Entry bubble April is Alcohol Awareness Month

By: Jess | April 09, 2009 | Category: Health

Glass of beerFor many people having a drink or two is no problem. But for others who might have a predisposition to alcoholism, even one drink could cause a downward spiral that leads to many, many drinks.

As part of Alcohol Awareness Month, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides valuable tips on raising awareness about alcohol abuse.

Parents can find information on educating their children and being a good role model.

Teenagers can find answers to many of their questions.

And there are resources for finding treatment.

In an additional effort to raise awareness, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers a free, confidential survey to determine if you display any of the characteristics of abusive drinking behavior. The survey takes less than five minutes and at the end provides you with a list of resources on where to go for help or more information.

If you or a friend need immediate assistance with a substance abuse problem, you can call the National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Routing Service's toll free number: 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357).

You can find more substance abuse resources in the FAQ's section of USA.gov.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: alcohol   alcohol_abuse   alcohol_awareness_month   alcoholism   education   jess   prevention  

 

Entry bubble Hangover Helpers

By: Joanne | January 01, 2008 | Category: Health

Man pouring champagne into champagne flutesHappy New Year! I’m sorry, was I shouting a bit too loudly? Is your head throbbing and your stomach queasy from overindulgence last night? Gather ‘round friends and let me tell you about a topic I know well:  the hangover.

Through a rigorous method of trial and error, I’ve learned that the best way to relieve a wicked hangover is not to get one in the first place. Let’s first talk about what the National Institutes of Health recommend for preventing a hangover:

Dehydration is your enemy my friend.  Drink water before, during and after consuming alcohol.
Have food in your stomach while you’re consuming alcohol.
Drink higher quality alcohol because these products are usually put through a more rigorous filtration process and therefore contain fewer toxins.  The scientists refer to these toxins as congeners.  This one was news to me.


Toast the holidays, toast your friends or toast toast, but consume alcohol moderately.  If you find that moderation isn’t possible, take a moment to consider the possibility that you’ve got a health problem to work on.  Try this handy screening test to help you identify hazardous or risky drinking. 

But enough of my speech – you need help now, don’t you dear?  The Department of Health and Human Services has some tips to help that hangover:

Sleep:  because you always feel better when you’re well rested, don’t you?
Have some juice or honey, research shows that the fructose may help to get the alcohol out of your system faster.
Eat complex carbs like bread or crackers.
Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

I wish you a healthy and happy New Year, and I want you to keep in mind that I’m a web content manager and if you’re looking for medical advice, you should always talk to your doctor.

| View Comments [2] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: alcohol   alcoholism   drinking   eve   hangover   joanne   new   year