Whatever your reasons for wanting to do so, cutting down on alcohol is something you won’t regret. How much is too much? Simple steps. Stay in control.

Five benefits of cutting back on alcohol

Ever put your recycling out and wondered how you managed to get through so many bottles of wine and beer in only a week? Or maybe you’ve suffered from one too many mid-week hangovers at work and really regretted having drunk so much the night before. If so, now might be the time to take a look at your drinking.

Reducing your alcohol intake has loads of feel-good benefits. It’s good for your health, great for your relationships and can even have a positive impact on your life. And the good news is that there are plenty of practical ways you can start to cut down. How much is too much?

The first step is to look honestly at how much you already drink. Getting an understanding of the amount you drink and what that equals in alcohol units and calories, and how that compares to the government’s lower risk guidelines, is a quick and easy way to decide whether it’s time to cut down.

Guidelines state that regularly over drinking puts you at an ‘increasing risk’ of developing health problems, and if the amount you’re drinking is usually double or more than the guidelines you are putting yourself at a ‘higher risk’ of developing health problems.

If you think your drinking puts you into the increasing risk or higher risk categories, it could be time to re-think your relationship with alcohol.

Simple steps:
The key to successfully cutting down is to make small, but important, changes in your attitude towards drinking. Lots of little changes can add up to big change in your lifestyle.

Here are some ideas: Begin by looking at how much you drink at home. You might drink more than you think on an average night in. Try replacing the alcohol in your fridge with soft drinks.

The AA Estcourt branch hosts meetings every Tuesday at Forderville Primary School from 7pm to 8pm. Contact Desigan on 082 849 3014.