HEALTH: NEGATIVE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION
The most common habits among people today is alcohol consumption. Many people and most especially, men, has even seen it as part of their social life. Though, we are all entitled to our privacy, social life, enjoyment or relaxation, but it is important to point out certain risks and hazards associated with some habits especially alcoholism in other to live a healthy life.
There are some habits which may not manifest any symptoms now, but which cumulative effects may pose serious danger to our health and longetivity as well as creating serious problems for us later in life. One of such habit is alcohol consumption.
Alcohol of any form, it should be noted, places an added strain on the kidneys and liver especially during pregnancy for women who take it. Even beer contains enough alcohol to affect both mother and baby.
The problem of alcohol consumption today among the youths today is becoming disturbing and a major threat to public health as many teenagers are already alcoholics because of modernization and loss of moral and cultural values being the major factor even before the time they reach adulthood.
Also parental influence, since many parents are alcoholics, thus directly or indirectly, they are influencing and encouraging their children to copy this unhealthy habit without having regard for the later years implication on their health. In fact, a very large number of traffic/road accidents are said to be due to alcohol. Some alcoholics drink now or less steadily, while others drink when under stress, tension or anxiety.
Some people drink excessively and destroy themselves rapidly. Others drink more moderately, but the fact is the process of self-destruction is still on course.
Many fatal accidents are traceable to alcohol consumption on the drivers/riders. However, unknown to others, alcohol exacts a heavy price on personal health, promotes high blood pressure and a toxic direct effect on heart muscles.
Alcohol is linked with virtually every negative aspect of the society. This include suicide, violence, crime, rape, birth defects, industrial accident, domestic and sexual abuse and even death. Children of alcoholic parents are often academically deficient or dull. Even the wise man in the bible summed it up long ago when he said,”wine is a mocker and beer a brawler, whoever is led astray by them is not wise.” Also in proverbs, it says, “do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will strange sights and your mind will imagine confusing things.”
Medically, alcohol is a social menace. On how it affects the body, medical practitioners explained that alcohol in small amount causes an irreplaceable damage in the brain cell. Some people may die if the condition is severe. Alcohol also increases the risk of hypertension, stroke and also does extensive damage to the heart muscles. It also depresses respiratory functions, thus affecting smooth breathing. An alcoholic also has a greater tendency to snore.
The effects of alcohol on reproductive system are better imagined than experienced. In men for instance, alcohol can damage the cells of the testes making such man to be impotent. Sterility and possibly enlarged breasts can also happen in alcoholics. Alcohol can cause irregular menstrual cycles in women and lead to malfunctioning of the ovaries.
The effects of alcohol on liver should be avoided. This is because liver is the main target of alcohol because this important organ filters alcohol from the blood. Excess calories in alcohol are stored as fat in the liver, therefore functioning liver cells are affected with many of them dying as a result of alcoholic poisoning. Liver cirrhosis hepatic cirrhosis is the peak of alcohol negative effect on the liver. This occurs when scar tissues replace dead cells thus causing liver cirrhosis.
The body immune system is not also spared from the attack of alcohol. It weakens the body defense mechanism against infection and opens the door for breast cancer. Alcohol also produces gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. Its effect in the brain is even more marked large quantities of alcohol in the body will produce a serious condition known as wet brain. This occurs when there is marked swelling and congestion in the tissues covering the brain so that the normal power of the coordination can no longer work well.
Alcohol also makes the heart to become weak and flabby, making it not to function properly. Alcohol also produces what is called marked paranoid reactions in some people. This makes such people to take revenge on others around them especially those that have offended them before. Some people may even attempt suicide to escape the accusing voices that may result from impaired functions of the brain.
People who drink alcohol may suffer from personality problems or inferiority complex. The person’s personality may deteriorate to the extent that he/she becomes shiftless, lazy, undependable, unreliable, disappointing and unintelligent.
Finally, from all the above negative effects and reasons, it is evident why you should avoid alcohol. If you want to increase your endurance, slow down the aging clock, lower cholesterol, reverse heart diseases, avoid diabetes, cancer, liver cirrhosis, avoid high blood pressure and live longer, then you indeed avoid ALCOHOL.
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