People are often under the assumption that alcohol is not as bad for your health because it is a legal product. This belief could not be farther from the truth. Unfortunately, thousands of people drink alcohol in excess every day, which is causing numerous health complications. Alcohol has a damaging impact on the mind and body and can cause both short- and long-term complications to a person’s health.
Alcohol and Your Heart
Binge drinking is a term used to describe when a man drinks five or more drinks and a woman drinks four or more drinks in a short period. According to research by the Journal of American Heart Association, young adults who binge drink are more prone to cardiovascular disease those individuals that do not drink as much.
Drinking alcohol in excess can increase a person’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well as cause blood glucose to increase. Increased blood pressure can lead to heart failure, irregular heartbeat, or it can cause a person to have a stroke.
Alcohol and Your Liver
Thousands of individuals die each year due to alcohol-related liver disease. Alcohol impacts the liver in one of three ways.
- Fatty liver disease- This occurs within three days of heavy drinking. This is a common side effect for individuals that drink excessive amounts of alcohol frequently. Fatty liver disease can be detected with a blood test and is typically reversible early on if a person stops drinking. Diagnoses of this disease should be used as a warning to reduce or stop drinking.
- Alcoholic cirrhosis- This term is used to describe scarring of the liver. Symptoms of cirrhosis often include bleeding, bruising, and fatigue. Individuals often experience fluid retention in the abdominal area, swelling in the legs, loss of appetite, nausea, and weight loss. If this progresses, individuals run the risk of developing liver cancer. Cirrhosis is not reversible; however, people can reduce its effects if they stop consuming alcohol.
- Alcoholic Hepatitis – This is a term used to describe inflammation of the liver. Some individuals experience no symptoms while others will feel nauseous, have abdominal discomfort, loss of appetite, and fever. This condition is reversible but only if a person stops drinking alcohol.
In addition to having issues with the heart and lungs, individuals that drink excessively are at an increased risk of developing cancer, anemia, seizures, and depression. Alcohol has a damaging impact on a person’s mind and body and can cause problems with work, school, and relationships.
At Asana Recovery, we help patients every day that suffer from alcohol use disorder discover a new and healthier way to live. We offer 24-hour monitored detox that allows individuals to cleanse their body of harmful substances before they commit to developing coping skills to keep them sober for years to come.
Battling alcohol use disorder may seem like an impossible task, but it is completely possible for someone to discover a new and safer way to live. Contact us today at (949) 438-4504 to get started today.
