For many people, relaxing on weekends is associated with alcohol - they see nothing wrong with it, because they only drink a few glasses of wine or a bottle of beer.But even this seemingly insignificant amount of alcohol can be harmful and addictive.Let's look at how alcohol affects mental and physical health and learn other ways to relax.
They say:
Maya Medvedeva - psychologist, psychosomatologist
Oksana Nazarchuk - practicing nutritionist
How is addiction formed?
Psychologist Maya Medvedeva says: "In the modern world, people lead an active social life and spend most of their time at work."— Stress and tension do not go away over time and accumulate.When they reach their peak, the mind and body require rest.Alcohol is the easiest way to achieve this state.Ethanol molecules quickly penetrate the intracellular environment through the plasma membrane and easily reach any cells and neurons.Alcohol activates brain receptors, dopamine receptors are the most sensitive to it.
This explains why a person feels strength, happiness, good mood and vitality with small doses of alcohol.Dopamine is one of the "hormones of joy" that promotes the creation of positive emotions.After drinking alcohol, a person wants to dance, sing, laugh, and becomes more sociable.If you drink regularly, the body stops producing dopamine on its own because an external source is available.Addiction to alcohol occurs, the habit is gradually formed and the need to drink arises.
The effect of alcohol on dopaminergic neurons has been proven by scientific studies.It turned out that with regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, dopamine stops functioning in a balanced way, and a person does not control his behavior.If you are looking forward to the weekend and an alcoholic "meeting", be careful: the development of addiction has already begun.Show your awareness and start fighting the onset 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 it has a harmful effect on the functioning of the liver," adds nutritionist Oksana Nazarchuk.— It can cause various diseases, inflammatory processes and complications up to cirrhosis of this organ.The liver is the organ where detoxification processes take place.Thus, liver diseases have a harmful effect on the functioning of the whole body.By the way, it is more difficult for a woman's body to process alcohol and the liver can be destroyed faster than men's.Alcohol has a negative effect on the work of the heart and the amount of sugar in the blood, and can cause serious diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Alcohol also affects the functioning of the central nervous system: one of the most noticeable symptoms is "slurred speech" or slurred speech.This reduces the connection between the body and the brain, making it 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 long-term amnesia and confusion).
Alcohol also affects eating behavior: leptin levels decrease and we feel acute hunger and do not want to eat the healthiest foods.As a result, we overeat and cannot control the amount we eat.Fat burning processes stop after drinking any amount of alcohol. People trying to lose weight should not drink alcohol during the first weeks of the diet.Many people do not consider the calories in alcohol, but one gram of pure alcohol is about 7 kcal.Some alcoholic beverages contain as many calories as a full meal: for example, 0.5 liters of beer has 218 kcal;Liqueurs and cocktails have more nutritional value than sugar.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages has a harmful effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and causes a decrease in the ability to absorb micronutrients.As a result, there are deficiencies that negatively affect the functioning of the whole organism.You may also experience unpleasant symptoms such as abdominal heaviness, increased gas formation, and problems with stools.Anemia (low level of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood) is observed in those who do not control their alcohol consumption."Some doctors believe that beer has a beneficial effect on digestion, but it is unlikely to be as beneficial as any other alcoholic beverages."
Many people do not consider the calories in alcohol, but one gram of pure alcohol is about 7 kcal.Some alcoholic beverages contain as many calories as a full meal: for example, 0.5 liters of beer has 218 kcal;the nutritional value of liqueurs and cocktails is much greater than that of sugar.
When drinking alcohol, the pancreas begins to produce too many enzymes, which can cause 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 pose a danger to the fetus: since such drinks reduce the level of B vitamins, problems with the development of the nervous system of the fetus may occur.And, of course, alcohol has a negative effect on the functioning of the immune system, and its unlimited use can cause many serious diseases."
In France until the 1950s, children could drink wine, cider or beer during school breaks - not only was it not forbidden, but it was primarily encouraged by their parents.True, in 1956, the French Ministry of Education banned children under 14 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, because children often fell asleep in class or, on the contrary, behaved excessively.In Italy, children also have a special relationship with wine: in 2016, a local senator proposed the introduction of special classes in schools where students would be taught wine culture.It was assumed that during them, children would be told about the importance of wine in Italian history and how to drink it properly, supposedly to protect teenagers from alcohol addiction in the future.
What can be substituted for alcohol?
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 not drink more than one or two glasses a week. After using it, it is important to consider your personal situation. If you have not already tried alcoholic beverages, it is recommended that you do not start drinking any alcohol. The healthier you are if you drink one or less alcohol per week, and two or less alcohol per week for men.
In order to get rid of addiction and give up alcohol, psychologist Maya Medvedeva advises to find an activity that will bring pleasure and thereby naturally stimulate the production of dopamine and serotonin: 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 increases the level of the "h" hormone.To relax, the psychologist recommends meditation, spa treatments and even just listening to relaxing music: "You don't need to go to religious teachings to meditate; psychologists recommend finding a quiet, secluded corner, taking a comfortable position and observing your breathing. This simple exercise brings peace, relieves stress, but also a great spa massage and joy and peace reign. Accumulated stress, the "love hormone" in the body when we feel pleasant touchesoxytocin is produced, we feel butterflies in our stomach when we are close to the person we love.
Include sports in your daily routine and revise your diet: "Sports give a pleasant bonus - adrenaline is released during physical training, it gives a feeling of light driving and helps to throw away accumulated negative emotions," Maya Medvedeva concludes.— Include foods rich in tyrosine in the 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 get too addicted to sweets, otherwise you'll end up with one addiction instead of another."