Health is Wealth
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In every political party, it’s likely that there is a doctor and a scientist. These professionals should take responsibility for explaining the science behind the link between alcohol and cancer.
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To minimize the risk of cancer, it’s recommended to limit alcohol consumption or avoid it altogether. #AlcoholAndCancer
February 15, 2024
Alcohol affects your whole body, from your liver and immune system to your brain and mental health
You probably already know that excessive drinking can affect you in more ways than one.
There are the empty calories that can lead to weight gain. There’s the potential for injury and regrettable choices. And don’t forget about the hangovers of course.
Heavy drinking can also lead to a host of health concerns, like brain damage, heart disease, cirrhosis of the liver and even certain kinds of cancer.
And that’s on top of the toll that alcohol use can take on relationships, not to mention the potential for financial strain and legal troubles.
But even moderate alcohol use changes the way your body functions.
We talked with hepatologist Shreya Sengupta, MD, about how alcohol use affects your body and your emotional health.
“Some people think of the effects of alcohol as only something to be worried about if you’re living with alcohol use disorder, which was formerly called alcoholism,” Dr. Sengupta says.
“But when you consider how alcohol is metabolized and used by your body, we can start to see that even moderate and social drinking affects our health to some degree.”
Dr. Sengupta shares some of the not-so-obvious effects that alcohol has on your body.
Your liver detoxifies and removes alcohol from your blood through a process known as oxidation. When your liver finishes that process, alcohol gets turned into water and carbon dioxide.
But when you ingest too much alcohol for your liver to process in a timely manner, a buildup of toxic substances begins to take a toll on your liver.
If alcohol continues to accumulate in your system, it can destroy cells and, eventually, damage your organs.
“When your liver is overwhelmed by oxidizing alcohol, it generates molecules that inhibit fat oxidation,” Dr. Sengupta explains. “The fats build up. Over time, it can lead to a condition known as steatotic liver disease.”
Steatotic liver disease used to go by the name fatty liver disease.
Steatotic liver disease develops in about 90% of people who drink more than 1.5 to 2 ounces of alcohol per day. That’s about one shot glass worth.
With continued alcohol use, steatotic liver disease can lead to liver fibrosis. Eventually, you can develop permanent and irreversible scarring in your liver, which is called cirrhosis.
“The good news is that earlier stages of steatotic liver disease are usually completely reversible in about four to six weeks if you abstain from drinking alcohol,” Dr. Sengupta assures.
Cirrhosis, on the other hand, is irreversible and can lead to liver failure and liver cancer, even if you abstain from alcohol.
You probably are keenly aware of the so-called “beer belly.” That’s shorthand for a round midsection that some people associate with drinking too much beer.
In reality, there’s no evidence that drinking beer (or your alcoholic beverages of choice) actually contributes to belly fat.
But there’s plenty of research to back up the notion that alcohol does lead to weight gain in general. Even for people who aren’t particularly heavy drinkers.
“Drinking gives your body work to do that keeps it from going about its other processes,” Dr. Sengupta notes. “Alcohol distracts your system from its regularly scheduled duties, including things like metabolizing carbohydrates and fats.”
Once you take a drink, your body makes metabolizing alcohol a priority — above processing anything else.
That’s because your body already has processes in place that allow it to store excess proteins, carbohydrates and fats. But there isn’t a storage tank for alcohol. So, your system prioritizes getting rid of alcohol before it can turn its attention to its other work.
That allows excess calories from the foods you eat to sit around, leading to weight gain.
Your gut microbiome is a hotbed of bacteria that help keep your digestive system happy and healthy. The trillions of microbes in your colon and large and small intestines are critical to proper digestion. They also help fend off inflammation and support healthy metabolism.
When you drink too much alcohol, it can throw off the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut.
“Alcohol can kill the good bacteria that live in your gut, allowing bad bacteria to grow unchecked,” Dr. Sengupta explains. “That can lead to problems with digestion, inflammation and even organ damage.”
Having a glass of wine with dinner or a beer at a party here and there isn’t going to destroy your gut. But even low amounts of daily drinking and prolonged and heavy use of alcohol can lead to significant problems for your digestive system.
Too much alcohol is bad for your heart. Alcohol can cause:
Warnings from the World Heart Federation go so far as to state that no amount of alcohol is safe for your ticker.
