Drinking alcohol affects everyone differently. Men typically can handle more alcohol than women. Age and weight are also factors.
Moderate drinking is a personal level of consumption at which you don’t pose a risk to yourself or others. And, you don’t embarrass yourself by waking up the next day questioning, “What did I say while dancing on top of that bar table?”
Enjoying adult beverages in moderation can be part of a healthy lifestyle. Studies have shown that beer is heart-healthy, decreasing a man’s risk of a heart attack by as much as 35 percent. Research also shows that moderate beer drinking can increase HDL (good cholesterol) and may help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.
The United States government defines sensible drinking to be two drinks a day for men and one drink per day for women. One drink of regular beer is defined as 12 ounces.
So, what if you know you are going out with friends and know you will consume more than one drink? Here are some tips to get you through the night and feeling your best the next day.
- Food: Consume before or during cocktail times. Drinking on an empty stomach will quickly lead to a fuzzy head, a midnight fast food stop and a pounding headache the next day.
- Don’t mix different types of alcohol. If you start with beer, stay with beer. The same goes for wine and liquor, but why drink those when you can drink beer?
- Follow each drink with water. Water will help keep you hydrated, give you a break between alcoholic beverages and ward off the next day hangover.
- Always have a designated driver or call a taxi. If you know you are going to consume more than two drinks in one night, it is not worth the risk of hurting yourself, hurting someone else or bumping into our fine officers in blue.
We want our friends to be safe. Drink responsibly – we love you for it!