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ALCOHOL AND OUR LIFE

ALCOHOL – KNOW THE LIMIT

Alcohol is in our culture, tradition from centuries. age old. It’s often for fun and enjoyment. Everything is good within limit. 

But when we use in excess i.e., problem drinking/harmful drinking, over long time and when we are a at-risk group, its more harmful than what we intended. 

In this we will discuss on where and how we can prevent or counteract the health hazard and to get cure from alcohol related diseases. 

Prevention is better than cure-let’s think understand and adopt by ourself and in our surrounding to save many including ourselves from disaster, before time for a better future.

alcohol

ALCOHOL DRINKING -IS A PROBLEM WHY

  • Between 2010 and 2017, the average alcohol consumption in India is increased more than 7 folds. 
  • Women, young age drinking and harmful drinking pattern is increased. 
  • The lifestyle diseases like diabetes, obesity and chronic disease increasing in India. 
  • This combination of alcohol and lifestyle /chronic disease is dangerous 
  • Alcohol also attributed able to unintentional and intentional injuries-road traffic accident, violence, and suicide and often more in relatively younger, reproductive, and earning age groups.
  • Its directly related to health, but indirectly to physical, emotional and in short to our wellness

WHAT IS THE STANDARD DRINK

The definition is to quantify the alcohol content for what we drink. FSSAI ensures that the manufacturers print a statement of the number of standard drinks on the label of each bottle or can of the alcoholic beverage, with a standard drink defined as 10gm or 12.7ml of ethyl alcohol.

  • a small glass of red wine (100 ml) at 13 percent alcohol by volume, 
  • a can or bottle of beer (375 ml) at 3.5 per cent alcohol by volume, 
  • or a shot of whisky or other spirits (30 ml) at 40 percent alcohol by volume.

WHAT IS THE SAFE LIMIT OF ALCOHOL

  • Because some people are much more sensitive to alcohol than others.
  • No single value will fit everyone. 
  • Moderate /permissible drinking in legal age of adult (18-21 years or above)
  • 2 or less standard drink in a day for men or 1 drink or less in a day for women is permitted, provided you have no contraindications for it

WHAT ARE VARIOUS ALCOHOL FORMS?

  • Foreign Liquor
  • Country Liquor
  • Traditional Liquor
alcohol

WHAT ARE THE DRINKING PATTERNS

  • Social Drinking-its permitted standard drink for a social cause
  • Moderate Drinking –it’s the permitted drink
  • Heavy Drinking 
  1. For women, 8 or more drinks per week.
  2. For men, 15 or more drinks per week
  • Binge Drinking
  1. For women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion or within 2 hours
  2. For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion or within 2 hours
  • Harmful drinking – Alcohol consumption pattern that results in physical or psychological harm to the individual or society. 
  • Hazardous drinking – It is defined as a quantity or pattern of alcohol consumption that places individuals at risk for adverse health events
  • Alcohol use disorder- Excess, dependence, withdrawal symptoms and continued drink despite knowing the harmful and hazardous for i

WHO SHOULD AVOID DRINK COMPLETELY

  • Younger than age 21 most of states in India, few have 25 and few have took 18 years
  • Pregnant or planning to be pregnant.
  • Skilful activity – Driving, planning to drive, or activities requiring skill, coordination, and alertness.
  • Taking certain prescription or over-the-counter medications 
  • Suffering from certain medical conditions.
  • Recovering from alcoholism 
  • Unable to control the amount you drink

WHEN YOU SHOULD STOP TAKING ALCOHOL

  • Cardiovascular events
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Liver health problems
  • Some types of cancer
  • Alcohol use disorder (AUD)
  • Pregnant

HAVING LIVER PROBLEMS – HOW IS ALCOHOL SAFE

Once you have a liver problem in any form, alcohol is to be avoided completely 

  • Fatty liver 
  • Liver cirrhosis 
  • Chronic liver disease 
  • Liver abscess
  • Liver Cancer 
  • Colon cancer 
  • Morbidly Obese 
  • Diabetic

WHEN THE LIVER PROBLEMS CURED -CAN TAKE ALCOHOL ?

Answer is No

  • Alcohol and liver problem indicates you are vulnerable
  • Its better to completely stop 
  • May be guided by your treating doctors 
  • Depends upon liver disease severity

IS ANY FORM OF ALCOHOL SAFE?

No

All equally harmful

As calculated effect based on the dose equivalent of alcohol. All have same impact and is due to

  • Amount 
  • Duration 
  • Drinking Pattern
  • If you are at risk group

WHEN YOU SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT YOUR DRINK?

  • Female gender 
  • Increasing Age
  • Frequent binge drink
  • Eye opener (drinking early morning) or day time drink
  • Strong family background of the alcohol problem
  • Unable to control the drinking 
  • Living alone or with stress or depression
  • Obese or Diabetic
  • Any chronic disease or on medication