But wait, you may be thinking, what about those headlines that claim red wine is supposed to be good for my heart?
There are a few studies that associate red wine with improved heart health in lab tests. But no research proves that red wine causes any improvements in heart health in people.
“The reality is that alcohol causes more health troubles than it could ever help,” Dr. Sengupta reinforces. “And that goes for your heart, as well as the rest of your body.”
Your pancreas helps your body digest food and manage your blood sugar. Drinking alcohol changes how your pancreas works.
“Your pancreas secretes fluids. Alcohol use can thicken those fluids, which can clog the ducts that those fluids flow out of,” Dr. Sengupta explains.
Like a clog in a drain, those thickened fluids can jam up your ducts. That can lead to pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas.
Pancreatitis can be a short-term (acute) condition that clears up in a few days. But prolonged alcohol abuse can lead to chronic (long-term) pancreatitis, which can be severe.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a clear warning regarding the connection between drinking and cancer: “The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk for cancer.”
Why?
Your body breaks alcohol down into a chemical called acetaldehyde, which damages your DNA. Damaged DNA can cause a cell to grow out of control, which results in cancerous tumors.
Alcohol use has been shown to raise your risk for several kinds of cancer. That includes cancers of the:
If you drink every day, or almost every day, you might notice that you catch colds, flu or other illnesses more frequently than people who don’t drink. That’s because alcohol can weaken your immune system and make your body more susceptible to infection.
“We see lower levels of a specific kind of white blood cells called lymphocytes in people who drink heavily for long periods of time,” Dr. Sengupta reports. “That can leave them more vulnerable to infectious diseases.”
The morning after a night of over-imbibing can cause some temporary effects on your brain. Things like trouble concentration, slow reflexes and sensitivity to bright lights and loud sounds are standard signs of a hangover, and evidence of alcohol’s effects on your brain.
Long-term alcohol use can change your brain’s wiring in much more significant ways. Ways that your standard hangover cures won’t even begin to touch.
“Excessive alcohol consumption can cause nerve damage and irreversible forms of dementia,” Dr. Sengupta warns.
Alcohol is a depressant. And prolonged alcohol use can lead to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Chronic misuse can also lead to paranoia and hallucinations.
Even drinking a little too much (binge drinking) on occasion can set off a chain reaction that affects your well-being. Lowered inhibitions can lead to poor choices with lasting repercussions — like the end of a relationship, an accident or legal woes. Each of those consequences can cause turmoil that can negatively affect your long-term emotional health.
“Alcohol tends to cause more problems than it solves for a lot of people,” Dr. Sengupta emphasizes. “If drinking is affecting your health, your relationships, your work, your finances, it’s time to make some serious changes.”
Ready to stop drinking and improve your health? These tips may help.
If you need more guidance to quit drinking, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a hotline, 24/7, 365 days a year. Call 1.800.662.HELP (4357).
Alcoholics Anonymous is available almost everywhere and provides a place to openly and nonjudgmentally discuss alcohol issues with others who have alcohol use disorder.
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Take a ‘Paws’ With Downward Dog
This transitional and restorative yoga pose provides a full-body stretch
Physical therapist Dawn Lorring, PT, MPT, walks through the steps of how to do downward dog correctly and shares its many benefits.
From beginner’s yoga to more advanced practices, downward dog is one of the most popular poses…with a few common misconceptions.
Rounding your back, placing your feet too far apart or putting too much weight into your wrists can all create a deeper stretch than intended — which increases your risk of injury.
Physical therapist Dawn Lorring, PT, MPT, walks through the steps of how to do downward dog correctly and shares its many benefits.
Downward dog (also known as downward facing dog, facing dog pose or Adho Mukha Svanasana in Sanskrit) is a foundational yoga pose. It’s often used as a transition between movements, like sun salutations. It’s also a form of active resting, active stretching and strengthening. This allows you to check in with yourself and re-evaluate your intentions during your practice.
You do downward facing dog by putting your body into an inverted V-shape (or pyramid), as if there were a straight line that runs through the top of your head up your spine and out of your butt toward the ceiling.
Facing dog pose won’t usually be your first movement when doing yoga. Before trying it, it’s best to loosen up your muscles and joints and find ways to work it into your overall yoga practice.
