Go on, have another one…
This month we come back to a familiar topic once again – alcohol. I mention alcohol in nearly every column because it is linked to many medical conditions; alcohol can have such a negative impact on both mental and physical health. It is worth regularly checking in on your alcohol intake as it can be easy to fall into the habit of drinking more than you should.
Let’s begin with a reminder about the recommendations for drinking to ensure it remains “low risk” to health. The UK current guidance suggests that for both men and women, less than 14 units of alcohol should be consumed per week, ideally spread over three or more days. Binge drinking should be avoided.
So, what does 14 units of alcohol look like? It is:
– 6 pints of average beer
– 6 medium sized glasses of wine (175ml measurement)
– 6 pints of cider
– 14 single shots of a spirit (25ml measurements)
– 12 bottles of alcopops
Does this surprise you? Often when discussing alcohol intake with patients, they are often surprised by how little alcohol is in 14 units. I often use a handy calculator (available on www.drinkaware.co.uk) to calculate weekly units based on drinks. Many people underestimate their alcohol intake and particularly if people drink at home, they will tend to drink more as they are unlikely to use standard measures when they pour a drink.
Too much alcohol is bad for our health. Many physical health conditions are directly related to alcohol consumption including high blood pressure, liver disease and problems with your pancreas and stomach. Over the long term, drinking more than 14 units per week increases your risks of cancer; particularly bowel, breast, mouth, throat, liver and oesophageal cancers. It also increases the risk of having a stroke or a heart attack.
Day to day, you might also notice the effects of alcohol on your body. You might feel more tired after drinking; this is because alcohol affects the quality of sleep you get. Alcohol is also full of calories so it can lead to weight gain or developing a ‘beer-belly’. Your skin may also be affected; it can dry out or you may develop facial redness or flushing known as rosacea.
Mental health and wellbeing are also affected by alcohol. Alcohol as a substance has a direct impact on the chemicals in our brains that control our thoughts and feelings. Too much alcohol can affect the balance of these chemicals and lead to low mood, depression, anxiety and memory problems. Many people use alcohol to help them deal with their feelings; doing this can be dangerous as it may lead to impulsive actions whilst under the influence. Use of alcohol to self-treat stress or low mood will not help in the long term.
Alcohol also slows down how quickly our brains can react to what is happening around us. This is why drink-driving is banned. Please always consider if you are safe to drive following alcohol consumption, even if you have been drinking the night before you drive. If you are getting behind the wheel, drinking no alcohol is best.
What should I do now?
By talking about alcohol this month, I hope it makes you think about your own intake. Use the calculator discussed above honestly and see what your numbers are- it may surprise you! Unless you have been specifically advised to stop drinking altogether by your doctor, then cutting down your intake will help you see some health benefits. Ways to cut down include having alcohol-free days during the week or reducing the volumes you drink (half pints rather than pints).
If you want to discuss alcohol intake and get help to cut down, then seeing your GP is a good place to start. If you would like further information about alcohol then the Drink Aware website ( www.drinkaware.co.uk) and the NHS Live Well website (www.nhs.uk/live-well/) have lots of information and support options.
