By Darren Wilmott
Whether you’re at home or abroad, despite the care-free holiday abandon, it’s worth remembering that staying safe with alcohol is just as important as good sunscreen or not staring directly at the sun. Whether this is the partaking of a few beers at lunch, the house white or rosé after work, or the deeper red wines at a BBQ, responsible drinking can mean you end the day as happy as you started it. Here’s a few tips that, whether it’s a few drinks or a full-on session, can really make the difference. 1. Eat First! – We’ve probably all had ‘the munchies’ at some point, but this is your body’s way of panicking and playing catch-up because you didn’t fortify your stomach with enough food beforehand. An old myth states that drinking a pint of milk (or, disgustingly, several glugs of olive oil) before a session will eradicate the hangover zombies, but the pure joy of drinking Champagne with Fish n’ Chips (where the alcohol content cleanly cuts through the fat of the meal) shows that this doesn’t work and is indeed just a myth. What does work is eating a good, solid meal ahead of time, which allows the newly imbibed alcohol to be soaked up as it is taken in. 2. Watch out for the weather! – Undeniably the sunnier weather is a wonderful time to kick back with some al fresco drinking, but it’s worth remembering that the increased temperatures have the side effect of making you dehydrate quicker through sweating. The best move here is to adjust what you’re drinking, either staying on beer (with its lower alcohol level) or lower alcohol wines for longer. You should also compensate by ensuring that you drink a glass of water every two to three drinks. This will help your body keep its natural hydration levels and keep you going for longer. The most important thing to remember is to pace yourself. Days free from work, as well as hot weekends, mean that all day drinking sessions can be on the cards. Regular drinking of water is a good way to avoid peaking too early. 3. Ignore Peer Pressure! – This isn’t about killing the fun by turning down the extra glass, shot or cocktail, but more about the pressure of ‘the round’. If you’re in session mode there is the temptation to keep up with the pace of your mates and the regular rounds of drink, which may happen more often than you’re used to, or need. Keep a count of what you are drinking to help put things in perspective. Even worse can be the thought of skipping a round and not making your money back. However in most public places, ordering a soft drink instead of an alcoholic one will invariably be more expensive anyway! Cheers! Read Darren’s blog at vinesight.me
