After the year we’ve all had, are we really going to do Dry January when raising a glass with members of our bubble seems like one of the few treats we have left?
The next few weeks will be tough enough without a vino or cocktail to look forward to. No, what we need in January is not to stop drinking, but to drink differently, so we minimize the damage to ourselves while maximizing the relief from terrifying news.
And, hurray, that’s entirely possible, according to a book called The Japanese Guide to Healthy Drinking, co-written by a sake-loving doctor – and no less – a liver specialist named Dr. Shinichi Asabe. Already a huge hit in Japan, the book offers science-based advice on how to make your way through a long and healthy life without requiring abstinence.
Of course, there is nothing good to be gained from drinking too much, and all medics would advise that moderation is key. But follow the Japanese Guide and you can continue soliciting this month and beyond, the authors say. Here’s how. . .
Dr Shinichi Asabe shares science-based advice for a healthy life including alcohol in a book called The Japanese Guide to Healthy Drinking (file image)
EAT CHEESE BEFORE YOU HAVE A DRINK
Japanese drinking practices aim to slow down the rate at which alcohol is absorbed, to prolong that slightly itchy feeling without the highs and lows caused by drinking too much, too quickly.
One way to give your body enough time to metabolize alcohol slowly is to keep it in your stomach for as long as possible.
Your stomach only absorbs a small amount of alcohol – about 5 percent of what you consume. But once it leaves the stomach, alcohol hits the small intestine, which is lined with finger-like structures called villi, which give it a vastly larger surface area (about the size of a tennis court). This makes it extremely efficient to absorb alcohol into the bloodstream.
The key is to fill your stomach with food – and experts say cheese works well because it’s a perfect combination of slow-release protein and fat. For best effect, add a spoonful of coleslaw. Professor Masashi Matsushima, a gastroenterologist at Tokai University School of Medicine, says raw cabbage contains compounds that strengthen the mucous membranes that protect the stomach lining, further slowing alcohol intake. No coleslaw? Instead, try sauerkraut, broccoli, or asparagus.
CONSIDER HOW YOUR PARENTS DRINK
According to Dr. Asabe only strikes a hangover if you drink more alcohol than your body can handle – and the best way to avoid one is to know your personal limits.
Body size, gender, and age are factors, but the most important are your genes.
Professor Matsushima recommends snacking on foods rich in a substance called taurine if you don’t eat a full meal before drinking (image)
When alcohol is metabolized by the body, a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde is generated. This is what makes your face blush and causes your worst hangovers.
Fortunately, your liver is able to produce a supply of enzymes that can convert acetaldehyde into non-toxic acetic acid so that they can be safely eliminated from the body. But the volume and efficiency of these enzymes is largely a matter of genetics.
So if your parents were “bon vivants,” chances are you can handle a drink or two; However, if you come from a long line of lightweights, caution is advised. Also note that our ability to metabolize alcohol decreases with age. Enzyme production declines and our ability to retain water in the body declines by 1 percent per year from the age of 40. That means that blood alcohol levels can escalate more quickly.
CALAMARI DAYTIME, CEREALS BY NIGHT
If you don’t sit down for a full meal, snacking strategically on selected foods can help support the liver as it struggles to process the alcohol you’ve been sucking up. Professor Matsushima recommends foods rich in a substance called taurine (such as octopus and squid) or an amino acid called L-cysteine (found in sesame and sunflower seeds and soybeans). Dr. Asabe emphasizes the importance of protein, which is broken down into amino acids that support the liver; and vitamin B1, which is depleted by alcohol and must be supplemented to keep you from feeling exhausted the next day. Pork, fish roe and macadamia nuts are his top recommendations, or tuck into a bowl of fortified cereal before bed.
REACH FOR A SPORTS DRINK
The authors of The Japanese Guide to Healthy Drinking recommend drinking an electrolyte drink when you reach the end of a long night without drinking enough water (file image)
Alcohol has a strong diuretic effect that makes you dehydrated because it suppresses the production of an anti-diuretic hormone produced in the pituitary gland. This is what can lead to regular trips to the toilet. In fact, the effect is so strong that you can easily dispense more than 1.5 times the amount of liquid you actually drink.
