If you’re trying to stop drinking, any amount of alcohol is drinking too much.
There are loads of online tests that you can take to see if you’re drinking too much. There’s also a lot of info which purports to tell you the levels of risk. One thing’s for sure: there’s no definitive proof that any amount of alcohol is actually ‘safe’. No-one can tell you otherwise.
There are a variety of risk levels dependent on many factors. For instance:
- your sex
- your age
- your height
- your weight
- your overall health levels
- your fitness levels
- the particular drink you’re talking about
- the quantity per serving
- how you affected by a particular drink (spirits always sent me a bit nuts)
Obviously the lowest risk level is when you don’t drink at all… no risk. The next risk level is moderate drinking.
The Drinking “Guidelines”
What moderate drinking is for one person may not be moderate drinking for another. Moderate drinking levels are a bit higher for men than for women. The guidelines are 2 units per day for a man – no more than 14 in a week, and 1 unit per day for a woman – no more than 7 in a week.
So, the guidelines tell us that a man who is 5ft 2in tall and 110 pounds has the same safe drinking level as a man who is 6ft 5in tall and weighs 250 pounds.
The maths just doesn’t add up!
What is a Drink?
Here’s another question that can be asked: what is a drink? In many countries around the world, the serving sizes of a drink are standardized by law. In other countries, such as the United States, this is not the case. The measures can vary from one establishment to another. That’s not to mention when drinks are being served at home.
The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines moderate or ‘low-risk’ drinking:
“Research shows that people who drink moderately may be less likely to experience an alcohol use disorder (AUD). These drinking levels, which differ for men and women, are:
For men: No more than 4 drinks on any single day AND no more than 14 drinks per week
For women: No more than 3 drinks on any single day AND no more than 7 drinks per week”
The difference in what I consider a drink and what you consider a drink could be vast!
The only safe alcohol use is to:
Leave It In The Bottle!
Until next time…
Onwards and Upwards…
Kev
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