According to the estimates of the World Health Organization, Uganda is recognized as the most drinking country in the world. This is due to the fact that in Africa many drinks are consumed based on the fermentation of plant materials, also considered alcoholic.
Luxembourg is in second place, Ireland is third, followed by Hungary and Moldova. To Russia's credit, it should be said that it only ranks 22nd in the ranking of the most drinking countries, and Ukraine is in 61st place. In the calculations, everything is fair. Per capita consumption of pure alcohol was calculated, including infants and old people.

Classification

The main parameter in the classification is the strength of the drink.
Therefore, for the indicator, all drinks are divided into:

• Strong. Includes more than 38% vol. alcohol. This is cognac, vodka, whiskey,
• Average. Include alcohol from 20 to 38% vol. - liqueurs, liqueurs, liqueurs,
• Weak. Include alcohol not more than 20% vol. - beer, wine.

Strong alcohol

The main difference in spirits is the raw materials they are made from.
If in southern European countries this raw material is grapes, then in more northern latitudes Is a potato or grain. For example, in Ireland and Scotland it is whiskey, in France and Spain - brandy, in Russia and Poland - vodka, in the Scandinavian countries aquavit is prepared from potatoes.
In the Caribbean, alcohol is based on sugarcane. Therefore, in Latin America, rum is made from it.
The abundance of agave in Mexico has given rise to the production of tequila, formerly called agave whiskey.
V North America history spirits started with sugarcane rum. However, after a while, immigrants from northern Europe found that instead of the usual barley, you can use corn or rye in the north of the country. Therefore, the Canadian and american whiskey made from rye and corn.

Another parameter for classification is exposure. Over time, people developed a technology for aging spirits. Canadian or American whiskey, for example, should be aged for at least two years, cognac for at least two and a half years, and scotch whiskey withstand at least three years.
Not all alcoholic beverages stand. Vodka, grappa and gin are not aged. Therefore, these drinks are colorless and completely transparent.
However, there are drinks such as tequila, rum, brandy and aquavita, the production of which assumes both aged and un aged varieties.

In trade, the classification of alcohol is simplified: all spirits are divided into white and brown.

The following strong alcoholic beverages are consumed most in the world:

• Vodka,
• Whiskey,
• Brandy,
• Gin.

You can classify alcohol and the complexity of production. Then it will turn out:
1. Pure alcohols prepared without any additives from any raw materials ( vodka, grappa, whiskey),
2. Flavored alcohols from a wide variety of raw materials ( aquavit, gin),
3. Drinks based on alcohol with a mass various additives, including sugar ( tinctures, liqueurs, creams).

Calorie content

Records for calorie content are undoubtedly beaten by liquors. The calorie content of 100 ml of the product is more than 300 kcal.
Vodka has a little more than 280 kcal per 100 ml.
Liqueur wines and whiskey contain about 220 kcal per 100 ml.
Dessert and fortified wines contain from 150 to 170 kcal per 100 ml.
Vermouth - about 120 kcal.
Sweet wines and sweet champagne around 100 kcal.
Semi-sweet wines 80 - 90 kcal.
Dry wines - 60 - 70 kcal.
Beer 35 - 50 kcal.
Non-alcoholic beer - 33 kcal.

Degrees and blood alcohol content

Without a doubt, the higher the amount of consumed drink, the more "degree" will get into the blood.
But it's not just the quantity that affects the level of alcohol in the blood.

1. Alcohol strength. The stronger the drink, the more alcohol in the blood. But due to the fact that drinks with a strength of 40% irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, the work of the gatekeeper valve is inhibited. Therefore, the contents of the stomach do not enter the intestines so quickly and thus the flow of alcohol into the blood is delayed. Drinks with a strength of 15 - 20% penetrate the bloodstream most rapidly. Due to the fact that there is a lot of water in beer, alcohol from it also does not enter the bloodstream immediately. But aperitifs with a strength of 15 - 20% penetrate into the bloodstream the fastest, which is why they increase the appetite, causing the acceleration of blood circulation. The gas present in champagne and mineral waters ( they are used to make cocktails) accelerates the penetration of alcohol into the blood.

2. The rate of consumption. If you drink a lot and quickly, your blood alcohol level will be higher than if you drink the same amount, but slowly, little by little. During the time that the next portion of alcohol enters the bloodstream, the liver manages to process part of the already received. The liver processes alcohol in an hour, which is in 25 ml of vodka or 250 ml of beer. Therefore, if you drink at this rate, your blood alcohol level will be constant.

3. The presence of food in the stomach. If there is no solid food in the stomach or intestines, alcohol penetrates the walls and blood faster. If a person eats fatty food, alcohol is absorbed 6 times slower than on an empty stomach. Therefore, before the first glass, it is better to eat dense, fatty and warm food.

4. Body mass ... The "bigger" a person is, the large quantity fluid makes up his body. Thus, at tall man blood alcohol levels will be less, ceteris paribus, than low. Since there is less water in the fat cells, in the body of an obese person, the level of alcohol will rise faster than in a lean person who has consumed the same amount. In any case, women have less water in their bodies than men. Therefore, they get drunk faster.

Myths about the dangers of alcohol

Myth 1. Alcohol is a food product
Scientists knew that alcohol is a narcotic poison at the beginning of the twentieth century. And in the mid-70s, the World Health Organization officially recognized alcohol as a drug that undermines the health of the population. Until now, no scientist has been able to reliably refute these statements.

Myth 2. If you drink a little - there will be no harm
The refutation of this is that all alcoholics began to drink a little. But like any other drug, alcohol is addictive. The dose can only be increased. Even small amounts of alcohol make a person feel euphoric, often very dangerous.
According to the research of the academician Pavlova, reflexes after drinking small doses of alcohol disappear and normalize only after 7 - 11 days. According to modern data, even in people who drink in moderation after 4 years, the probability of brain shrinkage is 85%. The harder the brain works, the more severe the consequences of small doses. alcoholic beverages... A person's desire to work disappears. Small doses of alcohol poison the liver, as well as brain cells and reproductive systems. Even small doses increase the likelihood of diabetes and cancer, as well as hypertension.