Ideally, alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water, adjusting the amounts to your liking. But if you come to the end of a long night and realize that you haven’t refilled water as advised, an electrolyte drink (such as carbonated Alka-Seltzer tablets or a sports drink) will help retain water in the body while you sleep. . .
INSTEAD OF BEER, TRY SOME SAKE
Former professor of medicine at Akita University Yukio Takizawa, claims that drinking sake every day can give a health boost (file image)
While the Japanese enjoy beer (and now, increasingly, wine), they still love their national drink, sake – and studies have shown that this fermented rice wine can actually be very good for your health. Sake has antioxidant properties, and experts including Yukio Takizawa, a former professor of medicine at Akita University, believe that drinking a small glass every day can provide a health boost.
The amino acids in sake are believed to help regulate energy levels, hormones and the immune system, protect the digestive tract, protect against dementia, and even help protect against diabetes.
“The biologically active peptides in sake improve the insulin sensitivity of a diabetic patient and reduce the risks of heart conditions such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis,” he says.
DON’T TRY TO HAVE ‘JUST ONE MORE’
Dr Asabe recommends that you stop drinking as soon as you think you want ‘just one more’ (file image)
While too much alcohol is never a good thing, there is compelling scientific evidence that drinking some could be better for your health than none.
A long-term study of 140,000 people concluded that the secret to maintaining a good relationship with alcohol over a long period of time while staying healthy is to drink a moderate amount, have ‘dry’ days, stick to a healthy diet to hold and some exercise.
But according to Dr Asabe, a crucial factor is knowing when to stop – and then to do it. Professor Takizawa (who admits to having a cup of sake every night) advocates stopping ‘if you’re a little tipsy’, but Dr. Asabe’s rule is firm: stop drinking as soon as you feel like you’re just one more want.
DO NOT DRINK THE MENOPAUSE
Dr. Kazue Yoshino, of the Yoshino Women’s Clinic, said nothing good can come of it depending on alcohol during menopause (image file)
During menopause, the reduced output of estrogen disrupts the autonomic nervous system, which controls the dilation of blood vessels. This can cause some women to become withdrawn or depressed.
“There can be nothing good about depending on alcohol during this time,” warns Dr. Kazue Yoshino of the Yoshino Women’s Clinic, admitting that during menopause it is tempting to “reach for the bottle.” There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a drink every once in a while, of course, but relying on drinking like a crutch is dangerous.
Women going through menopause should be especially careful about insomnia. “Try not to consume alcohol,” Dr. Yoshino advises. “Try to stay away from caffeinated drinks later in the day, or stretch before bed.”
To avoid weight gain during menopause, it is better to choose spirits like Japanese shochu instead of beer. Wine has ‘a relatively low sugar content’, so it is better than brewed drinks, and ultra-dry wine has less sugar than a medium or dessert wine.
GIVE YOURSELF A ‘DELIVERY HOLIDAY’
The term “liver vacation” is a Japanese way of saying “don’t drink every day,” say the authors.
“If you drink alcohol every day, the liver will repeatedly break it down to acetaldehyde,” says Dr. Shoichiro Tsugane of Japan’s National Cancer Center. “But the routine processing of that ‘poison’ every day is an enormous burden on the cells.” He recommends a drinking plan that allows your liver at least two days of rest per week.
If you say to yourself, “I can’t drink tonight, but I can tomorrow,” it shouldn’t seem that bad.
Adapted by Louise Atkinson from The Japanese Guide to Healthy Drinking, by Kaori Haishi and Dr. Shinichi Asabe (£ 14.99, Robinson), out now. © Kaori Haishi and Dr Shinichi Asabe 2020. To order a copy for £ 13.29 (offer valid until 11/1/21), go to email shop.co.uk/books or call 020 3308 9193. P&P free on orders over £ 15.