9 Reasons to Refuse to Drink Elegantly, Each One is More Brilliant than the Other (Keep It to Yourself)

The Spring Festival is a lively festival, with friends and family sitting around a table, toasting and enjoying the joy of reunion. However, for many people, this joy is often overshadowed by "urging people to drink".

Faced with such a "difficult problem", many people can't help but feel embarrassed or even helpless. Today, we will teach you nine reasons that can effectively refuse to drink without offending the other person's so-called "face".

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

Reason 1

I have to drive today, so I can't drink

Alcohol weakens the brain's inhibitory control mechanism, causing the driver to be unable to effectively inhibit inappropriate behavior, making them more likely to engage in dangerous driving behaviors, such as driving too fast; it also weakens perception and motor control capabilities, manifesting as prolonged reaction time, imprecise operation, and lane deviation. What's more worrying is that drivers don't realize that their driving ability has significantly decreased due to drinking. Studies have found that for every 0.02% increase in blood alcohol concentration, fatal driving injuries will increase by 74%.

For drivers, refusing to drink is not only a compliance with the law, but also a responsibility to themselves, their families and all road users. Every drunk driving is a potential tragedy. The Spring Festival is a time for family reunion, so why let alcohol destroy this warmth and safety?

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

This reason for refusing to drink usually works, after all, the law also stipulates that you cannot drink and drive. But you still have to be careful, the other party may ask for a designated driver, at this time, we can use other ways to refuse to drink.

Effectiveness Index: ★★★★✰

Reason 2

I'm losing weight, my coach doesn't let me drink

For people who are trying to lose weight, drinking may be the biggest "hidden enemy".

Alcohol changes the body's metabolic mechanism. After drinking, alcohol metabolites promote the accumulation of fat inside the body, especially visceral fat. Not only that, drinking also affects people's choice of food. Whether before, after, or even the next day, people tend to eat high-calorie foods to buffer the discomfort caused by alcohol or to sober up. It also makes people eat more.

Therefore, for those who are trying to lose weight, drinking alcohol will only ruin all their efforts.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

Drinking does affect people's metabolism, and we also have the term "beer belly". This terminology is a method, but it only works for people who understand you.

Effectiveness Index: ★★★

Reason 3

I blush when I drink alcohol, my alcohol metabolism is poor

Blushing after drinking is particularly common among the Chinese population. This is because although we can quickly convert ethanol into acetaldehyde, about one-third of Chinese people cannot quickly convert acetaldehyde into acetic acid. Acetaldehyde accumulates in the body, dilates blood vessels, and causes blushing.

Blushing is only a superficial phenomenon caused by acetaldehyde. Inside the body, acetaldehyde, as a type of carcinogen, can cause reactions such as headaches, vomiting, and accelerated heartbeat. It can also increase the risk of oropharyngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, and colorectal cancer.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

Yes, "blushing after drinking means you can drink" has always been a misunderstanding. On the contrary, people who blush after drinking are not good at drinking. The good thing about this method is that it is highly credible. After all, a glass of wine "on your face" can prove that you really can't drink. But it is still recommended that you don't open the first glass. After all, after the first glass, you may not be able to resist the second and third glass.

Effectiveness Index: ★★★★

Reason 4

My physical examination showed abnormalities and I cannot drink alcohol.

Some physical examination indicators are abnormal and may not require treatment for the time being, but drinking alcohol will make the situation worse.

For example, mild fatty liver can be restored to normal by controlling diet and exercising moderately, but drinking alcohol can cause the fatty liver to worsen, even to the level of cirrhosis or liver cancer. For another example, mild to moderate elevation of uric acid (≤770μmol/L for men and ≤600μmol/L for women) can be restored by controlling diet, increasing exercise, and losing weight. Continuing to drink, especially beer, may further increase uric acid to the level where medication is necessary.

This method is also very effective. For example, a sentence like "I just found out that my uric acid level is a little high. It's New Year's Day, so please don't make me go to the hospital again later" can stop a lot of drinking.

Effectiveness Index: ★★★★

Reason 5

I'm sick and the doctor said I can't drink

Alcohol affects multiple systems throughout the body, which may aggravate existing diseases or even cause critical situations. Drinking alcohol may make some diseases worse, such as gastritis, liver disease, pancreatitis, hypertension, and diabetes, and many diseases can be induced by drinking alcohol, such as pancreatitis, arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathy.

