HARI OM ,
Health Risks Of Chronic Heavy Drinking
Alcohol and Health Risks
Alcohol consumption can cause numerous diseases. Many people know that heavy drinking can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and is a leading cause of automobile accidents. But did you know chronic drinking could also lead to cancer and heart attack? Read on to find out consequences of heavy drinking.
1. Anemia
Excessive alcohol use can affect the hematologic system, which is made up of the blood, spleen, bone marrow, and the liver. It can cause your red blood cell count to be abnormally low, which is a condition called anemia. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness.
2. Cancer
Chronic alcohol drinking can increase your risk for developing cancer. The body converts the alcohol you drink into acetaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen (substance that causes cancer). Cancers often found in heavy drinkers include those of the mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal region. Many heavy drinkers also smoke, which increases cancer risk.
3. Cardiovascular Disease
Heavy drinking and binge drinking can cause heart disease or stroke. It can raise the levels of fats in the blood (triglycerides), lead to high blood pressure, and stroke. It can also cause cardiomyopathy (weakening of the heart muscle), and heart-rhythm abnormalities atrial and ventricular fibrillation.
4. Cirrhosis
Alcohol causes inflammation of the liver, and chronic drinking can cause scarring of liver tissue that leads to cirrhosis, a potentially fatal condition where the liver is so scarred it can no longer function. The risk increases the longer you have been drinking. Not all heavy drinkers will develop cirrhosis, though it seems to run in families, and women get it more often than men.
5. Dementia
Heavy drinking can affects areas of the brain and can lead to memory loss and some symptoms of dementia. This abuse of alcohol can cause alcohol dementia, which results in poor judgment and difficulty in decision-making. Heavy alcohol drinking over a long period of time may result in Korsakoff’s syndrome, where people may suffer short-term memory loss. In addition, heavy drinking may result in nutritional deficiencies which can also result in dementia symptoms
6. Depression
Alcohol abuse and depression are often associated. In some cases, people are depressed and turn to alcohol to self-medicate. However, a 2013 study showed that many people who drink heavily develop depression.
7. Seizures
Heavy or binge drinking, or alcohol withdrawal can lead to a form of epilepsy called status epilepticus, or an acute, prolonged epileptic seizure, which is a life-threatening condition. Excessive alcohol use can also trigger epilepsy in some people who did not have the condition before they started drinking. Some epilepsy medications may make you more sensitive to the effects of alcohol, and alcohol may interfere with some medications used to treat epilepsy.
8. Gout
Gout is a type of arthritis caused by the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints. It can be very painful. Alcohol intake may increase the risk of developing gout, particularly in men, and beer seems to cause the condition more than other types of alcohol. If you already have gout, drinking alcohol may worsen your symptoms.
9.Alcohol & The Liver
The liver is crucial to total body health, performing over 400 functions per day, according to the University of Southern California’s Department of Surgery. One of its main functions is detoxifying the body, and it responsible for metabolizing alcohol, hence its extreme vulnerability to alcohol abuse. A damaged liver cannot protect the body from other effects of alcohol.
10.Hives
Alcoholism and liver malfunction affects the nervous system, overheating the body and affecting normal blood sugar levels, often resulting in hives. Hives are red, bumpy rashes that come and go for varying lengths of time and often appear on the most sensitive areas of the skin, such as the chest and forearms.
Signs and Symptoms of Late- or End-Stage Alcoholism
- Alcoholics in the final stages of their illness experience malnutrition, impaired concentration and memory, hallucinations, convulsions and shaking. This period is also marked by loss of control, with the alcoholic staying drunk for days. Drinking in the morning is common. The alcoholic may also be plagued by liver and heart disease brought on by drinking.
Because consuming alcohol becomes an all-consuming activity for the alcoholic, possessions, careers and relationships often fall by the wayside. The personality of an alcoholic may change as well, including psychosis, fear of people and impending doom, aggression, isolation and violence.
Steatosis
- Excessive drinking within a short period causes the liver to slow its processing of fat. Steatosis, commonly called fatty liver, is the accumulation of fat in the liver. People with fatty liver may not see any noticeable symptoms. In the late stages of alcoholism, there could be slight discomfort in the upper abdomen area, where the liver is located. Some alcoholics report feeling tired. On examination, a doctor will note that the liver is enlarged. It may be confirmed with ultrasound. With abstinence from alcohol, steatosis is reversible. However, if left untreated, it can progress into cirrhosis.
