Alcohol has been around for almost as long as its consumers and biggest fans – the human race. This is despite the fact that most people are aware of the damaging effects of excessive alcohol consumption on the body. We have all been warned since we were kids of how alcohol can harm the liver, weaken the heart, and alter our ability to make decisions. What people aren’t told so often, however, is how alcohol is damaging to the spirit in ways that are just as serious.
How Alcohol is Damaging to the Body
Before getting into how alcohol is damaging to the spirit, let’s talk about the negative effects of alcohol on the body.
- Immune System. Excessive drinking, either on one occasion or over time, can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to disease.
- Heart. Alcohol can damage the heart and lead to high blood pressure and even stroke.
- Brain. Alcohol can cloud your brain which alters mood, behavior, and prevents you from thinking clearly.
- Liver. Alcohol causes serious inflammation in the liver which can eventually lead to more serious liver diseases.
- Cancer. Studies show alcohol is connected to several types of cancer including head and neck cancer, esophageal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. (1)
How Alcohol is Damaging to the Spirit
One of the main reasons alcohol is damaging to the spirit is that the body and spirit are innately connected. Dr. Timothy McCall, an internal medicine specialist and author of the book Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing, talks about the connection between the mind, spirit, and the body.
The Body-Spirit Connection
Dr. McCall explains that the mind-body or spirit-body connection is always there, whether or not we are aware of it. While it can be hard to scientifically prove the existence of this connection, Dr. McCall gives several examples that we have all experienced. He says, “If your mouth waters at the thought of a dish you love, you’re experiencing the mind-body connection. If you’ve ever felt the butterflies in the pit of your stomach as you prepared to make a presentation, you’ve felt how your thoughts affect the functioning of your intestines”. The spirit-body connection is so powerful that even the thoughts and feelings of your mind and spirit can produce physical effects. (2)
In the same way that your spirit can affect your body, your body can affect your spirit. A recent study showed a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and brain activity. Researchers found that alcohol negatively affected the power and energy in the brain in toxic ways. If alcohol is toxic to your mind, imagine what it must be doing to your spirit. (3)
Alcohol’s Ability to Extract the Spirit
Another way alcohol is damaging to the spirit is through extraction. Let’s look at it this way. Alcohol is used to make tinctures and extracts because it has the ability to extract the essence of herbs and other substances. Alcohol can draw out the core of a substance and leave the outer shell (the leaves, stem, etc) behind.
Now imagine what happens when you take alcohol into your body. Alcoholic beverages may use the same process to take your very core and glean it from your body. This seemingly innocent drink may be extracting your soul and leaving the outer shell, your body, void of its core essence.
Caring for Your Spirit by Caring for Your Body
It can be too easy to justify taking a drink or two because you are aware of the physical consequences, or because you have a fool-proof hangover treatment. But your body isn’t the only thing in danger, as alcohol is damaging to the spirit as well. Being more mindful of your drinking habits, or avoiding alcohol altogether is beneficial not just for your physical health, but may help to create a more wholesome connection with your spirit.
