Alcohol in moderation

Many people enjoy drinking alcohol, and it may have a place in cultural and family traditions. Most people usually do it safely. But it’s important to remember that alcohol is not risk-free.

If you choose to drink alcohol, the key is to keep your intake at the lowest levels possible to reduce your risk of harm.

Alcohol is a depressant that impacts the whole body, including the central nervous system (the brain, cardiovascular system (the heart), and respiratory system (the lungs and breathing). When someone drinks too much alcohol or too quickly, it can overwhelm or suppress the healthy performance of these systems in the body. This can lead to a person passing out or having alcohol poisoning which includes symptoms such as vomiting, throwing up while passed out, not waking up after throwing up, not responding when being talked to or shouted at, fast heart rate, and other symptoms which are found by searching Alcohol Poisoning on MyHealthAlberta.ca.

When you drink alcohol, you may be putting your health and safety at risk. Your risk of harm increases with each drink that you have. Drinking alcohol may:

• Harm your liver, pancreas, nervous system, heart, and brain.

• Cause high blood pressure, depression, stomach problems, or sexual problems.

• Contribute to the development of some cancers, such as cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon, breast.

• Cause memory loss and affect your ability to think, learn, and reason.

• Cause harm to your developing baby (fetus) if you drink during pregnancy.

• Lead to problems at work, school, or home.

• Increase the risk of car crashes and violent behaviour.

• Cause you to develop an alcohol use problem.

Using alcohol or other substances can affect your health, work, school, and relationships. It can change how well you make decisions and control your actions, how you think, and how quickly you can react. Alcohol patterns may vary.

Some people drink large amounts of alcohol at specific times, such as on the weekend. Others may be sober for long periods and then go on a drinking binge that lasts for weeks or months. Some people drink and may be intoxicated every day.

If you think you are drinking too much, you may want to seek help. Talk to your doctor about whether you need to withdraw from alcohol under medical care.

Less is best! Research shows that drinking any amount of alcohol can have risks. Canadian health experts say your risk of harm from alcohol is:

• Low if you have two standard drinks or less per week

• Moderate if you have three to six drinks per week

• High if you have seven or more drinks per week

Having more than two drinks in one sitting increases your risk of harm to yourself and others.

Although most people can have a drink now and then, some people should not drink at all.

Talk to your doctor about whether drinking alcohol is a good choice for you. And if it is, ask how much is okay.