Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/34552
Wednesday, June 22, 2011 – Daily News 3B FEATURES The effects of alcoholism DEAR DR. GOTT: Please list the effects that alcohol has on the body, and I mean all of them, such as how it makes a person look older and the harm drinking causes. DEAR READ- ER: Alcoholism is truly a disease with far-reaching effects on the individual who imbibes, as well as vir- tually on everyone sur- rounding him or her. Ini- tial social drinking, sometimes with as little as one or two drinks, can change a passive person- ality into an aggressive, raucous, life-of-the- party person — for a while. However, as the habit progresses, the price everyone pays can become greater, more destructive and devastat- ing. There is no particular social group under which the alcoholic falls. He or she may be penniless and living on the streets or may be a top-notch executive with an excellent job. Alco- holics, whether men, women, or unfortunately teens and sometimes younger children, come from every race, creed and walk of life. It appears no one is exempt. Alcohol literally affects the entire body. Long-term drinkers may experience lengthier residual effects of slurred speech, impaired memory, blurred vision, inappropriate thinking and actions, and periods of blackouts with no memory of what hap- pened or what was said. Overall general health for the alcoholic is often modified because a person ulti- mately prefers to drink rather than eat a well- balanced diet and becomes sedentary rather than exercise. Nutrients are received in liquid form. A person tends to become less social, can- tankerous, depressed, hurtful, easily frustrat- ed, looks for confronta- tion, and fails to consid- er the feelings of others. As the disease pro- gresses, he or she begins drinking earlier each day and continues drink- ing longer into the night. Sadly, he or she may Dr. Peter Gott awaken in the morning without a clue as to the havoc created. Marriages and family relation- ships are irreparably sev- ered. The work day is affected, as alcoholics scheme up meth- ods of keeping their secret from those around them and/or ways of get- ting more alcohol. Days off from work with lame excuses follow until the person is often simply let go from a profession that may literally put food on the family table. The financial impact is gigantic. The skin becomes prematurely wrinkled. The liver begins to mal- function, and the heart and brain are adversely affected. Help is available IF AND WHEN THE ALCOHOLIC IS READY. I cannot stress the “ready” portion of my statement enough. Denial is an enormous obstacle. Pleas will commonly fall on deaf ears, and no amount of complaining will have much of an effect. Alcoholics Anony- mous (AA) is an excel- lent means for the alco- holic to confront this devastating disease, tak- ing appropriate steps to reverse things. Al-Anon and Ala- Teen support groups can help. Check your local newspaper for meeting locations. Rehab facilities are also abundant to get them back on track. If you are associated with a problem drinker and your efforts have had no effect, I recom- mend professional help. A counselor, minister or other person he or she looks up to might be able to get through where you have not. In the interim, join a group to help yourself under- stand the disease. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com. Binging boy becomes bantam, but blue Dear Annie: I am a 20- year-old male who recent- ly developed an eating dis- order. I’ve lost almost 50 pounds from restricting, purging and over-exercis- ing. Even though I get a lot of compliments on my weight loss, I am nowhere near where I’d like to be. My parents notice that I don’t eat very much, but as soon as I eat a little more, my mother makes com- ments on how I’m going to gain the weight back. Even my doctor thinks I should lose a bit more. tance. Annie’s Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar Dear Annie: A few weeks ago, my husband and I moved into a lovely apart- ment in a quiet neighbor- hood. Shortly after, an older next-door neighbor knocked on our door with a home- made pie and introduced herself. Naturally, we were pleased at her kindness and invited her in to visit. Since then, however, Honestly, I’m at my limit here. I’m afraid to stop purging because I’ll just binge and put the weight back on. I realize I have a distorted body image and recently started causing external harm to my body because I’m not happy with what I see. How can I be satisfied and not end up seriously hurt? — E.D. Dear E.D.: The binge-and- purge cycle of eating disorders is extremely harmful to the body. It can cause dehydration, fatigue, ulcers, tooth decay, ruptured stom- ach, swelling, a weakened heart muscle and more. We understand the pressure you are under to main- tain the weight you have lost, and you are smart to recognize that this is not a healthy way to do it. Please don’t keep your eating disorder a secret. Contact the National Eating Disorders Association (nationaleatingdisorders.org) at 1- 800-931- 2237 and ask for assis- ‘‘Doris’’ has been knocking on our door at all hours of the day with food or ‘‘just to chat.’’ My husband and I both work and do not have a lot of time to ourselves. Doris is apparently home all day, because the minute she hears or sees one of us, she pops in. When she does this at din- ner, we feel obligated to invite her to join us. She also has been very inquisitive about our personal lives, asking questions even our relatives would not dream of ask- ing. We realize Doris is lonely, but we need to put a stop to this. My husband is so convinced we’ve opened a can of worms that he now refuses to talk to any of our other neighbors for fear the same thing will happen. How can we discour- age Doris’ visits and still remain on good terms? — Perplexed Dear Perplexed: No one can take advantage of you without your permission. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘‘I’m so sorry, Doris, but this isn’t a good time to visit. Maybe tomor- row.’’ And then close the door. Be polite and friendly, but don’t let her inside, even if she tries to bribe you with a homemade pie. But we hope you won’t shut her out completely. She is desperate for company, and you might visit on occasion and encourage her to participate in community activities. In the mean- time, it’s OK to set boundaries and be firm about them. Dear Annie: I had to reply to ‘‘Michigan,’’ who is afraid she will not be close to her two sons after they marry. I have one son. If ‘‘Michigan’’ treats her daughters-in-law as she does her sons, she will have no problem. My daughter-in-law is the daughter I never had. She has a mother and a sister, but we two are as close as can be. We do things together (just the two of us) and enjoy each other’s company. She sometimes has conflicts with her husband, as we all do from time to time, and knows she can come to me with anything. I keep an open mind. I love my son, but he is not perfect. I wouldn’t trade my daughter- in-law for anything. I love her as my own. — Lucky Mother-in-Law Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please e-mail your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie’s Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 5777 W. Century Blvd., Ste. 700, Los Angeles, CA 90045. CalFire and ranch plan rangeland burn In an effort to prepare for fire season and to control medusa-head and yellow star thistle, invasive weeds that plague ranchers and conservationists alike, the Tehama-Glenn Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection will conduct a control burn today and Thursday. The burn, weather permitting, will be in partnership with the Gallatin Ranch and will burn about 800 acres of Tehama County rangeland. This year, the burn will incorporate a live fire train- ing course that will provide instruction for CalFire staff in the Northern Region. Nimitz reunion The rangeland burn is located in the Red Bank area of western Tehama County not generally visible to the public. CalFire is conducting the burn with cooperating land managers under the Vegetation Management Pro- gram (VMP), a state-sponsored cost – sharing program to encourage prescribed fires on private property. Burns will be implemented only if weather condi- tions meet prescribed parameters for a safe, effective operation. Last year, CalFire and partners burned about 1,550 acres of rangeland in Tehama County. Thousands of former Crew Members of the Nuclear Attack Aircraft Carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) are invited to the USS NIMITZ (CVN68) Association 14th Annual Reunion, Oct. 26-29, in Pensacola, Fla. Come celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation. Banquet guest speaker will be NY Times best selling author Stephen Coonts. For more information- contact Bill Paschall at 228-243-2699 or bpaschal@cableone.net or check out the web site: www.ussnimitzassocia- tion.org.