One of my more popular posts here on Beauty Fool is Smoking and Its Affects on Your Look. I still get new comments on it even though I wrote it almost a year ago, which is great! In the comments section readers Kelly and Krib both asked about and mentioned the effects of alcohol as the two normally go hand-in-hand.
I really didn’t want to come across as judgmental so I was a little hesitant at the thought of writing this post. However, when I was in a cab this weekend and passed through a popular ‘hot spot’, only to see a young girl passed out on the ground with vomit all over her, I thought it needed to be talked about, but not only on the physical effects alcohol brings, but also the damage it is doing to your health – especially when you drink to the point where you pass out.
Health and Body Effects
I first want to start off with what alcohol and binge drinking does to your body. Studies have proven that yes, a small amount of red wine is beneficial to your heart – but that’s where the advantages end. I want to quote Jason Vale, a highly successful health and lifestyle coach and the bestselling author of a book my parents keep raving about, The Juice Master Slim for Life: Freedom from the Diet Trap
You do not need to quit alcohol altogether in order to have a slim, energy-driven body.
However it is certainly worth looking at this highly-toxic, fat-producing substance with our eyes very much wide open. This can only happen when we are sober for when we are drunk, we really do become totally blind. Blind to our feelings, blind to our emotions, blind to our behavior, blind to what’s going on around us and totally blind to what we are actually putting into our body – and I don’t simply mean the insulin-robbing, fat-producing alcohol. Alcohol is rarely seen for what it is and we all have this ‘happy-jolly’ image and rarely take a good hard look at what it is doing to us.
But what choice do you have when you are drunk? You’ve lost your normal control, your sugar levels are out of sync, and your body has been stripped of essential fats, vitamins and minerals.
The body now has so much poison going into it that it needs to shut down in order to keep you alive. You are now in a comatose state. The body has such a need to repair itself that even if someone was to pick you up by the feet, swing you around the room and through the window – you still wouldn’t wake up.
The reality is that alcohol kills 40,000 people a year in the UK alone, that’s 100 people a day. Worldwide that figure is about 1 million people. It batters your liver, kidneys, and pancreas; it dehydrates your body; destroys brain cells and can shrink your brain. It eats away your stomach lining, speeds up the aging process, weakens eyesight and causes impotence, diabetes, and obesity. It is a highly addictive drug that can and mostly does keep you a slave for life.
Excerpt, Jason Vale, Slim for Life, Chapter 25, ‘Blind Drunk’, pgs. 209-214.
Scary, no? You can read more diet and life tips from his book The Juice Master Slim for Life: Freedom from the Diet Trap
Physical effects
And now, for the physical effects alcohol does to your body:
- You skin will gradually lose its healthy skin tone. As you drink, the alcohol dilates the blood vessels in your skin. And they stay that way, just like the effects it’s doing to your skin.
- Your skin will lose its glow and turns dull and sallow. Alcohol deprives your body of Vitamin A, a very powerful anti-oxidant that helps the skin turnover process which generate new skin cells and replace the old ones.
- Could cause skin disorders whose characteristics include redness, flushing, and bumps. People with acne are also more prone to acne rosacea, a skin condition that causes the complexion to look constantly irritated and flushed.
- You just look older than you are. I wrote about this on the post How to: Start Taking Care of Your Skin under ‘Heavy partying’ and mentioned on here on the blog many times, but a lot of the ‘party animals’ I know look a good 10 years older than their age. I am not even exaggerating. Their complexion looks aged, dull and lost of all life! Worse of all, a lot of them would ‘detox’ for a month but what is the point? The damage is done and they are going to go back to their old ways anyway.
So, some pretty hard stuff to swallow, huh? I hope this post has given you some idea of what alcohol is really doing to yourself – inside and out. Does anyone have any comments about this?
Images: bachmont, antoinedemorris.
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This is why I encourage people to stop drinking on weekdays. If you must drink then save it for weekends. Consuming alcohol on a daily basis AND binge drinking on the weekends has a disastrous effect on your body, especially your liver.
Wise words, my friend.
Seriously, does anyone feel good when intoxicated ? In highschool, there were these binge drinking parties where the goal was to get the more intoxicated possible. It was considered not fun if you were not. But I just think it was pathetic…plus, I have nausea and a feeling of being on a boat when I drink too much. So, I will just take an orange juice please ^^
It is pathetic, isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I like hanging out with my friends in the pub, but you always see a group who think they are so ‘cool’ and having drinking contests, being drunk and obnoxious. And then you see them pass out or vomit one by one. I feel sorry for them, they need to grow up a little
Hey Renee!
Let’s go out and party and get drunk
Haha, just kidding. I like how you adress all the issues of health and diet and relate it to beauty. It’s true of course, you are what you eat, and if you eat unhealthy you look unhealthy.
I really don’t like to drink much, Maybe one or two when I go out once a week but that’s it.
It’s more fun being in control, and like you say, the effects on the body are pretty harsh
Thanks for sharing.
Stay beautiful you gorgeous girl
Diggy
Diggy – Upgradereality.com´s last blog … Whether you think you can or can’t…you are right.
Diggy, yes to party, but no to getting drunk
Haha but thanks Diggy, glad you enjoyed the post!
I so agree with the aging part. Have you seen Lindsay Lohan these days? The girl is younger than I am, but she looks like she’s as old as her mom. I’m all for partying once in a while, but every day? Moderation is always the key
Kaye´s last blog … Tutorial: Achieve a Natural, Flawless Look
Oh yes, agree with you on Lindsay. I remember thinking that ages ago! And yep, moderation all the way!
