You may not be able to completely reverse some of the effects of alcohol-related aging naturally, but there are a few things you can do to improve your overall health and well-being to counteract many of the effects. Chronologically, you may be 35 years old, but biologically, your body may tell the doctor that you are 45 years old. Biological age is determined by biomarkers of aging, which are age-related changes that take into account the physical age of the individual and the predictors of the onset of age-related diseases. Drug and alcohol addiction not only has a negative impact on physical appearance, but it also triggers the premature onset of age-related diseases, such as liver, kidney and cardiovascular diseases.
Alcohol is related to age in many ways. You have to be old enough to drink it legally, and once you do, it can age you faster than usual. Excessive drinking can have a direct effect on certain parts of the body and on mental health as you age. Alcohol abuse is associated with numerous health problems, emotional problems, social problems, and psychological problems.
Not only may alcohol make you more likely to get sick as you age, but it may also worsen common medical problems. Extrinsic aging occurs when the skin ages faster than it should due to the environment and the way it lives. Whether or not this association is causal is intensely debated, such as that drinking alcohol causes a person to develop other psychological problems or that some other psychological problem causes a person to drink alcohol excessively. In some cases, if a person can abstain from drinking alcohol, a significant part of the damage that has occurred may disappear; however, in other cases, significant harm may remain.
Sources such as the NIH and the APA also consistently report that excessive alcohol consumption is associated with numerous social problems and with a person's career or education. The same factors associated with recovering from neurological damage as a result of abstaining from alcohol apply to recovering from cardiovascular problems when choosing to abstain from alcohol. Researchers are also studying the possibility that alcoholic liver disease may be caused, at least in part, by the immune system's attack on healthy body tissues. In addition, drinking alcohol while taking aspirin can increase your chances of having stomach problems or internal bleeding.
Participating in a strong recovery program and staying on treatment can help people realize their full potential for recovering from alcohol abuse. However, people with any form of mental illness can increase the effectiveness of their recovery if they abstain from alcohol use, and people with alcohol use disorders can improve their recovery by receiving treatment for any problems that co-occur with depression, bipolar disorder, stress, etc. People should also pay attention to other lifestyle factors, such as diet, exercise, sufficient rest, stress management, etc. Excessive alcohol consumption interferes with metabolism and calcium absorption, and this is a risk factor associated with the development of osteoporosis.
One condition commonly attributed to people who drink alcohol excessively is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, in which people have walking problems, nystagmus, and cognitive problems that include severe confusion and heavy amnesia. If you are looking for ways to reverse some of the effects of alcohol-related aging naturally, there are several steps you can take. Abstaining from drinking alcohol is one of the most important steps in reversing any damage caused by excessive drinking. Additionally, participating in a strong recovery program and staying on treatment can help people realize their full potential for recovering from alcohol abuse.
It is also important to pay attention to other lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sufficient rest and stress management. Finally, if you are taking any medications while drinking alcohol it is important to consult your doctor before doing so.
