For many people, relaxing on the weekends is associated with alcohol - they don't see anything wrong with it because they only drink a couple of glasses of wine or a bottle of beer.But even such a seemingly small amount of alcohol can be harmful and lead to addiction.Let's look at how alcohol affects mental and physical health and how to learn to relax in other ways.
They say:
Maya Medvedeva - psychologist, psychosomatologist
Oksana Nazarchuk - practicing nutritionist
How is addiction formed?
“In the modern world, people lead an active social life and spend most of their time at work,” says psychologist Maya Medvedeva.— Stress and tension do not come out and accumulate over time.When they reach their peak, the mind and body require relaxation.Alcohol is the easiest way to achieve this state.Ethanol molecules quickly penetrate through the plasma membrane into the intracellular environment and easily reach any cells and neurons.Alcohol activates brain receptors, with dopamine receptors being the most sensitive to it.
This explains why with small doses of alcohol a person feels a surge of strength, happiness, good mood and vigor.Dopamine is one of the “joy hormones” that stimulates the emergence of positive emotions.After drinking alcohol, a person wants to dance, sing, laugh, he becomes more sociable.If you drink regularly, the body stops producing dopamine on its own, since an accessible external source becomes available.Dependence on alcohol develops, the habit gradually becomes established and the need to drink is formed.
The effect of alcohol on dopaminergic neurons has been proven by scientific research.It was found that with regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, dopamine ceases to work in a balanced manner and the person does not control his behavior.If you are looking forward to the weekend and a “meeting” with alcohol, be careful: the development of addiction has already begun.Show consciousness and start fighting the beginnings of alcoholism.”
How does alcohol affect internal organs?
“Alcohol begins to affect the functioning of our body from the first sip and, first of all, has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the liver,” adds nutritionist Oksana Nazarchuk.— It can cause various diseases, inflammatory processes and complications of this organ, up to cirrhosis.The liver is the organ in which detox processes occur.Thus, liver diseases have a detrimental effect on the functioning of the entire body.By the way, it is more difficult for the female body to process alcohol, and the liver can be destroyed much faster than in men.Alcohol also negatively affects the functioning of the heart and the amount of sugar in the blood, and can lead to serious diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Alcohol also affects the functioning of the central nervous system: one of the most striking symptoms is “slurred tongue,” or slurred speech.It reduces the connection between the body and the brain, making it more difficult for us to coordinate movements and maintain balance.Some may experience numbness and tingling in the arms and legs.In chronic alcoholics, alcohol causes changes in the brain that can lead to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (a form of amnesia that combines a type of long-term amnesia and confusion).
Alcohol also affects eating behavior: leptin levels decrease, and we feel acute hunger, and we want to eat not the healthiest food.As a result, we may overeat and not control the amount we eat.After drinking any amount of alcohol, fat burning processes stop. Those who are trying to lose weight should definitely not drink alcohol in the first weeks of the diet.Many people do not take into account the calories contained in alcohol, however, one gram of pure alcohol is approximately 7 kcal.Some alcoholic drinks contain as many calories as full meals: for example, 0.5 liters of beer contain 218 kcal; the nutritional value of liqueurs and cocktails is much greater due to sugar.
Drinking alcoholic beverages has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and leads to a decrease in the ability to absorb microelements.As a result, deficiencies are created that negatively affect the functioning of the entire body.You may also experience unpleasant symptoms such as heaviness in the abdomen, increased gas formation, and problems with stool.Those who do not control their alcohol consumption experience anemia (low levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood).Some doctors believe that beer has a beneficial effect on digestion, but, like any other alcoholic drink, it is unlikely to be beneficial.”
Many people do not take into account the calories contained in alcohol, however, one gram of pure alcohol is approximately 7 kcal.Some alcoholic drinks contain as many calories as full meals: for example, 0.5 liters of beer contain 218 kcal; the nutritional value of liqueurs and cocktails is much greater due to sugar.
When drinking alcohol, the pancreas begins to produce too many enzymes, which can lead to inflammation of this organ, or pancreatitis.
Alcohol affects sexual function and can suppress libido and reduce hormone production in both men and women.Pregnant women who drink alcohol put the fetus at risk: since such drinks reduce the level of B vitamins, the fetus may experience problems with the development of the nervous system.And of course, alcohol negatively affects the functioning of the immune system, and its unlimited consumption can cause many serious diseases.”
In France, until the 1950s, children could drink wine, cider or beer during school breaks - this was not only not prohibited, but was encouraged, first of all, by their parents.True, in 1956, the French Ministry of Education banned children under 14 years old from drinking wine, but the rest could still drink alcohol between classes, but not more than 125 ml (this is the volume of the glass).In 1981, alcohol was completely banned in schools, as children often fell asleep in class or, conversely, behaved too actively.In Italy, children also have a special relationship with wine: in 2016, a local senator proposed introducing special lessons in schools where students would be taught wine culture.It was assumed that during them children would be told about the significance of wine in Italian history and how to drink the drink correctly, supposedly this should protect teenagers from alcohol addiction in the future.
What to replace alcohol with?
If you are not ready to completely give up alcohol, nutritionist Oksana Nazarchuk recommends at least reducing its consumption as much as possible: “In order not to harm your physical health, you should drink no more than one or two glasses a week.It is important to consider your personal condition after use.It is recommended not to even start drinking any type of alcoholic beverages unless you have already tried them.Official dietary guidelines for the United States and Canada recommend alcohol intake for women as one drink or less per week, and for men as two drinks or less per week.The less alcohol you drink, the healthier you are.And to get the benefits of the substances contained in wine, you can drink a non-alcoholic version of the drink, which also contains resveratrol (by the way, it is also found in the skins and seeds of grapes).”
To get rid of addiction and stop drinking alcohol, psychologist Maya Medvedeva advises finding an activity that will bring pleasure and thereby provoke the production of dopamine and serotonin in a natural way: for example, regularly go for walks, visit exhibitions or plan a trip to the bathhouse - all this has a positive effect on the brain and raises the level of the “happiness hormone.”To relax, the psychologist recommends meditation, spa treatments, and even simply listening to relaxing music: “To meditate, you don’t need to delve into religious teachings; psychologists advise finding a quiet, secluded corner, taking a comfortable position and observing your breathing.This simple exercise brings peace, relieves stress, and joy and peace reign in the soul.Massage and spa treatments are also a great way to get rid of accumulated stress.When we feel pleasant touches, the “love hormone” oxytocin is produced in the body.It is because of him that we feel butterflies in our stomach when we are close to our loved one.”
Include sports in your routine and reconsider your diet: “Sports give a pleasant bonus - during physical education, adrenaline is released, which gives a feeling of light drive and helps to throw out accumulated negative emotions,” sums up Maya Medvedeva.— Include tyrosine-rich foods in your menu: hard cheese, meat, beans, fish.Moderate consumption of high-quality freshly brewed coffee with a piece of chocolate also helps improve your condition.But don’t overindulge in sweets, otherwise instead of one addiction you’ll just get another.”