Seasonal cheer or many faced killer?

With the holiday season officially ending on 12th Night, January 6, some may be reflecting on whether that extra glass of seasonal cheer was the best gift they could give themselves for the New Year.

Alcohol is the world’s third greatest risk factor in the development of premature disease. This seemingly innocent drink is a staple in social gatherings but its effects often spills over into society as a whole.

Alcohol’s intoxicating, toxic and dependence-producing properties play a role in violence, child neglect and abuse, shattered relationships and poor job performance.
The harmful use of alcohol is a global problem that claims at least 2.5 million lives a year. The reality is that many of the lives lost are caused by an intoxicated person’s poor choices ultimately resulting in harm to others. Alcohol use is very similar to the concept of secondhand smoke; it impacts everyone around you.
Very few people realize that the short-term abuse of alcohol can result in long-term, severe health conditions that include but are not limited to heart disease and cancer. These conditions are often called non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) as they cannot be passed from one person to the next.
Communicable diseases are also affected by the use of alcohol. Alcohol use is associated with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as alcohol can compromise one’s immune system.
“320,000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group” Says the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nearly everyone knows someone who has been harmed by risky drinking practices. Fatal traffic accidents, violence and suicides tend to occur in younger age groups but are not limited to youth or any gender group.
Statistically, men are more likely than women to drink excessively and make poor decisions that can result in serious injury or death.
The use of alcohol can alter one’s mood significantly. Depression as well as aggression – can occur. Men are more likely than women to have alcohol induced depression that increases the risk of committing suicide or other forms of self-harm.
Studies demonstrate the damaging effects of alcohol on hormones of the body. Hormones have a direct impact on weight gain, diabetes and cancer. Alcohol has been found to decrease testosterone in men and increase levels of cortisol. The imbalance of these hormones and other altered processes has been linked to the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon.. Studies have linked the risk of breast cancer to increase proportionally in relation to the amount of alcohol use in women.
Alcohol consumption is also associated with poor dietary food choices. Less than optimal food items that are fried, in a bag or made with highly toxic fats and sugars will exacerbate the risk of developing cancer. One’s cancer risk increases with the processing of food items with nitrates, food colorings and preservatives.
Recent studies have shown that women who drink excessively are at an increased risk for damage to the heart muscle in comparison to men. The findings highlighted that women were at greatest risk even if they had lower levels of consumption.

Men are more likely to drink in larger quantities but what really matters is trying to understand how gender differences and body structures will impact the body’s response. Women commonly have smaller structures and breakdown alcohol slightly different than men. This will result in higher alcohol levels in the blood that ultimately will impact a female longer despite drinking an equal amount.
The consumption of alcohol is common despite the known side effects. Excessive drinking has not only been linked to memory loss but also brain shrinkage. Research suggests that women are more vulnerable once again to alcohol’s damaging effects to the brain and liver.
Alcoholic liver disease does not necessarily affect only heavy drinkers. Once again there is a direct relationship between the amount of alcohol, the length of consumption and the rate of cirrhotic liver. The important item to understand is that alcohol-induced liver disease is irreversible and steps must be taken to prevent complications.
Recent surveys reveal that about 7.2% of pregnant women still consume alcohol. These figures are low as many women are unaware that they are pregnant early in the pregnancy. Alcohol consumption will have its greatest damage on the fetus in the first few weeks of development. Sometimes the damage is already done without knowing it.
Women who drink alcohol while they are pregnant will increase the risk of having a baby with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). The most severe form of FASD is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which will cause mental retardation and birth defects. Stop drinking immediately if you find out you are pregnant as you will lower the risk of having a child with physical, mental, or emotional problems.
Excessive drinking may disrupt the menstrual cycle and increase the risk of infertility or more serious – miscarriage, stillbirth and premature delivery. These outcomes are still very common in developing cou
The first step of any addiction or destructive lifestyle habit is identifying that there is a problem. This is often the most difficult component as alcohol is involved in our social gatherings and our cultural definition of what is acceptable. Coping with problem drinking requires that you change your habits and make different lifestyle choices. The following are items to consider:
Don’t wait until you have a problem to try to fix it. Alcohol abuse is a portal of entry for many serious health conditions The purpose of this column is not to say one cannot drink alcohol but to understand the effects and take self-responsibility to prevent over use. Alcohol impairs our ability to make good decisions and unfortunately we cannot change the past. Improving your choices will ultimately improve your future.
Dr. Cory Couillard is an international healthcare speaker and columnist who works in collaboration with the WHO’s goals of disease prevention and global healthcare education. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.