Myth 3. Alcohol helps prevent colds and warms
Alcoholic drinks are actually a source of calories, that is, in theory they can warm you. But their processing by the body is more difficult than other types of energy ( sugars or fats), and the damage done to the body is higher. An imaginary sensation of warmth arises from the fact that under the influence of alcohol paralysis of the vessels of the skin occurs, they become wider and the blood flow to the skin increases. The amount of heat that is given off by the body increases, so there is no benefit from this "dryness".
The maximum amount of strong alcohol that can really "disperse the blood" a little is 50 grams. Large quantities only have a negative effect.
According to the French Academy of Sciences, alcohol does not affect any flu viruses in any way. Therefore, use it in case of acute respiratory diseases(ARI) is useless. It is even harmful, since, getting into the body, alcohol weakens it. Drinking people more susceptible to infections, this was proven back in the nineteenth century. 100 grams of good red wine when warm can slightly stimulate the immune system, but you shouldn't drink more.

Myth 4. Alcohol relaxes and cheers
Drinking small amounts of alcohol actually reduces self-restraint and liberates people. But the reason for this is the paralysis of the cells of the cerebral cortex. In this regard, people who are drunk have less control over their actions and words. This kind of fun is the result of the drug. After a while, a person loses the ability to concentrate, becomes tactless, his actions often interfere with those around him.
Alcohol intake also cannot be used to relieve stress. After all, the effects of alcohol on the body are similar to the effects of stress itself. The narcotic effect of alcohol is that it reduces the feeling of fatigue and other discomfort... However, after the alcohol is removed from the body, all these feelings will rush with a vengeance.
In the most extreme case, if there is no other method of distraction, you can drink no more than 30 grams of strong drink or 40 grams. guilt.

Myth 5. Alcohol improves appetite
When alcohol enters the digestive tract, the glands begin to intensively produce digestive juice. This is a false feeling of hunger. Gradually, the glands atrophy, and the digestive function deteriorates, the walls of the stomach are destroyed, and an ulcer appears.
If the amount of alcohol drunk is not so great, a person's craving for food increases, body weight increases, and intestinal function is disrupted. It turns out that the feeling of increased appetite is just a deception. In fact, alcohol disrupts the work of the glands. digestive system, impairs the work of protective mechanisms.
Those who persistently try to whet their appetite with alcohol can be advised to drink no more than 20 grams of strong alcoholic beverage. The effect will be noticeable in 15 minutes. But such drinking on an empty stomach entails the complications described above.

Myth 6. There are many useful substances in wine
According to research, most of the nutrients found in grapes are processed or destroyed during the wine-making process.

Myth 7. Alcohol increases performance
In the opinion of many people, it is easier to work in a state of light drinking. In no case is the average degree of intoxication meant. According to Australian researchers, the reaction rate of slightly drunk people is actually slightly higher. However, their reactions are not always correct. But the ability to concentrate and mental activity is undoubtedly declining. It turns out that even if things go faster, there will be mistakes in the work.

Myth 8. Alcohol Reduces Blood Pressure
Most people with high blood pressure are convinced that alcohol increases the lumen of blood vessels and thereby reduces pressure. This is not entirely a misconception. Indeed, in small quantities, alcohol relaxes the tension of the vascular walls. But it immediately increases the heart rate. And the amount of pressure is influenced by the volume of blood passed by the heart. Thus, as the heart rate rises, more blood is pushed out and the pressure rises. In addition, alcoholic beverages contain active ingredients, which most often negatively affect the pressure indicators.

Myth 9. High-quality alcohol is not harmful
In fact, even the most expensive and quality alcohol is a toxic poison for the body. This is due to the fact that when decomposed in the body ethyl alcohol acetaldehyde is released - a poisonous substance. At the same time, of course, low-quality alcohol is even more harmful, since initially it includes harmful fusel oils, which aggravate the effect of acetaldehyde.

Is there a benefit?

The benefits of small doses of alcohol have been talked about for a long time and in many countries of the world.
Are these claims based on scientific evidence, or are they just a gimmick of the liquor industry?
After all, if everyone together abandon alcoholic beverages, recognizing them as a soft drug, this will cause huge losses both to producers and to the state itself, which receives huge profits from taxes on alcohol. Therefore, everyone chooses the answer to this question for himself.

Meanwhile, there is an opinion that:

• Drinking small doses of alcohol reduces the likelihood of developing coronary heart disease, as it prevents the formation of atherosclerotic plaques and increases the amount of "good cholesterol" in the blood.
• Moderate drinking reduces the likelihood of developing arthritis,
• Under the influence of small doses of alcohol, parts of the brain that are dormant in a sober state are activated,
• Those who drink alcohol in moderation, are less likely to suffer from neoplasms of the kidneys, intermittent claudication, colds, angina pectoris, lymphoma, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes,
• Moderate alcohol users have several times less risk of death from a sudden heart attack,
• Moderate drinkers get 20% higher wages than teetotalers.
• Even in Old Testament 191 places talk about the benefits of wine ( it should be borne in mind that in those days they drank only natural grape wine, and even well diluted with water).

The overwhelming number of researchers working on this topic believe that the benefits of drinking even small doses of alcohol are so small that you should not take all the above arguments seriously. And any dose of alcohol brings a lot of harm to the body. Funds mass media trying to simply justify the bad habits of society, acting rather irresponsibly.

Alcohol treatment

In the medicinal traditions of many countries, there is the use of alcoholic beverages. So, in Russia, vodka was used for rubbing, treating coughs and inflammation of the middle ear. And in southern countries, wine was used for treatment for diarrhea, cough, anemia, weakness. In any case, you should consult your doctor before starting treatment.
Alcohol and vodka by themselves are nothing medicinal benefits Dont Have. However, they are excellent at pulling useful material from herbs. Vodka and alcohol have historically been used to make various tinctures.

