Wonders of Alcohol

Wonders of Alcohol

Now that foreign liqueur is totally banned, if I do not list ten (10) or more of the wonders of alcohol here it is an insult to the the mankind ability to discover from prehistoric times.

1. It is the man’s first discovery that alcohol elevate mood and euphoria. The other method of delivering euphoria is intense time consuming meditation.

Both are human addictions and lasts only momentarily.

2. Alcohol removes inhibitions.

3. Alcohol in moderation (politician are adept at) makes one to speaks fluently on matters of no significance.

President Trump impeachment is a living example.

Both Republicans and Democrats speak with no end in sight on flimsy (not political or economic matters of worth) arguments.

I request all Democrats to douche in alcohol when Senate start deliberating it today (12 hours in one stretch).

4. In my case alcohol makes me to settle my nerves and play a good game of snooker or billiards.

5. It makes me to tolerate unwelcome guests in a party, wedding and funerals especially where even the enemies come to celebrate!

Mind you now avoid all three by gut reaction.

6.It makes me to discover new ideas to ponder over the table “Wonders of Alcohol” is one out of many.

7. It made me to discover that it destroys all feel good hormones released by a good piece of chocolates, in the liver by default.

8.It make me to forget all the promises given but never acted upon by the party in power.

9. It makes me to forget all important part payment I own.

10. it gives you Happiness (Ecstasy) on one side and cancer on the other.

A truly double edged sword to stab an enemy.

Strangely in this country nobody offers a drink to an enemy on the other side of the aisle.

Why did you give up alcohol?
If somebody asks me this question, I have two ready made answers and a few more thought provoking onces.

It effects my memory and my sleep.

I had a fantastic memory as a kid (which many of my friendly fellow beings did not have) and I did not have to take notes.

Equally, I only took short notes in strips of paper not A 4 size but that fitted in my front shirt pocket.

That is also things or the idea I heard for the first time (did not believe in them first hand).

Eg; Evolution

I loved my sleep and my mother would not wake me up.

She was an early riser.

The reasons outside those two are many.

Recent tax imposition which was a draconian law for the liberals.

I only prefer to drink alcohol not taxes.

The effect of alcohol on liver, especially on feel good factors (hormones) of chocolates is an important discovery for me.

Fact that, alcohol hijacks the important biochemical pathways in the liver and depletes micro-elements is another reason.

Alcohol turns non carcinogens to carcinogen and the vise versa.

It is a double edge sword.

My current intention is to highlight the good things about alcohol.

The book will be published after the election when voter goes back to his routine mode of drowning aspirations with ample alcohol.

Happiness (Ecstasy) on one side and cancer on the other.

Cirrhosis and depletion of glycogen are few others.

Sugar metabolism and early morning hypoglycemia can be mortal in your sleep for the elderly over 60.

One does not have to be a diabetic.

It effects driving skills and a common cause of accidents.

It is a universal cell poison, including brain cells.

Two points I missed and not mentioned in the description of alcohol side effects in web pages and sites are;

Compulsive gambling and legal problems related to money matters.

Like politicians (new breed and the old) they can become compulsive liars (to buy the next drink or to buy basic needs including food for survival).

This is where domestic problems arise, including violence.

The debts increase and responsibility decreases.

There are many more to fill a book of decent size.

The 8 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Drink Alcohol

The effects of alcohol are as predictable as night following day. We get the initial buzz, the rush of endorphins, the fun times flow, and then comes the hangover. Whatever your drink of choice—whether its a stress-relieving glass of red wine, a party-starting glass of Prosecco or a Aperol spritz at brunch—chances are high you've experienced next-day hangover.
For most people, inevitably, the joyful buzz of the alcohol and the good times make way for a throbbing head, dry mouth and nausea—not such good times.

But, while we know the drill, have you ever wondered what your go-to beverage is actually doing to your body and brain while you're imbibing?
Well, let’s take you on a little journey…

Alcohol Effect 1

The Initial Warm, Fuzzy Feeling

Every night of drinking starts the same: you have a drink, then get that initial warm, fuzzy feeling of calm. The stress starts to melt away and you reach for another. "Alcohol releases chemicals in the brain called endorphins," explains Seattle-based registered dietitian, Ginger Hultin, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of ChampagneNutrition. "This happens especially in the front area of the brain, which has to do with reasoning and decision-making.
It's why we feel good, but also why people make poor decisions, like driving drunk or other dangerous behaviors, while under the influence."

Be Alcohol-Aware
Binge-drinking, for a typical adult, is defined as consuming five or more drinks in about 2 hours for men, or four or more drinks for women, states the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse.

Alcohol Effect 2

The Confidence High

Alongside the release of endorphins, alcohol also stimulates Gaba (gamma-aminobutyric acid), a naturally-occurring chemical compound in your brain that chills you out. According to an article on The Guardian, once you are onto your third or fourth drink, you start blocking glutamate, the main excitatory transmitter in the brain. Scientist David Nutt, professor of neuropsychopharmacology at Imperial College, London, tells The Guardian, "More glutamate means more anxiety," says Nutt. "Less glutamate means less anxiety... When people get very drunk, they’re even less anxious than when they’re a bit drunk." That's why when you're drunk, you will think everything is a-okay, even when the reality could be very different.

