I recently shared on my podcast that I’m sober—not because I ever had trouble with alcohol, but because I don’t like who alcohol made me into, how it made me feel and what it truly does to the body.
The hard truth? Alcohol is a toxin that once consumed the body must work hard to eliminate. The liver breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde, a toxic substance, which is then further metabolized into acetate, a less toxic byproduct.
What happens to our body when we drink?
When alcohol enters the body it immediately begins disrupting brain communication and impacting grey matter (essential, healthy brain matter). This is what causes slurring, impaired judgement, coordination difficulties and trouble with memory. The risk of accidents, danger, mistakes, regrets and poor decision making alone is a reason to be wary of your alcohol consumption. Furthermore, over time, the impact on grey matter begins to destroy grey matter. More alcohol = a less healthy brain.
Alcohol is also immensely hard on the digestive tract. Alcohol irritates the lining of the esophagus, stomach, and intestines, leading to inflammation and potentially causing conditions like gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining). Alcohol also causes the production of more stomach acid, worsening heartburn and acid reflux. It lowers nutrient absorption in the digestive tract and disrupts the gut microbiome. Lastly, alcohol can slow digestion and cause digestive distress.
Alcohol is also known as hard on the heart with links to high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke, irregular heartbeats, heart disease and more.
Finally, alcohol, especially when consumed regularly, is hard on your mental health. It worsens symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders. It also disrupts sleep, exacerbating symptoms even more.
Is there an okay amount to consume?
While I don’t believe alcohol is inherently evil and that you must be sober to be healthy, it is now widely recognized (read this article published by the World Health Organization) that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption. The growing audience of sober or sober-curious individuals is testament to that.
If there is any takeaway from this, it’s to be vigilant of your alcohol consumption, try for no more than 1-2 drinks/week (if any) and be aware of what it’s actually doing within you.`
Here is an AWESOME podcast episode by Andrew Huberman that opened my eyes.
