Definition: drink without worries

Things to remember during the evening:
- Do not drink on an empty stomach; consume alcohol with food.
- Take a spoonful of oil before starting the festivities.
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with glasses of water to avoid dehydration, which causes headaches and other unpleasant symptoms the next day.
- Do not overindulge in salty snacks, which increase thirst.
- Avoid mixed drinks, sparkling drinks and sugar, which promote the passage of alcohol into the bloodstream. Cocktails and other mixed drinks with sugary beverages get you drunk faster than alcohol from a single drink such as wine, for example.
- Going outside and walking around the block while breathing deeply can help eliminate alcohol. Moving and dancing can also help.

And when the damage is done:
A sure sign!
- Drink plenty of water, herbal tea or broth.
- Drink fresh fruit juice rich in vitamin C.
- Opt for fizzy drinks (Coca-Cola, sparkling water, etc.) if you feel queasy. They aid digestion.
- Eat a hearty breakfast, even if you don't feel like it (toast or bread).
- Coffee is the best remedy for migraines. If that's not enough, take paracetamol (aspirin) or Alka-Seltzer.
- Get outside; walking or running is good for you. If you're not feeling up to it, try the sauna or swimming pool, which are also effective.
- If the pain persists, try an emetic. Salted coffee has proven effective!
Blood alcohol content, measured in grams per litre, varies depending on the amount of alcohol consumed over a given period of time; the size, weight, gender and metabolism of the consumer also influence blood alcohol content. In other words, a slim woman cannot hold her drink as well as a sumo wrestler! Given that alcohol is eliminated slowly from the blood, at a rate of 0.1‰ to 0.15‰ per hour, and that the alcohol level must not exceed 0.5‰ when driving, it may be wise to return home by taxi or with Nez rouge (0800 802 208).

Three misconceptions to forget:
- Drinking lots of water does not lower your blood alcohol level any faster.
- Drinking strong coffee does not lower your blood alcohol level, it just gives you the illusion of being awake.
- Eating does not lower your final blood alcohol level; it only delays the passage of alcohol into the bloodstream.
Tips:
Eat slowly.
Even if the menu is appetising, it is important to take the time to chew properly because saliva contains digestive enzymes which, as their name suggests, facilitate the digestion of food. This means that food will be digested more quickly when it reaches the digestive tract. Do not rush your food, eat slowly.
Tip: get up from the table.
Don't feel guilty that evening, feel free to get up from the table regularly. Sitting down does not aid digestion and compresses your stomach, especially if you are wearing clothes that are too tight. Taking a few steps, getting some fresh air on a balcony for example, will help you feel less heavy.

Avoid liver problems.
Indigestion (or liver crisis) manifests itself through a range of symptoms: nausea, headaches, etc. Do you have a heavy stomach, feel like vomiting, or find that your meal isn't going down well? This is the famous liver crisis. But curiously, the liver has nothing to do with it. Although this expression is commonly used, it is not correct. In fact, it is simply indigestion.
Digestive and neurological symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, a coated tongue, headaches, etc. are often associated with indigestion. Sometimes pain can also occur under the last rib on the right side. No, this is not the liver, but the gallbladder. When it contracts to release bile salts, which are useful for digestion, it can cause severe pain.
The cause: overly large meals, particularly those that are high in fat and accompanied by alcohol. The solution: simply give your digestive system a rest. In other words, say no to foie gras and meat in sauce. On the menu: broths, cooked fruit (homemade apple compote, for example), cooked vegetables, plain white rice. It's certainly restrictive, but it's the only way to get better.
And to avoid it: eat slowly (to aid digestion) and in moderation (don't overindulge in foie gras). Avoid pitfalls (fatty sauces, buttercream Yule logs, etc.). And if you know you won't be able to avoid a rich meal, take betaine citrate as a preventive measure. It will stimulate bile secretion and aid in the digestion of fats.