Another reason why I hate when people get so drunk they vomit on your parquet floor is because you have to clean up after them and after doing that, you’re not in the mood to party anymore
I had a friend who got ill after taking an illegal thing at a party. I spend the night at the bathroom door, asking her if she was better. It was quite frightening to see her like this. Worst party ever ! So, i could not agree more about the moderation part ^^
I know, I commented twice but I feel concerned about these issues, ’cause I know some people who have addictions, and it’s awful. It began like that : parties almost night, then drinking/ taking drugs alone..That’s why I think teens should be more careful :/
No problem at all Krib, I love your comments and our discussions! This too is a topic I am concerned about and very passionate to speak about. Here it seems if you are not at a club on the weekend getting drunk you are a ‘loser’. So, I guess I’m a loser! I know what you mean about addictions, I feel like a few people who I really care about are at the beginning of addictions, I feel very helpless on what to do
So I hoped that this post might ‘wake up’ some people on what they are doing with their bodies and their health.
I have many, many stories that have to do with drinking: one friend got alcohol poisoning. Another friend had to have his stomach pumped in the hospital. All the crazy things they confess when they are drunk. All the bar fights, screaming, yelling. It’s just so insane! My friend’s stepfather had a stroke recently thanks to his drinking and bad diet. He is like a vegetable now, it is very depressing to see. Another of my friend has an alcoholic father and you have no idea what it does to the family. I am really worried about a few of my friends, they drink every single day. It is really, really awful, binge drinking and constantly getting drunk.
Sad stories
Unfortunately, I know what it does to a family 
In these cases, it’s really helpful to talk about it to somebody who is not part of the family : a psy, a friend..For me, it was a friend. It’s hard for me to talk about it, but she’s been a great help when it was too hard to bear. I frankly think that our friendship kept me alive. I’ve seen how it’s hard to stop the habit, all the relapses, all the days where you’re spying this person to make sure she doesn’t drink. So, the best thing to do is to stay away from binge drinking because if you get alcoholic, you’ll struggle all your life against it..This is why I choose a boyfriend which is so sober ^^ With him, I know I won’t be living in the fear anymore ! i hope your friends will understand before it’s too late. Being alive is too beautiful to waste it !
Yes I’m gonna break the record of the longest comment ^^
I’m so sorry to hear that, Krib. It seems like you’ve been through a lot – and I applaud you for turning your life around – you are an inspiration! If you ever need to talk to someone – about absolutely anything – you can always send me an email, please don’t think of me as a stranger!
Unfortunately, for some, they only realize when it’s too late. Sometimes they don’t want to hear it from anyone (me!) and they need to experience it before they realize. I know someone who hears all the drug stories from his friend and he tells me all the drugs he wants to do – almost gave me a heart attack! For now, once in a while I say something and I keep an eye out for them and let them know I am always there for them. Other than that, I can’t do much.
Everyone goes through something in the life – but at the end I totally agree. Being alive is wonderful, and life really is beautiful. And no I think I broke the record for longest comment now!
Thanks, it’s so sweet of you :$ By the way, i made a mistake, it’s ‘to make sure HE doesn’t drink’. I used to be shameful because of him but I realized that he is the only one who should be, and that I’m not responsible of how he is. We can’t save people who don’t want to be saved :/
About your friends, I understand what you mean. Some people feel the need to experience things themselves, even though they know it’s risky. Somebody tell me one day he felt more alive when he does something that could provoke his death. I know, it’s a strange (and destructive) way of thinking !
That is a really destructive way of thinking, that’s crazy! He could be trying many dangerous things and then one day, eventually, something will go wrong. I’m all for enjoying life – but not when it actually risks your life!
By the way, I’m so glad you added an avatar! It’s so nice to caught a glimpse of what you look like, I’m always so curious as to who I’m talking to
You have beautiful eyes and your eye makeup is perfect, you are not a beauty fool for sure 
Hey everyone,
I know i haven’t created an avatar but this topic is SO INTERESTING
I have been looking up stuff on the internet about drinking alcohol and how it damages the body, and ya it is very lethal.
I wanted to know if the blood vessels can be reduced back to their normal size after dilation from alcohol. I want to try and drink alcohol. It would be my first time.
Does one drink (very first one) have any dangerous effect. Or does it not damage the body?
Hey Abdul
No worries about the avatar!
No, I don’t think having one drink will do anything harmful at all – it is said that small amount of alcohol (like wine) is good for you. The effects that I wrote about here are those who binge drink, drink to the point of being drunk, or worse, passing out. Getting drunk regularly will definitely be extremely harmful to your body and not to mention your looks! However, a drink now and again won’t do you any harm if you do not get drunk, and keep it to small amounts. Here’s a site I found that says it all, including the recommended units of alcohol:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/nutrition/healthy_alcohol.shtml#recommended_intake
Hope I helped, let me know
Hey,
I for one think that Renee is absolutely right and I agree completely. This is even more relevant in my case as I am a diabetic as well. I have seen a few of my friends with the same condition as I have go out and get very drunk most weekends and this always leads to a hospital visit. This combination can be lethal and I think that raising awareness about this from any point of view.
Hey Danielle, thanks for your comment! It is lethal in some cases and it is right to spread awareness – for now all I see against binge drinking are campaigns in Australia. The only anti-drinking campaigns I see now a days are only for drunk driving, sadly
I realized something when I’ve woken up after a night of drinking: every pimple on my face is dried up! Sounds good to me!
Oh no no! That should show how much it is dehydrating your skin
Pimple cream always works! 