What are the dangers of regular alcohol consumption?Teach you a few tips for drinking without harming your body
Wine, as a medium for social occasions and an integral part of many cultural traditions, has occupied an important place in people's lives since ancient times. However, with the acceleration of the pace of modern life, the health problems caused by excessive or long-term drinking are also gradually emerging. This article will detail the harm of regular alcohol consumption to the body, and provide some practical advice to help everyone enjoy alcohol while reducing the damage to the body.
1. The harm of regular drinking to the body
Liver damage: Alcohol is mainly metabolized in the liver, and long-term heavy drinking will lead to an increase in the burden on the liver, which in turn will lead to fatty liver, alcoholic liver, liver cirrhosis and other diseases. These diseases not only affect the normal function of the liver, but can also lead to serious consequences such as liver failure.
Damage to the cardiovascular systemExcessive alcohol intake can lead to an increased heart rate and blood pressure, which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke in the long term. In addition, alcohol may also affect lipid metabolism in the blood, leading to dyslipidemia and further aggravating damage to the cardiovascular system.
Digestive system damage: Alcohol is irritating, and long-term drinking may lead to gastritis, gastric ulcers and other stomach diseases. At the same time, alcohol can also affect pancreatic function and increase the risk of pancreatitis. These diseases not only affect the normal functioning of the digestive system, but can also cause severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms.
Neurological damage: Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, long-term drinking may lead to impaired brain function, manifested by memory loss, poor concentration, unresponsiveness, etc. In addition, alcohol may also cause mental and psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
Immune system damage: Long-term alcohol consumption weakens the function of the immune system, making the body more susceptible to pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. This not only increases the risk of infectious diseases, but may also affect the effectiveness of vaccination.
Other hazards: In addition to the above-mentioned systemic damages, regular alcohol consumption may also lead to other health problems such as decreased sleep quality, decreased libido, and muscle wasting. In addition, alcohol is also associated with an increased risk of several cancers such as liver cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, etc.
2. Tips for drinking alcohol not to hurt your body
Although there are many dangers to the body, there are certain situations where we may not be able to avoid drinking alcohol completely. Here are some tips to help you reduce the damage you do when you drink alcohol:
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink: Know how much alcohol you drink and try to keep it to a safe range. In general, men should not drink more than two standard drinks per day (e.g. 375 ml of beer, 150 ml of wine or 45 ml of 40-proof liquor) and half of it for women.
Avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach: Eating some foods before drinking, such as fruits, vegetables, whole wheat bread, etc., can slow down the absorption of alcohol, thereby reducing the damage to the body.
Choose a low-alcohol wine: In the case of the same amount of drinking, low-alcohol alcohol is less damaging to the body than high-alcohol alcohol. Therefore, when choosing alcohol, low-alcohol alcohol can be given priority.
Drink plenty of water: Drinking plenty of water during drinking helps to dilute the alcohol concentration in the blood and speed up the excretion of alcohol. At the same time, water can also compensate for dehydration caused by alcohol consumption.
Appropriate vitamin supplementation: A large amount of vitamin B and vitamin C are consumed during alcohol metabolism, so these vitamins can be appropriately supplemented after drinking alcohol to reduce the burden on the liver.
Avoid taking medication at the same time: Many drugs interact with alcohol that can lead to a weakening or enhancement of the drug's effectiveness, or even the production of toxic substances or aggravation*** Therefore, alcohol should be avoided while taking the drug.
Take a break: After drinking alcohol, you should get enough sleep to give your body enough time to recover and repair damaged tissues.
Check your body regularly: Long-term drinkers should have regular physical examinations, especially liver function, blood lipids, blood pressure, etc., so as to detect and deal with potential health problems in time.
3. Summary
In conclusion, regular drinking is harmful to the body, involving multiple systems and organs. In order to protect our health, we should try to avoid or reduce the consumption of alcohol. When you can't avoid drinking alcohol on certain occasions, you can take the above measures to reduce the damage to your body. At the same time, we should also pay attention to our physical condition and have regular physical check-ups so that potential health problems can be detected and dealt with in a timely manner. Remember, health is the most important asset, let's cherish and protect our body!