"Drink" Attention, gentlemen! Doctors warn: Drink more than "2 cans of beer" every day, beware of "8 major cardiovascular diseases" coming to your door
Many people know that excessive drinking is harmful to the heart and overall health, but they don’t know that having a drink on the weekend can also have a huge impact. Dr. Guo Zhidong, the attending physician at the Cardiovascular Center of Cathay General Hospital, said that although drinking once or twice on weekends is not harmful to the body, long-term alcohol intake may lead to arrhythmia, high blood pressure, myocardial damage, stroke, and liver disease. with certain cancers. In addition, alcohol’s high calorie content can easily lead to weight gain and reduce self-control, making it more difficult for individuals to adhere to a healthy eating plan after drinking.
How much alcohol is safe to drink per week? Is drinking 2 cans of beer a day excessive?
Dr. Guo Zhidong said that regardless of men or women, the amount of alcohol consumed per week should not exceed “14 units” and the number of drinking days per week should not exceed 3-4 days. 1 unit of alcohol is approximately equal to 1 puff (25 ml) of spirits with an alcohol concentration of more than 40%; 1 glass (50 ml) of liqueur, sherry or other strong wine (approximately 20% alcohol content); 1 can (approximately 300 ml) 4% alcohol content beer, cider. A glass (about 150 ml) of wine (13% alcohol content) contains about 2 units of alcohol concentration.
Dr. Guo Zhidong emphasized that most people do not drink alcohol every day, but for those who are accustomed to drinking every day, “rest days” without drinking alcohol are crucial. If you consume 14 units of alcohol per week, you need to spread the drinking amount evenly over 3 or more days to avoid physical damage caused by drinking a large amount of alcohol at one time. If you drink too much, remember not to drink for 48 hours to give your body time to recover.
Is drinking red wine healthier than other alcoholic drinks? Doctors clarify “2 major myths”
Is alcohol consumption beneficial to cardiovascular function? Dr. Guo Zhidong clarified that previous studies have pointed out that women over 55 years old may have cardiovascular benefits as long as they consume no more than 5 units of alcohol per week. In fact, for people who have not yet started drinking alcohol, it is not recommended to protect their heart through drinking alcohol. Exercise more, eat a balanced diet and quit smoking are the best ways to protect your cardiovascular system.
In addition, many people have a myth that drinking “red wine” is healthier than drinking other types of wine. According to new guidelines issued by the UK, it is safest to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, but “irrespective of the type of alcohol itself”, the risks of drinking far outweigh any possible benefits.
Dr. Guo Zhidong said that the latest evidence shows that drinking alcohol has fewer heart health benefits than previously thought and applies to fewer people than previously thought. In the UK, only women aged over 55 are likely to benefit overall, but even within these groups the benefits are only seen at lower drinking levels - five units a week or less.
What are the consequences of long-term drinking? Beware of stroke, hepatitis and heart disease coming to your doorstep
Dr. Guo Zhidong pointed out that there is a very obvious connection between frequent excessive drinking and high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure puts stress on the heart muscle and can lead to cardiovascular disease, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. In addition, for people with arrhythmia, especially hereditary heart rhythm problems, alcohol will increase their incidence, and heavy drinking will aggravate the cardiovascular risk after the first arrhythmia.
“For those who take medicine for a long time, alcohol will reduce the effect of the medicine, especially those who take diabetes treatment drugs or anticoagulants. Drinking alcohol will affect the effect of these medicines.” Dr. Guo Zhidong also stated that over time, alcohol will also It can cause damage to the liver, especially when consumed in large quantities, which can easily lead to liver inflammation. Heart disease patients often take cholesterol-lowering drugs that directly affect the liver. Once mixed with alcohol, they may cause further damage to the liver.
Alcohol has more calories than carbs? Doctors appeal: quitting drinking as soon as possible may reverse the condition
Alcohol is also called “liquid bread” and its high calorie content requires special attention. Alcohol in its purest form contains about 7 calories per 1 gram. 1 unit of alcohol (approximately 8 grams, 56 calories) is equivalent to the calories of 1 serving of cream. In comparison, 1 gram of carbohydrate has only 4 calories, which is even less than alcohol. Consuming too many calories on a regular basis can lead to weight gain and obesity, which is a risk factor for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. At the same time, alcohol can easily lead to unhealthy dietary content. For example, most of the dishes served with alcohol are heavy in oil and salty.
“However, when patients who are heavy drinkers stop drinking or reduce their drinking, their blood pressure will quickly improve within a few days!” Dr. Guo Zhidong emphasized, so quitting alcohol and drinking less is beneficial to health. For people with alcoholic cardiomyopathy, abstaining from alcohol can improve the condition and even lead to recovery. Therefore, for the sake of cardiovascular health, drinking less or not drinking is the right way to stay healthy.
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