Alcoholic Hepatitis
- Alcoholic hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver. Alcoholics suffering from this disease may have jaundice, loss of appetite, bloating, vomiting accompanied with blood, swelling in the stomach area and fatigue. Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream. The liver, which cleans blood, cannot process alcohol. As a result, the liver becomes inflamed. Both heavy drinkers and alcoholics can develop this disease. Treatment consists of nutritional therapy and lifestyle changes which include abstinence from alcohol. If left untreated, alcoholic hepatitis can develop into cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis
- Cirrhosis is caused by scarring in the liver. Injured liver cells are replaced with scar tissue. When enough scar tissue accumulates, the liver can no longer function correctly. Symptoms of cirrhosis include jaundice, itching, exhaustion, bloating in the legs and stomach, profuse bleeding in the nose and digestive tract, and weight loss. People with cirrhosis may also develop liver cancer. There is no cure for cirrhosis. Treatment consists of removing the cause of the liver inflammation, which in the case of alcoholics, means abstinence.
Brain Damage
- As the physical craving increases, alcoholics experience a loss of appetite. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, also referred to commonly as wet brain, is caused by a thiamine deficiency. Symptoms of wet brain include confusion, vision impairment, tremors, unsteady walking, loss of memory and mobility, hallucinations and paranoia. In its earlier stages, alcoholics suffering from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome may be treated through taking Vitamin B-1, proper nutrition and abstinence from alcohol. If left untreated, this disease is life-threatening. Even with treatment, some people may not be able to regain full brain function.
How To Get Rid Of Addictions Astrologically ?
Addicts not only cause problems to themselves, but also to their family and friends.
This habit may start with social drinking or innocent experimentation, but soon develops into an illness which is hard to cure.
Reasons And Signs/Symptoms , On People Who Can Get Easily Addicted:
- People whose will power is weak , but Ego At Peak
- Bad Parenting.
- People who have too much Vaat / Acidity.
- People whose Moon is weak or Saturn is negative – such people become anxious quickly and they start taking some intoxicating substance like a cigarette or alcohol to get rid of their anxiety.
- A weak Saturn – the mount can be either very raised on the palm or it can be too squished.
- The Saturn finger/middle finger which is very straight and bends backwards – if the child does not control himself, then he can become addicted.
- If the Venus moon is very pronounced and the angle is sloping downwards
- The middle part of the palm – called Rahu’s area has a gada/ditch in it
- If the texture of the skin is dry and the thumb is going downwards, and if nails are broad .
- If the child is running away from his duties or work.
- Excess Anger With Bad Vani / Language .
- If the child is becoming more and more angry towards the family members.
- If the jaw and lower part of the cheeks is plump and is shiny.
Bhaiyaji says , people who drink alcohol or take intoxicating substances have a negative Shani and Rahu which stops their progress or doesn’t bring about stability in their lives. The progeny of such people is also affected and the children are born with some kind of illness or hindrance. Perhaps saying these things to the addict may help them understand and make their will power strong to resist the urge.
Remedies:
- The first thing to do is to change one’s company – change your present friends and environment, go for long walks in the woods , parks; start hanging out with people who are creative, knowledgeable, and most importantly positive.
- Take “Nidrakar Vati” – ayurvedic medicine after consulting with an ayurvedic doctor to help you sleep.
- You may also ask the ayurvedic doctor about “Drakshasava” and ” Piplasav”, which may prove helpful in getting rid of your addiction.
- Start taking Triphala mixed with water , kept overnight.
- Try to eat food that does not cause too much gas / acidity in the body.Non veg food every day / to be avoided.
- Wear a copper ring in the middle finger or the thumb – this should be worn for at least 6 hours a day.
- Make a mixture of roasted cumin, saunf, and mishri – take it any time you feel like taking some intoxicating substance.
- Take the Purva Root( you may request on mail from our office ) and tie it in a yellow thread, wear it on a Shukla paksh Thursday. Wearing this root will slowly help you get rid of your habit to take intoxicating substances.
- Wear firoza/feroza stone or turquoise of 7-8 ratti in a silver ring in your middle finger on a Saturday. Wearing this will help you increase your will-power with which you will be able to overcome your addiction.
- Wear Malachite in silver ring , left hand little finger ( green color with white rings )
- Drink juice of grapes – please note wine is not grape juice!
- Drink ginger juice , when ever you feel urge.
- Keep solid turmeric in mouth and suck it , when ever you feel urge.
