Let
me introduce some influences of alcohol drinking:
* The
damage of alcohol to the body
* The risk
of drinking
* The
alcohol facts
* How
to cut down on your drinking
* The
special links
So how much alcohol is too much?
Well, that depends on who you are and how you define "too much."
In 1996, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism told us
that
Americans average 2.21 gallons of ethyl alcohol per person per year, the
equivalent of about 50 gallons of beer, 20 gallons of wine, or five gallons
of liquor each. That's a lot no matter who's counting--and who's pouring.
Still, whether or not a particular slice of all that consumption is regarded
as too much
can depend on a lot of factors, including social setting (dinner with your
boss or bowling with the boys?), individual habits (are you used to drinking
a little, a lot, or at all?), and even time of day (a 7 o'clock martini
attracts different types of notice, depending on whether it's 7 o'clock
in the morning or evening).
One thing about drinking that doesn't change according to person or circumstance is the rate at which alcohol is metabolized, or broken down in the body. That happens at a pretty consistent rate of about one-third ounce per hour.
That means that, no matter how much or how often you drink, if you drink more than that for longer than that you're going to feel the toxic effects of alcohol.
And that means that no matter how much hot coffee you pour into yourself (or cold showers you pour onto yourself), nothing will alter that rate.
Another constant is the relative equivalency of alcohol content in different types of drinks.
In other words, a 12-ounce bottle of beer
contains about the same amount of alcohol
as a shot of 86-proof whiskey or a highball or a six-ounce glass of wine.
That's why
you can always drink too much, whether you're drinking draft beer or shots
of tequila.
Health & Hangovers
Probably the best-known sign that all's not well after a bout with a bottle
is the hangover--that
miserable feeling that sets in the morning after the night before.
Hangovers, like the ingredients that go into them, differ from drinker
to drinker.
Still, regardless of how (and in whom) hangovers happen, morning-after
miseries
represent the body's reaction to the short-term toxic effects of alcohol.
And those
effects begin to occur at low levels of drinking, even before a drinker
feels what
alcohol is famous for--it's intoxicating effects.
Body Talk
There's a lot going on whenever alcohol's going through the body, so we'll limit ourselves here to main systems only:
Liver.
Since alcohol is so toxic, clearing it out of the system is a priority.
And when the liver gets busy getting rid of alcohol, it gets behind in
other functions,like maintaining stable blood-glucose levels to the brain.
It takes a pounding in the process, too. Cirrhosis is a common result of
long-term drinking, and one often the main killers of older drinkers.
Stomach.
Alcohol irritates the stomach lining, and vomiting is a particularly visible
result. Heavy drinking can lead to stomach problems and ulcers.
Central
Nervous System. Alcohol depresses almost every
brain function,from balance to breathing. And even though effects lessen
as booze leaves the body, regular drinking raises tolerance, so that heavier
drinkers can drink more without getting drunk. They do, that is, until
liver damage reverses the process,which speeds up damage to the brain and
the rest of the body.
You Are What You Drink
One of the biggest hidden problems in drinking involves the tendency of
booze to drain the body's stores of critical vitamins and nutrients.
And
while some of the secondary problems arising from a vitamin deficiency
can be reversed with daily doses of supplements, others can't be turned
around as easily,
particularly when they're undetected or untreated.
Let's consider some of the most common:
B Vitamins. Alcohol depletes supplies of B-complex
vitamins, which are essential to basic body processes. Vitamin B deficiencies
can harm the heart,liver, and other organs, and cause muscle and nervous
tissue damage, anemia,even beriberi (a disease involving nerve degeneration,
muscle weakness, and heart problems).
Vitamin
A. Carotene (vitamin A) deficiency reduces
the body's resistance to disease and impairs vision, particularly the ability
of the eyes to adjust to darkness.
Vitamin
C. Alcohol also blocks absorption of vitamin
C, and can lead to anemia, reduced resistance to disease, and overstimulation
of the adrenal gland.
And alcohol's interference with essential nutrients carries a double whammy: Not only does it drain vitamins already in the body, it also slows absorption and retention of new nutrients. One-a-day, anyone?
Alcohol-related problems occur when a person experiences social, psychological or physical difficulties as a consequence of heavy drinking of alcohol, or when people close to them are drinking heavily. People of all ages may experience such problems, but older people are more prone to the adverse effects of alcohol because they are more strongly affected by alcohol than younger people. This is because of changes in the way the body processes alcohol as a person ages.
Older people may also be affected by other drugs, both prescription and non-prescription. Older people are more prone to medication complications and are particularly at risk of an adverse interaction between medication and alcohol.
Although older people are vulnerable to alcohol problems they may also find it difficult to either ask for, or to receive, help.
