If you’d really like to take care of your health, it may be worthwhile giving up the booze completely, experts suggest. It could result in good health in later life, and more years with loved ones.
The health benefits of going tee-total
Weight loss
Health Advisor for Bupa UK, Jake Williams, warned of the sugar and calories in alcoholic beverages.
“A large glass of wine, for example, has the same amount of calories as an ice cream,” he said. “And a pint of cider has the same as a doughnut.”
Thus, if you say goodbye to your tipple of choice, the possibility of losing weight is very real (as long as you don’t increase your food intake).
In addition, men who tend to abuse alcohol are more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction, whereas women can encounter fertility issues if they’re of reproductive age.
Moreover, alcohol prevents the body from absorbing vitamins and minerals from the diet, which can lead to malnutrition for both sexes.
The probability of throat cancer, mouth cancer, oesophagus cancer and breast cancer also increases for chronic drinkers.
People who drink frequently are more susceptible to illnesses such as pneumonia, as the immune system struggles to ward off bacteria and viruses.
Drinking too much can also lead to bloating, gas and painful ulcers, thinning bones, and muscle cramps.
Not to mention the dangers of alcohol dependency, reckless decisions and accidents.
Clearly, there are numerous health consequences to drinking on a regular basis.
For those of you who aren’t sure how much drinking is considered chronic drinking, the NHS guidelines can provide a clearer picture.
For instance, the national health body advises people not to drink more than 14 units in one week.
To illustrate, one bottle of wine (ABV 13.5 percent) contains 10 units of alcohol.
A bottle of lager, beer or cider (330ml, ABV five percent) contains 1.7 units.
If you’d like support to cut down on your drinking, please visit Drinkaware.