ENT organs

• For the treatment of sore throat, bronchitis, colds, you need to irrigate the throat and mouth with a mixture alcohol tincture eucalyptus or calendula and water in proportion: for 200 ml of water 1 tsp. tinctures.
• With follicular angina, the throat and mouth should be irrigated with 10% Kalanchoe tincture on vodka.
• With ARVI, flu, it will be useful to drink before bedtime. warm drink: 50 ml dry red wine, 50 ml mineral water, 1 tbsp. honey, a little cinnamon.
• In case of pneumonia, it will be useful: to heat 200 ml of red wine over a fire, 1 tbsp. honey, a little lemon balm and thyme. Drink in small sips and immediately wrap yourself in a blanket.
• To reduce the temperature in ARVI: 200 ml of dry white wine, 1 tbsp. linden honey, a little nutmeg, 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Leave to infuse for 60 minutes. Drink a teaspoon 4 times a day,
• For chills: 200 ml of wine, 1 tbsp. honey, juice from 12 lemons and 3 cloves, warm over the fire, leave covered for 30 minutes, drink a little,
• For the treatment of rhinitis: 1 tbsp. dilute propolis alcohol tincture with 2 tbsp. beet juice. Dripping 4 times a day, 3 drops in each nasal passage,
• For the treatment of cough, bronchitis: 1 tbsp. olive oil, cognac, honey, slightly warm and use immediately before bedtime,
• To strengthen the body for colds, combine the same amounts of Cahors, honey, aloe juice. Drink 1 tbsp. 30 minutes before meals 3 times a day.

Heart and blood vessels

• 100 g dry red wine, 8 ml of cinnamon tincture, 6 ml of lemon balm tincture, 30 ml of honey. Consume a tablespoon 3 times a day,
• For chronic heart failure: 500 ml of dry red wine, 2 handfuls of rose petals to stand in a warm dark place for 15 days. Drink 50 ml once a day after a meal,
• With increased pressure: 300 gr. dry red wine, 150 gr. honey, 100 gr. crushed aloe leaves. Hold for 24 hours to infuse. Consume a tablespoon 3 times a day before meals for 6 weeks,
• With increased pressure: 250 ml of vodka, 250 gr. honey, lemon juice, 300 ml cranberry juice... Consume 1 tbsp. 3 times a day between meals,
• With vegetative-vascular dystonia, you should drink a glass of good red wine every day.

Varicose veins

• Mix the menu of acacia flowers with 150 ml of vodka. Cover the bottle and leave in the dark for ten days. Use to rub the affected areas,
• Chop 6 chestnuts, add 500 ml of vodka. Keep in the dark for 14 days. Pass through cheesecloth and drink 30 drops 3 times a day on an empty stomach. Duration of therapy is 4 weeks,
• From hemorrhoids 50 gr. chestnut flowers pour 500 ml of vodka, leave for 14 days. Consume 40 drops 3 times a day after a meal.

Indigestion

• For gastritis with reduced acid production: for 21 days, consume 75 ml of dry red wine twice a day every day. Drink before meals in 30 minutes,
• For diarrhea: 1 liter of red wine, 30 gr. mixture of herbs in equal quantities (oak bark, underground parts of galangal, marshmallow), use warm 1 tsp. every 60 minutes.

Choleretic and diuretic disorders

• 500 ml of alcohol and 25 gr. soak birch buds for 14 days in the dark. Consume 1 tsp. 3 times a day after a meal,
• With atony of the gallbladder, take 2 tbsp per 100 ml of vodka. leaves of barberry. Withstand 15 days. Drink 30 drops in a little water 3 times a day for 14 days,
• For stomach ulcers: 200 gr. vodka and 50 gr. mushroom veselka. Soak for 15 days in a cold place. Consume 1 tbsp. 3 times a day after a meal.

Diseases of the joints

• For puffiness and pain: mix vodka and honey in equal proportions. Make lotions for the night with a warm composition,
• Before breakfast, drink 200 ml of milk with a dessert spoon of alcohol,
• 20 gr. gourd grass and 500 ml of alcohol should be kept in the closet for 14 days. Drink 1 dessert spoon 3 times a day after a meal.

Gout
Grind one immortelle onion and add 5 parts of alcohol. Keep in the closet for 14 days, treat the affected joints.

Osteomyelitis
100 g mix propolis with 500 ml of alcohol. Keep in the closet for three days. Consume inside, diluting 1 tsp. tinctures in 100 ml of water 3 times a day.

Overweight and alcohol

Excessive passion for alcohol is among the first reasons for the appearance excess weight... First of all, there are quite a lot of calories in any alcohol. In addition, alcohol enters the bloodstream in a matter of minutes and is rapidly absorbed by the body. Once in the stomach, alcohol activates the production of gastric juice, accelerates the digestion of food and thereby increases appetite.

Even a small amount of alcohol reduces your ability to keep track of what you eat. If you drink often enough, you can increase your body weight in a short time. Most of all it concerns beer. This is not to say that there are a lot of calories in this alcoholic drink, but you can eat many with beer high-calorie food... The same goes for aperitifs. Thus, if there is alcohol at the table, more will be eaten. At the same time, more high-calorie food is chosen as a snack.

Those who want to keep track of their weight should pay attention to red wine. Which in small quantities accelerates metabolic processes, the movement of blood through the vessels, and makes the walls of the vessels expand. The formation of atherosclerotic growths decreases, the tone of the heart and blood vessels increases. Dry white wine is also useful in small quantities, improving the condition of the gastrointestinal tract.

Heart, blood vessels and alcohol

According to some reports, a study was conducted in the United States of the effect of alcohol on the state of the cardiovascular system. It turned out that small amounts of alcohol have a beneficial effect on these organs. Thus, the likelihood of developing senile dementia, stroke and heart attack decreases.

Doctors from the American Heart Association conducted a 3.5-year study involving more than 2000 volunteers suffering from vascular and heart disease.

