Alcohol and parties: watch out for excesses

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Extract from the article: The holiday season is particularly conducive to alcohol consumption. Champagne, cocktails, wine, at this time there is always a good opportunity to drink. But beware of excesses! If the consumption of alcohol is regularly associated with a moment of

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The holiday season is particularly conducive to alcohol consumption. Champagne, cocktails, wine, at this time there is always a good opportunity to drink. But beware of excesses! If the consumption of alcohol is regularly associated with a moment of pleasure, sharing and relaxation with loved ones, absorbed in too large quantities can have unfortunate consequences.

For thousands of people, the end of the year is the time of year when we meet with family or friends, an opportunity to strengthen the bonds of affection. Many others feel that this is the time to take stock of the year, and to develop the outlook for the new year. But it is clear that these periods are often marked by a particular and frequent behavior, excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. Many young people give themselves to the consumption of alcohol and the reason evoked is practically the same: to finish the year in beauty.
According to Dr Bernard Johnson, dietician, nutritionist, diabetologist, Director of the Saint Bernard Clinic in Lomé, the holidays are synonymous with excess in terms of food and alcohol. « Young people don’t know how to eat, they fill their bellies and it’s very bad. We spend all our time praying for health, peace and joy, for the new year. But the most important thing is to be able to welcome the year being sober. Many spend the very first day of the New Year vomiting! The only advice: avoid excesses, drink mixes and try to move after eating: dance, walk for example, to facilitate digestion so as not to feel bloated », he said.

Beware of diseases  

This period, with the many meals and drinks associated with it, is a delicate moment to manage. Between the often unhealthy dishes and alcohol consumption, the period promotes many digestive problems. For Annie, a beverage reseller, it is important to start this new year with all her sobriety: «it is not a question of depriving oneself of drinking, but of knowing what to drink. We see that people mix drinks without informing themselves. That is not all that needs to be mixed. This is the period of indigestions and various gastroesophageal colic and reflux, diarrhea ». 
When it is felt, the liver attack mainly affects the stomach, intestines and is materialized by nausea, vomiting, bloating or diarrhea. These pains, which can be particularly intense, correspond to physiological reactions of the body to excess food and alcohol. And it is actually the gallbladder that is at the origin. The high caffeine content of these beverages in combination with alcohol or sport can « generate serious cardiac accidents in consumers with frequent and undiagnosed genetic predispositions. Regular alcohol consumption promotes a decrease in the immune system, increases the risk of certain cancers and cirrhosis », says Dr. Bernard Johnson, a dietician, nutritionist and diabetologist.

Norwegian researchers from the Institute of Public Health in Oslo show that « heavy alcohol users, those over 4 to 7 glasses, are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. And this increase in risk is especially important in people with a low standard of living. Weekly drinking events also put people at an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, regardless of standard of living », the researchers said.  It also affects mental health since alcohol is often associated with anxiety disorders and depression. Above all, regular alcohol consumption promotes addiction.   

Reduce life expectancy

Some Togolese tend to drink more than ten glasses during the holidays. If this is the case, the body is severely tested, and even loses 15 minutes of life expectancy with each additional drink consumed. This is the frightening observation made by international researchers in a study published by the scientific journal «The Lancet». 

Triple risk of dementia

In the columns of «Lancet Public health», French researchers show that alcoholism multiplies by 3 the risk of dementia in general and by 2 that of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Excessive alcohol consumption causes many cases of early dementia and those that can occur after 50 years. « We believe that alcohol may precipitate these diseases and accelerate their progression by increasing structural and functional damage in the brain. But the possible mechanisms are numerous and remain to be clarified. This study therefore once again calls into question the dangers of alcohol, suggesting that additional preventive measures could help reduce the risk of dementia and its financial and societal cost », explain the authors.

Alcohol and energy drinks: very harmful cocktail

The mixture of alcohol and energy drinks seems as dangerous to the brain as cocaine. The impact is such that brain sequelae are identified in adulthood among followers of this risky use during their youth. By mixing these two products, researchers at Purdue University (USA) have observed possible neurochemical effects of this cocktail on the brain.  The scientific journal «Plos One» states that when the alcohol-energy drink mixture is consumed regularly, consumers reach very high levels of excitement. This combination has the same effect on the brain as cocaine. The researchers noted the presence of a particular protein (AlphaFosB) in the brain. It is actually a biomarker of brain damage related to hard drug use.

According to Dr Bernard Johnson, dietician, nutritionist, the consumption of this liquid must be moderate because excessively consumed, alcohol alters most of the brain functions, which temporarily reduces the ability to think, see, act. « We all know that alcohol abuse causes headaches and vomiting. But, alcohol can also damage the heart, liver, kidneys, brain and stomach. It can also cause memory loss and even certain types of cancer. Drink, yes, but still stay lucid. Remember, moderation tastes a lot better, and it hurts a lot less the next morning ». We must return to a varied diet, low in fat and accompanied by good hydration.

William O.