This week is Alcohol Awareness week and our PT Manager from Middlesbrough discusses the disadvantages alcohol has on your health and how drinking in moderation could potentially save lives as well as numerous other everyday health benefits!

"At the time of writing this article, there have been 7456 alcohol related deaths in the UK.

Alcohol misuse is the biggest risk of death, ill health and disability in 15-49 year olds in the uk.

Over 1 million alcohol related hospital admissions per year and rising.

Over 60% of the population drink alcohol on a weekly basis.

Alcohol cost the NHS over £3.5 billion per year.

Alcohol is a causal factor in more than 60 medical conditions, including: mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast cancers; high blood pressure, cirrhosis of the liver; and depression.

 

As well as all of the above, alcohol can also be a large contributor to weight gain.

The average pint of lager contains around 237 calories. 8 pints of lager at 237 calories is a whopping 1896 calories.

For some, that’s about all of their daily calorie intake.

Couple that will the takeaway shop on the way home, or the hangover food the next day and the calorie count caused by alcohol soon adds up. It's easy to see how alcohol can affect your health, both directly and indirectly. 

 

Now this paints a very bleak picture of alcohol.

 

Like all things, in moderation, alcohol can be harmless and in some instanses can even have health benefit such as lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease and recuing the risk of developing gallstones.

But moderation is key.

5 of the 7 blue zones around the world (populations who live the longest, have the lowest risk of heart disease and are generally the healthiest) all drink alcohol on a daily basis.

But they don't binge drink.

 

They have 1-2 drinks per day and rarely any more.

They do not have the alcohol drinking culture that we seem to have in the UK.

 

So, as it is alcohol awareness week, here are some tips to help you cut down on alcohol and improve your health.

• Give yourself a limit of how much you are going to drink.
• Opt for lower calorie drinks such as spirits and dry wines.
• Go for a lower strength drink.
• Alternate between alcoholic drinks and water while you are out.
• Take plenty of alcohol free days

 

Take these small steps and you should see a big return in your health very quickly."

If you would like any further information, please contact Joe Ayre below!

Joe Ayre, Middlesbrough PT Manager