Everyone knows that alcoholic beverages are harmful and their abuse causes the development of many medical conditions.
But research by scientists shows that drinking alcohol in moderate amounts can have beneficial effects on a person's physical and mental state.
Do you need alcohol?
The human body is capable of producing alcohol on its own. It is called endogenous and mainly the intestine and liver are involved in its production. The production rate is 8-10 g per day. Alcohol regulates the activity of the nervous system, participates in the production of endorphins, participates in the conduction of nerve impulses, forming a natural defense mentality. In addition, the synthesized ethanol increases potency and stimulates metabolism.
The positive effect of endogenous alcohol on the human body is obvious. But many experiments performed by scientists have proven that alcoholic beverages from outside can be beneficial.
Opinions of scientists
The beneficial properties of alcohol are a hot topic that still attracts the attention of scientists in many countries. They conducted various studies, in which they studied the effects of alcohol on different systems of the human body.
Doctors from France conclude that the alcoholic beverage normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system. American experts have found that older adults who occasionally allow a small amount of alcohol are less likely to experience frequent age-related phenomena such as reduced brain activity.
A forty year experiment was carried out in the Netherlands in which more than 1300 people were observed. As a result, people who drink in the right dosage throughout their lives have a longer life expectancy and a lower death rate from heart disease.
However, there is another opinion based on the fact that all the data obtained are just errors of the statistical calculations and in fact alcohol is harmful even in small doses. xx / p>What is
Low and tolerable dose?
All scientists agree that the benefits of alcohol are only shown in small doses. But the standards are different in different parts of the world. So in the UK, the permitted dosage is 8 ml of pure alcohol per day (this is about 18 ml of brandy or 40 ml of wine), in the United States, the norm is 14 ml and in Japan - 20. xx / p>
However, don't drink alcohol every day. The optimal frequency is 2-3 times a week.
Also, there is a maximum allowable dosage, which is the amount of alcohol the human body can process. The index depends on many factors, including gender, weight, and health condition. For example, a healthy man weighing 70 kg can drink 170 g of pure alcohol (about 0. 5 liters of vodka) per day. Must abstain from alcohol for at least 8 days, the body will recover from the negative effects of ethanol.
What is the benefit of alcohol in small doses?
Alcohol benefits mainly in the prevention of various diseases. So the wine in small quantities:
- reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease;
- reduces chance of ischemic stroke;
- reduces your risk of developing diabetes.
Important!It is important to remember that, first of all, the benefits of alcohol are only one of the existing opinions, but not all experts. Family is in compliance. And second, in all cases, one cannot rely on the medicinal properties of alcohol and use it as a cure for existing diseases.
What is bad for alcohol?
The benefits and harms of any product, including alcohol, are determined by its chemical composition. Alcohol is mainly harmful due to ethyl alcohol, which is completely present in all alcoholic beverages. The biggest danger lies not in the ethanol itself, but the toxic products in its processing, especially acetaldehyde, which spreads throughout the body, negatively affecting all of its systems. xx / p>
In addition, alcohol can be harmful by:
- various chemical additives (flavor enhancers, preservatives, dyes);
- large amounts of carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages;
- fusel oil is found in shoddy drinks and counterfeit drinks.
And of course, the harm increases as the dose you take increases.
The reason you want to drink
There are many explanations for why you might want to drink some alcohol from time to time. Among them are the need to relax and forget the problems for a while, the desire to support the company, the desire to be liberated, to become more sociable. Naturally, we are talking about time drinkers, measure up, not alcoholics.
But beyond the psychological reasons listed, there are other reasons for the occasional need to drink. Usually this is due to the body's lack of any substance.
If you want to drink, you don't need to, sometimes you just need to know what to eat to get the body needs.
What if the cravings are almost overwhelming?
If you want to have a persistent drink, of course you can drink a small amount, but drinking alcohol every time in such a situation is not worth much. The best solution is to get a health check to understand what causes your cravings to drink.
