Controlling alcoholism through diet

Alcoholism is defined as chronic drinking that interferes with one's personal, family or professional life. While an occasional drink is not likely to be harmful, it's important to recognize that alcohol is easily abused. Follow these guidelines to see the role diet can play in controlling alcoholism.

Various factors can foster alcoholism. Genetic predisposition, learned behaviour and childhood experiences, including abuse, are all thought to foster alcoholism. Progression of the disease varies from one person to another. For some, it develops as soon as they begin to drink; for most people, however, it progresses slowly from periodic social drinking to more frequent indulgence until the person becomes addicted.

Some alcoholics are binge drinkers and can go for weeks or even months without alcohol. But once they have a drink, they can't stop until they are incapacitated. Although these drinkers have difficulty maintaining sobriety, they are unlikely to suffer severe withdrawal symptoms when they abstain.

In other cases, abstinence of 12 to 24 hours will produce symptoms such as sweating, irritability, nausea, vomiting and weakness. More severe symptoms develop in two to four days and may include delirium tremens (DTs), a condition marked by fever and ­delirium.

Chronic overuse of alcohol takes a heavy psychological and physical toll. Alcoholics often do not appear to be intoxicated, but their ability to work and go about daily activities becomes increasingly impaired. They are susceptible to depression, mood changes and even violent behaviour. Their suicide rate is higher than that of the general population.

On average, alcoholism shortens life expectancy, not only from suicide but also because it raises the risk of life-threatening diseases like cancer of the pancreas, liver and esophagus. Women who drink heavily while pregnant may have a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome, which is a constellation of birth defects, including mental retardation.

Alcoholism can lead to malnutrition, not only because chronic drinkers tend to have poor diets, but also because alcohol alters digestion and metabolism of most nutrients.

• Severe thiamine deficiency (marked by muscle cramps and wasting, nausea, appetite loss, nerve disorders and depression) is extremely common, as are deficiencies of folate, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and selenium.
• Because many alcoholics suffer deficiency of vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, they are at risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. Impaired liver and ­pancreatic function may result in faulty fat digestion.
• Since alcohol stimulates insulin production, glucose metabolism speeds up and can result in low blood sugar. And alcoholics are often overweight, due to the calories in alcohol. Diet and supplements help.

Once an alcoholic stops drinking, the nutritional problems are tackled one by one. Supplements are prescribed to treat deficiencies. A diet addresses underlying problems; for example, an overweight ­person needs a diet that reverses nutritional deficiencies without additional weight gain. If there is liver damage, protein intake must be monitored to prevent further liver problems.

Consume plenty of:

• Seafood, lean pork and enriched cereals and breads for extra thiamine.
• Dark green leafy vegetables, orange juice, liver, lentils, enriched cereals and breads for folate.
• Legumes, pasta, rice and other starchy foods for carbohydrate.

Avoid:

• Alcohol in any form.

• The hops that give beer its distinctive taste and aroma come from a vine that is a relative of cannabis.
• A cold shower, strong coffee and similar remedies are of no value in helping a person sober up.
• Large amounts of alcohol lower sexual performance in men. Alcohol reduces levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone, while increasing estrogen levels, which can lead to impotence, shrunken testicles and male breast growth.
• Women absorb alcohol into the bloodstream more efficiently than men.