June 16, 2021

When Well-Oiled, Skip the Fat


When Well-Oiled, Skip the Fat
Far better to offset drink with something like this. Photograph by ja ma on Unsplash

On June 13, gastroenterologist Anna Denisova at the SM-Clinic in St. Petersburg gave advice that may seem contradictory for lovers of wine and other alcohol.

While any seasoned drinker knows that hydration and a snack can prevent hangover, Denisova has found that some post-beverage foods should be avoided for individuals with chronic illnesses such as ulcers or gastritis.

Fatty foods such as salo (cured pork fat), sausages, salmon and mackerel, and spicy foods like pickled vegetables and wasabi, can irritate the stomach alongside drink. Risks include hospitalization due to conditions like pancreatitis.

While a glass or two of wine per day should be fine, Denisova clarifies, in general drinking anything more will almost certainly exacerbate gastrointestinal issues.

Much like the fabled activated charcoal pill that many a Russophile has swallowed before a night drinking with friends, the snack is still essential. Just remember: fat and spice are not very nice, although they are tasty and, admittedly, complement drinks better than fruit.

And if you're interested in what else you might avoid after a good drink... don't plan on thieving or driving a tank!

 

You Might Also Like

Getting into the Spirits
  • April 01, 1998

Getting into the Spirits

Results of the First Annual International Vodka Taste Off and Taste of Russia Dinner, held in Montpelier, Vermont, February 28, 1998.
Like Uber for Booze
  • January 20, 2021

Like Uber for Booze

Russia's Ministry of Industry and Trade has thrown its support behind a measure for distance-selling alcohol.
Don't Drive Tanked
  • October 30, 2020

Don't Drive Tanked

Cars and alcohol don't mix, especially when your job is driving a military IFV.
Lighten Up, Russia
  • June 30, 2020

Lighten Up, Russia

Experts report that Russian drinking habits over the last couple of months have gotten a bit lighter.
No Booze for You
  • April 04, 2020

No Booze for You

Nothing is sacred when it comes to fighting coronavirus. Not even vodka.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955