ALCOHOL EFFECTS ON HEALTH

 

WHAT IS ALCOHOLISM

Alcoholic drinks provide a source of energy for the body but contain relatively few nutrients and vitamins.  Those who drink them moderately, in company, are 'social drinkers'.  Some social drinkers become heavy drinkers,and may develop, without necessarily recognizing it, into excessive drinkers.  These are people whose drinking leads to social, economic or medical problems.  Alcoholism is a self-inflicted condition but its effects are not confined to the individulal drinkers.  It breaks up marriages, alienates children and loses people their jobs.  Physically the effects can be disastrous.  It is thought that around 70% of chronic alcoholics suffer from fatty infiltration of the liver and about 10% from cirrhosis of the liver. 

ALCOHOL

Like sugar, alcohol gives a false stimulus to the system ;and is rapidly followed by sedation ;;and depression of certain body functions, It depletes the levels of vitamins, most notably the B and C group, and minerals, such as Zinc, Magnesium and Potassium. 

It is fashionable to imbibe alcohol ;and an increasing number of women are resorting to this practice although it has been found that the harmful effects of alcohol on women far exceeds those on men. 

Eventually, alcohol takes a heavy toll on health, causing cirrhosis of the liver, gastric troubles, heart disease, muscle disorders, nervous system problems, sexual impotence, etc. 

If natural fruit juices are kept warm for a few days and exposed to the air, the sugars in them will usually ferment to form alcohol.  Starches, grains and potatoes can also be made to ferment.  The alcohol we drink is called ethyl alcohol.  Ordinary beers contain between 2 and half and 4%  of this alcohol by volume: 'special' strong beers may have as much as 8%.  Wines generally rage between 8 - 12% and fortified wines (e.g. sherries and apertitifs) contain added spirits, which bring the alcohol content upto about 20%. 

Social drinking within limits is not harmful but it is the problem of alcoholism, that can be HAZARDOUS. 

ALCOHOL EFFECTS ON HEALTH: 

* Chronic heavy drinking is linked with an increased risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, pancreas and rectum. The risk is heightened if a heavy drinker alcohol is also a smoking or chewing of tobocco, 

* Many alcoholics have peptic ulcers.  Regular drinking causes chronic inflammation of the stomach, which in turn causes mor alcoholics to lose interest in food. They may nevertheless maintain a normal weight or increase in weight because alcohol substitutes for carbohydrates in the diet. 

*Excessive alcohol may also weaken the heart muscles, causing the heart to enlarge and reducing the efficiency of the pumping action. Another effect is the nerve damaging described as polyneuritis a tingling n the hands and feet, and cramps in the legs, are among the symptoms which may effect a fifth of all alcoholics. 

* Some of neurological complications, such as the shakes and delirium tremens are withdrawal sysmptoms and others severe memory loss for example may be permanent. 

*Chronic heavy drinking has a serious impact on how the body absorbs, uses and stores food.  In a chronic heavy drinker, fat is stores in the lever instead of being metabolised efficiently.  

*Heavy drinking also leads to reduced dexterity, Alcohol is ;;very rapidly absorbed and begins to act on the brain in about ten minutes coordination of hand and eye begins to fail, as does the ability to judge distance - precisely the brain function required to drive a motorcar or operate powered machinery safely. 

CONCLUSION: 

These physical and meantal effects are complications of alcohol misuse and generally arise only years after the sufferer's personal, social and professional life has been destroyed.  CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN SO THAT ONE DOES NOT REACH THAT STAGE.  

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