Work dinners, friend gatherings... Nowadays, we can't do without having a few drinks in our lives. However, many people are now suffering from alcoholic liver disease. Many drinkers believe that they will not get alcoholic liver disease, but long-term heavy drinking has already been recognized by the medical community as a cause of alcoholic liver disease. So, do you still think alcoholic liver disease is far away from you, a lover of alcohol?
Causes of Alcoholic Liver Disease
The main cause of alcoholic liver disease is drinking alcohol. Many patients also say that they do not drink much, so why do they still get alcoholic liver disease? According to medical experts, there is a certain connection between alcoholic liver disease and family history of the disease. People with a family history of alcoholic liver disease are more likely to develop alcoholic liver disease even if they consume the same amount of alcohol. Additionally, drinking a large amount of alcohol in one sitting can also lead to alcoholic liver disease. Therefore, it is recommended that even those who do not drink frequently should avoid drinking excessively in one sitting to prevent liver damage and the occurrence of hepatitis.
Prevention Methods
Eat something before drinking
Before attending a gathering, eat some staple food to "line the stomach". Carbohydrates can reduce the irritation of alcohol on the gastric mucosa, delay alcohol absorption, and prevent early onset of drunkenness. Carbohydrates, through the glycolysis pathway, produce glucose pyruvate, an important detoxification agent in the body, which can combine with alcohol and reduce its toxicity, thus acting as a detoxifier.
Eat vegetables with high water content while drinking
First and foremost, choose foods rich in B vitamins, which are closely related to the liver, such as liver, dairy products, soybeans, peanuts, and green vegetables. Ethanol dehydrogenase, which breaks down alcohol, works with the help of B vitamins. Then, choose soup dishes and fruits with high water content. These dishes can dilute the alcohol concentration in the stomach and contain dietary fiber, which can slow down the absorption of alcohol.
Eat light and nourishing food to help liver function recovery
At a banquet, drinking a large amount of alcohol exceeds the liver's metabolic capacity for the day. In general, an adult man can digest and decompose about 26 milliliters of pure alcohol consumed from outside sources, equivalent to the alcohol content of a bottle of beer. If you want the liver to metabolize alcohol beyond normal capacity, then taking care of yourself the next day becomes particularly important. Some people hardly eat the next day, which is not recommended. Instead, eat a small amount of light food, such as millet porridge, clear soup noodles, milk, and fruits and vegetables, to replenish the body's needs.
It is still necessary to undergo regular check-ups at the hospital. Early detection and treatment of patients with alcohol poisoning can prevent the occurrence of alcoholic liver disease, especially for those who have been drinking for a long time or have liver or digestive system diseases.
