Introduction: Getting "drunk" from alcohol simply means that alcohol causes the central nervous system of the brain to become paralyzed. In this paralyzed state, one can break free from the constraints of common sense and reason, relax, and sometimes become extremely talkative, burst into tears, or act in ways that are unimaginable when sober. Alcohol acts like an anesthetic that releases control over the brain's movements. So, what are the precautions for drinking? How to avoid the harm that alcohol can cause to the human body?
Mistakes in Drinking
Many people have a bad habit of drinking a round of toasts before serving the food when socializing. Drinking on an empty stomach is very harmful to the body. The absorption rate of alcohol on an empty stomach is much higher than when the stomach is full. On an empty stomach, alcohol can appear in the bloodstream within 5 minutes, and the blood alcohol concentration reaches its peak within 30 to 60 minutes.
Many people like to solve the problem of being drunk by inducing vomiting, drinking strong tea or vinegar. Medically, neither of these methods is scientific. Although vomiting can have a sobering effect, people who are severely drunk often have impaired consciousness and can easily inhale vomit, leading to suffocation. Strong tea or vinegar are both irritating to the gastric mucosa. Coupled with the irritation from alcohol, they can trigger gastric acid secretion. Therefore, drinking strong tea or vinegar "adds fuel to the fire" for the damage alcohol does to the gastric mucosa.
Nine Tips for Drinking Without Harming Your Health
1. Do not bathe after drinking
After drinking, the glucose stored in the body is consumed by physical activity during a bath, leading to a decrease in blood sugar and a sharp drop in body temperature. Alcohol inhibits the liver's normal functions, hindering the restoration of stored glucose in the body, which can be life-threatening and even cause death.
Tips: How to drink without getting drunk easily? Adding soda to alcohol can reduce the body's absorption of alcohol, making it less likely to get drunk and, naturally, less likely to get a red face. Drink a glass of milk first, then take a hangover remedy; drinking alcohol will be as easy as drinking water. Soak one qian (about 3 grams) of kudzu root in a cup of hot water before drinking, and it can neutralize the alcohol, so you won't get drunk.
2. Do not drink on an empty stomach
Drinking while eating allows the alcohol to stay in the stomach longer. The interference from stomach acid slows down the absorption, making it less likely to get drunk.
One of the characteristics of alcoholic beverages is their very fast absorption in the digestive organs. Once in the body, about 20% of the alcohol is absorbed by the stomach and 80% by the small intestine, then dissolved in the blood and transported to all parts of the body. If there is food in the stomach, the rate at which alcohol is moved to the small intestine slows down. However, if the stomach is empty and nothing is covering the gastric mucosa, alcohol can pass through the stomach unimpeded and rush straight to the small intestine. The absorption rate speeds up, and soon the blood alcohol concentration rises sharply.
In other words, if you drink several shots in a row or drink on an empty stomach, the blood alcohol concentration in your body will rise very high in an instant, putting you in a dangerous state of paralysis. Therefore, this way of drinking should be avoided as much as possible.
Before drinking, eat some starchy foods or drink a cup of high-fiber oatmeal first. Research shows that to reduce alcohol absorption, water-soluble starch is more effective than fat. If you don't have time to eat, you can drink a meal replacement first. The fiber in the meal replacement will make your stomach feel full immediately, reducing your alcohol intake.
3. Do not drink in large gulps
Drink slowly, taking breaks from time to time. Do not drink carbonated beverages like cola or soda while drinking, as they can speed up the body's absorption of alcohol.
4. Eat more green leafy vegetables and bean products while drinking
Antioxidants and vitamins in green leafy vegetables can protect the liver; lecithin in bean products also has a protective effect on the liver.
5. The best remedy for a hangover is not tea
Nor is it Sprite or Coke. It's juice, especially orange and apple juice, which can have a good effect on sobering up because they contain fructose, which helps the body burn alcohol more effectively.
6. Do not mix different types of alcohol
Because different types of alcohol have different components and alcohol contents, mixing them can cause chemical reactions that make you feel uncomfortable after drinking, leading to headaches, and making you get drunk more easily.
7. Do not use medicinal liquor for social drinking
Certain medicinal ingredients may conflict with or undergo chemical changes with some food components, causing nausea, vomiting, and discomfort after consumption.
8. Pay attention when drinking liquor and beer
When drinking liquor, drink more plain water to help the alcohol be excreted through urine more quickly. When drinking beer, urinate frequently. It's best to add ice cubes when drinking spirits.
9. Drink warm alcohol as much as possible
Whether it's liquor or yellow rice wine, drinking it warm has two benefits: first, it is more fragrant and palatable; second, it can volatilize some low-boiling harmful aldehydes, reducing the harmful components. Drinking is sometimes unavoidable. Drinking in moderation is good for your health; excessive drinking harms your body.
How to Sober Up
After getting drunk, you can appropriately drink honey water, glucose water, or foods rich in vitamins such as tomato juice, grape juice, watermelon juice, oranges, and tangerines to accelerate the oxidative metabolism of ethanol in the body.