The following situations may be life-threatening.

In fact, you don't have to answer in such detail. Just say "stomach/liver... not good" and you can turn down many drinks. If the other party asks again, just say that you have gastritis/fatty liver, etc. If you really have these diseases, remember not to drink. Of course, this routine also has its shortcomings. For example, if you say that you have a bad stomach, you may not be able to justify eating a lot of fish and meat.

Effectiveness Index: ★★★★✰

Reason 6

I'm on medication, I really can't drink

Alcohol can interact with certain drugs, increase the side effects of the drugs, or reduce the efficacy of the drugs, so do not drink alcohol while taking the drugs. Especially some drugs, taking them with alcohol is very dangerous!

Compiled from reference [13]

The reason is simple. Even if you are not taking medicine, it is harmless to carry a medicine box with you to pretend. If you are really taking medicine, it is most convincing to take the medicine for the day on the spot.

Effectiveness Index: ★★★★★

Reason seven

I'm allergic to alcohol, it could be fatal

The ethanol, biogenic amines and sulfite additives in alcoholic beverages may cause allergic reactions, such as rhinitis, itching, facial swelling, headache, cough and asthma. Asians are more likely to have allergic reactions because of their weaker ability to metabolize acetaldehyde. People with allergies must avoid drinking, otherwise it may be life-threatening.

Alcohol allergy is a very serious matter. Fortunately, people are gradually becoming more aware of alcohol allergy. And the advantage of this excuse is that it does not require proof and does not affect your normal eating and drinking. It is a very good way. But the disadvantage is that you should not be found drinking in other places.

Effectiveness Index: ★★★★★

Reason 8

We are trying to get pregnant, so we can't drink alcohol

During the period of preparing for pregnancy, both men and women will have a negative impact on the baby. Studies have found that women who drink alcohol in the first three months of pregnancy have a significantly increased risk of giving birth to babies with low birth weight, lower birth percentiles and premature babies, and a higher risk of neonatal infection. Men who drink alcohol in the first three months of pregnancy may increase the risk of behavioral problems in children, such as anxiety/depression, thinking problems, and sleep problems.

Copyright images in the gallery. Reprinting and using them may lead to copyright disputes.

For young couples, this can be a very good reason to refuse to drink. You don't have to pretend to be sick, and you can get everyone's blessings. But please note that it is best if you are really trying to get pregnant. Otherwise, if you use this reason every year...

Effectiveness Index: ★★★

Reason 9

No reason needed to refuse drinking

Instead of making up excuses, just tell the other person directly, “I’m sorry, I really don’t want to drink.”

Alcohol can affect almost all major organs of the human body, ranging from single tissues to complex organ systems.

In the central nervous system, alcohol inhibits nerve conduction activity, destroys brain cells and causes nerve damage. This not only manifests as short-term coordination disorders and memory loss, but may also cause long-term brain atrophy and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, drinking alcohol can aggravate the symptoms of patients with neurological diseases such as epilepsy and increase the risk of sudden death.

The harm of alcohol to the cardiovascular system cannot be ignored. Studies have shown that long-term drinking can cause high blood pressure, induce hypertension and arrhythmia, and even increase the risk of stroke. If you consume more than 14 grams of alcohol per day, the risk of atrial fibrillation will increase significantly.

In the digestive system, alcohol can damage the pancreas and liver, leading to acute or chronic pancreatitis and alcoholic liver disease. Alcoholic cirrhosis has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and women are at higher risk even if they drink a small amount of alcohol.

In addition, alcohol is closely related to the occurrence of many cancers, including gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer and breast cancer. Acetaldehyde produced by alcohol metabolism is a known carcinogen that can cause DNA damage and increase the possibility of cancer.

If you want to persuade the other person in a more tactful way, you can just say "It's Chinese New Year, let's eat something healthy." But in fact, whether to drink or not is a personal choice, not an obligation at the table. Even if it's not alcohol, but other beverages, if you don't like it, you don't like it, and if you don't want to drink it, you don't want to drink it. No one should force another person to do something he doesn't want to do. The Spring Festival should be a happy day to get together with relatives and friends. Don't let the bad habits of drinking change the taste of the Spring Festival.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone to drink less and not drink excessively; I hope everyone will not be persuaded to drink and have a happy Spring Festival!

