Let's talk - Alcohol & Your Heath

2 days ago

3 min read

Most people think having a drink now and then won’t do much harm. But research shows there’s no ‘safe’ amount of alcohol that doesn’t harm your health.

Alcohol is a toxin. Plain and simple. Drinking alcohol affects several organs and systems in your body.

Here are some of the ways alcohol can effect your body:

Brain: Alcohol slows the nervous system down making it harder to think, speak, and move. Heavy drinking also increases the risk of stroke.
Heart: Drinking too much damages the heart. This can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease.
Digestive system: Alcohol irritates the stomach lining which can lead to gut inflammation. Not to mention, it impairs the absorption of nutrients.
Pancreas: Alcohol inflames the pancreas. Over time, this can lead to pancreatitis and affect its ability to make digestive enzymes.
Blood sugar: Alcohol spikes your blood sugar. Consuming it too often can increase the risk of developing diabetes.
Immune system: Alcohol weakens the immune system, harming your body’s ability to fight off infections.
Bones: Long-term drinking can weaken bones and increase the risk of osteoporosis.
Liver: Your liver has to break down alcohol. Each time you drink, it damages liver cells. This creates inflammation and can cause scarring or cirrhosis of the liver.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram or 0.04 fl. oz. Once ingested, it travels to the liver to metabolize. Alcohol is rapidly converted into ethanol, a highly toxic by-product. The body's primary focus after alcohol intake is to transform ethanol into less harmful by-products that may be used for energy. However, this process gets in the way of other metabolic pathways responsible for energy production.

Digesting and breaking down carbohydrates and fats for energy requires specific molecules. Alcohol reduces the body's ability to burn carbohydrates and fatty acids by getting in the way of these molecules, decreasing their availability for other functions. Alcohol prioritizes the breakdown of methanol before breaking down carbohydrates or fatty acids.

Alcohol also gets in the way of muscle growth.

1.) Alcohol gets in the way of muscle protein synthesis

Muscle tissue is continuously undergoing processes of building and breakdown. During exercise, different signaling pathways are triggered to release amino acids from our muscles to aid in building new ones. Eating protein is essential to BUILD muscle. The creation of new muscle tissue is known as muscle protein synthesis. Drinking alcohol can inhibit or interfere with the specific signaling pathways that instruct the body to build muscle.

2.) It stops the signals for building proteins

Since alcohol gets in the way of signals for muscles protein synthesis, it enables the activation of molecules that lead to muscle wasting. Although signaling pathways are disrupted, research indicates that the total amino acid content remains unchanged.

3.) Alcohol causes insulin resistance

Insulin plays a crucial role in muscle growth and is responsible for the absorption of carbohydrates into muscles. With altered absorption ability, muscle growth and recovery are impaired.

These are a few of many reasons why mocktails have gained popularity.

So what are mocktails? Mocktails are cocktails without the liquor. They’re non-alcoholic drinks designed to taste and look like cocktails. They can be made with a many types of ingredients like juices, sodas, herbs, spices, or fresh fruit.

People are health conscious these days. And, as you read above, alcohol can have many negative effects on your health .

Mocktails are an easy limit alcohol consumption and prioritize wellness, while still enjoying a tasty drink.

Inclusivity also plays a role. Mocktails give non drinkers a chance to socialize without feeling left out.

They’re perfect for those avoiding alcohol for religious reasons, addiction recovery, health conditions, or even pregnancy.

Here are a few Mocktail recipes for you to try:

Margarita Mocktail