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A woman in her 30s in Gwangju recently died while on a so-called booze diet. She was under extreme pressure to lose weight, and after 10 days of only drinking alcohol for dinner while skipping breakfast and lunch, her system packed up.
Those on a liquor diet drink alcohol to lose weight, skipping breakfast and lunch and eating only side dishes with a drink for dinner. Some then throw up to ruin their appetite for the next morning. The method may appeal to those who want to lose weight fast, but it is perilous. ¡°It¡¯s such a dreadful way to lose weight,¡± says Prof. Cho Kyung-hwan of the Department of Family Medicine at Korea University¡¯s Anam Hospital. ¡°It should never be recommended, and no one should listen when it is.¡±
Two out of every 10 Koreans have less than the normal amount of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol, which is why their face reddens or they keel over after just one glass. If such people go on a booze diet, they can die. But even those who have enough enzymes are in danger as the booze diet badly hurts their stomach and esophagus. Alcohol on an empty stomach stimulates the stomach walls, causing acute gastritis. In addition, throwing up reverses stomach acid, causing inflammation in your mouth and esophagus. ¡°If you take only alcohol to lose weight, it can cause malnutrition and reduce the functions of the digestive organs,¡± says Prof. Byun Kwan-soo of Korea University Medical Center¡¯s Guro Hospital. ¡°Even if you only do it for a short time, you can suffer chronic indigestion afterwards.¡±
Nor does the liver enjoy it. Daily alcohol intake enlarges the liver as it makes it fatty and accumulates protein. Then it suffers a shortage of nutrients and oxygen, and eventually liver cells start to die. Alcohol also hardens the heart muscles. It fastens the pulse, which pressures the heart, and when the symptoms get worse, they can lead to heart attack. Then there is the brain, since alcohol can lead to forgetfulness and amnesia. It has been linked to early-onset Alzheimer¡¯s disease in people in their 40s and 50s.
If that is not enough, there is the risk of depression and alcoholism, and the related family problems and suicidal thoughts. ¡°When you lose more than 500 kcal a day, you should talk to a specialist,¡± says Prof. Kim Byung-sung of Kyung Hee University Medical Center. ¡°Avoid methods like taking only one kind of food including alcohol that can cause nutrition imbalance.¡±
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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