Health Insurance – Alcohol

The consumption of alcohol in the form of recreational alcoholic drinks is something that many people do not think about in connection with their health insurance applications or premiums but it is definitely a factor. The amount of alcohol a person consumes on a regular basis affects the rate of their health insurance premiums as well as the limits and exclusions to the policy. It is important, however, to be honest when filling out the insurance application for if untruths are found, the policy will likely be cancelled immediately and the reasoning cited as to prevent or severely hamper the procuring of insurance from somewhere else in the future.

Social drinking of alcohol is classified as a drink or two on social occasions now and again, with no real regularity. This type of drinking of alcohol does not have any impact on the insurance application, the policy limits or premium costs. Social drinkers do not have any need to worry about their insurance policies being affected by their alcohol consumption. Binge drinking that takes place periodically where a person drinks a lot of alcohol in a short period of time is another matter altogether. Binge drinking of alcohol is extremely dangerous and potentially life threatening to the body in the form of alcohol poisoning.

Health insurance companies do not like to insure binge drinkers or alcoholics who drink daily because those people are huge risks for the company to take on in that there will surely be dangerous repercussions to the body that result in expensive medical intervention needs. From alcohol poisoning to liver problems and all kinds of physical and mental issues, the abuse of alcohol is a lose-lose situation all the way around for a insurance company to consider. As a result, most people who abuse alcohol cannot get quality insurance coverage.

Alcohol is considered to be a drug in many ways due to the negative effects it has on the body when not carefully controlled. It is ranked with smoking when it comes to health insurance applications so both will get a person a higher premium, certain policy limits or even denied health insurance coverage outright. Health insurance companies are not in the business of taking high risks with their money. Alcohol in excess and good health practices do not go together. Insurance companies do not insure people they feel are at risk for medical care problems that result from excessive alcohol consumption.

If you need assistance in this regard or need help looking for several coverages to cover this, please visit our website at http://www.health-insurance-buyer.com and leave your contact information so we can respond to your request.

Alcoholic Wife – Tips on How to Handle Her First Alcohol Relapse

As a psychiatrist that treats a lot of addiction, I have worked with a number of families in which the husband is married to an alcoholic wife.

K.J and his wife C.T. have been married for 4 years. They have a daughter that is 2 years old. Before their daughter was born, they went out to the clubs 5 nights a week. K.J. works at an electronics store and his wife stays home with their child. K.J. gave up the partying life style about 2 years ago as his work demands increased. Also, he said he felt a lot of responsibility for his wife and daughter and wanted to spend the evenings with his family. They both had a glass of wine or two with dinner. However, K.J. noticed his wife started to drink alcohol at lunch with friends which started spilling over into the afternoons.

One day he announced to me that he had an alcoholic wife. He told me was the one to get up with their daughter at night when she felt sick or scared because his wife was too drunk to do this. He knew she was drinking in the afternoon and did not trust her to keep their toddler safe. It scared him to death that she took their daughter in the car after she had been drinking. She had very little patience with their 2 year old. Occasionally, she would even yell obscenities at K.J. and had pushed him physically on 2 separate occasions. They were not sexually intimate anymore.

He was at his wits end with her alcoholic behavior.

K.J. had confronted his wife many times about her alcohol problem, but she became very defensive. He finally arranged an alcohol intervention with a professional, her parents, and her 2 closest friends. She went into an alcohol treatment center for 30 days.

When she returned home, she went to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings regularly and she seemed to be committed to her new sobriety. K.J. was cautiously optimistic and tried to be very supportive of her. After several months, she quit going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. 3 months later he came home late one evening and smelled alcohol on her breath. They had had a minor quarrel that morning. She denied drinking, but he knew she was lying. He came in to his appointment with me in a panic over her alcohol relapse.

Unfortunately, relapse is very common and does not necessarily mean the beginning of the end. People are especially vulnerable to relapse early on in their recovery. K.J. asked me what he could do to aid his alcoholic wife in her recovery.

I asked him to try not to be judgmental about her alcohol relapse and encourage her to go back to her Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. This would help her get back on track with her alcohol recovery. She had enjoyed the support she got from Alcoholics Anonymous meetings before her relapse and had also appreciated the several hour break away from her child.

