I choose this title as it aptly describes the nation’s ignorance to the fact that alcohol is a drug and a very powerful drug. The shocking thing is most of the public would never consider taking class A, B or C drugs. So why do we glug it back when it causes over 33.000 deaths a year, was estimated to be the cause of over 20.000 car crashes in 2002 and is responsible for over 800.000 hospital admissions due to violence, injuries, abuse etc. (these are only reported cases) This is just the tip of the ice berg with jobs, families, society, the environment and the nation’s health as a collective is at risk, we need to start breaking the cycle and loose the title of being the booziest country in Europe.
As the country slowly drinks its self into a blur of ignorance and contentment offering the only excuse of, everyone likes a glass at the end of a hard day, or well I worked hard so I deserve a night out. What is happening to our bodies and our future?
Many people drink to un-wind after a hard day at work or to aid in sleep and will often be adamant that without those few beers or glass of wine they can’t unwind or sleep. This may be true but to some extent although this doesn’t make it right, with just moderate levels of alcohol consumption you will change the chemical mechanics of your body offsetting the natural rhythm your body has, such as drinking before bed. Drinking before bed will generally lead to you falling asleep quickly but what you don’t see is the disruption it causes while you are asleep, as your body metabolizes the alcohol it disrupts the balance of the bodies chemistry leading to broken sleep you may never remember the breaks but this will often lead to you feeling tired in the mornings or just lethargic throughout the day.
Drinking to unwind after a hard day seems fair enough but we need to remember our body can only respond to what we give it. Alcohol is a poison and as soon as it passes our lips our body does everything in its power to expel the alcohol as quickly as possible. This means vital functions will take a back seat while the organs stress and over work to metabolise the poison and eliminate it. This constant barrage of alcohol can lead to:
Sleep problems
Fat storing
Anxiety
Increased stress
Liver disease Strokes Cardiovascular disease
As alcohol slowly erodes your mental capacity to remember, learn and to lose weight, or simply enjoying your day at work instead of counting down the minutes. Exercise and abstinence of alcohol provides another solution! With exercise you will increase the positive hormones, hormones responsible for feeling good, for repairing the bodies muscle tissues you will reduce the risk of bone wasting and will feel more alert and focused throughout the day. Working out will give you a focus out of work and that focus is you! As you are the most important person, weather you are a mother, sister, son or dad the people around you rely and look at you as an equal or even a peer. So what you do may influence others.
To break the cycle we need to make a change now we need to put alcohol away for the right occasions and use exercise and a good diet to pull us through the hard days, And why not? Doesn’t the sound of sleeping well, having more energy, looking great and being truly healthy sound like a great way to feel and live, surly this is on every one’s mind and if it’s not important to you then what about the people who you influence?
So why not take the first steps and reduce the amount you drink and get just four hours of exercise a week under your belt. Start with moderate exercise such as walking, swimming or jogging and gradually progress to a more intense exercise routine.
For any questions or thoughts on this article please contact us on kane@elitefitnessconsultants.co.uk or phone or 07593918723 best wishes from the elite fitness consultants group.