Should you have been out at the pub/club on the beer each night of the week and if you are going to a lot of parties, here are some simple guidelines to help you with safe drinking.
The amount of alcohol we knock back is measured in units. Here are some examples of what constitutes your average unit:
- Half a pint of beer or cider
- A small glass of wine
- A single measure of spirits (that is, vodka, whisky, gin or rum)
So How Many Units are Acceptable?
Men: Health professionals recommend that adult men ought not to drink more than 21 units weekly. This translates as men should not drink more that two pints of beer/lager or three glasses of wine on a daily basis.
Women: Health professionals recommend that women ought not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week. This translates as a pint of beer/lager or a couple of glasses of wine a day.
What Makes For the Gender Difference?
The male body consists of 66% fluid, whereas, the female body is 55% fluid. Hence, alcohol becomes more diluted in a man than in a woman. Hence, women on the whole get drunk more quickly than men when consuming the same amount of alcohol.
How to Drink More Safely
1. Drink lots of water, particularly during your boozing session.
2. Try pacing yourself so your body does not dry out too much.
3. Try drinking a pint of water prior to falling asleep as this can keep headaches at bay.
4. Have a hearty meal prior to boozing so your body is better suited to soaking up the alcohol. Try to eat food that takes a while to digest, such as cheese, bread, pasta and potatoes. Such foods will line your stomach. A pint of milk is also considered to have the same effect.
5. Try your best not to mix your drinks, as you will thus increase the number of toxins your body needs to deal with.
6. Should you be planning a boozing session try sticking to a kind of falling-down juice. This can act as a buffer.
7. Try to turn up at the bar or party later than usual, to minimize your drinking time, or kick off with a soft drink to stop you feeling so thirsty.
8. Binge drinking is dangerous because your body can only process one unit of alcohol each hour. Should you be able to pace your drinking, you are likely to know when enough is enough.
9. Before you start drinking, be sure you know when to stop. This can be hard when everyone else is boozing, but practice makes perfect. It also avoids bad hangovers.
10. If you have had an alcohol filled period, then try and have a break from alcohol altogether, even if it for a few days.