Truth In Aging Series – Alcohol

Alcohol and Aging

Adult beverages are a favorite pastime of many Americans – especially on the weekends! It can make us feel more relaxed, sociable, and happy. But what does it do to your body? And how does it speed up the aging process? Many people believe that an occasional drink cannot be all that bad for their bodies, but do not comprehend the reality of what it does to their bodies’ ability to function or how it will look years down the road. When the signs of aging begin to progress, you may start to rethink your bubbly cup of cheer. 

Alcohol consumption affects both your physical appearance and your internal health, especially when consumed on a regular basis. Even though it can be fun to cut loose and enjoy a few drinks at the bar with your friends, is it really worth it? Most people had it drilled into their heads about what happens when an individual drinks and drives, and the devastating effects that often result from such actions. However, we never really explore the depths of how alcohol will affect us as we get older, and what it does to our bodies in the meantime. Face naturals provides details on how holding your liquor can hinder your health.

 

The Body and Booze

Alcohol contains hepotoxin – a toxic substance that adversely affects the cells directly responsible for detoxifying the body as a whole. These detox cells are located in the liver – hence why alcohol poisons this organ. Experts and educators often turn to liver dysfunction as the main way that alcohol affects the body. But it does not stop there, and can cause all sorts of accumulating problems as the years continue to pass. Aging already does a number on your body on its own – slowing up functions and starting to need a little extra help to work properly. Alcohol consumption can make it worse.  

Regular alcohol consumption, especially with heavy, chronic drinkers, can really wreak havoc on your body’s metabolism. This means that some later results from having a little too much to drink over the years may include conditions like obesity, due to the high amount of calories, and diabetes. It also makes your blood pressure spike, which can put you at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke. Plus, you might earn damaged heart tissues and heart palpitations that did not previously occur when you were younger.  

The more you drink, the more damage your immune system sustains. Alcohol can deprive your body of its proper nutrients, and hinder its ability to absorb nutrients. One such nutrient, vitamin A, is often one of the main vitamin sources that alcohol consumption will deplete. This directly affects your white blood cells, and makes them less capable of recognizing and attacking antibodies. We all know that alcohol also dehydrates you, which delivers a blow directly to your lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system needs water to properly distribute lymph fluid.  

Cancer does not just come from pollutants and smoking cigarettes. Consuming alcoholic beverages will also put you at greater risk for developing these malicious cells as well. In fact, it ranks second only to cigarette smoking for mouth and throat cancer. It contributes to other types of cancer as well, including liver, bowel, esophagus, and breast. For each unit of alcohol you consume, your risk will spike by at least four percent.    

Alcohol can cause damage to your brain, too. Not only can you blackout from too much alcohol, but you may develop a condition resembling dementia called Wernicke-Korsakoff’s syndrome. This condition occurs due to a deficiency in vitamin B1. Regular consumption kills brain cells, which reduces memory and nervous functions over long periods of time. Alcohol also causes your liver cells to turn into fat, and cause your pancreas to get inflamed, causing stomach pain, pancreatitis, and liver disease.  

You can also damage your reproductive abilities as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. This applies to both males and females. Women experience abnormal menstrual flow, and an imbalanced estrogen count that contributes to infertility. Men report experiencing reduced sexual performance, and often had lower sperm counts and testosterone levels. Either change in hormone balance can lead to metabolic problems, and cause further stress to your health.  

The symptoms of many of these are ominous, and difficult to recognize. Changes in sleep patterns, depression, anxiety, difficulty digesting, memory loss, and even osteoporosis can all result from heavy drinking. Loss of coordination, difficulty breathing, and brain shrinkage can also occur as a result of long-term alcohol consumption. These beverages suck nutrients and life from your physical body and mind.  Alcohol affects every system in your body, from digestion, to circulation, to immunity. With all the stress it places on your insides, can you imagine what it will do to your appearance?

 

Alcohol’s Mirror

Habitual alcohol consumption has both long-term and short-term effects on your looks. It seems hangovers have a physical sense of fashion. Depending on the liquor, you could be adding years to your appearance, whether it is just the morning after a party or several years down the road. Consuming less alcohol is an excellent measure to take in your anti-aging routine, whether you want to start young or just want to look as fresh as you used to.  

Nearly any kind of alcohol will cause inflammation and irritation, which can often contribute to the red, flushed appearance that many people have after have too many to drink the night before. This same inflammation will also cause further acne problems – especially if the selected poison has a high sugar content. And, since alcohol can mess up your hormone balance, it can directly contribute to clogged pores. Your body may sweat out some toxins after drinking too much. These toxins, in turn, may sit on the surface of your skin until properly cleanse. The debris and toxins will mix with oils and dead skin cells to create congested pores.  

Since alcohol dehydrates your whole body, it can definitely contribute to speeding the aging process along. Alcoholic beverages with a high sodium content are generally the worse culprits for these issues. You are more likely to develop wrinkles, especially if you do not make sure to replace the water your body lost after drinking alcohol. Supple skin is derived from a well-hydrated body. Plus, you may develop dry, flakey skin if your complexion does not receive enough moisture.  