Once you’re warmed up and ready to go, follow these steps:
“Downward facing dog isn’t about keeping your heels on the ground or holding it for long periods of time,” clarifies Lorring. “It’s really about making sure you’re going to a place that’s comfortable for you, so you can adjust your body as often as you need in this pose.”
If you have a hard time getting down on your hands and knees, try this wall variation:
For a more challenging stretch that deeply engages your hips and hamstrings:
Downward facing dog provides a full body stretch, while also strengthening and working your:
Adho Mukha Svanasana helps improve your flexibility and control, and provides you a moment of active rest. It also increases blood flow to your head and upper body when you’re in the inverted V position. But because of this, you should talk to your yoga instructor, athletic trainer or healthcare provider before starting this position if you have:
“Facing dog pose tries to improve flexibility but also builds the strength to control that flexibility,” says Lorring. “If you’re feeling excessive stress to a certain part of your body, then you’re probably holding the pose for too long or you’re trying to go into a range that you’re not ready for. We can help you get there.”
The natural at-home remedy can soothe irritation and decrease inflammation
It feels faint at first — there’s a little tickle or scratch at the back of your throat.
Then, it hurts or even burns when you swallow.
Ugh, you’ve got a sore throat, and a cough isn’t far behind.
You’re taking cough syrup and lozenges in an attempt to get some relief. But what about using honey for sore throat symptoms? Does this natural home remedy actually work to soothe a sore throat and cough?
Yes, says family medicine physician Elizabeth Rainbolt, MD.
Dr. Rainbolt explains how honey works and when and how to use it.
It’s common to get a sore throat every now and then. You may have a sore throat due to the following:
In addition to having other symptoms like nasal congestion, fatigue and fever, you may develop a cough.
Honey has a long history of being used as a natural remedy. And one remedy is to soothe sore throats and help alleviate a cough.
“Research shows that honey has some antimicrobial and anti-inflammation properties. Honey can help by decreasing inflammation and irritation in your throat,” explains Dr. Rainbolt. “Another study shows that honey may reduce mucus secretion. So, you can use honey for cough symptoms as well, whether it’s a wet or dry cough.”
Giving honey to a child under 1-year-old isn’t recommended, warns Dr. Rainbolt.
“There’s concern for an infant botulism, a serious illness that’s caused by Clostridium botulinum,” she continues. “While it’s a rare occurrence, honey can contain spores that cause botulism. It attacks the body’s nervous system and children under one are more vulnerable.”
Most sore throats tend to get better within a week, but during that time, adults can take a spoonful (about 1 teaspoon) of honey for a cough and sore throat.
You can also dilute half a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of honey in warm water or tea. This method is also recommended for children older than 1.
“You can use it with any kind of herbal tea or warm water with lemon juice, which can be soothing as well,” says Dr. Rainbolt.
So, how often can you use this home remedy? Dr. Rainbolt recommends using honey no more than four or five times a day.
And part of that reasoning is that honey does contain sugar.
“If you’re concerned about your sugar intake, then I recommend using honey more sparingly,” she says. “I would just use it at night to give you some relief before you go to bed.”
And can you use both honey and traditional cold medicine?
Yes, says Dr. Rainbolt.
“If it seems like the honey isn’t helping on its own, then you can certainly do both honey and medication, if medicine is something that you are able to take,” she notes.
Honey can be a helpful tool for those who can’t take traditional cold medications — for example, children under 6 years old or individuals with health conditions like high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.
Overall, honey can be a good way to help soothe your sore throat and cough. It doesn’t come with some of the side effects that over-the-counter medications have like drowsiness.
So, can you just buy any honey you see on the grocery store shelf?
Yes, but you might want to make sure it’s been pasteurized. The pasteurization process removes any crystallization and unwanted yeast. It also improves honey’s texture and color, while extending its shelf life.
Dr. Rainbolt also mentions that some people think using local honey, which tends to be unpasteurized or raw, can come with extra benefits.
“There’s a thought that if you use local honey, you are exposed to some of the area’s natural allergens in a positive way,” she explains. “The idea is that it will help with allergies you have.”
The next time your throat starts to tickle, reach for honey and see if it helps.
“Think of honey as a first line of defense for those over 1 year old,” says Dr. Rainbolt. “Honey is something that pretty much everyone can try. And it’s been shown to work as well as some cough suppressant medications. It’s a nice alternative.”
Glenageary, Co Dublin
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