RSA Course Online

Author: Peter Cutforth

  • People in Cold Climates Drink More Alcohol

    According to research out of the United States, people living in cold climates with less sunlight are more likely to drink heavily.

    Researchers discovered a link between average temperature and hours of sunlight and alcohol consumption.

    They examined data from 193 countries, discovering evidence that climate contributed to more binge drinking and liver disease.

    An explanation may be that because alcohol is a vasodilator, it relaxes blood vessels and increases the flow of warm blood to the skin. So people may be drinking it to feel warm.

    Binge drinking has also been linked to depression, which tends to be more prevalent when sunlight is scarce.

    See more at https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/chill-factor-people-in-cold-climates-drink-more-alcohol-20181119-p50gws.html

  • Doctors Warn About Problematic Drinking in Over Fifties

    According to a New Zealand Massey University study, an alarmingly large number of older people are drinking to dangerous levels, causing concern among Australian and overseas doctors.

    Up to 40 per cent of older people are drinking 5 or more times weekly and binge drinking, increasing the likelihood of sickness and disease. Sadly this age group is overlooked when it comes to responsible drinking messages.

    And the problem isn’t limited to New Zealand, in Australia women over 50 are leading the harmful trend of binge drinking, according to GP and addiction specialist Dr Hester Wilson.

    The doctor added that at this age our bodies don’t bounce back in the same way, particularly our livers. As we get older we feel the effects of alcohol more.

    Also people of this age group are more likely to be on medication – which shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol.

    See more at: https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/wellbeing/2018/10/12/doctors-alarm-older-people-drinking/

     

  • How To Make a Simple Syrup with no Heat

    I’ve often wondered why ‘simple syrup’ is called that when it isn’t that simple to make, especially because you have to make it on the heat.

    Finally I found an easier way to make simple syrup for cocktails that doesn’t require you put on the stove,

  • Christmas Cocktail Ideas

    If you’re bored with the same old cocktails for Christmas year after year, why not try one of these instead?

    There’s something for everyone here, just make sure you and your guests are being responsible and drinking in moderation.

     

  • Stay Safe This Summer and Don’t Drink and Swim

    As part of its Respect the River campaign, Royal Life Saving Australia is warning Australians not to drink and swim this summer, especially around rivers and creeks.

    According to statistics 1087 people have drowned in rivers, streams and creeks over the last 15 years and 80 per cent of these were men – half of them had alcohol in their system.

    Royal Life Saving Australia researcher Amy Peden recently said on top of the more than 1,000 deaths, a further 522 people were hospitalised after near-drowning incidents. Many of these people now have permanent disabilities.

    She went on to state that on average they see a blood alcohol reading among adults who were drinking in rivers of 0.2 which is 4 times the legal limit.

    This is why rivers are where most drownings in Australian occur.

    According to Royal Life Saving Australia these are the 10 hotspots,

    Between July 1, 2008 –  June 30, 2018

    • Murray River (41 deaths)
    • Brisbane River, QLD (25 deaths)
    • Yarra River, VIC (25 deaths)
    • Hawkesbury River, NSW (15 deaths)
    • Murrumbidgee River, NSW (14 deaths)
    • Georges River, NSW (12 deaths)
    • Nepean River, NSW (10 deaths)
    • Parramatta River, NSW (10 deaths)
    • Swan River, WA (10 deaths)
    • Tweed River, NSW/QLD (10 deaths)

    See more at https://tendaily.com.au/news/australia/a181129pwo/summer-safety-warning-alcohol-water-a-deadly-combination-20181129

  • Researchers Say Cold Climate Residents Drink More

    According to research out of the United States, people in cold climates with less sunlight are more likely to drink heavily.

    Researchers have found a link between average temperature and hours of sunlight and alcohol consumption.They examined data from 193 countries, leading to evidence that climate contributed to a higher incidence of binge drinking and subsequent liver disease.

    Senior author Ramon Bataller, associate director of the Pittsburgh Liver Research Centre said the world first study systematically shows that worldwide and in The USA, in colder regions with less hours of sun, there is more drinking and more alcoholic cirrhosis.

