Alcohol Awareness - Rethinking your Drinking!

• Cardiovascular system- Alcohol can raise high blood pressure and bad cholesterol which causes damage to the heart muscles and strokes.¹
• Nervous system- Such as brain damage, tremors, dementia and nerve damage. Alcohol is a depressant drug and affects coordination, self-control, judgment and reaction times.¹
• Gastrointestinal system- Can cause stomach inflammation and bleeding.⁴
• Liver- Cancer, hepatitis, fatty changes, cirrhosis and liver failure.⁴
• Endocrine system- Can cause problems developing blood sugar, loss of libido and reduced fertility.⁴
• Nutrition- Malnutrition can occur (alcohol displaces nutrients from your body) and excessive alcohol intake can contribute to obesity.⁴
• Breast cancer and other gynecological problems- Women who drink alcohol are at a higher risk of developing these problems than non-drinking women.⁴
• Accidents, Injury and Violence- This includes motor vehicle accidents, falls, fires and all forms of violence such as domestic violence and sexual assault.⁴

How much is too much?

In some studies, the term ‘moderate drinking’ refers to less than one drink per day, while in others it means three or four drinks per day. In the U.S., one drink is usually considered to be 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1 ½ ounces of spirits (hard liquor such as gin or whisky). Each delivers about 12 to 14 grams of alcohol.^{3, 5} The latest consensus places this point at no more than one to two drinks per day for men, and no more than one drink per day for women. This is the definition used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and is widely used in the United States.³

Sometimes even a little is too much….

Even moderate levels of drinking (up to 2 drinks per day for men and 1 for women) can be too much in some circumstances. It’s safest to avoid alcohol if you are:

• Under the age of 21⁷
• Pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to fall pregnant¹
• Planning to drive a car or use machines (more than 16,000 people die each year in automobile accidents in which alcohol is involved!)^{1, 3}
• Taking over-the-counter or prescription medicine that can interact with alcohol⁴
• Recovering from alcoholism⁷

Possible health benefits of alcohol

But it’s not all doom and gloom! ‘Moderate’ alcohol consumption may provide some health benefits which include:

• Reducing the risk of Cardiovascular Disease⁴
• Reducing the risk of Peripheral Arterial Disease ⁴
• Reducing the risk of Ischemic Strokes⁴
• Lowering the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes⁴
• Lowering the risk of developing Gallstones⁴

Taking Action!

Small changes can make a big difference in reducing your chances of having alcohol-related problems. Here are a few tips and strategies on how to drink responsibly and to help you cut down on the drink:

• Eat before and while drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.¹
• Avoid salty snacks that make you thirsty and make you drink more.¹
• Pace yourself and sip slowly. Make every other drink a non-alcoholic one, such as water, soda or juice.⁵
• Try low alcoholic drinks.¹
• Always keep your drink with you to minimize the risk of drink spiking.¹
• Keep track of how much you drink. Making a note of each drink before you drink it may help you slow down when needed.⁵
• Find alternatives. If drinking has occupied a lot of your time, develop new and healthy activities, hobbies and relationships to keep you busy.⁵
• Avoid ‘triggers’. If certain people or venues make you drink, even when you don’t wish to, try to avoid them.⁵
• Learn when to say ‘no’. When offered a drink when you don’t want one, be prepared to politely decline the offer. The faster you can say no, the less likely you are to give in.⁵
• Social and professional support. Don’t be afraid to ask for help!⁵