Long-term alcohol consumption leads to fat accumulation in the liver, causing fatty liver. If it continues to progress, alcoholic hepatitis can develop, exacerbating the damage to the liver. If patients do not receive timely treatment in this situation, it can evolve into cirrhosis, inducing the occurrence of liver cancer. In daily life, in addition to alcohol, there are other factors that can lead to liver cancer, such as hepatitis B, water pollution, and aflatoxin. How can drinkers prevent liver cancer? Here are a few methods to introduce to everyone.
1. Improve drinking water: Surveys have found that the mortality rate from liver cancer is higher among people who drink heavily polluted water from ditches or ponds than among those who drink deep well water. In many regions of our country, microcystins found in water have a significant cancer-promoting effect, and long-term consumption can lead to liver cancer. Therefore, the drinking water environment should be improved by changing pond water to deep well water or establishing small-scale waterworks.
2. Prevent hepatitis: In our country, HBV is the main cause of liver cancer. Use the hepatitis vaccine to prevent hepatitis and thus effectively prevent the occurrence of liver cancer.
3. Supplement selenium appropriately: Research has found that the mortality rate from liver cancer is also related to the selenium content in the environment. Therefore, selenium should be supplemented for people with low selenium levels.
4. Quit smoking and alcohol or drink less: If you really need to drink in some situations, don't drink too much; moderation is key. Don't ruin your life for a moment of relief.
5. Physical exercise: In daily life, it is also necessary to strengthen physical exercise, adjust your physical condition, enhance resistance, and resist disease invasion. In addition, pay attention to maintaining adequate nutrition.
Harmful effects of long-term alcohol consumption on various parts of the body:
Brain
Small amounts of alcohol can make a person feel invigorated, alert, and focused, but the actual results show that this is not the case. Small amounts of alcohol have a sedative effect. Consuming larger amounts of alcohol can seriously damage memory, attention, judgment, coordination, and emotional responses. Drinking too much can cause slurred speech, blurred vision, and loss of balance.
Liver
Long-term and heavy drinking will almost inevitably lead to cirrhosis. A diseased liver no longer processes nutrients from the digestive tract and can no longer process drugs taken into the body. The symptoms of cirrhosis are numerous and widespread, including edema (fluid retention, abdominal bloating) and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
Skin
Alcohol is a vasodilator, which can dilate the blood vessels on the body's surface. Besides making you look flushed, it also causes your body tissues to lose heat too quickly, which can make you feel cold all over (hypothermia) when the weather is cold.
Heart
Heavy drinkers can develop cardiomyopathy, which is the weakening and damage of the heart muscle tissue.
Stomach
Drinking a large amount of alcohol at once can cause the discomfort symptoms of acute gastritis. Continuous heavy consumption of alcohol can lead to more severe chronic gastritis.
Reproductive organs
Alcohol can cause impotence in men. For pregnant women, even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of physical defects in the unborn baby.
Friends in the workplace, try to avoid drinking as much as possible! Moderate alcohol consumption can be beneficial for health, and alcohol is also a very good traditional Chinese medicine, but excessive alcohol often brings a heavy burden to the body!