Avoid alcohol during holi celebrations

GREATER KAILASH, India - March 20, 2013 - PRLog -- Consumption of alcohol during holi can be dangerous. It makes one prone to accidents and drinkers may end up with quarrel unnecessarily, said Padmashri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal President Heart Care Foundation of India and National Vice President Elect IMA.

There is no evidence that non drinkers should start drinking during Holi and for social drinking one should restrict the intake to less than 80 grams per week or 80 ml per day.

Alcohol impairs the intellect, which in-turn impairs the power to judge individuals and discriminate between the opposites. The impairment in judgment can also lead to errors while driving leading to fatal accidents.

Three to four drinks are sufficient to raise the blood pressure to dangerously high levels in susceptible individuals. In patients who are prone to heart attacks, this dangerous rise in blood pressure can precipitate heart attack, paralysis and brain hemorrhage. The incidence of paralytic attacks is found to be high within 24 hours of heavy drinking.

Binge drinking (more than 5 pegs in one hour or six pegs in a day) is also associated with irregular heartbeats and increased incidence of sudden death. Heart and high blood pressure patients are therefore specifically cautioned not to indulge into heavy drinking.

Drinking one peg of alcohol (one ounce) in one hour can still be considered as safe (social drinking) as this amount of alcohol can be totally metabolized by the liver during one hour.

Consuming six tablets of paracetamol with alcohol, which is a common practice to reduce the hang-over specifically by women, can produce fatal liver damage. Taking aspirin, also, to reduce the hang-over can produce fatal hemorrhage in the stomach and hence should be avoided. The festival of Holi is to share happiness with each other while forgetting all the differences.

Similarly the practice of consuming bhang, which can cause impairment in judgment and brain functioning, should also be avoided, added Dr Neelam Mohan Director Hepatology at Medanta Medcity.

Those who cannot restrict should only take red wine as it contains anti-oxidants, polyphenols that slow cell deterioration. They also prevent plaque buildup and inhibit platelet formation. Natural sources of poly phenols are grape seeds, grape skin, aloevera, green tea, chocolate and cocoa. The types of polyphenols in cocoa are flavonoids and flavanols, and contain catechins, epicatechins, and procyandins.