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  • How to Drink More Mindfully

    Do you drink mindfully or do you simply drink according to your habits and the predominant culture?

    Well most drinkers can agree that drinking mindfully is easier said than done, especially if you’ve been heading to the bar for years, drinking and socialising go hand in hand for some.

    For some people it’s just the feeling of having something in their hands while they chat to their mates and for others it’s a way to loosen up and socialise.This often leads to us drinking more than we realise and not really even enjoying the drink itself.

    Drinking mindfully will help you enjoy the experience of drinking more and help you avoid drinking excessively which has its own slew of consequences.

    According to a post on HuffingtonPost.com.au it all starts with pausing and asking yourself whether or not you really want that next drink, weighing the pros and cons.
    It could also involve ordering one more expensive wine or cocktail instead of four of the cheapest house wines available.

    Read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/grace-enright-burns/how-to-turn-mindless-drinking-into-mindful-drinking-and-taste-the-results_a_23215823/

  • Does Drinking Alcohol Kill The Germs it Comes into Contact With

    Does drinking alcohol kill germs? Although alcohol is a well-known disinfectant, can it help for treating stomach infections, throat infections etc? In fact in the past wine was known for its disinfecting and cleansing abilities and we even use it in alcohol.

    In a 1988 study, beer and carbonated drinks were tested and found to have an effect on bacteria such as E.Coli, Shigella and Salmonella but wine had the most effective result.

    Later studies found that red wine had intense antibacterial activity, partly due to its acid pH and alcohol concentration.

    The alcohol content plays an important role, the higher the alcohol concentration the greater the ability to kill bugs. Studies show that alcohol contents less than 40% had little effect on bacteria.

    But don’t turn to alcohol to kill germs in the stomach. In a recent study involving 47 human volunteers, different alcohol concentrations or saline, were directly added to the stomach and it was observed that the greater the concentration of alcohol the worse the damage to the stomach.

     

    Read more at http://theconversation.com/health-check-does-drinking-alcohol-kill-the-germs-it-comes-into-contact-with-83504

  • Study Shows Divorce Increases Alcohol Disorder Risk

    According to recent research, compared to married people, divorced people drink more and in more dangerous ways including binge drinking.

    Divorced people tend to engage in more alcohol related risky behaviours and also have a higher alcohol related mortality.

    The recent study which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry and based on a Swedish population of 950 000 people born between 1960 and 1990, who had no alcohol use disorder diagnosis prior to marriage, found that after divorce the rates of first time alcohol use disorder increased in both men and women. In men it increased six times and in women it increased seven fold.

    Read more about this study at https://www.forbes.com/sites/zhanavrangalova/2017/10/16/divorce-increases-risk-for-alcohol-use-disorders-remarriage-lowers-it/

  • Study Shows Teens Avoiding Alcohol and Sex

    According to a recent study from psychologists Jean Twenge and Heejung Park, teenagers of today aren’t that interested in alcohol.

    The psychologists found that teenagers prefer to stay at home and spend their time on social-media apps instead, avoiding alcohol and drugs.

    The study, which was published in the journal Child Developments, revealed that nowadays teens are less likely to drive, work for pay, go on dates, have sex or go out without their parents.

    The study surveyed the behaviour of 8.3 million teens between 1976 and 2016. See more at http://www.businessinsider.com/generation-z-sex-alcohol-driving-study-2017-9

  • Drinking Behaviour of Australians Continues To Improve

    The drinking habits of Australians continues to improve, proof that Responsible Service of Alcohol efforts are working.

    A comprehensive study conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare at the end of 2016, looked into the drinking habits of 24,000 Australians, revealing that as a nation our alcohol consumption is steadily declining.

    More and more Australians, and 80 per cent of underage drinkers are now abstaining from alcohol.

    The survey also showed that the rate of drinking among pregnant women is also on the decline.

    More than 80 per cent of Australian drinkers drink within government within government risk guidelines. Read more at https://www.theshout.com.au/77895-2/

  • How to Make a La Paloma Cocktail

    The La Paloma cocktail is a Mexican cocktail for anyone who likes tequila. It’s an awesome alternative to a margarita that’s sure to be a hit with most cocktail lovers. Watch the video and give it a try.

