{"id":3176,"date":"2019-07-26T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-25T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neolifesalud.com\/alcohol-robs-us-of-our-health-more-in-the-summer\/"},"modified":"2019-07-26T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-07-25T22:00:00","slug":"alcohol-robs-us-of-our-health-more-in-the-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neolifesalud.com\/en\/blog\/nutrition\/alcohol-robs-us-of-our-health-more-in-the-summer\/","title":{"rendered":"Alcohol robs us of our health more in the summer"},"content":{"rendered":"
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With the arrival of summer and high temperatures comes the season of enjoying getting drinks outside, and although alcohol has no place in a healthy diet, this time of year encourages its consumption. Excesses can ruin your vacation and we must set limits.<\/strong><\/h1>\n

The Fundaci\u00f3n Espa\u00f1ola del Coraz\u00f3n (Spanish Heart Foundation) (FEC) has warned about the increase in alcohol consumption during the summer, especially among young people, as it can cause an acceleration of the heart rate, also known as \u201choliday heart syndrome\u201d. This pathology was first diagnosed in 1978 and is related to excessive alcohol consumption on a given day, the consequences of which can be fatal.<\/p>\n

Tania Mesa – Director of Neolife\u2019s Nutrition and Nursing Unit<\/em><\/p>\n

Alejandro Monz\u00f3- Neolife Nutrition and Nursing Unit<\/em><\/p>\n

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Excessive drinking during the summer can lead to heart problems.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Holiday heart syndrome<\/strong> is a supraventricular arrhythmia<\/strong> that generally occurs in the atria and usually affects healthy, young individuals with no history of arrhythmias. It was first observed during the holidays around Christmas or New Year\u2019s, and has now also been diagnosed during long vacation periods, such as the summer months<\/strong>, the FEC noted (1).<\/p>\n

Since then, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness or chest pain have been observed in people who consume more alcohol<\/strong>. In most cases symptoms go away on their own once all the alcohol consumed has been metabolized. When symptoms do not go away, it may be due to ongoing consumption<\/strong> or even a genetic tendency of that person to suffer some kind of cardiovascular event<\/strong> (1).<\/p>\n

The Sociedad Espa\u00f1ola de Cardiolog\u00eda<\/em> (Spanish Cardiology Society) (SEC) explains that alcohol<\/strong> acts like a toxin<\/strong> in our heart<\/strong>. So the intake of high amounts of this substance in a short period of time releases adrenaline and norepinephrine, two hormones<\/strong> that cause an acceleration of the heart rate<\/strong>. In some cases arrhythmia may result in atrial fibrillation or be indicative of some serious cardiovascular event, such as a infarction<\/strong>, so it is very important to consider this information this vacation season (1).<\/p>\n

\"heart<\/p>\n

There has long been a great deal of controversy, as numerous scientific studies attribute various benefits to alcohol consumption, with such claims as \u201ca glass of wine a day is healthy for your heart<\/em>\u201d (2). In light of such affirmations, this newsletter seeks to put an end to these myths we have always heard and raise awareness of the severity of consuming of alcohol<\/strong> on a regular basis, and now even more during vacation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

According to sources in the global report on alcohol and health<\/strong> conducted by the World Health Organization<\/em> (WHO), Europe is the region of the world where the most diseases<\/strong> are caused by alcohol intake. One in five Europeans over the age of 15 have indicated excessive intake of alcohol<\/strong> (more than five drinks ingested on the same occasion or 60 grams of alcohol) at least once a week (3). This excessive intake occur at all ages throughout Europe, not just among young people. In terms of data and figures, the WHO report has published the negative effects of alcohol consumption globally:<\/p>\n