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Alcoholism
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Please read about Addiction to understand the principle of Alcoholism. In terms of how alcohol affects the physical body, after alcohol is ingested, it reaches the stomach where about 20% of the alcohol absorbs into the blood stream, through small blood vessels. The remaining 80% of the alcohol continues to the small intestine and is absorbed there into the blood stream. The alcohol flows through the blood stream and must be metabolized (processed) by the liver, where the alcohol is broken down by enzymes. On average, the liver can metabolize about one standard drink in one hour (i.e. one 12 ounce bottle of beer, one 4 ounce glass of wine or 1.5 ounces of 40% alcohol).
Alcohol consumed in addition to these amounts cannot be processed immediately by the liver, so your blood becomes saturated and the additional alcohol makes its way to your body tissues and blood stream until your liver is freed up process the excess. When consumed in large amounts over a prolonged period of time, alcohol can harm virtually every part of your body. Many of the effects are reversible if alcohol consumption is controlled, or better, eliminated.
Health Conditions Caused By Alcohol:
- Extended alcohol abuse can cause blood conditions including several forms of anemia and blood clotting abnormalities. These conditions could result in susceptibility to bleeding and bruising.
- Prolonged alcohol use can also impair white blood cell function and thus makes the abuser more likely to acquire infection and get over infections.
- Intense vomiting from excessive drinking can tear the esophagus; half the cancers in the esophagus, larynx and mouth are linked to alcohol.
- Excessive and prolonged alcohol consumption can cause conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and heart failure. Social drinkers who binge can get irregular heartbeats from their alcoholic habits.
- Osteoporosis and some forms of arthritis can be advanced by alcohol abuse.
- Prolonged heavy drinking can cause kidney failure.
- It can cause Cirrhosis, which is a buildup of scar tissue that changes the structure of the liver and blocks blood flow and varicose veins, which can rupture and potentially trigger internal bleeding.
- Heavy drinkers are more susceptible to pneumonia and lung collapse, and also have more pulmonary infections.
- Alcohol can reduce the amount of digestive enzymes secreted by the pancreas, thereby inflaming and leaking digestive enzymes, which subsequently attack the pancreas itself, or cause leaky gut syndrome.
- Because of alcohol's affects on the brain and alcohol's effects on the kidneys, hormonal production is affected.
- In men, this could mean that the production of sperm and testosterone are affected, and that can lead to impotence and/or infertility. In women, estrogen metabolism in the liver can be decreased, which boost estrogen levels in the body. These changes can contribute to menstrual irregularities and potentially infertility.
- Alcohol can damage the cells lining the stomach and intestines, which can block the absorption and breakdown of nutrients in those organs. Alcohol can irritate the stomach to the point of inducing gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), ulcers and acid reflux, or a hiatal hernia. Prolonged exposure to alcohol can erode the stomach lining and cause chronic blood seepage into the stomach. If the individual is particularly unlucky, a vessel can rupture and cause major bleeding.
HOME REMEDY: The juice made from raw celery sobers an already intoxicated person faster than coffee. To create this juice, mix half a glass of celery juice with half a glass of water. This should be taken once daily for a month to cleanse excess alcohol from the blood and liver. Eating a generous amount of apples detoxifies the body, helps resupply some enzymes and heal the stomach lining, and helps reduce the craving for wines and other liquors. Most notable home remedy for detoxification and helping to overcome alcohol addiction is a strict diet made of grapes for a month or more…nothing but organic grapes and water. It gives the therapeutic effect of a fast, but adds the detox properties of the grapes. If liver damage is suspected, 2-4 tablespoons of juice extracted from the leaves of bitter gourd each day makes a powerful antidote. If the intestinal lining has suffered (ulcers, hemorrhoids, etc.) mix three teaspoons of bitter gourd juice with a glass of buttermilk. This should be taken every morning for the month. Plenty of rest is in order but daily physical exercises to keep the blood moving and flushing through the liver are needed. Most alcoholics need to supplement Vitamin's B1. B2 and B6 as alcohol creates severe depletions of these vitamins.
Best Alcohol Choices: After reading the information above, hopefully you are not a big fan of alcohol. But if you must have some, the best choice is organic, red wine. There are even benefits to it if used in moderation. There is no health benefit to white wine. Liquors of all kind are destructive, but if you must have some, choose those made from non-grain sources, such as tequila, vodka made from grapes or potatoes, etc. Beer, the darker the better because it can help with digestive properties. The issue with any alcohol made from grains long term is primarily that most grains are now GMO.
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