The World Health Organization's "Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health 2014" shows that in 2012, 3.3 million people died globally from harmful use of alcohol, exceeding the total number of deaths from AIDS, tuberculosis, and violence combined, accounting for 5.9% of all deaths worldwide.
6 Lessons on How Alcohol Harms the Body
Hematemesis and Asphyxia Leading to Sudden Death
A 64-year-old man, named Zhang, drank a bottle of high-proof liquor with a friend during the New Year. Unexpectedly, he suddenly started vomiting that night, vomiting large amounts of blood mixed with undigested food from his stomach. By the time his wife heard the noise, he had already lost vital signs. It is believed that Zhang induced a gastric hemorrhage from excessive drinking. The vomit blocked his trachea, and he died suddenly without timely rescue.
Acute Pancreatitis Claims a Life
A man in his thirties, working away from home, drank eight bottles of beer alone in his dormitory on New Year's Eve. The next day, he was found by his friend in a critical condition and eventually died. He was diagnosed with acute necrotizing pancreatitis.
When a person consumes high-protein foods, it increases the amount of pancreatic enzymes in the body and raises pancreatic duct pressure. Heavy drinking can cause blockages in the ducts, leading to poor pancreatic drainage, which can easily trigger acute pancreatitis.
Compression of Limbs Leads to Kidney Failure
A company executive in his fifties, named Gong, was drinking with several good friends. His family discovered that his right leg had been crossed over his left leg, motionless, for 18 hours. This caused his left lower limb to swell to the size of a barrel, turn purple, and he had no urination... He was diagnosed with left lower limb compartment syndrome combined with acute renal failure after examination.
His life was saved after multiple incisions for decompression and treatments like hemodialysis, but the scars on his left leg will be a lifelong遗憾 (regret).
Hypoglycemic Coma Creates a Dangerous Situation
Drinking on an empty stomach can inhibit the liver's production of glucose, causing blood sugar levels to drop and triggering hypoglycemia symptoms like chills and a rapid heartbeat. For diabetic individuals, this issue requires special attention, as drinking can easily cause blood sugar instability, making diabetes management more difficult and even leading to hypoglycemic coma.
Loss of Urination Sensation Leads to Bladder Rupture
A man over fifty, named Yang, experienced upper abdominal pain after drinking heavily. Soon after, he had difficulty urinating. Surgical exploration diagnosed a bladder rupture. Excessive alcohol inhibits the central nervous system, blocking the urination reflex. This increases pressure in the bladder without the sensation to urinate. Combined with relaxed abdominal muscles, the bladder is more susceptible to injury and rupture.
Drunk Driving Accidents are a Bloody Lesson
Drunk driving poses a great threat to people's lives, property safety, and social stability, bringing us all bloody lessons.
How to Drink to Minimize Harm
What can be done to minimize the stimulation of alcohol on the body?
Choose Low-Alcohol Drinks
For the same volume, high-alcohol drinks cause more damage to organs like the liver than low-alcohol drinks.
Eat Before You Drink
Before drinking, eat foods rich in starch and protein to line your stomach. But do not eat cured meats like bacon or salted fish.
Drinking Warm is Less Harmful
When heated, organic compounds such as methanol, aldehydes, and ethers evaporate as the temperature rises. At the same time, some ethanol also evaporates, slightly reducing the alcohol's concentration and thus lessening the harm.
Drink More Water During Consumption
Many people take hangover remedies before drinking. Experts say these remedies only alleviate post-drinking discomfort and do not reduce liver damage. Instead, drink more plain water between alcoholic beverages to speed up the excretion of alcohol in urine and reduce the burden on the liver.
When Drinking, Avoid 4 Types of Food
Cured Sausages and Bacon
Professor Fan Zhihong says that smoked, cured, and pickled foods contain high levels of nitrosamines. The solubility of nitrosamines in alcohol is very high, which increases the risk of esophageal and stomach cancer.
Grilled Meat and Skewers
Grilling food not only loses nutrients like fat and protein but also easily produces carcinogens. Alcohol dilates blood vessels in the digestive tract and damages the mucous membrane, making it easier for the body to absorb these carcinogens.
Cold Noodles and Jelly
The processing of cold noodles and jelly often involves adding alum. Alum has an astringent effect, which slows down blood flow and prolongs the time alcohol stays in the blood, increasing harm to the body. Both alum and alcohol need to be detoxified by the liver, so consuming them together加重 (increases) the liver's burden.
Raw Fish and Sashimi
Shellfish contain thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down and destroys vitamin B1. Thiaminase is only inactivated when heated to 60°C, so long-term consumption of raw fish and shellfish can easily lead to a vitamin B1 deficiency.
When drinking, alcohol can interfere with the small intestine's absorption of vitamin B1. Eating raw seafood while drinking heavily will exacerbate the problem of vitamin B1 deficiency.