I counseled K.J. to encourage her to communicate some of her frustrations so she would not bottle up so many of her feelings. (I brought her in for a session and helped them work through some issues they wanted to iron out about parenting). He also tried not to micromanage her every move as he had come to accept that he could not control her alcoholic recovery.

He learned not to view her alcohol relapse as a definite return to her alcoholic behavior. He and his wife both viewed the alcohol relapse as a signal for her to be more vigilant about certain feelings that surfaced that triggered alcohol relapse. Over time, C.J. learned to manage and avoid these triggers. She has been sober for three years.

Alcohol – a Social Evil

The effects of alcohol can be broadly categorised as:

Personal level -this would include physiological and psychological problems associated with alcoholism

Family level – the family members of the alcoholic become victims of alcohol themselves as the irrational erratic behaviour of the alcoholic emotionally affects them especially the wife and children. They get caught in a situation where they are completely lost – living with a stranger. I would like to call the alcoholic a stranger as he is a stranger to the feelings and emotions of his own people. He isn’t bothered about what they want and what they expect. It also affects the budget of the family. The entire setup of family breaks. Despite poverty in many cases the men or women addicted to alcohol spend all the money they have to get cheap liquor and end up in situations of violence, sexual harassment, unreasonable demands and ruining their children’s lives

Social level – the social effects of alcohol are but obvious. A person who cannot think on his own, who isn’t himself, who does not belong to his family, who fails to bring up his children in the right manner and whose contribution to society is zero can definitely be termed as a burden on society.

Alcoholism has to be treated not only for the sake of the alcoholic but also for his family and society. There are various rehabilitation centres across the world where it can be treated. Awareness has to be created regarding the same. Proper medication, yoga, self-awareness and most important of all love and affection can help us in the long run in our fight against this social evil.

Alcohol Analyzer – Is It Easy To Cheat A Breathalyzer Test?

If you are an avid drinker and love to take such alcoholic beverages then you have to be aware of the drawbacks of this habit. Well, most of the people think that it is good to take such drinks to relieve tension and problems. To be honest, these people are totally wrong because there are worst outcomes of drinking and being alcoholic. Though, alcoholism is common among people but the outcome of this habit is getting even worse day by day. Most of the people are killed by drunk drivers because these drivers are unable to concentrate properly while driving. So, a special device has been introduced in the market to know your BAC and it is known as ‘Alcohol Analyzer’.

So, if you are willing to know your BAC then I will strongly recommend you to buy a breathalyzer because this device very exclusive to determine your Blood Alcohol Content easily. This small gadget is very handy and you can easily take it anywhere you want where it is expected to consume alcohol.

On the other hand, some alcohol analyzer haters believe and claim that it is very easy to cheat a breathalyzer test. Such people also have revealed some myths about cheating a breathalyzer test.

Some people claims that by putting a silver coin, consuming mouthwash or eating an onion can defy the accurate results of BAC. To be honest, all these tests have been tried by the higher authorities and all of these myths are just a lie to mislead people. So, make sure that you are spreading awareness to people regarding a breathalyzer because this is the only famous and reliable device in this ear to get rid of huge problems and accidents.

For more details, you can also follow the links below to buy a perfect alcohol analyzer at affordable rates.

Is Alcohol Bad For the Brain?

Alcohol will cause speech to be slurred, vision to be blurred, reaction times to be slower and memory to be impaired. Depending on whether a person is drinking on an empty stomach and how quickly they consume the alcohol, these affects can sometimes be apparent after only one or two drinks.

How often a person drinks, when they first began drinking, their gender and size and whether there is a family history of alcohol will all determine what the effects will be.

Heavy drinking is one of the causes of Alcohol Related Brain Injury (ARBI). Alcohol can cause short-term memory loss, dehydration and can lead to falls and accidents. Alcohol can also increase the risk of seizures.

Alcohol abuse can also lead to traumatic brain injuries because someone who is drinking may still drive without making reasonable judgments and may take more risks than a sober person would. Their chance of falling is increased as is the potential of getting into verbal altercations or fisticuffs. Alcoholics tend to have more head injuries; there is a high rate of alcohol abuse before TBI.

Those who continue to use alcohol after a traumatic brain injury have more difficulty with thinking abilities, cognitive function and memory problems. Cells are lost after these types of injuries and other cells will have to work that much harder. If those cells are affected by alcohol, it makes it more difficult for them to work. Alcohol heightens the degree of cognitive difficulties already being experienced.

