The Truth About Alcohol: Lies We’ve Been Told and Its Impact on Gut Health
Hi everyone. Welcome back to our channel.
What effect does alcohol have on the body?
How does alcohol specifically impact our gut health?
What are some common misconceptions about alcohol?
And lastly, what can you do to minimize its impact on gut health?
These are the questions I'll be addressing in today's video.
Hi, I'm Katie Bailey. I'm a gut health dietitian at Oswald Digestive Clinic, where we help individuals improve and resolve their bothersome gut issues. If you're interested in learning more about gut health, I'll link our free guide Five Ways to Improve Your Gut Health here.
Alright, let's get started on today's topic.
[Video Transcript Below Video - it is the same information]
What effect does alcohol have on the body?
Alcohol consumption can have wide ranging effects on the body impacting multiple systems and organs. Alcohol affects the brain and the nervous system by interfering with the brain's communication pathways. Now, this is going to impact your mood, behavior, cognition, and coordination. Now the liver bears the brunt of alcohol's. Toxic effects as a majority of alcohol is metabolized in the liver, and chronic use can lead to liver failure and other liver diseases such as cirrhosis and fatty liver disease. Now, alcohol can also weaken the immune system, making the body more susceptible to infections and diseases.
How does alcohol specifically impact gut health?
So alcohol doesn't just impact our liver and our brain health. It can have a significant impact on our gut health, which we know plays a crucial role in our overall wellbeing. So alcohol can impact our gut health by first changing the gut microbiome.
Our gut is home to trillions of microorganisms that play a vital role in our digestion, our immunity, and our overall health. So drinking alcohol can disrupt the delicate balance of the microorganisms and can potentially lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria. So the imbalance of good to bad bacteria in the gut is known as gut dysbiosis.
Now, gut dysbiosis can cause a lot of digestive issues for people, but can also cause a lot of systemic issues. The second way that alcohol impacts our gut health is through inflammation and what is known as leaky gut. So alcohol is an irritant to the intestinal lining, meaning that it can really cause a lot of damage and inflammation.
This damage in inflammation is going to increase the permeability of the intestinal lining, which can lead to something called leaky gut. Leaky gut is a condition where the lining of the gut becomes damaged and allows undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria to leak into the bloodstream, which can then trigger an immune response and systemic inflammation.
And lastly, alcohol can also impair the digestion and nutrient process. So alcohol affects the digestive process by decreasing the production of digestive enzymes, which is going to make it harder for your body to break down and absorb the nutrients from your food. So over time, this can lead to deficiencies and essential nutrients, which in turn is going to contribute to a whole range of health issues, including things like fatigue and skin issues, or a weakened immune system.
What are some common misconceptions about alcohol?
Benefits of Red Wine
So the first misconception that most people have heard of before is a glass of red wine a day is good for you. Now, I will say that there is some truth to the fact that there are compounds in red wine like polyphenols that do have health benefits and that are good for you. Unfortunately, the overall negative effects of alcohol on the body often outweigh these potential benefits, and it is possible to get these beneficial compounds from other foods that are not going to have a negative effect on the body.
Excessive alcohol use, no matter what type of alcohol can contribute to liver disease, inflammation, and poor gut health.
Alcohol Only Affecting The Liver
Another misconception is that alcohol really only affects the liver. So it's easy to think of alcohol as just a mood altering substance. It really doesn't have a lot of long-term effects on the body except for the liver. However, drinking alcohol regularly does disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome, which can cause digestive issues and other systemic issues. And chronic consumption can damage the intestinal lining leading to things like leaky gut and inflammatory bowel disease.
The Belief That Moderation Has No Impact
The last misconception I want to talk about is moderation means no harm. So while drinking in moderation may seem completely harmless, it's important to understand that the response is going to vary from person to person. So for some individuals, even a very small amount of alcohol can trigger digestive distress or make existing conditions worse for others.
Chronic low to moderate drinking can also lead to issues over time. That's going to impact your liver, your gut health, and your immunity. You may not notice any immediate response to drinking in moderation, but it does have the potential to lead to issues over time.
What can you do to minimize the impact on gut health?
So of course, the first thing is going to be to really limit your intake. Like I mentioned before, even small amounts can cause issues for some individuals. So it's important to really consider whether drinking alcohol is right for you. Now, if you do choose to drink in moderation, the biggest thing that you can do is really focus on supporting your gut microbiome on a daily basis. So eating a whole foods fiber and nutrient dense diet. Really trying to incorporate probiotic and prebiotic rich foods, limiting your intake of processed foods and real sugary foods and focusing on anti-inflammatory foods like those omega threes from fatty fish nuts and seeds and olive oil. All those things can be really helpful in supporting your gut microbiome. Another thing is to remember to stay hydrated and never to drink on an empty stomach.
Now, a couple things to note that sugary drinks will spike your blood sugar and actually make you crave alcohol more so when you can try to opt for low sugar options. And then also, beer may not be the greatest option for people who have digestive issues as it is created with gluten and yeast, and that can be really hard for some people to break down. So just be aware of that as well. It's also really important to pay attention to how you feel. So having a drink every once in a while may be fine for you, but if you notice that every time you have a drink, even in moderation, you don't feel well, you should really listen to that.
The Truth About Alcohol
So the truth about alcohol is everybody handles alcohol differently, and if you already struggle with digestive issues, alcohol consumption, even in small amounts may not be what's right for you right now. The gut microbiome plays a huge role in the digestion of alcohol. Therefore, if you notice that your body really doesn't respond well to alcohol, that could just be a sign that your microbiome isn't where it should be and may need some additional support. While occasional moderate drinking may not cause significant harm for some people, it's important to listen to your body and know that even if you aren't feeling an immediate response to alcohol consumption, it can negatively impact your gut health and cause issues over time, especially when taken in excess.
Now, there is no perfectly safe level of alcohol consumption as even small amounts can cause health issues for some people. So the bottom line is occasional drinks here and there, especially if you already have a healthy gut, may not cause a lot of issues for you, but regular or excessive consumption can significantly impact your gut health and therefore your overall health.
That's it for today's video. If you liked this video, please hit the like button and subscribe for more nutrition videos. If you're interested in working with our clinic, you can click the link here to schedule an appointment. We do take insurance that you can find more information about that on our website.
Thank you for watching. I'll see you next time. Bye.
If you'd like to explore any of this information further or obtain an individualized nutrition plan, you can schedule an initial appointment at our clinic.  We also take insurance and some of our clients get full coverage, which is great.
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