Today, most of are used to late night parties- be it an office party, a birthday party, a marriage anniversary or the likes. Partying has been taken as a way to relieve our stress and thereby let your hair down and enjoy.

One of the most common beverage in parties is ALCOHOL…Any celebration and there is alcohol to celebrate it with or in other words there is beer, vodka, champagne, tequila, rum, whisky, etc…..flowing like water does. Some people enjoy drinking alcohol be it hard liquor or beer, while some are social drinkers who drink to enjoy and celebrate. Many drink under the garb of being stressed or over worked. The stress drinking invariably ends one to become an alcoholic.

The harmful effect of alcohol is known to all what it can cause to our body and immune system but, yet there is this constant feeling of wanting to drink at the drop of a hat.

The real fact is that one is not completely aware of the dangerous side-effects of alcohol and that it can get one addicted to it which is harmful for one’s immune system and the liver.

A good immune system helps our body to fight diseases and virus that enter our body. But, too much of alcohol deprives the body of valuable immune-boosting nutrients such as Vitamin A, and can make white cells, which is our body’s defense against illness and disease – less able to kill germs.

Damage to the immune system increases with the level of alcohol consumed. For those who are addicted to alcohol there are several issues such as

• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Upset stomach
• Headaches
• Breathing difficulties
• Distorted vision and hearing
• Impaired judgment
• Decreased perception and coordination
• Unconsciousness
• Anemia (loss of red blood cells)
• Coma
• Blackouts (memory lapses, where the drinker cannot remember events that occurred while under the influence)

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

Binge drinking and continued alcohol use in large amounts are associated with several issues and heart problems including:

•                Unintentional injuries such as car crash, falls, burns, drowning

•                Intentional injuries such as firearm injuries, domestic violence

•                Increased on-the-job injuries and loss of productivity

•                Increased family problems, broken relationships

•                Alcohol poisoning

•                High blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related diseases

•                Liver disease

•                Nerve damage

•                Sexual problems

•                Permanent damage to the brain

•                Vitamin B1 deficiency, which can lead to a disorder characterized by amnesia, apathy and disorientation

•                Ulcers

•                Gastritis (inflammation of stomach walls)

•                Malnutrition

•                Cancer of the mouth and throat

By the way alcohol is not just harmful to your body and its system; it can also lead to weight gain. As per research, Calories from alcohol are ’empty calories’, they have no nutritional value. Most alcoholic drinks contain traces of vitamins and minerals, but not usually in amounts that make any significant contribution to our diet.

Drinking alcohol also reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy. While we can store nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fat in our bodies, we can’t store alcohol. So our systems want to get rid of it, and doing so takes priority. All of the other processes that should be taking place (including absorbing nutrients and burning fat) are thus interrupted due to alcohol.

Here are some of the various forms drinks and the alcohol content in them :-

Beer 2-6% alcohol

Wine 8-20% alcohol

Tequila 40% alcohol

Rum 40% or more alcohol

Brandy 40% or more alcohol

Gin 40–47% alcohol

Whiskey 40–50% alcohol

Vodka 40–50% alcohol 

These are some calories counts and the quantity of the per glass of drink

(1) Beer contains 43 calories per 100 ml

(2) Wine contain 83 calories per 100ml

(3) Tequila contains 96 calories in 1 jigger (glass) of tequila shot

(4) Rum contains 231 calories per 100 ml

(5) Brandy contains 104 calories in 1 jigger (Glass)

(6) Gin contains 222 calories in 100grams

(7) Whisky contains 700 calories in per 100 ml

(8) Vodka contains 231 calories in per 100 ml

Having said all this would you still want to consume alcohol? Think twice.