After the experiment was over, the scientists presented their advice to the patients. In their opinion, 2-3 servings of alcoholic beverages per day improve health. So, the fair sex is recommended to drink 200 ml of red wine a day, and the representatives of the strong half of humanity - 400 ml. Scientists believe that not drinking at all is worse than drinking a little. Quite a strange statement from the point of view of most scientists, however, words cannot be thrown out of the song.

Scientists believe that in people who drink small amounts of alcohol from time to time, the likelihood of developing a heart attack is reduced by a quarter, and the likelihood of developing a stroke is reduced by a fifth. The walls of blood vessels are strengthened, and the blood circulation in the brain is improved, therefore, senile dementia is prevented.
Today, small doses of alcohol, from the point of view of doctors from the Association of Cardiologists, are one of the secrets of wellness and health. They immediately warn that the increase daily dose up to 5 - 6 servings significantly increases the likelihood of death from a heart attack. Scientists also warn teetotalers against urgently starting to drink alcohol "for health", considering it an unnecessary measure.

Beer

Due to the craze for beer, one cannot but dwell on this drink separately.
Beer is low alcohol drink produced by fermentation of malt with the addition of brewer's yeast and hops.
Regular beer contains from 3 to 6% vol.
V strong varieties from 8 to 14% vol.
This is a very common drink, there are at least a thousand varieties of it. He was known to people already 10 thousand years ago! And a number of scientists believe that people began to grow grain crops only for the sake of obtaining raw materials for a foamy drink.
The quality of a beer is determined solely by its taste. It is a misconception that the higher the head, the better the beer. The height of the foam head depends only on how the drink was poured into the glass.
The Czech Republic ranks first in terms of beer consumption per capita, followed by Germany and Austria.

The harm of beer
1. The heart suffers most from beer abuse in the body. Doctors call this violation " bull heart". The cavities of the heart become more voluminous, its walls thicken, in the myocardium there are multiple tissue necrosis. Similar changes in the heart are influenced by cobalt, an element added to beer to stabilize foam. The heart muscle of beer drinkers has 10 times more cobalt than it should be. Cobalt also destroys the lining of the stomach and esophagus. Bad for the heart and the presence of a large amount of carbon dioxide in beer, as well as large volumes of liquid consumed by beer lovers. Penetrating into the body, beer immediately causes a rush of blood in the vessels, which sooner or later causes varicose veins, as well as an increase in the volume of the heart. Such a diseased heart is large in size, but it functions very poorly.

2. Beer contains substances that alter metabolic processes in the body. For example, in the body of the stronger sex, the production of male sex hormones decreases under the influence of beer. Such men can be recognized by the increased amount of fat on the sides and hips, enlarged mammary glands, and an enlarged pelvis. Beer suppresses sexual interest. According to doctors, 15 - 20 years of heavy drinking of beer causes impotence. Women who drink beer frequently are at higher risk of developing cancer and may have lower voices and tendrils.

Most modern scientists consider beer to be the first legalized drug. According to experts, beer causes one of the most violent forms alcoholism... Today, every second student of the first grade has already tasted beer. The consumption of this drink has increased 12 times over the past 10 years. None of the official sources mention that the beer fusel oils, aldehydes, ethers and methanol are not less than in moonshine and dozens of times more than the limit allowed in vodka.

It is officially recognized that beer drinkers are more likely to develop alcohol dependence than wine or vodka drinkers.
The World Health Organization warns that people who drink large quantities of beer are at increased risk of colon cancer.

Beer contains substances that promote relaxation. This is what makes it so dangerous in terms of addiction. Gradually, it is impossible to imagine rest without a few bottles of beer. The situation is aggravated by public opinion, which does not consider beer to be alcohol. Beer alcoholism appears and develops slowly and imperceptibly. After all, the desire to drink beer does not cause anxiety in anyone. It's not vodka! However, having developed, it proceeds more severely than vodka alcoholism. Due to the fact that beer in large quantities is a cellular toxin, it is beer alcoholics who suffer most severely internal organs: heart, liver, in addition, usually develops a decrease in self-esteem and dementia. And recovering from this alcoholism is more difficult.

Unfortunately, completely recovering from beer alcoholism ( as well as from any other) impossible. Even attempts to control the dose in alcoholics lead to inevitable binge drinking. No matter how many years have passed since the last drink of beer, everything can start all over again.
Even non-alcoholic beer is dangerous, because it contains a minimum dose of alcohol. Therefore, for many alcoholics, hard drinking begins with a bottle of non-alcoholic beer.

The benefits of beer
1. Body massage with this drink makes the skin silky and soft,
2. Drinking 1 - 2 beers a day prevents premature aging of the body,
3. Beer removes the poisonous metal salts of aluminum from the cells,
4. According to Japanese scientists, this drink reduces the likelihood of developing cancer in half,
5. The presence of bitterness in the drink activates the digestive tract,
6. Hops have a sedative effect, which is also transmitted to the foamy drink,
7. For those who suffer from excessive sweating, a bath will help: in the bath warm water pour out a bottle of beer and lie down for 15 - 20 minutes,
8. Cold: mug warm beer and a tablespoon of honey, add a little cinnamon, cloves and one a raw egg, instead of an egg, you can add lemon zest,
9. Perfectly cares for hair, making it manageable and nourishing,
10. According to American scientists, drinking a glass of beer a day reduces the likelihood of developing heart attacks by half.

Absinthe

This drink is banned in most European countries. On the territory of the post-Soviet space, it is officially allowed for sale and use. Refers to spirits, contains from 68 to 72% vol, and Swiss varieties up to 80% vol.

People argue about the benefits and dangers of alcohol exactly as much as humanity already exists. One theory after another has been advanced by doctors and nutritionists. Some argue - not a drop, others insist that it is possible and even necessary. So after all, is alcohol useful and in what quantities it can be consumed.

Red and white wine

The beneficial properties of alcohol

Alcohol can be useful, but only in small doses. This is increasingly supported by scientific evidence.

Alcohol can lower blood cholesterol levels, prevent blood clots, dilate blood vessels and speed up blood circulation. As a result, the likelihood of the appearance and development of cardiovascular diseases is reduced.

