New alcohol guidelines

As we head into the festive season and turn our minds to saying a big farewell to 2020, you may be interested to know the guidelines for what is considered safe levels of drinking to reduce harm, have recently been reviewed.

The new recommendations find that we should enjoy no more than 10 standard drinks a week, and no more than four standard drinks on any day.

While how much you drink is your choice, you should know that drinking is never free of risk. The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol.

If that may seem a bit of a challenge for some of us, Connect Health & Community dietitian, Angela, offers some handy tips to ensure our festive merriment, keeps us within the safe guidelines.

How can I follow the guidelines?

The good news is that there are now a number of zero alcohol beers, ciders and wines on the market that you can use to help reduce your alcohol intake.

You can also follow these handy hints:

• Eat before and while drinking alcohol;
• Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks;
• Check the label on your drink to see how many standard drinks it contains;
• Set yourself limits; and
• Sip your drinks.

And by following the guidelines, you increase your chances of having a merry and safe new year.  Enjoy.