How to Drink Alcohol in Moderation

Alcohol is a powerful drug and, like any drug, it can be abused. If you choose to drink alcohol, the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is moderation.

Instructions

• 1

  Know the alcohol content of different drinks. For example, a 12-ounce beer contains as much alcohol as a 4-ounce glass of wine or 1 ounce of distilled liquor. If you are drinking beer, check the alcohol content on the bottle and make sure it is something you can handle. Anything above 5 percent alcohol is considered strong and should be consumed with caution.

• 2

  Never mix alcohol with drugs. Many prescription medications as well as over-the-counter medications can interact with alcohol and cause serious problems and sometimes death. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you can consume alcohol while taking medication. Combining illegal drugs and alcohol is extremely dangerous and should never be done.

• 3

  Never drink and drive. Alcohol impairs judgment, muscle control and vision. These are three very important things when driving! If you have been drinking, ask a sober friend to drive you home or call a cab. If you drink in moderation, you should never run into a situation where you cannot drive. If you are at a party, take it SLOW. Having one or two drinks over a six-hour period is about as much as anyone should have if they intend to drive.

• 4

  Avoid alcohol completely if you are pregnant. You may be big enough to dissipate the poisonous effects of an alcoholic drink through your system, but your fetus is not -- alcohol can damage the fetus and it doesn't take much to produce significant damage.

• 5

  Do not expect coffee or a cold shower to sober you up. The affects of alcohol only wear off after the body has enough time to metabolize the alcohol and remove it from the bloodstream. The only way to sober up is to stop drinking and rest.

• 6

  Never feel pressured to drink. Someone at a party may encourage you to drink more than you want or need. If polite refusals don't work, simply keep your glass full of ice water or soda and sip it slowly. If you do not feel comfortable in a certain situation, LEAVE!

• 7

  Do not make drinking a habit. One or two drinks a day may not pose a major health risk, but routine drinking is a warning sign of possible alcohol dependence. If you are going to drink every day, make sure you do it at different times. Doing this will not let your body fall into a rhythm.