People who use alcohol after a brain injury don’t recover as quickly or as completely and in fact, can lose much of the progress they have made. They will lose what skills they had previously that they could possibly have regained.

For people who have alcohol related brain injury or have suffered a TBI, because of their impaired insight they do not realize that their substance abuse is a problem. These difficulties are exacerbated for counselors working with survivors and those with ARBI because when those with brain injuries report on their use of alcohol the figures are usually inaccurate because of their memory deficits.

For those who have brain injuries, the affects of alcohol will be more quickly apparent. After only two beers, my partner will have problems with speech and attitude and after only one glass of rye, (particularly the way he likes to pour them), he is slurring his words and having difficulty walking. Before his injury, although he drank several glasses every day, I saw no outward signs of inebriation.

These signs become readily apparent because of alcohol’s effect on the brain. The only conclusion possible, therefore, is that alcohol is bad for the brain.

Increased Cancer Risk For People With Asian Flush (AKA, Alcohol Flush Reaction)

Recent research has shown that nearly 50% of Asians experience a red face after drinking alcohol, not to mention the plethora of non-Asians who also experience similar alcohol related side-effects. This flushing reaction is commonly referred to as Asian Flush or Asian Glow and, according to recent research, may indicate an increased risk of esophageal cancer (or cancer of the throat).

When you drink an alcoholic beverage, the alcohol is absorbed into your blood via the esophagus, stomach and intestine. The period over which the alcohol absorbs into your blood stream can vary anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours. Some factors that might affect the rate at which alcohol can be absorbed by the body include your sex, body mass, the type and strength of the alcohol consumed, and the amount of food you have lining your stomach. Asian Flush, more technically referred to by scientists as “Alcohol Flush Reaction”, describes our body’s inability to completely break-down alcohol that has been ingested by our bodies.

The primary cause of the Asian Flush reaction, which may also be accompanied by nausea and a rapid heartbeat, is a hereditary deficiency in an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), a commonly shared trait amongst approximately 50% of people of East Asian ancestry (Japanese, Chinese or Koreans).

This deficiency of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) enzyme results in the body being unable to properly break down a byproduct of the metabolism of the alcohol called acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is toxic and thus, as result of your body not being able to properly break it down, this toxin accumulates and causes the red flushing that we all commonly refer to as Asian Flush.

Recent research is trying to raise public awareness of the possible link between Asian Flush and increased esophageal cancer risk. The malignancy, called squamous cell esophageal cancer, can also be caused by smoking and, whilst surgery is an option, survival rates are low. Light drinkers should not be so concerned, however, the research indicates that the risks rise sharply with heavier consumption. According to the research, someone with Asian Flush who drinks two beers per day has 6 to 10 times the risk of esophageal cancer as someone who does not suffer from Asian flush.

Our bodies are a lot smarter than we think. If you are turning red in the face after drinking alcohol, then perhaps it is your body telling you not to drink. That said, the consumption of alcohol is so firmly ingrained in our social and business cultures that simply avoiding it altogether is not a very desirable option for most people. However, people with Asian Flush should take such research as a warning, and perhaps as a reminder that their body is telling them to take it easy on the alcohol.

Hemorrhoids and Alcohol

So why does excessive alcohol consumption cause or make hemorrhoids much worse? Alcohol tends to dehydrate the body, has a diuretic action, which increases the flow of urine causing a loss of bodily fluids producing harder stools making any constipation much worse. This will cause more straining when having a bowel movement. You should try not to strain too hard and instead spend more time to try to ease the motion. Straining will also make any itching and inflammation worse.

The most common cause of hemorrhoids is straining during a bowel movement because of hard stools which increases the blood pressure in the veins in the anus. Postponing a bowel movement and holding faecal matter too long in the rectum causes pressure to build up in the rectum veins.

A hemorrhoid is an enlarged vein in the anus, also called a varicose vein. In a healthy person, the tissue around the anus fills with blood to regulate bowel movements. However, when there is constant pressure or other factors restricting blood flow, the veins become inflamed. Poor blood flow may result in a painful, swollen, protruding hemorrhoid.

External Hemorrhoids are uncomfortable with itching. Blood may appear on toilet paper during bowel movements.Internal Hemorrhoids show rectal bleeding and intense pain. You may well have to push the hemorrhoids back in with your fingers after, but some petroleum jelly or other lubricant will help this.

