So I had a beer last night, and went to bed late. I woke up, did some stuff around the basement and then I went online. This real fun Scottish woman I follow, explained how she had 3 beers the night before, she hadn’t had any water all day and worked out still with no water (I don’t know how) and had a coffee mid-day, then proceeded to have the aforementioned 3 beers. I don’t know if I have the order of events correct, but the next day she yakked and felt like a complete mess.
She didn’t know why, I learned that from Biology that our cells need water to function and carry out their tasks most efficiently. So what does drinking alcohol do to you?
What happens to your body when you drink alcohol?
Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that alcohol causes you to urinate more. If anyone has drank and they have “broken the seal”, you know what is going to happen. The alcohol is has gotten to a point where your body is now trying to expel salt and water from your body through diuresis!
Meaning the production of urine has been ramped up, which again, is expelling of salt (sodium) and water from your body. Coffee is also another diuretic, just in case you didn’t know.
Alcohol lowers your blood sugar levels, and if you blood sugar levels get too low, well you could wind up with fatigue, weakness, shakiness, mood disturbances and even seizures. Alcohol also irritates the lining of your stomach, and causes an increase in your stomach acid production while delays stomach emptying. That’s quite a unique combo, I never knew about this information and wondered why I would go out to bars and get heartburn. I thought that my brain was broken and somehow my heart was telling my brain not to be so stupid. Anyway, this can lead to vomiting, an upset stomach/abdominal pain or nausea!
But that’s not what the heart does, the heart is not able to make those kinds of decisions!
Drinking alcohol leads to expanding blood vessels, can cause headaches. There are other stuff alcohol can do, usually more present when you are experiencing a hangover.
How to lessen the blow.
Drinking is fun, I am not going to sit here and tell you that drinking isn’t. I am also not telling you that you should drink if you don’t, or stop if you do. I don’t care what you do, just be aware. When I used to go out drinking, I used to have water with my beer. I would follow a one to one ratio, but then as time went on I started not to care as much. My Guyanese friend used to mix his rum with water, I thought this was nasty, but hey, I guess I was just ignorant! I drink water throughout the day, so I feel as if I am fine, though I’m probably not and still have a glass of water with my first beer, and I just sip on that when I need to.
I also haven’t tried this, but if there is too much stomach acid in the stomach which leads to that nauseous feeling, I may try carrying around some antacids with me. I am telling you this not so you can drink more, but so you know that when your body is acting up to stop drinking so much, alleviate the symptoms and return to your normal. Just don’t be a dummy.
Happy Holiday Drinking!
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Andeluuu 