So you want to avoid the holiday hangover but still want to enjoy the festive season with a little cheer and drink. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse has developed ‘Canada’s Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines’ in order to promote a culture of moderation and support healthy lifestyles.
To avoid the hangover and celebrate the season safely, follow these tips on safe drinking:
- Set limits before going out and stick to them!
- Drink plenty of water, especially during your boozing session. For every drink of alcohol have one non-alcoholic drink.
- Eat well before you drink and during.
- Try not to mix your drinks because you’re only adding to the number of toxins that your body has to deal with.
- Minimize your drinking time by showing up at an event later.
- Binge drinking is dangerous, drink slowly. Have no more than 2 drinks in any 3 hours.
- Always consider your age, body weight and health problems that might suggest lower limits.
Reduce your long-term health risks by drinking no more than:
- 10 drinks a week for women, with no more than 2 drinks a day, allowing for non-drinking days to avoid developing a habit.
- 15 drinks a week for men, with no more than 3 drinks a day, allowing for non-drinking days to avoid developing a habit.