Day 8

THOUGHTS- HANGOVERS. Last night I took a step away from the Earth Diet and consumed way too much alcohol for my body to control. And this morning I have the mother of all hangovers. I was shaking, pale, my head was pounding and I lost count of how many times I threw up. I was throwing up bile. Which is never a good thing. It's yellow and foamy and smells bad. And the more it comes up everytime I smelt it I threw up again. What a vicious cycle.Bile is produced by the Liver to help break down the fats in foods and to be throwing it up as soon as I woke up meant that I had been throwing up through the night to an extent that my stomach was empty. I had been given a long weekend by work to rest up and I lost an entire day. I was unable to get up off my friends couch until 3pm that afternoon. What did I gain? Nothing really. I had a fun night.... I think. So I was told anyway. Why do we drink? Here's why we shouldn't drink.HEALTH STATUSDrinking heavily over a long period of time can cause harm to a person's brain and liver functioning and contribute to depression, relationship difficulties and hence quality of life. It can also increase the risk of developing cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, cognitive problems, dementia and alcohol dependence (NHMRC 2001).High risk consumption of alcohol is strongly associated with oral, throat and oesophageal cancer (AIHW 2005a).Drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer among females (Ridolfo and Stevenson, 1998).In 2004-05, 16% of males with risky/high risk levels of alcohol consumption reported having hypertension, compared with 13% males with low alcohol consumption levels (after adjusting for age differences).Of those who drank at risky/high risk levels, more people reported high/very high psychological distress compared with those who drank at low risk levels. Those most affected were in the age group 18-24 years, women more so than men (footnote 6).See- http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4832.0.55.001/for more information.So in my "groups" I am the drinking champion, piss head, chucky. When I arrived last night someone was unable to reckognise me because I wasn't sumbling and slurring. That's not a cool image in the slightest. In a months time I do have a party planned but I am pretty sure until then I won't touch the stuff and perhaps even that night I will have the will to refrain from it. I had a miserable day and would not look forward to repeating it. With all the healthy earthy foods I have been consuming the first two drinks went straight to my head. So now I am on a mission to find alochol free events. I have got a role in a theatre show which I managed to drag myself to rehearsal at 6pm. So that will take up some nights and I'm going to start hanging out with people who don't drink so much. Which isn't too hard in the vegan world as most beers and wines are not vegan. Yes that's correct most of the beer and wine you drink are filtered through fish bladders, egg or dairy products. For more information check out.http://www.vegsoc.org.au/forum_messages.asp?Thread_ID=11105&Topic_ID=1So Carolyn is not drinking tonight or the next night. Nor many more nights to come. Alcohol is a want. We do not need to drink it. But after such a long running relationship We will be taking it step at a time. There is still one bottle of vodka in the house which is still allowed consumption as part of the clean out phase. But do I need it no. I have also heard some wines are earthy. But these should be drunk at a glass a night and not two bottles worth like the old me. Come on this journey with me and learn who you really are without the drink in your hand. You might find people like you better without it. And really only have you around to laugh at when you get too drunk. Plus your body will thank you.CHALLENGES- Everything. Today everything was a challenge and no one to blame but me.TRIUMPHS- When I am usually cured by greasy take away chips I had fruit and oven baked foods.WHAT I ATE-BREAKFAST- A few grapes- Threw them upWater- threw that upsips of apple juice- threw that upLUNCH- A few grapes finally stayed down at 2pm.1 1/2 potatoes oven baked in olive oil cut in chip shapesSNACK- 1/2 avocadoDINNER- Spaghetti with Bar-B-Q sauce.1 house of Biskotta biscuit- Last in the packet. No more packaged bicuits.EXCERCISE- None.