Is Alcohol a Health Risk? Learn the Truth About the Dangers of Alcohol

Is Alcohol a Health Risk? Learn the Truth About the Dangers of Alcohol
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It’s Friday night, you’ve eaten so well all week and now it’s time to relax. You pop the cork on that marvelous bottle of spicy red zin. Time to relax, light some candles and enjoy the evening. You don’t think much of it. In fact, you may have heard all the news about how beneficial red wine is for you, but is it really a healthful beverage and should we be mindful of how much alcohol we are consuming? Could there be some real health dangers of alcohol even when consumed in moderation?

According to Gabriel Cousens, MD, author of Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine, “Alcohol is a protoplasmic poison, which means that it has a negative effect on any cell in the body…. I strongly recommend avoiding alcohol.“1

According to Paul Chek, author of How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy, some of the dangers of alcohol are as follows:

  • dehydration
  • empty calories
  • prohibits absorption of several vitamins and minerals
  • causes imbalance of ratio of carbohydrates to fats and proteins
  • can cause damage to stomach linings and small intestines
  • primary cause of leaky gut syndrome
  • feeds candida yeast and parasites.2

According to Dr. Mercola, alcohol is a neuro-toxin which can cause hormonal imbalance, liver damage and make you more vulnerable to cancers that are otherwise preventable.3

It is interesting to note that any nutritional benefits that are found in wine do not actually come from the alcohol!! The benefits are in the grape skins and seeds. Alcohol is known to be a relaxant which can be a positive factor for those who tend to have a very high level of stress. The positive affect of relaxation could be outweighed by the damage alcohol can cause. A good alternative would be to find a healthier form of stress relief. For example, instead of a daily glass of wine, go for a walk in the evening. Learn some deep breathing techniques which help tremedously with relaxation. Get immersed in a good book, talk to a friend or write in your journal. Light a candle, turn on some mellow music and sink into a hot bath. Learn to face your challenges and deal with them instead of using alcohol to avoid them. Avoiding issues that are causing stress in your life will not help you relax. Facing your challenges and figuring out what you can do to improve your circumstances may alleviate your need for that daily drink.

If you do choose to consume alcohol, remember that it is a carbohydrate which when consumed on an empty stomach raises your insulin levels. This in turn lowers your blood sugar causing you to crave sweets and leading you to consume more food or unhealthier food than you would if you did not drink. Drink alcohol with food in order to decrease the alteration of your blood sugar and commit to only consuming alcohol in moderation and to resisting the temptation to “pig out” afterwards. Eating fat and protein with alcohol is the most beneficial way to avoid a drop in your blood sugar.

Notes

1. Cousens, Gabriel, MD, Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine. Berkley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 2003, pp. 121-126.

2. Chek, Paul, How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy. San Diego, CA: C.H.E.K. Institute Publications, 2004, pp. 65

3. https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/06/30/How-Alcohol-Changes-Your-Brain.aspx

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