Internal hemorrhoids often protrude and clot. The presence of mucus and blood is also a sign.

Eating excessive processed foods, which are low in fiber and move slowly through your colon. Hemorrhoids were not as common 100 years ago when the Western diet was much higher in fiber. The rates of Hemorrhoids increases in countries where the diet becomes more westernised, meaning lots of processed refined foods low in fiber.

Hemorrhoids were mainly seen in the over 50’s, but with the increase in drinking culture amongst young people the age is coming down. Excessive drinking, even alcoholism in young people is producing hemorrhoid suffers in their early 20’s. They are getting even younger.

Also pregnant women experience increased pressure on these veins and this can cause and aggravate hemorrhoids.

Stress put on the liver will contribute to hemorrhoids. The connection between poor liver function and hemorrhoids is well known in medical circles.

If a strain is put on the liver from poor diet, excessive drinking or cirrhosis, blood flow to the liver will increase to help cope with this and this increases blood pressure to the veins in the anus, thus making the hemorrhoids worse. Admittedly this is a very simplistic explanation for it is too complicated to go into it here. Alcoholics and very heavy drinkers have a high incidence of hemorrhoids.

General body weakness, poor muscle tone in the anal area from too much drink, lack of exercise and being overweight. Too much alcohol consumption weakens your muscle tone and the muscles cannot hold in the veins around the anal area so they protrude through. Sitting about in chairs at home, work, or a car for long periods. Lounging about drinking instead of keeping active. Irregular eating patterns, not getting the right vitamins and minerals in your food. Lack of protein leads to weak muscle tissue in the anal area and slows the healing of wounds.

Having said all this – some people do have a predisposition to constipation or have inherited a weakness in the colon and rectum area, and are thus prone to hemorrhoids.

Can Caffeine and Alcohol Consumption Cause Hemorrhoids?

Hemorrhoids are a painful and irritating condition in which the veins around the lower rectum or anus are inflamed or swollen. The causes for hemorrhoids may be many, including obesity and pregnancy. The disease could also be caused by lack of exercise. Excessive use of caffeine and alcohol can also result in hemorrhoids, since these substances dehydrate the body.

Caffeine and Alcohol in Hemorrhoids

Caffeine works as a dehydrating agent and dehydration is among the prime causes of hemorrhoids. Therefore, caffeine works as an indirect causal agent. Hence, to prevent hemorrhoids, avoid consuming foods with excessive caffeine, such as coffee and energy drinks.

Hypertension also causes hemorrhoids. Although caffeine increases blood pressure, it is not known to cause hypertension. Similarly, alcohol does not directly cause hemorrhoids, but is an indirect agent. Alcohol is a diuretic that causes dehydration and resultant constipation. Since constipation is among the root causes of hemorrhoid development, avoiding alcohol can prevent hemorrhoids.

Alcohol causes dehydration through increased urine production. Hence, it is important to make up for the lost water through increased water consumption. Dehydration caused by alcohol is often worsened when you follow it with a cup of coffee. This is because coffee is also a diuretic, and the two combine to worsen constipation and hemroids. So, the only solution to prevent hemorrhoids is to avoid coffee and alcohol, and drink lots of water to maintain hydration.

Hemorrhoids: Preventive Measures

If you cannot quit alcohol or caffeine, then you should at least reduce their consumption. Those already suffering from hemorrhoids must avoid consuming food items containing these, so that the condition is not aggravated. That is, it is possible to prevent hemorrhoid development or aggravation through effective dietary changes.

Hemorrhoids caused by dehydration can be cured by drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. Vitamin supplements and fiber rich vegetables, along with sufficient exercise and proper sitting posture, can prevent hemorrhoid development. Since natural treatments for hemorrhoids have fewer side effects, they are preferred over other treatment methods.

Alcohol and Your Health and Fitness Goals

We have all heard health organisations and fitness trainers give cautionary warnings about the effects of alcohol on our health and fitness. If your goal is weight loss then alcohol is counter-productive to your goal. I may be stating the obvious here but it is worth reminding everybody that alcohol can literally sabotage all of your healthy eating efforts to strike out all that you are doing well with your training and clean eating.

Things you need to know about alcohol and your fitness goals.

