You might say, what’s a party without some booze? While a lil’ bit of alcohol might give some a good buzz and liven things up at a party or social event, more does not necessarily mean merrier. Just like most other things in life, moderation is important. Drinking can be enjoyable and fun when consumed responsibly and in moderation. But do remember, that not everyone can or should drink alcohol.
To Drink or Not?
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Avoid drinking alcohol if you are:
- a child or adolescent
- pregnant or trying to conceive
- planning to engage in activities that require attention, skill or coordination, like driving
- on medication or have medical conditions such as alcohol allergy or addiction, liver disease, and stomach ulcers.
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Get home safely
- If you are going to drink alcohol, make transport plans ahead to get back home safely. For example, decide on who is going to be the designated driver. Or make sure you have access to public transport.
- Get help whenever you need, from people you can trust.
- Do not leave your drink unattended to prevent others from spiking it.
- Help your friends if they have had too many drinks.
Do not drink at all for several hours before you do activities that are potentially risky, such as driving, swimming or boating.
How much is too much?
Binge drinking starts at having more than 3 standard alcoholic drinks on one occasion for women or more than 4 for men. It can result in unruly behaviour, memory loss, poor judgment, accidents and even death. Click here to find out more about the short-term and long-term harms of excessive alcohol consumption.
Top 10 Party Tips!
Who says you need to get wasted to enjoy a party? Be in control over what and how much you drink, and you’re bound to have much more fun that way! Read on for our top 10 party tips:
Tip #1: Keep track of how much you are drinking by checking the number of standard alcoholic drinks* consumed
Tip #2: Do not allow or do top-ups; finish your drink before refilling in order to keep track of how many drinks you are having.
Tip #3: Set a limit for yourself and stick to it. If you choose to drink, do not go over the limit of 2 standard drinks in a day for women or 3 for men.
Tip #4: Be assertive and do not allow yourself to be pressurised to drink more than your limit.
Tip #5: Do not just sit around and drink. Instead, go up and dance or chat with people.
Tip #6: Have a “spacer” by alternating between non-alcoholic drinks and alcoholic ones.
Tip #7: Drink slowly and do not drink alcohol to quench your thirst.
Tip #8: Avoid drinking games. These make it easy for you to lose track of the amount you are drinking.
Tip #9: Eat before and during drinking, but avoid eating food that makes you thirsty.
Tip #10: Try a low alcohol alternative or a pre-mixed drink.
And finally, have fun and enjoy yourself!
* A standard alcoholic drink contains 10 grams of alcohol, and this can be estimated to be:
- 2/3 can (220 ml) regular beer
- 1 glass (100 ml) wine
- 1 nip (30 ml) spirit
Posted by Breathe Admin at 01/07/2010 03:47:31 PM |