make it, and even then, the Resveratrol (healthy compound in grapes/red wine) content is very, very small. 

5.) Consume alcohol in the presence of protien and fat to slow absorption. Nuts, avocado, coconut and free-range meats are all good options. You can even bring a small bag of raw nuts with you when you go out drinking to dampen the negative affect. 

6.) Practice moderation. 

I hope this article shed some light on the negative affects of alcohol, or at least gave some guidelines for a healthier night of drinking.

- T