References

[1] FillmoreMT, BlackburnJS, HarrisonEL. Acutedisinhibitingeffectsofalcoholasafactorinriskydrivingbehavior.DrugAlcoholDepend.2008;95(1-2):97-106.

[2]GarrissonH,ScholeyA,VersterJC,etal.Effects of alcoholintoxicationondrivingperformance,confidenceindrivingability,andpsychomotorfunction:arandomized,double-blind,placebo-controlledstudy.Psychopharmacology(Berl).2022;239(12):3893-3902.

[3]TaylorB,RehmJ.Therelationshipbetweenalcoholconsumptionandfatalmotorvehicleinjury:highriskatlowalcohollevels.AlcoholClinExpRes.2012;36(10):1827-34.

[4]LieberCS.Relationshipsbetweennutrition,alcoholuse,andliverdisease.AlcoholResHealth.2003;27(3):220-31.

[5]ScottS, MuirC, SteadM, etal. Exploring the links between unhealthyeating behavior and heavy alcohol use in the social, emotional and cultural lives of young adults (aged18-25): Aqualitativeresearchstudy.Appetite.2020;144:104449.

[6]KwokA,DordevicAL,PatonG,etal.Effectofalcoholconsumptiononfoodenergyintake:asystematicreviewandmeta-analysis.BrJNutr.2019;121(5):481-495.

[7]El-SayedMS,AliN,El-SayedAliZ.Interactionbetweenalcoholandexercise:physiologicalandhaematologicalimplications.SportsMed.2005;35(3):257-69.

[8]El-SayedMS,AliN,El-SayedAliZ.Interactionbetweenalcoholandexercise:physiologicalandhaematologicalimplications.SportsMed.2005;35(3):257-69.

[9] A reason to refuse alcohol elegantly (not cephalosporin)

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kcx8vjieXW5WDDYGRBZKIg

[10]MooreAA,WhitemanEJ,WardKT.Risksofcombinedalcohol/medicationuseinolderadults.AmJGeriatrPharmacother.2007;5(1):64-74.

[11]VargheseJ,DakhodeS.EffectsofAlcoholConsumptiononVariousSystemsoftheHumanBody:ASystematicReview.Cureus.2022;14(10):e30057.

[12]EnglerPA,RamseySE,SmithRJ.Alcoholuseofdiabetespatients:theneedforassessmentandintervention.ActaDiabetol.2013;50(2):93-9.

[13]MooreAA,WhitemanEJ,WardKT.Risksofcombinedalcohol/medicationuseinolderadults.AmJGeriatrPharmacother.2007;5(1):64-74.

[14]TraccisF,PresciuttiniR,PaniPP,etal.Alcohol-medicationinteractions:Asystematicreviewandmeta-analysisofplacebo-controlledtrials.NeurosciBiobehavRev.2022;132:519-541.

[15]EhlersI,HiplerUC,ZuberbierT,etal.Ethanolasacauseofhypersensitivityreactionstoalcoholicbeverages.ClinExpAllergy.2002;32(8):1231-5.

[16] VallyH,ThompsonPJ.Allergicandasthmaticreactionstoalcoholicdrinks.AddictBiol.2003;8(1):3-11.

[17]BujandaL.The effects of alcohol consumption up on thegastrointestinaltract.AmJGastroenterol.2000;95(12):3374-82.

[18] NykjaerC,AlwanNA,GreenwoodDC,etal.Maternalalcoholintakepriortoandduringpregnancyandriskofadversebirthoutcomes:evidencefromaBritishcohort.JEpidemiolCommunityHealth.2014;68(6):542-9.

[19]AspJ,BergmanL,LagerS,etal.Alcoholexposurepriortopregnancy-doeshazardousconsumptionaffectplacenta-andinflammatory-mediatedpregnancyoutcomes?ASwedishpopulation-basedcohortstudy.ActaObstetGynecolScand.2022;101(12):1386-1394.

[20] Luan M, Zhang

Planning and production

Author: Jiang Yongyuan, Master of Internal Medicine, Third Military Medical University

Reviewer: Liu Ziqi, Chief Pharmacist, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University

Zhang Yu, researcher at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, national health science expert