Possible temporary measures are as follows:
- replace alcohol with other drinks (kvass, natural juice, milk, green tea);
- to eat something (red meat, honey, salted cheese, cottage cheese, nuts or seeds, egg dishes).
Communicating with family and friends, chores, sports, a fun activity, reading, and going for a walk will help distract the thought of drinking. If alcohol cravings persist, consult a therapist for professional advice.
What is missing from your body if you want to drink?
At first glance, people develop an inexplicable craving for products with certain tastes. Various nutritional abnormalities in pregnant women are very common. For example, many of them are part of chalk. This is due to changes that occur in the body and cause a deficiency of certain substances. A similar situation is when you want to drink alcohol - chances are your body is missing something.
The most common are:
- Vitamin B deficiency;
- iron deficiency;
- lacks silicon;
- lack of protein (the most common explanation if you want to drink vodka);
- micronutrient deficiency (calcium, potassium, sodium).
After determining which vitamins or minerals are missing, you should add them to your diet by including products or vitamin complexes that contain them.
Is it possible to become addicted to alcohol due to low daily doses?
It is very important to remember that drinking habits, even in small amounts, can lead to psychological development over time. And it doesn't depend on the strength of the drink, on the contrary, beer with a low alcohol content that seems harmless is more addictive than strong alcohol.
The demand for alcohol will gradually increase, the dose will start to increase, so will the frequency of drinking. The body will adapt to regular absorption of ethanol, which will put it in the metabolism, leading to a physical dependence, which is difficult to remove.
Can high quality alcohol be harmful to health?
Any alcoholic beverage contains ethanol and can therefore be a health hazard. But drinking high quality alcohol, if it's unhealthy, is certainly less harmful. This is mainly due to a lack of fusel oil, which is found too much in low-grade drinks. Also, less negative effects are due to low concentrations of preservatives and various artificial additives.
So you can minimize the toxic effects of alcohol on the body by consuming a premium drink from a reliable manufacturer in small doses.
Drinking culture
The culture of alcohol consumption has a direct influence on the consequences of drinking on the human body, as it requires a rational approach to both the selection of alcohol and the process of consumption. . Regulations are implemented to help reduce the negative effects of ethanol. These include, for example, drinking small amounts of alcohol.
Wines
Wine is recognized for the most beneficial properties of any alcoholic beverage. As a rule, drinks are drunk a little, enjoying multifaceted flavors and flavors. A must-have snack, chosen based on the drink.
Beer
Draft beer is really healthy because it contains many vitamins and minerals. Beer should be drunk slightly cold, in no hurry. Spicy and savory snacks should prefer dried fish or meat, cheese, seafood, nuts. Do not mix beer with other alcohol.
Cognac
High quality cognac is also known as a healthy alcoholic drink. The conditions for drinking this premium wine are very important. They help you take full advantage of the delicate aroma and richness of the drink.
Cognac must be at room temperature. They drank it in small sips. The classic serving option is after a main meal with a cup of coffee and a cigar. It is believed that cognac does not need snacks, but if desired, you can serve fresh fruit and nuts with it.
Risk of drinking
Regularly drinking alcohol in most cases leads to alcoholism, which in turn causes many diseases. Can be affected by any organ or system, but most often develops:
- diseases of the liver (hepatitis, cirrhosis) and the secretory system;
- cardiovascular disease (cardiomyopathy, heart attack);
- brain disorder;
- gastrointestinal disease (gastritis, ulceration, pancreatitis);
- pathology of the reproductive system;
- psychotic and neurological disorders.
Ethanol also increases the risk of tumor growth.
If the body requires alcohol, this is an alarming symptom, indicating that bad habit has turned into a chronic illness.
Conclusion
Drinking alcohol can actually be beneficial. But you should not use alcohol as a medicine if you have an existing medical condition. It is important to choose a high quality wine, do not overdo it with the frequency of drinking and remember to adhere to the dosage to avoid negative consequences.