Nutritionist Gabriela Peacock adds that "alcohol lowers our inhibitions and sense of fear; for this reason, individuals can be emboldened and more confident to do things they wouldn’t normally with alcohol in their system."

Alcohol Effect 3

Coordination Chaos

We've all witnessed it or been there ourselves: drunk people slurring their words, falling over, or knocking drinks off tables. Turns out, there's a good reason why that happens. "Alcohol reduces communication between the body and the brain, making coordination of not only limbs but the many muscles and movements required for effective speech tricky," notes Peacock.

Alcohol Effect 4

Memory Loss and Blackouts

Drinking too much alcohol doesn't just affect your body's ability to function properly; it also messes with your mind. According to Peacock, "Alcohol interferes with your brain's ability to consolidate new memories."

The National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse notes that alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment.
Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout, or an interval of time for which the intoxicated person cannot recall key details of events, or even entire events.

"Typically when BAC (blood alcohol count) reaches 14% or higher, some people will black out. Keep in mind that this is really dangerous drinking behavior," warns Hultin.

Alcohol Effect 5

The Spinning Room

When you finally reach your bed, you might find that the room is spinning. There isn't much you can do besides place one foot on the floor to ground you and wait to fall asleep. But why does this happen? "Alcohol affects how the balancing systems in the inner ear function," explains Peacock. "The change in your blood due to the presence of alcohol means that the balancing system tells the brain that you are moving much more than you actually are, resulting in the spinning, dizziness or vertigo feeling."

Alcohol Effect 6

The 4 am. Wake-Up Call

The reason you sometimes wake up early when you drink heavily is down to your liver, "What happens when you wake up is that blood sugar levels have dipped low because drinking impairs the liver's ability to release the right amount of glycogen into the blood to keep blood sugar levels stable," says Peacock. Essentially, your body is waking you up because it needs sugar!

Alcohol is also a diuretic, which means you're more likely to wake up needing to go to the toilet. This is is also a factor in why you end up with a banging headache the next day because you're dehydrated.

You also feel terrible the next day because alcohol is the enemy of quality sleep.
“Consuming just one unit of alcohol before bed reduces your restorative sleep by around one hour. So having two large glasses of wine in the evening and sleeping for six hours means you won’t actually get any restorative sleep, and therefore won’t recover overnight," says Nigel Stockill, Performance Director at fitness device company Firstbeat. "Our data consistently shows that those who drink alcohol recover less in their sleep, less during the day, and spend more time in the ‘stressed’ zone during the working hours.”

Alcohol Effect 7

The Hangover and "Hangxiety" Are Real

The dehydrating nature of alcohol leads to nausea and headaches, but that's not the only reason you feel like death the next day.

"When it comes to hangovers, most evidence right now points to the toxin acetaldehyde, which is created as the liver metabolizes and tries to excrete alcohol from the body," says Hultin. "Due to genetic variations, each person will have more or less of this toxin in the body. The more of this toxin, the worse the hangover.
The difference between hangovers in individuals could have to do with baseline hydration level, what was consumed/eaten with the alcohol, or even how well-rested the body is.
Alcohol is toxic to the body, so the hungover feeling is the body's way of being exposed to that toxin."

You might also feel jittery the next day, "You have an elevated heart rate so your body can ‘clear the system’ of this poison faster. The body prioritizes this over regular functions," explains Stockill.

Oh, and then there are the feelings of paranoia or "hangxiety" next day where you mull over all the things you said and did the night before, confirming in your mind that yes, you are the world's worst person. This is down to the spike in GABA and drop in glutamate when you are drinking, that has you feeling all calm and anxiety-free. According to Nutt, once you stop drinking, your brain tries to rebalance these chemicals. Since it can take a while to get the levels right, this can lead to feelings of anxiety and paranoia the next day.

And sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there can be serious long-lasting damage from binge-drinking. "Studies have indicated that people who regularly drink heavily or binge drink were more likely to develop dementia than those who drank within the recommended guidelines. Alcohol damages the brain, causes brain shrinkage and interferes with the way the vitamin Thiamine is absorbed into the body, which is essential for providing energy to the body (and the brain uses a lot of energy)," says Dr Emer MacSweeney, Consultant Neuroradiologist at Re:Cognition Health.

"Stick to the recommended guidelines when drinking alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to weight gain and keeping a healthy body weight will help to alleviate your risk of developing vascular dementia, as risk factors for this include being overweight."

Be Alcohol Aware: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that if alcohol is consumed, it should be consumed in moderation—up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men—and only by adults of legal drinking age.

