What happens if you drink a liquor or two a night, and how often do that? Doctors may have four variations
Baijiu, as a unique distilled liquor in China, has a long history and profound culture. In the daily life of many people, it has become a habit to drink a glass of liquor at dinner. Some people believe that this will relieve fatigue, improve blood circulation, and even help you sleep. However, drinking one or two baijiu every night, in the long run, is there really only good and no harm? Doctors remind that if you do this regularly, you may experience the following four changes in your body.
1. The burden on the liver increases
The liver is an important detoxification organ in the human body, and after alcohol enters the human body, it is mainly metabolized through the liver. Although the amount of one or two liquors is not large, if you drink it every night for a long time, the liver needs to continuously break down and metabolize the alcohol. In this process, liver cells will be damaged to a certain extent, which can easily lead to a decline in liver function in the long run, and even lead to serious diseases such as alcoholic liver and liver cirrhosis.
In addition, harmful substances such as acetaldehyde produced during alcohol metabolism can also cause damage to the liver. Therefore, the potential damage to the liver should not be overlooked, even if it is a small drink.
2. The cardiovascular system is affected
Moderate alcohol consumption has been suggested by some studies to have some benefits for cardiovascular health, such as increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, commonly known as "good cholesterol") and improving blood circulation. But "moderate amount" here usually refers to no more than two standard drinking units per day for men and no more than one per day for women (one standard drinking unit is equivalent to 10 ml of pure alcohol). And drinking one or two liquor every night, accumulated over a long period of time, the alcohol intake is likely to have exceeded this "moderate" range.
Long-term excessive alcohol consumption can lead to increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke. In addition, alcohol may also affect lipid metabolism in the blood, leading to dyslipidemia and further burdening the cardiovascular system.
3. Decreased sleep quality
Many people believe that drinking alcohol can help them fall asleep and improve their sleep quality. In fact, alcohol does reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, but long-term drinking can disrupt the overall quality of sleep.
Alcohol has a central nervous system depressant effect and may initially make people feel relaxed and sleepy. However, as alcohol is metabolized and excreted in the body, this inhibitory effect of alcohol gradually weakens or even disappears. At this time, the central nervous system will become more active, resulting in shallower sleep and easier awakening. In the long run, it will not only affect the mental state and work efficiency during the day, but may also cause more serious problems such as insomnia and anxiety.
4. Injury to the digestive system
The irritation of alcohol on the digestive system should not be ignored. Long-term drinking can easily lead to gastritis, gastric ulcers and other stomach diseases. Alcohol stimulates gastric acid secretion and destroys the protective layer of the gastric mucosa, making it easier for gastric acid to erode the stomach lining. At the same time, alcohol can also affect the peristalsis and digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to problems such as bloating and indigestion.
In addition to stomach diseases, long-term alcohol consumption may also affect the liver's metabolism of fat, leading to the occurrence of fatty liver. Fatty liver not only affects the normal function of the liver, but may also further develop into serious diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
How to drink healthy alcohol?
Limit the amount of alcohol you drink: Try to avoid drinking alcohol every night, if you do want to drink, it is recommended to drink no more than 2 times a week, and the amount of alcohol you drink each time is controlled within 1-2 standard drinking units.
Avoid drinking alcohol on an empty stomach: It is best to eat some foods before drinking alcohol to slow down the absorption of alcohol and reduce the burden on the liver and digestive system.
Choose a low-alcohol wine: In the case of the same amount of alcohol consumed, low-alcohol alcohol contains relatively little alcohol and is relatively less damaging to the body.
Do not mix with other harmful substances: Avoid mixing liquor with carbonated drinks, coffee and other stimulating drinks to avoid aggravating the damage to the body.
Pay attention to your physical condition: If you feel unwell or have abnormal liver function after drinking, you should stop drinking immediately and seek medical attention in time.
February**Dynamic Incentive Plan Summary.
Drinking one or two liquors every night, although the amount is not large, the potential harm to the body in the long run cannot be ignored. Changes in four aspects, such as increased burden on the liver, affected cardiovascular system, decreased sleep quality, and damage to the digestive system, may gradually appear. Therefore, we should establish a correct concept of drinking, and drink healthily and in moderation. If you do enjoy drinking, you should also pay attention to the amount and frequency of drinking, and pay attention to changes in your physical condition. While enjoying fine wine, it is also necessary to cherish and protect your health.