Useful substances of alcohol:

• B vitamins;
• Minerals (potassium, sodium).

Grape wine:

• Organic acids (malic, lactic, tartaric);
• Aldehydes, ethers, acetates;
• Minerals (manganese, zinc, fluorine, cobalt and 20 more trace elements);
• Vitamin C;
• B vitamins;
• Vitamin PP.

The best alcoholic beverage is natural wine made from red grapes. There are other quality alcohol that can be beneficial in small doses. The dosage should be adjusted according to how you feel, but on average it is about 50 grams of alcohol per day.

Above this norm, alcohol turns into poison, harming most organs and body systems. The harm of alcoholic beverages also lies in the fact that 1 gram contains 7.3 kilocalories. Alcohol is not inferior in calories to fat!

You can drink alcoholic beverages. They will be harmless only if simple conditions are observed:

1. Take small doses that do not cause a noticeable change in behavior. In this case, it is important to rely not only on your own opinion.
2. Dose intervals should be irregular.
3. Consume only drinks High Quality which do not contain harmful additives.

Alcohol is contraindicated:

• When taking antibiotics;
• During pregnancy;
• Coded;
• With psoriasis, epilepsy;
• Mentally unstable people;
• The rest take alcohol with great care!

How much alcohol can you drink per day

Men can take 250 ml per day. wine, or 500 ml. beer, or 40-50 ml. a drink with an ethyl alcohol share of about 40.% For a woman, the same alcohol is allowed to be consumed, respectively, in an amount of 150, 330 and 30 ml. Is alcohol in large quantities good for you? Of course not.

These data are calculated for people of average build. The systematic use of alcoholic beverages above the indicated norms can lead to alcoholism and other diseases.

How to choose alcohol

Quality wine is bottled in thick glass with a recess at the bottom. The label must contain reliable information about the producer, grape variety, date of bottling. It is important that the packaging does not have an inscription about the expiration date of the wine!

When choosing a liquor, first of all, you should be guided by the label.

When choosing cognac, pay attention to bottle clogging. First of all, look at how the bottle is corked. The cap should be firmly pressed against the bottle. The composition should not contain fragrances and rectification alcohol. Another undesirable sign is sediment at the bottom. A clear sign counterfeit - an unevenly pasted label.

When choosing vodka, take a close look at the label, it should be glued evenly, with a well-placed seal.

Champagne must be free of flavorings. The date of bottling is important, since the fresher champagne is the most delicious. Champagne with plastic cork is of low quality. The cork should be made from bark.

Healthy recipes with alcohol

Heat a large sprig of mint with 20 grams of syrup with a wooden spoon. Add lime halves, 30 grams of lime juice, 60 grams of white rum and 90 grams of soda water. Distribute the resulting mixture over the glasses, sprinkling with ice on top.

Insert the tube and mix the drink. Condensation should appear on the walls.

Mulled wine

1. Take 150 ml. water, pour spices into it (a cinnamon stick, 12 clove buds, nutmeg, ginger, orange peel or lemon zest).
2. Bring everything to a boil.
3. After boiling for 5-7 minutes, add a liter of red wine, bring mulled wine to a boil, but do not boil.
4. The drink should be brewed for 10-15 minutes.

Mulled wine is ready to drink!

And lastly, a comic excerpt from the newsreel Wick of Evgeny Leonov. A monologue about the benefits of alcohol. Get drunk! Healthy!"
Do not take to heart on an empty stomach)!

Alcohol is one of the most ancient foods. Some say that it is harmful. Others what's in moderate doses alcohol is good for you. But no one cites convincing arguments to support their theory.

Find out what happens to the brain when drinking too much, as well as what alcohol helps with high blood pressure.

Benefit: in what quantities alcoholic beverages do not harm the body

The World Health Organization has developed safe drinking guidelines for both men and women. A man can drink 75 ml of vodka or 750 ml of beer per day. Women are allowed 50 ml of vodka or 500 ml of beer. This amount does not cause habit or health problems. But only in cases where drinking does not turn into a ritual. If a person every day, at the same time, cannot do without alcohol, then we can talk about addiction. Therefore, the use of even small doses of alcoholic beverages should not be daily.

The fact that alcohol is harmful to health is undeniable. But there is evidence that it can be beneficial as well. For example, drinking small amounts of alcoholic beverages reduces the risk of cardiovascular, oncological diseases and even prolongs youth. But at the same time, it is recommended to drink only natural and high-quality drinks.

Winemakers can talk at length about the benefits of wine. Indeed, grapes contain many vitamins, trace elements, flavins. Many useful biologically active products are obtained even from grape seeds. nutrients... They are used in traditional medicine.

A glass of dry red wine reduces the risk of vascular damage, blood clots and acts as a good antioxidant.

In small doses, a person does not feel intoxication, he calms down, relieves stress. Alcohol is the best stress relieving adapter. There is no such antidepressant, tranquilizer, sedative, which is stronger than alcohol, which is why people drink strong drinks.

But it all depends on the quantity. Salt, for example, can be called a poison if you eat a pack. That is, the rule works in everything: the dose is the result. Moderation is the main thing in every business. For example, 30 grams of cognac helps relieve vasospasm: they expand and the pressure decreases. There is no intoxication from such a dose, the person retains control over himself. Even in modern pharmacology, herbal tinctures made with alcohol are used. They are taken not in glasses, but in drops, minimizing the negative effects of alcohol.

The benefits of alcohol are not as great as the hard drink advocates claim.

In small amounts, alcoholic beverages can act as:

Sedative.

Vasodilator.

Antioxidant.

But in all these cases, you can pick up other drugs and methods that will not cause addiction, in comparison with strong drinks.

The harm of strong drinks to human health

Alcohol is a foreign substance and a polyvalent poison. It affects the intestines, heart, vision, brain, gastrointestinal tract, liver, pancreas and reproductive system. Scientists still have not figured out which specific receptor is responsible for alcohol. Any alcoholic beverage causes a number of unhealthy chemical reactions that disrupt the work of internal organs and functional systems. There is no such department in the human body that would be resistant to the pathological effects of alcohol. The liver is especially affected. Regular use strong drinks leads to cirrhosis and cancer.

