People experience facial flushing for a number of reasons. More often than not, redness of the face is a physical response to stress, anxiety, anger, embarrassment, or another extreme emotional state. However, there is another type of facial flushing common to people of Asian descent - alcohol flushing or what is mostly referred to as "Asian flush".

A flushed face normally indicates good blood circulation. However, as the term alcohol flush indicates, it is related to drinking, and Asians are mostly susceptible to it. Apparently, when an Asian's face turns red during or after a drinking session, it is an indication that his body isn't metabolizing alcohol properly. If left unchecked, this could lead to serious medical conditions, which is why asian flush prevention is necessary.

According to studies, two enzymes in the liver are responsible for breaking down or metabolizing alcohol in the body. These are alcohol dehydrogenase, which is responsible for converting alcohol into acetaldehyde, and acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2), which takes care of breaking down acetaldehyde into compounds.

It appears that most Asians have an inactive variant of ALDH2 in their bodies, and as a result, it takes much longer for acetaldehyde to clear from their blood. When acetaldehyde builds up, a person's blood vessels will dilate, causing the face to turn red - the Asian flush - and believe it or not, it's not something to blush about. Worse than causing the face to turn red, acetaldehyde is more toxic than alcohol, and it could lead to worse conditions like esophageal cancer.

Esophageal cancer is responsible for almost six percent of all gastrointestinal cancers. It is more common in individuals over fifty years old, having a 2:1 male to female ratio. Esophageal cancer comes in two types: adenocarcinomas and squamous cell. Less than fifty percent of tumors of the esophagus are squamous cell cancers. 

These types are often associated with environmental and dietary factors. In Europe and the United States, majority of squamous cell cancers are caused by the use of tobacco and alcohol. About twenty percent of these squamous cell tumors are in the upper third, twenty-five percent are in the lower third, and fifty percent are in the middle third of the esophagus.

One of the most frequent complaints concerning esophageal cancer is dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing. When the tumor narrows the passage of the esophagus it becomes harder to swallow. Initially it's more obvious when ingesting bulky food, then with soft food, and later on, even with liquids. Food regurgitation or vomiting has also been reported among patients. When the food is stuck, it simply comes back up. Other symptoms include anorexia, weight loss, painful swallowing, and fatigue.

The last thing you want is to suffer from esophageal cancer just because you drink too much, right? That's the reason why people are advised to drink responsibly. It goes beyond avoiding drunk driving accidents. Being a responsible drinker means more than saving the lives of others. More importantly, it means saving your own life from life-threatening diseases such as esophageal cancer.

Fortunately, there is a pill to help you deal with the dreaded Asian flush syndrome. Check out the Internet to know more about this pill.