Alcohol consumption poses a serious risk to all of the body's systems; however, its impact on the body's ability to regulate blood pressure is profound.  Excessive alcohol consumption increases blood pressure in two ways.

Blood pressure increases as a physiological response to alcohol.  The chemical reaction can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels, making drinkers vulnerable to blood pressure related ailments.

The calories consumed in alcoholic beverages can lead to weight gain.  Weight gain also contributes to blood pressure elevation. 

Blood pressure elevation puts people at risk for poor circulation, stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.  It is often considered the "silent killer."  The American Heart Organization stated that up to one in three adults in the United States suffer from high blood pressure.  Due to a lack of symptoms, a third of these people are unaware of their condition all together.

Avoiding alcohol or reducing consumption to a moderate level can drastically reduce the chance of a blood pressure increase.  Moderate alcohol consumption is generally considered less than two drink a day for people under 65 and no more than one drink a day for people over 65. 

Alcohol is immediately absorbed through the lining of your stomach and your small intestine before making its way into your bloodstream.  The rate of absorption into the blood stream is affected by the amount of food in your stomach and the composition of the drink.  Food in the stomach serves as a roadblock, preventing rapid absorption into the small intestine.  Beverages that are carbonated are more quickly absorbed due to the pressurization within the stomach. 

Once alcohol is absorbed, the liver fights to break it down.  The blood stream indicates the level of excessive alcohol within the body, the blood alcohol content (BAC).  Vomiting immediately after drinking may help to stabilize your BAC; however, as time passes vomiting will have less effect on the BAC.

Your body metabolizes 90% of the alcohol you consume; the remaining 10% is excreted through urination and sweat.  There is little to no nutrition in alcohol, yet it ranks very high in caloric content.

Tips to safe guard your body:

Eat before/while drinking
Remember that liquor will effect the body, it simply takes more time to feel the effect
Do not binge drink and overload the liver
The body can safely metabolize 1 drink an hour
Blood alcohol content varies according to height, weight , and gender
Hydrate your body with water
Do not drink your meal.  Alcohol cannot replace the nutrition from a meal

Believe it or not, a recent 2007 Gallup pole reports that 36% of Americans abstain from alcohol all together. 

These people cite a variety of reasons for the choice not to consume alcohol.  Some of them are religious beliefs, health issues, cost, and overall distaste; however, it is a personal choice for each of them.  Not drinking is a decision that has great impact on their life. 

Did you know... that even the moderate drinkers, drinking for heart disease prevention, show reduced brain volume? According to a study in the Archives of Neurology, the more alcohol consumed, the smaller the brain volume, with abstainers having a higher brain volume than former drinkers, light drinkers (one to seven drinks per week), moderate drinkers (eight to 14 drinks per week), and heavy drinkers (14 or more drinks per week). 

It looks like non-drinkers really are the smart ones!

For more information visit: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/10/14/healthmag.alcohol.brain.shrinkage/index.html; http://www.gallup.com/tag/alcohol.aspx

Alcohol related deaths exceed 100,000 in the United States each year.  This statistic includes death as a result of drunk driving, falls, cancer, stroke and cirrhosis of the liver. 

Though public education campaigns warn against excessive alcohol consumption, impairment has a tragic affect on our society. Alcohol impaired driving in America kills one person every thirty seconds, more than 50 people a day, and takes the lives of nearly 18,000 each year.  Impairment begins with the first drink.  The effect of alcohol depends on the individual; weight, height, gender, nutrition and many other factors play into the blood alcohol level. 

Excessive or chronic alcohol consumption causes the liver to become fatty.  The fatty deposits block the liver's supply of blood, hindering the absorption of oxygen and nutrients.  Liver cells eventually die from nutritional starvation.  This process leads to a breakdown of liver cells.  The cells are replaced with scar tissue.  The scar tissue inhibits the function of the liver.  This is called cirrhosis. 

Remember, the liver is vital to life and wellness of the body.  The liver serves many functions to the body such as the break down of blood sugars and filtration of toxins.  Cirrhosis leads to a reduced ability to handle alcohol and other toxins in the body.  The toxins that are free flowing in the body can poison other systems and organs.  People suffering from cirrhosis suffer long painful deterioration that can lead to death. 

Studies show that even three to four drinks a day over the course of a few years can lead to this life threatening disease.