Friday, December 14, 2012

Functions of the Liver, Cirrhosis, Natural foods to help the Liver


Functions of the Liver:

-- building of proteins
-- production of hormones
-- helps in the body's metabolism
-- extraction and storage of energy
-- filtering and removal of toxins that are harmful to the body
-- helps the digestive system by producing chemicals needed to digest the food we eat
-- and many more...


Cirrhosis:

-- a liver disease commonly caused by habitually drinking excessive alcohol.


Natural ways to help the liver:

-- drink 7-10 glasses of water everyday
-- drink green tea
-- drink lemon juice
-- eat organic foods
-- eat foods rich in fiber
-- avoid junk foods
-- avoid refined and processed foods
-- don't smoke
-- don't drink alcohol


Natural foods that help the liver:

-- beet greens
-- dandelion greens
-- dark berries
-- Jerusalem artichoke
-- kale
-- limes
-- pomegranate

Effects of beer on the body: How many beers before getting drunk


Blood Alcohol Concentration

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is a number from 0.01 to 0.50 indicating the percentage of alcohol present in a person's blood by volume. A person who has a BAC level of 0.08 means that 0.08 percent of his/her blood is alcohol.

What Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is considered illegal when driving?

In most countries, driving with a BAC greater than 0.08% is considered illegal and a criminal offence. For an average person, drinking 6 to 7 bottles of beer (5% alcohol by volume) in a 2-hour period will result in 0.08% BAC.  Having 0.10% BAC is considered to be legally drunk. Effects of 0.20 to 0.29 BAC include stupor, loss of reasoning/understanding, loss of consciousness, and memory blackout. A BAC of 0.30 to 0.50 may lead to severe nervous system, bladder, heart, and breathing problems and worse conditions leading to death.

What is the equivalent of 1 drink?

On average and in common usage, One Drink is equivalent to:
1 bottle of beer (12 oz.)
1 glass of wine (3 oz. to 5 oz.)
1 shot of hard liquor (1 oz. to 1.5 oz.)

Pint of Beer

Note that 1 pint of beer is larger that the normal 12-oz beer bottle. One US pint is equal to 16 US ounces (16 US oz.). This is equal to 473 mL. This is approximately 1 and 1/3 of a normal bottle or glass of beer. One imperial pint used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and in other Commonwealth nations is equal to 20 imperial fluid ounces (568 mL).

Factors affecting how fast or slow a person gets drunk

Getting drunk depends from person to person. Everyone has its own limit before getting drunk. The number of glasses a person has to drink before getting drunk is different from another person. There are a number of factors to consider for a person to get drunk faster or slower. These major factors include:
1. Person's Weight
2. Tolerance level (whether your body is used to alcohol or not)
3. Food consumed prior and while drinking
4. Metabolism
5. Physical condition of the person
6. Age
7. Gender
8. Drugs and medication taken

Alcohol Metabolism

Metabolism refers to the process in which our body converts food and other substances into energy. It is a measure of how fast our body burns and uses energy. On average, a human liver can metabolize or process 1 drink of alcohol in 1 hour. Going back to the definition of one drink, this means our body can normally process:
1 bottle of beer per hour
1 glass of wine per hour
1 shot of hard drink per hour

A good observation from this analysis will lead you to conclude that if you consume more than 1 drink per hour, the faster you will get drunk, because your liver will have a hard time to process the extra alcohol. As a general rule, have 1 to 2 drinks within a one-hour period.

How many beers can you drink before getting drunk?

As mentioned above, it varies in every person. For an average person, drinking 6 to 7 bottles of beer with 4 to 5% alcohol within a 2 hour period will get you drunk. A bottle or can of beer is based on a 12 ounce (oz.) with 341 ml to 355 ml.

Rule of Thumb, Control Pacing and Timing

To control your drinking and avoid getting drunk faster, a good rule of thumb, according to most people, is to drink 2 bottles of beer per hour. But this is relatively slow especially when drinking with friends and there's pressure on yourself and they are teasing you that you are drinking too slow. Over a 3 hour period, drinking 6 to 7 bottles of beer (4 to 5 % alcohol by volume) is a good pace and timing for controlled drinking.

Six Pack of Beer

Again, as a general rule on controlled drinking, pacing, and timing, consume a six-pack of beer (5% alc.) within 5 to 6 hours.

Average Effects of Number of Drinks within a 2-hour period


Drinks
1 to 3 = slight impairment
4 to 5 = medium impairment, advise not to drive
6 to 7 = severe impairment, don't drive
 
Feeling effects of average drinkers


1 to 2 drinks = slightly tipsy
3 to 4 drinks = tipsy, buzzed, relaxed, happy, talkative
5 to 6 drinks = mildly, medium drunk, starts to lose balance, blunted feelings
7 to 8 drinks = hit hard, depth perception, peripheral vision, and eye focus problems start
9 to 10 drinks = drunk, puke, vomit
over 10 drinks = severely drunk, dangerous