As people grow older, they may well continue the drinking habits developed over years, without realising that the effect that alcohol has on their body becomes stronger and more prolonged with age. Accidents, loss of memory, confusion and shaking limbs - which are often written off as "old age" - may be signs of a drinking problem. This can happen even when your friend or relative is drinking the same amount of alcohol as they always have.
Alternatively, a particular problem may lead to increased drinking as a relief from stress. In either case, the person you care for risks harming their health.
Some other points to consider are:
Stomach
Drinking
can cause stomach upsets, which can lead to sickness and indigestion.
Liver
The
liver becomes less efficient at breaking down alcohol as people age. This
is an important reason why older people should cut down their alcohol intake.
Cold
A
drink may make us feel warm, but it actually speeds up the loss of body
heat and drinking may increase the risk of hypothermia.
Nutrition
A
healthy diet is a particularly important way that older people can maintain
their good health. Alcohol affects appetite and digestion, and someone
who drinks too much may not be eating properly. Extra vitamins and proteins
may be needed.
Accidents
The
risk of having an accident, such as falling over, is always higher after
a drink.
Dehydration
Alcohol
is a diuretic, which means it makes us go to the toilet more often, so
body water is lost and dehydration may result
Sleep
Drinking
may send us to sleep, but it can also upset the natural sleep pattern.
Medicines
Mixing
alcohol with other drugs is often dangerous.
Excessive
Drinking
Excessive
drinking can cause diseases of the liver, heart, stomach, chest, kidneys
and throat. Cutting down on alcohol consumption will help you avoid these
and other problems.
Special
warning on medicines
Perhaps
the greatest danger comes from mixing alcohol with prescribed drugs. In
many cases alcohol makes the effect of medicines stronger, or causes side-effects
such as headaches, upset stomach or flushes. Unless the doctor has said
it is safe, alcohol and medicines should never be mixed.
* Alcohol increases the risks of cancer, colds
and flu.
* The liver can only handle about one drink per
hour. Any excess will go through the blood
stream, straight to the brain.
* A person's blood alcohol level depends upon:
- Body weight
- Amount of food in body - absorption
- Amount of alcohol consumed
* Females have a higher percentage of body fat
that cannot absorb alcohol, thereby increasing
the blood concentration.
DRUNK DRIVING STIMULATOR
Take a moment to examine the consequences of drinking and driving.
You just left a party at your friend's house in a nearby town. The time
is about 10:15 in the evening. It had been raining all afternoon and now
the roads are wet and the driving conditions are foggy with limited
visibility. You are approaching an intersection and you must stop and
wait for cross traffic. Let's see how this situation might play out if
you
have had:
No Drinks You were the designated driver. 
2 Drinks
"No problem,
just a little buzz..."
4 Drinks
"Give me my keys!
I'll drive myself!"
* Alcohol affects the top of the brain first,
which controls the feet and legs.
2 drinks = .05 BAC (Blood Alcohol
Content)
Slows reaction time of messages from the
brain.
May drive at least 24 additional feet after
braking, depending on speed.
4 drinks = .11 BAC
DUI limit in Illinois is 0.08 BAC.
The part of the brain that controls muscles
becomes numb, causing staggering.
6 drinks = .16 BAC
Affects the part of the brain that controls
emotional behavior, causing sleepiness, anger,
crying.
8 drinks = .20 BAC
.30 BAC / confusion / must sleep
.40 BAC / coma
.50 BAC / unable to breathe / death
New zero tolerance law. If you are under 21
and caught driving with a BAC of even .01,
you will be arrested and lose your license.
Back
If you are drinking too much, you can improve
your life and health
by cutting down. How do you know if you drink
too much? Read
these questions and answer "yes" or "no":
Do you drink
alone when you feel angry or sad?
Does your drinking
ever make you late for work?
Does your drinking
worry your family?
Do you ever
drink after telling yourself you won't?
Do you ever
forget what you did while you were drinking?
Do you get headaches
or have a hang-over after you have been
drinking?
If you answered "yes" to you a hard time about not drinking.
Stay active. What would you like
to do instead of drinking? Use the time
and money spent on drinking to do something
fun with your family or
friends. Go out to eat, see a movie,
or play sports or a game.
Get support. Cutting down on your
drinking may be difficult at times.
Ask your family and friends for support
to help you reach your goal. Talk
to your doctor if you are having trouble
cutting down. Get the help you
need to reach your goal.
Watch out for temptations. Watch
out for people, places, or times that
make you drink, even if you do not want
to. Stay away from people who
drink a lot or bars where you used to
go. Plan ahead of time what you
will do to avoid drinking when you are
tempted.
Do not drink when you are angry or upset
or have a bad day. These are
habits you need to break if you want
to drink less.
DO NOT GIVE UP!
Most people do not cut down or give up drinking all at once. Just
like a diet, it
is not easy to change. That is okay. If you do not reach your
goal the first time,
try again. Remember, get support from people who care about you
and want to
help. Do not give up!
The special link :
The information
library of alcohol