How to Drink in Moderation: 6 Effective Tips

By 2022 the World Heart Federation stated that alcohol did not protect people. Now a growing body of research says any alcohol raises the chance of premature death from a variety of causes. About half of cases of liver disease are attributed to drinking. It can cause cancer because it breaks down in the body to form a compound called acetaldehyde, which damages DNA. And according to the WHO, half of cancers in Europe linked to how to drink moderately alcohol are caused by “light” or “moderate” consumption.

Practice Saying No or Offering an Alternative

Talk with a doctor or nurse if you’re having a hard time cutting back on your drinking. Here are my top 10 things that you need to do to moderate how much alcohol you drink, and ‘control’ your alcohol consumption. The seven tips below can help you not only maintain healthier habits, but can also help you make choices that will reduce caloric intake and the risk of developing serious illnesses down the road. In that same vein, shifting your social gatherings towards activities that aren’t centered around drinking can make cutting down much easier and take the pressure off the temptation or the pressured obligation to drink. There’s an endless number of fun things to do with loved ones that involve no drinking whatsoever.

Growth, Support & Real Life Insight 🌿

• For resources related to AUD, including how to get support, please visit the NIH website.
• By doing so, you may even identify triggers that cause you to drink—for example, certain social situations, stress from work, or even boredom.
• According to Nielsen, these drinks were worth 1.3% of the non-alcoholic drinks market in August 2022, up 88.4% from the previous year.
• You will need be prepared to constantly swim against the tide of addiction.
• “Even one drink per day can pose health risks, including an increased risk of certain cancers such as breast, esophageal, and colorectal cancer,” Harb told Healthline.

The internet is full of misinformation about the risks of alcohol intake. And the truth is, everyone may be affected by alcohol differently. But here’s what the experts have to say about drinking in moderation — the good, the bad, and the ugly — and your health.

Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation

• Limited social drinking is a realistic goal for some people who struggle with alcohol, and should definitely be considered by people who have not been able to successfully adhere to abstinence.
• Limiting alcohol consumption to just a few drinks per week or avoiding it entirely seems to be the safest recommendation.
• Abstinence is a worthy goal but it does not have to be your goal.
• Here’s some useful tips on communicating your drinking choices to friends.
• Our approach is designed to meet you where you are, allowing you to reduce or eliminate drinking at your own pace.

Others may need additional support in https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/mash-sober-living-eco-sober-house-is-now-mash-certified/ order to drink in moderation or stop drinking entirely. At the same time, you still have studies that came out in the past decade that acknowledged the cancer risks but continued to report cardiovascular benefits and a possible reduction in the risk of diabetes with modest drinking. Some research suggests that adhering to certain patterns — such as spacing your weekly allotment of drinks out over a few days and consuming them with a meal — may be beneficial. By combining naltrexone with behavior change strategies, Thrive’s program helps you gradually retrain your brain’s relationship with alcohol, making it easier to control your drinking and build healthier habits over time.

These calories add up — and getting more calories than you need can make it harder to stay at a healthy weight. Remember to suspend judgment during the counting phase; be proud of yourself for being bold enough to note the real numbers or at least real estimates. Excessive alcohol use can harm people who drink and those around them.

Strategies to Cut Back on Drinking

Oftentimes, drinking alcohol can be a coping mechanism for negative feelings, and create a false sense of calmness, relief, and even joy. Finding alternative ways to achieve those feelings is a crucial part of changing your relationship with alcohol. Science has clearly established that excessive drinking is bad for you.

Want more inspiration, knowledge and ideas about alcohol and how to make the changes you want stick? You will find yourself reading articles like this, Googling site after site trying to find THE site that gives you permission to carry on drinking, and makes taking a highly addictive poisonous drug OK. Find out the answers to these questions and more with Psychology Today. Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans are a alcoholism symptoms set of nutrition recommendations for Americans across all lifespans that is updated and released by the U.S.

On average, members see a 30% reduction in alcohol consumption in 3 months, leading to improved sleep, diet, and overall wellbeing. Keeping track of drinks starts with planning your daily or weekly alcohol consumption. It turns out attaching a goal — like having 7 weekly drinks — to an action plan makes you more likely to achieve that goal. So if you stay within the CDC’s guidelines for moderate drinking — and maintain an active lifestyle — your target weight should be within reach. But alcohol isn’t essential to enjoying life.” If these 2 statements apply to you, there’s a good chance you have the mindset of a moderate drinker. He also explains that the potential benefits are poorly studied and that the possible long-term benefits are outweighed by the more immediate health problems caused by binge drinking.