For many people, relaxing on the weekend is associated with alcohol - they don't see anything wrong with that because they just drink a few glasses of wine or a bottle of beer.But even such a seemingly small amount of alcohol can be harmful and lead to addiction.See how alcohol affects your mental and physical health, and how to learn to relax in other ways.
They said:
Maya Medvedeva - psychologist, psychologist
Oksana Nazarchuk - nutritionist
How is addiction formed?
Psychologist Maya Medvedeva said: "In the modern world, people have an active social life and spend most of their time at work. — Stress and pressure do not escape and accumulate over time. When reaching their peak, the mind and body need to relax. Alcohol is the easiest way to achieve this state. Ethanol molecules quickly cross the plasma membrane into the intracellular environment and easily reach any cell and nerve cell. Alcohol activatesbrain receptors, of which dopamine receptors are most sensitive to it.
This explains why when drinking a small amount of alcohol, a person will feel a surge of strength, happiness, good mood and vitality.Dopamine is one of the “happy hormones” that stimulates the emergence of positive emotions.After drinking alcohol, a person wants to dance, sing, laugh, he becomes more sociable.If you drink alcohol regularly, your body stops producing dopamine because there is an accessible external source available.Dependence on alcohol develops, the habit is gradually formed and the need to drink is established.
The effects of alcohol on dopaminergic neurons have been proven by scientific research.It has been noticed that with regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, dopamine stops its balanced functioning and a person loses control over his behavior.If you are looking forward to the weekend and a "meeting" with alcohol, be careful: the addiction has begun to develop.Show awareness and start fighting the onset of alcoholism.”
How does alcohol affect internal organs?
Nutritionist Oksana Nazarchuk adds: “Alcohol begins to affect the functioning of our body from the first sip and, first of all, has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the liver.”— It can cause various diseases, inflammatory processes and complications of this organ, up to cirrhosis.The liver is the organ where the detoxification process takes place.Therefore, liver disease has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the entire body.By the way, it is more difficult for a woman's body to process alcohol, and the liver can be destroyed much faster than in men.Alcohol also negatively affects heart activity and blood sugar levels, which can lead to serious diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Alcohol also affects the functioning of the central nervous system: one of the most prominent symptoms is a "tongue" or slurred speech.It reduces the connection between the body and the brain, making it harder 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 dementia that combines long-term memory loss and confusion).
Alcohol also affects eating behavior: leptin levels decrease, we feel acute hunger and do not want to eat the healthiest foods.As a result, we may overeat and not be able to control the amount we eat.After drinking any amount of alcohol, the fat burning process stops. People who are trying to lose weight should definitely not drink alcohol during the first weeks of the diet.Many people do not consider the calories contained in alcohol, however, 1 gram of pure alcohol is approximately 7 kcal.Some alcoholic drinks contain as many calories as a full meal: for example 0.5 liters of beer contains 218 kcal;The nutritional value of liqueurs and cocktails is much greater due to the presence of sugar.
Drinking alcoholic beverages has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the digestive tract and leads to a decrease in the ability to absorb trace elements.The result is the creation of deficiencies that negatively affect the functioning of the entire body.You may also experience uncomfortable symptoms such as heaviness, increased gas formation, and stool problems.People who do not control their alcohol consumption will suffer from anemia (low levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood).Some doctors believe that beer has a beneficial effect on digestion, but like any other alcoholic beverage, it is unlikely to be beneficial.”
Many people do not consider the calories contained in alcohol, however, 1 gram of pure alcohol is approximately 7 kcal.Some alcoholic drinks contain as many calories as a full meal: for example 0.5 liters of beer contains 218 kcal;The nutritional value of liqueurs and cocktails is much greater due to the presence of sugar.
When drinking alcohol, the pancreas begins to produce too many enzymes, which can lead to inflammation of this organ or pancreatitis.
Alcohol affects sexual function and can inhibit sexual desire and reduce hormone production in both men and women.Pregnant women who drink alcohol put their fetuses at risk: because such drinks reduce the amount of B vitamins, the fetus may have problems developing the nervous system.And of course, alcohol negatively affects the functioning of the immune system, and unlimited alcohol consumption can cause many serious diseases.
In France, until the 1950s, children could drink wine, cider or beer during school breaks - this was not only not banned, but in the first place was encouraged by their parents.True, in 1956, the French Ministry of Education banned children under 14 years old from drinking alcohol, but the rest were still allowed to drink alcohol between lessons, 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, conversely, behaved too actively.In Italy, children also have a special relationship with wine: in 2016, a local senator proposed introducing special lessons in schools where students would be taught wine culture.It is thought that during that time, children will hear about the importance of wine in Italian history and how to drink the beverage correctly, which is said to protect teenagers from alcoholism in the future.
What to replace wine with?
If you are not ready to completely give up alcohol, nutritionist Oksana Nazarchuk recommends at least reducing alcohol consumption as much as possible: "In order not to harm your physical health, you should not drink more than one or two drinks per week. It is important to consider your personal condition after use. You should not even start drinking any alcoholic beverages unless you have tried them. The official dietary guidelines of the United States and Canada recommend it.Alcohol intake for women is one drink or less per week and for men it is two drinks or less per occasion."week.The less alcohol you drink, the healthier you are.And to take advantage of the benefits of the substances contained in wine, you can drink a non-alcoholic drink, which also contains resveratrol (by the way, it is also found in grape skins and seeds).
To get rid of addiction and stop drinking, psychologist Maya Medvedeva advises to find an activity that brings joy and thereby naturally stimulates 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 “happiness hormone”.To relax, psychologists recommend meditation, spa treatments and even just listening to relaxing music: "To meditate, you do not need to delve into religious teachings; psychologists advise finding a quiet, secluded corner, choosing a comfortable position and observing your breathing. This simple exercise brings peace, relieves stress, joy and peace reign in the soul. Massage and spa therapy is also a great way to get rid of stressaccumulates. When we feel pleasant touches, the "love hormone" oxytocin is produced in the body. It is because of him that we feel our stomachs growl when we are near our loved one.”
“Introduce sports into your routine and review your diet,” summarizes Maya Medvedeva: “Sports give a pleasant bonus - during physical training, adrenaline is released, which gives a feeling of light driving and helps to get rid of accumulated negative emotions.” – Include foods rich in tyrosine in your menu: hard cheese, meat, beans, fish. Moderate consumption of high-quality freshly brewed coffee with a piece of chocolate is alsohelps improve your condition. But don't overindulge in sweets, otherwise, instead of being addicted to one thing, you will be addicted to another."