Alcohol And Its Effects On The Body

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Consuming alcohol has both a negative and a positive effect on the body. Most people when they think of drinking alcohol, only think of the bad things it does to one's body. But alcohol isn't always bad for a person. It does have some positive effects.
The Old and the New Testament mention the benefits of drinking 191 times. At the turn of the century, there was evidence that moderate intake of alcohol was associated with the decrease of heart disease. It has been proven from 1900-1986 that moderate drinking showed a reduction in cardiovascular disease and coronary artery disease. This is very important because heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Heart disease kills about one million Americans each and every year. This came from the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association.
Alcoholism is a chronic disease, progressive and often fatal; it is a primary disorder and not a symptom of other diseases or emotional problems. The chemistry of alcohol allows it to affect nearly every type of cell in the body, including those in the central nervous system. In the brain, alcohol interacts with centers responsible for pleasure and other desirable sensations. After prolonged exposure to alcohol, the brain adapts to the changes alcohol makes and becomes dependent on it. For people with alcoholism, drinking becomes the primary medium through which they can deal with people, work, and life. Alcohol dominates their thinking, emotions, and actions. The severity of this disease is influenced by factors such as genetics, psychology, culture, and response to physical pain.
Moderate drinkers live longer than those you totally abstain from drinking and those who drink heavily. A Harvard study found the risk of death from all causes to 21-28% lower among men who drank alcohol in moderation as compared to those who did not drink any alcohol. Moderation would be described as one to three ...