Nutrition and alcohol

ALCOHOL

Alcohol is an anti-nutrient. It is well proven to deplete almost every vitamin (A, B1, B2, B6, folic acid, B2, C, D and E),minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, selenium), amino acids, essential fat (omega 3 and omega 6) and also disturbs the blood sugar control.

Long term effects of alcohol:

NERVOUS SYSTEM: tingling and loss of sensation in hands and feet
BRAIN: brain injury (brain cells die), loss of memory, confusion, hallucinations. Five areas of mental ability are consistently compromised by chronic alcohol abuse: memory formation, abstract thinking, problem solving, attention & concentration and perception of emotion. As many as 70% of people who seek treatment for alcohol related problems suffer significant impairment of these abiliies.
HEART: high blood pressure, enlarged heart, irregular pulse.
BLOOD: changes in red blood cells.
LUNGS: greater chance of infectons, incl. tuberculosis.
MUSCLES: weakness, loss of muscle tissue.
SKIN: flushing, sweating, bruising.
LIVER: severe swelling and pain, hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer.
PANCREAS: inflammation.
STOMACH: inflamed lining, bleeding, ulcers.
INTESTINES: inflamed lining, ulcers
SEXUAL ORGANS: male = impotence, shrinking testicles, damaged/less sperm; female = greater risk of gynaecological problems, damage of foetus if pregnant.

The amount of alcohol and what happens

1.5 pint of beer OR 3 whiskies OR 1/2 bottle of wine: increasing cheerfulness, impaired judgement, loosening of inhibitions.
5 pints of beer OR 10 whiskies, or 1.5 bottle of wine: loss of self-control, exuberance, slurred speech, quarrelsomeness.
0.75 bottle of spirits: sleepiness, oblivion, coma
1 bottle of spirits: death possible