Alcohol

For the last 6,000 years of recorded history, human beings have drinking alcohol. Today it plays a major part in our economy, with many millions of Euro spent every week on alcoholic drinks. But with plenty of conflicting stories floating about in the media, many people are rightly mystified; is alcohol good for you, or does it harm you?
There is no doubt; the effects of long-term heavy or chronic use of alcohol on the body are serious. Alcohol affects the brain and nervous system, which control behaviour and body functions, as well as the pancreas and liver. No body system is left untouched by the effects of chronic alcohol use. Alcohol is detoxified by the liver, which involves a liver enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase. When alcohol intake exceeds this enzymatic pathway, the liver turns alcohol into Acetaldehyde, a very acidic and toxic metabolite. The end result is a sick feeling called the hangover.
There is little question that alcohol acts as an anti – nutrient. Although some forms of alcohol (such as Stout or Red Wine) do deliver a few nutrients, alcohol itself is a potent destroyer of these same nutrients.
Chronic alcohol intake leads to multiple deficiencies of nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium.
Craving for alcohol increases with poor nutrition and inadequate nutrients. Alcohol can often be used as a substitute for food in heavy or chronic alcohol drinkers. Alcohol is very high in sugar and causes reactive hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) and food cravings, especially for sweets. Poor nutrition further disables the body’s ability to protect itself from the toxic effects of alcohol.
Alcohol irritates your gut, making it more permeable to undigested food particles, and increasing the chances of an allergic reaction to substances in both, the food and the alcohol. This is why many beer and wine drinkers become allergic to yeast. Wine drinkers may also become sensitive to sulphates, which are added to grapes to control Fermentation.
According to the World Health Organization, the more alcohol you drink, the higher your cancer risk especially if you also smoke.
Drinking alcohol makes you feel good at first due to the release of dopamine, which stimulates you, followed by endorphins, which make you feel high, and then gamma – amino butyric acid, which makes you relax. The sugar in the alcohol also gives your blood sugars a boost. This pleasant effect usually lasts for an hour or so. Several drinks later, however, you (or others) might notice you are feeling irritable, depressed or even hostile. People who consume high levels of alcohol have reduced intellectual performance on testing.
What of the positive effects of alcohol? One plus for alcohol in moderation is the well – established finding, that it increases HDL (Good) Cholesterol! Red Wine may also confer Additional Cardiovascular benefits by virtue of being high in proanthocyanidins the antioxidants found in grapes and berries. Alcohol itself is an oxidant. Eating grapes or drinking grape juice will give the same benefits, without the negative effects of alcohol.
It seems - that moderation is the key to drinking and maintaining good health. A glass of wine or beer, one to three times a week is unlikely to impact on your health.