For many people alcohol is considered essential in their lives. I have already had a few patients expressing the difficulty they are having with the ban on alcohol sales during the lockdown. For some drinking alcohol is a daily or social habit, but for some it’s a (albeit unhealthy) coping mechanism to escape some aspect in their lives. If you are struggling with it and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel, please reach out and get yourself some help. There are awesome sources that are even offering online help.
Why is the alcohol ban a good thing for South Africa? Alcohol is responsible for many road accidents, violent altercations, medical emergencies and, basically, having less of it to go around means that more attention and space can be made in hospitals should someone need medical attention for something else, like COVID-19.
Why is the alcohol ban a great thing for you? Now is a fantastic opportunity to seize the day and help your body become healthier and happier than before! Quitting alcohol has many benefits including a clearer mind, better sleep, more energy, weight loss, a safer living environment, and a healthier body!
Your liver is an amazing organ- it’s worth looking after. It the only organ that can regenerate- that’s how important it is. It has so many functions and if the liver is damaged enough that it can’t regenerate, it cannot perform these vital functions, and that is not a place you want to get to. A big function of the liver is to process and detoxify the things that come through your body- like alcohol. Because of the way that alcohol is metabolized in the liver, we end up with a lot of by-products that cause oxidative stress on the liver (a fancy way of saying that these by-products cause inflammation and damage to other cells). The liver is also less able to metabolize fats, and so we end up with an excess of fats that get damaged (your cells walls are made of fats). Extra fats + extra damaging cells = cell damage/cell death = a damaged, unhappy liver. (Read this article or this one!).
The first step to looking after this very important organ is to stop damaging it- i.e. stop drinking (that’ll be easy at the moment!), and to give your liver the support it needs in the form of:
- Herbal medicine
- Homeopathic medicine
- Supplementation
Herbal medicine: One of the most well-known herbs recommended for liver health is Milk thistle, and for good reason! Keeping in mind the way that alcohol damages the liver, the active compound in Milk thistle, Silymarin, has been shown to reduce oxidative stress, reduce the fat damage, and therefore reduce cell damage and cell death. It also prevents the reduction of glutathione in the liver which is a really important, potent anti-oxidant (meaning it also prevents cell death)!
Homeopathic medicine: Homeopathy is an awesome asset to help assist you with those horrible symptoms caused from alcohol use, or even minor-withdrawal*. Symptoms may include headaches, mild anxiety, mild irritation and moodiness, shakyness, etc. A qualified homeopath can assess your individual symptoms (because you are not the same as everyone else!) and formulate the best way forward for you!
(*Please note that major withdrawal can cause extremely dangerous symptoms such as seizures and delirium. This is a medical emergency and you would need to get medical attention as soon as possible)
Supplements: There are lots of supplements one can take to promote liver health. But today we’re going to look at the effects of one- S-Adenosyl-L-Methione (SAMe). SAMe is a compound formed from Methionine (an amino acid that us humans can get from foods such as eggs, certain nuts, etc.). Essentially, SAMe is a really important source of cysteine that is one of 3 amino acids- cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine- that make up Glutathione (that highly potent anti-oxidant I mentioned earlier). Alcohol use depletes the liver of its glutathione (GSH) stores. We want GSH, because it actually “eats up” those inflammatory and damaging cells. So, with low levels of glutathione we have less cellular protection!
“Can’t I just take a GSH supplement?“, you ask. Well, yes you can, but the absorption may not be the greatest. Unless you are taking a liposomal or sublingual form of GSH, it may be more worth your while to take a supplement that works to increase production of GSH. Some examples of this, other than SAMe would be: Vitamin B6, N-acetyl-cysteine, and of course L-glycine and L-glutamine.
(Lots of research went into this one! Check it out here, here, and here)
I hope that you are able to use this time to concentrate on your liver health! It really deserves your love and care- it does a lot for you!
Stay sober, happy, and healthy!
If you’re struggling with alcohol addiction or withdrawal and want to know more, pop me an email at Info@DrLornaBlackwell.co.za or visit my website and make a booking online!
Disclaimer! Always consult a qualified medical professional before starting on any medications (conventional, herbal, or homeopathic) or supplements. If you are struggling with addiction please contact someone who can help you.
Love Naturally 