‘Tis the season to be jolly…. well, we all know that means the endless round of parties and lunches with copious amounts of rich food and alcohol. And it is easy to overdo both. Whilst food can cause its own health issues, alcohol can cause lasting damage to your physical and to your mental health.
But how much is too much? The concept of keeping track of alcohol in units became popular in the 1980s and was a straightforward way for the public to understand a measurement of pure alcohol per drink. One unit equates to 8g or 10mls of pure alcohol which is the quantity of alcohol which a typical adult can process in one hour. Theoretically this means that one unit should not be
detectable in the bloodstream one hour after consumption (or there abouts), however this depends on the individual and their general make-up.
The UK’s Chief Medical Officers recommend that you should drink no more than fourteen units of alcohol per week, distributed over three or more days.
Know your units
1 unit = small glass of wine
1 unit = half a pint of beer
1 unit = one pub measure of spirit
What is too much of a good thing?
For those who choose to drink alcohol, a couple of drinks can be conducive to a relaxing evening, but obviously there are risks associated with drinking more than the recommended amount.
Drinking too much alcohol on a short-term basis can lead to many things including poor motor skills, poor judgment, violent and inappropriate behaviour, sexual health issues such as STI’s and unwanted pregnancy, accidents and injuries and alcohol poisoning.
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol on a regular basis can lead to severe health issues including liver disease, heart disease, stroke, pancreatitis, some cancers, and brain damage leading to cognitive impairment.
And of course, there is the socio-economic impact of excessive alcohol intake, time lost from work, unemployment, domestic violence, divorce, and homelessness.
Getting Help
If having a drink is becoming a habit or is affecting your work, or you are worried that you may be drinking to excess, don’t hide it…get help!
There is some help available through your GP, or agencies in local areas, often run by support groups and charitable organisations but for a bespoke service catering your needs trust ROC Health Group Ltd. With over 10 years’ experience of supporting and caring for the mental and physical health of individuals, ROC have specialist health professional on hand to help you manage addiction.
Companies can contact ROC Health to discuss their needs to support employees and to have onsite drug and alcohol testing done.
https://rochealthservices.com/contact
References
Alcohol Units NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/calculating-alcohol-units/
Drink Less Better Health NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/drink-less/#:~:text=Alcohol%20guidelines,risk%20of%20harming%20your%20health.
Scottish Government Publications: https://www.gov.scot/publications/lower-risk-drinking-guidelines-factsheet/
Linnelli Publications – The Big Blue Book of Booze (version2.3) 03/2015
NHS Alcohol misuse: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alcohol-misuse/
