Tag: body

Some information about Hangovers

Welcome to a new year and the first post of 2023.

For many people the first day of a new year starts with a hangover. So I thought that I would explore this topic.

Now we all know that the consumption of a substantial amount of alcohol is the usual cause of a hangover. Previously I have written about how the body processes alcohol.

This time I thought I would explore what is going on in the body to cause this unpleasant after effect?

What is a ‘hangover’?

Wikipedia states – A hangover is the experience of various unpleasant physiological and psychological effects usually following the consumption of alcohol.

In addition, hangover characteristics may depend on the type of alcoholic beverage consumed and the amount a person drinks. Typically, a hangover begins within several hours after the person has stopped drinking and the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is falling. Symptoms usually peak about the time BAC is zero and may continue for up to 24 hours after.

The chemical process

As previously covered, the liver processes the alcohol in 2 steps. It uses an enzyme in the liver cells – alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to break down ethanol in the blood into another compound, acetaldehyde. Which is actually toxic.

Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, which is not toxic.

Normally, acetaldehyde is quickly converted to acetate and excreted from the body. But when lot of alcohol is consumed, the liver may not convert the acetaldehyde as quickly as usual. It may have built up enough in the body to cause the nausea, vomiting and sweating of a hangover.

There is more to the hangover, however, than just acetaldehyde. Another contributor to the hangover is methanol, another fermentation product found in alcoholic beverages, luckily in small amounts because methanol is highly toxic. Like its ethanol partner, the same enzymes metabolise methanol as ethanol. The only difference is that this time the compounds created are formaldehyde and formic acid, which are extremely toxic.

So what factors are contributing to feeling unwell?
  • Mild dehydration: Alcohol increases urination and excess loss of fluids. The mild dehydration that results contributes symptoms such as thirst, fatigue, and a headache.
  • Disrupted sleep: People may fall asleep faster after drinking alcohol, but their sleep is fragmented. This is because the body is rebounding from the depressive effect of alcohol, disturbing normal sleep rhythm. This contributes to fatigue, as well as lost productivity.
  • Gastrointestinal irritation: Alcohol directly irritates the lining of the stomach and increases acid release. This can lead to nausea, vomiting and stomach discomfort.
  • Inflammation: Alcohol increases inflammation in the body similar to when you have an infection. This then causes the feelings of nausea, headache, chills and tiredness.
Avoiding a hangover

Paying attention to the quantity and quality of alcohol consumed can have a significant effect on preventing hangover. Hangover symptoms are less likely to occur if a person drinks only small, non-intoxicating amounts.

Even among people who drink to intoxication, those who consume lower amounts of alcohol appear less likely to develop a hangover than those who drink higher amounts. Hangovers are not usually associated with drinking beverages that contain low alcohol content. And lastly, including more water between drinks can reduce the dehydration caused by the alcohol.

Because individuals are so different, it is difficult to predict how many drinks will cause a hangover. Any time people drink to intoxication, there is a chance they could have a hangover the next day.

We hope you found this information interesting and/or helpful.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

Sources – McGill University, Office for Science and Society – National Library of Medicine  – National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and AlcoholisA

Circadian Rhythm

Todays post is about circadian rhythm. This is a subject that has recently made its way into mainline media. So we have decided to share what we know and have learned about it.

What is Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. Basically, it is the bodies’ own internal clock. This biological clock is a natural timing device, regulating the cycle of circadian rhythms.

Nearly every tissue and organ contains biological clocks. They’re composed of specific molecules (proteins) that interact with cells throughout the body. A master clock in the brain coordinates all the biological clocks in the body, keeping the clocks in sync. In humans, the master clock is a group of about 20,000 nerve cells (neurons) that form a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN.

The SCN is in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus and receives direct input from the eyes. It also controls the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy.

What does it do?

Our Circadian rhythm is so much more than an internal clock. It is a control mechanism that influences important bodily functions such as eating habits, digestion, blood pressure, body temperature and hormone release. Most specifically, it controls the hormones that determine our level of alertness or sleepiness.

The rhythm is affected by external stimuli mostly light. Jet lag, shift work and light from electronic devices at night can confuse our biological clocks. These changes can cause sleep disorders, and may lead to other chronic health conditions.

