After the year we’ve all had, will we really do the Dry Dry when lifting a glass with the members of our bubble seems like one of the few delights we have left?
The next few weeks will be tough enough without a wine or cocktail we expect. No, what we need this January is not to stop drinking, but to drink differently, so that we minimize the damage done to ourselves while maximizing the relief of news that causes anxiety.
And, well, that’s entirely possible, according to a book called The Japanese Guide To Healthy Drinking, co-written by a sake-loving doctor – and a liver specialist, no less – named Dr. Shinichi Asabe. The book, which is already a huge hit in Japan, offers scientifically backed advice on how to make your way through a long, healthy life without the need for abstinence.
Of course, nothing can be gained from drinking too much and all doctors advise moderation to be the key. But follow the Japanese Guide and you’ll be able to keep falling this month and beyond, the authors say. This is how. . .
Dr. Shinichi Asabe shares scientifically supported tips for healthy living, including alcohol, in a book called The Japanese Guide To Healthy Drinking (image from file)
EAT CHEESE BEFORE YOU HAVE A DRINK
Japanese drinking habits focus on slowing down the rate of alcohol absorption, to prolong this slightly slender sensation without the spikes and drinking troughs caused by drinking too much being too fast.
One way to give your body time to metabolize alcohol slowly is to keep it in your stomach for as long as possible.
The stomach absorbs only a small amount of alcohol, about 5% of what it consumes. But once it leaves the stomach, the alcohol reaches the small intestine, which is lined with finger-like structures called villi that give it a hugely enlarged surface (about the size of a tennis court). . This makes it extremely efficient at absorbing alcohol into the bloodstream.
The key is to align your stomach with food, and according to experts, cheese works well, as it is a perfect combination of slow-release proteins and fats. For best effect, add a tablespoon of cabbage salad. Professor Masashi Matsushima, a gastroenterologist at Tokai University School of Medicine, says raw cabbage contains compounds that increase mucous membranes that protect the lining of the stomach and therefore help delay alcohol absorption. even more. No cabbage salad? Try sauerkraut, broccoli or asparagus.
CONSIDER HOW YOUR PARENTS DRINK
According to Dr. Asabe, hangover only affects if you consume more alcohol than your body can process, and the best way to avoid it is to know your personal limits.
Body size, sex and age are factors, but the most important thing is your genes.
Professor Matsushima recommends snacking on foods rich in a compound called taurine if you are not eating full before drinking (file image)
When alcohol is metabolized by the body, a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde is generated. This is what makes your face turn colored and trigger your worst hangover.
Luckily, the liver is able to produce a supply of enzymes that can convert acetaldehyde into non-toxic acetic acid, to pass them safely through the body. But the volume and efficiency of these enzymes is largely a matter of genetics.
So if your parents were “bon viveurs,” there’s a good chance you could have a drink or two; while if it comes from a long line of light weights, caution is advised. Keep in mind, too, that our ability to metabolize alcohol decreases with age. Enzyme production decreases and our ability to retain water in the body decreases by 1% per year from the age of 40. This means that blood alcohol levels can rise faster.
SQUIDS OF THE DAY, CEREAL AT NIGHT
If you’re not sitting on a full meal, snacking strategically with selected foods can help keep your liver struggling to process the alcohol you’ve taken. Professor Matsushima recommends foods rich in a compound called taurine (such as octopus and squid) or an amino acid called L-cysteine (found in sesame and sunflower seeds and soybeans). Dr. Asabe emphasizes the importance of proteins, which break down into liver-supporting amino acids; and vitamin B1, which is depleted by alcohol and must be replenished to avoid feeling exhumed the next day. Their best recommendations are pork, fish eggs and macadamia nuts, or put them in a bowl of fortified breakfast cereals before bedtime.
