Heading into the holiday season, consuming too many holiday spirits can leave you with an unwanted hangover and can also wreak havoc on your gut health.
“In addition to significantly contributing to weight gain due to high caloric density, alcohol can also reduce our ability to fight infections and increase the risk of developing illnesses, food intolerances and sensitivities, all as a result of poor gut health.” said Dr. Gill Hart, biochemist and scientific director of UK-based YorkTest, a health and wellness company that offers laboratory testing for food sensitivities and allergies.
“Gut health” refers to the health of the entire gastrointestinal tract, including all the bacteria in the digestive system.
When the balance between “good” and “bad” bacteria becomes imbalanced, it can have a ripple effect on all aspects of your health.
Hart shared with Fox News Digital seven ways alcohol can affect gut health. She also shared tips on how to reduce those negative effects.
1. Immune system vulnerabilities
“Alcohol affects our gut, causing imbalances in our healthy and unhealthy gut bacteria, exacerbating intestinal permeability, and affecting our immune system,” Hart said.
Most of the immune system (about 70%) is located in the intestine, he said.
“Since alcohol can compromise healthy bacteria, it is essential to take steps to protect your gut biome when you drink to protect your immune system,” he said.
That could mean having a minimum of three days of sobriety per week, or drinking alcohol only with or after a meal to reduce absorption.
“Focusing on consuming foods rich in prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber can help restore a healthy gut biome and support your immune system,” Hart said.
Drinking alcohol can have long-term effects on gut health. Getty Images/iStockphoto
2. Irritation from ingredients and mixers.
It is not always just alcohol (ethanol) that can irritate the intestine. Sometimes other ingredients in alcoholic beverages can have negative effects, some of which are not always obvious, Hart warned.
“Grapes, wheat, barley, hops, yeast and other ingredients (such as fruits and dairy in cocktails and mixers) can irritate the gut and cause inflammation,” he said.
These ingredients can also contribute to food intolerances and sensitivities, causing symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, lack of energy, low mood, headaches, and even skin problems such as eczema or psoriasis.
“Fizzy drinks, like mixers, often include artificial sweeteners that are not typically beneficial for the gut, so try to avoid them,” Hart recommended.
3. Risk of diabetes
It is also important to consider the impact of added sugars often present in alcoholic beverages, which are known to contribute to an increased risk of diabetes.
“People with type 2 diabetes may have a less diverse and balanced gut biome than non-diabetics,” Hart said.
“Diabetes is the most common known cause of gastroparesis, a condition that affects the way food is digested,” he said.
Symptoms of this condition include nausea, heartburn, and bloating.
“To reduce your risk of diabetes, try to reduce or avoid drinking high-sugar alcoholic beverages, such as cocktails, premixed drinks, spirits, liqueurs, cider, fortified wines and sherry,” Hart suggested.
Many studies have shown that the most common cause of alcohol-related death in the US is alcoholic liver disease. fake images
4. Liver damage
“A key finding is the effect of alcohol on the liver, which is also related to gut health,” Hart said.
“Imbalances in the gut biome are linked to gastritis, which causes the stomach lining to become inflamed, and fatty liver disease, which causes fatty tissues to affect optimal digestive function,” he continued.
While only 60% of liver disease is caused by alcohol, studies have shown that the most common cause of alcohol-related death in the US is alcoholic liver disease.
An estimated one in eight deaths among American adults ages 20 to 64 is attributed to excessive alcohol consumption, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“The best way to reduce the effect of alcohol-related liver disease is to stop drinking alcohol or follow the recommended dietary guidelines for Americans, limiting intake to two drinks or less a day for men and one drink or less for women,” he said. Deer.
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5. Digestive problems and bloating
Excessive alcohol consumption can also inhibit the production of digestive enzymes, Hart warned, making it difficult for the body to break down, digest and absorb food.
“This leads to an imbalance in the gut biome, where partially digested food causes bloating and gas,” he said.
When planning meals during a “heavy drinking season,” he suggests focusing on foods that help optimize the gut microbiome—”the 100 trillion bacteria that live in the gut and are crucial for health.”
Fermented foods, such as yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut, contain probiotics that help nourish and protect the gut, Hart added.
6. Mental health problems
“The long-term effects of excessive alcohol consumption are really sobering,” Hart said.
“Alcohol is a depressant: it contributes to depression, anxiety and high levels of stress, and its negative effects on mental health are much greater than most of us are likely to admit.”
High levels of stress can inhibit the digestive system in a similar way to alcohol, he warned, “although elevated stress levels after drinking alcohol often persist longer, making any dietary efforts to improve gut health after drinking a drinking session has less impact.”
To help calm the digestive system and support gut health and immunity, Hart said it’s important to cultivate a “relaxation response.”
“Taking time to rest and recharge after a night of drinking alcohol, in whatever way suits you, is essential to supporting your mental wellbeing and gut health,” she added.
Alcohol is a depressant and can negatively affect mental health. fake images
7. Dehydration
“While it’s important to stay hydrated when drinking alcohol, drinking more water or soda won’t offset the effect alcohol has on your gut,” Hart said.
“However, if drinking more water (or soft drinks like kombucha tea or drinks with little or no alcohol) means drinking less alcohol, then this is the best way to reduce the risk of negative effects that alcohol can have on the body. intestine and health. health in general.”
Hart suggests starting the night with a low or nonalcoholic drink and then alternating drinking alcoholic beverages with water to avoid dehydration (and a hangover).
Better yet, wine and beers with or without alcohol make it easier to drink socially without alcohol, which Hart says is a much better option for your health.
“Apart from reducing alcohol consumption overall, simple dietary changes, such as avoiding sugary and carbonated mixed drinks, replacing alcohol with low or no-alcohol alternatives, and drinking alcohol only with or after meals, can reduce negative effects.” of alcohol on health. gut health,” Hart added.
Additionally, it is important to make an effort to consume fermented foods after drinking to restore the microbiome and achieve a healthy gut.
Hart added: “Looking more closely at the ingredients in alcoholic beverages and performing a food sensitivity test can also be important to identify any foods in your diet that may be contributing to discomfort and poor gut health.”
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Source: vtt.edu.vn