Alcohol

The many effects of alcohol on the body are complex. Essentially it is a toxic substance for the body, which it can handle and manage in relatively small amounts, when your body is functioning well. It does have calories in it, and when we drink it, insulin secretion generally increases. It is diuretic and therefore dehydrates the body. Ayurveda says no alcohol allowed for anyone, particularly when it comes to conditions which involve dryness. This is what led me to going a year without drinking. I'd seen an Ayurvedic practitioner who told me to stop drinking because of arthritis, which of course includes lack of proper hydration and lubrication of the joints involved. I honestly thought I would not be able to do my job if I didn't drink because so much of it involved conferences and events, and in Australia it is considered odd not to drink alcohol. However, the funniest thing happened that year - I started to fall for all the benefits of not drinking like the freedom of being able to drive at any time and to be able to function the day after a party. It gave me a wider perspective, standing back and asking why is it so acceptable to rely on alcohol as a form of psychological change or release with terms like "I need a drink" being used all the time.

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

There are all sorts of study findings for and against alcohol. It is directly related to seven types of cancer. For women having one drink per day can reportedly increase risk of breast cancer by 40%. It increases estrogen which may explain beer belly. Having two drinks can greatly reduce fat burning two hours later. It makes more work for the liver as it has to convert alcohol in order for it to be excreted by the body. It will also kill bacteria including the good types in our microbiome. Asides from the alcohol content label, labeling laws for alcohol are actually more lax than they are for food, so that they can protect their “special recipes.” There are things in alcoholic beverages that can be damaging and not listed on the ingredients list like herbicides, pesticides, and artificial colourings. Beer can be really high in glyphosate and so can wines. As already mentioned, it is drying for the body.

Drinking red wine is associated with all sorts of benefits - but this could have more to do with the flavonoids and antioxidants in the grapes than the alcohol. Some studies show it increases serum HDL (good) cholesterol and that one drink can improve blood sugar control. The calories in alcohol essentially behave like sugar, though the effect on blood sugar can be quite complex depending on the amount being drunk. Certain traditionally fermented and non-heat treated (not pasturised) beers and ciders for example can actually be probiotic - though these can be hard to find - do your research on local, small producers typically.

ENERGETIC EFFECTS

Alcohol has a slow and irregular rhythm and unwinding effect on the body (and mind), which explains much of its wide-spread use in a highly-strung, fast, and regimentally-scheduled society. Chinese medicine links a tendency towards alcohol with unacknowledged longing for spirituality, which I have seen evidenced many times.

What to do?

How much if any alcohol you drink is highly individual. I like to follow the guideline of having alcohol with food and tend to only drink it when there is a really good quality, preferably organic and sulphur-free, wine matched to a really great dish, and have one or less standard glasses (typically for me, once a week or less). Unlike Australian societal expectations, there is nothing wrong with consuming no alcohol at all. If drinking to get drunk - why are you doing this? Know Thyself.

Do you think consuming alcohol is right for you? If so, how much and how often?

Much Love,

Sophia Englezos