Champagne with your breakfast mince pie, a couple of chocolate covered biscuits from the Christmas variety tin whilst you open presents, a giant portion of turkey with roasted potatoes and all the trimmings, then probably a second helping, washed down with some wine and finished with a slice of traditional pudding. That’s before the Quality treats get opened, along with another bottle wine and the day is finished off with turkey sandwiches all round.
Yes, Christmas is the season to be merry … and vey very full.
Research shows that the average person consumes 6,000 calories on Christmas Day; and whilst that would meet your needs if you are a six foot five, 120kg rugby player planning on training for two hours on Christmas morning; if not, and that’s highly likely, it is probable that you will eat a little more than your body needs on Christmas Day.
Research shows that the average person consumes 6,000 calories on Christmas Day; and whilst that would meet your needs if you are a six foot five, 120kg rugby player planning on training for two hours on Christmas morning; if not, and that’s highly likely, it is probable that you will eat a little more than your body needs on Christmas Day.
With the first alcohol drink being enjoyed by 9.09am on Christmas morning, the source of these additional calories would also be a concern if Christmas Day was every day. Excessive drinking increases the risk of certain cancers and comprises the immune system which increases the risk of illness and infection.
Assuming a female does need 2,000 calories per day to meet her daily needs, and she ate a Christmas Day diet every day, which is 4,000 calories a day more than her needs; this means by the end of the year she would be in a calorie surplus of 1,460,000 calories. If we use the prediction that there are 7,500 calories in a kilogram, she would gain 195kg over that year. This would put her into a morbidly obese category and increase her risk of heart disease, type two diabetes and death; as well coping with the psychological consequences of obesity such as depression and low self-esteem.
What happens when you drink alcohol?
The chemical component of alcohol (ethanol) is a central nervous system depressant. This means it slows down your brain. Initially, when we drink alcohol we become talkative and confidence increases. As we drink more alcohol, the blood flow increases but our attention span shortens and reaction time lengthens. After only a couple of drinks we begin to dehydrate. As we drink more our reaction time slows and our liver starts to work harder. If we drink too much, this can lead to nausea, vomiting, memory lapse and even blackout. In severe cases alcohol intoxication can cause failure to breath and coma!
Ethanol is a toxin. Your liver, the 3lb organ that sits in your upper right abdomen tucked under your ribs, works very hard to break down and eliminate the ethanol at a rate of around 1 unit of alcohol/hour. This rate may be markedly slower in those with abnormal livers. The rate at which ethanol is broken down will also be influenced by age, time of day, race, menstrual cycle etc.. It has been shown that premenstrual women are slower at breaking down alcohol as are women taking the oral contraceptive pill.
Hangovers
We’ve all been egged on by our mates to have “just one more” drink! We’ve all given in. You had a FANTASTIC NIGHT but oh my you are suffering the next day! The science behind a hangover is still poorly understood but we’ve all experienced the symptoms; headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, racing heart, anxiety and low mood to name a few!
We’ve all been egged on by our mates to have “just one more” drink! We’ve all given in. You had a FANTASTIC NIGHT but oh my you are suffering the next day! The science behind a hangover is still poorly understood but we’ve all experienced the symptoms; headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, racing heart, anxiety and low mood to name a few!