  • Irish People Taste Test Weird American Cocktail Drinks

    The Irish are known for the their love of pub life and alcohol, which explains somewhat of why they are perceived as experts when it comes to alcoholic beverages. That’s probably why this video is so interesting, it shows what Irish people really think of those “weird” American cocktails.

  • Australian Men Urged to Stop Drinking to Support Pregnant Partners

    Remember alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not safe. In fact now Australian men are being urged to forgo alcohol while their partners are pregnant to show their support.

    Australian women have been warned that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption that can prevent foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, so it’s best to forgo alcohol completely when pregnant.

    On Friday was International FASD Awareness Day and to show their support, men are being urged to give up alcohol to support mums-to-be.

    Some alarming figures revealed that one in four Australian women drank alcohol while pregnant despite the warnings.

    If men join in with the abstinence, maybe their partners will be more willing to abstain.

    Read more at https://thewest.com.au/news/wa/aussie-men-urged-to-forgo-alcohol-to-support-pregnant-spouse-ng-b88594259z

  • Claims Alcohol Warning System Inadequate

    Do you think the warning labels on alcohol bottles are an effective deterrent to young people? Do you even notice these labels?

    Well some arguments have been raised about whether the warning labels are effective at all following a study by researchers at Victoria’s Deakin University.

    A recent article on Smh.com.au discussed the call for changes to alcohol warning systems which findings suggest are currently inadequate.

    According to the Australian study headed by Deakin University’s Professor Peter Miller, warnings on alcoholic drinks do little to alter the behaviour of young drinkers.

    While this is something we may all have assumed in the past, the study proves what some have long thought to be true.

    The findings reveal that the current, optional warning system, overseen by DrinkWise, the industry-funded body was not effective. Professor Miller highlighted that this should not be something overseen by the alcohol industry itself but the government, whose responsibility it is to ensure the rights of the public.

    Professor Miller explained,

    “We need to be sure, as consumers, that our government are the people that are looking after our rights. We can’t trust the alcohol industry to supply us with information about alcohol. It’s as idiotic as doing it with tobacco,”

    Source: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/study-sparks-call-to-change-alcohol-warning-system-20170903-gy9wx6.html

    Geoff Munro, from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation called for action, saying that something needs to be done to address the societal harm linked to alcohol such as assaults, family violence and drink driving.

    “Alcohol is a major health problem for Australian society. It does enormous damage,” he said. “It is responsible for 5,500 deaths each year and alcohol puts 170,000 Australians into hospital each year for either acute or chronic problems.

     “Australia needs a broad-based campaign to help lower the cost of alcohol and to encourage people to treat alcohol with much more respect than we do.” Mr Munro explained.

    The study involved 40 Deakin University students aged between 18 and 25. Researchers showed them images of the warnings and the alcohol labelling with the warnings present. The students themselves labelled the warnings as “ineffective” and even questioned whether DrinkWise was decreasing the visibility of the labels on purpose.

     

    For more visit http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/study-sparks-call-to-change-alcohol-warning-system-20170903-gy9wx6.html

  • The Average Australian Drinks Five Beers a Week

    According to a recent post on Finder.com.au, which analysed data from the ABS, released at the start of the month, alcohol consumption is up for the first time in nine years among Australians.

    The average person over the age of 15 is drinking 9.7 litres of pure alcohol as of 2016. This equates to 5 beers, a bottle wine, 3 mixed drinks and half a cider a week, per person.

    Finder.com.au went on to attribute this rise in drinking to our “unaffordable housing market”. A money expert from the site, Bessie Hassan explained that as property prices rise, home ownership becomes increasingly more out of reach for some Australians. They are now turning to smaller lifestyle luxuries like traveling, experiences and nights out drinking.

    Find out more http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/alcohol-rising-australians-drink-about-680-bottles-of-beer-a-year/news-story/9a73d22ba74c02ea576a78dc16e7c060