Since alcohol forces your blood vessels to expand, tiny veins may start to appear beneath the surface of the skin. Additionally, alcohol consumption can create a puffy affect on your appearance, with dark, swollen circles under the eyes and puffy cheeks. As the liver begins to fail in filtering out toxins and functioning properly, the pallid, dull appearance of the skin becomes more noticeable.  

Clogged pores, dull, pale complexion, more sagging and wrinkling of the skin, and dryness all contribute to the advancement of the aging process. Plus, the acne flare-ups, puffiness, ruddiness, and tiny veins across your skin do not compliment your natural beauty either. While the best way to avoid the physical and health consequences is to stop drinking alcohol altogether, there are a few ways to combat these issues and make them less likely to happen if you still want a weekend cock tail.

 

Aiming for Agelessness

When you do chose to go out, make sure you keep a few of these suggestions in mind during party time to keep these health consequences from getting too close for comfort. Practicing these methods of self-control will help you in the long run as well, by keeping more fit and healthy than most of those surrounding you. Give some of these ideas a try, and see how they can affect the way you feel later on, whether it is the next morning or years down the road. One of the main methods of making sure alcohol consumption affects you at a minimum is responsibility and moderation. 

Eat a decent meal of healthy, raw foods like vegetables such as organic tomatoes, avocadoes, and bell peppers, or even fruits like organic apples, berries of any kind, and bananas. The aforementioned vegetables contain anti-aging substances found naturally in many foods, like carotene, lycopene, and omega fatty acids. Lycopene is an antioxidant that helps keep the skin from wrinkling and protects from cancer. Carotene, a type of protein, will help keep your skin bright and fresh. Omega fatty acids are essential fatty acids that can reduce inflammation. The fruits contain vitamin C, which will keep the immune system in good condition, as well as enzymes that help the body digest and metabolize substances. Fun tip: apples also offer pain-relieving and alkalizing benefits, which can be helpful if you have to recover from a hangover.  

These fruits and vegetables will also contribute to proper hydration, and are recommended often as go-to meal ingredients for those wishing to counteract the clock. Thus, they must be helpful when you plan to consume alcohol. Eat whole-grain bread or past with your meal, as well. Starchy foods, such as these, will absorb the alcohol in your stomach to help it digest and detox through your system at a slower level. This can keep your liver from being overrun with toxins, and saves your digestive system from being overwhelmed with high concentrations of alcohol too quickly.  

Drink plenty of water both before you go out for the weekend, and during your party time. In fact, ensure you drink a glass of water when you hit the hay after a night out as well. Dehydration is one of the biggest factors in hangovers and aging further down the road. Keeping yourself hydrated will keep your lymphatic system running smoothly, and keep your skin nourished and comfortable. Plus, spacing out your drinks with a cup of water will keep you from over drinking. Make sure you keep ice in your alcoholic beverages as well, since this will dilute your drink further. 

Finally, always ensure you can get a decent rest the day after. Never go to a party the night before your have to work. Sleep is of utmost importance in your body recovering, and lacking on sleep can alter your ability to perform tasks properly. Plus, it will help your immune system to recover, so you can wake up feeling refreshed instead of hungover. Oh, one last thing – do not drink and drive. It is your choice to press the consequences of alcohol consumption on your life. Do not cause another to get hurt because of your decisions.

 

Return to Your Youth with Face Naturals

We advocate a healthy life style and a healthy attitude. Perhaps the best form of anti-aging is being able to enjoy your life and smile. Keeping stress at a minimum is one of the key methods of preventing wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin at bay. Remember to keep your head held high, your diet filled with organic, raw foods, and your skin-care routine complete with face naturals products. For an extra boost to your anti-aging experiences, check out some of our most popular products, such as the Plum Perfect Eye Cream, which reduces dark circles around the eyes, or the Anti-Aging Night Crème, which decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

You can keep your juvenescent complexion bursting with youthful radiance when you trust your skin to face naturals. We provide you with the information you need to practicing anti-aging as part of your daily life, as well as applying it onto your skin. Our website is a toolbox for those wishing to regain the energy and natural beauty of their memories – well, at least close to it! Check out our blogs on maintaining your health in the face of chronic conditions, and our skincare products that use organic botanicals to accomplish brilliant results. Employ your own anti-aging regimen by contacting us for more information. You can provide us with details about your skin’s condition, products that interest you, and what you wish to accomplish. We will offer you suggestions based off of our expertise.

 

References  

• Alcohol’s Damaging Effects on The Brain 
• It Makes You Think – The Invisible Effects of Alcohol 
• Alcohol Use and Your Health 
• Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body 
• Here’s How Alcohol Wrecks Your Skin…  
• Is Alcohol Aging Your Skin? Deep Wrinkles, Red Skin, and Chubby Cheeks… 
• Alcohol and Your Skin 
• 7 Fruits and Vegetables That Reverse the Signs of Aging