With gatherings increasing during this season, drinking levels have also risen unnoticed, making overindulgence inevitable. Drunkenness causes significant bodily harm, and many habitually drink tea after meals to sober up.Here, I must caution that this practice is harmful. So, how should one sober up after overindulging?
Harmful Effects of Alcohol on the Body
1. Liver Damage
It is widely known that alcohol harms the liver. After entering the body, alcohol is metabolized by the liver. However, its toxicity damages liver cell membranes, leading to fatty liver disease and even cirrhosis.Long-term drinkers may also develop cardiomyopathy, leading to angina, myocardial infarction, and heart damage that severely impairs cardiac function. 2. Sleep Disruption Alcohol interferes with sleep and depletes the body of a crucial chemical—growth hormone.
3. Impairing Attention
After drinking, alcohol reduces attention span, alertness, and motor skills, increasing the risk of traffic accidents. While factors like road conditions, visibility, speed, seatbelt use, and psychological states also play roles, alcohol consumption is a significant contributor.
4. Triggers Hyperlipidemia
Chronic drinking leads to alcohol dependence. Alcohol irritates the gastrointestinal tract, disrupting digestive function. This prevents normal absorption of nutrients like carbohydrates while accelerating fat absorption, elevating serum triglyceride levels and causing hyperlipidemia.
5. Cancer Risk
Alcohol significantly elevates cancer incidence. Human studies show that heavier drinking correlates with increased cancer rates across multiple organ systems and higher overall cancer probability.
How to alleviate alcohol intoxication?
1. Drink plenty of water
Alcohol disrupts the body's intracellular and extracellular water balance. Two-thirds of the body's water is stored within cells. When alcohol enters the system, it alters the osmotic pressure between intracellular and extracellular fluids. As intracellular water decreases, thirst is triggered, making it essential to drink ample water.
2. Consume clear meat broth
Prepare a light broth using readily available meat ingredients at home. This helps replenish salt and potassium lost through alcohol consumption.
4. Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables boost the activity of aldehyde dehydrogenase, accelerating alcohol breakdown, metabolism, and elimination. If possible, juice watermelon, oranges, grapes, etc., for consumption.