- Take as more of lemon juice as you can during the day – try not to add any sugar in it. You can even mix the lemon juice with the ginger juice and drink it every time you have the urge to drink alcohol.
- Take 40 pieces of cloves and stick them in an apple, keep the apple in the fridge for 3 days after which you can take the cloves out of it and throw away the apple. Start eating cloves everyday. This will reduce the tendency to get intoxicated, but it will take time.
- Start drinking cumin water – boil cumin seeds in a glass of water until the water reduces to about a cup, then have the child sip the water like tea. This will reduce the hangover and will stop the bad effects of the alcohol.
- Always keep some “ajwain” with you and start eating it when you feel like having some intoxicating substance – especially for people with kapha problems (too much mucus production) in whom taking gutka/chewing tobacco can turn cancerous
- Keep doing the mantra for Shani – “Om Sham Shanishcharaya Namaha”
- People who want to give up alcohol , chewing tobacco: put some oil in a iron vessel and look at your reflection which is formed on the oil, start meditating on this shadow of yours for at least 5 minutes and then donate this oil with one rupee coin in it.. This can be done everyday, but should especially be done on a Saturday. Doing this will remove the negative energy from you and will help increase one’s will power. Clean your teeth with “fitkari” – it will create a feeling of repulsion towards tobacco / alcohol. Also, start eating green cardamom many times a day and keep a bit of turmeric root in your mouth. Turmeric will be a bit bitter, but it will make your stronger and improve your mouth and throat’s health.
- To stop one’s habit of alcohol and smoking cigarettes – one needs to improve one’s Rahu and Shani.This combination also causes gas, constipation and anxiety. Start eating “harad”, but also increase your water intake as” Harad “reduces moisture in the stomach. If you have a habit of keeping cigarette in your mouth, then keep the cigarette in your mouth – don’t light it while chewing on Harad. This habit will slowly go away as you realize that there’s no sense in keeping the cigarette in your mouth.
- People who have anxiety should massage their thumbs as much as possible.
- Do not be awake till late night. Wear good and clean clothes. Wash feet before sleeping . Avoid friendship of bad people. Your self confidence will increase by wearing 5-6 rati Manek in copper.(please get your chart checked before wearing )
- Stand in front of Sun( sunrise time, before 6.30 am)and keep sugar in one hand and rice in other hand. Chant Gayatri Mantra while doing Tratak, offer gal with little black till in copper vessel every day especially on Sunday.
- Take 250 gms of thyme and mix juice of 10 lemons. Add black salt, black pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Keep this in sunlight. When the juice of lemon dry then grind it. When ever one feels urge to have alcohol , have little . You will feel energetic , stomach, throat and health gets better day by day .
- Intake of curd and milk should be done every day . Drink lemon water 2-3 times in a day. Take bath with lukewarm water. Take medical advice from the doctor. Have half cooked / half fried vegetables.
- Mix maize in milk and boil it . When it comes to normal temperature , mix honey and have it sip by sip .
- Close your eyes and chant 108 times “Harey Ram Harey Ram Ram-Ram Harey-Harey Harey Krishna Harey Krishna Krishna Krishna Harey-Harey”.
- Have Hing after meals .
- Donate oil on Saturday. Do not wear black clothes. Chant Shanijis mantra “Om Pram Prim Prom Saha Shanishcharaye Namah” before sunrise or after sunset facing west side.
Increasing one’s will power is also necessary in trying to get rid of addiction. For this, following remedies are suggested by Bhaiyaji – some of which can be done by parents:
- Put your picture in front of you and focus on your forehead and keep saying – stop drinking/stop smoking/whatever other addiction you have.
- The parents of such a person can also help by taking a coconut and encircling it over their child and then putting in flowing water. This should be done for at least 43 days. If it doesn’t work, then start doing it again for 43 days.
- For parents: keep a few lemons next to the pillow of the child to prevent him from getting addicted to alcohol. If the child is addicted, then encircle a lemon over the child and throw it away. Do this for 43 days. This will remove negativity and make the child more positive.
- For parents: when the child has gone to sleep, put his palm on yours while repeating your isht’s name.
- For parents: ask the child to do some pranayam after which either the child’s mentor/guru or his parents should place their right palm on the child’s brahma chakra (on top of the head). The parents should meditate for at least 30 minutes before doing so in order to pass on their energy to the child.
- Keeping a crystal ball or pyramid next to the pillow of the child will also prove helpful in improving his thought process.
Good information