Alcohol is a good solvent; it destroys various membranes, including brain cells.

It doesn't matter what kind of alcohol a person drinks. The body's response is the same. Initially, there is a slight relaxation, and with an increase in the dose, a state of euphoria comes. At the physiological level, this is numbness of the cerebral cortex, followed by the death of certain areas. The graveyard of cells grows with each intake of alcohol. The popular statement is true: "if you drink a lot, you will drink your brains on drink."

Scientists at Harvard University found that drinking 50 grams of alcohol once a week in men reduces the risk of coronary heart disease by 7%, and with daily use- by 40%. In women, this figure is 30% and does not depend on the frequency of use. Processing of alcoholic beverages in female body occurs more slowly than in the male.

Consider from these positions several relevant and important aspects alcohol intake. Is alcohol good for individual cases? What is the safe dose of alcohol? And is there such safe dose for women?

How does alcohol work on blood pressure?

They raise it. That is why small doses of alcohol help people suffering from hypotension. One or two tablespoons of cognac can bring a person with low blood pressure to life. Although the World Health Organization does not recommend doctors to advise their patients any alcoholic beverages as a medicine. Long-term studies show that in 20% of cases of development hypertension it is alcoholic beverages (especially beer and wine) that are to blame. So, in a man who drinks more than 150 ml of wine or 30 ml of vodka per day, the risk of hypertension increases to 40%. And for a woman, this figure reaches 90%! So it is much safer to increase blood pressure not with alcohol, but with the help of coffee, tea, dark chocolate, eleutherococcus or ginseng tinctures.

It is known that natural dry wines have a beneficial effect on the human body. How does this happen?

The skins of red grapes and grape seeds contain res-veratrol, a natural compound that has powerful antioxidant effects. Entering the human body with berries or wine made from them, this substance prevents the development of cardiovascular and oncological diseases, delays age-related changes in the brain and musculoskeletal system, prolonging life and delaying the onset of old age. In addition, alcoholic beverages improve digestion and prevent the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. But this is only if a person uses them in moderation. Large doses alcohol lead to the expansion of the heart cavities and the development of cardiac pathologies (heart failure, arrhythmias, cardiomeopathy, etc.) and, of course, hypertension, especially if the patient has a genetic predisposition to cardiovascular disease... So it is much safer to lower cholesterol with physical activity and a rational diet - they fight atherosclerosis no less effectively than small doses of alcohol.

But what about the French, who eat a lot of fatty foods, drink wine and at the same time live long and suffer from cardiovascular diseases 40% less often than Americans?

The secret of the "French paradox" is not only in the regular use of wine, but also in the way of life and in the habits of food. In addition to wine and cheese, the inhabitants of the Mediterranean consume a large amount of vegetables, fruits, herbs, olive oil and seafood. This diet provides the body with high-density lipoproteins, unsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals, which have a powerful antioxidant effect, protecting the body's cells from free radical damage. In addition, the inhabitants of the south of France are actively eating seaweed which contain substances that improve the biological properties of blood (reduce the formation of blood clots and stimulate the breakdown of fats). And the quality of French wines is significantly different from Ukrainian ones, 90% of which are made from concentrate diluted with water.

What is the safe dose of alcohol?

In France, Italy, Hungary, this figure is traditionally higher than, say, in Sweden or Norway. But if we talk about generally accepted doses, then WHO recommends that men consume no more than 30 ml per day. pure alcohol(about 1.5 bottles of beer or 75 ml of vodka), and for women - 20 ml of pure alcohol (1 bottle of beer or 50 ml of vodka). At the same time, doctors recommend refraining from alcohol at least two days a week.

Why is the safe dose for women lower than for men?

Representatives fair half humanity in the body less water than men. In addition, gastric alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme responsible for the breakdown of alcohol, is less active in women than in the stronger sex. Consequently, the processing of alcoholic beverages in the female body is slower, which is why ladies are more susceptible to alcohol.

Why do some people get severe headaches after a glass of red wine, but white does not?

This reaction can be caused by individual intolerance to sulfur dioxide - a substance that is added to dry red wines in order to keep them longer. This preservative can cause instant facial flushing and severe migraines. And when using white wines, this does not happen, because according to the technology, sulfur dioxide is not added to them.

How safe are low alcohol carbonated drinks popular with young people?

Simple arithmetic allows us to say that this category of drinks is not so harmless. Most of them contain 8% alcohol. If you multiply this figure by 0.33 (the contents of one bottle), you get approximately 27 ml of pure alcohol. For girls, this is already an excess daily allowance, but few of them limit themselves to one bottle a day. In addition, rum-colas and gin-tonics contain carbon dioxide, which promotes faster absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream, which is why drunkenness occurs almost from the first sip. And how much harm in energy drinks where alcohol is combined with caffeine! Together, these two stimulants lead to dysfunction of the human nervous system, as well as his liver and pancreas.

Than threatens excessive use beer?

Beer, like any other alcoholic beverage, primarily affects the liver, causing toxic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis over time. It is these two diseases that occupy the leading positions in a beer country like Germany, where they drink beer often and a lot, consuming up to 3 liters per evening.

Former smokers complain that after drinking a glass, they have a desire to smoke. Why is this happening?

Most often this happens to those who have managed to say “no” to addiction, but have not yet coped with the psychological dependence on smoking. Once at a party where many smoke, a former smoker can experience the same experience as an ex-addict who finds himself in an environment where he used drugs. One glance at a familiar area is enough for an associative habit to take hold of him. Under the influence of alcohol, memory gives out pictures from the past, and so vivid that a former smoker can taste and smell tobacco. In addition, being in a state of euphoria (after two or three drinks), a person can no longer evaluate his actions critically and, without hesitation, breaks the promises made to himself. As a rule, in this state, many more cigarettes are smoked than usual. As a result, the toxic effect of alcohol on the body increases several times. Hence the heavier hangover.

