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Tag: drinking

  • Woman Who Drank Eight Beers a Day While Pregnant caused Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in Daughter

    The women who consumed 8 beers a day while pregnant and caused foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in her second child, also almost lost her child.

    The mum battled alcoholism for more than 6 years and would get drunk daily. She also hid alcohol around the house from her husband.

    She first started drinking at 15 years old after being introduced to beer at a party.

    Now 53 years old the mum shared her story with The Sun in an article posted on TheMorningBulletin.com.au

    While her first daughter was lucky to not be permanently affected by drinking, it did cause her to be seriously underweight at birth.

    The baby would not feed and doctors suspected foetal alcohol syndrome. She had to be fed through a tube but managed to overcome her issues and develop. The mother’s second child wasn’t as lucky.

    Her second baby was born 2 months premature and weighed less than one kilo. Doctors gave her a 50% chance of surviving.

    The baby’s facial features also showed the effects of her mother’s drinking, with small eyes, a bigger than normal space between the eyes and a flat nose, typical of babies with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

    Read more about this family’s story at https://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/baby-born-fas-after-mum-drank-eight-beers-day/3461983/

  • What Happens to Your Body During Dry July

    Ever wondered what impact Dry July really has on your body?

    Although the Dry July Challenge is actually a bid to raise money for cancer, many people are adopting the concept of Dry July to help them control their drinking and to ‘detox’ but is there any value to it?

    The campaign began in 2008 and since then 130,000 Australians have participated, raising more than $30 million for cancer organisations.

    While abstaining from alcohol for the month, some people have noticed that their tiredness, weight gain, insomnia and lack of concentration may actually by a result of over indulging.

    People also noticed how hydrated they feel as compared to when they’re drinking.
    Some people have even noted seeing visible signs on their face, such as smoothed out fine lines and lips feeling less dry.

    Read more at: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/amazing-things-that-happen-to-your-body-when-you-quit-drinking/news-story/65742b1e63d4fefd0e65a1a50539075d

  • How Weight Watchers Can Still Enjoy Alcohol

    If you’re watching your weight, especially if you’re on the popular Weight Watchers programme, you’ve probably contemplated whether all your hard work will be outdone by a few alcoholic drinks.

    According to Weight Watchers, the occasional drink is permitted in moderation.

    On the programme light beer and wine are good choices if you really must drink because they are available almost everywhere and are low in “smartpoints”.

    You can also make your own cocktails using diet friendly ingredients.

    Everything is allowed in moderation, so a tiny splash of juice with a flavoured liquors could make a delicious, original cocktail without adding on too many calories.

    A good tip though is to avoid the urge to nibble on high calorie and high carb snacks while drinking.

    Read more at https://www.thisisinsider.com/what-liquor-beer-order-weight-watchers-2018-7

  • University Study Finds Counting Drinks Helpful in Cutting Alcohol

    A study from Curtin University found that counting drinks is useful in cutting alcohol.

    Adding ice to drinks, which dilutes it and having a designated driver have also been found by the Perth based study to encourage people to drink more.

    The study tracked Australian adult drinkers over a 4 week period to see if these measures had any effect on alcohol consumption.

    Researchers found that measures like drinking slowly, avoiding mixing drinks and eating while having alcohol, did not have an effect either way.

    The research found that the most effective way to reduce alcohol consumption was to count drinks.

    Find out more https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/curtin-university-study-finds-counting-drinks-most-likely-to-help-people-cut-alcohol-consumption-ng-b88876708z

  • Get Ready for Whisky Month in August

    August is whiskey month at bars and clubs around Australia so the focus will be on whiskey or whisky – whichever way you prefer to spell it.

    The aim is to get more people drinking whisky and one way to do this, is by educating people about the drink.

    Those in the hospitality industry looking to increase the revenue they generate from whisky, can benefit from Whisky Month.

    TheShout.com.au will be giving advice, knowledge and whisky inspiration.

    Read more at https://www.theshout.com.au/bars-and-clubs/get-ready-for-whiskey-month/

  • Most Expensive Places in The World to Drink

    New research has revealed that Sydney is one of the most expensive cities in the world to buy alcohol.

    The comparison website Finder.com.au revealed the average cost of a beer in 177 cities. The most expensive city to buy a beer is Dubai, where a pint will set you back $15.10. In Sydney you’ll pay on average $7,87 putting it in the number 27 spot.

    In Auckland, a beer will cost around $8.13 and in Doha in Qatar you’ll have to fork out a staggering $14.96 for a beer, it’s the second most expensive place to knock back a pint.

    The third most expensive place for a drink is the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik where you’ll pay $14.o1 for a beer.

    If you really love your beer, you may want to visit Caracas, Venezuela where a beer will cost just $0.92 on average.