COME TO A SPORTS DRINK
The authors of The Japanese Guide To Healthy Drinking recommend drinking an electrolytic drink if you get to the end of a long night without drinking enough water (file image)
Alcohol has a strong diuretic effect that leaves you dehydrated because it suppresses the production of an antidiuretic hormone produced in the pituitary gland. This is what can lead to frequent trips to the toilet. In fact, the effect is so strong that you can end up discharging more than one and a half times the volume of liquid you actually drink.
Ideally, alternate each alcoholic beverage with a glass of water, equaling the volumes as you go. But if you get to the end of a long night and realize that you haven’t been charging with water as advised, an electrolyte drink (such as Alka-Seltzer sodas or a sports drink) will help with water retention. to the body while you sleep.
INSTEAD OF BEER, TRY A SEARCH
Former Akita University professor of medicine Yukio Takizawa says drinking sake every day could provide increased health (image from file)
Although the Japanese enjoy beer (and now, increasingly, wine), they still like the national drink, sake, and studies have shown that this fermented rice wine could be very good for the your health. Sake has antioxidant properties and experts such as Yukio Takizawa, a former professor of medicine at Akita University, believe that drinking a small glass every day can provide increased health.
The amino acids in question are believed to help regulate energy levels, hormones and the immune system, preserve the digestive tract, protect against dementia, and even help protect against diabetes.
“Biologically active peptides improve the insulin susceptibility of a diabetic patient and reduce the risk of heart disease such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis,” he says.
TRY NOT TO HAVE “ONLY ONE MORE”
Dr. Asabe recommends quitting as soon as you think you want “just one more” (file image)
While too much alcohol is never good, there is compelling scientific evidence that certain alcohol consumption may be better for your health than none.
A long-term study of 140,000 people concluded that the secret to maintaining a good relationship with alcohol for a long period of time, while staying healthy, is to drink a moderate amount, have “dry” days, follow a healthy diet and exercise.
But, according to Dr. Asabe, a crucial factor is knowing when to stop and then doing it. Professor Takizawa (who admits to drinking a cup of sake every night) defends defending himself from “when he’s slightly bewildered,” but Dr. Asabe’s rule is firm: stop drinking as soon as you feel you want “just one more.” .
DO NOT DRINK MENOPAUSE
Dr. Kazue Yoshino, of the Yoshino Women’s Clinic, said that nothing can be obtained based on alcohol during menopause (file image)
During menopause, reduced estrogen production unbalances the autonomic nervous system, which controls the dilation of blood vessels. This can cause some women to retire or become depressed.
“You can’t get away with it depending on alcohol during this period,” warns Dr. Kazue Yoshino of the Yoshino Women’s Clinic, admitting that during menopause it is tempting to “get in the bottle”. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with having a drink from time to time, but it’s dangerous to rely on drinking like a crutch.
Women who go through menopause should take special care with insomnia. “Don’t try to consume alcohol,” Dr. Yoshino advises. “Try to avoid caffeinated drinks later in the day or lie down before bed.”
When it comes to avoiding weight gain during menopause, it is better to choose spirits like Japanese shochu instead of beer. Wine has a “relatively low sugar content,” so it’s better than brewed drinks, and ultra-dry wine has less sugar than a medium or dessert wine.
GIVE YOURSELF A “HOLIDAY HOLIDAY”
According to the authors, the term “holiday to the liver” is a Japanese way of saying “don’t drink every day”.
“If you drink alcohol every day, your liver will repeatedly break it down into acetaldehyde,” says Dr. Shoichiro Tsugane of the National Cancer Center of Japan. “But routinely processing this ‘poison’ every day is a huge burden on cells.” An alcohol consumption plan is recommended that allows the liver at least two days off each week.
If you say, “I can’t drink tonight, but I can tomorrow,” it shouldn’t sound so bad.
Adapted by Louise Atkinson from The Japanese Guide To Healthy Drinking, by Kaori Haishi and Dr. Shinichi Asabe (£ 14.99, Robinson), out now. © Kaori Haishi and Dr Shinichi Asabe 2020. To order a copy for £ 13.29 (offer valid until 11/21/21), visit mail shop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193. Free P&P for on orders over 15 GBP.