The Benefits Of Cutting Down On Alcohol

While a glass of wine is the perfect accompaniment to any meal, especially when paired correctly, the balance between alcohol consumption and healthy living will always be moderation.

There are many health benefits associated with cutting down on your weekly levels of alcohol intake. These include a healthier liver, heart, body mass index, and even an improved state of mind.

Current dietary guidelines recommend that women should consume no more than one drink per day, and men no more than two.

But to understand the logic behind this, it is important to look at the many positive effects cutting down on alcohol can have on your body.

Your Liver Will Thank You

Excessive drinking over an extended period of time often leads to cirrhosis of the liver.

While this doesn’t happen in a day’s work, excessive alcohol intake brings about fatty changes to the liver. The good news is that up to a certain point, changes to the liver remain reversable.

The liver is a frontline fighter for the body’s immune system. Its main function is to clear the body of toxins, and so, when alcohol is consumed excessively on a regular basis, not only the liver itself, but also the immune system is compromised.

Lower Risk Of Heart Disease

Alcohol not only puts direct strain on the heart because it tends to muck about with blood pressure and blood glucose levels – it also damages the body’s cardiovascular system by contributing to bad cholesterol levels.

In the liver, alcohol is metabolised by an enzyme called dehydrogenases. Whenever alcohol is drunk excessively, this enzyme becomes saturated, and the body is forced to resort to a different pathway.

This alternative process produces many so-called “free radicals”, which are known to stimulate bad cholesterol. This then goes on to clog arteries, which in turn puts strain on the heart and cardiovascular system.

The good news is that drinking one or two glasses of wine a week can have the opposite effect, which is why moderation is key.

Reduced Risk Of Cancer

According to the National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services, our risk of developing cancer increases exponentially when alcohol is taken in excess.

The following types of cancer are directly connected to the overuse of alcohol:

  • Liver
  • Oesophageal
  • Head and Neck
  • Colorectal
  • Breast

Healthy Body Weight

Alcohol is high in calories. Drinks like whine, mixed drinks (cocktails, etc.), and beer add heaps of sugar to the diet, which usually means an increase in body weight.

Many dieticians recommend completely removing alcohol from the diet as a means to losing weight and fat around the stomach. Doing so is as beneficial as claiming casino bonuses, only in a different way!

Moderation Boosts The Brain

There’s a reason why the legal age of drinking is 21 years. Since the young human brain is in a constant stage of development, alcohol can be seriously detrimental to the young body.

But alcoholism, even in older people, can lead to serious problems for the brain, including various disorders associated with heavy drinking. The brain damage caused over time by excessive alcohol intake can lead to lack of concentration, reduced memory function, and even cancer of the brain.