Protect your happiness and don’t drink too much

Author: Sun Limeng, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Reviewer: Yu Kang, Chief Physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

The family sat around a steaming hot table filled with delicious food, drinking and chatting. Suddenly, with a "bang", the second uncle fainted! Everyone rushed him to the hospital.

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1. Drink in moderation

In the hospital——

Grandpa: Doctor, why did my son suddenly faint? Is the problem serious?

Doctor: After examination, your son suffered from acute alcohol poisoning due to heavy drinking. The alcohol content in his body was quite high, exceeding the range that his body could withstand, which led to this accident.

The family was shocked and asked the doctor: Is alcohol also toxic? But we are fine?

The doctor gently explained to the family: Generally speaking, the alcohol sold in the market is not poisonous, but it should be consumed in moderation. Excessive drinking can have serious effects on the body and may lead to alcohol poisoning. After alcohol enters the human body, it is quickly absorbed by the gastric mucosa, then enters the blood circulation system and is gradually metabolized by the liver in the body. However, when too much alcohol is consumed, the liver will not be able to break it down in time, resulting in an increase in the concentration of alcohol in the blood.

As the concentration increases, alcohol will begin to affect the central nervous system, act on the cerebral cortex, interfere with nerve conduction, and cause changes in behavior and thinking. This will inhibit a person's decision-making and reaction abilities, and cause symptoms such as confusion and mood swings. When the alcohol concentration is too high, it may cause respiratory failure, coma, and even endanger life.

At the same time, hangover is also a common problem after drinking, including headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and other discomforts. In addition, for long-term alcoholics, alcohol can also cause chronic liver damage and increase the risk of diseases such as hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

2. Tips for hangover

Grandpa: I see. Doctor, can you share some good ways to relieve the discomfort after drinking?

Doctor: Of course. When you feel uncomfortable after drinking, drinking warm water is one of the simplest ways to relieve discomfort. It helps dilute the alcohol in the stomach, promotes the excretion of alcohol in the body, and relieves stomach discomfort. In addition, drinking a glass of sugar water can also promote the dilution of alcohol and reduce the absorption of alcohol, which is conducive to reducing the concentration of alcohol in the blood. At the same time, if you have stomach pain, drinking a glass of yogurt can protect the gastric mucosa and delay the absorption of alcohol in a short time. In addition, although using a cold towel to cool the forehead is not effective in sobering up, it is the most convenient way to relieve headaches and dizziness.

Family members: Thank you, doctor. We heard that honey and some fruits have a good hangover-relief effect. Is that true?

Doctor: It’s true. The most common ones are as follows.

1. Honey: Honey contains special fructose, which may work wonders in relieving headaches.

2. Tomatoes: Tomato juice, like honey water, contains special fructose that can promote the decomposition and absorption of alcohol. Drinking tomato juice in moderation can help relieve dizziness to a certain extent.

3. Grapes: The tartaric acid in grapes can interact with ethanol to form esters, which can help reduce the ethanol concentration in the body when alcohol is slightly consumed.

4. Watermelon: According to research, watermelon juice can accelerate the excretion of alcohol in urine to a certain extent, and has the effect of clearing heat and reducing temperature.

5. Olives: Olives are considered to be a "good medicine" for clearing stomach heat and promoting appetite, and may help improve the symptoms of anorexia after drinking.

However, the above tips are only suitable for patients who are slightly drunk and have no chronic diseases. If your body reacts violently to drunkenness, or there is no obvious improvement after trying these tips, you should go to the hospital immediately and seek professional help.

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3. Health conditioning is essential

Family members: Thank you doctor for your scientific advice. Is the problem of my second uncle serious now?

The doctor comforted him: Don't worry. We have taken emergency measures now. Since he was sent to the hospital in time, the situation is under control. But after he is discharged from the hospital, you, as a family member, must urge him to take care of his body.

Family members: Doctor, can you recommend some methods to regulate the sub-health caused by long-term excessive drinking?

Doctor: Long-term alcohol abuse can cause serious damage to the body. To take good care of your body, first of all, you should stop drinking to prevent alcohol from continuing to damage your body. At the same time, you should seek help from professional doctors or experts. They can formulate the most suitable alcohol withdrawal plan for individuals according to their individual conditions and provide medical guidance and support. Secondly, a balanced diet is very important for regulating physical health. Increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits and foods containing high-quality protein will help restore body functions. Finally, you should do moderate exercise, which will help the body excrete toxins and promote metabolism.

We should also protect our health during the celebration. For the happiness of ourselves and our families, we must treat alcohol rationally, drink within our means, maintain moderation, control our drinking, and avoid alcoholism.