HEALTHY CHRISTMAS With the silly season completely upon us, there are many more events to attend and generally a lot more exposure to alcohol than our usual schedule.
A drink here and there is fine, but research tells us that women are more sensitive to alcohol and that excessive consumption of alcohol can increase our risk of breast cancer. Additionally, the extra calories that we consume in alcohol are more likely to be stored as belly-fat, something most of us would rather avoid.
The Australian Guidelines recommend healthy adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week to cut the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.
This being the case and our health being of utmost importance, what alternatives can we turn to and still enjoy ourselves in a safe and healthy way?
MIX IT UP One way to reduce total alcohol consumption at an event is to mix it up! More often than not there will be soda water available and fresh lime, the perfect combo and very hydrating. Swap out an alcoholic cocktail for a low-calorie mocktail. Mix your glass of wine with chilled soda water and have a spritzer!
BBQ OPTIONS If you are heading to a family event and you can take your own drinks it gets even easier. Take some no-alcohol and low-alcohol options so you can reduce the total amount you drink throughout the day.
- Kombucha (either non-alcoholic or low alcohol) - Low-calorie soft drinks - Soda water - Fancy flavoured adult cordial to add to soda water - Low alcohol beer or similar - Iced tea (homemade)
MINDFULNESS & STRESS MANAGEMENT I know how easy it is to get carried away when it has been such a tough year and all we want to do is let our hair down. Stress management has been a really big lesson throughout 2020 and I hope you have found ways to manage your stress that support your longterm health.
All the suggestions in this post are strategies that you can use to bring more mindful attention to your daily choices. What am I drinking, how much am I drinking and why am I drinking are all good questions to be asking ourselves.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF Alcohol is the drug of choice in Australia and many other countries. We have made it so easy to drink alcohol that we rarely think of it as a drug. No other drug is as socially acceptable as alcohol but this acceptance does not make alcohol any less damaging to our physical and mental health. If you find that you are drinking more than you would like and that it is affecting your mental and physical health, don't be afraid to reach out to your GP or mental health support network, you are not alone.
Life is stressful and 2020 has placed exceptional amounts of stress on every one of us. Finding ways to manage 'stress' that enhances the quality of our life is a really important step for us all to take. You are absolutely worth the investment x