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IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH A DRINK NOW AND THEN? HOW MUCH ALCOHOL IS IN MY DRINK? KNOW YOUR DRINKS IS THERE ANYTHING WRONG WITH A DRINK NOW AND THEN? It all depends what you mean by "a drink" and what you mean by "now and then". A small amount of alcohol does you no harm and can be enjoyable. It may even be good for your health. But if it is more than a small amount and it's a regular thing, then maybe you shouldn't be taking your drinking for granted. Maybe it isn't quite as harmless as you think it is. Drinking is best when you don't over do it. Drinking too much alcohol - or even drinking a little at the wrong time - can cause problems. Not just hangovers, but accidents - at home, at work and on the road. And it can do serious damage to your health, to your family and to your self-esteem - and also your pocket. WHO'S AT RISK? If you drink at all, you're affected by alcohol. Generally, if you only drink a little, the risks to your health are very small. But the more you drink, the greater the risks. You also put yourself and others at risk if you drink inappropriately, for example by drinking and driving. That's why it is important to look carefully at your drinking habits. This guide will help you to find out if you are a sensible drinker, and tell you what to do if you feel that your drinking is becoming a problem. HOW MUCH ALCOHOL IS IN MY DRINK? The most important thing that you need to know is the amount of alcohol in your drink, and how the different drinks compare in strength. Each of the following drinks, in standard pub measures, contains roughly the same amount of alcohol, a "unit". Half-pint of ordinary strength beer, lager or cider; One small glass of wine; One single measure of spirits; One small glass of sherry;ne single measure of aperitifs; There are approximately eight units in a 75cl bottle of wine, eleven units in a 1 litre bottle of wine, 13 units in a bottle of sherry and 30 units in a bottle of spirits. KNOW YOUR DRINKS Drinking at home Home measures are usually much more generous than pub measures, so look carefully at how much drink there is in your glass. You might have the equivalent of 2,3 or even more units. You may find it useful to look at the following chart and see how many units are contained in a can or bottle. Product Can/bottle Size (ml) %ABV Units Bacardi Breezer Bottle 350 5.4 1.9 Budweiser Bottle 330 5 1 2/3 Carling Black Label Can 440 4 1 ¾ Carlsberg Pilsner Can 440 3.6 1 ½ Carlsberg Special Brew Can 440 9 4 Castlemaine XXX Can 440 3.6 1 ½ Bottle 275 8.2 3 1/3 Fosters Export Bottle 375 5 1 ¾ Gold Label Bottle 180 10.9 2 Guinness Extra Stout Can 440 4.3 2 Harp Can 440 3.5 1 ½ Heineken Can 440 3.4 1 ½ Hofmeister Can 440 3.5 1 ½ Holsten Export Can 440 5.1 2 ¼ Holsten Pils Can 440 6 2 2/3 Hooper's Hooch Bottle 330 4 1.6 Kronenbourg Can 440 5 2 ¼ Lowenbrau Can 440 5 2 ¼ MD 20/20 Bottle 375 13.5 5 Skol Can 440 3.6 1 ½ Stella Artois Can 440 5.1 2 ¼ Strongbow Super Bottle 440 8 3 ½ Tennants Extra Can 440 5 2 ¼ Tennants Pilsner Can 440 3.5 1 ½ Tennants Super Can 440 9 4 Thunderbird Red Bottle 750 17.5 13 Tilt Caribbean Crush Bottle 330 5.5 1.8 Two Dogs Bottle 330 4 1.3 Whitbread Best Bitter Can 440 3.5 1 ½ EXTRA-STRENGTH LAGERS AND BEERS Extra-strength lagers and beers can contain up to three times as much alcohol as ordinary-strength drinks. Look out for the percentage of alcohol by volume symbols (%ABV) on the bottles and cans: this may be shown as "alcohol % vol" or "%vol". The higher the number, the stronger the drink. Looking at these will also help you to compare the strengths of different drinks. "LOW-ALCOHOL" Beers, lagers, ciders and wines which are described as "low-alcohol" vary enormously in strength. Some wines can be up to half the strength of ordinary table wine. Beers, lagers and ciders can vary between being a third of the ordinary strength and virtually alcohol-free (0.005% ABV). Don't be confused by the name: "light" can refer to the colour or calorie content of a drink rather than its strength. ALCOHOLIC "SOFT DRINKS" There is now a wide range of alcoholic "soft drinks" on the market. These look and often taste like traditional soft drinks such as lemonade, orangeade or cola, but contain more alcohol - an average of 5% - than ordinary-strength beers and lagers. One danger with these drinks is that they are very sweet, making them more likely to appeal to young inexperienced drinkers. They are also more likely to be confused with real soft drinks. HOW MUCH DO YOU DRINK? Do you really know how much you drink? Don't just guess - you'd be surprised at how wrong you can be. Fill in the drinking diary so that you can look at your drinking over a few days or a week. Fill it in for the last week if you can remember accurately, or start the diary today. Don't forget to include all of your drinks, not just the ones you have in the evening. Don't cheat and don't make excuses about it not being a "typical" week. Count how many units of alcohol you had on an average day. Also note down when and where you drank and who you were with or whether you were alone. Were you upset, stressed of depressed? If you think you need to cut down, it will help you to work out how to go about it. WHAT IS SENSIBLE DRINKING? Recent research concludes that men who drink no more than three to four units of alcohol a day, and women who drink no more than two to three, are unlikely to harm their health. In fact, scientists believe that drinking between one and two units of alcohol a day can lower the risk of heart disease in men over the age of 40 and post-menopausal women. But remember that there are times when even one or two drinks can be too much - for example, if you are going to drive or