Treating a hangover:
For headaches, choose paracetamol over aspirin.
This time, we're talking about the liver. And for good reason, as it's the liver that acts as a cleaner when we drink too much alcohol. Thanks to an enzyme, the liver breaks down alcohol and its toxic elements. It then passes the baton to the kidneys, which eliminate them via the urinary tract. But sometimes, after a particularly boozy night, the liver can't keep up and quickly becomes overwhelmed. The toxic compounds in alcohol are no longer eliminated as effectively, and that's when your digestive system suffers!
Nausea, vomiting... This is the famous hangover. It is important to know that the total elimination of alcohol is very slow: 0.15 grams are eliminated in 1 hour. It therefore takes about 90 minutes to eliminate a single glass of alcohol. There is no miracle cure to eliminate all these symptoms at once. You therefore need to be patient and follow a few common-sense tips. Get some rest. If you wake up feeling dizzy and nauseous, the best thing to do is not to tire yourself out unnecessarily. Nothing beats a good night's sleep.
Don't overdo it: if you go to bed late, you won't necessarily have eliminated all the alcohol you consumed by the time you wake up. So give your stomach time to digest the excesses of the previous night. Avoid fatty foods that are harder to digest and, above all, alcohol. Eat very light meals (broth, for example) and stay well hydrated to help eliminate the alcohol.
Headache: paracetamol will relieve the pain. Avoid aspirin, which slows down the breakdown of alcohol.
Stomach ache: if your stomach does not tolerate alcohol well, you can relieve the pain with a gastric bandage. Also, note that sparkling water aids digestion. If your stomach is bothering you, you can take an antispasmodic.
Nausea and vomiting: standard anti-nausea medication will do the trick.

Gastroesophageal reflux:
Normally, the valve allows food to pass from the oesophagus to the stomach, then closes. In the stomach cavity, the food is broken down by gastric juices. In the case of gastro-oesophageal reflux, the cardia does not close properly. As a result, gastric juices can rise up into the oesophagus. If left untreated, this acid reflux can irritate the oesophageal wall and eventually lead to oesophagitis.

Flatulence - A normal phenomenon:
What could be more embarrassing than flatulence? Yet there is nothing abnormal about it. At the end of digestion, when food reaches the colon, it undergoes bacterial fermentation. The action of microbes on food causes the release of gases such as hydrogen and methane, which are expelled through the anus. However, certain factors can increase gas production. Foods rich in sugars (even aspartame) and fat promote fermentation and gas production. Factors that increase fermentation:

Aerophagia. This is the habit of swallowing air when eating and drinking. The accumulation of this swallowed air can cause bloating and flatulence. Certain foods are known to increase the fermentation process and gas production. Foods rich in sugar or starch (pasta, cereals, etc.), legumes (cabbage, raw vegetables), fatty and fermented cheeses, chocolate, etc.
Chewing gum and drinking fizzy drinks.
Lactose intolerance or, conversely, consuming large quantities of dairy products over a short period of time.
Anxiety and stress.
Constipation, which causes stool to accumulate, promoting bacterial fermentation and gas production. Certain digestive diseases such as Crohn's disease or bowel cancer.
If the disorder is associated with weight loss or, conversely, weight gain and swelling of the legs, consult your doctor. A change in eating habits or taking medication that absorbs gas in the digestive tract (such as activated charcoal granules) is usually sufficient to significantly reduce the feeling of bloating and flatulence.

Some figures:
500 kg is the average amount of food consumed by an adult in one year.
1.5 litres of saliva is produced every day.
The oesophagus is 25 cm long and 2-3 cm in diameter.
1.5 litres is the average capacity of the stomach.
The small intestine is 7 metres long. This consists of the duodenum (50 cm), the jejunum (5 metres) and the ileum (1 metre).
The large intestine (colon) is 1.5 metres long and 3 to 8 cm in diameter.
The digestive tract is 10 to 12 m long from the mouth to the anus.
8 to 10 litres of digested food, liquids and digestive juices pass through the digestive tract every day. Only 100 ml are eliminated in the stool.
12 to 25 litres of gas are produced and expelled every day.
24 to 72 hours is the time it takes to digest food from ingestion to defecation.

Partial source: Patricia Meunier, 17 December 2007 - Femina Santé.

External links below:

1) To access the "Alcohol ruler - How much can I drink?" which takes your personal parameters into account.

2) For further information: Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcoholism.