As the saying goes, “A thousand glasses of wine is a good thing to have” and “No wine is a good thing to have”. In China, wine has a long history of more than 5,000 years and has become an essential part of people’s lives. To prepare wine for guests, red and white celebrations to drink, the New Year’s festivities more to drink. Especially in the past 30 years of reform and opening up, people’s material living standards have improved significantly, and people’s misconceptions about drinking wine, such as its analgesic and cardioprotective effects, warmth and protection from cold, relief of boredom and hypnosis, have shown the importance of wine in people’s lives, and the consumption of wine has increased significantly every year. However, while people drink, we must face the reality: 2006 World Health Organization data show that at least 110,000 people in China die each year from alcohol poisoning caused by excessive drinking. in January 2008, the Chinese Health Association and the Chinese Medical Association reported on the “Survey on the Health Drinking Status of People in 25 Provinces in China”, 39% of respondents were non-healthy drinkers, and 59% of respondents admitted that excessive Drinking alcohol is harmful to health, but due to the influence of bad drinking “culture”, such as the need to drink to the fullest, the quality of alcohol depends on the character of the person, the quantity of alcohol depends on the courage, the quantity of alcohol is associated with personal quality, and there are some bad social customs, such as drinking to pave the future, drinking to get rich and official, etc.. These phenomena lead to people’s personal actions and subconscious on indulgence in drinking. Long-term excessive drinking is bound to cause harm to people’s bodies. Therefore, we must drink alcohol scientifically and healthily. At present, experts believe that healthy drinking is not harmful to the body. For this reason, the Chinese Medical Association has issued a domestic “Drinking Guide” to urge people to drink healthily. The Drinking Guide states that healthy drinking means drinking no more than 15 grams of alcohol per day. Excessive drinking can lead to alcoholic liver damage, including alcoholic fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, and in a few cases, even liver cancer. However, in China, there is no unified standard for excessive drinking, and men between the ages of 25 and 65 have more opportunities to socialize and drink more. In general, excessive drinking refers to drinking more than 40 grams of alcohol per day for men and more than 20 grams of alcohol for women.
Daily life and precautions for patients with alcoholic liver disease
Long-term excessive alcohol consumption leads to alcoholic liver damage due to the toxic effects of acetaldehyde, a metabolite of alcohol, on liver cells. Alcoholic liver damage is a chronic and progressive process, with the early manifestation of alcoholic fatty liver, most patients have no obvious symptoms and are often found during health checkups. If alcohol consumption is not controlled, it can develop into alcoholic hepatitis, with patients experiencing symptoms such as pain in the liver area, indigestion, loss of appetite, abdominal distension, and abnormal liver functions on examination. At this time, if alcohol consumption is not treated in time or strictly controlled, it can easily develop into alcoholic liver fibrosis and alcoholic cirrhosis, with ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with alcoholic liver disease, at different stages of the disease, can develop nutritional metabolism disorders, such as combined diabetes, heart and kidney diseases. Therefore, a good daily routine for patients with alcoholic liver disease is more important than drug treatment.
(I) Alcoholic fatty liver
At this stage, patients are often accompanied by metabolic syndrome, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus or abnormal glucose tolerance. A survey report shows that the prevalence of fatty liver is increasing in parallel with diabetes. In fatty liver, the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, lipid metabolism disorders, coronary heart disease and stroke is significantly higher. Therefore, the daily life of patients at this stage should be scientific and reasonable.
1, strict control of alcohol consumption: in actual life, alcohol is very difficult to control in people’s daily life, and it is almost impossible to ask these people to quit alcohol completely. Simple alcoholic fatty liver patients to control the amount of alcohol consumption is the key, but, for these people to what extent wine control is most appropriate? There is no unified understanding, but it is recommended that these people drink no more than the standard amount of healthy drinking and reduce the number of drinks. If combined with other factors of liver damage, such as hepatitis virus infection, drug-related liver injury, etc., abstinence from alcohol is the key. Alcoholic fatty liver can gradually return to normal after 12 months of abstinence from alcohol.
2, good dietary habits: must pay attention to dietary regimen, low-fat diet, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, balanced diet. Maintain the normal metabolic state of blood lipids and blood sugar. Avoid eating greasy, less sweet and spicy food. Choose to eat “cold” food, such as cucumber, winter melon, bitter melon, bean sprouts, watermelon, etc. Eating, sleeping, resting, activities, all have to have a certain rule, to develop good habits.
