For many people, relaxing at the weekend is associated with alcohol - they don't see anything wrong with just having a few glasses of wine or a bottle of beer.But even that seemingly small amount of alcohol can be harmful and lead to addiction.Let's see how alcohol affects mental and physical health and how to learn to relax in other ways.
They said:
Maya Medvedeva - psychologist, psychosomatology
Oksana Nazarchuk - nutritionist
How is addiction formed?
"In the modern world, people lead an active social life and spend most of their time at work," says psychologist Maya Medvedeva.— Stress and tension do not come out and accumulate over time.When they reach their peak, the mind and body need relaxation.Alcohol is the easiest way to achieve this state.Ethanol molecules quickly penetrate the plasma membrane into the intracellular environment and easily reach any cell and neuron.Alcohol activates brain receptors, with dopamine receptors being the most sensitive to it.
This explains why with a small dose of alcohol a person feels a surge of strength, happiness, good mood and enthusiasm.Dopamine is one of the "happiness hormones" that stimulate the emergence of positive emotions.After drinking alcohol, a person wants to dance, sing, laugh, he becomes more sociable.If you drink regularly, the body stops producing dopamine on its own, because an accessible external source is available.Dependence on alcohol develops, the habit gradually becomes established and the need to drink is formed.
The effects of alcohol on dopaminergic neurons have been proven by scientific research.It was found that with regular consumption of alcoholic beverages, dopamine stops working in balance and the person does not control his behavior.If you look forward to weekends and "meetings" with alcohol, beware: the development of addiction has begun.Show 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, has an adverse effect on the functioning of the liver," added nutritionist Oksana Nazarchuk.— It can cause various diseases, inflammatory processes and complications of these organs, up to cirrhosis.The liver is the organ where the detox process takes place.Therefore, liver disease has an adverse effect on the functioning of the entire body.In this way, women's bodies have a harder time processing alcohol, and the liver can be destroyed faster than men's.Alcohol also has a negative effect on heart function and the amount of sugar in the blood, and can lead to serious diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Alcohol also affects the functioning of the central nervous system: one of the most noticeable symptoms is a "slurred tongue," or slurred speech.It reduces the connection between the body and the brain, making it more 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 terribly hungry, and we don't want to eat the healthiest foods.As a result, we may overeat and not control the amount we eat.After drinking any amount of alcohol, the fat burning process stops. Those who are trying to lose weight should definitely not drink alcohol during the first week of the diet.Many people do not take into account the calories contained in alcohol, however, one gram of pure alcohol is about 7 kcal.Some alcoholic beverages contain as many calories as whole foods: for example, 0.5 liters of beer contains 218 kcal;the nutritional value of liquor and cocktails is much greater because of the sugar.
Drinking alcoholic beverages has a negative effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and leads to a decrease in the ability to absorb microelements.As a result, deficiencies are created that negatively affect the functioning of the entire body.You may also experience unpleasant symptoms such as heaviness in the stomach, increased gas formation, and problems with stools.Those who do not control their alcohol intake experience 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 other alcoholic beverages, it is unlikely to be beneficial."
Many people do not take into account the calories contained in alcohol, however, one gram of pure alcohol is about 7 kcal.Some alcoholic beverages contain as many calories as whole foods: for example, 0.5 liters of beer contains 218 kcal;the nutritional value of liquor and cocktails is much greater because of the 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 put the fetus at risk: because the drink reduces the level of B vitamins, the fetus may have problems with the development of the nervous system.And of course, alcohol negatively affects 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 - this was not only not forbidden, but encouraged, first of all, by their parents.True, in 1956, the French Ministry of Education prohibited children under the age of 14 from drinking wine, but the rest could still drink alcohol between classes, but no more than 125 ml (this is the number of glasses).In 1981, alcohol was completely banned in schools, because children often fell asleep in class or, on the contrary, behaved too actively.In Italy, children also have a special relationship with wine: in 2016, a local senator proposed to introduce special lessons in schools where students would be taught wine culture.It is assumed that while they are children they will be told about the importance of wine in Italian history and how to drink properly, supposedly this should protect teenagers from alcoholism in the future.
To replace alcohol with what?
If you are not ready to completely stop alcohol, nutritionist Oksana Nazarchuk recommends at least reducing its use as much as possible: "In order not to harm your physical health, you should drink no more than one or two glasses a week. It is important to consider your personal condition after use. It is recommended not to start drinking any type of alcoholic drink unless you have tried it and is suggested by women in the United States. less per week, and for men as two drinks or less per week The less alcohol you drink, the healthier you are And to get the benefits of the substances contained inwine, you can drink a non-alcoholic version of the drink, which also contains resveratrol (directly, it is also found in the skin and seeds of grapes).
To get rid of addiction and stop drinking alcohol, psychologist Maya Medvedeva advises to find activities that will bring pleasure and thus naturally trigger the production of dopamine and serotonin: for example, often go for a walk, visit an exhibition or plan a trip to the bathhouse - all this has a positive effect on the brain and increases the level of the "hormone of happiness".To relax, psychologists recommend meditation, spa treatments, and even just listening to relaxing music: "To meditate, you don't need to delve into religious teachings; psychologists advise to find a quiet, secluded corner, take a comfortable position and observe your breathing. This simple exercise brings calmness, relieves stress, and joy and peace reign in the soul. Massage is also a good way to relieve stress and pressure. feel a pleasant touch, oxytocin "love hormone" is produced in the body. Because of him we feel butterflies in our stomach when we are close to people whowe love
Include sports in your routine and reconsider your diet: "Sports provide a pleasant bonus - during physical education, adrenaline is released, which gives a feeling of light driving and helps to remove accumulated negative emotions," sums up Maya Medvedeva.— Include tyrosine-rich foods in your menu: hard cheese, meat, legumes, fish.Moderate consumption of high-quality freshly brewed coffee with a piece of chocolate also helps to improve your condition.But don't overindulge in sweets, otherwise, instead of one addiction, you'll get another.”