The Chilling Effects of Alcohol on Your Body - 2nd Week
By Genevieve Cunningham
Most of us indulge in a mixed drink or other alcoholic beverage from time to time. For the most part, it’s probably not doing you any harm, right? You feel good. You get to relax. You enjoy your social life. While a little bit of alcohol probably isn’t causing significant damage to your body or your life, it’s easy to cross the line into the danger zone. The problem is finding the line … what’s too much and what’s just enough to be safe? While this can take time and experience to truly find out, it’s important to know what’s happening to your health in the meantime. Take a look at these slightly scary ways in which a little alcohol is really affecting your body.
Alcohol Travels to the Brain
You already knew this, as too much alcohol can cause slowed reactions and slurred speech. But, you may not realize just how damaging it is to your brain. Alcohol enters your bloodstream easily, which means that it directly affects the central nervous system. You might have a loss of coordination and reasoning skills. You may have trouble remembering and your vision may be temporarily damaged. Perhaps the scariest effect of this phenomenon is the long-term effect. Over time and with large consumption of the drink, alcohol can actually shrink the frontal lobes of your brain causing permanent damage and potential disease.
Alcohol is Toxic to Digestion
Those who drink regularly may find troubling symptoms such as ulcers in the mouth, the throat, or even the stomach. They may suffer from acid reflux or ongoing indigestion. The real truth is that the alcohol is more or less burning the digestive tract. Your body doesn’t handle it or digest it well, and it may show up in the form of pain, nausea, or excessive acid. It can also make it harder for your digestive tract to absorb the necessary nutrients, so you’ll be causing even more damage through unintentional malnutrition.
Alcohol Puts a Damper on Your Immune System
Your immune system lies 90 percent in your gut. Obviously, this happens to be the direct path of the alcohol, and it causes it to malfunction or simply not work at optimal level. Those who abuse alcohol may find that they get sick more often or feel more rundown than other people. With an immune system that can’t perform at optimal level, it’s no wonder.
Should you avoid all alcohol for the rest of time? That’s completely up to you, though not necessarily. But it is really important to consume it in moderation. Alcohol can be a lot of fun and has its place when consumed responsibly, yet it’s a bit of a poison to our bodies. Be smart, be safe, and enjoy with caution.