    Read more https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/new-research-reveals-the-worlds-most-expensive-cities-to-buy-a-pint/news-story/8500a78a560f765c00ec063cbbe45c35

  • Amazing Cocktails at Melbourne Bar

    Melbourne is known for it’s nurturing of artists and creativity so these ‘crazy’ cocktails being served up by Melbourne publicans is no surprise. If you’re in Melbourne, why not skip dessert and opt for one of these delicious creations instead?

  • Drinking and Its Effect on Your Sleep Cycle

    Although you may feel drowsy after a drink, alcohol isn’t actually good for your sleeping patterns and in fact it can disrupt your deepest sleep, the kind needed for rejuvenation.

    How Alcohol Disrupts Your Sleep

    Sleep is made up of 5 phases, each needed for our brains to rejuvenate for the following day’s activity.

    On a normal night, 25% of sleep involves rapid eye movement (REM) phase. When we drink alcohol, we enter deep sleep without the usual REM phase first.

    According to Dr Tina Lam, research fellow at Curtin University’s National Drug Research Institute, you will feel like you’re sleeping more deeply and you will dream less.

    “When you have alcohol in your bloodstream, it increases the slow-wave deep sleep and reduces the REM sleep,” Dr Lam explains.

    Source: https://coach.nine.com.au/2018/06/15/10/55/alcohol-sleep

    Dr Lam explains that as the night progresses the opposite happens.

    As the alcohol leaves your bloodstream, your central nervous system switches to being dominated by glutamate. This is the brain’s excitement neurotransmitter and takes you into REM sleep, which is lighter.

    “The drinker may experience less slow-wave/deep sleep, and get more REM sleep, which may result in more intense dreams or nightmares.

    “This, along with the increased likelihood of snoring and tossing and turning, will result in sleep fragmentation and disruption. You’re more likely to get sweaty and have to get up to go to the bathroom too.”

    Source: https://coach.nine.com.au/2018/06/15/10/55/alcohol-sleep

    In other words, Dr Lam believes having a nightcap to help you sleep is counter-intuitive.You will have a lower quality of sleep and the length of your sleep will also be less.

    Dr Lam also found that the more frequently alcohol was consumed, the less it will work in a sedative way.

    “We get used to the sedative effects of alcohol very quickly,” Dr Lam explains.

    “Within three to seven days of having a couple of glasses of wine after dinner to help us get sleepy [will see] the sedative effects diminish, but those counterproductive disrupting sleep effects continue.”

    Source: https://coach.nine.com.au/2018/06/15/10/55/alcohol-sleep

    Thus a poor sleep cycle is developed where you keep looking for alcohol to relax you and help you sleep, maybe even increasing the volume of alcohol you drink each time.

    “People who drink the night before will have more disrupted sleep and feel less rested in the morning and will likely caffeinate up, which will still have residual effects at night,” Dr Lam explains.

    “Then you might try to calm down again with a bit of alcohol, which will disrupt your sleep further. It’s quite easy to get into a vicious cycle.”

    Source: https://coach.nine.com.au/2018/06/15/10/55/alcohol-sleep

  • Why Alcohol and Sport or Exercise Don’t Mix

    Having a drink after a game has become common place for most Australians that play sport, even professional athletes. But is this drinking after physical activity good for you?

    A recent article on TheConversation.com says drinking after exercising is a bad idea, especially very strenuous activity.

    The writer highlights that high intensity activity such as sport, creates temporary muscle damage and pain. Our energy (glycogen) can also be depleted during exercise.

    The body also loses a lot of fluids, due to sweating so drinking alcohol after sport and exercise makes the recovery process harder for the body.

    Alcohol actually slows down the repair process for the damaged muscles and if you’ve already lost a lot of fluids, drinking alcohol causes you to lose even more – alcohol can cause dehydration.

    The writer also highlights that athletes with soft tissue injury can worsen the condition because drinking alcohol will open up the blood vessels and encourage swelling to the injury.

    If you must drink alcohol after playing sport, drink moderately and have plenty of water.

    Find out more https://theconversation.com/why-alcohol-after-sport-and-exercise-is-a-bad-idea-98313

  • New Study Shows Moderate Alcohol Really Does Benefit The Heart

    Despite conflicting opinions, it appears alcohol really is good for you, as long as it is consumed in moderation.

    According to a new research from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil the enzyme responsible for making moderate alcohol consumption good for the heard has been identified – ALDH2.

    The study, in partnership with scientists from Stanford University in the USA, shows that when consumed moderately, alcohol can activate this beneficial enzyme. Two cans of beer or 2 glasses of wine is all it takes to activate this enzyme which held rid the body of aldehyde which is a toxic byproduct of alcohol digestion and a stressed heart.

    Source: https://vinepair.com/booze-news/new-study-alcohol-heart-healthy/