The Kiwi booze culture has been receiving a lot more attention lately, from education campaigns on just how much alcohol is in a standard drink is, to the ‘Dry July’ fundraising campaign challenging participants to ditch booze completely for a whole month. Giving up or lessening your consumption of alcohol may seem like an easy task, but it can be challenging. Healthy Food Guide nutritionist and Lose Weight for Life author Claire Turnbull offers some advice to help you drink less.
Do you love a drink or six? Find wine a great way to unwind? You could be stuck in a vicious cycle…
Drinking: The social norm?
Growing up in the UK with the pub being the centre of the social universe, big cities galore offering exciting nights out and bars exclusively being dedicated to vodka shots served on racks (yes that is ordering 6+ shots of vodka in one go – painful) I have certainly had my fair share of drinks in my time. Now though, as I have progressed to a far healthier lifestyle, I preferring waking up ready for a walk or yoga on a Sunday morning and have ditched the panadol and hangovers for good and I would ever go back. I do have the odd drink, and I really enjoy it – but I no longer drink to ‘fit in’, out of habit or just because I have had a bad day.
Drinking is socially normal, alcoholic drinks taste nice and a few glasses of vino certainly do help conversation flow. The problem today, is the way that some of us are drinking.
Why we drink
You may drink to get drunk – to feel a sense of escape – really, that means that booze may have become a coping mechanism for you, but it isn’t a good one. I am not judging this as right or wrong – just pointing out, it might be time to address it – especially if deep down, you know it’s now what you really want to be doing. Others of you may drink out of habit, a routine glass of wine or three after work, just because…well, that is what you do. Does this really make you feel good? Or does it make you feel good in the short term, but again, deep down – you know it’s not helping you keep healthy or feel good about yourself.
Drinking alcohol dramatically increases your cancer risk, it can cause disturbed sleep and even if you aren’t boozing it up all the time, drinking can leave you feeling down in the dumps – those blue moments can made life seem very dark some days.
To read the rest of this article and for hints and tips to help you drink less, see Claire’s blog.
Image / Supplied – Claire Turnbull