10 Tips For Reducing Your Alcohol Consumption
The NHS recommends we should drink a maximum of 14 units per week, ideally spread of 3 days. Long-term alcohol misuse will result in damage to the body's vital organs. It could eventually damage the brain, heart, liver and pancreas. This could result in various cancers, heart disease: heart attacks, and stroke, liver disease and pancreatic cancer.
It can weaken you immune system, making you more likely to contract infections, weaken your bones, making you more susceptible to breaking and fracturing your bones. It can also lead to sexual health problems including erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and infertility.
Here are 10 ways you can reduce your alcohol consumption and prevent disease:
1. Make a plan: Before you start, think about how much you are drinking now and set a realistic goal for the next 6 weeks. E.g. if you are drinking 3 pints per day, reduce it to 2 pints per day. Re-evaluate after 6 weeks and reduce it again.
2. Set a budget: Set aside a fixed amount of money you are able to spend on alcohol per week.
3. Count your drinks: Either by keeping the receipts, making notes or using an app, keep a diary of how many drinks you have per week including the strength and number of units per drink.
4. Pace yourself: Do this by taking your time to drink. Either by having smaller sips, taking more time in between each sip or making sure you only have one drink per hour. You can also do this by spacing your drinks. For example by having a non-alcoholic beverage in between each alcoholic drink.
5. Eat before you start: Simple but effective. By eating before you start drinking or drinking during a meal, you may be able to reduce your craving for alcohol. Drinking whilst you are eating might also reduce the amount you drink.
6. Avoid your triggers: Avoid the places and situations you associate with drinking. Avoid the pub, even it is for a meal. You are more likely to crave a drink, as your brain will make the connection between the pub and drinking. Avoid hanging out with people you normally drink with, or ask to meet up in neutral venue where there is no alcohol being served.
7. Do something else: find new hobbies and activities that do not involve drinking. Go for walks, exercise or go to the gym. Go to the cinema instead of the pub to watch the football. Spend time with people who do not drink. It is important to do something during the times you normally drink.
8. Let people know: let people close to you know that you want to reduce or stop drinking. Explain your reasons why. Most people will be very understanding and will want to help you.
9. Lower the strength: if you normally drink high strength lager or beer, trying replacing it with a lower strength one. The same applies to wine and spirits. You can also try replacing the drink with a smaller one. For example, a 330ml bottle of beer rather than a pint.
10. Consider medical support: if you feel like you might need more support to stop or reduce the amount you are drinking, then contacting your GP is the best place to start. The GP is able to sign post you to organisations who can help, prescribe medication and refer you for counselling and CBT.
If you have been drinking in excess and are worried about the effects it may have had on your health, please contact us to book a health check. All of our health assessments contain tests for the heart, liver, kidneys, cholesterol and diabetes.
If you are worried about your drinking or someone else’s and need to talk to someone immediately, you can contact Drinkline on: 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