  1. Alcohol is high in calories compared to protein and carbohydrates. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram where as protein and carbohydrates contain 5 calories per gram.
  2. Calories from alcohol do not provide nutrition, and will not satisfy your hunger. This is the reason why it is easy to keep drinking once you are on a roll. It’s easy to get carried away with a drinking session once you start.
  3. Alcohol slows your fat burning. Putting it in layman’s terms your body will burn off all the alcohol you’ve consumed before it then turns to carbohydrates and fat.
  4. There is a direct correlation between higher Body Mass Index (BMI) results and excessive alcohol consumption. A recent study has shown that those with the lowest BMIs drank 3 to 7 times a week but only had on average 1 drink per drinking session. Those with higher BMIs drank less on average but had more drinks per session. (I.e. Binge drinking)
  5. Beer and wine contain a lot of carbohydrates in the way of sugar., which can lead
  6. to cravings and bloating. Mixed drinks are the worst of
  7. the lot, as they contain all sorts of added sugar and
  8. calories.
  9. Just like so called low-fat foods, “low-carb” or “zero-carb” alcoholic drinks are very much a gimmick targeted towards a health conscious market. Keep reading below for better choices for alcohol consumption.

Better choices for alcohol:

  1. Distilled liquor is technically a straight liquor and contain no carbohydrates. Where this option usually falls down is the mixer which tends to be a high sugar soda drink or high sugar juice option. If possible find a low sugar option to mix in with your spirits.
  2. Sipping wine instead of beer and high sugar cocktails has been shown to be the best option if you are wanting to partake in alcoholic drinks while on a diet or ongoing nutrition plan.

Alcohol is a big part of our culture and society. When consumed in moderation it helps us to relax and adds to a great social atmosphere with friends. I have personally seen people make the decision to switch to drinking a glass of wine instead of beer and mixed drinks with really good outcomes as far as weight loss results go.

If you are determined to drop some weight from your body it is a really good idea to abstain from alcohol for period of time. Once you have trimmed down and are training harder, then re-introducing alcohol in moderation (I.e. a glass of wine a few times a week) shouldn’t be a problem.

Give Up Drinking Alcohol On Your Own

Alcohol addiction, also known as alcoholism, can cause many problems in your life and hurt your quality of life if you don’t cure yourself of your addiction. Drinking too much alcoholic drinks does not benefit you in any way and only leads to relationship problems, family problems, work problems and health problems. Therefore, you must stop drinking alcoholic drinks as soon as you feel that you are becoming addicted to it so that you will not become an alcoholic. In this short guide, you will learn how to give up drinking alcohol and some of the best benefits of avoiding alcohol.

Not drinking alcohol has many benefits that can improve your life. If you stop drinking alcoholic drinks, you will have a healthier body and a cheerful mind. You will be able to say goodbye to DUIs, hangovers, and other negative effects of alcoholic beverages. Do some research about the benefits of not drinking alcohol and keep them in mind while you are curing yourself of your addiction.

Once you have already decided that you want to stop drinking alcohol, make sure that you announce it to your family and friends. Make sure that everyone knows about your plan so that they will be able to support you. This way, your friends will not invite you to go out for a drink and your family will stop you when they see you grabbing a beer from the fridge.

After you stop drinking alcoholic drinks, you will feel an intense craving for alcohol during the first few weeks. You can reduce the cravings by drinking a non-alcoholic drink. If you are just thirsty, drink water or a soft drink. You can also improve your overall health and speed up your alcohol detoxification by drinking healthy drinks such as milk, fresh fruit juice, or veggie juice.

You can make the whole process easier and more bearable by reaping the benefits of giving up alcohol. One of the benefits is that you will be able to save money because you don’t buy alcoholic drinks anymore. Use this money to buy something that you like, such as new clothes or your favorite food. You can also use the money to buy a new video game or see a movie so that you won’t think about drinking alcohol.

Alcohol is one of the most common causes of weight gain. Another benefit of avoiding alcoholic drinks is that you will be able to lose weight. If you lose weight, you will become more physically attractive and you will be able to wear your old clothes again. You will not be embarrassed to take your shirt off at the beach and be able to work out at the gym again. Think of these benefits while you are recovering from your addiction and enjoy them when you earn them so that you will never become addicted to alcoholic drinks ever again.

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