operate machinery afterwards. It can also be dangerous to drink alcohol if you are taking certain types of medicine - check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure. Young people and pregnant women should drink far less for medical reasons. If you are tempted to drink more, for example at a party, remember that this could result in your getting into a fight or trouble with the law, or having an accident or unwanted sex, think again. But if you do have a night of heavy drinking, keep off the alcohol for the next 48 hours to allow your body to recover. In reality, "hair of the dog" is the last thing you need. WOMEN AND DRINKING It may seem unfair, but a woman is more at risk from the harmful effects of alcohol than men. This is because of biological differences. For example, women's bodies contain more fat and less water than men's. As alcohol is distributed through the body fluids, it is more concentrated in women's bodies than men's. This is why women are advised to drink less than men. WHEN YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BREASTFEEDING If you drink alcohol when you are pregnant, you are actually giving your baby an alcoholic drink too. This is because when you drink, the alcohol passed into your bloodstream, travels across the placenta and is fed to your baby. If you are pregnant or planning a baby, never drink heavily or frequently and certainly avoid binges. If you limit yourself to an occasional drink - say one or two units, once or twice a week - the risk to your baby will be very small. But if you cut out alcohol completely, you cut out any risk. When your baby is born, alcohol is passed to them in small quantities through your breast milk. This may affect the baby's feeding, bowels and sleeping patterns. If you've had several drinks, it is advisable to allow some time for your body to get rid of the alcohol before breastfeeding. Remember, on average it takes the body about an hour to get rid of each unit of alcohol. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DRINK? Most of the alcohol you drink is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Nearly all of the alcohol has to be burnt up by the liver, and the rest is disposed of in either sweat of urine. The concentration of alcohol in your body depends on how much you drink, on whether your stomach is empty or not, on your height, weight, age and sex. If you are smaller or lighter than average, or young, and if you're not used to drinking, you will be more easily affected by alcohol. Drink can make some people lively and chatty, but others silent and miserable. It's worth remembering that alcohol isn't a stimulant, despite what many people still believe. It is a depressant, meaning that it depresses certain brain functions. This means that alcohol affects your judgement, self-control and co-ordination, even when you believe you are unaffected by it. It increases your chances of having an accident, of taking unnecessary risks, and of acting in a way that you might otherwise not have done - for example, having unprotected sex. HOW QUICKLY DO THE EFFECTS WEAR OFF? The amount of alcohol in your bloodstream increases with every unit you drink, and it takes the body about an hour to get rid of each unit of alcohol after drinking it. HANGOVERS Hangovers are caused by drinking too much alcohol. Dehydration is one of the problems, as the alcohol which you drink tends to make the water move out of the body's cells. Despite all the well-known folk remedies, the only real way of treating a hangover is by being careful about how much you drink in the first place. THE LONG -TERM EFFECTS The liver is like a car with one gear - it can only work at one rate, burning up one unit of alcohol an hour. If it has to deal with too much alcohol over a number of years, it suffers damage which can be permanent. Excessive drinking can cause: " Stomach disorders (gastritis, bleeding and ulcers) " Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) and cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver) " Depression and other psychiatric and emotional disorders " High blood pressure " Vitamin deficiency " Sexual difficulties " Brain damage " Muscle disease " Problems with the nervous system (especially nerve pains in the legs and arms) " Cancer of the mouth, throat and gullet " More problems for people with diabetes CALORIES Heavy drinkers can be overweight and yet still suffer from malnutrition. This is because they get their energy from alcohol instead of food, and alcohol lacks essential nutrients and vitamins. Alcohol is loaded with calories which go straight into the bloodstream. For example, a pint of ordinary-strength beer contains 180 calories. Add these on to your food intake, and you can see how easy it is to become overweight. Don't cut down on food rather than alcohol if you are worried about your calorie intake. This increases your risk of developing stomach disorders, as well as malnutrition. HOW MANY CALORIES IN YOUR DRINK? The number of calories in different brands of drinks varies enormously. These figures give a rough idea only. Drink Calories per unit of alcohol Bitter 90 Brown ale 80 Light or mild also 70 Ordinary-strength lager 85 Low-alcohol lager 60 Dry cider 95 Sweet cider 110 Spirits (eg brandy, whisky, gin, rum or vodka) 50 Dry white or red wine 75 Sweet white wine 100 Rose wine 85 Dry sherry 55 Medium sherry 60 Cream sherry 70 Low calorie or diet mixers and soft drinks contain virtually no calories, but there are 35 calories in a small bottle of tonic water, 80 in a glass of orange juice and 130 in a can of coke. DRINKING AND DRIVING The legal limit for driving is 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood, or 35 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. But