• The 'binge drinking' or how to go blind from alcohol
  • How much do you gain weight?
  • People who have had breast cancer or any part of the digestive tract (from mouth to anus) should not drink alcohol at all
  • Whenever we respect that border of 100 grams per week we will be drinking in moderation

A cane in the food. At dinner, a glass of wine ... or two. And on the weekend a couple of liquors fall - digestive, yes - and the odd gin and tonic. We want to convince ourselves that ours with alcohol is under control. But what if not? What if, after that allegedly moderate consumption, there is a dependency? Surely you, better than anyone, know the answer to that question but, just in case, Dr. Josep Masip, head of Cardiology of the Sanitas CIMA Hospital, offers you 'some clues' so you can see it more clearly.

Table of equivalences published in the research 'Alcohol, health and cardiovascular disease'

Is any dose of alcohol harmful to health? No, in western countries it has been shown that a consumption of 100 gr. a week does not increase the risk of death from any cause, but it is necessary to take into account that a glass of wine is equivalent to about 14 or 15 gr. of alcohol This could translate into a glass of wine per day until reaching that moderate consumption of 100 gr. a week. In women, perhaps it would be necessary to be more restrictive, because they metabolize alcohol differently, but as a general reference margin, 100 gr. per week they are a valid indicator. Another point where there is evidence and scientific consensus is that people who have had breast cancer or any part of the digestive tract (from mouth to anus) should not drink alcohol at all . Those with a family history (parents or siblings) of breast or digestive cancer should also restrict alcohol consumption as much as possible. What would be the minimum 'acceptable' amount for men and women? The same amount for both sexes: 100 gr. of alcohol per week . Man probably consumes more due to a cultural issue, although it is also true that they metabolize it worse because they have a lower activity of the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, responsible for transforming alcohol intake into acetaldehyde . This causes that the consumption of alcoholic beverages affects women more easily than men. We talked before perhaps we would have to be more restrictive when it comes to alcohol consumption by a woman, but the 100 gr per week they serve of reference.Other factors that must be taken into account are the physical condition, the age or the consumption of medications , which can also affect the ability to metabolize it.What happens if we drink alcohol every day? The key word is, a Again, moderation. Whenever we respect that border of 100 grams per week we will be drinking in moderation. That and that we use common sense, please: consume 100 gr. of alcohol one day and not trying it the rest of the week is neither normal nor healthy behavior. Binge eating is not an option. What time has to pass without trying it to experience improvements in health? A healthy person, with no family history in the topics we have discussed before and who consumes alcohol moderately, will not experience substantive changes if consumption suddenly ceases, except perhaps in the extra calories that it can contribute . In fact, if a person who I thought to have a moderate consumption stop drinking and, in a few days undergo significant changes such as an improvement in your senses of taste or smell, or recover the libido, it is probably that you were not making a moderate consumption. Another very different case would be the one of An individual with alcoholism . After an abusive consumption of alcohol, the withdrawal of this product ceases to cause damage to the body at all levels. In this sense, it would be necessary to see case by case, because the condition of each person varies greatly and the improvements in their health would be very different but, in general, they would observe improvements in their immune system, in their cardiovascular system, in their digestive system, in liver function, in sexual appetite, does our immune system really improve? Only in the cases described. In people with alcoholism who abuse alcohol, the cessation of this habit can lead - in different measures depending on the condition of each one and the damage they have in their body - to an improvement of the immune system. But I insist, each case is a world and cannot be generalized. Does leaving alcohol accelerate our metabolism? It is possible that a slight consumption of alcohol improves insulin sensitivity and, therefore, can reduce the incidence of diabetes, but if it is abusive it generates just the opposite effect. What happens to the quality of sleep? Do you sleep better without drinking alcoholic beverages? If you consume alcohol at night, you may sleep faster, but with a more brittle sleep and nothing restorative, since alcohol directly affects the REM phase of sleep (acts as a suppressant the REM phase, which is key so that, the next day, our learning and memory function are at full capacity). In addition, you will wake up abruptly in the middle of the night , and not only because of the diuretic effect that will force you to go to the bathroom.In addition, it also impacts on the health of people who have sleep apnea, worsening their clinical condition. Apnea occurs when breathing is interrupted for a few moments during sleep and this situation worsens if alcohol is consumed.But, again, the critical factor is how much alcohol we have consumed: with a glass of wine, these effects will not occur. With three gin-tonics, yes. The key, again, moderation. How can we do cures without alcohol? It is a matter of simple and pure will. A person who has a moderate consumption can stop drinking at any time without his life changing radically or significantly. If these changes occur is that he was not being moderate in his alcohol consumption and probably should rethink his habit to examine until What point was he abusing alcohol? Again, if we talk about alcohol addicts, the solution is not to arm themselves with will and try a "cure without alcohol." The recommendation would be to go to specialized centers. How can you build a habit of moderate consumption? The first tip: stop drinking for a few days. And then, follow the rule of 100 grams of alcohol per week, associating that habit with food. How is the consumption of alcohol in Spain? In 2015 the average liters of pure alcohol consumed on average per inhabitant was below 10. In 1985, the figure was double. The number of people who drink remains quite stable over time, but the amount per inhabitant has been decreasing. The type of alcohol that was consumed has also changed: twice as much wine was drunk than other drinks. Now more beer is consumed , followed by spirits and thirdly, wine.

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