What medications can alcohol be combined with?

Alcohol is not compatible with any drug... Especially harmful is the combination of alcohol with pacemakers, antihypertensive, psychotropic drugs, tranquilizers, neuroleptics, antidepressants, beta-blockers. Loss of consciousness is not the worst thing that can happen in such a situation: sometimes alcohol enhances the effect of drugs so much that it ends in a coma, or even sudden death. Alcoholic beverages are also incompatible with diuretic tablets (in combination with wine or beer, diuretics remove so many trace elements from the body that this leads to disturbances in the work of the heart). Even banal aspirin cannot be washed down with strong drinks - such experiments can result in stomach ulcers. Great amount complications are given by taking antibiotics with alcohol. The fact is that not all drugs enter the body in an active form. Many do not begin to act until after the period of cleavage in the liver has passed. Alcohol also needs to be broken down, and therefore, having entered the body at the same time, both of these substances begin to compete. As a result, the active substance of the tablet enters the bloodstream undeoxidized. More often than not it ends allergic reactions- urticaria, dermatitis.

Why does one person, after a glass of vodka, become complacent and talkative, while the other becomes withdrawn and aggressive?

Regardless of temperament, age and mood of a person, alcohol inhibits the functioning of the nervous system. Two minutes after drinking a glass of cognac or a glass of champagne, alcohol reaches the frontal lobe of the brain, disrupting most of the neurochemical connections. A person's attention is scattered, thoughts become chaotic, and the mood becomes elevated and joyful. True, the state of euphoria is short-lived - soon the phase of inhibition begins, during which the intoxicated one loses restraint, common sense disappears, conversations and actions become inadequate. Moreover, on healthy people alcohol most often acts as an emotional equalizer: an introverted person revives after a glass of wine, talkative - calms down, aggressive - relaxes, phlegmatic - becomes more talkative. Although there are also unpredictable reactions, which largely depend on the characteristics of the human nervous system. One thing is certain: if after a glass of vodka you become aggressive, you absolutely must not drink.

Many people think that alcohol is best remedy from stress. Is it so?

Alcohol is the simplest and most affordable household tranquilizer. However, it does not relieve stress, otherwise everyone would “lick” their emotional “wounds” in an embrace with a bottle. Fortunately, this does not happen, because for most people, alcohol is just a mediator, something like a relaxing element that allows you to speak frankly, an impetus to pour out your soul to a friend, a neighbor, a random fellow traveler. Although narcologists believe that it is no less successful to relieve emotional stress on the treadmill, since at the moment of stress in the body, the production of energy increases. That is why a person, being nervous, cannot sit still: rushing around the room, fingering his fingers, emotionally telling something. So it would be quite logical to drive out the excess of negative energy in the gym, not in the restaurant.

Narcologists compare drinking alcohol to driving a car: both of these processes carry health risks. Are there "traffic rules" that you need to know in order not to "end up in a ditch"?

The first rule to understand is not to drink on an empty stomach. Once in the body of a hungry person, alcohol is freely absorbed by the gastric mucosa and quickly enters the bloodstream, causing instant and very strong intoxication. That is why nutritionists recommend eating something fatty before a meal - a piece of bacon, a sandwich with red caviar or cheese, and butter.

Second Golden Rule reads: a festive evening is better to start with an aperitif. Drinking a little wine, vodka or martini before a meal will not only whet your appetite, but also make your enzyme system work more actively.

The third rule: do not drink alcoholic beverages as the degree decreases. Remember: the processing of spirits requires a large amount of alcohol dehydrogenase, which means that drinking champagne with cognac creates a deficiency of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. Because of this, a low-alcohol drink freely enters the bloodstream in an undivided form, causing a very strong intoxication.

What should you eat alcoholic drinks?

Dry wines can be eaten with fruits, cheese, salads, low-fat varieties meat, fish. It is better to eat drinks with a strength of 40 degrees and higher with more fatty and heavier foods - pork, lamb, red caviar, potatoes, salads with high-calorie sauces. This will slow down the absorption of alcohol and improve food processing as alcohol helps break down fats. During a long feast, it is advisable to have on hand fresh lemons... The acid contained in them is an excellent alcohol neutralizer, so you can eat alcoholic beverages with slices of these sour fruits or drink them with water diluted in it lemon juice... But it is better to remove sweet soda or juices from the table altogether, since the sugar and carbon dioxide contained in them increase the absorption of alcohol. For the same reason, you should not eat sparkling wine chocolate.

What alcohol poisoning? What are its signs, and what measures should be taken to save the poisoned person?

Alcohol poisoning occurs after taking over 500 ml of vodka. In most people, the natural reaction of the body to such a quantity of toxic substances is usually vomiting, but in 30% of alcohol lovers this reflex is absent by nature or atrophies as unnecessary (as a rule, in frequent and excessive drinkers). Therefore, when a large amount of ethyl alcohol is received, the body is exposed to the strongest alcohol intoxication: alcohol paralyzes nervous system, because of what comes a coma, and after a couple of hours and death. That is why, having found a person unconscious, with a clear smell of alcohol, pale, covered with sweat, does not react to any stimuli, with rapid breathing, a barely palpable pulse and an uneven beating heart, immediately call an ambulance!

How to regain your sobriety of thought, if due to festive table are you urgently called to work?

The first step is to get rid of the alcohol in the stomach by trying to induce a gag reflex. Then you should take a loading dose of enterosorbents - they will collect and remove from the body the alcohol that has entered the intestines. If alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, try to protect the nerve cells with drugs that block its action. With mild intoxication, you can limit yourself to a cup strong coffee or black tea with lemon. This will invigorate the inhibited nervous system, bringing a person to life. At the end of the sobering procedure, it would be nice to take something from hepatoprotectors - drugs that protect the liver. Although they say that vitamin complexes containing B vitamins are most effective in combating intoxication (they are often used by diplomats who need to stay sane even after a stormy holiday)

Humanity perceives the drinking of alcoholic beverages as a colossal problem, a scourge of our time. The harm of alcohol is obvious, but not all people are able to recognize this fact, choose the path of healing and sobriety.

