Art of Diet

Hot Weather and Alcohol Feasting

Ms H

We are currently having a hot weather in Europa. A cool alcoholic drink may seem like a good way to chill out and relax on a hot summer day however, there are many potential disadvantages. In summer more events are such as festivals, weddings or getting together with friends and family. You could enjoy yourself if you know your limits and keep the followings in your mind: 3-4 units/ day for a men and 2-3 units/day for a women are the recommended levels.

Your liver processes 30 ml of pure alcohol in 30 minutes. Your body takes about 3 hours to break the alcohol down in a standard drinks e.g. a pint (568 ml) of beer or a large (250 ml ) glass of wine.

wine	alcohol units  in 250 ml wine
8%	2
9%	2.2
10%	2.5
11%	2.8

beer & lager	units in 1 pint 586ml
4.3%  Guinness	2.3
5.2% Stella Artois	2.95
7% e.g.  Carlsberg	4
8% e.g. Crucial Brew	4.5
9% e.g. Tennents	5

Alcohol forces your kidney to lose more fluid and it has the effect of making your sweat more, so you could become dehydrated easier.  Dehydration can cause headaches, dizziness, sickness, tiredness or heat exhaustion.

Alcohol interferes with balance, coordination and judgment, numbs your senses and slows down your reactions making it more difficult to get your-self out of trouble. These effects are intensified by sun exposure and heat. Reduced judgment caused by alcohol increases the risk of injury. Alcohol causes a loss of inhibitions and leads to reckless behaviour.  Any way you could put yourself in danger during hot weather activity even if you don't drink alcohol.

Smart choice if you drink alcohol-free refreshments like smoothies, here is a recipe:

2 slices of watermelon,

1 freshly squeezed lemon juice,

2cm length of ginger and

water

Drink plenty of water or soft drinks in between alcoholic drinks to prevent dehydration. The main idea is that try to avoid alcoholic drink during a hot day.