This is why the use of blue screen devices before bed can have a negative impact on sleep. Once our eyes see the blue light, the master clock thinks that it is daytime and releases the appropriate hormones, such as cortisol, for that time of day.

If your circadian rhythm is off it can mean impaired sleep. This is when sleep is not good quality, not long enough or you may not be getting the right type of sleep at the right time. Too much impaired sleep can lead to poor feelings of alertness during the day and a general feeling of needing more sleep because basically you do.

Can you fix your Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythm miss alignment is often treated with anti-psychotics and anti-depressants however, as always there are side effects. There are other ways of correcting your circadian rhythm.

Taking melatonin can be a way of resetting the rhythm of your sleep but not recommended as a long-term plan, as it does not address the underlying issue. From a naturopathic perspective it is preferable to treat the cause. This can include a number of factors; diet, sleep routine, lifestyle and exercise.

Looking at your diet to determine if you are eating the appropriate foods to allow the body to create the neurotransmitters needed to maintain the correct rhythm. Develop a sleep routine reducing screen time at least half an hour before bed.

If you are still are struggling with sleep after making these changes, there are more options. You could visit a sleep clinic or consult with a health professional to undergo testing for circadian rhythm sleep disorder. This involves checking your levels of melatonin, cortisol and your core temperature.

We hope that you have found this information helpful.

 Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

 Sources – Torrens University of Australia, Science Direct, National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Some information about Body Odour

Todays post is about body odour.

 I have previously written about sweating and how important this bodily function is. This time I thought I would look at why some people smell more than others.

 With the warm, humid weather we have here in Queensland, many of us has experienced a person in a public space who is a bit ‘on the nose’. The time of day is not necessarily a factor.

 Some people naturally sweat more or less than other people. Body odour also can vary from person to person. Sweating and body odour are common when we exercise or the body gets too warm. They’re also common reactions that occur when a person is feeling nervous, anxious or stressed.

 There are many different factors that can contribute to body odour.

 So what creates the odour ?

 Sweating and body odour are caused by sweat glands in your body. The sweat glands are used to regulate temperature and remove waste. They do this by secreting water, sodium salts, and nitrogenous waste (such as urea) onto the skin surface. This fluid is odourless until it combines with bacteria on the surface of the skin.

The formation of body odour is caused by several factors such as diet, gender, health, and medications. However, the major contribution comes from bacterial activity on the skin.

The types of bacterial flora living on the skin surface influence the resulting smell.

Skin bacteria

Our skin is home to millions of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses that compose the skin microbiome.  After the gut, there are more microorganisms on the skin than anywhere else in the body.

As the largest organ of the human body, the skin is colonised by beneficial microorganisms. It serves as a physical barrier to prevent the invasion of pathogens. In circumstances where the barrier is broken or when the balance is disturbed, skin disease or even systemic disease can result.

With increasing age, the skin microflora undergoes change.  The bacteria streptococci which are found in infants disappear. The coryneform bacteria start to develop, which are mainly responsible for odour production. This is why body odour isn’t a problem for young children as it usually begins at puberty. The rising hormones called androgens that become active during puberty, contribute to the changes.

There are several common types of coryneform bacteria found on the skin.

These include Corynebacterium, Corynebacterium jeikeium and Staphylococcus hominis.

Corynebacterium manufacture enzymes that break down the oils in sweat to create smaller molecules.

Greater bacteria amounts of Corynebacterium jeikeium are found more in the armpits of men. Alternatively, greater amounts of Staphylococcus haemolyticus are found in the armpits of women.

The smaller molecules created by the bacteria are usually different types of acids. These acids produce different odours.

 What to do about it?

 Regular thorough washing of the skin with a wet washcloth and soap,  especially those areas prone to sweating, can help prevent body odour. The most commonly used approach is antiperspirants and deodorants.

An antiperspirant is designed to block and stop the sweating, whereas a deodorant is designed to neutralise to odour.

However, using antiperspirant and deodorant completely rearranges the microbial ecosystem of the skin. At this stage scientists do not really know what effect, if any, that has on our skin and on our health.

 I hope you found this information interesting,

 Till the next post

 Live clean n Prosper

(Sources – Dermnet NZ, US National Library of Medicine, Science Daily.