    This is probably not surprising given that alcohol is a vasodilator and relaxes blood vessels while increasing the flow of warm blood to the skin, so people are probably drinking to warm up.

    Scientists have also linked drinking to depression which tends to be more common when sunlight is scarce.

    Source: https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/chill-factor-people-in-cold-climates-drink-more-alcohol-20181119-p50gws.html

  • How Much is Too Much when it comes to Alcohol?

    We’ll probably be reaching for that alcoholic drink more than usual over the holidays to help us relax, socialise and even enjoy our meals but these drinks are mostly high in calories and lacking nutrients. Too much alcohol can contribute to chronic diseases.

    The recommended daily limit is 2 standard drinks and it’s also recommended that we have at least 2 days a week that we abstain from alcohol completely.

    If you’d like to avoid weight gain this holiday season and avoid conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, increased inflammation, cancers, liver disease, pancreatitis, mal-absorption of several nutrients and other conditions linked to excessive alcohol consumption, stick to the recommended limits.

    Drinking moderately is crucial to your health, as is drinking responsibly. That includes ensuring you have a safe way of getting home after a night out. Never drive yourself if you’ve been drinking and more importantly never endanger the lives of other people by getting behind the wheel intoxicated.

    Another wise move would be to ensure your mobile phone is sufficiently charged so you can call for a ride home or in case of emergencies.

    Also make sure you alternate one alcoholic drink with one non-alcoholic drink, preferably water.

    Have a snack or meal before drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol.

    Read more at: https://www.iol.co.za/lifestyle/food-drink/safe-drinking-tips-for-the-festive-season-18268371

  • Mums Message After Daughters Lethal Vodka Experiment

    Paris Kamper was a vibrant 15 year old teen who died after experimenting with alcohol. Her heartbroken mother has a message after the tragic death, warning other parents of the risks of social media and it’s influence, and excessive drinking.

    The tragedy occurred in June when Paris went outside to play with the family dogs and wasn’t heard from for a while, so her family looked for her and found her lifeless in the paddock.

    She had discovered a recipe online using vodka, sweetened with a common household ingredient. She consumed at least 500ml of the mix over the course of 1 hour and suffered a massive heart attack and collapsed.

    Paramedics revived Paris and rushed her to hospital but she was left brain dead. Her life support was switched off 3 days later.

    The mum warned parents that children are “under assault” and are being swamped by social media and seeing things they shouldn’t. Read more at: https://www.9news.com.au/2018/10/29/18/04/paris-kamper-kenthurst-death-vodka-mum-sandy-warning-for-parents

  • The Illegal Drink Replacing Alcohol in Canada

    A new drink that also happens to be illegal is replacing alcohol in Canada, in shot sized bottles with a fancy label. The single serving bottles look similar to the small bottles of rum or vodka we’re used to seeing but the clearish-yellow liquid is far from it. According to Health Canada the substance called Pace is a controlled substance and is illegal in the country.

    The company manufacturing the drink have branded it as an alternative to alcohol and providing a similar buzz but without the alcohol, calories and subsequent hangover.

    The active ingredient in Pace is MEAI, which is a new synthetic ingredient that delivers a mild inebriation and a similar feeling to being intoxicated. The manufacturers claim this “feeling of contentness” curbs excessive drinking. They also claim the drink is legal.

    See more at https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/pace-drink-alcohol-alternative-binge-drinking-canada-1.4933533

  • The Price of Beer Being Pushed Up by Climate Change

    A new scientific study suggests that drought has affected regions where barley is grown, causing a steep rise in the cost of beer.

    According to a paper published in the journal Nature Plants, many barley producing regions have been hard hit by the arid conditions, blamed on climate change.

    While beer is the most popular drink in the world, barley is the main ingredient and when barley production is affected by heat and drought, beer producers and consumers suffer.

    Researchers examined global crop and economic models to evaluate current environmental conditions, in an attempt to predict future climate scenarios.

    Scientists predict that average yield losses will most likely range from 3-17%. This decline in barley production means a shortage of beer and probably a sharp increase in beer prices as well.

    See more at https://www.techly.com.au/2018/10/19/crisis-price-beer-rising-youve-got-climate-change-blame/