Alcohol Effect 8

The Urge to Eat All. The. Food

Once your nausea goes, there is the unavoidable urge to eat everything and anything (as long as it's not healthy and definitely not salad). You want to carb load, stat! This is down to our blood sugar levels, according to Peacock. "Consuming alcohol can cause depletion of glycogen stores in the process of metabolising the alcohol," she says. "This will make your body crave carbohydrates to replace your glycogen stores. In addition to this, alcohol reduces the amount of Leptin, a satiety hormone."

Hutlin notes that alcohol might stimulate nerve cells in the brain's hypothalamus that increase your appetite, it's no surprise that you want to eat all the pizza, tacos and fries in sight.

And Finally: How to Drink Responsibly

It's as simple as this: exceeding the recommended guideline of one drink a day can cause a hangover and more importantly, increase risk of certain chronic diseases, warns Hultin. "As a registered dietitian, I do suggest eating with alcohol because alcohol is irritating to the stomach and the presence of food can mildly slow absorption of alcohol," shes says.

Keeping hydrated is also key. "To drink more responsibly try to alternate between a soft drink—water, fizzy water, soda water—and your alcoholic drink of choice," suggests Peacock. "Most importantly, try to drink a big glass of water before bed because this will help to keep you hydrated."

For anyone worried about their drinking and wants free, confidential information, help and support from other AA members. Contact your doctor or reach out the Alcoholics Anonymous.

Does Alcohol Go Bad?

by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

Updated March 06, 2017

From a chemistry perspective, there are several types of alcohol, but the one of interest here is the alcohol you can drink, which is ethyl alcohol or ethanol. Technically, none of the types of alcohol go bad or expire in pure form or when diluted with water. Alcohol is a potent disinfectant, so when it is present in a high enough concentration, it's safe from mold, fungi, protozoa, and bacteria.
It's only when alcohol is mixed with other ingredients that it has a shelf life.

Types of Alcohol That Never Go Bad

Hard alcohol essentially lasts forever. In fact, some forms of alcohol, such as scotch, improve with age up to the point where they are opened. Here are common examples of spirits that don't have a shelf life:

• gin
• rum
• tequila
• vodka
• whisky
  

However, once you crack open a bottle, oxygen from the air starts to change the chemistry of the contents. While the alcohol won't become unsafe to drink, the color and flavor will change. Once you open a bottle of hard alcohol, be sure to re-seal it as tightly as possible and keep the liquid in a container with as little air space as possible. This means you may need to transfer the liquor to a smaller bottle as the contents are drained. Once the seal is broken, the clock starts ticking.
If you cracked open that bottle of quality scotch, for example, you'll want to finish it off within 8 months to a year to get the best experience.

Types of Alcohol That Have a Shelf Life

When other ingredients are added to the alcohol or the alcohol is fermented, the product can get skunky or support the growth of yeast, mold, and other non-tasty microbes. These products have an expiration date stamped on them. They often last longer when refrigerated.

• beer
• cream liqueurs
• mixed drinks (either packaged or made yourself)
  

Beer has a definite shelf life. This will be stamped on the container and varies according to the way the beer was processed.
Cream liqueurs contain dairy products and sometimes eggs. These products typically last no longer than a year to a year and a half once opened. You can taste them to see if they are still good or play it safe and throw them out if they look or smell curdled or have passed their expiration date.
With mixed drinks, consider the beverage 'bad' once you have passed the shelf life of the least stable ingredient. For example, while straight vodka might be good forever, once you mix it with orange juice, you probably would not want to drink it left on the counter the next day. It might be good a couple of days refrigerated. It's not necessarily that the drink becomes dangerous, but the taste may be unpleasant. After a while, mold and other nastiness will grow on these drinks, making them unsafe in addition to gross.

Alcohol That Can Go Bad

• wine
• liqueurs
• cordials
  

While wine matures once bottled and can last indefinitely, if the seal of the bottle is compromised, it can get nasty. This is in contrast to liqueur, which won't grow pathogens even if the bottle is open.
However, in either situation, if the product is exposed to air, the chemical of the composition changes (rarely for the better) and the alcohol can evaporate out of the liquid.
Liqueurs and cordials contain sugar and other ingredients. There is no hard and fast rule regarding shelf life, but if you see sugar crystallizing out of the liquid or the flavor or color looks 'off', you may not want to drink it.

Extend the Shelf Life of Alcohol

You can keep alcohol in top form by:

• Storing it in a cool, dry place. This location varies. It might be a cellar or climate-controlled rack for wine, while you can store vodka in the freezer.
• Avoid exposing any alcohol to sudden or extreme temperature changes.
• Store it out of direct sunlight.
• Keep alcohol in a bottle with little airspace.
• Make certain the seal on the container is good. Do not store alcohol in unsealed pourers or decanters unless you plan to go through the container fairly quickly.
  

The Bottom Line

Pure alcohol lasts forever.
Once you add ingredients to alcohol, it can go bad. If the beverage looks or tastes funny, it's probably best to throw it out. Higher proof alcohol might not become dangerous to drink, but once the seal of lower proof alcohol is broken, air gets into the bottle, the concentration of the alcohol drops, and pathogens that can make you sick may multiply.