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Alcoholic effects are more pronounced in adolescents and prenatal alcohol intake may create serious cognitive problems for the unborn child.
Other effects of Alcohol upon the Body.
It is noted that Alcoholics generally suffer from malnutrition since the changes in metabolism brought about by alcohol consumption, prevent proper digestion and absorption of food. Thus alcoholics are often found deficient in proteins and vitamins, particularly vitamin A, accounting to susceptibility for liver disease and other serious alcohol-related disorders in the body. Alcohol breakdown in the liver generates toxins such as acetaldehyde and some highly reactive molecules containing oxygen that can cause serious damages to the liver. These toxins interfere with the metabolism of lipids resulting in the damage of liver cells. Moreover Alcohol interferes with the formation and activity of lysosomes that contain specific enzymes which break down proteins and thus may contribute to protein accumulation in the liver, which can have harmful effects on that organ. Pancreatic cancer, which is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States risks increase with chronic pancreatitis, excess alcohol consumption. In turn, pancreatitis which is the inflammation of pancreas may be caused due to excessive alcohol intake. (Reid, 1996).
Both long-term and short-term drinking may result into numerous other health problems of which the most notable are liver disease, impaired heart function, inflammation in pancreas; furthermore too much alcohol consumption can harm the fetus of a pregnant woman and lead to various fetal abnormalities.
Conclusion
Alcohol being a social mark up is unavoidable. However, alcohol treatment is possible through the process of detoxification administered via nutrition and chemical medication. Rehabilitation centers provide psychological counseling and appropriate support to the alcoholics with proper therapies and medications.
Detoxification (or detox) is the process by which a person attempts to rid their body of harmful and addictive substances, usually alcohol or drugs. A detox program should only be initiated under the care of a physician or other trained professional." (Medhelp...
Conversely, detoxification is a general removal of toxic substances in the body. It is a form of drug rehabilitation used in alcoholism treatment procedures involving social psychological and physiological changes. Detox programs are important for neutralizing and eliminating the harmful effects of alcohol.
The most commonly practiced detox program is simply drinking extra water, exercise, and including more herbs in diet. Certain herbs and supplements such as flaxseeds or psyllium seeds encourage the body to expel the metabolic wastes. However these herbs must always be accompanied by adequate water and soluble fiber to avoid feeling of illness. Other detox herbs include burdrock, dandelion root and yellow dock. Particularly dandelion root is beneficial for the liver and pancreatic functioning for recovering alcoholics. Nutrients that support liver health are vitamins C, E, zinc, selenium, thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, choline, magnesium, Botanical supplements, milk thistle seed extracts and some straits of amino acids that help in combating the affects of toxins.
Although chemical detox is prescribed to the recovering alcoholics, dietary detox are highly recommended by doctors and researchers.
Reference:
Kathryn Magruder-Habib, A. Mark Durand and Keith A. Frey, April 1991, Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in primary healthcare settings, Journal of family practice.
Nutrition Health Review, Winter 2003.
Dean F. Wong, Atul Maini, Olivier G. Rousset, James Robert Brasic, Spring 2003 Positron emission tomography: a tool for identifying the effects of alcohol dependence on the brain, Alcohol Research and Health.
Charles S. Leiber, Fall 2003, Relationship between nutrition, alcohol use, and liver disease, Alcohol Research and Health.
Crag D. Reid, Oct 1996, Probing the Pancreas- pancreatic ailments and treatments, FDA Consumer. http://findarticles.com/p/search?tb=art&qt=%22Terrence+M.+Donohue%2C+Jr.%22" Terrence M. Donohue, Jr., http://findarticles.com/p/search?tb=art&qt=%22Natalia+A.+Osna%22" Natalia A. Osna,
Winter, 2003,Intracellular proteolytic systems in alcohol-induced tissue injury,
Alcohol Research & Health.
Reference:
Kathryn Magruder-Habib, A. Mark Durand and Keith A. Frey, April 1991, Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism in primary healthcare settings, Journal of family practice.
Nutrition Health Review, Winter 2003.
Dean F. Wong, Atul Maini, Olivier G. Rousset, James Robert Brasic, Spring 2003 Positron emission tomography: a tool for identifying the effects of alcohol dependence on the brain, Alcohol Research and Health.
Charles S. Leiber, Fall 2003, Relationship between nutrition, alcohol use, and liver disease, Alcohol Research and Health.
Crag D. Reid, Oct 1996, Probing the Pancreas- pancreatic ailments and treatments, FDA Consumer. http://findarticles.com/p/search?tb=art&qt=%22Terrence+M.+Donohue%2C+Jr.%22" Terrence M. Donohue, Jr., http://findarticles.com/p/search?tb=art&qt=%22Natalia+A.+Osna%22" Natalia A. Osna,
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