The simple answer is yes if you care about having a strong and resilient immune system then you should avoid alcohol completely. Alcohol has deleterious consequences for your immune system and also impairs sleep quality and optimal hormone production and balance.
On a recent episode of the LLA show, Dr. Mark Gordon conveyed even one serving of alcohol shuts down growth hormone production for at least twenty four hours and that is just one drink! Imagine what several drinks do several times per week. All alcohol consumption increases the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, increases insulin resistance, shuts off testosterone and growth hormone production, and impairs liver health. if you want optimal testosterone and growth hormone levels then alcohol is not your friend.
An important component of overall health and having a strong immune system is having a healthy liver. Your liver is your number one organ for neutralizing toxins and if your liver is unhealthy you will be unable to clear out toxins effectively and this, in turn, will further weaken your immune system. Alcohol can have a negative impact on your respiratory system and the last thing you want is a hampered respiratory system if you are unfortunate enough to be exposed to Covid19 or are confronted with a serious infection such as pneumonia. To improve liver health, take a page from Charles Poliquin and have a glass of water every morning with lime juice and a little bit of sea salt. Load up on fruits and veggies if you have elevated liver enzymes (AST and ALT) consider supplementing with liver support products such as N-acetyl cysteine, glutathione, or milk thistle. Prunella Vulgaris one of the herbs in EC also supports liver health.
If you have underlying health conditions such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and obesity you’re already at a much higher risk category for fatality from Covid19 and you’re not doing yourself any favors by making your underlying conditions worse with alcohol consumption. Instead, engage in daily exercise such as walking a few miles and as your conditioning improves progress to a few interval training sessions per week. Make sure you’re taking in adequate amounts of magnesium either through your diet and or supplementation. Pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds, for example, are rich in magnesium and I add a few tablespoons of each to my morning smoothie daily. In addition, both are loaded with zinc which is a crucial mineral for immune system strength.
Too much caffeine consumption also weakens the immune system so if you’re drinking excessive amounts of coffee (more than four cups and two or less is preferable) or energy drinks (all are garbage and even one is one too many) during the day followed by several cocktails at night your immune system is getting hit all day and night. Add the standard American diet to the mix and you have a trifecta right hook for knocking out your immune system.
Keep in mind I am not trying to contribute to a fear-based mindset. We already get enough of that nonsense from the news and creating a mass panic is not useful and more accurately leads to disastrous consequences. I just want to give you the facts and it is up to you to decide what you’re prepared to do. if you want to keep drinking alcohol that is certainly your choice and as my grandfather used to say you can do whatever you want if you are willing to accept the consequences. More accurately you can do whatever you want even if you’re not willing to accept the consequences as the consequences don’t care about your acceptance or lack thereof.
Instead of the mass message of sheltering in place and wearing face masks (Yes I realize there is a place for both in highly affected areas such as NYC and London so no backlash emails please), we should be inundated with useful information to improve overall health such as healthy eating practices, exercise, meditation, avoiding alcohol and too much caffeine and initiating other stress-reducing measures. Your best defense is having a powerful immune system and avoiding any underlying health issues. If you have a weak immune system and underlying health issues then now is the time to take charge of your health.
To learn more about the negatives effects of alcohol on your health and how to mitigate some of the effects, check out Ori Hofmekler’s article Alcohol and your diet
