Baijiu, as a traditional Chinese alcoholic beverage, has a long history and is deeply loved by people. Drinking baijiu in moderation, especially in the evening, is believed to be able to relax the muscles and invigorate the blood, and help sleep and health. However, what are the effects of long-term moderate consumption of baijiu on the body? This article will reveal five possible changes from a medical perspective and analyze 123 knowledge points.1. Change 1: Improvement of cardiovascular health.
Moderate consumption of liquor can help promote blood circulation, dilate blood vessels, and reduce blood viscosity, thereby reducing the risk of blood clots. The alcohol content in baijiu can also raise blood levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), a beneficial cholesterol that removes excess fat from the walls of blood vessels and protects cardiovascular health.
Analysis of knowledge points
Criteria for moderate drinking: Moderate drinking means that there are no more than two standard drinks per day for men and no more than one standard drink per day for women. A standard drink is equivalent to 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is about the amount of a bottle of beer, a glass of red wine, or a small glass of white wine.
Mechanism of action of alcohol on the cardiovascular system: Moderate amounts of alcohol can stimulate vascular endothelial cells to release nitric oxide, a substance that has a vasodilating effect. At the same time, alcohol can also increase HDL-C levels and reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, thereby improving blood lipid metabolism.
Note: While moderate alcohol consumption is beneficial for cardiovascular health, excessive alcohol consumption may lead to an increased risk of diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Therefore, it is recommended that everyone should control the amount of alcohol consumed.
2. Change 2: Sleep quality is improved.
Drinking liquor in moderation can help people relax and relieve tension, which can improve sleep quality. The alcohol component in liquor has a certain sedative effect, which can shorten the time to fall asleep and deepen the depth of sleep.
Analysis of knowledge points
Effect of alcohol on sleep: Moderate alcohol can shorten the sleep onset latency, increase slow-wave sleep time, and reduce REM sleep time. Slow-wave sleep is a stage of deep sleep that helps the body recover and consolidate memories.
Precautions: While drinking alcohol in moderation can help improve sleep quality, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to sleep apnea, snoring, and other problems. In addition, long-term heavy alcohol consumption may also lead to serious consequences such as alcoholic liver disease and neurological diseases. Therefore, it is important to stay sober and temperate while enjoying good food and wine.
3. Change 3: Enhanced digestive function.
Moderate consumption of liquor can stimulate gastric juice secretion, increase gastrointestinal peristalsis, and promote food digestion and absorption. The alcohol component in liquor also has a certain bactericidal effect, which can inhibit the reproduction of harmful bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.
Analysis of knowledge points
Mechanism of action of alcohol on the gastrointestinal tract: A moderate amount of alcohol can stimulate the gastric mucosa to secrete gastric acid and digestive enzymes, and promote the initial digestion of food in the stomach. At the same time, alcohol can also increase gastrointestinal motility, pushing food through the intestines for further digestion and absorption.
Precautions: While moderate alcohol consumption can help enhance digestive function, excessive alcohol consumption may lead to an increased risk of gastrointestinal mucosal damage, gastritis, stomach ulcers, and other diseases. Therefore, while enjoying food and wine, it is necessary to pay attention to protecting the health of the gastrointestinal tract.
Fourth, change four: immunity is improved.
Moderate consumption of liquor can improve the body's immunity and enhance the ability to resist diseases. The alcohol component of baijiu stimulates the immune system to produce more white blood cells and antibodies, which enhances the ability to clear pathogens.
Analysis of knowledge points
Mechanism of action of alcohol on the immune system: A moderate amount of alcohol can stimulate the bone marrow to produce more white blood cells and enhance the activity of immune cells. At the same time, alcohol can also promote the production and secretion of antibodies, and improve the body's ability to recognize and eliminate pathogens.
Note: Although moderate alcohol consumption can help boost immunity, excessive alcohol consumption may lead to immune system dysfunction and weakened immunity. Therefore, it is necessary to control the degree of drinking alcohol to avoid adverse effects on the body.
5. Change 5: Psychological pleasure is enhanced.
Moderate consumption of baijiu can bring a certain sense of psychological pleasure, relieve stress, and improve the quality of life. The alcohol component of baijiu stimulates the brain to release neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which are capable of producing feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.
Analysis of knowledge points
Psychological effects of alcohol: Moderate amounts of alcohol can stimulate the reward system in the brain, releasing neurotransmitters such as dopamine, which can produce feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. This psychological effect helps to relieve stress, improve mood, and improve quality of life.
Precautions: Although moderate drinking can bring psychological pleasure, excessive drinking may lead to emotional out-of-control, anxiety, depression and other psychological problems. In addition, long-term heavy alcohol consumption may also cause damage to brain structure and function. Therefore, while pursuing psychological pleasure, it is necessary to pay attention to maintaining rationality and moderation.
To sum up, long-term moderate consumption of baijiu may bring five changes to the body, including cardiovascular health improvement, sleep quality improvement, digestive function enhancement, immunity enhancement and psychological pleasure enhancement. However, these changes are all produced under the premise of moderate alcohol consumption. Excessive alcohol consumption can cause serious damage and consequences to the body. Therefore, while enjoying delicious food and wine, everyone must keep in mind the principle of "drinking in moderation and living a healthy life". List of high-quality authors