3, a good mood: you can not use alcohol to kill your sorrow. A good mood, more than ten pairs of good medicine to relieve physical fatigue and pain, to regulate their mood, maintain a healthy and optimistic spirit, as well as a strong will and confidence. In case of simple alcoholic fatty liver, most of these people do not need special treatment, but they should go to the hospital regularly to check their health, find abnormalities and treat them in time. If combined with metabolic syndrome, it must be treated with appropriate medication under the guidance of a specialist.
4.Good lifestyle: life is exercise, strengthen exercise. According to your physical strength and endurance, choose the appropriate sports. Combine work and rest, appropriate activities, but do not overexert yourself. Choose some suitable sports for you, let’s say playing table tennis, swimming, tai chi, jogging, mobilize your limbs, while living a regular life and ensuring sufficient sleep.
(II) Alcoholic hepatitis
At this stage, the vast majority of patients can be accompanied by fatty liver. These patients often have clinical symptoms and abnormal liver function, and need to be examined in hospital. Strictly control the amount of alcohol consumption. As the saying goes: “three parts treatment, seven parts nourishment”. The so-called “health” way, including reasonable nutrition, good mood and proper rest.
1, abstinence from alcohol is the key: domestic research shows that most patients with alcoholic liver can show significant improvement in histology and liver function after 2 to 4 weeks of complete abstinence, and can even return to normal. Therefore, at this stage, in addition to medication-assisted treatment, it is necessary to abstain from alcohol.
2.Maintain good habits and lifestyle.
3.Maintain sufficient sleep and good mood.
4.According to physical strength, exercise appropriately.
(C) Alcoholic cirrhosis
This stage can be accompanied by alcoholic fatty liver and alcoholic hepatitis at the same time; the vast majority of patients are accompanied by different degrees of malnutrition. Quitting alcohol and improving nutrition is the key. To stop or reverse the progress of liver fibrosis, reduce complications and improve the quality of life.
1. Complete abstinence from alcohol is the key: abstinence from alcohol has significantly improved the 5-year survival rate for both compensated and decompensated cirrhosis patients. Therefore, in addition to medication-assisted treatment at this stage, complete abstinence from alcohol is necessary.
2, pay attention to diet: must pay attention to dietary regimen, low-fat diet, more fresh vegetables and fruits, balanced diet. Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis have varying degrees of malnutrition, especially to supplement the appropriate amount of high-quality protein such as lean meat, eggs, etc.. For patients with decompensated cirrhosis who are prone to hepatic encephalopathy, a high protein diet should be avoided. However, high quality vegetable protein can be used under the condition of intestinal patency to prevent elevated hemostatic ammonia. When eating, chew slowly, do not overeat, avoid rough food, raw vegetables, coarse fiber vegetables, avoid eating too hot, acid, spicy and other stimulating food, do not drink strong tea, coffee, etc. Pills should be taken orally by grinding and washing.
3, good mood and confidence to overcome the disease: to regulate their mood, maintain a healthy and optimistic spirit, as well as a strong will and confidence. Chinese medicine believes that the seven emotions should not be too much, too much will damage the organs. For example, “anger hurts the liver, happiness hurts the heart, thinking hurts the spleen, worry hurts the lungs, fear hurts the kidneys” and so on. If you have a strong character and an open mind, it will reduce the pain and enhance the immune function of the body, which will be conducive to the treatment and recovery of liver disease.
4.Good living habits.
(1) According to physical strength, exercise appropriately and do light physical activities.
(2) Avoid abdominal exertion, lifting heavy objects, and avoid great joy and grief.
(3) Do not cough hard.
(4) Keep the bowels open, avoid dry stools, apply laxatives if necessary, prevent straining to defecate and increase intra-abdominal pressure.
(5) Get enough sleep. Ensure that you sleep 8 hours a night and take a one-hour lunch break is enough. Prolonged lying will cause a decline in metabolism, nutritional disorders, poor blood flow, tendons and veins, so you can not lie in bed for a long time. Sleeping position in addition to the meal is generally better to lie on the right side, which can make sleep stable, comfortable and natural. If it is difficult to fall asleep, soak your feet in hot water before going to sleep, do health care massage or qigong, which can induce sleep and ensure the quality of sleep.
(6) Participate in as many group activities as possible. Also communicate more with doctors and patients, participate in cultural and sports activities appropriately, and adjust your mind, sometimes more important than medication.