Heavy Alcohol Consumption and Your Health
While many of us understand that alcohol abuse is bad for your mental health, oftentimes the physical effect is overlooked. Here's what you should know about the ways that alcohol abuse and excess consumption can negatively affect your body.
Increase Strain on Your Heart
Studies have found that alcohol abuse of any kind, whether it’s binge drinking or alcohol addiction, increases the risk of having a heart attack by 40%. This is because drinking large amounts of alcohol causes extensive damage to the cardiovascular system.
Weakened Immune System
When you drink, your gastrointestinal tract is typically the first point of contact when it comes to breaking down alcohol. When you drink excessively, it can disrupt and destroy the microorganisms that live in your intestines and help to maintain the effectiveness of your immune system. It can also kill off the good bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract that help to fight off disease and infections.
Overgrowth of Bacteria in the Stomach
Just like alcohol can destroy the good bacteria in your stomach and intestines that help fight off disease, it can also cause an overgrowth of harmful bacteria when that homeostasis is thrown out of whack. This can leave you more susceptible;e for bacterial infections.
Damage to the Liver
When you drink excessively, you are at a significantly increased risk of developing alcohol-related liver diseases. These may include:
- Fatty liver
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- Alcohol-related cirrhosis
Fortunately, these diseases are completely preventable by limiting or even abstaining from consuming alcohol.
Seeking Help at North Georgia Recovery Center
The road to recovery starts with taking the first step. Let us walk alongside you on the path to sobriety and wellness. When you choose to get treatment for alcohol addiction at North Georgia Recovery Center, you can rest assured knowing that you will be treated by licensed therapists in our state-of-the-art facilities. Every one of our team members is certified to address and effectively treat the issues that come along with addiction.
To schedule your free consultation with our team, call (678) 940-7873 or complete an online form today.
