According to estimates, Canadians consumed 14 percent more alcohol in 2020, during which most of the world was afflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Stress and isolation contributed to the 14 percent increase. While drinking alcohol is socially acceptable, some alternatives, like Cannabis benefit your health. The effects of alcohol on the brain and body are numerous and have many long-term effects on your health.
Below we’ve detailed the benefits of Cannabis vs. Alcohol
What are the effects of alcohol on the body and mind?
There are many ways in which alcohol affects the body and mind. Alcohol consists of ethanol and ethyl chemicals, forming when yeast ferments or breaks down ingredients like grape juice or malted barley.
There are many adverse side effects of drinking alcohol, ranging from nausea to blackouts and liver damage. Ethanol is a volatile chemical found in varnishes, nail polish removers, gasoline, and solvents.
Brain messages are disrupted by alcohol
A person’s brain is affected by alcohol most visibly. In addition to affecting mood, cognition, and motor skills, ethanol disrupts the communication between neurotransmitters.
As ethanol inhibits the activity of neurotransmitters such as glutamine and adenosine, it produces short-term effects of relaxation and an elevated mood.
The brain adjusts to the presence of alcohol after prolonged alcohol use, which is why frequent drinkers need to consume more alcohol to get the same results as first-timers.
Excessive drinking, impair brain functions such as memory formation and storage, leading to “black outs,” which is most commonly due to disruptions in communication pathways in the brain.
The effects of alcohol are widespread
In addition to affecting the brain, ethanol affects many other body functions and systems as well. Alcohol’s sugars may contribute to diabetes by affecting insulin production and regulation. ethanol can also affect the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of strokes, hypertension, and heart attacks.
A long-term effect of ethanol poison includes:
- Premature skin aging
- Liver damage (hepatitis and cirrhosis)
- Pancreas inflammation
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Infertility (Male and Female)
- Heart Damage (cardiovascular system)
Cannabis: What’s the deal?
Because grapes contain polyphenols, a moderate intake of red wine may benefit heart health. Even so, research shows Cannabis has the same relaxing and uplifting effects as alcohol with no potential risks or side effects. Furthermore, Cannabis has many health benefits.
There are five reasons why many people are switching to Cannabis instead of alcohol.
Since Cannabis Works With Your Body, There Are No Hangovers.
Whenever you consume Cannabis, you activate receptors in your body’s endocannabinoid system, a network of cell receptors that respond to the body’s natural cannabinoids and cannabis compounds. Endocannabinoids regulate mood, moderate pain, and balance the body’s various systems.
The body, however, does not have natural receptors for ethanol, so when a person consumes alcohol, it behaves as a toxic substance in the tissues and cells.
Furthermore, your body won’t react negatively to Cannabis like alcohol, so you’re unlikely to get a cannabis hangover, and if you do it will be very mild, so you’ll never have to trade a day for a night again!
What does a mild hangover from weed feel like?
- Lethargic
- Dry eyes
- Foggy Mind
Cannabis reduces anxiety and stress
Cannabis has garnered attention for its ability to promote relaxation and reduce stress by releasing dopamine, a chemical that promotes calmness, and GABA, an anti-stress hormone.
There is no risk of death from cannabis use
In addition to overloading the body with toxins, excessive alcohol consumption can contribute to other risky actions like drunk driving and combining alcohol with drugs. There are no reports of an adult death solely caused by cannabis consumption, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse in the US.
You can sleep better with Cannabis.
Despite the claim that a glass of wine or a few beers can help you sleep, alcohol disrupts insulin regulation and interferes with deep sleep stages because it contains sugars. Since Cannabis works with the body’s natural regulatory system, it can promote relaxation and restful sleep.
Cannabis, in all its forms, can provide considerable benefits for the body and mind.
Cannabis won’t make you gain weight.
It’s a long-standing joke that people who consume marijuana get munchies and overeat. Alcohol contains empty calories and loads of sugar. It turns out, however, that Cannabis users tend to have slimmer waistlines than people who do not consume it.
The relationship between Cannabis, insulin, and cholesterol
According to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine, cannabis users respond better to insulin than non-consumers.
In addition to having lower insulin levels and a lower insulin resistance score, recent pot smokers also had higher “good” cholesterol levels and smaller waistlines.
Key takeaways:
- Long-term or regular alcohol use contributes to many chronic diseases and a shorter lifespan.
- Ethanol, the main chemical in alcohol, is also found in gasoline, solvents, varnishes and nail polish removers
- Unlike alcohol, Cannabis has a plethora of health and medical benefits.
- People who consume Cannabis have lower insulin levels and higher “good” cholesterol levels.
- Cannabis won’t make you gain weight.
- Cannabis contributes to better sleep.
- Unlike alcohol, there has never been a death due to an overdose of Cannabis.
- Cannabis helps to reduce anxiety and stress.
- Cannabis does not give you hangovers.
Read our article on all the benefits of Cannabis on the body and mind to better understand how it effects you. Looking to connect with cannabis enthusiasts, to share information with, save money, win giveaways and diversify your supply? Become a member of Grow and Share and Toke and Talk.