The harm of alcoholism

The harm of alcohol to the human body is beyond doubt, and this fact has been confirmed by numerous clinical studies.

To understand the essence of what has been said, you need to understand how ethyl alcohol acts on the body after:

1. Brain activity is impaired due to the death of brain cells. The alcoholic is unable to adequately and quickly respond to what is happening, there are inhibited psychomotor reactions.
2. After taking alcohol, there is a decrease in the efficiency of the central nervous system. Against the background of drinking alcoholic beverages, nerve cells are spontaneously destroyed. Over time, a person becomes weak in spirit, is unable to resist addiction, feels the symptoms of neurosis, or latent depression.
3. Alcohol disrupts cellular metabolism. As a result of this pathology, increased skin edema prevails, signs of pigmentation and foci of necrosis appear, and the appearance of an alcoholic leaves much to be desired.
4. The activity of the alcoholic's reproductive system decreases, and after the systematic use of alcohol, the chances of procreation for a woman and a man are minimized.
5. Under the influence of ethanol, the previous working capacity of internal organs and systems is disrupted, as an option - kidneys, liver, lungs, myocardium, gastrointestinal tract organs suffer. In this case, we are even talking about moderate portions of alcohol.
6. The risk of strokes, heart attacks, heart failure increases, bronchial asthma, malignant tumors, paralysis with subsequent disability, death is not excluded.
7. Rapid weight gain can also occur due to progressive alcoholism, since metabolism is disrupted at the cellular level. A person does not control food consumption, as a result - one of the forms of obesity, cardiovascular pathology, diabetes mellitus.

Psychological dependence on alcohol

Qualified professionals remind not only of the threat of internal imbalance, but also of emotional dependence, which one day becomes a bad habit. A person, without realizing it, is drawn to a new dose of alcohol, and hangover syndrome perceives as a side effect of his sober state. Therefore, he cannot independently determine the problem, he can only rely on the help and timely response of relatives, medical participation.

Our regular reader shared an effective method that saved her husband from ALCOHOLISM. It seemed that nothing would help, there were several codings, treatment at the dispensary, nothing helped. The effective method recommended by Elena Malysheva helped. EFFECTIVE METHOD

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What kind of alcoholic drinks do you drink most often?

How often do you drink alcohol?

Do you have a desire to "get drunk" the next day after taking alcoholic beverages?

What system do you think alcohol has the greatest negative impact on?

In your opinion, are the measures taken by the government sufficient to restrict the sale of alcohol?

Alcoholism is dangerous not only by the destructive effect of ethyl alcohol, but also by prolonged intoxication of the body.

Against the background of psychological addiction, the patient's health deteriorates gradually, and due to the systemic effect of ethyl alcohol, all internal organs and systems are affected. To stop this process, the alcoholic first of all needs psychological help and complete isolation in order to avoid further consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Benefits of taking alcohol

Many patients seriously believe in the benefits of alcohol. At first glance, this reasoning may seem inadequate, but in modern medicine there is information beneficial influence alcoholic beverages. The benefits of alcohol are as follows:

1. Prophylaxis diabetes mellitus... Insulin sensitivity increases after drinking alcoholic beverages.
2. The benefits of alcohol in the face of wine and wine drinks for the body are obvious. As part of such a drink in enough contains tocopherols, which increase the elasticity of the vascular walls, provide reliable prevention of atherosclerotic plaques.
3. The beneficial properties of alcohol are also expressed in antiseptic capabilities, since it is vodka that treats wounds and affected areas in “field” conditions. In addition, the specified antiseptic has an anti-inflammatory effect, which may also be urgently needed.
4. The analgesic effect of alcoholic beverages. After drinking a certain amount of alcohol, the pain threshold decreases sharply.
5. Hot wine containing ethyl alcohol acts as an analgesic. Antipyretic properties are noticeable within 10-12 minutes after ingestion and persist for several hours.
6. A person morally relaxes from drinking alcohol. It is very important to keep the brink of sobriety and not go into a state of strong drunkenness otherwise such portions will soon lead to chronic alcoholism.

The health benefits of alcohol are a shaky concept, but still exist in medical practice and have found their official confirmation. Even professional psychologists recommend drinking a little alcohol for courage.

This information has been verified and is believed to be as accurate as possible. However, qualified professionals are reminded that beneficial features ethanol in the human body are manifested only if the daily doses are limited to a minimum, making them an absolute necessity. It is also of great importance what kind of alcoholic drink is used for medicinal and prophylactic purposes.

Myths and truths about alcoholism

Since the benefits of alcohol for the body still exist, many experienced alcoholics, in order to justify their cowardice, have come up with the idea that they can heal the body in such an affordable and time-tested way. Below are the most common myths:

1. Alcohol is a food product. In fact, alcoholic beverages should not be included in the daily diet.
2. Drinking alcohol significantly reduces the risk of colds and viral diseases. This is not so, since the warming effect is short-term, and the bactericidal effect is insignificant, imperceptible for the body.
3. Drinking alcoholic beverages relieves internal fears and complexes. This is not the case, since ethanol inflicts a tangible blow on the nerve cells, leading them to disorientation. For some nerve endings, this is a temporary phenomenon, while for others it is final destruction followed by the formation of foci of necrosis.
4. Drinking alcoholic beverages is useful for hypertensive patients to stabilize blood pressure. This is a mistake, since the heart rate rises rapidly under the influence of ethanol, respectively, the blood pressure level rises, followed by symptoms.
5. High quality alcohol is not harmful to health. The composition of alcoholic beverages matters, it reduces the level of toxic poisoning and increased stress on the liver. But this is not a determining factor and a criterion for assessing general well-being, the amount drunk is of greater importance.

In any case, narcologists strongly recommend treatment for alcoholism, and the sooner the better.