INVC,,
Delhi,,
Somrasa or Shiva’s drink is not beneficial for all. The susceptible may end up with complications, said Dr. K.K. Aggarwal, Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee and President, Heart Care Foundation of India.
Conditions that generally contraindicate any alcohol use include personal or strong family history of alcoholism, previous hemorrhagic stroke, hepatic or pancreatic disease, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, underlying low functioning heart, children and adolescents, individuals of any age who cannot restrict their drinking to moderate levels, women who may become pregnant or who are pregnant, individuals who plan to drive, operate machinery, or take part in other activities that requires attention, skill, or coordination, individuals taking prescription or over-the-counter medications that can interact with alcohol and persons recovering from alcoholism. Alcohol use should be limited in patients with other conditions, including active gastritis, esophagitis, pre-malignant GI lesions such as Barrett’s esophagus, or a strong family history of breast cancer.
According to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Published in the edition of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research in men, alcohol frequency and quantity had opposite effects on cardiovascular mortality. The greater the amount of alcohol that men consumed on drinking days, the greater was their risk for death from cardiovascular disease.
Men who had five or more drinks on drinking days had a 30 percent greater risk for cardiovascular mortality than men who had just one drink per drinking day. Alcohol quantity was also associated with increased mortality from cancer among men.
On the other hand, frequency of drinking was associated with decreased risk for death from cardiovascular disease among men — those who reported drinking 120 to 365 days per year had about 20 percent lower cardiovascular mortality than men who drank just one to 36 days per year.
Among women, frequent drinking was associated with a significantly increased risk of cancer, while increased quantity was associated with risk for mortality from all causes.
Regular drink is 30 ml (10 grams) of whisky and a large Patiala drink is 60 ml (20gms) of whisky.
Large drink is 45 ml (American peg, 15 gms alcohol). Large drink, 45 ml is equal to 12 fluid ounces (360 ml) of regular beer, 5 fluid ounces (150 ml) of wine, and 1.5 fluid ounces (45 ml) of 80-proof distilled spirit. An ideal dose (safe limit) of alcohol is 6 grams per day for men and 4 grams for the women.
Drinking in moderation is defined as having no more than 1 drink per day for women and no more than 2 drinks per day for men (American peg). This definition of moderation is not intended as an average over several days but rather as the amount consumed on any single day.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines “at risk” or binge drinking as consuming greater than 14 drinks per week or four drinks per occasion ( over 2 hours) for men and greater than 7 drinks per week or three drinks per occasion for women. This brings the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level to 0.08% or above.
Heavy drinking: is consuming an average of more than 2 drinks per day (more than 90 ml of whisky). For women, consuming an average of more than 1 drink per day (more than 45 ml of whisky).
Any drinking less than moderate is light drinking. Alcoholic beverages supply calories but provide few essential nutrients. 500 calories takes extra every day can increase the weight by 2 kg per month.
