In many U.S households during the sixties, when five o'clock rolled around, someone went to the liquor cabinet and made adult beverages. Since that time, alcohol consumption in the U.S. has doubled.
How much is too much?
When The Global Burden of Diseases announced that 'no amount of alcohol is safe,' the collective groan from the 70% of the adult population who drink liquor made us ponder the U.S. population’s love affair with alcohol. Is it fair to call it a love affair? Maybe. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 26.9% of adults admitted to indulging in binge drinking at least once a month. Over 16% admit to binge drinking (an average of 7 drinks) four times a month.
“Meh, I don’t drink that much,” you tell yourself uneasily, “I just do it to relax.” But, do you know how much you drink? The old standard, “one drink for women, two drinks for men’ which was considered acceptable has some potential ramifications when looked at in context. The context is measurement.
Measuring alcohol intake
This* article explains one way to measure, which is to ‘calculate the number of units in a drink, multiply the alcohol by volume figure with the volume in milliliters and then divide by 1,000.’ If you’re a woman, the acceptable government recommendation is 2-3 units. Men are allowed 3-4 units. These figures are based on daily consumption.
For example, a six-ounce serving of 12 ABV wine is 177 ml. So, 177X12=2124. Divide it by 1000, and the answer is 2.1 units. So that 750 ml bottle you and the missus are planning to enjoy for your anniversary is nine units. You’ll need a third drinker for that bottle if you don’t want to overindulge.
Causes of drinking
There is a broad swath between being a teetotaler and being an alcoholic. You may fall in that area, and even though you’re in the place where you want your health to be a priority, you might still be tipping the glass a little too hard.
The reality is that people have reasons why they drink. Stress. Depression. Pain. Grief. But, a huge one is the avoidance of one of these issues or something else. In many cases, resolving the root problem goes a long way in reducing the urge to drink. Having a plan to deal with issues which are making your life uncomfortable should be the center focus in resolving what might at first look seem like an alcohol problem.
Solutions
There are two components to finding successful solutions. The first is to have someone in your corner. It could be a good friend, your pastor, or a group. The person should be willing to help you plan and implement solutions which meet your needs. A wellness partner can provide confidential support and help you create and implement a plan to resolve issues.
A wellness partner can also provide tools to resolve other symptoms which may be interfering with the life you want. It could be weight loss, smoking cessation, or something else.
Once you have tools in place and the means to deal with the reasons you were drinking, it may no longer be an issue, and you’ll be free to enjoy a healthier and more meaningful life.
If you need a wellness partner to achieve your health goals call New Life Wellness Clinic at (480) 510-5344.
