Loretta Friedman: Today, Do you know a Closet Alcoholic, the top five warnings signs, that's today on Bod Beat.
Welcome to Bod Beat, I am doctor Loretta. Everyone is talking about Diane Shuler, the drunk driver who killed eight people including herself and her daughter driving the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway. Her husband says that she is not an alcoholic. Is it possible that someone you love is an alcoholic and you don't know about it? Most people, who consume as much alcohol as Diane Shuler, would have been unconscious, or at least not able to function a car. One in three Americans abuse alcohol. So how do you spot an alcoholic under your nose? Or are you an alcoholic, what are the warning signs? Here are the top five.
One, you drink specifically to become intoxicated, or to forget your problems. There is a difference between wanting to get a little buzz, on and wanting to be numb. There is a fine line. A friend saying, oh my God, what a tough day, I need to drink may not qualify.
You stash alcohol in unlikely places, like all over the house, hiding bottles under the bed, behind the toilet, let's be clear. This is not normal. Three, you prefer to drink when you are alone, or keep your alcohol consumption secret. If you are consuming enough alcohol to be loopy, in less than an hour, you are going over to the dark side.
Four, problems have arisen at work, school, or home or with the legal system because of your drinking. This is a big one folks. If you are not functioning at work or at school because of the alcohol on a regular basis, you got a real problem here. Five, you frequently experience memory loss or blackout as a result of heavy drinking.
If two or more of these statement sound like you, the bad news is that you likely have an alcohol abuse problem. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that you are addicted to alcohol. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, these four symptoms point to addiction.
The four warning signs of alcohol. One, an increase tolerance to alcohol. You started out with two or three drinks and now you are drinking a bottle. The inability to stop drinking once you start. Three, strong urges or cravings to drink all day long. Four, experiencing withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, nausea, the shakes, cold sweats, when you don't have a drink.
Most of us have heard about the support groups that are out there like Alcoholic-Anonymous. This is a really good place to start. But there are some serious, serious health concerns associated with excessive drinking. We all know about the beer belly you get from drinking too much, but heavy drinking can also cause vitamin deficiencies, loss of appetite, liver damage, sexual impotency, pregnancy complications, and can even put you at risk for heart disease, and certain types of cancer.
The key here is that you are damaging your liver. You know, what your liver does? Most people don't. Basically, the liver not only bags up the garbage, but it takes the garbage out. An unhealthy liver doesn't completely detoxify free radicals from the body that cause damage. The good news is, is that the liver is the only organ in the body that regenerates. You can loose or donate 60% of your liver and it grows back. We don't really come with too many spare parts folks. So you don't want to take your liver for granted.
Once it's damaged, be on the certain point, you are s.o.l.
How do you help your liver? Herbs like milk thistle have very strong antioxidant properties to help support liver function. But be aware, not all herbs are good for the liver. Things like Cava and Comfrey can cause damage. Always seek professional advice before embarking on a regime. Amino acids, proteins like L-Arginine help to increase vascular function of the blood vessels which increase the nutrients that go little liver reducing injury to the tissues. Vitamins like Alpha Lipoic Acid help to re-circulate vitamin C and Vitamin E; two very important, very important antioxidants produced in the body specifically they support the liver function. And obviously, stop drinking so much. I know easier said than done. For Bod Beat, I am doctor Loretta. See you next week.
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