there is no sure way of telling how much you can drink before you reach this limit. It varies with each person, depending on your weight, sex, age, if you've just eaten and what sort of drinks you've had. Some people reach their limit after about 2 units. However, just one or two units affect your driving ability. And even if you're below the legal limit, you can still be prosecuted if a police officer thinks that your driving had been affected by alcohol. The only way to be sure that you're safe is not to drink and drive at all. FACTS " Alcohol is a major cause of accidents. One in five drivers killed in road accidents have levels of alcohol which are over the legal limit. " Young people are affected more quickly by drinking than older people, so it's especially important that young people don't drink and drive. " Most drinking and driving accidents happen within one mile of the driver's home. " Despite their association with the winter and Christmas drinking and driving, accidents are more frequent during the summer months. " If you drink a lot in the evening, you might still be over the limit the next morning. Or if you've had a few drinks at lunchtime, another one or two in the early evening might well put you over the limit. Remember that only time can remove the alcohol from your bloodstream. DRINKING AND DRUGS Mixing drink with drugs - either illegal or legal - can be very dangerous. If you drink and take other depressant drugs such as heroin or tranquillisers, you risk falling into a coma or heavy sleep. If you are then sick while you are unconscious, you can choke on your own vomit and die of asphyxiation. If you take amphetamines (speed, whiz) and drink alcohol, you are likely to end up drinking far too much, with all of the associated health and personal risks this brings. Drinking alcohol while taking ecstasy is particularly dangerous. Many people get very hot from dancing after taking ecstasy and become dehydrated; alcohol speeds this process up and so increases the likelihood of you becoming ill. If you have taken ecstasy, sip about a pint of water or soft drinks an hour and eat salty snacks to avoid problems caused by dehydration or excessive fluid intake. It is not just illegal drugs which can be dangerous when mixed with alcohol. Drinking when you are taking many prescribed drugs, including sleeping pills, painkillers and antidepressants can make you extremely ill or even kill you. Get into the habit of checking with your doctor or pharmacist when medicines are prescribed or brought and always check the packet or bottle if you are buying medicines without a prescription. Remember that your pharmacist can advise you if you have any doubts. LOW-ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOL FREE DRINKS More people are drinking low-alcohol and alcohol free drinks: lagers, beers, ciders, wines, mineral waters and fruit juices. You can buy them in most of the places you can buy alcohol. If you need or want to cut down on your drinking, you could try switching to low-alcohol or alcohol free drinks. For example, a pint of strong lager contains four units of alcohol, while most pints of low-alcohol lager contain less than 1 unit (see KNOW YOUR DRINKS). Many of the low-alcohol and alcohol free drinks taste just like alcoholic ones so if you're drinking them because you're driving and someone else buys a round, make sure that you really get what you ask for. And if you're trying to lose weight, remember that low-alcohol drinks are not always lower in calories. THE GOOD NEWS The good news is that, if you're a sensible drinker, you'll avoid making a fool of yourself, damaging your health, waking up with a headache, being involved in accidents, harming other people and hurting your pocket. And for men over 40 and women past the menopause, one or two units of alcohol a day may lower your risk of heart disease. Here are some ideas you might like to try out if you want to change your drinking habits. " If you drink at the pub, go out later and have something to eat first. " If you are thirsty, try having a long soft drink or a spritzer (wine with water). " Choose low-alcohol or alcohol free drinks instead of alcoholic ones sometimes. Remember that you don't need a drink to enjoy yourself. " If you drink spirits, dilute them. " Look at your drinking diary. Are there some places where you always drink more heavily? One particular pub perhaps? Or at home by yourself? Or with a particular friends? How did you feel when you were drinking? Were you angry, stressed or tense, for example? Do you drink more at certain times of the day? Try rearranging your life a bit so that you avoid the times and places where you drink most heavily. " If you drink with other people who regularly buy rounds for each other, it is easy to end up drinking more than you want. Try drinking more slowly so that you can skip rounds. Ask for a low-alcohol or alcohol free drink now and then, or for a smaller measure. " Think of a number of ways that you can refuse a drink - write them down and practice saying them. " If you feel that you're about to drink more than you planned and want to, perhaps because of pressure from the people you are drinking with, create a delay. Go somewhere for five minutes and say to yourself "I'm in control of my life" you are. Often you'll be able to stick to your original plan. " Remember that getting drunk does not make you tall, rich, strong, attractive, smart, witty, sophisticated or sexy. WHAT IF IT'S ALL TOO DIFFICULT? If you've tried to change the way you drink and find it's just too difficult, keep trying. Maybe somebody close to you can help you. Talk about what you're trying to do with a friend or a member of your family; they may be able to offer you support. |
