Enjoy alcohol in moderation
Many of us enjoy a drink, often when socialising with friends and family. While this shouldn’t do you too much harm, regularly overdoing it is associated with various health risks. Take a look at how to drink sensibly…
Sensible drinking means knowing what your limits are and being aware of how much you’re drinking. Simply put, sensible drinking means not drinking alcohol to excess.
Knowing your units will help you stay in control of your drinking. To keep health risks from alcohol to a low level if you drink most weeks:
• men and women are advised not to drink more than 14* units a week
• spread your alcohol over 3 or more days if you drink up to 14 units a week
• if you want to cut down, try to have several alcohol-free days each week
• pregnant women should not drink alcohol at all. If they do choose to drink, they
should not drink more than 1-2 units of alcohol once or twice a week.
* 14 units = 6 pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.
Tips for cutting down
• Consider drinking low-alcohol beers, or avoid strong beers and lagers.
• Alternate soft drinks with alcoholic drinks.
• If you eat when you drink, you may drink less.
• It may be worth reviewing your entire social routine. For example, consider:
◦ cutting back on types of social activity which involve drinking.
◦ trying different social activities where drinking is not involved.
◦ reducing the number of days in the week where you go out to drink.
◦ going out to the pub or club later in the evening.
• Resist pressure from people who encourage you to drink more than you want to.