Booze sorry now?
Too many Scots are putting their health at risk by binge drinking
Dress, £36, next. co.uk Jeans, £35, debenhams. com Skirt, £39.50, marks and spencer. com Tunic dress, £35, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, www. ewm.co.uk HERE are some ways on how to reduce the amount you drink: ● DOWNSIZE YOUR GLASS Choose a 125ml glass rather than a 250ml one for wine. At home, buy smaller glasses. ● DRINK WATER Take in water before you begin drinking and in between drinks. Alternating alcoholic drinks with water or soft drinks will stop you getting too drunk and help reduce hangovers. ● MONITOR YOUR INTAKE Keep a drink diary to to work out how much you’re drinking. ● UNDERSTAND TRIGGERS Flag up when you know will be encouraged to drink and look for alternatives. ● If you’re concerned about your drinking, go to www.alcoholfocus-scotland. org.uk EXPERTS have warned that binge drinking can have a serious effect on your health and happiness.
One in four Scots drink more than the recommended limit of 14 units a week, which is classed as “harmful” or “hazardous”.
And many are putting their health at risk from binge drinking too much in one day.
For women, that means more than six units in 24 hours – two large glasses of wine or three pints of normal-strength beer.
For men, it’s more than eight units – four pints of beer or three-quarters of a bottle of wine.
Dr Gary Bolger, chief medical officer at health insurance firm AXA PPP, said: “Regularly drinking more than the daily guidelines can affect your health in many ways.
“Heavy drinkers increase their risk of developing high blood pressure, cancer – especially breast cancer and cancer of the gullet – liver and heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis.
“Binge drinkers can also develop unpleasant short-term effects such as sweating, shaking, bad skin, diarrhoea, blackouts and problems sleeping. And that’s as well as the long-term health problems.”
Alcohol Focus Scotland say our relationship with alcohol needs to change as we have one of the fastest-growing rates of liver disease in the world.
Here’s how it affects the different parts of the body: FACE Alcohol dehydrates the skin, making it dull and tired. It also dilates facial blood vessels, making it more likely you’ll end up with spidery red thread veins. MOUTH A study found that people who had four or more drinks a day had about five times the risk of mouth and pharynx cancers compared to those who never drink or do so only occasionally. HEART Heavy drinking can increase your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, both of which are major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. GENITALS Alcohol misuse can put people at risk of unsafe sex, which can lead to unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. ARMS Long-term alcohol misuse can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to serious infections. It can also weaken your bones, placing you at greater risk of fracturing or breaking them. LIVER Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of developing liver disease and cause irreparable damage to this very important organ in your body. GUT Drinking even a little alcohol makes your stomach produce more acid than usual, which can in turn cause gastritis (the inflammation of the stomach lining). This triggers stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in heavy drinkers, bleeding. BREASTS Drinking alcohol is one of several factors that can increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Around six per cent of breast cancer cases in the UK are linked to drinking alcohol. STOMACH Consuming too much alcohol can contribute to obesity. Some pints of beer, larger or cider can contain a whopping 250 calories per pint, the equivalent of a small chocolate bar.
Binge drinkers can develop unpleasant short-term effects